Afterschool Sessions: The Last of the Curlews

The Flashback  ABC  

           This time on Afterschool Sessions: We look an ABC After School Special  but not just any one, we are looking at the very first one. The Last of the Curlews. This special first aired on October 4, 1972 and begins the long run of the ABC After School Special series.  "The Last of the Curlews" is based off the book of the same name by Fred Bodsworth.  This special is also animated and that was done by Hanna-Barbera. For those that have read the past posts you'll find this won't be the only time either.  

        It starts in fall with where a father and his son named Mark are on hunting trip.  There's a narrator , voiced by Lee Vines. The father and son hunters aren't the most important part of this special, they really aren't even main characters, they are a supporting role for the story itself. The special is presented as if it was a nature documentary in animation.  

It's rabbit season, son/ Copyright Hanna-Barbera 

        The story is told only by the narrator as he explains about a bird called the Eskimo Curlew.  This bird is a lonely bird who only really to have a mate and some offspring.  He resists as long as he can the trip that birds make in  the autumn but eventually has to go.  The bird finds himself eventually teamed up with some  golden plover birds who seem to like him and they even let him lead them on the track to Venezuela. 

Hey I'm the last of my kind/ Copyright Hanna-Barbera

        The special really has the animation do most of the work, beyond the narrator.  As the story wants you to understand the bird as a character.  The bird is presented to give the humans a way to understand and connect to him. He's lonely seeking out someone of his own kind to be with and continues to hope for that. There's a sense of warmth in this special, but also unease. Nothing in here is sugar coated either. The story tells of how the Curlews used to be plentiful and the were over hunted to near extinction. Death is not avoided in this special as we saw a hunter kill a buck earlier -not the hunter father and son , more on them later- and on the trip many of the plovers die by nature's hand. 

            The original story was published  in 1954, again written by Canadian reporter, Fred Bodsworth.  The book itself presents the journey of the curlew the same way giving it some human characterization to better connect with the audience.  The curlew is a real or was, that's the hard part. The story in the special is true where the bird was over hunted to near death in the late 19th century.  The last confirmed sightings of the bird were in the 1962 where a photo of it comes from.  And 1963 where they found a body.  Possibly, but unconfirmed reports of any after that.  Currently, its status is critically endangered, which the one step before any type of extinction.  Also, hence the title. 

         

            The special does end up showing a lady curlew and she doesn't become more part of the story until the last third of it where she and him actually meet up. It shows their struggles as their journey back up north. Yeah, we do pass through the seasons in this.  Sadly, there's not a happy story in this as the female curlew ends up getting shot by a farmer on their way back.  Eventually, the boy finds the bird as sees that she has died, with the male curlew flying off and the narration saying soon there will be none. 

Curlew love...the rarest love/ Copyright Hanna-Barbera

          Going back to the hunter and son.  There's a careful writing here the special doesn't present the father as overzealous, mean, or wanting to kill for killing. He tells his son that they hunt responsibly, don't do things illegally, shoot things they aren't supposed to, and that it's fine because nature does it too. It doesn't go hunting is evil and bad and should be banned.   I like that it has the nuance it wants to bring its [young] audience. It shows that there was hunting that was done wrongly and un reigned in caused an essential extinction.  Mark, the boy, also seems a little apprehensive of the whole idea, and he finds the bird too.   Also have to mention that that Wikipedia description, as of this writing, is wrong the hunter and son they really don't debate killing a curlew, the only times they bring up the bird is when the boy sees it and points out that it's flying alone and thinks that it might be alone, and the dad [wrongly] thinking that it's sick and/or old or a straggler. They never mention the idea of shooting it.  They didn't even end up killing a curlew that was a farmer.  

He was way too happy here/ Copyright Hanna-Barbera

        In the way its presented it's done well to bring in facts, but also present a fictional journey of a bird using realism.  The story has warmth to it with happy moments ,but there is always background feeling of unease and a sense of danger. How it mentions why the curlew is alone, and deaths of animals is to show that there a sense of death being present in the background and impactful. 

         It's well animated with the backgrounds being watercolor.  It also does mostly realistic drawn animals, something different for Hanna-Barbera. The music is well scored and I think the most memorable will probably be  Once on Golden Wings song , I'm not sure what the real name is but it's a very somber and fittingly played. As mentioned earlier, there's a very strong nature doc feel to present a story where we get gulfed and see birds in realistic motion and actions. The animation makes it feel almost like an illustrated book.   This one sets an interesting tone for what ABC After School Specials would be, which varied. This one was somewhat educational but not heavily blatant, it has a social message , and yet it doesn't over explain or over force itself to be something to its viewers.  It's a good special with the impact it brings and a well done story with a somber note that makes one think. 

        That's it for now, tune in next time when we  wonder why the birds just took that route.  

The Lookback: The Munsters: The 60th Year

The Flashback 

            Yeah  I'm going to start it this way. A few days after The Addams Family premiered on ABC, CBS had their concept of a strange family that doesn't fit in our society premiere. The Addams Family  and The Munsters are often tied together by human people. The reasoning might be how they both ran nearly the same time :1964 to 1966. The Munsters started 6 days later and ran a couple weeks longer than the previous and has slightly more episodes going with 70, versus the other's 64.  They also both have the concept of a family that is kind of spooky living in our normal society. Of course, there are differences to both shows.   

         The Munsters premiered on CBS on September 22, 1964.   CBS had placed the show as the lead of their Thursday night line up airing at 7:30 pm Eastern and Pacific that's 6:30pm to us Central and Mountain folks. That slot that networks don't have anymore.  It ran in the line up before Perry Mason, which would also end about a week after this show ended.  They also had Password , and premiering that night with this show, was a sitcom called The Baileys of Balboa, which has the backstory of being created out of spite, the CBS network president didn't like Gilligan's Island -which also came out in 1964 and aired on CBS-  and thought of a idea that would be better, in his mind.  And finally, a show called "The Defenders"  The Munsters was on against the Flintstones and Later Jonny Quest on ABC.

            In this post, I am mostly going to use the first episode  to talk about whilst weaving in stuff about the show.  Also I have written about other Munsters media before, you can check those out too.    

            Monsters are Universal 

          Take some writers from Rocky and Bullwinkle, dash in the creators of Leave it To Beaver, sprinkle a mix of some Universal monsters, and small dash of Charles Addams. You get this.   Allan Burns worked with Jay Ward on the Jay Ward cartoons and ended up working with Chris Hayward  again for a new sitcom , then they also worked together to make My Mother the Car.  Since they were working with MCA TV which was a studio owned with Universal Pictures they had access to the designs of classic monsters made by the movie studio. Since,  specific designs are owned by the studio, like how the Frankenstein monster looks. Eventually, they even settled on making the show live-action instead of an animated one.  

            I'm trying to keep the "Addams Family" comparisons down a little, because I don't want to detract from either show, but I do want to offer one of the contrasts here.  While, that series had people who, mostly, looked like people you'd run into and not think anything of, this show stands out. Starting with Herman Munster.  Herman is the father and husband character of the show.  He also happens to be a Frankenstein monster.  Though he might not be the one from the 30's movies , otherwise Herman Munster killing a little girl is disturbing.  Then there's Lily, his wife, who is the daughter of  a vampire, possibly Count Dracula, but the Grandpa on the show is just called Grandpa (because when you get old you lose your name) and he lives with the family.  Lily and Herman have a son who is a ware-wolf ish  boy.  Don't ask how that works.

            Also a difference between that show and this one, is the Munsters were more working class, Herman works, they have money troubles at times, and sometimes Lilly and Grandpa take up jobs. The show has different basic premise than the other show, even if it seems they have the same joke. The Munsters, also see themselves as typical American family, and kind of think the world around them is strange. They take different approaches to that. 

The Lookback: The Addams Family 60th Year

The Flashback 

       

    Fall TV in 1964 had two interesting shows premiere at only a few days apart from each other. They both had the same basic concept, but with different execution.  Starting with September 18, 1964, that's when this sitcom "The Addams Family" first premiered on ABC.  The episode was  "The Addams Family Goes to School".

        This is not going to be a post about the entire series, as there are reasons I couldn't do that in time, but  I wanted to do something for the anniversary of the series. So a look at the very first episode but with some more added in to talk about the series as a whole.   

            Adaptation 

        This series was an adaptation of a single panel comic series by Charles Addams for The New Yorker.  Addams began working at the magazine in 1932,  the first Addams Family cartoon came out in 1938.  He introduced characters one by one, starting with Morticia, then Gomez, Pugsley, Wednesday, and finally Uncle Fester. The Addams family is rich family with old money that delight in the things we find disturbing and grotesque. They have an unawareness that people find them strange or scary.  I will mention that the names didn't really exist at first either. Morticia and Wednesday were named thanks to a doll collection.  Gomez and Pugsley were named thanks to the 1964 series.  Originally, Pugsley was called Pubert but network people didn't like the name and yeah Pugsley is better. 

           Television executive for NBC saw one of Addams' books at a bookstore and thought that be great for TV.   Addams liked the idea and they thought up names for the characters.  The comics were a little dark and the TV series decided to not take that approach, went for a sitcom with comedy and lighter elements.  The series was developed by David Levy. The series also ended up airing on ABC. 

            Meet the Family 

        My first introduction to the Addams Family would have to be reruns of the cartoon series, though I either remember first seeing the 1973 animated series or the one that aired later. I also remember when they met Scooby Doo and the gang. A crossover that  blew my mind.  I didn't see the 1964 series until a little later when those reruns showed up again.  

         I feel that this series was probably a bigger introduction the characters for many before the 1990's movies came out. But does seem to get a little over shadowed thanks to those movies.  Originally the series aired on ABC Friday night line up. Also a big night, where Jonny Quest also premiered. Then after that it was The Famer's Daughter, which had its second season premiere. A short 3 season run series, a short 3 run series with 101 episodes. (because TV was better then) After The Addams Family , ABC premiered a new series called Valentine's Day (not the best title) 

                    

       I don't know if networks thought of flow scheduling then, but that's an awkward line up. I might be implying something here. 

        Let's talk about something that is really well known thanks to this series- the theme song.  The song was written and arranged by Vic Mizzy. He also wrote the score for the The Green Acres theme. (New York is where I'd rather stay)    

            The First Episode 

        Let's dig into the first episode of the series, again called "The Addams Family Goes to School".  It was co written by Seaman Jacobs and Ed James.  This is the only episode Jacobs wrote, but he worked on other sitcoms.  

            The episode starts and throws the viewer right into the absurdity. Mailman comes by to deliver the mail into the mail box and gets greeted by a dethatched hand-that's Thing. Anyway a truant officer asks the mailman if the house belongs to the Addams family.  The mailman says yes and things are going to happen. 

Stupid self closing gates/ copyright MGM 

            I am using the first episode as a way to talk about the series. This is also very fits in with the 60's sitcom era. An era of sitcom that hasn't been matched since.  A lot of  60's sitcoms, especially around this point, start to not reject, but move away from a more ridged 50's style of show. Sitcoms where the premise takes something a little off and runs with it.  "My Favorite Martian" , a sitcom about a Martian who has come to Earth and that's not the strangest thing about that show.  Coming out the same season, about 9 days after this show is "My Living Doll" a show about a guy  helping a Julie Newmar robot help become more human.    

                     

         The other kinds of shows that would exist in this era are shows that take a strange and pit them with a straight man or a force that'd we consider the normal going against the abnormal.  Bewitched , which premiered one day before this show, takes the idea of the American  married couple and decides to go what if one was a witch?  It also takes the idea of a fighting contrast of the husband wanting his wife to do things and be "normal" against the force of her own family and even kind of her, to want to still do and be witch, which she is.  The Addams Family are family that are strange to our ideals, but they see themselves as normal.   

            This episode has the truant officer  encounter the house first. The viewer doesn't even see any of the Addams family characters, besides Thing, after the theme song for about 2 minutes.  We see the funny things that happen around his encounters with the gate, and the funny doorknob.  (Also laugh track, because 1960's sitcom)  Then Wednesday answers the door . Wednesday is an interesting character mostly because the well noted depictions of her are from the 1990's movies and then the Netflix show that bares her name.  She is more a cynical person and more emotionally disconnected. Shown to be more sadistic and embraces a darker edge of the darkness part of her family's enjoyment.  That is not how she is in this series. Also, she's younger than later depictions.

Hello, are you a door to door salesman? / Copyright MGM

        Here she answers the door, and there's not much that would give away the strangeness of the Addams Family- other than the funny gags that happened before- as besides having some outdated clothing, even for the 1960's children, she acts with warm and good nature to the guest at the door.  Lisa Loring's Wednesday is still a great depiction.  She lets him in and she doesn't do anything that makes it seem strange. That's the house's role where the man being our eyes sees the strange decorations of the house. 

            Knowing the show later usually opts for Lurch to answer the door and bring people in, I like how it's Wednesday letting Sam Hillard in. He's relies on her for ease since the house's strangeness is putting him at unease.  While, I won't deny that the Lurch interactions are funnier, because of how the guest(s) are reacting to him and his reactions to them are just as funny.  The interaction with Wednesday also gives a great hint to how the Addams's are as people with being warm and welcoming. 

This is a man who is wondering how many minutes he has left to live/Copyright MGM

The Flashback: Detention ( A Cartoon Series)

The Flashback   Kids WB 

         Kids WB had an very strange run in what it is in context of time. I've written about the block (twice!) and it seems there's a period where the block launches and lives on the idea of bringing in the Warner Bros. TV animated shows from FOX Kids, then in 1999, it decides Pokémon.  Then it brings in some more anime, then it stops, then it dies. That also means that Kids WB has stuff they dropped in between the stuff they are known  for like Phantom Investigators .  Another case, would this show: Detention.  

        Funny enough, over on ABC, Disney had a series called Recess. That series came out in 1997 and was mostly a series that took place at a kids' favorite part of the school day :recess.  I'm not saying that this show was trying to run on the success of that show or a copy of it. It's more a genre of show that existed that we really don't get now.   Like Recess, Detention takes from something that happens at school and brings it to the forefront, that being detention.  Unlike, recess -the time period- detention isn't seen as a very positive thing and isn't supposed to be. In media,  it had different showings and usages.  The famous depiction of the event is The Breakfast Club.  

        Detention , the series, takes a look at the idea of kids who somehow end up always being in detention and like The Breakfast Club has a mis-mash mixture of kids forced together in one spot.  It premiered on Saturday, September 11, 1999 on the WB.   The show was created by Bob Doucette.   

              

One Shot Posts: As Told By Ginger Does a Death

Nickelodeon   One Shot Posts

 

        As Told By Ginger  has got to be one of my personal top favorite Nicktoon series, and Nickelodeon overall. Not number 1, but not below number 5 either. It's an interesting cartoon that ran from well that's kind of iffy in how it broadcast but it did kick off in the year 2000. It's a great series created by  Emily Kapnek and yes done by the animation studio Klasky Csupó, and the animation style probably filtered the weak out from a great show.  

     I'm not going to be writing about the whole show here, I'm instead taking a look at one episode. This one is called "Carl and Maude" it's the second episode of the entire series.  As Told By Ginger was slightly different than many other animated shows in a few ways. It offered a realism its world-even characters change clothes- the show has funny moments, but it's not a full 100% comedy series. The characters age, and the show holds a continuity and can be kind of considered somewhat story driven in the sense that episodes are driven more by their story and that a plot might not even finish in one episode.  It also would be hard to take a random episode of the show and talk about it since so many key points might have come before it. With episode 2 , it's not too far in.

         This is also where even episode 2 has stuff that carries over from episode 1 where Ginger and her friends Jodie and Macie, have to go to the retirement home to do community service because they stole a sign from the bank. Ginger's younger brother, Carl, is there with them - he didn't do anything with the sign; she just has to watch him. 

 

                                  Don't forget to spay and neuter ...wait a minute/ Copyright Paramount
 

           Episode 2 taking something from episode 1 where the trio ended up getting in trouble for stealing a sign carried over here is an example of how this show was different to other cartoon shows on Nickelodeon and other cartoons on other networks.  It didn't end up as an off thing where they contained it into one episode.  This will be important for this episode too. 

         There's an older woman named Maude that Carl hears about it and finds here fascinating.  He's a mischievous person himself.  He and her quickly hit it off and become good friends, which is sweet in its own gross way. 

        Ginger's plot isn't about her working at the retirement home, it's actually about Courtney Gripling deciding to invite herself over to Ginger's house for dinner.  Courtney Gripling is a girl in school, the popular rich one. In fact, the reason Ginger stole a sign in the first place was to impress Courtney. She ended up falling into a trap set by Courtney's friend Miranda. Courtney is a great character, she takes an interest in Ginger , even though they aren't the same "social class" or  income class. It's something different from other shows. 

                                        The cordless home phone was the status symbol / Copyright Paramount
 

        Anyway, Courtney has decided to the fun thing of inviting herself to Ginger's house for dinner, which is a bold step. Ginger wants to make her home look cool enough for Courtney and wants the dinner to go well. which would mean uh-oh.  Carl has decided to invite Maude for dinner.  

      

   More after the jump 

Freeform's 31 Nights of Halloween 2024 schedule

  Halloween     fREEFORM 

        The unofficial end of summer is here and fall is coming, and that means Halloween is coming. Freeform is ready for it with the announcement of their annual 31 Nights of Halloween schedule.  

            The  network will once again run Halloween themed programming from October 1 through October 31.   Per tradition, the programming event will air movies like "Hocus Pocus", "Beetlejuice", "The Nightmare Before Christmas", "Edward Scissorhands", and more classics. 

         Adding to the line up this year, the 2023 version of "The Haunted Mansion" makes a premiere to the network on October 5.  "Hocus Pocus 2" will premiere October 6.  On October 13,  it's a Tim Burton Day, with the 2019 version of "Dumbo",  Frankenweenie, "Dark Shadows", "The Nightmare Before Christmas",  "Beetlejuice", amd"Edward Scissorhands" 

         Freeform also adds "Arachnophobia" to their rotation this year, along with the Disney animated film "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad"  The Disney Plus series "Goosebumps" season 1 will  air as a marathon on October 25. 

 Here's the full line up all times ET/PT, subject to change 

Tuesday, Oct. 1

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown" 

3:00 p.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

5:05 p.m. ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

6:45 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice" 

8:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Wednesday Oct. 2

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Arachnophobia" – Freeform Premiere

3:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

5:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

8:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"

Thursday, Oct. 3

11:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"

1:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

4:20 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

6:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar)

8:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar)

Friday, Oct. 4

10:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown"

12:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge"

2:30 p.m. ET/PT – "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (Disney Animated) – Freeform Premiere

4:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

6:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Cruella"

9:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Little Shop of Horrors" (1986)

Saturday, Oct. 5

7:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Spooky Buddies"

9:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Toy Story of TERROR!" (Disney-Pixar)

9:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

11:35 a.m. ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

2:05 p.m. ET/PT – "The House with a Clock in Its Walls"

4:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

6:45 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice" 

8:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023) – World Television Premiere

11:30 p.m ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

Sunday, Oct. 6

7:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Mrs. Doubtfire"

10:05 a.m. ET/PT – "The House with a Clock in Its Walls"

12:35 p.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

2:40 p.m. ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

4:20 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

6:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

9:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2" – World Television Premiere

11:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil"

Monday, Oct. 7

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Mrs. Doubtfire"

4:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

6:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

8:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

Tuesday, Oct. 8

12:00 p.m. ET/PT – "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" (2010)

2:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

4:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

6:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

8:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Wednesday, Oct. 9

1:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Mansion"

3:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

5:35 p.m. ET/PT – "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (Disney Animated)

7:10 p.m. ET / PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

8:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Encanto" (Disney Animated)

Thursday, Oct. 10

10:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown" 

12:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge" 

2:30 p.m. ET/PT – "The House with a Clock in Its Walls"

5:00 p.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

7:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus" - Pop N' Knowledge

9:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice" – Pop N' Knowledge

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Twitches"

Friday, Oct. 11

10:30 a.m. ET/PT – "The House with a Clock in Its Walls"

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Spooky Buddies"

3:00 p.m. ET/PT - "Toy Story of TERROR!" (Disney-Pixar)

3:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

5:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

8:00 p.m. ET/PT  – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" 

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Twitches Too"

Saturday, Oct. 12

7:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Toy Story of TERROR!" (Disney-Pixar)

7:30 a.m. ET/PT – "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1996) (Disney Animated)

9:35 a.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

11:40 a.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

2:10 p.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" 

5:10 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar)

7:15 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar) 

9:45 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

11:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Something Wicked This Way Comes" – Freeform Premiere

Sunday, Oct. 13 

8:00 a.m. ET/PT – "The Black Cauldron" (Disney Animated)

10:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Dumbo" (2019) (Live Action) – Tim Burton Marathon

12:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

2:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Dark Shadows" (2012)

5:10 p.m. ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

6:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

8:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

11:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Arachnophobia"

Monday, Oct. 14

11:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Dark Shadows" (2012)

2:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

4:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

6:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

8:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

Tuesday, Oct. 15

11:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Twitches"

1:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

3:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

5:50 p.m. ET/PT – "The Incredibles" (Disney-Pixar)

8:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Incredibles 2" (Disney-Pixar)

Wednesday, Oct. 16

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Spooky Buddies"

3:05 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

5:10 p.m. ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" – Pop N' Knowledge

6:50 p.m. ET / PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

8:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Thursday, Oct. 17

11:00 am. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown" 

3:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge" 

5:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Despicable Me"

7:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Despicable Me 2"

9:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Despicable Me 3"

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Muppets From Space" – Freeform Premiere

Friday, Oct. 18

12:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Despicable Me"

2:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar) 

4:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar) 

6:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

8:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2" 

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Little Shop of Horrors" (1986)

Saturday, Oct. 19

7:30 a.m. ET / PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

10:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" 

1:15 p.m. ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" 

4:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" 

8:15 p.m. ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" 

11:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Dark Shadows" (2012)

Sunday, Oct. 20

7:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Mrs. Doubtfire"

9:40 a.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

11:50 a.m. ET/PT – "Arachnophobia"

2:25 p.m. ET/PT - "Dark Shadows" (2012)

5:05 p.m. ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023)

7:45 p.m. ET/PT – "Cruella"

11:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"

Monday, Oct. 21

11:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Alice in Wonderland" (2010) (Live Action)

1:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Alice Through The Looking Glass"

4:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

6:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" 

8:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Tuesday, Oct. 22

10:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

12:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Arachnophobia"

3:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

5:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Spider-Man: Far From Home"

7:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Spider-Man: No Way Home" 

Wednesday, Oct. 23

12:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Spider-Man: Far From Home"

3:05 p.m. ET/PT – "Spider-Man: No Way Home" 

6:20 p.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

8:20 p.m. ET/PT – "Dark Shadows" (2012)

Thursday, Oct. 24

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

3:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Dark Shadows" (2012)

5:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Aladdin" (2019) (Live Action)

8:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus" – Pop N' Knowledge

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown" 

Friday, Oct. 25

1:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps" (2023) – Season One Marathon

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge"

Saturday, Oct. 26

8:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown" 

10:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge"

12:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

2:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

5:05 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

7:15 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2"

9:45 p.m. ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023)

12:25 a.m. ET/PT – "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (Disney Animated)

Sunday, Oct. 27

7:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

9:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Spooky Buddies"

11:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

1:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

3:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

5:40 p.m. ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

7:20 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar)

9:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar)

11:55 p.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

Monday, Oct. 28

11:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

3:00 p.m. ET/PT – "The Incredibles" (Disney-Pixar)

5:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Incredibles 2" (Disney-Pixar)

8:05 p.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"

Tuesday, Oct. 29

11:00 a.m. ET/PT – "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (Disney Animated)

12:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween" 

2:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"

5:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Cruella"

8:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Wednesday, Oct. 30

11:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween" 

1:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Arachnophobia"

4:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus" 

6:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

8:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023)

Thursday, Oct. 31 - HALLOWEEN

12:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

2:10 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

4:40 p.m. ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

6:20 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

8:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2" 

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Little Shop of Horrors" (1986)

Full Press release after the jump 

DCOM Does Sequel To Horse Film but on an Island: Jumping Ship

Disney The Lookback 

      

            Previously. I wrote about the 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie, Horse Sense, which starred Andy Lawrence and  his brother, Joey, as cousins.  That movie did really well to the point Disney Channel wanted to do a sequel.  Though, that movie really had seemed to wrap things up, pretty well. This is the days when movies- especially TV movies- don't expect sequels as part of the game.  Disney had a lot of the youngest Lawrence brother, he was the voice of TJ on Recess, was in the 2000 DCOM, I covered -The Other Me  - and he'd do another DCOM later.  I'll get to the rest of the cast, in a few. 

                Back to the sequel element. The idea of a sequel to Horse Sense is kind of hard to think about except Andy and Joey Lawrence. Joey's character, Michael Woods, went through character development in the movie, as one would expect, so the worry here would be the 2nd movie would ruin some of that because 2nd movie.  

                Jumping Ship first aired on Disney Channel on August 17, 2001. That date will also be important for something else soon. play attention.  Also, look how quickly that turnaround is, the last movie was out in November 1999. (wow) 

Hello, we're calling about your horse warranty/ Copyright Disney 

            How does this movie start? With Montana, horses, Andy's character of Tommy, just to remind you that is Horse Sense 2.   It also shows that Michael has grown a bit in character and is "farming" in his backyard... by the pool. (As you do)  Also, thanks to Tommy's mother talking to Michael on the phone we know they are going Australia. (Random)  Michael tells Tommy that's going to charter a private yacht to during their trip.  I'm happy that this movie hasn't reset Michael's character just for sake of 2nd movie. It does show that he's not good with spending money still, which is a good way have a conflict and not have it be the problem from first movie. His father tells him he's spending money he doesn't have and tells him he has to pay him back and he has to find a job or he'll have to work with his Dad- as a file clerk. 

Son, I'm going to have to sue you / Copyright Diseny

            There also seems to be a new conflict for Tommy, since the ranch was saved, he doesn't want this neighbor guy to like his mother and she kind of likes him too, and doesn't want to be part of this, because doesn't want a new Dad.  

               Michael and Tommy are now on an island as they are on vacation. This movie gives you the Lawrence Brothers doing a great job and makes an enjoyable performance. A lady runs into Michael on purpose and she steals his wallet without him noticing because plot. The duo get to be on a nice boat, oops wrong boat.  Oh the woman meets up with a guy on a yacht and he looks through the wallet.  So if Michael wasn't so showy three people wouldn't want to be after him now. (there's a moral here, somewhere) 

Good thing he didn't notice me stealing his wallet, that I'm holding out here for everyone to see / Copyright Disney 

            The duo find their boat and guess what? You thought this movie would only have two Lawrence brothers, well, you were WRONG.  (ooh I'm sad now) That's right. Matthew Lawrence, the middle brother between Joey and Andy shows up as a character named Jake Hunter.  Which is funny. You see, in later seasons of Boy Meets World , Lawrence played Jack Hunter a character who was Shan  Hunter's half brother on that series.  The other fun part is Boy Meets World , ended it's run 1 year before this movie aired, but reruns were on Disney Channel.   One Boy Meets World's production companies was: Touchstone Television, which was owned by Disney.  It's fun. Fun fact 2: this movie was filmed in Australia for real.  

More after the jump 

2024 Primetime Emmy's Nominations

 Primetime Emmys 

        The76th annual Primetime Emmy awards nominations have been announced.   The award show airs on  Sunday, September 15, at 8pm/7c on ABC. 

Outstanding Drama Series

• "The Crown"
• "Fallout"
• "The Gilded Age"
• "The Morning Show"
• "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"
• "Shōgun"
• "Slow Horses"
• "3 Body Problem"

Outstanding Comedy Series 

• "Abbott Elementary"
• "The Bear"
• "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
• "Hacks"
• "Only Murders in the Building"
• "Palm Royale"
• "Reservation Dogs"
• "What We Do in the Shadows"

Outstanding limited or anthology series 

• "Baby Reindeer"
• "Fargo"
• "Lessons in Chemistry"
• "Ripley"
• "True Detective: Night Country"

Outstanding reality competition program 

• "The Amazing Race"
• "RuPaul's Drag Race"
• "Top Chef"
• "The Traitors"
• "The Voice"

Outstanding talk series 

• "The Daily Show"
• "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
• "Late Night with Seth Meyers"
• "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert"

Outstanding scripted variety series 

"Last Week Tonight with John Oliver"
"Saturday Night Live"

Outstanding variety special (live) 

• "The Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show Starring Usher"
• "The 66th Grammy Awards"
• "The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady"
• "The Oscars"
• "The 76th Annual Tony Awards"

Outstanding variety special  (pre-recorded) 

• "Billy Joel: The 100th Live at Madison Square Garden"
• "Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer"
• "Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic"
• "Nikki Glaser: Someday You'll Die"
• "Trevor Noah: Where Was I"

Outstanding Game Show 

• "Celebrity Family Feud"
• "Jeopardy!"
• "Password"
• "The Price is Right at Night"
• "Wheel of Fortune"

Outstanding lead actor in a drama series 

• Idris Elba, "Hijack"
• Donald Glover, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"
• Walton Goggins, "Fallout"
• Gary Oldman, "Slow Horses"
• Hiroyuki Sanada, "Shōgun"
• Dominic West, "The Crown"

Outstanding lead actress in a drama series 

• Jennifer Aniston, "The Morning Show"
• Carrie Coon, "The GIlded Age"
• Maya Erskine, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"
• Anna Sawai, "Shōgun"
• Imelda Staunton, "The Crown"
• Reese Witherspoon, "The Morning Show"

Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series 

• Matt Berry, "What We Do in the Shadows"
• Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
• Steve Martin, "Only Murders in the Building"
• Martin Short, "Only Murders in the Building"
• Jeremy Allen White, "The Bear"
• D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, "Reservation Dogs"

Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series 

• Quinta Brunson, "Abbott Elementary"
• Ayo Edebiri, "The Bear"
• Selena Gomez, "Only Murders in the Building"
• Maya Rudolph, "Loot"
• Jean Smart, "Hacks"
• Kristen Wiig, "Palm Royale"

Outstanding lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie

• Matt Bomer, "Fellow Travelers"
• Richard Gadd, "Baby Reindeer"
• Jon Hamm, "Fargo"
• Tom Hollander, "Feud: Capote vs. the Swans"
• Andrew Scott, "Ripley"

Outstanding lead actress in a limited or anthology series or movie

• Jodie Foster, "True Detective: Night Country"
• Brie Larson, "Lessons in Chemistry"
• Juno Temple, "Fargo"
• Sofía Vergara, "Griselda"
• Naomi Watts, "Feud: Capote vs. the Swans"

Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series

Tadanobu Asano, "Shōgun"
Billy Crudup, "The Morning Show"
Mark Duplass, "The Morning Show"
Jon Hamm, "The Morning Show"
Takehiro Hira, "Shōgun"
Jack Lowden, "Slow Horses"
Jonathan Pryce, "The Crown"

Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series

• Christine Baranski, "The Gilded Age"
• Nicole Beharie, "The Morning Show"
• Elizabeth Debicki, "The Crown"
• Greta Lee, "The Morning Show"
• Lesley Manville, "The Crown"
• Karen Pittman, "The Morning Show"
• Holland Taylor, "The Morning Show"

Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series

• Lionel Boyce, "The Bear"
• Paul W. Downs, "Hacks"
• Ebon Moss-Bachrach, "The Bear"
• Paul Rudd, "Only Murders in the Building"
• Tyler James Williams, "Abbott Elementary"
• Bown Yang, "Saturday Night Live"

Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series

• Carol Burnett, "Palm Royale"
• Liza Colón-Zayas, "The Bear"
• Hannah Einbinder, "Hacks"
• Janelle James, "Abbott Elementary"
• Sheryl Lee Ralph, "Abbott Elementary"
• Meryl Streep, "Only Murders in the Building"

Outstanding supporting actor in a limited or anthology series or movie

• Jonathan Bailey, "Fellow Travelers"
• Robert Downey Jr., "The Sympathizer"
• Tom Goodman-Hill, "Baby Reindeer"
• John Hawkes, "True Detective: Night Country"
• Lamorne Morris, "Fargo"
• Lewis Pullman, "Lessons in Chemistry"
• Treat Williams, "Feud: Capote vs. the Swans"

Outstanding supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie

• Dakota Fanning, "Ripley"
• Lily Gladstone, "Under the Bridge"
• Jessica Gunning, "Baby Reindeer"
• Aja Naomi King, "Lessons in Chemistry"
• Diane Lane, "Feud: Capote vs. the Swans"
• Nava Mau, "Baby Reindeer"
• Kali Reis, "True Detective: Night Country"

Outstanding directing for a drama series

• "The Crown," Stephen Daldry (episode: "Sleep, Dearie Sleep")
• "The Morning Show," Mimi Leder (episode: "The Overview Effect")
• "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," Hiro Murai (episode: "First Date")
• "Shōgun," Frederick E.O. Toye (episode: "Crimson Sky")
• "Slow Horses," Saul Metzstein (episode: "Strange Games")
• "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty," Salli Richardson-Whitfield (episode: "Beat L.A.")

Outstanding directing for a comedy series

• "Abbott Elementary," Randall Einhorn (episode: "Party")
• "The Bear," Christopher Storer (episode: "Fishes")
• "The Bear," Ramy Youssef (episode: "Honeydew")
• "The Gentlemen," Guy Ritchie (episode: "Refined Aggression")
• "Hacks," Lucia Aniello (episode: "Bulletproof")
• "The Ms. Pat Show," Mary Lou Belli (episode: "I'm the Pappy")

Outstanding directing for a limited or anthology series or movie

• "Baby Reindeer," Weronika Tofilska (episode: "Episode 4")
• "Fargo," Noah Hawley (episode: "The Tragedy of the Commons")
• "Feud: Capote vs. the Swans," Gus Van Sant (episode: "Pilot")
• "Lessons in Chemistry," Millicent Shelton (episode: "Poirot")
• "Ripley," Steven Zaillian (series)
• "True Detective: Night Country," Issa López (series)

Outstanding writing for a drama series

• "The Crown," Peter Morgan & Meriel Sheibani-Clare (episode: "Ritz")
• "Fallout," Geneva Robertson-Dworet & Graham Wagner (episode: "The End")
• "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," Francesca Sloane & Donald Glover (episode: "First Date")
• "Shōgun," Rachel Kondo & Justin Marks (episode: "Anjin")
• "Shōgun," Rachel Kondo & Caitlin Puente (episode: "Crimson Sky")
• "Slow Horses," Will Smith (episode: "Negotiating with Tigers")

Outstanding writing for a comedy series

• "Abbott Elementary," Quinta Brunson (episode: "Career Day")
• "The Bear," Christopher Storer & Joanna Calo (episode: "Fishes")
• "Girls5eva," Meredith Scardino & Sam Means (episode: "Orlando")
• "Hacks," Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs & Jen Statsky (episode: "Bulletproof")
• "The Other Two," Chris Kelly & Sarah Schneider (episode: "Brooke Hosts a Night of Undeniable Good")
• "What We Do in the Shadows," Jake Bender & Zach Dunn (episode: "Pride Parade")

Outstanding writing for a limited or anthology series or movie

"Baby Reindeer," Richard Gadd (series)
"Black Mirror," Charlie Brooker (episode: "Joan is Awful")
"Fargo," Noah Hawley (episode: "The Tragedy of the Commons")
"Fellow Travelers," Ron Nyswaner (episode: "You're Wonderful")
"Ripley," Steven Zaillian (series)
"True Detective: Night Country," Issa López (episode: "Part 6")