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The Beverly Hillbillies: The Clampett Look (1963)
We-uns is looking for Grits and Jowls
As with many episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies, this episode is part two of a two-part story arc. In the first part, Elly May enrolls in an exclusive all-girls finishing school, and through a series of Beverly Hillbillies-style farcical misunderstandings, the Clampetts come to believe that the wealthy, snobby Cynthia Fenwick, one of Elly's classmates, and her equally snobby widowed mother (the widda Fenwick) are poor and need their help. What follows is one of the funniest episodes of the series. Writers Paul Henning and Mark Tuttle have crafted a perfect script, and Joanna Barnes and Doris Packer play the uppity Fenwicks to perfection. We're also treated to another fine performance by Harriet MacGibbon as Mrs. Drysdale.
The Beverly Hillbillies: The Giant Jackrabbit (1964)
Hi Beverly, whatcha got on the back stove today?
This episode has two plots: the giant jackrabbit and Beverly Caterers. The jackrabbit portion is funny, but the telephone exchanges between the Clampetts and Beverly Caterers are comedy gold and the funnier of the two plots. (The Clampetts think that Beverly Caterers is a poor "widda" woman who cooks for others out of the goodness of her heart.) What makes these phone calls so funny is that we only hear the Clampetts' side of the conversations, and it's clear that the woman on the other end of the phone thinks she's talking to crazy people and is probably using lots of expletives to tell them to stop calling and pestering her.
These farcical misunderstandings is what makes The Beverly Hillbillies so funny, especially in the early seasons, when the Clampetts were still learning about the idiosyncrasies of "city living."
I Love Lucy: Housewarming (1957)
Vivian Vance's Tour-De-Force Acting Makes This One of the Funniest Episodes of the Series
There's the Vitameatavegamin commercial, the chocolate factory assembly-line fiasco, the wine-vat cat fight, and then there's the luncheon between Lucy, Betty, and Ethel. It's up there with the others as one of the funniest scenes from the entire series. Ethel's stinging jabs at Betty Ramsey are priceless and delivered with mastery. Ethel Mertz is the best supporting character in sitcom history, and Vivian Vance is the best second-banana actor in sitcom history. There's Ethel/Vivian, and then there's everyone else.
With such a strong opening, the remaining portion of the episode isn't as funny, but the first part of the episode is pure gold.
Mary Tyler Moore: Put on a Happy Face (1973)
MARY SPOOFS MARY
Many will argue that "Chuckles Bites the Dust" is the series' best episode, but I think that this lesser-known gem wins the prize.
Losers are funnier than winners, and this episode spoofs the sitcom's premise that Mary is a winner-pretty, perfect hair, perfect clothes, perfect home, perfect job. Mary may experience minor inconveniences, but she usually wins . . . Except this time. Here, Mary doesn't just have a streak of bad luck, she has THE streak of bad luck from hell. It's as if the bad-luck gods have been stalking her her entire life to no avail and finally catch up with little miss perfect . . . And boy, do they let her have it. To top it off, her best friend, Rhoda, the poster child for bad karma, is having a streak of uncharacteristic good luck, or as Rhoda says, "Admit it Mary, suddenly, your life got crummy . . . I happen to be on a terrific streak."
As Laura Petrie, Mary Tyler Moore had more opportunities to showcase her comic talents than she did on her eponymous show. She turned in stellar performances as Laura stoned on Valium, telling the world that Alan Brady is bald, getting her big toe stuck in a bathtub faucet, a memorable passive-aggressive game of charades, and telling her husband that a nude painting of her has resurfaced. It's a shame that the MTM writers didn't put Mary into more of these types of vulnerable situations. But at least we have this episode where they pulled out all the stops.
Mary Tyler Moore has said that this was her favorite episode. I believe it. It must've been fun for her to play the loser and show off her comedy chops.
Best scene: When Mary walks out of the closet dressed for the Teddy Awards banquet wearing two different shoes and a yellow rain slicker.
Best line: Mary says, "I'm sorry, I don't usually get this way in front of the cleaners."
Love, American Style: Love and the Champ/Love and the Pen Pals (1970)
Love and the Pen Pals
Love, American Style wasn't high art. In fact, it could be downright silly. However, there were a few sequences that were gems, and this is one of them.
Diane Keaton and Monte Markham play childhood pen pals who meet as adults eighteen years after they began writing letters to each other. There's only one plot hole. Obviously, it was necessary to the story for both characters to not know what the other looks like before meeting; however, it's unlikely that the pen pals wouldn't have exchanged photos at some point during those eighteen years. Other than that, it's a sweet, beautifully written, beautifully acted eleven-minute sequence.
Collector's Call (2019)
I Would Give it a 10, But
When Lisa is with the collectors in person, it's a great show, but the remote ZOOM episodes don't work for me. The sound and picture are terrible, and it lacks the warmth of the pre-COVID shows. There've been a few new episodes where she's in the collector's home, so I hope that's a sign that the remote episodes are going away completely.
Quincy M.E.: Next Stop, Nowhere (1982)
The Reefer Madness of Quincy Episodes
Quincy: "Why would anyone wanna pretend that every day is Halloween?"
A so-bad-it's-good camp Quincy episode about how punk rock music compels listeners to kill. By the eighth season, Quincy had become a soapbox for preaching about social causes, and this episode is the best of them. Not that I'm a fan of punk music, but there's no subtlety here.
Seinfeld: The Soul Mate (1996)
Missed Opportunity
Jerry is dating a woman who's a dead ringer for Meryl Streep. Why didn't the writers incorporate that into the script? They could've gotten a lot of mileage out of that.
Mary Tyler Moore: Murray in Love (1975)
Murray Like-Likes Mary. Whaaaat?
It's a huge challenge to come up with good ideas and scripts for a weekly sitcom . . . And this episode demonstrates that even a great sitcom can lay an egg.
The episode is about Murray being driven to distraction by some mystery problem, so much so that he has difficulty telling anyone. His problem? He has fallen hopelessly and deeply in love with Mary. Aside from a brief moment at the end of the second act, when he finally tells Mary how he feels, that's the lion's share of the episode, barring an unfunny subplot about Mary's meddling new neighbor.
The entire premise is ridiculous and unbelievable. Has Murray fallen out of love with his wife? We never find out because it's never mentioned. Even more unbelievable is that Murray and Mary's relationship returns to the way it was before Murray professes his undying love for her, and it's never referenced again, which, of course, would never happen in the real world.
Gavin MacLeod and Mary Tyler Moore struggle to stay in character while reciting lines that are completely out of character. Maybe if the writers set it up as a dream, it would've worked. Better yet, maybe the producers and cast should've rejected it after the first table read.
Mary Tyler Moore: Mary Moves Out (1975)
Nothing Special
Mary moves from her charming Victorian apartment with loads of character into a lackluster cookie-cutter apartment with absolutely no character. Not much else to say about this episode.
Father Dowling Mysteries (1989)
Murder, He Prayed!
Father Dowling Mysteries is a who-done-it series in the vein of Murder, She Wrote, Diagnosis Murder, Ellery Queen, Nick and Nora Charles, Miss Marple, et al. The "gimmick" or "twist" here is that our protagonist is a Catholic priest and the pastor of an inner-city parish.
Tom Bosley plays Father Frank Dowling, an amateur sleuth who just "happens to be around" when someone is murdered, abducted, disappears, etc. He then takes it upon himself to investigate the crime and prove that the police department's number one suspect is innocent. Tracy Nelson plays Sister Stephanie (a.k.a. Sister Steve), a young streetwise nun and Father Dowling's partner in crime-solving.
The show is formulaic of the genre:
1. Obvious clues that the police overlook.
2. The police, anxious to "wrap it up," arrest an innocent person based on flimsy circumstantial evidence.
3. Only Father Dowling and Sister Steve possess the analytical minds and cunning to solve crimes.
4. Our sleuths get into all sorts of life-threatening situations only to escape/be rescued at the last minute.
5. Someone makes a benign eleven-o'clock-hour statement about potato salad that triggers a lightbulb moment within our crack sleuths. Father Dowling says something like, "That's it's! Marie, call the police, and tell them to meet us at the loading dock. Come on Steve."
6. The guilty party is subjected to a Father Dowling monologue at the denouement about how he pieced all of the evidence together.
7. Crimes are solved based on hunches and enigmatic clues (and a lot of snooping) rather than forensic evidence (e.g. DNA, fingerprints, trace evidence).
Despite the cliches, however, the show boasts likable characters, interesting plots, and a top-notch cast, particularly Tracy Nelson, who gets to play a wide range of undercover characters who are on the other side of the moral spectrum of Sister Steve's religious beliefs (e.g. Prostitute, pool hustler, card shark, beauty contestant, etc.).
Rounding out the cast of series regulars is the wonderful character actress Mary Wickes as the wisecracking parish rectory housekeeper (a role she's played many times before), and James Stephens, who provides just the right amount of comic relief as a young befuddled priest forever looking for ways to suck up to the (unseen) diocese Bishop.
I (Almost) Got Away with It (2010)
I Almost Kinda Sorta Just About But Not Quite Got Away With It
This is a fascinating show about fugitives and their attempts to evade capture. The amount of time that the fugitives are on the run vary from several days to several decades. (Subsequently, the episodes about fugitives who evade capture for years are more interesting.) Crimes include murder, burglary, bank robbery, drug dealing, con games, and video piracy.
The re-enactment actors turn in professional, believable performances, and the production values are mostly top-notch. If you watch enough episodes, however, you'll notice a lot of actors and locations are used repeatedly. (e.g. almost every fugitive or fugitives' family members live in the same house.) Other than those obvious budget-friendly shortcuts, the show looks professionally produced.
What makes this show unique is that the actual fugitives are interviewed, so viewers hear a first-person account of events. Particularly interesting is the fugitives' backstories. Most are career criminals who come from dysfunctional families and began offending at a young age. For the episodes featuring a convicted murderer, it's disturbing hearing how easily they rationalize and justify their crimes. Some are remorseful but not all of them. It's also sad to see how a lapse in judgement can change the trajectory of so many lives-from the perpetrators to the victims to the families to innocent bystanders.
INTERESTING FOOTNOTE: In the season-one episode, "Got the Wrong Four People Killed," the actress playing the fugitive's mother is Kathy Garver, who played Cissy in the '60s sitcom Family Affair.
Obsession: Dark Desires (2013)
INTERESTING SUBJECT MATTER, SLUGGISH STORYTELLING
I've learned several things while watching this show.
1. Stalkers are delusional people who truly believe that violence, intimidation, threats, harassment, etc. will get them what they want.
2. Stalkers are masters at initially being charming wolves in sheep's clothing.
3. Stalkers are persistent psychopaths. The more the target says no, the more determined they become.
4. Stalkers are not deterred by restraining orders. In fact, restraining orders only make them angry and more determined to ignore them.
5. Victims wait too long before contacting the police.
6. The police are powerless to protect stalking victims.
As someone who was sexually harassed in the workplace by a supervisor (which I believe is a form of stalking), I'm still baffled by what makes a stalker stalk. I recognize that all-too familiar won't-take-no-for-an-answer mindset and how they see it as a challenge to ramp it up rather than a clear message to let go and move on. If you watch enough episodes, you'll notice that all the stalkers profiled seem to have that similar modus operandi. The "why" may never be known. I guess some people are just wired differently. Personally, I think they're all narcissistic control freaks.
There are three types of stalkers profiled: stalkers who had a previous romantic relationship with their victims (an ex-husband or ex-boyfriend), stalkers who had a platonic relationship with their victims (a neighbor or co-worker), and stalkers unknown to their victims (a secret admirer). The show mostly profiles extreme cases of stalking. Many end with the stalker trying to kill their target. All but two of the stalkers profiled are men.
From a production standpoint, the show's pacing is slow. There's no narration. The story is told through a first-person account by the victim, on-screen title cards, and actor re-enactments. Unlike most true-crime shows that use re-enactment actors,
primarily in non-speaking roles seen under narration, this show's actors perform lengthy scripted scenes, which are sluggish and poorly written with hackneyed dialogue. It also doesn't help that the majority of the actors aren't skilled enough to pull off the kind of dramatic weight necessary for the scenes to be believable. There's also an inordinate amount of recapping, primarily coming out of commercials, which is obviously filler to stretch the story to fit the hour-long running time. Perhaps the show would work better in a half-hour format.
Despite the production's shortcomings, however, the stories are compelling.
60 Minute Makeover (2004)
What's the Point?
This is a dreadful show based on a ridiculous gimmick. What's the point of renovating an entire house in one hour? You know what? It looks like they only spent an hour on it. (e.g., most of the walls are covered in ugly wallpaper.) Although, I think some of the design choices may be cultural. As an American with a design background, I've noticed that there are fundamental differences between American and UK homes that are significant in terms of how the homes are renovated. For instance, all UK rooms have doors. In America, living rooms generally don't have doors that close them off to the rest of the house, so the UK living spaces look claustrophobic. And the majority of them are so bowling-alley narrow that it looks as if a body could stand in the middle of each room with outstretched arms and touch both walls. Overall, all the homes featured on this show are small and narrow. The most significant difference is that UK homes don't have closets. Closet space is such a huge deal in America, that it's a culture shock to see so many houses without any built-in storage. Subsequently, every bedroom makeover includes an overpowering monolithic floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall wardrobe that make the small rooms appear even smaller.
From a production standpoint, the majority of the show's format consists of the host (called "the presenter" here) running from room to room with a stopwatch and getting progress updates from the designer. Of course, there's a harried energy to the whole production as the dozens of workers rush to complete the renovation in the short time allotted. (It should be noted that a great deal of prep work is done prior to the beginning of the makeover that isn't counted in the 60-minute timeline.) That's all fine, but the narration is just awful . . . and boring . . . and dripping in design cliches, including the overuse of everyone's favorite interior-design descriptive phrase, "light and airy."
The only upside to this show is that it's a surprise makeover arranged by family members as a way to thank an altruistic parent or sibling, etc., so the reveal segment at the end of each episode provides a nice payoff, although I sometimes wonder if the "marks" are as pleased with the changes as they claim. At least the entire renovation is free to the homeowner.
Dawson City: Frozen Time (2016)
Very Disappointed. Not a Documentary About Film Restoration
I love documentaries, and I love old movies, so I looked forward to seeing this documentary about hundreds of nitrate films considered lost that were unearthed by a construction worker in 1978 in Dawson City-except this isn't a documentary about finding and restoring lost films. It's a film about Dawson City and the Klondike Gold Rush told through clips of those aforementioned lost films.
It's also a total snore fest.
The entire story is told without narration through subtitles that are so small, they're almost impossible to read. Even if they were larger, it wouldn't matter because they're not on the screen long enough to be read. And the majority of the film is scored with New Age music, the kind massage therapists use during a massage session.
Zzzzzzzzzz.
If you're interested in vintage Hollywood or film restoration, this is not a film about either.
The Mountain Lion and Me (2018)
I Had a Problem with This
Beautiful photography and a fascinating glimpse into the life of these solitary creatures; however, I don't understand how a wildlife documentary filmmaker, who is supposed to be an animal lover, can film an animal's suffering and not intervene on her behalf. I understand the concept of filming nature as is, but Casey Anderson filmed one of the kits falling from a mountain ledge and then spent the next five weeks filming her while she slowly died. I'm sorry, but I think that's cruel. And this is after he expressed concerns that mountain lion numbers are decreasing. Earlier in the film Mr. Anderson stopped a hunter from shooting the mama lion. So why couldn't he have helped one of her kittens as well. A wildlife veterinarian and rehabilitation expert could've easily saved that poor kitten and given her a second chance.
Great Performances: Dance in America: San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker (2008)
A Beautiful Production
I was in the Nutcracker 30 years ago and have many fond memories doing the Chinese section in the second act. This new production is beautifully choreographed and danced. The production design and costume design are breathtaking. The attention to detail in this is production is evident from the imaginative opening sequence to the final grand pas de deux. I loved the sequence showing Clara shrinking down to the size of her toys. Theatre magic at it's best. The new setting and concept of taking place during the 1915 SanFrancisco World's Fair fits the story so perfectly you would think it was written during that time period. I recommend this fine production to anyone who loves the Nutcracker or just wants to see some very spectacular classic ballet dancing. A+++
I Never Sang for My Father (1970)
It's Like Watching My Life
I saw this film as a child on late night TV in the 70's and never really grasped it's truthful portrayal of the classic dysfunctional family. I didn't realize at the time just how dysfunctional my family was and how my father's controlling behavior and self centered personality shaped our family dynamics and still does. The close, loving adult relationship I always wanted with my father never happened because of his overbearing personality and utter disinterest in his children's adult lives. The children of such parents are often made to feel that it's either their fault or at least their responsibility to fix it. I saw the film again today on TCM and it perfectly captured the devastating long term effects from growing up in such a household. There's not a wasted word in the script. Tom doesn't give a wit about Gene. He doesn't even know him or care to. It's all about Tom. Boy, do I know what that feels like. I wished I had written Gene Hackman's dialog down so I could use it during my next frustrating visit with the old man.
This film should be required viewing for any adult son (or daughter) who is guilt-ed on a regular basis and told that everything their parents ever did for them as children has strings attached.
I'm an actor and I hope I get the chance to play Gene Garrison some day...with my father in the audience. Who am I kidding? He still wouldn't get it.
83 Hours 'Til Dawn (1990)
Dramatic License and Factual Errors spoil what could have been a great movie
This movie was okay. I read the book when I was in high school and saw the first movie, The Longest Night. There were some factual errors and liberties taken for dramatic purposes which kind of ruined it for me since I had read the book first. When I saw the remake, I was expecting a more accurate version, but was disappointed that this movie also took liberties and dramatic license. Comparing the two films, The Longest Night is the better of the two overall. The design of the capsule bothered me in the second movie. It was very crude, shown as a large open space with the battery and wiring all in the same space occupied by the girl. In real life, the battery and wiring and fan was housed in an area that was sectioned off behind screens. The capsule in the first movie was an exact replica of the real one. The first movie also spent more time showing Barbara in the capsule and how cramped it was. The second movie never showed any shots other than her upper body. You never saw her feet and her trying stretch out.
The only thing that the second movie depicts better is the character of Ruth Eiseman Schier. In the Longest Night she is depicted as a strong,equal accomplice when, in fact, she was not. Elizabeth Gracen's portrayal was much more in line with the real woman than Skye Aubrey's sexy vixen portrayal.
It's a great crime story of survival and criminal madness. It would be great if someone would make a more gritty, realistic feature film that would be more factual. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before that happens. Also, a movie that doesn't use fictitious names would heighten the realism. There's a episode of FBI: The Untold Stories with Pernell Roberts that tells the story through narration and re-enactments. They use the real names, so I don't know why that couldn't be done in a movie version.