Was this past Christmas season a bust for you? I suppose after the blizzard, if you had electricity you were way ahead of a lot of people, and being able to afford a can of knock-off Spam in today’s economy put you that much higher up (our Christmas feast consisted of a Quicken loan denial letter and some bouillon cubes). At least we could sit down for some serious holiday TV and movie viewing.
Continue reading ‘The Steve Coogan Collection’: The best from comedian that brought us Alan Partridge!Tag Archives: comedy
‘I Dream of Jeannie’ (Season 1): Classic sitcom will always please its Master – the audience
When are they coming for I Dream of Jeannie? I mean…the word “master” is thrown out at least ten times an episode by that scantily-clad genie slave Jeannie. Hasn’t this by now aroused the ire of some pajama-clad soy latte-drinking non-binary “pop culture author” who needs their “they/them” tantrum to be noticed today on Twitter? Isn’t a reckoning coming for this racist/sexist sitcom, and for all those who participated in it and who watch it today? Can’t someone please cancel 90-year-old Barbara Eden before it’s goddamn too late?
Continue reading ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ (Season 1): Classic sitcom will always please its Master – the audience‘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‘Mister Ed’ (Season 2): Popular sitcom moves from syndication to CBS
Horse talks. Makes smartass joke. Human master flustered. Viewer laughs. Repeat.
Continue reading ‘Mister Ed’ (Season 2): Popular sitcom moves from syndication to CBS‘Dennis the Menace’ (Season 2): ’60s sitcom’s highest rated season
More of the same this second time around…and that means more laughs from this witty, perfectly-crafted family sitcom.
Continue reading ‘Dennis the Menace’ (Season 2): ’60s sitcom’s highest rated season‘Mister Ed’ (Season 1): Classic 60s sitcom still delivers the funny
“Why did you talk to me?” “The whole thing is fantastic! I just don’t understand it!”
“Don’t try…it’s bigger than both of us.”
‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ (Season 1): Fish-out-of-water comedy laughs at everyone
“Females are strong as hell!”
And they’d have to be to survive an underground doomsday bunker for 15 years. But does it suck as much as viral social media attention and learning to use a smartphone?
Continue reading ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ (Season 1): Fish-out-of-water comedy laughs at everyone‘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.
‘Dennis the Menace’ (Season 1): Comic strip-turned-sitcom remains delightfully fun
‘Get Smart’ (Season 1): Silly comedy spoofs 60s spy mania
Sorry about that, Chief.
Continue reading ‘Get Smart’ (Season 1): Silly comedy spoofs 60s spy mania‘Quark’: 70s sci-fi spoof is short-lived, but hugely memorable
A long time ago, at a DVD review place far, far away (in terms of quality), I wrote a review for Quark, the NBC sci-fi spoof from 1977 that developed a tiny but intensely loyal cult following.
Continue reading ‘Quark’: 70s sci-fi spoof is short-lived, but hugely memorable‘Mama’s Family’: Underdog sitcom a flyover country favorite
Good Lord the “Joe Hamilton” cuts are finally here! Continue reading ‘Mama’s Family’: Underdog sitcom a flyover country favorite
‘Good Times’: Enjoyably messy! A fondly remembered 70s sitcom
“Let’s face it, James: this family ain’t Ozzie and Harriet.” Continue reading ‘Good Times’: Enjoyably messy! A fondly remembered 70s sitcom
‘Captain & Tennille in New Orleans’ (1978): Skip the comedy, get to the music!
When Daryl Dragon, the keyboards half of the smash pop recording duo, Captain & Tennille, passed away on January 2, 2019, we decided to take a look back at one of the group’s popular ABC TV specials: Captain & Tennille in New Orleans, which originally aired April 3rd, 1978. Continue reading ‘Captain & Tennille in New Orleans’ (1978): Skip the comedy, get to the music!
‘Benji’s Very Own Christmas Story!’ (1978): Yo humans, let Benji be Benji!
Seriously, guys: put that damn dog down! Continue reading ‘Benji’s Very Own Christmas Story!’ (1978): Yo humans, let Benji be Benji!
‘Merry Sitcom! Christmas Classics From TV’s Golden Age’: A yuletide DVD collection
Do the things they call “TV series” today have Christmas episodes? Continue reading ‘Merry Sitcom! Christmas Classics From TV’s Golden Age’: A yuletide DVD collection
‘Happy Endings’ (Season 1): Spunky rom-com finds cult audience in crowded field
Fans of forgotten single-camera 2010s sitcoms can rejoice – you finally got your happy ending!
Continue reading ‘Happy Endings’ (Season 1): Spunky rom-com finds cult audience in crowded field
‘The Love Boat’ (Season 4): The ABC juggernaut’s highest-rated season
Welcome to the fourth DVD voyage of The Love Boat’s Pacific Princess, where the hook-ups are plentiful and the penicillin shots are always free! Continue reading ‘The Love Boat’ (Season 4): The ABC juggernaut’s highest-rated season
‘Sanford and Son’: When sitcoms were edgy & controversial
Yes. I’m going to write that word in this review. Continue reading ‘Sanford and Son’: When sitcoms were edgy & controversial
‘The Jeffersons’: Norman Lear sitcom disrespected, but gets the love
The strangest thing: my younger kids think television coming over our old aerial—complete with commercials and limited choice of channels—is the coolest thing now (high tech burnout was inevitable). And one of their favorite digital channels is our local MeTV outlet, with its old timey sched of classic television fare (yes, they have taste, but of course, I’m shilling for a potential job offer, too…). So the upcoming “Summer of Me” programming change this Monday should be a lot of fun for them—and for you, too, particularly since The Jeffersons will be movin’ on up into the primo 6:30pm (Eastern) timeslot (now you don’t have to watch the fake news!). Continue reading ‘The Jeffersons’: Norman Lear sitcom disrespected, but gets the love