The Lookback : DCOM solves a mystery

The Flashback    Disney 

         It's time to take a look at another Disney Channel Original Movie, why? That's apparently a thing we do here. (We have an appearance to keep)  The last Disney Channel Original movie lookback we did was  the "lost one" known as "Northern Lights"  (you can read that here) this time we are looking at one that D.C at least acknowledges existing.

           Editors  Note:  This is honestly on my list of favorite Disney Channel movies in a list of 8 it would be at like 6.

           "Get a Clue" came out in June of 2002 starting Lindsay Lohan , who was finishing up a Disney contract (alright then) .


    There are spoliers in this look back so....

    Lindsay plays a 13 year old girl named Lexy Gold  who lives in New York City (the movie is filmed in Toronto , the NYC of Canada, they are both the biggest cities in pop in their countries)  and her family seems to be well to do.     The movie also starts perennial Disney Channel star,  Brenda Song, who plays her best friend named Jen.  

This movie knew the future ... of internet calling it knew/copyright Disney

         Lexy's Dad is a newspaper reporter   who works for  The New York Times  and he starts his appearance in the movie reading his competitor (The Washington Post?)  The Daily Examiner (Oh)  in speaking of  that news paper  apparently Lexy got an article in the paper  about her teacher being friends with each other. (what kind of paper is that?)   Also their mother exists, but she's leaving on a business trip. 

"Well it's been fun being here for like 5 minutes, but the check cashed and  I am out of here" / copyright Disney. 

              Lexy and Jen go to a private school  and everyone knows she's in the paper. (Nice to know teenagers used to read the newspaper)    Everyone knows the teachers are in love or something now too. (Darn teachers being all in love...)   There is one kid who is not happy about her "journalism" that's a kid named Jack Downey  who happens to be the editor of the school paper that Lexy is an advice columnist.  (Also he has a great editor name)   

Is in love with our main character? Find out at ten after Lassie/Copyright Disney 

       Lexy over hears Ms. Dawson and Mr.Walker , the two teachers, arguing after her apparently breaks up with her. (when will the press learn?)    What could go wrong?  

Oh Crap.... he's missing, also playful headline /copyright Disney

          The next day ,  Mr.Walker is missing and his car is found in the river. (Hey you got your mafia movie in my Disney Channel movie)      This also starts our mystery.    Miss Dawson seems to be suspect in his disappearance since Lexy told the detective about Miss Dawson and Mr.Walker's disagreement.   Lexy decides the logical thing to do is to do some solving herself.  (That meddling kid)  She decides to team up with Jack to solve the case (kids).  (Also I think we got some romance in our murder Disney Channel Original movie) 

     

Her sister has knowledge of spy stuff and likes spy stuff so we got spy movie in our mystery movie./copyright Disney

         Jen and Gabe decide  to also help in the mystery, and Gabe can help because he loves close to Miss.Dawson.  (NSA:The Movie)    Lexy and Jack go to Brookyln to check out Mr.Walker's house  and snoop around. (Yeah, that's legal).  In this movie we find out what Mr.Sheffield ( Charles Shaughnessy) has been doing after "The Nanny"  or in this movie he's called detective Meany. (really? oh Mr. Sheffield)  

Detective eh?  /Copyright Disney 

   Fun Fact:   Shagughnessy also played in the Disney Channel movie "Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire" that one came out in 2000.  

       Anyway detective Meany, catches them snooping in Mr.Walker's home.  Lexy says he's not a real one because his clothes are too expensive for an NY detective. (well then)   She finds out more about  Jack , including that he lives in Brooklyn  and has a brother in the Navy.   The two of them find out using Mr.Walker's old computer that he gave to Jack, that his real name wasn't Orlando Walker but Nicolas Petrossian. (dun dun dun) .    Also yes there's a buregiong at least friend ship between the  Lexy and Jack.   They visit    Mrs. Petrossian , the mother, (played by Sylvia Lennick)  and we find out Nick's not dead.   Apparently Mr.Walker faked his disappearance because of Lexy's news story and he was faking the Mr. Walker act  because he was a banker who was framed for embezzlement. (Well changing your name and running might not look good either,also we got a man who faked his own death on a Disney Channel Movie)  

Ha that headline /copyright Disney

         We find out  Det. Meany is  the man who framed Mr.Walker at the bank. (Oh Mr.Sheffield...) Their sting operation does work as well and they have to find that man also known as  Falco Grandville. (Well that's a name)  They catch  Grandville and we get a nice wrap up the  case.  

    

 More after the jump 

Not A Peanuts Lookback : Peanuts

Peanuts

      We are taking a short break from our Peanuts lookbacks until the next time we do them (September, since we started this every other month pattern),so I thought it would be interesting to talk about other "Peanuts" related media. In this case "Peanuts".

   "Peanuts" is a French cartoon that started in 2014  produced by Normaal Animation, and airs on French television and has now also expanded to other countries , like the United States.  It is based off the comic strip.

        The series is presented as shorts so each episode is not long or feature length. The ascetics of the cartoon  is very much like a moving comic strip. Backgrounds are static and feautre color changes ,and transitions are modeled after comic strip panels. 

        The characters look as they do and the style of animation  again gives it feel  of the comic just in motion and not having to read speech bubbles.   The episodes work with the strips for example there's an episode of Linus running for class president (much like You're not Elected Charlie Brown) and it takes it's materiel from the arc of Linus running  in the strip from. 1964 (even more than the special did) 

   It pretty much takes those strips line for line and puts them  in a little different order and spotting but still line for line. 

That's terrifying a little

                 The series keeps that Peanuts comic feel very well  and like I stated is faithful to its source.  (Though, I   Think it wouldn't have been made if it wasn't.)   The length works since not all the strips had long arcs in the first place and it's kind how "The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show" worked. 

  Here is a sample of the episodes Thanks to Cartoon Network (US) youtube page. 

   There's not too much else I can say about the series, all I have to say is check it out and see what you think. I think it's pretty good and works it's source materiel well. 

Fox Fall Premiere Dates

FOX  TVLookFall2017 Primetime 

   FOX has released it's Fall premiere dates .  First , Fox has set their new dramedy series "Orville"  with two  episodes before the official fall television season starts.  They are also giving it another push by having it come on after  NFL on Fox double headers on September 10th and 17th.  Fox's official premiere week starts September 26th.

   Sunday September 10th
   8PM   The Orville (Series Premiere)

  Sunday, September 17th
  8PMET  The  Orville (Series Premiere)

   Tuesday, September 26th
  8PM ET Lethal Weapon
  9PMET  The Mick
 9:30PMET   Brookyln  Nine Nine

  Wednesday, September 27th
   8PMET Empire
   9PMET   Star

   Thursday, September 28th
    8PM ET Gotham
    9PM  ET  The Orville (Time slot premiere)

     Friday, September 29th
     8PM  ET  Hell's Kitchen
    9PM   ET  The Exorcist

Sunday, October 1st
7:30 PMET Bob's Burgers
 8PMET  The Simpsons
 8:30PMET  Ghosted (Series Premiere)
 9PMET    Family Guy
9:30PMET  The Last Man on Earth

 Monday, October 2nd
  8PMET Lucifer
  9PMET Gifted (Series Premiere)

 
Press Release after the jump

The Lookback : Scorch

The Flashback 


         It's about time we didn't write about something animated for a second we need real  live action  human flesh television.  It's time to dip into some short lived television:  TV series that didn't last long enough to be really remembered or it goes into cult status.  Is 3 episodes short-lived enough?

        That brings us to a series  from CBS that came out in 1992, it ran  just 3 episodes.  "Scorch" is about a dragon who is 1300 years old and took a 100 year sleep and woke up in 1992. ( I guess when you are 1300 years old you have to sleep long)  Let's look at the first episode. (Hey ! I saw you, trying to leave)

     

Hmm good thing  I bought that 200 year calendar 

         After the theme song, the series starts dragon-free with a man and his building manager are talking to each other.  His name is Brian Stevens  and he has an eight year old daughter named Jess, she wakes up  after having a bad dream about monsters changing her , and her father does the classic there are no monsters bit.  Guess what happens next?

                            A) Nothing 

                            B) What do YOU think happens Next?

                            C)  Duh, Dragon 

                            D)  Commercial break 

                                       To be fair that's not really a monster, per say.  

             Brian sees the dragon freaks out and his daughter freaks out and then we find out the dragon talks.  He also says of course dragon's talk. (Well yes, it was in that TV special).  The dragon says he over sleep for 100 years, family's gone ,got struck by lighting and now cant' fly. (he's had a bad century)   Jess asks her father to keep the dragon , at least until he can fly. 

                   

            The  next morning, the dragon tells Jessica that his name is Scorch (Title drop)  and  the viewer gets to find out that Jessica's mother is with her new husband. (At least she's not dead?)   Brian  is going to be auditioning for the part of weather man.  Oh the show takes place in New Haven. (Not many shows take place in New Haven)    

Hmm not good , that lamp pulled the room together.

       Brian takes Scorch to his audition  and  when the boss finds Scorch and Brian convinces him that Scorch is a dummy. So he gets hired. (glad that worked) This series also has John O Hurley  in it. 

Hey there, you might remember from such shows as...

                Brian gets his first broadcast that same day and it goes strange. Scorch doesn't like the job because of John O Hurley's anchor character. Jessica convinces Scorch to stay because she doesn't like moving so much.  (awww)  

      Well it's a short lived series, but this post doesn't have to be  short, so let's head to episode 2 after the jump. 

A New Block of Children's Broadcast TV

NEWS   Children's TV

     This blog has written heavily about  former children's broadcast TV blocks and we've talked about the death of traditional broadcast TV blocks for children.  (Though Ion television kind of has one.)  So it's interesting and surprising to be writing about a new one coming July 1st.

Sinclair Broadcast Group  , the largest owner of local TV stations in the country is introducing a block of children's programming for 7 days a week called Kids Click. It will be airing on Tribune's network , This TV (Sinclair is also , as of this writing in the midst of trying to buy the Tribune company) airing Weekdays 6AMET to 9AMET and weekends 7amet-10amet  (To find out if you get THIS TV  go here)  It will also be airing on some Sinclair stations  (mostly CW or My Network  TV stations) and their schedules will vary by market.   For example WUCW in Minneapolis will be airing the block at these times   to find your Sinclair station to see if the listings show the block you can check here.

     The block first programming line up looks like this

Weekdays (all times ET)
6AM SONIC X
6:30   Max Steel
7AM  Angry Birds  (New to TV)
7:30    Miraculous : Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir
8AM   Rocket Monkeys
8:30AM Super 4   (New to the US )

Weekends
7AM  RoboCop: Alpha Commando
7:30  Sonic X
8AM   Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures
8:30AM Scary Larry  (new to the US)
9AM   Pink Panther and Pals
9:30am Pac-Man and The Ghostly Adventures

  It was also announced they will be doing stuff online too (because this is 2017, so everyone is doing it)  at their website Kidsclicktv.com  they are on Twitter and Facebook 

NBC announces Fall premiere dates

NBC TVLookFall2017  Primetime 

             NBC has released it's fall premiere dates.   NBC kicks off their new season with the return with "The Voice" which starts Monday, September 25th.   This kicks off a week of premieres .  It looks as though "Taken" has been bumped , during upfront schedule it was announced  to be having the  Friday 9PMET slot.

Updates as of August 1st  : The Good Place will start it's season 2 a week earlier than planned with an hour-long premiere September  20th at 10pmet , following the season finale of  Amercica's Got Talent  then it will premiere in it's normal time slot on date below.   Meanwhile ,  The Blacklist will now start September 27th, moving up one week .

Here's the dates in full
 all times ET/PT
 Monday, September 25th
 8PM  The Voice
 10PM  The Brave (New Series)

 Tuesday , September 26th
8PM  The Voice
9PM  This is Us
10PM  Law & Order True Crime : The Menendez Murders  (new series)

Wednesday, September 27th
8PM  The Blacklist
9PM  Law & Order : SVU
10PM  Chicago PD

Thursday, September 28th
8PM  Superstore
8:30PM  The Good Place
9PM  Will & Grace
9:30PM Great News
10PM  Chicago Fire

Friday , September 29th
9PM  Datleline



Friday, October 27th
8PM  Blindspot

Thursday, November 9th
8PM  Thursday Night Football (Thru December 14th)



Press release after the Jump

My Network TV Fall 2017

MY Network TV TVlookfall2017

 
   My Network TV has released their fall schedule. Series like  Law & Order SVU , American Ninja Warrior,  The X Files return.  Bones  and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D leave the line up and Dateline and Law and Order CI join the line up.


This line up starts the week of September 25th.


   Monday
   8/7c  Law and Order SVU
  9/8c   Law and  Order SVU
   
Tuesday
8/7c  The X Files
9/8c  The X Files

Wednesday
8/7c  Dateline
9/8c  Dateline

Thursday
8/7c  Law and Order CI
9/8c  Law and Order CI

Friday
8/7c American  Ninja Warrior
9/8c  American Ninja Warrior



     Your local station may choose it's own times to air these series check your listings  and to find your affiliate check their website  here http://www.mynetworktv.com/ 

Opinion : Brady Bunch Episodes I do Like

Opinon Lookback Reviews 


    Back in 2015 I did a list of 4 episodes of the Brady Bunch I didn't like , yet didn't return to the topic , so let's do episodes I do like this time.    Like last time these are my opinions and if you don't like these then that's alright. There are more than 5 episodes I like, but keeping the list simple. Oh, and these are done in particular ranking.

1. "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" Season 1 Episode 4
    Plot :   Alice is used to taking care of the Brady boys, so with Carol around the dynamic changes,  She encourages the boys to ask Carol for help with their problems instead of her after she sees Carol looking a little left out by the boys going to Alice.  When the Brady's start asking Carol more for help she begins to fell left out herself and decides to leave.  The Bradys are unhappy that she is leaving so they make a plan up to show that she is still needed  and of course she decides to stay.

Evening Wear? It's  2 in the afternoon!  /Copyright Paramount 

Why I like this Episode:  The early episodes of the  Brady Bunch were showing the growing pains of this new family being put together , something that disappeared  in season 2.  Alice was the house keeper with the Bradys (Meaning Mike and the boys ) so  they were used to her being there and having her assistance and not going to Carol . Alice felt for Carol so she tried to help but ended up feeling un needed herself.  Alice , besides Bobby, is my favorite character on this show that's another reason to include an episode focused on her in this list.  I like it shows the her caring for this family and the way they consider her  family is very sweet.

2. "Law and Disorder"  Season 4 Episode 14

     Plot :  Bobby at first hates the idea of being a school safety patrol because other kids at school don't want to  talk to him because I guess safety patrolling is bad or something.  There is also a sub plot of the family repairing a boat to go boating.  Bobby's parents convince him that being safety monitor   is actually a good thing and he takes it heart.  Bobby starts like the power he has  and takes it too far at school and starts seeping into home.  He starts reporting his brothers and sisters to his parents for breaking rules.  One day , Bobby is walking home when he stopped by a girl who needs help to get her cat, so Bobby decided to help her until he finds out that the cat is in a condemned house but he reluctantly decides to go in and help the find the cat.   He does but his good clothes have gotten dust and ash all over them , so he gets home and tries to wash them before his parents get home and of course that classic sitcom plot of putting too much stuff in the washing machine causes a mess.  His parents explain that rules  are meant to be followed but within reason.  Also, the boat is finished.

Did she bring her cat to school?/ Copyright Paramount

    Why I like this episode :  Bobby is one of my favorite Brady Bunch characters so that's a factor.  This episode is a classic sitcom plot where a character gets some authority and it goes to their head. Bobby didn't mean it with any malice or ill intent  he was trying to do his best and let it get to his head. He learns that rules are important ,yes but sometimes doing something right may require bending a rule. Cindy learns that if you have someone you know in power that doesn't put you above the rules. It also makes me laugh and that works for a comedy to me.


3. "The Voice of Christmas"  Season 1 Episode 12

  Plot:  It's Christmas time and Carol has been practicing  for her solo at church for Christmas service but she then contracts laryngitis. The family helps her and they worry she can't sing. Cindy asks a mall Santa if he can give her mom her voice back for Christmas. The kids on Christmas Eve feel down that Carol's voice isn't back and they want to postpone Christmas but Alice convinces them that that's what their mom would want.  On Christmas Carol's voice comes back.

Sorry, we got the tree in installment plans/copyright Paramount 

Why I like this Episode :   I put this in a list of good Christmas sitcom episodes ,that is on this blog somewhere. I think it's a good episode because it shows things that Christmas can be about. Cindy's faith and the idea that she asks for something for someone else than herself. The family hoping that Carol gets better before Christmas and the happy ending.

4.  "A Fistful of Reasons"  Season 2 Episode 8
       Plot :  Cindy comes home distraught after a bully named Buddy Hinton makes fun of the way she talks.  Her parents offer her help to fix her lisp. When she's practicing   her s sounds at school, Buddy makes fun of her some more. Peter over sees this and tries to stop Buddy from picking on her ,but Peter refuses to fight him and gets called chicken.  The next time, Peter tries and stop him from picking on her and ends up getting a black eye.  Mike decides to talk to Buddy Hinton's father and that goes nowhere. Carol decides to talk to Mrs. Hinton but this also goes nowhere.  Peter  practices  his hitting.   Peter tries and reason with Buddy again that doesn't work so he puts up his fists and Buddy tries to hit him but  Peter gets him and knocks a tooth loose.  When he starts talking funny the other kids that were watching start making fun of Buddy but Peter stops him . Cindy asks why, and he explains that she didn't like it when Buddy was making fun of him. He tells the other kids to get going. Buddy comes by the Brady house  He asks to see Cindy so he can borrow her tongue twister book to help with  lisp from the loose tooth.

Wonder if his face cooks evenly? /Copyright  Paramount 

    Why I like this episode: There have been hitting moral stories on sitcoms before and after this episode and sometimes they are executed badly.   This episode doesn't explicitly say hitting is bad , it says that it shouldn't the first response to a problem, which is more realistic.  Peter tries to resolve his problem with words   and only hits back when he has to.  When Peter tells the other kids not to make fun of Buddy for sound funny after being hit, he again shows a maturity.  It has it's funny moments as well  and  Buddy learns his lesson and is redeemed. 

5. "The Hero" Season 1 Episode 21 

   The plot:  Peter saves a little girl at  a toy store from a falling shelf  and her mother hails Peter as a hero.  Peter ends up in the newspapers and  lets it all go to his  head when he gets free stuff and tons of attention.  When Peter wants to hold a party  for his heroism and since everyone was annoyed by the way he was acting no one shows up. He learns his lesson  and the brady's hold his party. 

Peter-party /copyright Paramount 

     Why I like this episode :  If this episode was written  in today's TV he would have been a Twitter trending topic  and splashed over every TV show  and website in the country. (Including click bait ones)   But episode is timeless anyway, as to show what happens when a person gets in the limelight gets a little to out of hand. Peter though , learns his lesson before any real damage is done.   This is a good episode for anyone really , it shows that someone can get caught up in the limelight and at the same time , people can have the ability of  making someone be under the limelight who may not be able to handle it. Which is even worse in today's times.  

       That's the episodes I do like, there are more ,but I am stopping at five, what ones do you like or dislike?  That would be nice to know. 

Tune in next time when Cindy is saved by Superman. 

.