Reboot Me Baby : Hey Herman Munster, you look different

Reboots  The Lookback 

    The recent trend for TV has been to take things you liked in the past and bring them back in many different forms. Reboot or Remake the whole thing again, with varied effects and viewer reception, Hey you remember that show you watched in the 90's ? Let's bring that back with a new season , shows are never cancels now just really long hiatus I guess. The final thing is take a series you watched and now give them a years later spin off maybe focus on some other characters or something.    

           The  Munsters  experienced what "Girl Meets World". "Fuller House", and "Raven's Home" are today , they had a series continuation too called "The Munsters Today" which a) literally  had the main characters come out from being knocked out for 22 years and waking up in 1988. (Imagine if they did that for  Fuller House, everyone wakes up in 2015 exactly the same as they were in 1996 -- meaning different actors --  that would be something.)    It did score one victory , it had two more episodes than the original series.  We aren't talking about that this time.   A few weeks ago there was a news report that someone is interested in remaking the Munsters, hopefully they won't be  waking up from a 25 year slumber.  In 2012, which was 21 years after "The Munsters Today" ended  NBC decided to dip their toes into this series  and well... that's our topic this time.

       In 2012, NBC aired a pilot of a new "Munsters" concept they had called "Mockingbird Lane" named after the street the Munsters lived on. This may have been a sign.   This pilot aired on October 26th , 2012 , The Friday before Halloween.

   It starts with spooky music, then boy scouts. The boy scouts food has been all eaten up and they don't know why. ( I don't what this has to do with the Munsters) Apparently they think one of the kids ate the food until they see a random animal in the forest and attacks their Scout Master. (I'm sorry we must have picked up the wrong recording, this doesn't seem right.)  The Werewolf ,as seen later, scares everyone (and the Scout master is alright so guess not too attacked) into a car one of the boys asks where's Eddie Munster? (I guess we are  on the right show after all)  The show plays a cut of the famous theme over a naked  I  guess that's Eddie Munster as it zooms into the show's title.

           Meanwhile, a lady  whom I guess is Marilyn  is buying a house  and apparently 1312 Mockingbird Lane  she looks across the screen and really wants 1313. (Well they did that right.)
Up next  they just get mean. They revival Herman Munster and in 5 seconds you go from oooh yeah to oh no!

oh Yes!  Woo Hoo there's Herman / Copyright Universal television 

oh come on!   /Copyright Universal Television 

       This also goes along with Eddie not looking like a werewolf, but apparently he changes into one but doesn't seem aware of it.   Since  Eddie was that werewolf at the beginning,  they decided to move before anyone figured it out. (That makes sense?)  The house on the other hand  does have the opening stair case so 5 points there.  Eddie says his grandfather told him that he has a condition much like how they talk of Marilyn but Eddie wants to be normal.  Even though Herman doesn't look like Herman he is made up of different people's body parts and has the stitch marks it just seems to be a more they found different head for him.  They use more that old Munsters theme in there as the seen transitions.

Wonder what we can keep down here? / Copyright Universal Television 

 
      Grandpa shows up next apparently as a bunch of mice  ( I guess that makes sense than just showing up in person. While Lilly also shows up  as cloud and turns into herself and spiders dress her up. (What did I just write?)   Herman doesn't want Eddie to know what he is while, Lilly does.

       Another day , Eddie is starting his new school and his family tries to talk around him about his little issue , so he doesn't know and he goes to school  and figures out that his father is lying to him about something. Herman turns around after seeing Eddie off and his heart does something and he collapses. (with some up beat background music.)    The next scene  , new fake out : they have this all set up where  lightning is used  and they make you think that they are maybe recharging Herman , but nope it's Grandpa's I-pad ( Apple is weird).   Anyway in Grandpa's lab  Herman wakes up and finds that Grandpa has replaced his heart with a robotic one , this displeases Herman who wants his regular heart back.  Grandpa does so  and says that he should tell Eddie the truth now.

First you tease us now you taunt us , show / copyright Universal Television 

more after the jump come on over! 

TV Look Fall 2017: Network Premieres for the week of 9-25 to 10/1

TV Look Fall 2017    NBC ABC  CBS  FOX  

   This is a re-purposing of our individual network  premiere date schedule dates and times posts
which can still be found here (NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, the CW).  Here are the premiere dates and times for the week of September 25th to October 1st (always subject to change) .
all times ET/PT (adjust -1 hr for CT/MT/AKT/HT,)

 Monday, September 25th 

 ABC

10PM The Good Doctor (Series Premiere)

CBS

8PM Big Bang Theory
8:30 Young Sheldon (sneak peak)
9PM Kevin Can Wait
9:30PM ME,Myself & I (series premire)
10PM Scorpion

NBC

8PM The Voice
10PM The Brave (New Series)

FOX

No season or Series Premieres this day 

The CW 

No New Season or Series Premieres until October 9th 

Let's look at Blondie

The  Flashback 

          The idea of  a comic strip moving to other mediums  seems to be part of the history of comic strips. When Film came out comic and strips ended up on the movie screen and  when television became a thing -- same happened there. A comic strip , named Blondie came out in 1930 created by 'Chic' Young and it proved popular, so the next step seemed to be adapt the strips into movies  and from 1938 to 1950 there were twenty-eight. (And you thought Marvel was doing a bit much)  It also had a chance to be a radio television series  From 1944 to 1950. Blondie the comic, of course continued on and still does today , even after Young's death in 1973.   The next logical step for this comic was to appear on TV , which it did in 1957.

   Blondie  is a comic strip about a woman named Blondie (don't look at us like that)  that first appeared in 1930.  Blondie was styled off 1920's , Early 30's flappers and had a boy friend named Dagwood , whom she would marry in 1933.  Dagwood plays more the comical character while Blondie is our straight man.  We will talk more about the characters.

   In 1954 , they taped a  pilot that didn't make to air  , but three years later in 1957  NBC  aired a series.  The series had  Arthur Lake play Dagwood, the same man who played him in the Blondie movies.  Pamela Britton played Blondie in the series instead of Penny Singleton who portrayed her in the movies.   Britton is best well known for being in the TV series My Favorite Martian.

     

          Let's look at the first episode - Dagwood's Ego

        It starts where Blondie and the kids (also the dogs) wait by the open door where Dagwood runs out and crashes into the mailman.   A little later on  Blondie is having some coffee with some ladies.  One of the ladies talks about about her husband getting a new office with windows  which peaks the interest of Blondie.  She is told that when a man gets an office with windows that means he's moved up. And the more windows , the better.  (Really?)  Blondie says she doesn't care about how many windows, Dagwood has. ( We have Windows 10 here .)   Meanwhile  her daughter , Cookie, has a couple friends over and washes the dogs and makes a mess with bubble bath.  

We are talking about windows is this show sponsored by a window company?

    Dagwood comes home for lunch. Blondie asks him how many windows does he have?  Blondie says she thinks Dagwood should have more windows since he's such a hard worker.   She suggests that Dagwood ask his boss for a promotion. Dagwood reluctantly agrees. n (What could go wrong?)
Dagwood goes to his boss ,Mr. Dithers, and asks for a promotion and an office with more windows, his both says pretty much no.

Windows? No  this is a Mac Company

               Since it's a 50's sitcom they have some friends come over to play some cards. (Ye p that's the 50's)   Blondie and Harriet seem to talk the who time while the husbands play gin.  Earlier  in the episode Blondie had decided to fake a telegram that an wealthy uncle died , and now he gets the telegram in the evening. The telegram says that he is inheriting money.  (Not sure where this plan is going.)  Apparently , Blondie's plan was to give him some confidence to march into his boss's office to ask for the vice-presidency and bigger office. This plan wasn't a smart one because he says he's going to retire.

        

I make the same face when I forget something 

    The Next morning,  Blondie tries to convince Dagwood to go his boss and he decides he will. At the office his boss his talking with Mr.Kennedy the head of the bank , who is boss is trying to get a loan.  So he ended up getting  the vice presidency but he quits instead because he thinks he has the money.  Blondie admits to him that she faked the whole thing. (oops)  Mr. Dithers comes over  glad that  thanks to Dagwood's help the bank offered him  4.5% interest instead. Dagwood is still made VP.  Blondie admits the truth to Mr.Dithers  so he cuts him down so Dagwood quits and they sick the dog on him.  Dither's then admits the loan only got cut because Dagwood.
                                       

     Now Dagwood has a new office with two windows  next to Mr.Dithers' office.  Also  Dithes' informs him that it's only a 60 day loan. (Implying that that the office and V.P might be tempoary)

  In episode 2,  I  can see that show has some running gags, like the all the dogs running and barking.  The salt and Pepper shakers on the wall being caught by Blondie when Dagwood opens the front door and her putting them back.  There's  Dagwood's extremely tall sandwiches too.  Episode 2  Dagwood is in charge of  a construction project since his boss has to stay in the hospital.  When Cookie finds out that a tree has to be cut down she is displeased because it has eggs in a nest in it.  Dagwood tells Cookie that he'll make sure that the tree stays up until the eggs hatch. The picture ends up in the paper.

Front page news ! 

   Dagwood is not happy because Mr.Dithers would not be pleased.  So he runs to the hosptial  to  make sure Mr.Dithers doesn't see the paper , so he throws it out  the window. But fate allows the paper to be seen and Dithers demands the tree be cut down tomorrow.  The Next day,  Dagwood decides to still let the tree stay up.  That evening , he visits Mr.Dithers who of course is not happy and before he tries to fire Dagwood but he gets a call and he feels convinced to let the tree stay up because he would be "crucified by the papers".

You don't mess with us... 

   Dithers decides to go the tree himself , and gets stopped by the Bumstead's dog.   Dagwood finds out it was Dithers the next day since the dog removed a piece of Dither's pants.  The owner of the market is un happy that his market wasn't built yet. Dagwood says he figured out what to do with the market. having it built around the tree. (that's an idea) It works and the owner loves it so much he wants more of his markets done by Mr.Dithers' company.

It also doubles as a fort, for war ! 

   The series ran 26 episodes in 1957 but it never really caught on  like the comic strip did or maybe even the movies did.  11  years later  a different network, CBS  thought it would try it's hand at having a series based on the comic.  With a fun fact :  Peter Robbins played Alexender in this series (which I guess they aged down)  he was the voice of Charlie Brown in many of the early Peanuts specials and Pamelyn Ferdin played Cookie who did the voice of Lucy in a few specials.  Sadly, I can't find this series anywhere , but did find the theme.



  Tune in next time when we found out they made a Peanuts -Blondie cross over that no one new existed !
 

The Lookback: Scooby Doo Meets the Boo Brothers

The Flashback 

         We've dipped our toes into the Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10  ,series of movies before with our look at  Scooby Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf    and  The Jetsons Meet the Flinstones  ,  so I thought with the whole Superstars 10 series turning 30 this year, it might be time to dip to a 3rd one  (which would put us at 30% of the series).   The movie series started with television movies in September 1987  with the first four.  The Jetsons  Meet the Flinstones was 2nd , the one we are looking at is the 3rd one.

   Personal note: This was one of my favorites to watch on Cartoon Network when they aired it as part of movie nights.

        Much like  Scooby Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf and Scooby Doo Ghoul School , this movie also only features Shaggy, Scooby , and Scrappy ( 80% of you leave now huh?)   Also at the time they in between Scooby Series  "13 Ghosts" ended  and "A Pup Named Scooby Doo" didn't start yet.
    Let's take a look. (That is the 20% that stayed after we said Scrappy)

   
      The Intro Theme music is something to be hold.

         The movie starts with Shaggy driving his car and they are in the south because Shaggy got a new house. But not just any house a  whole southern plantation that he inherited from his uncle Colonel Beauregard.  They get lost on the way there and gets stopped by a sheriff , Sheriff Rufus Buzby and  Shaggy asks him how to get there and also tells him that place is haunted. (Wouldn;t be a Scooby Doo related thing  with out a haunting.)  Shaggy decides to move on and hopes there's no ghosts.  On the way there they see a headless horse man (hey wait a minute , he's supposed to be in New England , not the south get back up there!) Then they see  an old ghost Civil War  general who also tells them to turn around ,but they do find the house. (So you just take a left at the headless horse man take a  right at the ghost wolf then when you see the Civil War  general  turn one more time and there you go.)
         

Hey where is the reenactment , did I miss it?/ Copyright Time Warner 

This inspired the Men in Black , maybe / Copyright Time Warner 

     In the house they meet the colonel's man servant Farquard who says he's the rightful owner of the house and family jewels but instead the uncle gave it to his nephew. (How dare he!)   Also there's an escaped circus ape , he important to the plot maybe.  Farquard says the ape is a ghost too. (There are lot of ghosts in this movie.)    Shaggy decides he wants to leave because it's too much for him , but Scrappy finds a ring that fell out of Farquard's pocket the ring was Shaggy's Uncle's.  Sadly, Shaggy's truck sank so they are going to stay for a little while.    It's been 16 minutes so far  and we are wondering , where are the Boo Brothers?, Who are they? , and are they going to meet them?

G---ghost stooges, also 13 Ghosts established ghosts are real in the Scooby Doo universe/ Copyright Time Warner.

   

       Scrappy finds a phone book and it has a page for a ghost busting (coughs) service that can help with your ghost problem. They are called the Boo Brothers. ( Apparently.Boo Brothers are dead three stooges impersonators. )  The Boo Brothers are ghosts as well ,and they bust ghosts. (This would be like having termites take care of your termite problem.)     A good portion of this movie is random stuff going on and there's even a neighbor who really likes Shaggy and her brother who seems to carry his musket around alot. Apparently they've been feuding with Beauregards. (random)

It's a shot gun wedding/ Copyright Time Warner 

      Uncle Beauregard must have been an eccentric one because he deciced to leave clues of where is jewels are instead of using a safe or something. Shaggy, Scooby, and Scrappy decide to follow the clues.    The first clue has something to do with the house's knee  (spoiler :     it's the chimney , get it?)  Also there's now a ghost skeleton (how does that work?)   The next clue is a broken key (spoiler :Piano with a broken key that can open secret doors)   I will say movie has a lot of random chase scenes and wackiness , but that's what I expect from my Scooby Doo.

This Animated version of Hill Street Blues is strange/copyright Time Warner

    The Boo  Brothers continue their mission of whatever they were doing and the gang find their next clue (spoiler :  The Grandfather Clock) Another ghost tells them to leave this place. (Because why not?)  We get a fight between the Boo Brothers and the ghost Colonel who seems to have the same voice as the ghost skeleton. Meanwhile the gang look for more clues and jewels.  (name of our new shop)   The Boo Brothers decided to have a ghost party which seems to be the opposite of  what they were there to do. Shaggy gets annoyed and ends the party.  He tries to kick out the Boo brothers but their sad story was too convincing so he gives them a second chance. (Shaggy is an ole softy)

 Meanwhile Our fourth star in this movie/ Copyright Time Warner 

   The gang go looking for the next clue and they end up in a bear cave  (like with an actual  bear, the uncle was a strange brave man )   Shaggy's truck tries to beat the trend and became driver less  or someone remote controlled.  Apparently the skeleton ghost was good at re wiring things. (of course!) The ape that's been appearing in the whole movie  has the last clue and some more jewels and luckily he likes riding automated horses.  When getting the last clue the skeleton ghost takes the paper and tries to drown Shaggy and the gang but they get saved by the boo brothers.  They stop the skeleton ghost and find out he's not a ghost but the sheriff  , well not the sheriff but his twin brother named J.T the real  Rufus has a big mustache. (that was random to say)  He also impersonated all the ghosts (Well not the Boo Brothers)  (Which brings into question their universe.)

Driver-less cars are here and they are evil! /Copyright Time Warner 

  So , the movie wraps up , all the jewels are going to help orphans. (They are so nice)  The Boo brothers get the house along with Farquard and they ride off being scared by one more ghost.


    It's a fun movie, yes it has lot of filler to the plot  but honestly it's Scooby Doo they seem to need some goofiness to be added to the movie.  I personally found it enjoyable then and still do now so there's something.

 That's our lookback tune in next time after we check out the house I inherited a boat house in Washington State , I hear it's haunted.

Freeform Announces 13 Nights of Halloween Schedule

Freeform Halloween 

   October is near us and that means that Freefrom continues their tradition of 13  Nights of Halloween starting October 19th.   They have released their schedule for the event which we have for you below.



Thursday, October 19
7am/6c Last Man Standing
7:30am/6:30c Spooky Buddies
11am/10c The Middle
11:30am/10:30c The Middle
12pm/11c The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
2:35pm/1:35c The Haunted Mansion
4:40pm/3:40c The Addams Family
6:45pm/5:45c Addams Family Values
8:50pm/7:50c Hocus Pocus
12am/11c ParaNorman

Friday, October 20
7am/6c The Sorcerer's Apprentice
11am/10c The Middle
11:30am/10:30c The Middle
12pm/11c The Haunted Mansion
2:10pm/1:10c The Addams Family
4:15pm/3:15c Addams Family Values
6:20pm/5:20c Hocus Pocus
8:30pm/7:30c Sleepy Hollow
12am/11c The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Saturday, October 21
7am/6c Edward Scissorhands
9:30am/8:30c Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
12:30pm/11:30c Fun Size
2:35pm/1:35c Matilda
4:40pm/3:40c Sleepy Hollow
7:10pm/6:10c The Addams Family
9:15pm/8:15c Addams Family Values
11:25pm/10:25c Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Sunday, October 22
7am/6c Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
10:05am/9:05c Matilda
12:10pm/11:10c Hocus Pocus
2:20pm/1:20c Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
5pm/4c The Addams Family
7:05pm/6:05 Addams Family Values
9:15pm/8:15c Hocus Pocus
11:25pm/10:25c Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Monday, October 23
7am/6c Last Man Standing
7:30am/6:30c Frankenweenie
Tim Burton Marathon
11am/10c Edward Scissorhands
1:35pm/12:35c Alice in Wonderland
4:10pm/3:10c Dark Shadows
6:50pm/4:50c Sleepy Hollow
9:20pm/8:20c The Nightmare Before Christmas
12am/11c Frankenweenie

Tuesday, October 24
7am/6c Edward Scissorhands
11am/10c Fun Size
1pm/12c The Haunted Mansion
3pm/2c The Nightmare Before Christmas
4:40pm/3:40c The Addams Family
6:45pm/5:45c Addams Family Values
8:50pm/7:50c Hocus Pocus
12am/11c Teen Witch

Wednesday, October 25
7am/6c Last Man Standing
7:30am/6:30c Teen Witch
11am/10c The Middle
11:30am/10:30c The Middle
11:30am/10:30c Twilight
2:25pm/1:25c The Addams Family
4:30pm/3:30c Addams Family Values
6:35pm/5:35c Hocus Pocus
8:45pm/7:45c Men in Black
12am/11c Bewitched

Thursday, October 26
7am/6c Last Man Standing: Halloween Special
7:30am/6:30c R.L. Stine's Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls
11am/10c The Middle
11:30am/10:30c The Middle
11:30am/10:30c Bewitched
1:30pm/12:30c The Haunted Mansion
3:35pm/2:35c Sleepy Hollow
6:05pm/5:05c Men in Black
8:20pm/7:20c Dark Shadows
12am/11c The Haunted Mansion

Friday, October 27
7am/6c Dark Shadows
11am/10c The Middle
11:30am/10:30c The Middle
12pm/11c Sleepy Hollow
2:25pm/1:25c Hocus Pocus
4:35pm/3:35c Men in Black
6:50pm/5:50c The Addams Family
8:55pm/7:55c Addams Family Values
12am/11c Hocus Pocus

Saturday, October 28
7am/6c Spooky Buddies
9:05am/8:05c R.L. Stine's Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls
11:10am/10:10c The Addams Family
1:20pm/12:20c Addams Family Values
3:30pm/2:30c The Nightmare Before Christmas
5:10pm/4:10c Hocus Pocus
7:20pm/6:20c Disney•Pixar's Monsters, Inc.
9:25pm/8:25c Disney•Pixar's Monsters University
11:55pm/10:55c ParaNorman

Sunday, October 29
7am/6c R.L. Stine's Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls
9:10am/8:10c ParaNorman
11:20am/10:20c The Nightmare Before Christmas
1pm/12c Hook
4:15pm/3:15c Disney•Pixar's Toy Story of TERROR!
4:45pm/3:45c Hocus Pocus
6:55pm/5:55c Disney•Pixar's Monsters, Inc.
9pm/8c Disney•Pixar's Monsters University
11:30pm/10:30c Disney•Pixar's Toy Story of TERROR!
12am/11c Frankenweenie

Monday, October 30
7am/6c Sleepy Hollow
11am/10c The Middle
11:30am/10:30c The Middle
11:30am/10:30c Dark Shadows
2pm/1c Sleepy Hollow
4:30pm/3:30c The Addams Family
6:40pm/5:40c Addams Family Values
8:50pm/7:50c Hocus Pocus
12am/11c Hocus Pocus

Tuesday, October 31
7am/6c Last Man Standing
7:30am/6:30c Hocus Pocus
11am/10c The Middle
11:30am/10:30c The Middle
Hocus Pocus Marathon
12pm/11c - 11pm/10c Hocus Pocus

It's a Lookback , Charlie Brown : Why Charlie Brown Why?

The Flashback  Peanuts 

         The Peanuts can be goofy and funny  at times, at other times it's sad, other times it's poignant  , and at various points  it can be serious.
        I covered "What Have we Learned, Charlie Brown"  on this blog before and that special was serious and solemn and was about war.    The primary aspects in the special were Linus finding out the gang were spending the night on Omaha Beach  and later they are in Belgium in locations where the fights of World War I happened,  a look at the most major wars of the 20th century.   The part where Linus looks out at the beach and the images of the D-Day invision pop up is dialogue free and antic free , it's Linus in cased  in the events of that battle with just solemn music and the sounds of warfare.   The viewer  sees this for about 2 minutes before Linus explains to his friends where they were. It continues with the gang going to the American  Cemetery while the words of Dwight Eisenhower  play out talking about D-Day , while more images of the invasion. It finishes that over 2 minutes with Eisenhower's words hoping that the world will find peace.  It  knew where to  to a little relief again where we have Snoopy driving a car again.  It goes back to more about the Normandy invasion with Linus narrating over more war images. (Again you can read this more in our look back)

     My point in explain that is  the Peanuts are something that somehow has a dog that can drive a car , a tree that eats kites, and funny looking dances ,but also can do other things and not be out of place.  To a more concise main topic , there are points where the Peanuts handed serious stuff to it's audience and didn't down explain it.  People died in World War I and II it "What have we learned" outright said that.   If you think animation is a thing just for children ,which I never think Peanuts was just for,  then it handled a topic many other shows would handle so well.  Now all this is not about that special , we are talking another serious topic: cancer.

       "Why , Charlie Brown Why?" premiered on March 16th 1990 on the CBS television network, being one of the last few specials to premiere on the network.  I'll get to more back story on the special a little later.

   The special starts with a normal day , the Peanuts gang is going to school , Sally of course not over joyed about it. There's a new character Janice , she and Linus seem to be good friends.  As Janice gets in the bus she hits her arm on the railing and mentions she has another bruise.  When they make it to school Janice notes that's she's not feeling well and in the classroom she's not feeling well still and she goes to the nurse and her mom picks her  up.   Three days later the gang is at the bus stop and there's Janice noticeably missing.  (Also weird that Lucy is not with Linus waiting for the bus stop.)

       The class finds out that the reason why Janice hasn't been in class is because she's at the hospital sick. (Or thankfully Linus said it because I couldn't understand what the teacher said)  Charlie Brown and Linus decide to visit  the hospital. Meanwhile , Snoopy is being the World's Greatest Surgeon (I want to see his degrees).   They go to Janice's room and they find out that she has more than a fever instead it's cancer, specifically leukemia.  She explains that it can be treated and explains the process they went through for the tests.  Also Linus and Charlie Brown pretty much ask questions that a person wanting to know  I mean adult or child. She also explains chemotherapy  and tells them that it will make her better.

 More after the jump

The Lookback : Children's Programs: CBS Saturday Mornings Part III

The Flashback  Children's TV

      We did Part II . Welcome to our next stab at Saturday Morning lookbacks with more at CBS fun. We take a look at shows that aired on CBS in the Saturday Morning time space, that aired between 1976 and 1995. (A wide space frame, don't you think?)  Let's take our leap.  

1.  Way Out Games 

    Not every Saturday Morning show for families (mostly Children ) were animated ,as evidenced in past posts. As you tell where we are going with this one was  not animated.   It's the oldest program we are looking back at this time ,from 1976.  Way Out Games (get it? The 70's things were way out, kind of like the 90's Were EXTREME)  It was an athletic  children's show were competitors from the 50 states and also Puerto Rico (why wasn't Guam included? , tisk tisk CBS).  The show worked where the kids would compete in different events  and earn some points, winner with most points at the end of the show would get to compete later with another winning team  Then after the regular competition   , there were quarter finals, semi finals, and the season finale episode of a Championship final.   

                     
                       Well the titles were animated so that's nice !
    The series began September 11th ,1976 and ran one season. The host was Sonny Fox , man who had done children's TV before starting with a local show in  Saint Louis  in 1954 a children's news and travelogue program.  He was later the host of a game show called The $64,000  challenge  where he was fired because they felt he wasn't funny enough, but lucky him he missed the great game show scandal from the 50's.  Mertromedia  picked him up to be host of a  show called Wonderama for WABD/WNEW (now WNYW)  in New York.
    Way Out Games first aired Saturdays at 12:30PM Eastern Time then moved to 1pm and later to Sunday Morning. Some stations didn't air the show because of sports ,local programs,or even Soul Train, so it never got that much traction and was not renewed for a season 2.

2.  Wildfire 
      This show has no relation to the song about the horse, besides the Name, Wildfire.  Wildfire is about a 13 year old girl  in the American west (ehhh could be alright ) , but she is not just any 13 year old girl living in the American west (ok) ,  she finds out that she is a princess from a different realm  who has to fight an evil witch. (Well that escalated quickly)

                           "I though the show had no relation to the song"/copyright Hanna and Babera
       The background story is that Sara is  a princess from a place called Thurinia , as a baby she was rescued by her talkign horse named Wildfire (you know what... maybe it was inspired by the song) from the  Lady Diabolyn, who is evil, after her mother died (well of course) the horse takes Sara from their planet to ours and leaves her at a farm in Montana.   For fun the evil lady isn't just some random evil lady , she's the evil stepsister of Sara's mother, (well of course)

           Now 12 years later she is ready to fight evil (fighting evil insurance doesn't kick in until you are 13) and Wildfire brings her back to Thurinia to get her kingdom back.  Each episode she and her friends  on the planet of  Dar-Shan  fight her evil step-aunt. (step-aunt?)  It is later found out that John, the man taking care of her  and adoptive on Earth, is actually a prince , and her real father. (what timing!)   

Darn dress code, I should really be wearing tights  or some pink/copyright Hanna-Barbera 

              The series was created by   Hanna-Barbera for CBS in 1986 , it ran 13 episodes and well , we never know if Sara did over take her evil (step) aunt.  

                                
   
 More after the Jump

Arthur ( A Thing to Talk About) D.W's Beastly Birthday

Arthur

      When we did special posts about Arthur , it apparently started something  of a trend of Arthur being written about here on this blog.  I guess it would be apt to write about a special and a recent one too.  (Guess We will call it a  look now)   It was an hour long special that PBS aired on Memorial day as a week to kick off a week of new episodes where they were rounding up season 20's (yes season 20) final episodes.
 
               To screw with continuity or something it's D.W's birthday again but this time they felt it was  thing to celebrate with an hour long special.

           It starts with D.W getting cake  she tries to blow out the candles but some of them decide not to cooperate.  The Tibble twins decide  to "help" blow out the candles and of course they blew some cake in her face.  DW  starts telling us (the audience , oh great she can see you) and it flashes back to her waking up and yes she's turning 5. (retconning there eh, Arthur?)  She thinks that birthdays should be sunny and  she envisions   the sun singing. (I am hiding in the corner now)  When she looks out the window she notices something , (guess what?)  it's raining.  (Theory :some other person also has their birthday on the same day and really wanted rain.)   D.W had been dropping hints on a toy she really wanted for her birthday.  A singing puffin toy that teaches kids the alphabet (puffin, finally a different bird on TV, take that penguins)   When she gets her presents she doesn't get the puffin.

What would you like for your birthday D.W? / Copyright WGBH 

        She's  also is un happy that Emily came in a fancier dress and bigger tiara , Bud keeps winning the games they play ,and the Tibbles being themselves.  The cake was wrong too.   To summarize : Birthday not going to D.W 's liking.  D.W suggests they play hide and seek.   She decides to hide under the stairs.    She was taking with her imaginary friend Nadine, who brings up something important --  This show is called Arthur where the heck is Arthur?  We are 7 minutes in well, thanks to Nadine she lets the show transition to Arthur.
                   

         Arthur and his friends are at a trip at the Planetarium , he is happy to be missing his sister's birthday party.  He explains that D.W's birthdays make him miserable since he has to do everything she says. (It's awkward when she asks him to kill for her.)  Ledonna asks is he going to something for her anyway. He got her a card, one that says "To the world's best little Brother" (oops).  Arthur also has not gotten her a present.
 

     Back to D.W , nobody has found D.W yet, she thinks they stopped looking. Nadine got her a present : a ticket to a place called Ukubonga (bless you) .  DW decides to go there , how to get their you ask? Why magic of course.  (Of Course!)

Tickets non refundable / copyright WGBH 

      After 14 minutes of the build up   to the meat of the special it's time to carve into it.  For instance notice since the special goes back and forth between the two plotines I am going to combine the piece of both parts together D.W's plot first then Arthur's then  merge for the conclusion.  Makes it simpler to explain and reduces my use of the word "meanwhile".

    D.W heads to Ukubonga and she lands on an Island  filled with monsters (of course!) and they look like people she knows , the ones at her party.  D.W apparently is the chosen one (always have to have one in a movie) and she is made their queen.  Since she is queen they have to listen her.  She and monsters party all day. (Also there's a song )

The look familiar/ copyright WGBH  

   
    Back at the party , her friends are still looking for her. (No one ever thinks to look under the stairs do they?)   It's apparently a new day in Ukubonga and D.W is happy that she keeps winning and the monsters do whatever she wants.  Meanwhile , they mention that there's another monster on island called Ruthra  (coughs)  he's the meanest rudest monster on the island.   DW wants to see him anyway.  So they capture him. The captured Ruthra doesn't to be with D.W or do anything she says so D.W torture   him with a song.  (Well that got dark)

RUTHRA -cough cough /copyright WGBH 

      The other monsters suggest things to do him , but D.W stops them and says that he's interesting because he doesn't do what she says.  D.W stops the torture song and tells Ruthra that  she gets tired of  people doing everything she says. Ruthra agrees and he flashes back to the time he used to be king.    Oh yeah his flashback is Arthur , incase the name didn't give you a clue.  On his 5th birthday he hid under the same stairs and ended up in Ukubonga too.  He says he loved the island and getting everything we wanted but he bored and quit being king.  Ruthra also explains that you can leave the island. (this got dark quick)   D.W says she is going to go home and taking Ruthra with her.  Ruthra helps her escape but he gets stuck on the island .

      Meanwhile Arthur's plot line is after the Jump.