So…in a sure sign of continuing mental and emotional regression, I decided the other night to accessorize a drunk by watching a little cable…only to foggily re-discover we haven’t had cable in years (my first clue? No suitcase-sized box on top of a TV not made to support an envelope). I had been reminiscing about how much I had enjoyed those early years of cable and the rise of specialty channels catering to narrowcasting desires, and I thought: “Why not watch a little Nick at Nite?”
Continue reading ‘The Patty Duke Show’ (Season 1): A light, perfectly pitched time capsule back to a sweeter timeTag Archives: ABC
‘The Odd Couple’ (Season 3): Every episode is a treat in this exceptional season
Continuing my goal of tying up all the loose ends in my life by December 2025 (don’t particularly care about a will…but I am gonna fix that guy at the paramutial who keeps “accidentally” printing the wrong program number on my track tickets), let’s keep rolling on series reviews, including one of my top five favorite sitcoms, The Odd Couple, starring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman. Simply put: it’s bright, sophisticated, urbane TV farce, at its very best.
Continue reading ‘The Odd Couple’ (Season 3): Every episode is a treat in this exceptional season
‘The Odd Couple’ (Season 2): Sitcom undergoes drastic production changes. Do they work?
This time of year always brings (drunken) promises of tying up loose ends and making things “right” (how many times can a bookie break your arm? Apparently…lots), so when I sobered up after the holidays (and figured out how to type one-handed), I went back and looked at partially-reviewed titles here on Drunk TV that needed to be completed. And sure enough, one of my top 5 favorite sitcoms, The Odd Couple, had somehow been abandoned after a measly season one review.
Continue reading ‘The Odd Couple’ (Season 2): Sitcom undergoes drastic production changes. Do they work?
‘John Steinbeck’s East of Eden’ (1981): Epic miniseries is Jane Seymour’s finest hour
“I’ve done things that would turn your blood to spit.” Cathy Ames
I know, I know. Months ago, I promised to review all of the miniseries that were featured on NBC’s “miniseries series,” Best Sellers. And I did. I even bought a bootleg DVD of the one that’s impossible to find—that’s how committed I was to the project. I only had The Rhinemann Exchange to go. Well…I’ve watched it. I have the notes. But I’m telling you: it’s so goddamn boring I’m not sure I can face writing a review of it. We’ll see. I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s look at a different mini. Come on—give me a break, okay?
Continue reading ‘John Steinbeck’s East of Eden’ (1981): Epic miniseries is Jane Seymour’s finest hour
‘The Lawrence Welk Show’: Classic episodes are a glimpse into a past that has vanished
You can take the boy out of the bubbles…but not the bubbles out of the boy.
Continue reading ‘The Lawrence Welk Show’: Classic episodes are a glimpse into a past that has vanished
‘The Oklahoma City Dolls’ (1981): Skip the Super Bowl. Watch THIS instead!
Okay, now look: if you’re stupid enough to actually watch the Super Bowl this year believing that the fix isn’t in, now that the globalist Uni-Party has paid the curiously asexual PSYOP/singer to “hook up” (rrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiight) with the bone-headed “clot shot” shill, all in service of the eventual President Bumbles endorsement, well…I don’t know what I can tell you. You’re probably beyond reach.
Continue reading ‘The Oklahoma City Dolls’ (1981): Skip the Super Bowl. Watch THIS instead!
‘Sweet Hostage’ (1975): Martin Sheen kidnaps Linda Blair in TV exploiter
A must-have primer for every would-be romantic kidnapper out there…although the only way Sweet Hostage would be remade today is if Bradley Cooper kidnapped Dylan Mulvaney.
Continue reading ‘Sweet Hostage’ (1975): Martin Sheen kidnaps Linda Blair in TV exploiter
‘Korg: 70,000 B.C.’: Live action Hanna-Barbera adventure is all about the hunt!
‘Happy Holidays with Bing and Frank’ (1957): A drunken Christmas from The Frank Sinatra Show, pally!
Merry Christmas, everyone! We had such a nice reaction to our review of the Perry Como Christmas Special co-starring The Carpenters (in short: when I showed it to a bum on the bus, he threw up on my shoes and then tried to shank me), we decided here at the Drunk TV HQ to trim the tree, so to speak, with another holiday TV special review. This time, we’re going to dig out the classic December 20th, 1957 Christmas episode of ABC’s disastrous The Frank Sinatra Show, featuring special guest star, the old Groaner himself, Der Bingle! Entitled Happy Holidays with Bing and Frank, The Chairman of the Board and Bingo from Bingville trade quips and carols while getting thoroughly soused. It’s a Christmas must for fans of vintage Yuletide television specials.
Continue reading ‘Happy Holidays with Bing and Frank’ (1957): A drunken Christmas from The Frank Sinatra Show, pally!
‘Satan’s Triangle’ (1975): Decades later, occult thriller is still a winner
You know what would be the perfect vacation for this particular Fourth of July, Independence Day? In today’s America, I mean? Cruise to the Devil’s Triangle. But you say you just can’t let Beelzebub see your bikini bod this year? Well…you could check out Satan’s Triangle, the 1975 made-for-TV occult classic starring Kim Novak and Doug McClure, that originally appeared on the beloved anthology series, ABC Tuesday Movie of the Week (there’s a nice print streaming on Prime right now).
Continue reading ‘Satan’s Triangle’ (1975): Decades later, occult thriller is still a winner
‘Breaking Up is Hard to Do’ (1979): Forgotten TV movie is a true gem
Worthwhile, even remarkable-at-times, made-for-TV drama; perfect viewing for post-football withdrawal…if you’re a real man.
Continue reading ‘Breaking Up is Hard to Do’ (1979): Forgotten TV movie is a true gem
‘My Three Sons’ (Season 1): A remarkably complex, innovative American sitcom
Escape is the only option today, I fear (if you’re lucky enough to be able to escape, I should add). So if you’re going to retreat, you should go somewhere extraordinary.
Continue reading ‘My Three Sons’ (Season 1): A remarkably complex, innovative American sitcom
‘Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels’: Is this Charlie’s Angels: The Animated Series?
Yes, you didn’t read that clickbait headline incorrectly: we have MORE Charlie’s Angels review action coming your way! Yes! The original show! Another season! The sixth! Well, not the sixth exactly, but still the original! Well…maybe not the original show, but pretty close! Pretty close! Almost the same thing! I mean, well….
Continue reading ‘Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels’: Is this Charlie’s Angels: The Animated Series?
‘Someone I Touched’ (1975): What’s going on down there? TV movie answers
…a.k.a.: First, You Drip.
Continue reading ‘Someone I Touched’ (1975): What’s going on down there? TV movie answers
‘Superdome’ (1978): Skip the Super Bowl. Watch this instead
“Tomorrow we’ve got 75,000 people in the Dome…and a psycho on the loose.”
Continue reading ‘Superdome’ (1978): Skip the Super Bowl. Watch this instead
‘The Donna Reed Show’ (Season 1): A charming, misunderstood gem
You think the Stone family would make you wear a mask? Please.
Continue reading ‘The Donna Reed Show’ (Season 1): A charming, misunderstood gem
‘The Boy in the Plastic Bubble’ (1976): Impossibly hopeful teen romance scores big
Uh…they couldn’t just adopt?
Continue reading ‘The Boy in the Plastic Bubble’ (1976): Impossibly hopeful teen romance scores big
‘The Rookies’ (Season 1): ’70s police actioner holds up well today
Looking out the window (and ducking), it’s probably a good time to revisit the first season of The Rookies, one of the best-remembered cop shows from the “golden age” of network TV police series (Sony put out a DVD set for this a few years ago…and it’s worth some bucks now).
Continue reading ‘The Rookies’ (Season 1): ’70s police actioner holds up well today
‘The Courtship of Eddie’s Father’ (Season 1): Understated performances keep sitcom fresh & touching
“When you were a little boy, did you want to be what you are now?”
“No.”
“How come, Dad?”
“Well, because I guess when I was a little boy, I didn’t know that one day there would be a little boy like you that I would be the father of.”
“Is that the most important thing you are? A father?”
“That is the most important thing I am.”
‘Welcome Back, Kotter’ (Season 1): It’s back to school—70s style
Welcome back,
Your dreams were your ticket out.
Welcome back,
To that same old place that you laughed about.
Well, the names have all changed since you hung around,
But those dreams have remained and they’ve turned around.
Who’d have thought they’d lead ya,
Who’d have thought they’d lead ya,
Back here where we need ya?
Back here where we need ya?
Yeah, we tease him a lot,
‘Cause we got him on the spot,
Welcome back.
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.
Drunk TV 