#1
Posted: 9/14/04 at 12:23pm
amen beaver. I watch TV Land SO much. NOTHING beats Classic TV.
#2
Posted: 9/14/04 at 12:24pm
In some ways I think the network suits probably figure the Lear shows have done it all already, and better than anybody could do it today. Plus, the culture is so post-modern that none of the actual creative shows on TV today (few and far between though they be) could cover such topics and still include their knowing, ironic winks at the camera.
Twitter @NamoInExile
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#3
Posted: 9/14/04 at 12:33pm
I would have to agree that All in the Family, Maude and Good Times pushed the envelope in ways that few shows today do - and brought a lot of social issues into the living rooms of American homes. Archie Bunker was such a parody of the biggeted, close minded, conservative man that you laughed at him rather than with him. His was biting social commentary. Ah, when Sammy Davis Junior kissed him, or when Edith was raped - those were moments. I still love to watch those shows.
I sing for myself. I sing when I want, whenever I want to, just for me. I sing for my own pleasure. Do you understand that?
#4
Posted: 9/14/04 at 12:35pm
None of those pushed the envelope like Mr. Belvadere and ALF. Those shows were both about acceptance and bigotry due to illegal aliens coming into our country. But through them, we learned tollerance. We learned compassion. We learned to love each other and hopefully ourselves just a little bit more.
"Noah, someday we'll talk again. But there's things we'll never say. That sorrow deep inside you. It inside me, too. And it never go away. You be okay. You'll learn how to lose things..."
#5
Posted: 9/14/04 at 12:38pm
Amen, Matt. Amen.
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
#6
Posted: 9/14/04 at 12:40pm
Matt, you scare me. I have this odd feeling you actually watched Alf. I guess Alf was the Avenue Q of the 80's. As for Mr. Belevedere, the oldest son KEvin was kind of hot, as i recall... I wonder what ever happend to him.
I sing for myself. I sing when I want, whenever I want to, just for me. I sing for my own pleasure. Do you understand that?
#7
Posted: 9/14/04 at 12:41pm
BT, are you dissing ALF? Tell me you're not.
Nothing precious, plain to see, don't make a fuss over me. Not loud, not soft, but somewhere inbetween. Say sorry, just let it be the word you mean.
#8
Posted: 9/14/04 at 1:31pm
And the episode where Alf was raped by a female impersonator who looked like Sammy Davis Jr in drag... now that was riveting T.V.!
There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.
- Nelson Mandela
#9
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:14pm
There don't seem to be as many envelopes to push these days. I agree with Namo that the older shows mentioned were around during a time when all of this was ground breaking. Lear showed intreracial marriage on The Jeffersons but, now we see that on Verizon commercials every day (I think it's Verizon), gay characters are all over tv in the past few years, shows that are based on people of color are common on tv. This does say a lot about our society that all of these are considred commonplace. It's just too bad that now we want to see Trump fire people, women get total body make overs and C list "celebs" locked in a house together.
I had some hope when HBO started producing quality series that the networks would see that this is what the public prefers, well written shows. Unfortunately, there seems to be more of a market for the "reality" shows.
I had some hope when HBO started producing quality series that the networks would see that this is what the public prefers, well written shows. Unfortunately, there seems to be more of a market for the "reality" shows.
http://www.danperezgallery.com
#10
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:21pm
speaking of pivotal episodes of AITF, has anyone seen the one where Archie goes off to Meathead and Dingbat's house and Edith is at home alone when a robber comes in and attempts to rape her? That episode still makes me nervous. Everytime I see it, I end up shaking and near tears.
"Applause begets applause in the theatre, as laughter begets laughter and tears beget tears."
CLAYTON HAMILTON, "Theory of the Theatre"
"I think theater ought to be theatrical ... you know, shuffling the pack in different ways so that it's -- there's always some kind of ambush involved in the experience. You're being ambushed by an unexpected word, or by an elephant falling out of the cupboard, whatever it is."
TOM STOPPARD
#11
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:26pm
I remember that episode (BTW, I hesitate to point this out becasue I hate making people publicly look bad but, Edith was the one he called Dingbat). It was one of many AITF episodes that dealt with new topics never before done on television. I remember being very effected by it when I first saw it as a kid.
http://www.danperezgallery.com
#12
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:30pm
ahh...and all these years I thought when he said that he was referring to Mike and Gloria. Learn something new everyday.
"Applause begets applause in the theatre, as laughter begets laughter and tears beget tears."
CLAYTON HAMILTON, "Theory of the Theatre"
"I think theater ought to be theatrical ... you know, shuffling the pack in different ways so that it's -- there's always some kind of ambush involved in the experience. You're being ambushed by an unexpected word, or by an elephant falling out of the cupboard, whatever it is."
TOM STOPPARD
#13
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:33pm
Meathead was Mike, Dingbat was Edith, Little Girl was Gloria.
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
#14
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:35pm
OH HELL...i forgot all about "Little Girl"
"Applause begets applause in the theatre, as laughter begets laughter and tears beget tears."
CLAYTON HAMILTON, "Theory of the Theatre"
"I think theater ought to be theatrical ... you know, shuffling the pack in different ways so that it's -- there's always some kind of ambush involved in the experience. You're being ambushed by an unexpected word, or by an elephant falling out of the cupboard, whatever it is."
TOM STOPPARD
#15
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:37pm
LOL! I can NEVER get enough All In The Family.
I saw the ORIGINAL ORIGINAL pilot on TV once, back when they had a different Mike and Gloria... it was so interesting to see it.
I saw the ORIGINAL ORIGINAL pilot on TV once, back when they had a different Mike and Gloria... it was so interesting to see it.
#16
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:39pm
I didn't like the original mike and gloria much...I like the knuckleheads they ended up with. 
"Applause begets applause in the theatre, as laughter begets laughter and tears beget tears."
CLAYTON HAMILTON, "Theory of the Theatre"
"I think theater ought to be theatrical ... you know, shuffling the pack in different ways so that it's -- there's always some kind of ambush involved in the experience. You're being ambushed by an unexpected word, or by an elephant falling out of the cupboard, whatever it is."
TOM STOPPARD
#17
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:43pm
Yeah that was definitely the right recasting decision.
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
#18
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:43pm
To this day I still love "All in the Family." It so broke my heart when Edith died, and Archie was left to raise Stephie on his own.
"All I ask of you is one thing: please don't be cynical. I hate cynicism -- it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen."
Conan O'Brien
#19
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:44pm
You want to talk about real envelope pushing, all you have to do is look back to the fall of 1984 when a little girl named Punky Brewster walked into our living rooms. And our hearts.
"Noah, someday we'll talk again. But there's things we'll never say. That sorrow deep inside you. It inside me, too. And it never go away. You be okay. You'll learn how to lose things..."
#20
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:44pm
I saw a very old Will and Grace last night, and Megan Mullally was using her own voice. It just was nowhere near as funny, and reminded me of when Jean Stapleton used her own voice the first season of All In The Family. Also nowhere near as funny.
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
#21
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:45pm
I TOTALLY agree about the casting. But it isn't often that you get to compare and contrast casting like that.
#22
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:48pm
Blanche wasn't very Southern at all the first season of THE GOLDEN GIRLS. It takes a while sometimes for these characters to develop.
"Noah, someday we'll talk again. But there's things we'll never say. That sorrow deep inside you. It inside me, too. And it never go away. You be okay. You'll learn how to lose things..."
#23
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:48pm
Ah yes, Matt. Those were the days. Punky and her gruff old foster father and their dog and their spunky black neighbors. Broke the mold!
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
Updated On: 9/14/04 at 02:48 PM
#24
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:52pm
Oh, I see. Just because they're black they have to be spunky,huh?
Nice. Real nice.
Nice. Real nice.
"Noah, someday we'll talk again. But there's things we'll never say. That sorrow deep inside you. It inside me, too. And it never go away. You be okay. You'll learn how to lose things..."
#25
Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:56pm
Hey - I didn't write the show!!
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
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