Years ago, as an eight-year-old on vacation to Florida, I flipped through the "newspaper" that my grandparents received in their little retirement community by the beach. I found it interesting that it was free to put a short advertisement. Most people put in things like "fish tank for sale" or "seeking helper for yard work," but it was the entertainment-related inquiries that I found most fascinating. "Can someone tell me what happened on the 5/17 episode of Highlander?" and "did anyone tape last week's Cosby Show and want to share?" were the type of blurbs that I remember to this day. I've said before that I became obsessed with chronologically watching television as soon as I realized that episode order can make a difference, and posting public requests for assistance in keeping up with the latest was great. People helping people, what could be better? Of course, I knew how to program our household VCR to record shows when I was ten or so, and I actually used a VCR in college to keep up with ER and 7th Heaven, even though they were quickly fading out.
Nowadays, there's a large internet piracy circle that helps people keep up with latest television episodes, plus wikipedia and dozens of other television-recapping websites (including this one). And, between Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes, you can pay to catch-up on old episodes as well. Some networks even make them available for free on their websites. Not to mention the constant option of utilizing social media to ask anyone in the world about events that transpired or predict whether lovers will part ways! Yahoo Answers might be the closest thing to the entertainment requests posted in the paper 20+ years ago, actually...
Does anyone miss the old-school method of crowd-sourcing strangers via a newspaper, hoping someone would respond and fill you in? Probably not, but they're worth remembering. Do you recall these ads in the freebie paper?
Here we go, the sequel to our Top 10 Television Democrats! No pairs today, so it's truly ten characters listed below, including one who is very new this season but she's so staunch that we couldn't make the list without her!
all images pulled from wikisand IMDB
10. Lucille Bluth, Arrested Development. Out of touch with the
economic problems surrounding her, Lucille doesn't believe that it's
her responsibility to take care of anyone she doesn't have to. She also
has no concept of economics or poverty, believing that the poor must
certainly be able to afford food, bananas are only like ten dollars.
Humorously, she won't respond to to questions she doesn't understand,
has a Bush/Cheney 2000 sweater, and the internet has created a Mitt Romney/Lucille Bluth tumblr, (and a Lucille Bluth/Mitt Romney one) if you need some laughs about her conservatism.
9. Ned Flanders, The Simpsons. It's not difficult to see that Homer's neighbor is a pretty conservative guy... in fact, he might top the list for Springfield. He has said that he wished they "lived in a place more like the America of yesteryear that only exists in the brains of us Republicans," solidifying his stance against change and the desire to turn back the clock, as many see Republicans to believe. When his son, Todd, asks him what taxes pay for, Ned explains that the go toward "policemen, trees, sunshine. And let's not forget the folks who just don't feel like working," another quote showing his anti-handout grounding. It's difficult to get beyond that because his Christian outlook begins to mingle with his political affiliation.
8. Cindy Sanders, Freaks and Geeks. Cindy is the head of the
Young Republicans club at McKinley High, and receives the honor of
introducing Vice President George H. W. Bush when he comes for an
assembly. Cindy stops dating Todd partly because he is a Democrat, and
she annoys Sam with her political rants to the point where he becomes
disinterested in her. One of her key conservative lines may be, "poor people shouldn't get handouts; they should get jobs."
7. Jane Forrest, The New Normal. A new character this year,
Jane is very proud of her Republican upbringing and beliefs. She forced
her daughter to keep her baby at age 18, because she needed to face the
responsibility of her actions. She also stole Goldie's ballot in 2008
and is shocked when Goldie might not vote Republican in 2012. She's very against the "definition of marriage" changing, so when Shania has a pretend wedding to classmate Wilbur, Jane organizes a protest with some of the girls at the school whose parents have Romney stickers on their cars. Not bad for a character who has only been in six episodes so far!
6. Howard Cunningham, Happy Days. Late in the second
season, "The Not Making of the President" (which can be seen on Bing)
has Howard as an Eisenhower
supporter. That's not much, but when Richie decides to campaign for
Adlai Stevenson because a girl he likes is the President of the Junior
Democrats, Howard is upset that Richie isn't respecting his opinion.
He's also upset that other people are putting Stevenson bumper stickers
on his car, but he flips his lid when Richie makes a speech for a
Democrat when the Cunningham family is a long line of Republicans. When
Fonzie is also shown to support Ike in the 1956 election, Howard is
intrigued, though he later admits that he respects Richie for thinking
for himself. When Marion admits to voting for Stevenson, however, Howard
again erupts!
5. Carlton Banks, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He doesn't miss an opportunity to remind people that he's a Republican. He thinks that wealthy people should be left alone and not have to pay higher taxes, that everyone should look out for their own interests, and that laws should have strict interpretations. He's not big on environmental protection like his sister, Hilary, and thinks that environment in which you're raised shouldn't affect your outcome too much - everyone knows right from wrong and has the ability to work hard. He follows that party line pretty hard...
4. Stan Smith, American Dad. Stan is a very impulsive guy,
latching onto and then abandoning beliefs as they fit his situation,
though he doesn't sway from being a card-carrying member of the NRA.
He's pro-surveillance (of course, he works for the CIA), patriotic to
the bitter end, and opposed homosexuality and gay marriage for the first
season of the show. He's offended when he's not chosen to give a speech
at the Republican National Convention, and is an authoritarian to the
point where he'll brainwash his family into obeying him. He quotes
Reagan, considers George Bush to be a hero, and opposes abortion. Am I
missing any glaring Republican traits?
3. Charles Winchester from M*A*S*H. He's an
uber-conservative. What's interesting, though, is that rather than
adoring Republicans, he just really hates Democrats, like Franklin
Delano Roosevelt and Harry S Truman. Charles is so conservative that he
says things like "a lot of people dribble soup on their chins and vote
for Democrats," that he'd rather "share his toothbrush with a Democrat"
than ask to borrow Margaret's record player, and "he's so conservative
that he'd make McCarthy look like a New Dealer.
2. Alex P. Keaton, Family Ties. In contrast to his "hippie"
parents, Alex is a staunch Republican, idolizing Nixon (both framed on
his wall and appearing on his lunchbox!) and voting for
Reagan and George H. W. Bush during the run of the show. Alex has a keen
interest in economics, belongs to the Young Republicans, and dreams
about the Declaration of Independence being written. A good chunk of the
entire series features Alex being conservative in one way or another,
actually. 1. Archie Bunker, All in the Family. As the only Republican in his household (Edith voted for Carter in 1976 and Mike donated to the McGovern campaign, just for the tip of the iceberg), Archie maintains a conservative stance on many things, causing regular tension with his family. Though he is also seen as an extreme bigot, his Republican perspectives led him to support Nixon and Reagan, and oppose peace protestors and civil rights movement organizers. Additionally, when his neighbor, George Jefferson, runs for a local office on the Republican ticket, Archie supports him, regardless of his George's African-American heritage.
Here, take a look at him rail the Democrats.
Some honorable mentions include Matt Camden on 7th Heaven, Spinner Mason on Degrassi: The Next Generation, Charlotte on Sex and the City, and Leon Carp on Roseanne. Who is missing?
With the 2012 Presidential Election upon us, I
thought that it would be cool to take a look at some openly political
television characters. Today we'll look at Democrats and tomorrow we'll look at Republicans. No special reason that we're doing one
before the other.
all images pulled from wikis, except Family Ties from IMDB
10. Joe Quimby, The Simpsons. Mayor Quimby is largely
portrayed as an animated collage of political Kennedys, with an accent, a
passion for womanizing, and uses money to solve as much as possible.
9. Grace Adler, Will & Grace. She wastes no time in declaring her political affiliation - in the fifth episode, "Boo! Humbug," she says, "I'm a Democrat" when she has to take Harlin's children trick-or-treating and one is dressed as Richard Nixon!
8. Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan, Friends. Though the show never
gets very political, it would be difficult to peg Phoebe as
conservative! She's a vegetarian, respects the environment, loves all
animals (even smelly cats and rat babies!), donates to the homeless, and
is really a free spirit in many ways. She's a lover of peace, not a big
fan of Western medicine, doesn't like mass-manufactured products, and
generally doesn't worry about how others see her. One very liberal thing
she does is after she gets married she legally changes her name to
Princess Consuela Banana-Hammock for an episode!
7. Hawkeye Pierce, M*A*S*H. Hawkeye was drafted and opposes
the war, often disagreeing with everything the army stands for and
disregarding their policies. In "Dr. Pierce and Mr. Hyde," he sends a
telegram to President Truman, asking "Who's Responsible?" for the
insanity taking place. Many seasons later, in "Give 'Em Hell, Hawkeye,"
he writes a letter to Truman, begging for him to stop the Korean war. He
explains how dire the situation is and that the peace talks need to
take place.
6. Christine Campbell, The New Adventures of Old Christine.
For someone who is hardly motivated about anything, Christine founded
her college's Democrats group. She doesn't talk about her political
beliefs specifically all that much, though in the early season 4 episode
"White Like Me," she does point out to Richard that she's a Democrat
(and also says that's why she won't take alimony). She also drives a
Prius, liberally drinks wine, and marries a woman for a short period of
time, if you want to further stereotype a character who thoroughly
stereotypes throughout the series.
5. Winnie Cooper, The Wonder Years. Winnie genuinely cares about stopping the war, as it took away her brother far too early. So, she works for the McGovern campaign in 1972 ("Politics as Usual" in season six), and is genuinely sad that there are folks who won't take a leaflet about a guy who wants to end war, poverty, and pollution. She is swept up in wanting to see change in the world, and even meets the Senator, who loses by a landslide. The local head honcho, Mike, depresses Winnie further when he says that McGovern never stood a chance, and Kevin says their political views were forever changed that night.
4. Dorothy Zbornak, The Golden Girls. Though she never comes
out and says it, Dorothy is implied to be a Democrat - she supported
both Mondale and Dukakis and planned to "tell off" George H. W. Bush
about the educational system's flaws. Dorothy also believes in female
independence and allowing immigrants to stay in the country as long as
they're productive members of society.
3. Rory & Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls. In "Dear
Emily and Richard," Lorelai thinks back to being pregnant with Rory,
when she planned to register as a Democrat because it's so far from her
parents' ideals. Multiple times throughout the series, Rory and Lorelai
talk about their liberal thinking, solidified toward the end of the
series as Rory goes to work as a reporter on Obama's campaign.
2. Brian Griffin, Family Guy. A supporter of Dennis Kucinich,
this dog is anti-religion, hates George W. Bush, served in the Peace
Corps, believes that marijuana should be legalized, and supports gay
marriage. He considers himself an intellectual (attended Brown
University and all) who thinks global warming is man-made, yet he drives
a Prius. Surprisingly, he did vote for John McCain.
1. Steven & Elyse Keaton on Family Ties. This show
depended on the liberalism of the Keaton parents being contrasted with
the conservatism of their children (except maybe Jennifer). They married
young, joined the Peace Corps, had their first child, THEN went to
college at Berkeley, when they had their second child. They often speak
of protesting, Elyse is a hardcore, independent feminist, and Steven
works in public television. Imagine his cries as Mitt Romney tries to
assassinate Big Bird!
Honorable Mentions include Brian and Joe Hackett from Wings, Mary Richards from Mary Tyler Moore, Lindsey Weir from Freaks and Geeks, Eric Camden from 7th Heaven, and Shirley Feeney from Laverne & Shirley. Am I missing anyone?
This episode took half a page from The Simpsons and half a page from 7th Heaven. Much like Homer, Marge, and the kids, the Hecks see an opportunity to do something "fun" and different, thinking it'll be better than what they normally do. So, they take part and have "life-changing moments." But, before the end of the 22 minutes, they've resolved to go back to their typical routine, so things will be pretty much status-quo when the next episode rolls around. Plus, Mike, like Homer, had one thoughtful but short-lived contribution. Like 7th Heaven, however, the family members who decide to enact a different perspective do so whole-hog. Sue's adventure into babysitting reminded me of Lucy trying to find her own niche and doing whatever she needed to in order for it to work. Brick wanting a new bed but settling for a table game at Axl's suggestion was reminiscent of Ruthie and Simon setting out to make something better but getting distracted when something more appealing comes along. Frankie's incessant jumping from idea to idea paralleled Annie's handiness during her pregnancies - from learning plumbing to doing the church's accounting to remodeling the attic, the woman could not stick with a single idea. I doubt that The Middle was trying to model the episode after either show, but on the off-chance that they were, I thought it worked.
The Middle "Get Your Business Done" (S03E20): The family comes home from church fairly dissatisfied - no complaints for Sue or Axl, but Mike thought it was a long service, Brick doesn't like the Sunday School answers, and Frankie felt alone in the pews. So, when one of Mike's friends invites them to his church, they give it a try. It's a high-spirited sing-and-clap
facebook.com/TheMiddle
church and the Hecks sit at the front of the room. [Pause to laugh - Axl: "sweet. we can talk at this church." Mike: "not you." haha!] The message is to get your business done before you die. [not the most uplifting, but not bad.] The family enjoyed the service, and everyone takes on the task, albeit some more than others. Mike has a short and simple task in mind: calling his father to thank him for what he did after Mike's mom died. [awww.] Axl just thinks that he should help the underprivileged - like Brick. [interesting enough!] For Brick, Sue, and Frankie, however, the "business" they set for themselves is more complicated.
Brick wants a new bed, so he enlists Axl to help him get one. Only... the boys come back with a 10-in-1 style gametop table instead. Axl beats Brick at all of the games except hockey, where Brick excels by understanding angles. This works out well for him, as Axl is determined to win once and keeps betting Brick until he has nothing left to wager - including his own bed. So, while Brick is bored of winning in one game, Axl is stuck sleeping in a box. [what, exactly, did they DO with Brick's bed?? and, Brick
licks guitar picks? that's a tongue twister!]
Sue starts a babysitting service and her first job is to watch an OCD 14-year-old boy, who thinks that he's watching Sue. [hahaha!] She tries to appeal to the kid by acting like she needs to watch positive television and that she wears diapers Pull-Ups to bed. Sue is glad that it's over, but when she's asked to come again, she does. This time, however, the kid puts the moves on her, so she calls Mike. [yay! Daddy saves the day!] Mike comes over, sends Sue home, and doesn't abide by the kid's eccentricities so he freaks out and messes with Mike. [so, now that wrestlerettes are over, will babysitting be Sue's big time-sucker now?]
Frankie isn't sure what to do, honestly. She tries beading, hoping to get on Oprah. But, she realizes that "the whole world" needs her help - so why not build a combination orphanage, pet shelter, and retirement home? Old people love kids and kids love pets and pets love attention! [hahaha! funny idea.] She winds up keeping herself up at night, trying to come up with ideas to save the world. In a trip to buy first aid supplies for soldiers' kids, she gets her arm stuck in a blood pressure machine. [why was she lying down anyway? Everyone else is awake, and Sue is still out babysitting.] The regular reverend runs into Frankie and talks to her about a time where he was stuck... which makes her realize how relaxing his voice is, so they head back to their regular church.
by Amy K. Bredemeyer
Quite some time ago I was flipping through the channels late at night and caught the episode of The Flintstones where Fred and Wilma have Pebbles. It really is hilarious if you haven't seen it. I saved it to my DVR and later showed a friend. He asked if the same thing happens when Bamm-Bamm is born, and I pointed out that Bamm-Bamm was adopted. He didn't know that, and I think that many people probably don't. So, I wanted to take some time to draw attention to some of the great adopted characters on television. I'm specifically looking at adopted characters whose stories are told or addressed in the show.
10. George Camden from 7th Heaven. Although not a major character, George is adopted by Eric's parents, the Colonel and Ruth. In the same episode, Eric and Annie also consider adopting the child, which would have been interesting since the Camden kids did not particularly take to him. His real father shows up later in the series, and after some strife, gets along with everyone.
9. Arnold Jackson (and Willis) from Diff'rent Strokes. Mr. Drummond's housekeeper was the boys' mother, and after she died, he took them in. It's a real rags-to-riches story, and while the fact that the boys weren't Drummond's biological children popped up from time to time, it wasn't a big issue for arcs at a time.
8. Rose Nylund from The Golden Girls. I didn't know that Rose was adopted until I had seen thirty or forty episodes of the show. Turns out, her mother died in childbirth and her father was a monk who chose to return to the monastery (weird, huh?). She lived in an orphanage until she was 8, then was adopted by St. Olaf's favorite dairy-farming couple, the Lindstroms. There's an amusing storyline about Rose thinking that Bob Hope was her biological father, too.
7. Natalie Green, from The Facts of Life. She grew up knowing that she was adopted, and while she was at the boarding school she decided that she wanted to meet her birthmother. Blair (who had the money and the connections) tracked down the woman, but Natalie ended up not showing to meet her, deciding that she was grateful for the parents who raised her. Later in the series she does meet her birthmom, but ultimately decides that she's very thankful for her adoptive parents.
6. Skippy Handleman from Family Ties. Skippy accidentally found out he was adopted when he saw the papers in his mother's drawer. Skippy is determined to meet his birthmother, and brings Alex to see her. Skippy and his mother have a lot in common, and Skippy is excited to being a long-lasting relationship... only to have his mother tell him that she doesn't think that they should see one another again, and that he reminds her of a painful past. Skippy returns home to his loving parents, who have been heartbroken about the whole matter at the Keatons' home.
5. Alvin, Simon, and Theodore Seville; Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor Miller from Alvin & the Chipmunks. Going off of the cartoon stories of the chipmunks' & chipettes' origin, the guys were placed in a basket and their mother left them on Dave's doorstop. Dave struggled with them at first, but as soon as they got him a job with their recording of "Witch Doctor," all was well. The Chipettes, on the other hand, came from an orphanage in Australia, where they were a pet of a girl named Olivia. When Olivia was adopted, the chipettes were about to be exploited by the woman running the orphanage, but they ran away in a kangaroo's pouch, then stowed away on a ship to America. They lived in the park and worked in a restaurant, then rode a bus to California and got a singing job. They moved into a treehouse, but when they went to school, the school was upset that they had no guardian... so Dave's neighbor, Mrs. Miller, adopts the girls.
4. Steve Sanders from Beverly Hills, 90210. So this is a tricky one. He doesn't know he's adopted until the end of the first season. He went crazy trying to find his "real" parents, only to find just his mother's father, as his birthmother had died. Later we find out that his adoptive dad is his real dad as well, and only his mother, actress Samantha Sanders, was not actually a blood relative.
3. Punky Brewster from Punky Brewster. Her father abandons the family, then her mom leaves Punky and her dog (Brandon) at a shopping mall, never to return. Punky takes shelter in an empty apartment, but is found by the building's manager, who ends up jumping through a lot of hoops to adopt her. He fosters her for a while, she gets sent to an orphanage, but eventually the two live happily, and his curmudgeon ways disappear.
2. Bamm Bamm Rubble, from The Flintstones was the very first adopted child on television. He was left in a basket (as an orphan) at the Rubble's house, with a note revealing his unique name. Betty and Barney Rubble want to adopt him,and head to the Child Welfare office to make it official... only to discover they have to wait a week while their application is processed. They end up being denied, since someone was ahead of them on the waiting list. Betty and Barney take the other couple (rich folks) to court. Turns out, the woman from the other couple is pregnant, so they let the Rubbles have Bamm-Bamm. In case you've never seen this one, I've added a couple clips:
1. Albert Ingalls, from Little House on the Prairie. Charles wanted a son so badly, but a biological one just wasn't in the works (the only son Caroline birthed, died). They find Albert living on the streets when they live in Dakota Territory, and he comes back to Walnut Grove in the end. His biological father does come back into the picture for a short time, but it is ultimately the Ingalls who love the boy despite his faults... like burning down the school for the blind with his niece inside, getting addicted to morphine, having the town believe that he was an illegitimate father, and ultimately dying of cancer before he could achieve his dream of becoming a doctor.
I know I'm missing another dozen or so adopted characters, but I really enjoy these stories (I mean, wasn't Webster just a copy of Diff'rent Strokes, LoL?). What adoption stories come to your mind?
by Amy K. Bredemeyer
7th Heaven ran for a long time before I even knew it existed. I started catching reruns during the summer of 2003 or so, after it had already been on the air for a good seven years. I instantly fell in love with the characters, and the show skyrocketed to the top of my book for its remaining three (which became four) seasons. While it is marketed as a family drama, the show focused on outside characters more often than not. Yes, there were plenty of storylines dealing with the kids, but there was almost always an ancillary character who needed the help of the family, or who was causing the mischief that the others were getting into. Although I was overjoyed when it got surprise-renewed for the eleventh season, the craziness of the plots at that point made me kinda wish that we ended it at the end of the tenth. Of all the characters that came and went on the show, I think Peter was my very favorite, even if I didn't care for either of his parents, haha. Anyway, let's get going on favorite episodes... sorry there aren't more video clips!!
Season 1: "With a Little Help from my Friends" (S01E12). Mrs. Bink keeps calling Matt and asking for help with household tasks. He agrees to keep it a secret from his parents, but once she calls the school with a family emergency, things get out of control. Meanwhile, Eric is trying to help a family that lives in their van, but they insist they are okay. In the end, the family moves in with Mrs. Bink, who watches the daughter while the father helps around the house, etc. Lucy thinks that nobody cares about her thirteenth birthday, but she ends up with an awesome surprise party, despite hurting feelings in the process. Clip from TV.com.
Season 2: "See You in September" (S02E01). It's the first day of school, and each of the Camden kids manages to get into trouble right off the bat. Matt borrowed Eric's jacket, but when the pager goes off, he's in trouble. Mary gives Lucy an aspirin, but of course the passage of drugs from one student to another sets off a red flag. Simon gets in trouble when Annie puts a knife in his lunchbox. Ruthie, in a strange moment, is getting the naughty finger when part of her outfit could be deemed to be a gang tag. Meanwhile, Eric is unavailable because he's busy trying to talk down a kid from jumping off a building, all because his mom bought him the wrong jeans to wear to school. No video available.
Season 3: "And a Nice Chianti" (S03E05). Mary finally has her learner's permit, but nobody in the family really wants to drive with her. Lucy and Simon would rather ride the school bus (which they dread anyway), and Ruthie takes to wearing a helmet and pads when she's in the car with Mary behind the wheel. Matt pulls over to help a pregnant girl with car trouble, but she steals his car, and when the police arrive, they suspect he stole the car at the site. Eric works on trying to help a woman from the church find the people who received the organs that her dead son donated three years ago, and that has a really cute ending. No video available.
Season 4: "Come Drive with Me" (S04E04). Annie and Lucy are putting in a bathroom in the attic, while Eric and Ruthie shop for a new car. Mary is upset that she isn't good at helping with the remodel, and the deacons at the church don't want to give Eric a raise after they see Eric and Ruthie test-driving a convertible. They end up with an electric van, but Ruthie breaks the rules when she heads into the deacons meeting to give them the rundown on what's going on at home. Lastly, Matt meets a special needs child at the hospital and realizes that he wants to go into medicine as a career. No video available.
Season 5: "Losers" (S05E03). Mary, on her umpteenth job, meets some new friends, who are teenage parents. However, they also smoke pot and drink underage, and encourage her to drink with them. Lucy has to watch the twins at home on the weekend while also taking care of an "egg" with her partner from home ec. Matt is supposed to give Simon a ride for his date with an older girl, but he gets distracted following a girl of his own. Ruthie waits for Mary to come home so they can have a private pizza party, but Mary's out partying with Frankie and Johnny instead. No video available.
Season 6: "Drunk" (S06E13). Simon goes to a party with some older kids, and winds up drunk. Matt, Mary, Lucy, and Ruthie argue over whether to cover for him or tell on him, and end up scheming to keep Simon out of their parents' sight while sobering him up. Their plan goes awry when one of Simon's friends comes to the house to tell Eric and Annie the truth. Meanwhile, Matt receives letters from two medical school and is terrified to open them. Plus, Mary and Lucy are taking some of the same classes at the local college, and Mary tags along with Lucy and her friends at a bar. Someone has put together just the parts with Simon in them, so here's a couple of links to those. Clip 1 | Clip 2 | Clip 3
Season 7: "Stand Up" (S07E16). Lucy confesses that she's always wanted her father to officiate at her wedding. This leads Eric to have to seriously consider coming back to the church. Simon finds out that Cecilia's father's business manager is stealing money, and the guy tries to pay off Simon. When he tries to tell on the guy, the guy turns on him, and it becomes a big problem that Cecilia's father won't believe Simon. Since Chandler is serious about Roxanne, Roxanne's father (also a police officer) starts making his life miserable. Annie starts planning Lucy's wedding without her, and Lucy starts getting really upset. Lastly, Ruthie and Peter try to help Ben get a girlfriend, but end up losing his police dog. No video available.
Season 8: "Simon's Home Video (Simon Camden)" (S08E05). This is my very favorite episode in the whole series. It's my sister's favorite, too. Simon makes a video detailing his life and why he should be granted early admittance into college. It's a great reflective on many of the past storylines, and really shows each of the characters' true personalities. It's really cute. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
Season 9: "Paper or Plastic?" (S09E12). Lucy's been on bedrest and is upset that she hasn't done all of the shopping for her baby. Matt agrees to take her shopping in secret (although it's not really a secret to the rest of the family), and Annie throws her a baby shower. But, Lucy goes into labor in the store's elevator, while Robbie and Mac are shopping for gifts for Lucy. Meanwhile, Kevin buys a house without Lucy's approval, and Ruthie gives him the lowdown on how that's not gonna fly. All I could find was a short clip (less than 5 min) of when she has the baby.
Season 10: "And Thank You" (S10E22). It's Simon and Rose's wedding, but Rose's ex-boyfriend shows up unexpectedly and both the bride and groom are having second thoughts. Matt and Sarah (and Carlos for that matter) arrive from New York for the wedding, and both Sarah and Mary are expecting twins. Lucy is also expecting twins, but that's about it for the happiness. Simon and Rose decide not to go through with the wedding, and Ruthie, with the help of Lucy and Kevin, decides to spend a semester in Scotland. No video available, aside from the opening and closing credits, LoL.
Season 11: "Tit for Tat" (S11E15). Sandy starts falling for a handsome doctor, and it's throwing Martin in loops. It's also Valentine's Day, and Ruthie and T-Bone decide to get tattoos to symbolize their love for one another. Kevin & Lucy skip town when they get wind that the Colonel and Ruth are coming, and they come back just in time to see them before they head out again. Eric is freaking out that his parents know about his health/heart problems. No video available.
Last week I posted about my thoughts on Little Family, Big Values, but the week before that I did my 10 favorite television weddings that DIDN'T happen... now it's time to look at those who took the plunge and went through with it. My main rule here was that I would only pick one wedding per show (because otherwise FOUR slots would have gone to Friends, LoL).
10. Luka & Abby on ER. I was one of the seemingly few who didn't really care if these two ever got together in the end. But, they did. Abby seemed so afraid of commitment for so long, and Luka arranged the wedding as a surprise, with the help of Hope (who disappeared not too long after the wedding). I think that, besides the surprise, the most memorable things about their wedding are Archie and Hope using the suite at the hotel, and Ray ending up a paraplegic after he leaves the reception.
9. Robert & Amy on Everybody Loves Raymond.Of course there's family drama... it would be a completely different show if there wasn't. It's really a bad day, starting when Ray can't get himself dressed, but finally turns around with Raymond's Best Man speech, and, of course, Amy and Robert doing a choreographed dance to "A Little Less Conversation."
8. Darlene & David on Roseanne. I always liked David, and Darlene was a lot more fun that Becky (to me), so their union was exciting to me. I still laugh at the comment that Roseanne makes to Dan about how their daughter is marrying someone who they consider to be their son, making them officially white trash. The wedding itself was very "them" being in the woods and all, and when Dan has the heart attack moments before the ceremony begins, it made for an unforgettable wedding episode in television history.
7. Whitley & Dwayne on A Different World. They were engaged by the fourth season, and married at the end of the fifth. HOWEVER, it was at Whitley & Byron's wedding where Dwayne comes down the aisle, begging her to marry him. This is probably the least well-known of my selections here, so if you haven't seen it, check it below. The good stuff happens starting around 4:00, and by 5:10 it's crazy. 6. Matt & Sarah on 7th Heaven. Their first date was amazing... they were enthralled by one another's backgrounds, and ended up getting married that very evening. While each of the Camdens tries to figure out what Matt's up to, it's Ruthie who manages to not only uncover where he is, but what he's been up to. She is the only one to know this little secret for quite a few years, until she's forced to blurt it out to throw the family off the track on another secret. Matt and Sarah go through a lot of problems as their "wedding day" approaches, and nobody is ever the wiser, probably because of how difficult things keep getting for their respective families.
5. Jesse & Rebecca on Full House. I was young when I watched this show, so I think that the courtship of Becky & Jesse had a big effect on how I looked at courtships and weddings. Buying a ring for Becky was amusing. Jesse trying to make a good impression with Rebecca's father was funny. I particularly love the "cake tasting" by Michelle. The wedding itself is a great two-parter in the series, the highlights include Michelle being friends with Howie, Jesse deciding to go skydiving but ends up in jail, and Becky driving a bus to bring Jesse back to the church while Joey and Danny hold a sing-along with the guests.
4. Niles & Daphne on Frasier. Forget that Niles and Daphne got together by breaking up Daphne's first wedding ceremony. Any marriage that starts off with three ceremonies in order to appease everyone is hilarious in my book! It was particularly hilarious that they just kept hiding the fact that they were already married, time and time again.
3. Steve & Janet on Beverly Hills, 90210. Um, how can a surprise scavenger hunt wedding NOT be awesome?? It gets rid of the hectic preparations, and the teamwork mends the gang to a certain degree. And I can't remember when I've ever seen Steve act so sincere. (S10E08 on youtube if you want to watch the whole thing.)
2. Phoebe & Mike on Friends. The engagement was awesome, with Mike stealing David's spotlight thanks to Monica & Chandler. And then there's the whole "let's donate the money we'd spend on a wedding to charity!" and then change your mind several times. And at the rehearsal dinner, where Monica won't let them speak. The cake, however, is taken when Phoebe fires Monica as her wedding coordinator, and a blizzard pops up. Roles are thrown out the window, all hell breaks loose, but it all manages to come together for a beautiful ceremony.
1. Cory & Topanga on Boy Meets World. I couldn't not put them first. From the shocking moment when she proposed marriage during high school graduation to the frustrations of them dealing with all of the wedding planning, it's great. I love how Eric manages to connive their way into an exclusive reception hall, how Feeny wants to do the music, and best of all, how Cory has to tell Shawn that he's gotta talk to Topanga now.
Who didn't make my list but might have made yours? I'm thinking someone would want Sully & Michaela from Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Or perhaps the famous David & Donna wedding on Beverly Hills, 90210. Oh, and I know somebody wants to argue for Zack & Kelly on Saved by the Bell (I couldn't include them because I don't count the Vegas movie as part of the official show). Who else? :-)
you know. when the characters are set to get married but something doesn't go as planned. [My apologies to those who may have received this before it was finished - I had an internet problem.]
This isn't an original thought of mine... I saw another list done here recently, but I have different ideas of what should be at the top of the list (and my list is a top ten, LoL). Keep in mind, this is based off of shows that I watch, so things like Hayden & Christine on Coach aren't gonna make the cut, regardless of how interesting that may have been.
10. Danny & Vicky on Full House. They show up so low on the list because I never really warmed up to Vicky. Sure, Danny and the kids liked her, but I kinda wished Danny would have made it with Cindy (about two seasons before Vicky showed up, LoL), plus then we'd have Rusty in the picture for the girls to contend with.
9. Sam & Diane on Cheers. I think I would be more intrigued by Frasier & Diane, but I haven't seen any episodes that dealt with that. Anyway, Sam and Diane have a tortured history, and several really bad breakups along the way. It makes the list today because Diane left with the promise to return after she finished her novel... even though Sam knows it'll never happen.
8. Will & Lisa on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I liked Lisa a lot, but didn't think she was right for Will. But I think she does make a good sister to him. That's right. The second time the couple tried to wed (the first was the Shaft wedding in Vegas), they called it off and their respective parents married each other. Strangely, Lisa is never seen again.
7. Ted & Stella on How I Met Your Mother. We all kinda knew that Stella couldn't be the mother of Ted's children (it just didn't seem logical), but it would've been interesting if he had a first wife before the mother, LoL. Stella leaves Ted for her ex-husband and father of her child, and Ted is devastated. I'll never forget how sad he looks on the ferry boat.
6. Luke & Lorelai on Gilmore Girls. They belong together. Truly. From their first interactions, I think many fans wanted them to come together. It took four seasons for them to kiss, another for the engagement, and sadly it comes to a close when Lorelai doesn't want to wait any longer, and Luke does. Then there's an awkward phase (that seemed like forever!) before the two seem to rekindle in the series finale. It could've been a beautiful marriage.
5. George & Susan on Seinfeld. I think this one wins in the comedy department. It all starts when George & Jerry decide to "grow up" and settle down. But, when George decides he doesn't want to get married after all, he tries like HELL to break up with Susan. She turns into the world's most-accepting woman and puts up with everything he does. The only way the wedding gets called off is because she dies, poisoned by the glue on the wedding invitations. Classic.
4. Sabrina & Aaron on Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. Yeah, yeah. You probably stopped watching that show about the time Sabrina went off to college and lived with Soleil Moon Frye, LoL. But, it kept going for several years, and she eventually meets a guy named Aaron in the (middle of the) final season (although I think she would've been better with Josh!). They date for about 5 episodes, are engaged for about 5 episodes, and then she calls it off because she realizes that Harvey is her soul mate. Best part of the wedding? Zelda is a candle so Sabrina's mother can attend her daughter's wedding.
3. Donny & Daphne on Frasier. I never liked Donny (I wanted Niles to have her and be happy, LoL), and was surprised when the pair got engaged. This episode gets ranked so highly purely because of the craziness that takes place in the wedding episodes. Not only are Daphne's brothers so much more than a handful, Niles and Daphne constantly being interrupted by one thing or another. And, let's not forget, the moment on the balcony where we were all pulling for dear, sweet Niles, was one of the most dramatic scenes EVER.
2. Brandon & Kelly on Beverly Hills, 90210. These two went through a million different problems through the years. They first seriously consider marriage at the end of Season 5, miscarry at the end of Season 7, get engaged toward the end of Season 8, and the wedding goes awry in the Season 8 finale. Really, the couple just decides that they have too many doubts. But they were TOO CUTE together! And Jim and Cindy's return to see it happen was great. And as much as I liked her with Dylan, he could have Brenda. I really wanted Brandon and Kelly to work out. In fact, I think I still do (I don't watch the newest spin-off, but I hear Brandon has made an appearance... and Kelly is a regular...).
1. Simon & Rose on 7th Heaven. She was all wrong for him. I don't know that many people were pulling for them at all! But, it was still an amazing set-up. And the fact that they still had the party without the wedding was fun, because we heard about the three oldest children all expecting twins! It made for an interesting (faux) series finale, and for a crazy start to what became the final season (poor Lucy and her miscarriages).
Yeah. I know. With a title like that, you're expecting an awe-inspiring list. notsomuch. Instead, I'm going to talk about seven shows that I have moved my life around for, so I could catch them at their original airing.
I think I should have realized I was destined to be a TV junkie when I was nine years old.
In the 4th grade, on the first day of school, we filled out little surveys about ourselves. Birthday, favorite color, favorite food, if we had siblings, etc. One of the questions on there was "Favorite Day of the Week." I answered Tuesday.
Fast-forward to sometime in the spring (we read our lists to the class on our birthdays, and my birthday is the end of January), when my class was walking to the computer lab. A girl in my class asked me if Tuesdays were my favorite day because it was computer day (and in the 4th grade, that meant Oregon Trail!!). I said no, and told her why: "the new episodes of Full House come on on Tuesdays." She thought that was weird.
So, Full House was the first show that I ever revolved my life around. When I first started watching it, my bedtime was 8pm, so I'd have to connive my dad into making it 8:30 on Tuesdays. My brother and sister weren't big fans. And not only did I watch it, but I recorded all of the episodes. By the time the finale rolled around, I had 8 VHS tapes' worth of Full House. My brother later taped WWF & WCW stuff over them.
Now, on to the list of other shows that I shuffle my life around. We're gonna go chronologically today.
- Full House. See above, LoL.
- Home Improvement. Another Tuesday night staple. I was one of the many teenage girls infatuated with the male stars on this sitcom. I watched every second, just in case they showed Wilson's face, LoL. The only episode I ever missed after I started watching the show was the last two parts of the finale (I was breaking up with a boyfriend that night and he wasn't taking it well... it dragged on and on and I missed the finale live, LoL).
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? This one was especially difficult. When I was into it, it was on four or five nights a week. For two weeks. This happened like three times in a couple years. The biggest problem was that it ended up running against other things I was committed to watching, so I'd have to tape the regular show in the living room and watch this in my mom's room, LoL.
- Boy Meets World. I thought the first two or three seasons were so-so and watched when I was available. But after that, Friday nights were for this show. If I was over at a friend's house, we'd watch it. There was a few months where I skated on Friday nights so I had to tape them. And there were a few special occasions where it was missed (the first weekend of the County Fair every February, for instance), but for the most part, I watched it.
- ER. While many people went out drinking on Thursday nights, I was home at 10pm watching ER. I'd have a friend or two over most of the time in the later seasons. When I lived in California, my husband would watch it with me (this is only notable because he does not care for 95% of the shows I like). I even had to work out a schedule on vacation twice to watch this one.
- 7th Heaven. This was probably the easiest one to plan around. When I had jobs that required evening shifts, nobody ever wanted to meet on Mondays so it was available. Still, I sometimes had to shuffle things around to make it happen. During the final-final season (you may remember that it ended twice), I'd save my most brainless tasks for Sunday night to do while watching (you know, alphabetize 180 papers or grade 5-question quizzes, etc.).
- um, Mondays. I word it that way because if I'm not home on Monday nights, most of the time I'm gonna be missing something. There are times of the year when I watch FOUR programs at 8pm on Mondays. DVR can only handle two. The two my husband also watches get those slots. This leaves me to watch one online (since ABCFamily has that option) and watch one at its second airing (most of the time, TLC has that option). But, since those two options aren't the most reliable, I try to be home.
I know a lot of people who re-arrange things to watch Lost. And I had a very good friend who pretended he played intramurals so an organizational meeting would be scheduled after 24 every week. What shows have changed the way you live your life?
So I took a week off last week, and hope that you guys were able to catch up on all of the clips I've included lately, and maybe caught a couple of the episodes in full as well. What did you like the best?
Today we start in on the Christmas/Hanukkah/etc.-themed episodes. Now, since these are much more popular with mainstream television than the other holidays, this will be a very tough list to narrow down. As with the previous holidays (Halloween and Thanksgiving), I'll be doing five each Monday until Christmas arrives. There is no set order, so I'm not "saving the best for last" or anything like that.
Okay, here we go! Frasier: "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz." It starts out with a kindly gesture by a stranger. That leads to Frasier dating a Jewish woman and getting the whole family to play Jews while the woman's mother visits. It's rather hilarious when Niles is dressed as Jesus and there's a Christmas tree in the bathroom (oh, that's because Daphne is putting on the funniest Christmas musical pageant ever). I chose the middle segment here (all three parts can be found on Youtube), it gets most of the "let's try to be Jewish" quirks.
Boy Meets World: "Santa's Little Helpers." (1998) This is the Christmas where Eric, Jack, and Rachel dress up and work as Santa and his helpers. But Eric (as always) takes it too far, and decides to make sure every needy kid gets a gift. He steals stuff from the house and maxes out his dad's credit card getting stuff for the kids. And then one asks for parents, and Eric doesn't know what to do. Meanwhile, Angela and Shawn are having issues, and end up both invited to the Matthews' for the holiday, but all doesn't go so well there, either. The clip below is the Eric storyline spliced together.
Rugrats: "Chanukah." (1996) Kinda self-explanatory, but Grandpa Boris tells the story of Chanukah and the kids imagine themselves acting it out. Boris is also dealing with an age-old rivalry for the lead in the Chanukah pageant. What makes it special (besides the fact that there are very few Jewish holiday specials for young kids in general) are all of the puns that come out, like Lil calling Phil "Philistine" haha. I could not find a clip (Rugrats gets taken down a lot on Youtube), but here is an image. Full House: "A Very Tanner Christmas." (1992) This is the one where DJ and Steve break up because he's chosen to go to college out-of-state. Stephanie and Michelle are greedy little monsters so Uncle Jesse takes them to a homeless shelter. Becky is homesick for Nebraska's white Christmases, so Jesse makes it snow in the backyard. Here we have the second half (both halves are on Youtube), where the ends are wrapped up and three Santasare surprising.
7th Heaven: "X-Mas." (2005)I love all of the different plots in this one. There's Kevin & Lucy, who have different ideas about a pet for Christmas. There's Rose and Sandy, who know nothing about how Jesus fits in with commercialism and Christmas. There's Annie taking the twins to talk with Sudanese students, Ruthie working at the hospital and reuniting with an old friend, and Eric spending time at the retirement home. I couldn't find a single clip or even part of the script, which is sad. I imagine that is partly because the 10th season has not come to DVD yet, so the only possibilities would be people taping it off ABCFamily or Hallmark or whoever is showing it these days.
There's a bunch of posts going around the internet about the top ten clunkers on television, so since that was taken I figured I'd give a go at the best cars.
10. The General Lee on The Dukes of Hazzard. All kinds of stunts. Lots of speeding. But getting in and out of the car through the windows is a pain, so that's why he's up at 10. 9. The A-Team's GMC van. Famous for busting through to save the day. Bulky, tho. 8. Matt's Camaro on 7th Heaven. The only car on this list I couldn't get a photo of. Annie, Mary, and Lucy fixed it up. Mary and Matt got a flat tire in it. Annie and Matt were held up in it. Theresa stole it. Simon drove it later. That car got a lot of use, and it was a great car to pick up girls in. Somehow, I just can't get a photo of it!
7. Kitt the Trans Am on Knight Rider. Um, it talks. Done deal. 6. Mach 5 on Speed Racer. The first of three animated vehicles to make my list. Definitely a smooth-looking vehicle. Crazy fast. And all the neat tricks it can do are awesome. 5. Mustang on Full House. Danny drove it. Jesse drove it. DJ learned to drive in it. Joey drove it. It's in the opener for years. Stephanie drives it through the kitchen. Danny stands in front of it in some openers. Jesse's all over it in another. 4. Joey's convertible on Joey. Baby blue, top always down. Joey sped through the streets of LA up until he got his cool yellow semi (no photo available). Actually, the episode where he has to deal with the rental car he never returned was also a classic... 4. George Jetson's space car. Um, duh this made the list. How cool must it be to just zip around? Or to have a clear glass bubble for a roof? 2. Homer Simpson's designer car. This was supersweet in the Simpson's Road Rage game, and thus totally deserves a prominent placement here. 1. Steve's Corvette on Beverly Hills, 90210. Famous for the license plate "I8A4RE" among other things, Steve drove this bad boy up and down LA and the surrounding areas for most of the series (until he and Janet needed something more practical for the baby). Actor Ian Ziering loved the car, although he wasn't allowed to drive it long distances after the first three or four seasons (he let the others drive it off-set or something). I'm only sorry I couldn't get a better shot of that forever-present car!
Here we go, the top ten I chose for biggest sibling rivalries!
10. Doug & Judy Funnie. They're a pain in eachother's butts. They pick on one another, scheme to get the other's goat, and generally argue to no end. Doug tells a white lie to Judy about his Christmas List, and the next thing you know, Judy gets to name their baby sister Cleopatra, and Doug's joke of "Dirt Bike" becomes her middle name. Mom is too meek to really care about their arguments, and many times Doug and Judy just battle it out until the bitter end.
9. Marcia & Jan Brady. You should've seen this one coming. It's definitely one of the classic rivalries. We all know that Marcia is the pretty one and that Jan just gets ignored. Hating your glasses and wanting to wear a wig to get a different perspective is one thing, but inventing a fake boyfriend and having the operator call your house so you can pretend it's George Glass is another. Still, Marcia did a lot of showing off, whining, and proactivity to get her way in the family, so she deserved to be hated.
8. Raymond & Robert Barone.omg, who does Mom love more?!? such a big deal, for no reason at all! But, even when Robert manages to do something stellar enough for recognition, Raymond pretty much always manages to steal the spotlight in one way or another. There's not really a lot of different things that they fight eachother for, it's really a main focus on their "dear" mother.
7. Ren & Louis Stevens. I see this one as a real classic sibling rivalry. Ren was the smart one, Louis was the mischievous one. They often had to bribe eachother to get what they wanted, and the other would go along with it... sometimes. Rarely, they would actually go far to cover for one another, but generally speaking, they were cutthroat enemies. And they were CRAZY CREATIVE with how they got back at one another, which is something you see pretty rarely these days.
6. DJ & Stephanie Tanner. All Stephanie ever wanted to do was be just like DJ (except have a BFF smarter than Kimmy Gibbler. not that Gia was that great, but anyway...). Stephanie would con DJ into doing what she wanted (often because DJ would sneak out or make out or stop eating or get a bad grade or scratch the car or....). On MANY an occasion, Stephanie stole an article of clothing from DJ, only to have something go wrong (the mustard from the Funky Franks, for instance). Plus, how many times did Mr. Bear have to get thrown around to make a point?
5. Cory & Eric Matthews. They often fought over the use of their bedroom (and mysteriously switched sides of the room several times, so I guess their space issues carried on off-screen, LoL). They fought over belongings. They fought over girls. They each had their go-to parent, but sometimes wanted the attention of the other instead. Eric was the more athletic one, but Cory gave sports a try with wrestling at one point (although there was the baseball obsession, the failure at basketball, and the attempt of scuba diving in the first season... none of which really ever surfaced again). Lastly, I think part of the fact that Eric was so girl-crazy was that Cory always had the steady Topanga by his side.
4. Monica & Ross Gellar. Um, so the main reason they're so high up on the list is that they remind me of my relationship with my younger brother. As the eldest, I pretty much always got him to do what I wanted. We tricked eachother with trivia and played board games hardcore (even now, we rarely get together without playing a game of some sort). You might go as far to say that I'm the obvious favorite, and if my mom wanted to create an exercise room, there's a good chance she'd do it in my brother's room (since I have trophies and plaques and all that jazz). And if you didn't see the parallels and thought I was just talking about myself, you need to watch more Friends.
3. Becky & Darlene Connor. This one is a true favorite. Mostly because of the early years, when Becky was the smart perfectionist and Darlene was the tomboy who didn't give a damn. Becky's obsession with hair, clothes, and boys was often a subject of ridicule by Darlene. Likewise, Becky would tease Darlene for her drab clothes and pessimistic demeanor. Darlene would also make fun of Becky's "bubble butt," right up until "original Becky" left with eloped-husband Mark. Oh, and this is all before we consider their arguments over stuff like chores, the phone, and their generic, blue-collar, crappy life.
2. Mary & Lucy Camden. Yep, I'm totally defending how high I put them on the list. I don't even know that I can remember how many different boys they fought over. The same goes with outfits. And with the family's attention. And popularity. Plus, they have a full-out brawl at least twice. Even when they date separate boys, they still act in complete competition (think Ben and Kevin!).
1. Dana Foster & JT Lambert. They were enemies even before they were step-siblings! In the pilot episode we learn that JT put a (dead) rat in Dana's locker. Dana was definitely the smartass in the family, and would often come back at JT (and Frank and Cody) with witty insults. JT referred to Dana as "Barky," and she had an endless supply of nicknames for him, too. I don't know that I have a favorite interchange between the two, but this is from a very early episode, and it showcases the Lambert's famed way of consuming chocolate milk.
who didn't make the list? Tia and Tamara; Kim and Christine; Wally and the Beav; Mary & Laura. And many others, obviously. But these pairs were considered.
So what does this mean? There were no correct guesses. But never fear, a more exciting contest is in the making, to be brought to light as soon as I can secure a good number of players, so interested lurkers might want to consider sending me a message or making a comment! :)
