One of the better. Perhaps with the Blackadder series.Originally Posted by Gravedigger
One of the better. Perhaps with the Blackadder series.
I loved Frasier. At its best it was positively Shakespearean.
David
Happy with what I have to be happy with.
I like a lot modern sitcoms but let's face it, most TV shows, dramas or sitcom, overstay their welcome. I loved the first 3 or 4 seasons of Big Bang Theory (when most of the storytelling focused on the group, not the individuals). But as story lines got divided up amongst all the ensemble, it became a diluded product. I don't think I've seen the last two seasons in their entirety. Same with Friends. Parts of House and Breaking Bad were a slog. And we've already discussed the queen of all shark-jumps, Roseanne. Even All In The Family and MASH went way past their expiration dates.
I get that the people who work on these TV shows want longevity and they like making good money, but one of these days, a TV show will deign to say what they're gonna say in a 5 season format, get in, get out, and move on, like Ozark and Arrested Development.
I'd include Gotham had they not botched the final season and if WB had loosened the reigns on certain characters (fearing the show would dilute interest in upcoming movie plans) causing some rather confusing character story arcs and glaring omissions (that's why we never get a Batman until the final 15 seconds of the series finale).
I think we gave up on Gotham midway through the penultimate season.
Back in the day, many TV seasons had 39 episodes. Today, half as much. Yet, they still run out of ideas. Granted, there are only a handful of storylines. I suppose that's why so many rely on jokes (many of which are just insults) than developing characters and stories.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
One of the many sitcom moments which made me laugh hardest was in Frasier. In the episode he was to give a speech at son Freddy's bar mitzvah. He asked co-worker Noel to translate it to Hebrew. He later insulted Noel, so in revenge, Noel translated the speech to Klingon. Frasier started speaking Klingon, and another kid said "That's not Hebrew....that's Klingon!" I about busted a gut. BTW: Frasier was produced by Paramount, who also own the Star Trek assets. It was perfectly legal to use the Klingon language in the episode.
Alien sitcoms tended to run out of ideas very quickly. The first season of ALF was hilarious. The second season became only marginally funny. By the third season it was pretty lame. Mork and Mindy followed a similar trajectory. The standout exception was Third Rock From the Sun. It remained funny through all 6 seasons.
"Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama
Not unique to alien sitcoms.
It seems as though, if a typical sitcom discovers that a character's catch phrases bring a favorable audience reaction, pretty soon the whole show is just figuring out a way to work in those catch phrases all the time.
I am hoping "Resident Alien" does not end up this way. I thought it has fallen off a bit from the way it started.
Resident Alien isn't so much a sitcom as a dramedy. It isn't limited to setups and punchlines, leaving room for more storytelling.
"Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama
True.
The Bishop will get to the bottom of this.
The older I get, the better I was.
RIP David McCallum.
Watch Trillogy of Terror on Svengoolie right now. Pretty decent quality movie considering it was an ABC TV movie-of-the-week back in '75. The first two segments were interesting enough but the third one is the money one. I must admit, the third segment took me, my mother and little sister off guard. Very creatively shot.
Great actor. RIP.
I'll always remember David McCallum on that episode of Outer Limits, where he evolves into a freaked out alien with a big head and six fingers.
Quiz time again!
I just started this old movie on TCM and saw this actress playing opposite Lana Turner and thought, "she sounds familiar" (I only recognized her by the sound of her voice). Looking through the credits I guessed at what her name was and was correct (I don't think I ever knew her real name). Here's her picture:
Any ideas who she is (this one may shock you)?
“From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away.” – Philip Marlowe
I do believe that's Lucille Ball. She started as an ingenue/starlet; her first comedy role was in a Three Stooges short ("Three Little Pigskins").
Cobra handling and cocaine use are a bad mix.
Nope, it's not Lucy. I know who it is. I was actually looking at early photos of her just a few weeks ago.
Once people find out, they'll see the resemblance to the older actress they are more familiar with.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
Betty White?
Barbara Babcock.
David
Happy with what I have to be happy with.
That is Mrs. Thurston Howell III, Natalie Schafer, if I'm not mistaken.Quiz time again!
I just started this old movie on TCM and saw this actress playing opposite Lana Turner and thought, "she sounds familiar" (I only recognized her by the sound of her voice). Looking through the credits I guessed at what her name was and was correct (I don't think I ever knew her real name). Here's her picture:
Any ideas who she is (this one may shock you)?
Who?
J/K. That is correct.
“From thirty feet away she looked like a lot of class. From ten feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from thirty feet away.” – Philip Marlowe
I also remember the Outer Limits episode where he tried to extend his life by stringing these clocks and lights together. Great show.
The older I get, the better I was.
Certainly around the eyes.
The older I get, the better I was.
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