The Lookback: The Henry and June Show

The Flashback  Nickelodeon 

     No, I'm not talking about "KaBlam!" which did star these two cartoon characters as hosts, but no I'm talking about a special that might have been a failed pilot for a spinoff series to "KaBlam!"  that's right that's something that could have happened.   

   

       There was a time Nickelodeon used Henry and June beyond "KaBlam!" essentially making them a type of mascots for the channel to use them in away they probably couldn't use any other Nicktoons characters around them at the time, in fact this same year they hosted an afternoon block called "Henry and June's Nicktoons Summer Jam" which later would have their jobs stolen by Spongebob. (Good, you are keeping attentive to this post)  They also hosted a block where you, the viewer, could pick shows. (We have to go back) It's kind of sad we don't get fun blocks on TV anymore. boo! 

        "The Henry and June Show" was created by the team who made "KaBlam!" like the main part of the show not the shorts inside the series. That would be Robert Mittenthal, Will McRobb, and Chris Viscardi.   With many of the people who worked the series coming here to work on this as well.  This specials decides instead of just having our hosting duo  introducing segments for various cartoon shorts and maybe having their own little fun, they would have their own focused series. 

    

     This special is broken up into to halves, the first half is called "A Show of their Own" which was written by  Jay Martel.  

        What can be noticed is that the special doesn't look different from the original series it's keeping it's style and look familiar. The only difference is that this is the show completely so it won't be changing to other cartoons and styles.  The main idea is can Henry and June hold a show as characters  beyond what was seen in "KaBlam!" ? 

             The plot of the first half is the duo are set to host their own show called "The Henry and June Show" (roll credits?) and Henry bought a fancy car with all the money they both got from this show. Which is too young to drive. (oops) This makes June rage and we get to see Emeril LeGasse, Al Roker,  "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and The Undertaker; which is interesting cast of characters together in one show, no other show can say that can they? (That's right CatDog,  you have to sit down, you can't brag Spongebob!)  The fight doesn't mean too much as it stops because the show is about to start. (Just like how the people of "Good Morning America" get ready for their show, don't quote this as fact)  

  

     A few more reoccurring characters from "KaBlam!" show up that's Fred Stockdale, the network executive, and Mr. Foot, a Big Foot. Henry is convinced by  Stockdale to act like star and boss Mr. Foot to get him a breath mint, which he does do by taking the red car that Henry bought. 

    

This is June and Henry, they are standing in the wrong order/ Copyright Paramount, I guess

     How 90's is this special?  Besides the starts I mentioned before , they also mention the Olsen Twins are showing up  and not Jack Hanna. (Did he not sign himself to be used, was he going to sue? I need to know!) "The Henry and June Show" ,the show inside this show, is like a late night talk show. (Henry is funnier than ALL of the current hosts too!)  The audience seems to rather wanting to see "Wheel of Fortune" which  I understand.  

    

      The Olsen twins don't want to come out of their dressing room because they aren't pleased with how they ware drawn.  So Zoo guy comes out and Henry accidently kills an endangered hamster with his bad breath. (oops)  I thought the snake was going to eat it , but nice use of having that be subverted and making the breath mints play into it.  

     Mr. Foot driving the car and the REO Speedwagon song "Roll with the Changes" is playing so, they paid some money for this. (cool)  Henry and June have to find some way to keep the show going so Henry does a magic act which makes the audience not happy. Mr. Foot driving the car becomes a show interrupting news break and Stockdale tells them they've been replaced with static. (I like that show) The Olsen Twins show up, along with Al Roker, Steve Austin and The Undertaker, which makes the show great and work for them,

I'd watch this sitcom/ Copyright Paramount 

    

     They remembered the running gag from the original series where Mr. Foot and Henry sometimes would get into a fight. 

   

More after the Jump

TVLookfall2022: ABC 2022 Fall Premiere Dates

ABC TVLookFall 2021 Primetime 

        

      ABC has announced it's fall premiere dates for the 2022 season.   The network is launching a premiere week  on September 21.   From ABC's fall line up,  ABC sets off their premiere week on Wednesday, September 21st with the new night for Abbott Elementary and Big Sky.   The first ever live episode of Shark Tank will air on September 23.  The new Hilary Swank series, Alaska Daily will premiere on  October 6 and its plum post "Grey's" slot.  

Here's the premeire dates in detail ;all times are ET/PT unless otherwise noted. 

Wednesday, September 21

8pm The Conners 

8:30pm The Goldbergs

9pm  Abbott Elementary (new night) 

9:31  Home Economics 

10pm   Big Sky  (new night) 

Friday, September 23

8pm Shark Tank 

9:01 20/20 

Sunday, September 25

8pm Celebrity Jeopardy! 

9pm  Celebrity  Wheel of Fortune

10pm The Rookie 

Tuesday, September 27

8pm Bachelor in Paradise

10pm  The Rookie :Feds

Sunday, October 2 

7pm America's Funniest Home Videos 

Monday, October 3 

8pm Bachelor in Paradise

10pm The Good Doctor

Thursday, October 6

8pm Station 19

9pm Grey's Anatomy 

10:01pm Alaska Daily 

Details about shows with press release after the jump 

 

A Channel for Boys and A Channel For Girls

    Joshuaonline  Presents

 

  

 

            When television was just broadcast over the air TV (and free, we've been swindled) local stations and networks tried to appeal to as many mass audiences as they could, because, especially on commercial television the viewer is the product and the ad buyer is the costumer  and would like to make sure they are buying right.    Cable comes around , and I mean cable in the sense of having new channels as pay only channels, there was new spaces for demographic targeted channels. 

  

         Children had spaces on broadcast TV, the main 3 networks would give them Saturday Morning, CBS also did weekday Mornings until the 80's with Captain Kangaroo.  If you lived in a market that had more stations; mostly independent (non network affiliated stations) then you would have some weekday morning and/or afternoon programming; maybe even a local kids' show. (WGN had Bozo) and maybe Sunday (for the non God-fearing families).  That was it, until cable and some guys thought up having a children's channel.    Also PBS had children's programming in the non-commercial space. 

   

         Nickelodeon, as example since it's the first one, was focused on a child audience (at least during daytime hours) and could do more program hours toward kids than WGN or KTLA could.  Even they still had limitations, they figured kids should not be watching TV at 11pm and had block for their parents to watch called Nick at Nite, but that's different than what was around before this revolution. 

       Nickelodeon even split demographic their audience: pre school aged kids get their own section.  As the 1990's came around there was a lot of choice for children's television.  For the purpose of this post, FOX Kid was running on the FOX network and later the company bought Pat Robertson's Family targeted channel called , uh Family Channel, and rebranded it as FOX Family (Channel).  

  

    FOX Family strived to do something like Nickelodeon, and what Family Channel kind of did before it,  and that was focus on trying to get different audiences to watch their channel. Kids had daytime, families had evenings, and adults had later evening. (Though was more like a Nick to Nick at Nite switch and not a Cartoon Network to Adult Swim switch in program tone) . FOX had goals, back to them soon. 

  

         Now, back to talking about channels focused on demographics. In general, ESPN does skew male, that doesn't mean ladies don't watch it, it's just that it's more targeted to guys like most sports broadcasts have advertising that skews toward things someone thinks males like.   Lifetime, the cable channel, used go by "Lifetime: Television for Women" it's purpose was to skew to a female audience, and even sparked competition with  WE TV launching the name WE meant Women's Entertainment , which a bit direct,  (Meanwhile, ME TV didn't mean Men's Entertainment) and there was Oxygen (because only women like to breath) which still kind of does skew towards women in their true crime programming, at least that's what their suits say.  Later Spike TV shows up, and becomes the first network for men. (Named Spike!) 

   

             Gendered focused television wasn't new because of cable, it was around before. Networks did it, daytime television was targeted towards women  because "Ladies are at home during the daytime being wives so... they might want see adverts for stuff wives need to buy" --some guy probably said this in 1950.   

     

                Now children's TV did have more gender neural in its thought, that's not say there wasn't some targeting towards different genders at anytime before the 80's, but the 80's really did bring a lot of that up. Thanks to many shows being based on toys, and toys getting a big gender bifurcation in the 80's (not to say there wasn't gendered toys before the 80's). There was "My Little Pony" marketed towards girls and  "Transformers" marketed towards boys. 

        Nickelodeon, on the other hand, didn't buy into the toys= shows thing, they acquired and later made their own as well, children's programming they thought would be of value to children and just trying to sell by gender to their advertisers.  You'll see that most of their shows were gender neutral in the sense that a boy could even watch "Clarssia Explains it All" and relate to something.  That's not say the programs might have had more skew in audience by the audience watching, but that wasn't Nick's intentions. 

         This is were everything to comes together.  FOX had a broadcast kids block and a family/children's cable channel. There was something coming along, then called "Digital Cable"  This allowed for the concept of having more channels, having spinoff channels, having even more niche channels, and hoping that people would be willing to pay a little more to watch them.  This exploded, and FOX wanted to get into the game too.  

   

     So. I've always wanted to write about these channels, but didn't know how, because unlike even Cable Music Channel which lasted a month, these channels really don't have much internet content of them floating around.  I can only cobble together a few things, so that's why I'm trying this different styled post to see if maybe there's a way to do it. 

More after the jump

NewsNation to Launch 6 AM ET News Program

Newsnation  TV News 

        The Nexstar owned news and entertainment cable channel is expanding it's news offering to 6AMET starting June 27.   

  

        Early Morning will air for 1 hour from 6-7AMET , anchored by Mitch Carr. Carr, joins News Nation from KPNX-TV in Phoenix where he was a weekend news anchor. Early Morning will lead into Morning in America  , the network's morning show.  Carr will also appear on Morning in America which his hosted by Andrienne Bankert. 

       News Nation currently runs reruns of the drama "Elementary" in the slot.  The network's morning line up look like this from  June 27: 

   

                          6am ET  : Early Morning

                          7amET : Morning in America (3 hours) 

                          10amET: Reruns  of off network syndicated programming 

 

     The channel's news offering has been expanding since the launch in 2020. It does 7 hours per weeknight, 3 hours on weekend evenings, and 3 hours in the morning, this expansion will put them at 86 hours. 

 

         Press release after the jump

                    

The Lookback: NBC's Saturday Morning 1991-1992: Countdown to TNBC

NBC The Flashback 

              This segment  of "The Flashback" returns as we this being the 30th year after NBC made a major change in network television history: they were washing their hands of the traditional Saturday morning block and adding news and shows for teens.  This wasn't out of the blue, they had been considering it since at least 1988. 

  

          Between 1988 and 1991, things had changed ever more. Cable's Nickelodeon was starting to make an in-roads, kid syndication was doing great, and Fox Kids was launched in 1990. Interestingly, NBC wasn't the last place kids block, they were first. If anything, it should have been  ABC getting out.   

  

      "Killed by the Bell" 

         One thing that could be a great indication of NBC's direction would be the 1989 series "Saved by the Bell" this live-action teen-lead series had become a hit. It was also cheaper to make (not trying to insult the show) than animation.  

  

  From the  NY Times article from 1988 

  

An average episode of a network Saturday cartoon show was nearly $300,000. Even though those programs can be played four times, effectively reducing the cost of each episode, Mr. Tartikoff noted that NBC can replace those shows with programs it produces for itself at a much lower rate, possibly striking a connection with an entirely new audience.

 

  The Saturday morning fare like "Smurfs" wasn't owned by NBC and  they could reap any benefits from the series, but "Saved By The Bell" could be, and it later did become that way. 

         This is Today... Saturday

        "Today" on NBC had launched in 1952, the show had never been a weekend affair, until it launched a Sunday version in 1987.  Saturday would naturally be next,  as Tartikoff, the head of NBC at the time, mentioned. The Today Show expanding would be cheaper than kid cartoons , NBC owns the show.  The mulling happened until December 1991, when it was announced : It's over. 

             Two hours of their Saturday morning block would be replaced by the "Today" show.  That wasn't the only plan, what about the other 2 hours?  That would be replaced by programming targeting 9-16 year-olds.  A centerpiece program would be "Saved by the Bell".  NBC looked at FOX, CBS,ABC,  and anything else and said, "Bye." 

   

          Also that new "Children's Television Act" was coming in and NBC was getting ready for that by jumping ahead, getting  a head start. Either way, this meant the 1991-92 season was the end of the traditional block on NBC.    So, this is our look at the the final season, mostly in order of show appearance, with brief overview of the shows and maybe some context of the time and bad humor, let's go! 

             First off, produced by DiC Entertainment it's not Saturday Night, but a skit comedy show with some cartoons with Canadian twin brothers  named Chip and Pepper (mmm chips and pepper : drools). 

       "Chip and Pepper's Cartoon Madness"  was classic style sketch show, where they would insert cartoons (read: Krusty the Clown, minus the clown) . The brothers were famous in Canada and Brandon Tartikoff decided to give them an NBC Saturday morning show.( "Eh, I'm torching this block soon anyway, might as well..." , he didn't say, but I wish he did.  )

                The show also interviews, ran vintage cartoons, with it's comedy shorts, it also sounds like NBC was keeping it uh low-cost.  This didn't save it, since NBC was going to give up 2 hours for "Today" this wasn't part of their 9-16 mention so, bye.

                

      Next on NBC, it's "Yo Yogi!" or really just switch over to FOX they have  "Bobby's World" just watch that, the Today show is taking this slot soon anyway. 

       

At least they weren't babies? / (watch intro here) 

     "Yo Yogi!" is about Yogi Bear,  Boo-Boo Bear, Huckelberry Hound,  Snagglepuss, and Cindy Bear (no relation to Yogi or Boo-Boo? Right, unless bears don't use last names the way we do , what?)  but with a twist,  someone at Hanna-Barbera missed making "Scooby Doo" because this was them as teenage crime fighters. (What's a teenage bear?)  They also do cool late 80's , early 90's stuff of hanging out at the mall, which is owned by Doggie Daddy. 

      Yogi and his friends work at the mall where they solve mall crimes. (like who stole the Sabro Pizza?) 

         The show lasted 13 episodes, it's final episode aired the day after NBC announced they were axing the block. ("Yo Yogi was a mistake, and it killed the block," I wish he had said that too) 

      

More after the jump 

Fall TV 2022: FOX: Premiere Dates

FOX  TVLookFall2022 

          FOX decided to not release their fall line up during the traditional upfront week.  After some wait, we now have a glimpse at their line up with the premiere dates.   Fox holds it close to not rock the boat too much, like how the other networks have gone more safe.  Though this will be their first season in sometime without Thursday Night Football. 

   

       Monarch, which was deferred from their mid season line up this year,  gets a September 11th launch after the NFL games. The series will be having a Tuesday 9PMET slot from after that.   

   

       Sundays are still the same Animation Domination, the new season of which will start September 25th.   

 Here's the premiere dates and schedule , all times ET/PT unless otherwise noted. 

Sunday, September 11

8PM Monarch (Series premiere part I, simultaneous in all time zones) 

  Monday 

Starting September 19 

8pm 9-1-1 

9pm The Cleaning Lady 

Tuesday 

Starting September 20 

8pm  The Resident 

9pm  Monarch (new series) 

Wednesday 

Starting September 21

8pm The Masked Singer

9pm Lego Masters

Thursday 

Starting September 29 

8pm Hell's Kitchen 

9pm  Welcome to Flatch 

9:30  Call me Kat 

Friday

Ongoing 

8-10PM  WWE Friday Night Smackdown 

Sunday

Starting September 25

8pm The Simpsons 

8:30  The Great North 

9pm  Bob's Burgers

9:30pm Family Guy 

   You'll notice that Monarch  is the only new series in the fall line up, other new series : Accused  and Krapopolis, and Alert held to mid-season.   Fox has made Wednesday night their reality night a carry over from the past seasons, while Thursday is interesting where they put  Hell's Kitchen as a lead in to their comedies.  Waiting in midseason are: 9-1-1 Lone Star, new animated comedy Grimsburg,  Housebroken, Fantasy Island, Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars, Next Level Chef,  MasterChef, Beat Shazam, Crime Scene Kitchen and Don't Forget the lyrics. 

       Anyway, that's it, full press release after the jump

One Shot Posts: Simpsons in the Current Times

One Shot Posts Fox  Disney The Simpsons

           I'm not a big on the idea of shows that aren't like soaps running for on and on and on, and of course with "The Simpsons" many would have the same view about why it keeps running and running?  Mentioning "The Simpsons" in general then opens the door to the takes that surround the show.  Personally, I enjoy seasons 1-8, a lot more, but also still watched past season 8, in reruns and premieres, but at some point, around season 28 or sometime around then, I did kind of just stop watching every Sunday. I'd check in once in a while, especially the Halloween ones, but mostly checked out of the show.  

   

    When the multi day marathons on FXX happened, I'd probably be engaged with it for a while, but then around season 14 my engagement drops a little, but there are episodes I like and would be engaged to seeing. Same with TV reruns or streaming reruns. The thing I think that happens in some conversations about the show is the time you first see the show if you liked it, is the time your attachment to it is closest. When the show shifts in later seasons, and sometimes is rough and bumpy, it does feel a little strange and it's like an old friend has lost something about him and makes you feel kind of bad.   

        I think the thing that has to be kind of understood is that the Simpsons is still running, it's not going ever feel like season 4 again, it's impossible. If you want to watch season 4 it's easy to access, so the show continues and tries to find ways to adapt and live in our time. The show was essentially the 90's (including some eighties, just like how the 80's slightly carried into the 90's.)  When the times changed the show had to find ways to adapt to the current times, since the show is always about the current times.  That puts it at odds being what we know the show and characters. I think the best way is to think that the show was so good at connecting us to the characters and concept, that it's hard to see it be not exactly the same. 

This continues after the jump 

DCOM Doesn't Horse Around: Horse Sense

Disney  The lookback 

      This time we head to a 1999 Disney Channel Original movie with the Lawrence brothers well Joey Lawrence and his younger brother, Andy. (The Latter shows up in 4 Disney Channel Original Movies) At the time Andy was the voice of T.J on "Disney's Recess". "Horse Sense" premiered on November 20, 1999.  Let's get started. 

         The movie starts with Andy Lawrence playing a boy named Tommy who lives on a ranch in Montana. (Also shots of food, yum)  He's going on a trip to see his cousin Michael, who is played by Andy's older brother, Joey.  Tommy sets up some stuff for the movie, like there's some money issues and his father is no longer alive. (We paid money for the Lawrence brothers, we had to cut somewhere, Disney Probably) Michael lives in Beverly Hills (That's where I want to be) and he is better off than his cousin, you can see by his fancy room and alarm clock. He's more a lazy college student, who's also selfish which we need for the plot. 

The way he's wearing the sweater shows he's kind of a jerk/ Copyright Disney

         Michael has this new girlfriend named Gina, who is also a rich girl (She can rely on the old man's money) whom he seems to really like. He finally picks up Tommy after forgetting, and this is going to set up how this going to go with him and Tommy.  (The Disney movie is bold enough to mention Disneyland in the Disney movie ; Disney) Tommy's aunt and uncle get to be conveniently  out of the movie to make sure we make sure Michael can be a jerk. (Well done!)   It is kind of funny they make Tommy seemingly so nice, that anything done to him would make it seem like a worse slight than it already was.  You know what? This movie is a divorced dad is busy,which is why he's divorced, plot. Just swap out that with a selfish 20-year-old and cousin.  

It would be weird if his brother was playing as his father / Copyright Disney 

more after the jump