Who seriously leaves a handwritten note in this day and age? That would have been unbelievable to the point that I would have known something was up. Having a security camera in the house being the tip-off, however, was a perfect fit for this series and its ideal that you just get so spoiled you don't appreciate what it took to get where you are. I've never really thought of Halloween as a particularly big prank holiday, but I remember Roseanne having related pranks, so I guess it might be a regional or generational trend. I am happy, however, that they had a family-themed costume, as I feel like that's something we never see on television anymore.
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Black-ish "The Prank King" (S01E06): Andre decorates the house for Halloween, but the bigger deal is the family pranking one another. These jokes include fake spiders, super gluing items, and wetting someone else's beds... [that last one is gross but was actually pretty funny - a classic example of how younger family members don't totally understand how to participate in a tradition.]
Andre is proud of Zoe's past feats and looks forward to her stuff this year, but she thinks she's outgrown pranking. Andre tries to inspire her by pranking Junior in front of her, but it fails. [I loved the chair gag!] But, little does Dre know, the family works together to prank him into thinking
someone is breaking in. But, Dre was wise to it all and played along,
and had Josh come scare the family. [Bo punches him in his broken nose - ouch! I was also sad that Josh was punched on purpose at work, too.] And, despite that some of the family doesn't seem to be in the Halloween spirit, they do all dress as the Jackson 5 + Janet. [which is much better than The Beatles!]
The end of the episode played on the old joke that all black people know one another.
Sometimes I wonder who has time on their hands to find clips and edit them into such things, but then I remember the kinds of things I did when I was 14-15. Granted, the internet was much younger then, but I spent hours upon hours building fan pages for Gummi Bears, Labyrinth, and other popular culture topics I can't even remember anymore. Of course, this was all on one of those AOL Hometown pages that bit the dust back in 2008, but, alongside SimTower, it was what I did for fun, backed up on 3.5" disks.
Digression aside, Jim Cliff has posted a video on YouTube with 60+ clips of 80s television shows spliced together to make out the lyrics to Frozen's "Let it Go." (a song which will, apparently, never actually go away.) It's done pretty well, and I laughed at multiple points, so thought you might get a kick out of it, too.
I'm not going to list all of the series I noticed, but keep an eye out for some greatness like Three's Company, Saved by the Bell, Cheers, ALF, Perfect Strangers, the original Beauty and the Beast, Knight Rider, Who's the Boss, The Cosby Show, The Wonder Years, DuckTales, M*A*S*H, Roseanne, and Dallas. Do you have favorite parts in this mash-up?
Some years, we've given tons and tons of holiday specials.
Some years, we just do a few recommendations. But, we're so close to Halloween
already, this time around we're just doing three days and listing only television specials, not movies. And, yes, we agree that Wednesday looks very sparse... not sure why! If you know of other specials airing, let us know!
And, remember, times given are for the Pacific Time Zone.
Pixar
Tuesday,
October 29th
7am: Henry
Hugglemonster “The Halloween Scramble” (Disney Jr.)
7am: Kickin’ It “Boo Gi Nights”
(Disney XD)
8am: Imagination Movers “A Monster
Problem” (Disney Jr.)
8am: Lab Rats “The Haunting of
Mission Creek High” (Disney XD)
8:30am: Charlie & Lola “Halloween”
(Disney Jr.)
8:30am: Little Bill “The Halloween
Costume” (NICK Jr.)
8:30am: Billy & Mandy “Wrath of
the Spider Queen” “Jacked up Halloween” (Cartoon Network) 8:30am: The Funky Phantom
"Ghost Grabbers" (Boomerang) 9am: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse “Mickey’s
Treat” (Disney)
9am: Team Umizoomi "The Ghost
Family Costume Party" (NICK) 9:30am: Sofia the First “Princess
Butterfly” (Disney)
9:30am: Rolie Polie Olie “Queen of
the Pumpkins” (Disney Jr.)
10:30am: Henry Hugglemonster “The
Halloween Scramble” (Disney)
10:30am: Higglytown Heroes “Higgly
Halloween” (Disney Jr.)
11am: Bubble Guppies “Haunted House
Party” (NICK) Noon: Cheers "House of Horrors
with Formal Dining and Used Brick" (TVGuide)
1pm: Dora the Explorer “Halloween
Parade” (NICK) 12:30pm: Handy Manny “Sounds like
Halloween” (Disney Jr.)
1pm: Fish Hooks “Halloween Haul” (Disney
XD)
2pm: Special Agent Oso “Pumpkin Eyes”
(Disney Jr.) 2pm: Tiny Toon Adventures "Stuff that Goes Bump in the Night" (HUB)
2:30pm: Jungle Junction “Lance and
the Jumpy Pumpkin” (Disney Jr.) 2:30pm: Tiny Toon Adventures "Hare Raising Night" (HUB) 2:30pm: Spookley the Square Pumpkin
(Cartoon Network)
3pm: Michey Mouse Clubhouse Minnie’s
Masquerade” (Disney Jr.) 3pm: Animaniacs "Scare Happy Slappy" "Witch One" "MacBeth" (HUB) 3:30pm: Little Einsteins “Little
Einsteins’ Halloween” (Disney Jr.)
3:30pm: Dear Dracula (Cartoon
Network)
3:30pm: Oddities “Vampires of
Philadelphia” (Science) 3:30pm: R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour "Punpkinhead" (HUB) 4:30pm: Bill & Mandy “Jacked Up
Halloween” (Cartoon Network)
5pm: Ed, Edd ‘n Eddy’s Boo-haw Haw (Cartoon
Network)
5pm: Lab Rats “Night of the Living
Virus” (Disney XD)
5:30pm: Lab Rats “The Haunting of
Mission Creek High” (Disney XD)
5:30pm: Back at the Barnyard “The
Haunting” (NickToons)
5:30pm: Adventure Time “The Creeps” “Bad
to Worse” (Cartoon Network) 5:30pm: Jake and the Never Land Pirates
“Night of the Golden Pirate Pumpkin” (Disney Jr.)
6pm: Scary Godmother: The Revenge of
Jimmy (Cartoon Network) 7pm: Toy Story of TERROR! (Disney XD) 7:30pm: Laverne & Shirley “Haunted
House” (HUB) 8pm: Big Time Rush “Big Time Terror”
(TeenNick) 8pm: Laverne & Shirley "Murder on the Moose Jaw Express - Part 1" (HUB) 8:30pm: Laverne & Shirley "Murder on the Moose Jaw Express - Part 2" (HUB)
8:30pm: Big Time Rush “Big Time
Halloween” (TeenNick)
8:30pm: Henry Hugglemonster “The
Halloween Scramble” (Disney Jr.)
8:30pm: Kickin’ It “Wazombie Warriors”
(Disney XD)
9pm: The Goldbergs “Who Are You Going
to Telephone” (ABC)
9:30pm: Trophy Wife “Halloween” (ABC)
9pm: Wild Grinders “Wild Zombies” (NickToons)
10pm: Special Agent Oso “Pumpkin Eyes”
(Disney Jr.)
10pm: Crash & Bernstein “Health-o-ween”
(Disney XD)
10:30pm: Crash & Bernstein “Scaredy
Crash” (Disney XD)
Wednesday,
October 30th
Midnight: Laverne & Shirley “Haunted
House” (HUB) 12:30am: Laverne & Shirley "Murder on the Moose Jaw Express - Part 1" (HUB) 1am: Laverne & Shirley "Murder on the Moose Jaw Express - Part 2" (HUB) 1:30am: Laverne & Shirley "The Ghost Story" (HUB) 6am: Animaniacs "Scare Happy Slappy" "Witch One" "MacBeth" (HUB) 6:30am: Animaniacs "Hot, Bothered & Bedeviled" "Moon Over Minerva" "Skullhead Boneyhands" (HUB) 7am: Tiny Toon Adventures "The Horror of Slumber Party Mountain" (HUB) 7:30am: Tiny Toon Adventures "Toons from the Crypt" (HUB) 8:30am: Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Adventures "Nothing to Fear but Berries Themselves" (HUB) 9am: Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Adventures "The Berry Scary Fun Adventure" (HUB) Noon: Pound Puppies "Nightmare on Pound Street" (HUB) 2pm: Tiny Toon Adventures "The Horror of Slumber Party Mountain" (HUB) 2:30pm: Tiny Toon Adventures "Toons from the Crypt" (HUB) 3pm: Friends "The One with the Halloween Party" (TBS) 3pm: Animaniacs "Draculee Draculaa" "Phrankenrunt" (HUB) 7pm: Step by Step "Something Wild" (HUB) 7:30pm: Step by Step "Dream Lover" (HUB)
8pm: The Middle “Halloween IV” The
Ghost Story” (ABC) 8pm: Sabrina, the Teenage Witch "A Halloween Story" (HUB) 8:30pm: Sabrina, the Teenage Witch "A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It" (HUB)
8:30pm: Back in the Game “Night Games”
(ABC)
9pm: Modern Family “Open House of
Horrors” (ABC)
Thursday,
October 31st
Midnight: Step by Step "Something Wild" (HUB) 12:30am: Step by Step "Dream Lover" (HUB) 12:45am: King of Queens "Ticker Treat" (TVLand) 1am: Sabrina, the Teenage Witch "A Halloween Story" (HUB) 1:30am: Sabrina, the Teenage Witch "A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It" (HUB) 3am: Roseanne “Skeleton in the Closet” (TVLand)
3:30am: Roseanne “BOO!” (TVLand)
4am: Roseanne “Trick or Treat” (TVLand)
4:30am: Roseanne “Trick Me Up, Trick Me Down” (TVLand) 5am: Roseanne "Halloween IV" (TVLand) 5:30am: Roseanne "Halloween V" (TVLand) 1pm: General Hospital Halloween
Episode (ABC) 6am: Animaniacs "Hot, Bothered & Bedeviled" "Moon Over Minerva" "Skullhead Boneyhands" (HUB) 6:30am: The Haunted Pumpkin of Sleepy Hollow (HUB) 7:30am: Animaniacs "Scare Happy Slappy" "Witch One" "MacBeth" (HUB) 8am: Animaniacs "Draculee Draculaa" (HUB)10am: The Haunted Pumpkin of Sleepy Hollow (HUB) 11am: Tiny Toons' Night Ghoulery (HUB)1pm: Home Improvement "The Haunting
of the Taylor House" (Hallmark) 1:30pm: Home Improvement "Crazy for
You" (Hallmark)
2pm: Home Improvement “Let Them Eat Cake” (Hallmark)
2:30pm: Home Improvement “I Was a Teenage Taylor” (Hallmark) 3pm: Home Improvement “A Night to
Dismember” (Hallmark)
3pm: Goosebumps “The Haunted Mask
(HUB)
3:30pm: Home Improvement “Bewitched” (Hallmark)
4pm: Goosebumps “The Haunted Mask 2”
(HUB)
4pm: Little House on the Prairie “The
Monster of Walnut Grove” (Hallmark)
5pm: Little House on the Prairie “The
Halloween Dream” (Hallmark)
6pm: Little House on the Prairie “The
Ghost Story” (Hallmark)
7pm: Little House on the Prairie “The
Nightwalker” (Hallmark) 7:30pm: ALF "Some Enchanted Evening" (HUB) 8pm: Sabrina, the Teenage Witch "Good Will Haunting" (HUB)
8pm: Parks and Recreation “Recall
Vote” (NBC)
8pm: Deadtime Stories “Little Magic
Shop of Horrors” (NICK)
8pm: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie
Brown (ABC) 8:30pm: Sabrina, the Teenage Witch "Episode LXXXI: The Phantom Menace" (HUB)
9pm: Grey’s Anatomy “Thriller” (ABC) 9pm: Everybody Loves Raymond "Halloween Candy" (TVLand)
10pm: Frasier “Halloween” (Hallmark)
10:30pm: Frasier “Tales from the
Crypt” (Hallmark)
11pm: Frasier “Boo!” (Hallmark)
11:30pm: Frasier “Dark Side of the
Moon” (Hallmark) 11:30pm: Secret Squirrel "Which Witch is Which" "Bold Rush" "Squiddly Double Diddley" (Boomerang)
11:35pm: Jimmy Kimmel Live “Half
& Half Halloween Pageant” (ABC) 11:45pm: King of Queens "Ticker Treat" (TVLand)
In case you were curious, there is another movie with a pottery scene: TITANIC! There's a pottery scene at the very beginning, as OldRose is working the wheel when she hears the news talk about the Titanic exploration. Anyway, pottery is an interesting hobby, but I found it incredibly frustrating when I took it for a semester in college, so I imagine that it would be difficult for a grade schooler to enjoy. Hockey, on the other hand, is interesting for kids, at least on Roseanne and Beverly Hills, 90210. and The Simpsons and South Park, for that matter. And, as the other Henry children don't seem to be sports-oriented, it could be a great way for Mike to bond with his youngest. The fact that he chooses another activity entirely doesn't bother me, but where in Manhattan is there an outdoor go-kart track??
The Michael J. Fox Show "Hobbies" (S01E04): Annie and Mike struggle with the new breakdown of household chores. [the multiple dinners was pretty funny and original.] However, Annie is having a touch time with Graham bothering her all afternoon, so she wants to get him into a new afterschool activity. She thinks pottery would be a good choice, but Mike believes hockey would be a better fit. Both parents sign him up for their preferred activities, and both demonstrate their own strengths as Graham just keeps playing video games. [hahaha!] The Henrys put him in a go-kart activity, as he likes to play driving games.
Photo by: Eric Liebowitz/NBC
Eve gets a bully tweet, and Leigh decides to help fight back. It backfires, and Eve works on trying to figure out a new way of running, as she's getting teased. [Phoebe Buffay from Friends, anyone?] Leigh keeps trying to make a difference, but winds up making things worse and worse, and soon winds up in the principal's office for writing those tweets. On the bright side, she might have finally found a voice that will do better for her Cosmo-like articles. [side-boob as a topic? no comment.]
At work, Mike is reunited with Susie Jones, with whom he worked years ago in Florida. He's not happy about it, but she spins it so that he's the only reason she has a career. [oh I HATE her!] Then, she threatens him in private, and he can't wait to prove her wrong. Harris knows that Mike is right when he witnesses Susie in pain after she claimed that she could no longer feel. [haha - Mike gifts her a broken vase just to cause her pain and annoyance!]
Regular readers know that I'm from Jersey, and friends sometimes poke fun at the way I say certain words. I'm a loud talker, I have a big family, and there is certainly drinking when we get together. I found parts of "What Happens in Jersey" to be hilarious and relatable, but other sections to be confusing and overly stereotypical. Perhaps the fact that I grew up 50 miles west of Secaucus explains it, or that I have no Italian heritage, but I was none too thrilled at yelling meaning being "New Jersey for 'I love you'" or "I ain't goin'!" being standard speak. Those nitpicks aside, it was amusing to see Mel dressed up like Tiffany, and the entire family being in on the secret except Nonna.
facebook.com/MelissaandJoey
Melissa & Joey "What Happens in Jersey... Part 1" (S03E14): Joe's grandmother is turning 99 years old and wants to see Joe and Tiffany for her birthday, unaware that the relationship ended. [I always find it really awkward to keep things like that from family members. I've seen it happen, and those holiday dinners are miserable.] But, Nonna's eyesight has deteriorated quite a bit, so he realizes that he could fake it with Mel. [haha: "this is a conversational tone in New Jersey." also, I had forgotten about the nicknames JoJoBee and TiffyPop.] After fighting it, Mel decides to go to New Jersey with Joe, and they bring along the kids. [haha, the Roseanne blanket!]
The Ohioans have a hotel room booked, but when Nonna asks them to stay at the house, they reluctantly agree. [Joe's teen posters are of Vendela Kirsebom and Ashley Montana??] Mel moves to another room to sleep, but Nonna finds her in the night and suspects unhappiness, so she asks about the intimacy between Mel Tiffany and Joe. [awkward!] The next day, she gives Mel and Joe a "love potion," which worries several family members. [sandwiches! outside Northeast, people just don't get how delicious a good sandwich is!]
Joe's nephew, Marco, hits on Lennox, but she keeps it platonic... right up until he hits some street punk bothering her. [figures.] And Joe's mother asks Ryder to "kill a rat" in the neighborhood, but he suspects she wants him to murder someone.
I rarely ask parents how they choose the names for their babies,
unless it's something really unusual, in which case the response is
almost always "it's a family name." So, I now wonder how many parents
have that "ah ha!" moment like Bryan and David did. I mean, two last
names don't always work out (though Darlene and David's baby played that
game on Roseanne), but "Sawyer Collins" is cute, albeit a little ambiguous in this day and age.
If
this series goes nowhere, I won't be upset. It was a cute little
season, full of funny moments, but I don't think it could ever go for
seven or eight years. The scene where Jane thanks Goldie for changing
her life and then tells her granddaughter to embrace her potential, not
her past, definitely gives the show direction. Any bets on whether this
will get renewed?
The New Normal "Finding Name-O" (S01E21):
David and Bryan have issues making decisions for their wedding plans
and their baby's name. This prompts Shania to ask Goldie about her name,
and it seems that she and Clay chose Shania because Shania Twain was
playing when they conceived. [is this the kind of thing normal people
remember?] Shania then wants to change her name to Sarah, as that "fits
in." [I can relate in a way. Very rarely was there another "Amy" in my
class, and many times I wanted to be just another Amanda or Jessica or
Katie.] Similarly, Goldie wants to drop Clay's last name and return to
her maiden name. [out of nowhere?] Of course, a week later, Shania wants to go back to her given name, knowing that being unique is cool. [I kinda love that she's constantly discovering that!]
David
wants to invite Bryan's mother to the wedding, but it's a struggle for
Bryan, who doesn't always get along with Colleen, especially when she's
siding with David on things. In all of the frustration, the couple
decides to just draw the remaining decisions from a hat. Probability
fails and David wins a lot of his choices, including Hootie and the
Blowfish's "I Only Wanna Be with You" as the first dance song. [valets
dresses as sith lords! segways?? and why was this a public thing?] They
get carried away, and at Colleen's suggestion, they put the baby names
in the hate and draw, and David's "Julius" is drawn over Bryan's
"Thomas." [David over-celebrated!] But, Bryan throws a fit, finding the
nickname "Julie" to be terrible for the son for two gay men. [yeah, I
could see how that could be inviting ridicule.] Bryan admits to his
mother that he wasn't going to invite her, and that he still sees her
the way he did as a child - feeling that she loves her other five
children more. [were none of his siblings invited, either??]
The episode ends with Clay re-proposing to Goldie at a bowling alley. [whoa. saw it coming but geez!]
The New Normal "The Big Day" (S01E22):
"Our home, our day, our way" is the mantra to which Bryan and David
stick for their wedding. Except, Bryan's priest can't perform the
ceremony, David's mother wants him to wear his grandfather's wedding
tux, and Bryan's mother wants to walk him down the aisle. [Shania's tux
was interesting...] David agrees to the tux and Bryan to his mother's
company, but it escalates when David's mother also wants to accompany
her son down the aisle and Bryan gets scared of "winging it" and writes
his own vows. Of course, we don't get that far because Goldie goes into labor. [music instead of dialogue through that entire scene was odd, I thought.]
Two
weeks later, Shania is worried that she and Goldie could lose a lot if
Goldie remarries Clay, so she goes to the beach alone to remind Goldie
that she loves the family the way it is. [I'll never understand kids who
have no fear of punishment for their actions!] The guys
decide to get married right then and there, with just Goldie, Shania, Rocky, Sawyer, and Nikki present. AND, as a bonus, David's priest
officiates without his collar. [awww!]
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?
I actually love that almost every channel has something holiday-ish on for the next few days. I know that it irritates a lot of people, but I'm not one of them! It does, however, make it pretty difficult to narrow it down to just a handful to truly recommend. You can still take a look at our entire holiday schedule, but we've
got a shorter list (with descriptions) below for Friday, December 23rd below. As always, times are
Eastern and Pacific to the best of our knowledge (except when noted
otherwise), but it's always good to double-check with your own provider.
4am (PT): The Christmas Toy (HUB) This is a truly marvelous Christmas special. If you haven't seen it, it's the made-for-TV Jim Henson movie that spurred the series, The Secret Life of Toys. The basic idea behind it is that toys can move, talk, and play as long as nobody witnesses it. It also has a Toy Story element in that there's one toy who is afraid of being overshadowed for new toys.
8am: Fresh Prince of Bel Air "Christmas Show" (TBS) - If you've ever wondered what rich kids would do if they lost everything, here's you chance to find out. The extended family heads up to a ski cabin for Christmas, and Will isn't the happiest because he finds out his mom is seeing a new guy. Trouble doesn't really start, however, until the adults all head to a party and the kids don't exactly find themselves alone. The cabin is burglarized and everyone has to give gifts from the heart.
10am, 8:30pm: Frasier "Frasier Grinch" (WEtv)
- Remeber the mad rushes for Cabbage Patch dolls, Tickle-Me-Elmos, and Furbies? This episode is along that line, as Frasier plans to give Frederick a very popular toy. But, there was a mix-up with his mail-order and he must brave the mall on Christmas Eve. As you might imagine, Frasier is rather ignorant to the fact that the toy will be completely sold out, and black market prices run high. Leave it to Martin to save the day.
11am, 9:30pm: Frasier "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz" (WEtv) - This is my favorite Frasier Christmas episode. It is just so funny that I find myself watching it four or five times a year. Long story short, Frasier, Niles, and Martin must act Jewish to try and help Frasier's latest lady save face in front of her mother. Mess-ups abound, and it isn't long before everyone is trying to cover up the face that Niles is dressed as Jesus... with a Christmas tree.
1pm, 5pm: Roseanne "It's No Place Like Home for the Holidays" (Oxygen) - This is the episode where Roseanne truly learns how bad things are for David at his mother's house. A snowstorm traps the Conner family in various locations, and Darlene is with David at his place, where she witnesses the abuse that his drunk mother bestows for no reason. Nancy and Marla are at the Conner house with Dan and DJ, so the four of them have an awkward dinner ahead of them. This leaves Roseanne, Jackie, Bev, and Nana Mary at the lunchbox... and it's not the happiest reunion.
11:30pm: Frasier "High Holidays" (WEtv) - The family talks about teenage transitions when Frederick comes home for the holidays in a "goth" phase. Martin mentions that Niles was always a "good kid" and he becomes obsessed with breaking that stereotype. So he decides to ask Roz for some marijuana, and she bakes him some brownies. However, Martin eats the brownie, so he's high, but Niles thinks he also consumed them so he acts high. It's not the most family-friendly episode, but it's pretty funny.
In case you missed our apology earlier, please know that the remainder of the "full" holiday schedule will not be as "full" as it was intended to be. There's still some great stuff listed, so keep a look out for some great stuff there! We'll continue to post our recommendations daily, and below you'll find our suggestions for Tuesday, December 20th. As always, times are
Eastern and Pacific to the best of our knowledge (except when noted
otherwise), but it's always good to double-check with your own provider.
12:30pm: Roseanne "Santa Claus" (Oxygen) - Yeah, Roseanne had some strange holiday episodes. The Halloween ones are generally regarded as the best, but there were some memorable scenes from other episodes as well. In this one, Roseanne dresses as a mall Santa and learns about Darlene's friends... or, rather, friend. A middle-aged woman, to be exact. It strikes Roseanne as odd (it did to me, too), but she gets some insight into Darlene.
6:30pm: How I Met Your Mother "How Lily Stole Christmas" (FX) - Not my favorite HIMYM holiday episode, either, but I love certain parts of it. The idea that Lily is able to move to her own crappy apartment, plus Ted convinces her to come back, all while Marshall is working on a paper is beyond me. Marshall riding in a truck to look for a package is funny, but you see his true Minnesotoan personality when he finishes the route with the guy. But, hey, it wouldn't be Christmas if a kid didn't pick up a bad word in the end!
7:30pm: Two and a Half Men "Warning, It's Dirty" (FX) - Ever wanted to watch someone "learn" how to cheat on a significant other? If you're twisted like that, this episode is for you. In fact, it's a pretty cut-and-dried example of a habitual cheater showing a newbie the ropes. Poor Jake didn't see it coming, and his lovely girlfriend (and her mother) gets the short end of the stick when he gets caught. Yes, that's right... learn how to cheat and immediately get caught. hahahaha.
9pm: The Middle "A Christmas Gift" (ABC) - This is this year's episode, so if you missed it the first time around, here's your chance. There's a couple of amusing scenes with Reverend TimTom (one with him skating while playing the guitar), but the focus of the episode is on Frankie and Mike. Frankie has gotten bitter about not having a dishwasher, and Mike wants to surprise her with one for Christmas. But, she throws a party Christmas Eve and complains to the ladies there SO MUCH that Mike yanks it out and reveals it during the party to save a little face. It's funnier than it sounds, though not as good as their Thanksgiving episode this year. Or their Halloween one, for that matter!
Since Mother's Day was this past Sunday, I thought that it would be nice to take a look at some great television moms. And, not just any moms, specifically single moms on TV. There are quite a few out there, and in order to excel, they have to work much harder than mothers with more of a support system. I had a fun time thinking of single mothers, and then choosing which ones to feature today. Since I undoubtedly missed some candidates, feel free to suggest other fabulous single moms!
10. Millicent Torkelson, The Torkelsons / Almost Home. Raising five children (three in the second series) is a great deal of work for any parent. Millicent works hard to give her family what they need, and takes on the odd job here and there to make ends meet. She tries to be creative about their issues (like altering thrift store dresses, using recycled bottles to serve bottled water at a party, etc.), and is rather proud to be able to make it on her own (she was shocked that the community donated a box of canned goods to her family). While they do have a boarder to help with expenses, and they later move across the country (Pyramid Corners, Oklahoma to Seattle, Washington!) and move in with another family to keep things going. While the kids weren't in love with their situation, they appreciated everything that their mother did for them, time and time again.
9. Lisa Cuddy, House. Now a mother to Rachel, Cuddy tried for a while to have her own child through IVF, with donor sperm. Then, she tried to adopt with unsuccessful results for a while. Finally, she got Rachel, and she has been an overly caring mother to her. When Social Services came to inspect, Cuddy was so afraid that she'd lose custody because of an old diaper that hadn't been disposed of. Cuddy genuinely cares about her daughter's health and well-being, and despite having such a high-profile job, still makes a lot of time to spend with Rachel, though she does have a part-time caretaker for the toddler.
8. Christine Campbell, The New Adventures of Old Christine.Though she was technically married to her best friend, Barb, in the fourth season, (to keep her in the country) Christine was a singe parent throughout the show. She tried hard, making sure her child went to a good school, that the school was diverse, and that she wrote down everything that might help her son through life. She even volunteered for multiple programs at the school, though she sometimes had to push her ex-husband or her brother to fulfill those obligations if she got slammed at work.
7. Angela Bower, Who's the Boss? The situation here is a bit different. Though Angela does have her mother living with her, and she hires a live-in male housekeeper, she is still a single mother to Jonathan. Parenting isn't the biggest topic in this series, but Jonathan has his share of issues that Angela must deal with... stolen hubcaps, being bullied, trying to get a girlfriend, etc. Luckily, when Angela knows that she isn't the best person to deal with her son's troubles, she has Tony there to help her out and lend a manly ear to whatever is going on.
6. Jackie Harris, Roseanne. Jackie was a doting mother to little Andy. She was paranoid about what he'd eat and how he'd play, which was a big change from the way her sister raised her own kids. Jackie wanted Andy to have a good life, and that even meant breastfeeding at the altar. But, the marriage (to Andy's father) didn't last long, and Jackie went back to being a single mother, who continued to pay much closer attention to her child than anyone else paid to theirs on that show (with perhaps the exception of David & Darlene's little Harris, since she was so premature).
5. Amy Juergens, The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Of all the women on my list, this one is the hardest to argue for, since she has a great support system when you look at it. Peers at school found a daycare for her son, a job for Amy, and throw her a shower. Her family provides her with a car, helps her with household chores, and even gives her the opportunity of a lifetime to attend a summer music camp - by watching her son while she's away for several weeks. Nonetheless, Amy started the ninth grade pregnant, and conceived during her very first intercourse, so she definitely faces a difficult life ahead of her, as her child will practically be reading when she starts college!
4. Murphy Brown, Murphy Brown. It would be wrong not to include Murphy Brown, as she made such strides for single mothers both on and off the screen. While it was heavily criticized for a woman to willingly take on becoming a single parent (perhaps you remember Dan Quayle's issues with Murphy Brown?), Murphy did it in stride. She chaperoned field trips, hunted down the hot Christmas toy, stressed over how to talk to her son about death, and even dealt with having cancer while being a single mother.
3. Ms. Tonitini, The Weekenders. Tito's mom doesn't have a first name from what I can remember. Her ex-husband lives on the other side of the country, and only appears once throughout the run of the series. She has some very great characteristics for single motherhood... she's really into cooking healthy meals (tofu and seaweed often appear in their household), she has a very open relationship with Tino (it's clear that she knows a lot about his past problems, as she finishes sentences for him when he tells stories), and she gives very sensible advice without sounding overbearing and matronly. While she's not a major character, she appears frequently, and is always saying or doing something interesting.
2. Reba Hart, Reba. She is perhaps one of the most memorable single moms out there. It's not a bed of roses for her, as she deals with her oldest daughter's teenage pregnancy immediately after getting left by her husband for a younger woman, but she tries. Nobody knows how bad things are (she takes out a second mortgage on the house that nobody knows about for a while), and she eventually takes a job working for her ex-husband before starting a business with her son-in-law. While parenting Jake isn't a problem often, Reba often has to deal with helping Cheyenne to make good decisions and steering Kyra in the right direction. And, she does this all while her ex-husband's new wife continually pops in on her and her family.
1. Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls. Clearly, Lorelai is a wonderful single mother. She left home as a teen mom, and made her entire life out of nothing. Her wealthy parents offered her support, but she chose to ignore them completely for many years. Instead, Lorelai worked as a maid while she a Rory lived in a small guest house. She eventually bought a jeep and a house, and eventually went to night school, got a degree, and opened an inn. Rory is delightfully well-adjusted, an ambitious academic, and very cautious in all of her endeavors. The relationship that Lorelai and Rory share is enviable in many ways - from hanging out on weekends watching movies to sharing bits of personal experiences to just being a phone call away at all times. Lorelai Gilmore, winner!
For those who missed this post when it was first published, my apologies. It was one of the many lost in Blogger's maintenance problems. I was waiting it out for Blogger to correct the problem, but it's been a week and I'm just going to move on.
I was flipping through the channels one day a couple months ago, and came across Truth Behind the Sitcom Scandals on the Biography Channel. It was about Gilligan's Island and Diff'rent Strokes and I was intrigued. Of course, I knew a lot about some of the background stories about Dana Plato and Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges, but there were tons of interesting bits that were new to me.
I ended up setting my DVR to record the series. As I was watching the sixth episode (having deleted the fifth after just a few minutes, realizing that the entire hour would be about Lost In Space, a show that I don't care about), I decided to look up the series and figure out how many other episodes I could look forward to, and what other shows it might feature. Well, imagine my disappointment when I discovered that there were only six made... I was watching the final installment right then and there. So, I heard fascinating things about The Facts of Life, Welcome Back Kotter, Roseanne, Laverne & Shirley, Cheers, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Happy Days, and M*A*S*H, in addition to Diff'rent Strokes and Gilligan's Island. It was fun to hear the different actors talking about the ways that things went down and the issues that they dealt with earlier in their careers.
I would have enjoyed seeing more old shows covered. And it's not like there weren't any other shows that had issues. I'm not sure what happened to The Truth Behind the Sitcom Scandals, but maybe another show can try something similar... after all, in the days of reality television being king, there is certainly a lot more shady stuff going on!
Well, at this point it's not a spoiler that Dana from Delaware won Cake Boss: The Next Great Baker, but it is news that the show was renewed, and will do another season! I'm excited.
I have not seen MTV's Skins, but enough people have that at least NINE advertisers have pulled their support for the show, including Subway, Orbit, Extra, Foot Locker, and L'oreal.
I find it amusing that, apparently, rich people (defined as household making more than $100,000/year) are more likely to watch major sporting events.
In case you missed it being all over every media outlet, Oprah has been reunited with her long-lost sister, that was born 9 years after Oprah.
It's possible that FOX's Lie to Me was not properly credited... aka the idea was stolen. I wonder if this story will continue to make headlines... since that show isn't doing too well...
Another bit that was all over the media... NBC is doing a pilot in the fall backed by Steven Spielberg. The big deal is that it is to be a competitor for Glee. The story revolves around the mounting of a Broadway musical, and will be titled, Smash.
Jennifer Aniston has stated that she hated "The Rachel" haircut that was so famous, and Luke Perry admitted that he loved Dylan's pompadour-of-sorts on Beverly Hills, 90210.
The Kennedys may finally have found a place... Tribune Broadcasting might pick up the eight-part miniseries.
New to Netflix Steaming for February: all of The Cosby Show, Roseanne, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and That '70s Show.
The Burn Notice prequel tv-movie has now been cast, and will air on USA this Spring.
Starting with tonight's Grey's Anatomy, there will be opportunities to interact with the show through the iPhone/iPad app.
Sal Picinich, of Cake Boss, passed away from cancer on January 30th. TLC added a small note to the new episode that aired on the 31st. Sad.
Charlie Sheen has been all over the news lately, from asking a porn star to babysit his kids to being rushed to the hospital. Last week, rumors went wild over whether or not he entered rehab, and CBS has had its hands full dealing with the change in production schedule for Sheen's hit show, Two and a Half Men. Well, the latest is that he's having rehab come to his house, LoL.
Beavis & Butthead will return to MTV. Not sure when, but apparently the tv series of Teen Wolf will premiere on June 5th.
Yesterday I said I'd be back with the regular posts, and today I have a nice, long one for you, featuring the long-running Roseanne.
I always liked Roseanne. My mom wasn't a fan, so I wasn't really allowed to watch it when I was a kid. However, it used to come on reruns on TBS & Nick-at-Nite, so I watched it all the time when she wasn't around, LoL. Darlene was my favorite character, until David came around. I thought he was SO CUTE with that super-curly hair. The storylines weren't really predictable, and the problems they faced were generally ones that weren't featured elsewhere (friend marrying your husband's father, straight-A student eloping and moving away, inviting your other daughter's boyfriend to live at your house, etc.), so it offered something new to the table.
The early seasons, I felt, dealt more with blue-collar issues (though they are present throughout the series), and the later seasons had more drama, and more middle-America-type stuff. Consequently, I did enjoy the later episodes more, but that's probably because they focused more on the kids and less on the adults... and I always liked the interesting problems of the kids better than those of Crystal, Jackie, etc.
Season 1: "The Monday Thru Friday Show" (S01E12) It's Dan and Roseanne's 15th wedding anniversary, and they're trying to figure out how to celebrate. They're not getting anywhere, so Jackie decides to just take the kids for the weekend and let them spend the time at home. It's like the original staycation, LoL. Part 1 | Part 2
Season 2: "Happy Birthday" (S02E24) It's Roseanne's birthday and the family has cleared out and prepared a writing room for her. She has all of the supplies that she needs, but ends up with writer's block. One of the reasons that this episode is interesting is because we find out at the end of the series that Roseanne wrote the storylines we see for quite a while. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Season 3: "Friends and Relatives" (S03E02) A storyline about lending money but not borrowing it. Arnie asks Dan for $1500, and Dan thinks it's for an engagement ring for Nancy, so he loans it to him. However, things don't go as planned with Dan's income, and he needs the money back. Rather than ask for it, he tries to make do. Jackie tries to loan it to him, but he won't have it. The best part of the episode is the breasts. Not only did Arnie use the money for breast implants for Nancy, but DJ starts peeping in on Becky and Darlene, haha. Part 1 | Part 2 Season 4: "Bingo" (S04E13) This is a Crystal-centered episode. She leaves her infant son in Becky & Darlene's care when she and Roseanne go out for Bingo. Roseanne wins her first game and becomes addicted, with all of the lucky charms to prove it (which is my favorite part of the episode). Roseanne and Crystal get in a fight, but it turns out that Crystal is just over-emotional because she's pregnant again and worried about caring for 3 kids while her husband is always away on business. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Season 5: "Good Girls, Bad Girls" (S05E10) Darlene wants to go to a concert with next-door-neighbor Molly. Roseanne is hesitant, but lets her go. Darlene shows up at 4am in a cab, and Roseanne is livid. Darlene says that Molly ditched her to go smoke pot, causing her to miss curfew and find another way home. Roseanne and Dan aren't sure if they should believe her until they hear Molly's lies the next day. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Season 6: "I Pray the Lord my Stove to Keep" (S06E22) Roseanne orders a new stove for the restaurant, and three get delivered at separate times. While she plans to sell the extra two for profit, DJ questions her morality. Darlene is spying on DJ, and finds out that he's been sneaking around, going to church. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Season 7: "The Parenting Trap" (S07E12) DJ starts getting erections, and it keeps happening in school. He's afraid to draw attention to himself, so he wants to make sure he's not called on to go up to the board again. Mark gives him advice to act dumb, while Dan tries to talk about it appropriately. Roseanne gives it a shot, and by telling him about her first period, instead freaks him out. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Season 8: "Disney World War II" (S08E18) The Connors have taken a trip to Walt Disney World, and everyone enjoys different things. Darlene is really excited to see Winnie-the-Pooh, and we find out a few episodes later that she and David conceive on this trip, hehe. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Season 9: "Hoi Polloi meets Hoiti Toiti" (S09E08) In the previous episode, the family is invited to visit Martha's Vineyard after Roseanne makes friends with an elitist. So, Roseanne & Jackie, Andy & Jerry, Mark & Becky, DJ, and Bev all go to spend the weekend. The rich folk aren't impressed with the trashiness of the Conners, but once Roseanne discovers that they all drink and take happy pills, she schools them on what real life is like. I also like the title (thanks to intense vocabulary lessons I actually use words like those, LoL). It's a pretty funny episode, I think maybe in the top 5 of the series (certainly the top 10). I would have embedded, but for some reason, there's a video error that makes just this episode look funny. AND, only the first two parts are online. ugh. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 not 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? :-)
Continuing with the holiday theme, here are five Thanksgiving-themed episodes to get you started on thinking about the Turkey holiday. No particular order here, and stay tuned next Monday for more suggestions!
The Cosby Show: ''Cliff's Wet Adventure". It's a downright hilarious episode. It's later in the series, and as the family is preparing the Thanksgiving meal, they keep sending Cliff out to the store in the pouring rain. He forgets items and keeps having to go back out. Meanwhile, Denise invites Martin's ex-wife to dinner, in a kind gesture that ends up filling her in on why the marriage ended. Here's a clip of just the Cliff scenes:
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: "Talking Turkey." This season one holiday episode features Will's mom coming out to visit, and the boys' professor coming for dinner. When Will's mom sees that the children do no work around the house, she gives all of the help time off, and forces the children to come up with a way to cook the holiday meal. Well, obviously this is not ideal, so it gets funny to the point of ridiculousness. (couldn't find a clip of this episode)
Home Improvement: "Thanksgiving." (even Wilson and Willow are going out of town!) while Tim schemes about how to ask if they can spend it elsewhere. When he finally asks, Jill is really happy that she can sleep in and not cook, so the Taylors go to see the Lions game in a box seat for Thanksgiving. While Tim manages to black out all the lights, the rest of the family has a good time hanging out with Rodney Dangerfield and a few other random celebrities.
Roseanne: "Home is Where the Afghan Is." There's a lot of funny jokes in this one... the final season's Thanksgiving. THe house has been redone, caterers are doing the dinner, and Bev comes out of the closet. Merriment continues as the Connor family realizes that money isn't everything and they donate a lot of food to the needy people of Lanford. Here's the opening:
Frasier: "A Lilith Thanksgiving." The Cranes go to visit Lilith and Frederick for Thanksgiving. Not a bad premise, until Lilith and Frasier go to meet the dean of a prestigious school (so Frederick can get the best education). They continue trying to make a good impression while making fools of themselves time and again. Meanwhile, Martin is playing with Frederick and he keeps getting hurt. And, Niles is making the turkey... hahahahaha. The whole thing always gets me rolling. The clip included begins with Frasier and Lilith's THIRD trip to see the Dean, and keeps going until the end of the episode (I truly believe you should watch the entire thing tho, it's so good. Part 1 and Part 2):
