Brace yourselves, because I’m about to get extra-nostalgic. I remember stumbling out of the theater one afternoon in September of 2004, feeling more excited and wired than I thought humanly possible, not because I had just went to my first rated R movie, but because every part of Shaun of the Dead still rattled in my brain. In the ensuing days, I had to learn everything I could about the creative team behind the film, and one of the things that kept popping up in my endless research was a British comedy called Spaced. Mind you, this was in the age before YouTube, so it’s not like I could just hop online and check out a clip.

For the purposes of this post, I delved back into my high school blog and I see that I made a point of celebrating that Trio had decided to start airing Spaced in conjunction with Shaun’s release. I also see that past-me was so goddamn hooked on Spaced that, two episodes in, she (I?) had already got it in her head to buy the DVD box set. And a region-free player to play said DVD box set.

Needless to say, I really freaking love Spaced. And I want you to love it too.

Spaced was a sitcom that aired on Channel 4 for fourteen episodes over two seasons (1999, 2001). It was written by Jessica Stevenson (now Hynes) and Simon Pegg (now still Pegg), who also starred as Daisy, a struggling journalist, and Tim, a struggling graphic artist. They were strangers that sympathized with each other’s kind of, sort of homeless situation and, after finding a dream flat that advertised to “professional couples only” they decided to fake it and move in together. Hilarity and a bunch of weird stuff ensued.

Hynes went on to do more films and become the ideal dorky girl for geeks everywhere (she’s made out with Ten in Doctor Who, so major bonus points right there), and Pegg made the jump to the big screen, co-writing and starring in Shaun of the Dead and, later, Hot Fuzz. Both of these films co-starred Nick Frost, who also played Pegg’s best friend in Spaced. Pegg and Frost are now working on Greg Mottola’s Paul.

The sitcom was as directed by Edgar Wright, who only had a few other credits to his name at the time. Wright directed and co-write Shaun and Hot Fuzz and is currently in the editing stage of his next directorial venture, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (which, if Wright’s daily photo blog has been any indication, is going to be deliciously insane).

The show itself was notable for its commentary on the life of almost-30s and non-stop pop culture references (a helpful feature on the DVD was the Homage-O-Meter, which displayed captions identifying references as they happened). Despite the fact that some of the references were pretty dated by the time I watched the show (my frustrations toward Phantom Menace had faded for the most part) and I was way too young to relate to that “time to grow up” late-20s panic, there was something about the show that really resonated with me. Maybe it was the snappy dialogue or maybe it was character chemistry; whatever it was, it clicked. It was different from the American sitcoms that I was used to; it was daring, in that it felt like the creative minds weren’t putting on a show for the audience as much as they were making a piece of art that they knew they would be proud of.

And visually, the show was unlike anything I had ever experienced on television. It was obvious where a lot of Shaun’s quick pans and energetic cinematography got its legs. Wright shared a very surreal and highly cinematic view with Spaced, and it showed a lot of promise, like Wright had yet to land a budget that would be enough to catch up with what he had envisioned in his head.

I’m actually having a great amount of difficulty forming into words how much I love this show (it’s part of my top three, nudging the original UK version of The Office right in its rear). So, here are some bullets to simulate real-life conversational listings. Pretend I’m wildly gesticulating as I’m half-shouting these to you.

• Tim’s ravin’ friend Tyres. Sweet Christ, Tyres was amazing. I would abandon my overall misanthropy and anti-party attitude to go to a rave with Tyres for one night. After seeing the show, I also took to dancing in public whenever there was an incidental beat. I was deemed a weirdo.
• Fine art vs. Illustration. Maybe I’m a little biased because I happen to be a visual artist too, but I really appreciated the inclusion of different kinds of artists in this show. There was the painterly Brian, the comic book-crazy Tim, and the whatever-the-hell Vulva. My favorite part was how no one really seemed to “get” what they really did (”So… watercolors?”), which rings true in the lives of young artists everywhere. Struggling creatives! Always hilarious.
• An argument between Tim and Daisy cut around a Tekken 2 clip. Enough said.
• Mark Heap’s performance as Brian. Mr. Heap never fails to amaze and amuse me. It’s a delicate combination of well-tuned physical comedy and distinct voice work. Take a look at his work on Spaced and then consider his portray of Dr. Alan Statham on Green Wing. Truly incredible.
• Tim/Mike. As much as I loved Tim and Daisy as a pairing, I though Tim and Mike were kind of perfect together too. There was that strange, vaguely homoerotic tension between the two best friends that always made for hilarious and accidentally tender moments. Pegg and Frost have spectacular chemistry, and it’s really a gift to the world that they took that to the big screen.
• The soundtrack, heavy on the electronica and remixed versions of “Peter and the Wolf”. It all worked out to be a beautiful voice for the show. Hell, I still pump up the Fantastic Plastic Machine song on the rare occasion I get to do a celebratory walk down the street.
• Fake gun fights being part of an unspoken connection between men. I have seen this tested in real life. It’s completely true.
• Peter Serafinowicz as Tim’s nemesis. Serafinowicz is a funny man in his own right (also the voice of Darth Maul), and he made an amazing villain and classic super-douche.
• Lines like “Oh yah! I ha’n't fought o’ dat!” and anything Bill Bailey says. Forever quotable.

Years after Spaced wrapped up, and after Shaun and Hot Fuzz became  hits in the States and developed more than just a cult following, Spaced was finally released on Region 1 DVD.  The set was pretty much like the UK box set, which I bought oh-so long ago, but it included commentary from various famous American fans of the show, including Bill Hader and Patton Oswalt (who happens to have a wicked crush on Hynes).

Revisiting the series, I see that the first season/series had the strongest voice. It was fresh and exciting, and then it kind of tried too hard with the next season, like its self-awareness worked against itself. That is not to say it wasn’t excellent television, because it was, but I guess they set the bar really high with the first season. There was no Christmas special or anything of the sort to put a cap on the show’s ending. It was just a beautifully executed season finale that tied up all the loose ends that needed to be addressed and left other matters open for viewers to suss out for themselves. Well, there was a brief moment in that DVD extra documentary that shared what happens to Tim and Daisy, but I won’t ruin it….

And finally, Spaced was the reason why I sought out Jaffa Cakes, with which I have since developed a filthy junk food love affair.

Give the show a try. After two or three episodes, if it still feels like it’s not for you, then it’s probably a lost cause, but if any part of it resonates with you, I guarantee you’ll fall in love soon enough.

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It’s only been three years since Malcolm in the Middle went off the air, and yet it feels like much longer. Why? Well, I suppose it doesn’t help the longevity of the show that high costs for music rights have hampered a number of TV on DVD releases, including Malcolm’s. A release can sell well, but if it’s not predicted to be a big enough hit to recoup costs and make a tidy profit…. And so, unlike most shows today, Malcolm essentially died when the show went off the air.

Which is why I’ve so been enjoying re-watching the show. Ever since Nickelodeon announced its syndication agreement with the series and began airing re-runs this past summer, I’ve been catching episodes left and right on a bunch of channels. In fact, only the playoffs and the World Series prevented me from watching the entire series before sitting down to write this — overrun on FOX led them to preempt Malcolm on the nights that baseball was on.

The series as a whole stands out more for moments than for anything overarching. I was actually a big Frankie Muniz fan while watching the show, but looking back, he doesn’t really blow me away as an actor. And, in fact, it was Jane Kaczmarek’s Lois who was really the center of the show by season two (I still can’t get over her being married to Bradley Whitford).

The pilot set the stage for a really funny seven seasons to come. Malcolm being moved into the Krelboyne class (why was it called that?), Stevie (Craig Lamar Traylor) as friend-in-chief, the family (who shall remain nameless and location-less) putting all of their hopes for their future on Malcolm’s shoulders, Lois being in charge, and Malcolm breaking down the fourth wall upon occasion. And in addition to those foundations, we also got a peak at what would become a staple on the show: a minor situation played brilliantly by one actor or another. Lois’ topless scene while running around the house and when talking to Malcolm’s teacher was great.

Here are just a few more of the many moments, and guest stars, that made this show one of my favorites:

• The introduction of Francis (Christopher Masterson) in military school. He definitely added something unique to an already screwed up family.
• Craig (David Anthony Higgins) was great, except when mined for his immature incompetency, as opposed to just regular incompetency. And I loved the crush on Lois, as well as his luck with the boys. I wasn’t crazy about his evolution from creepy weird to stupid, but what can you do.
• I doubt that actual torture is harsher than the way these brothers treated one another. Hilarious.
• Alexander Gould (Shane on Weeds) as Egg, that weird friend of Dewey’s (Erik Per Sullivan) during the “Funeral” episode.
• Bea Arthur as Dewey’s babysitter in the season one finale was a great pairing. He ate her buttons!
• Tania Raymonde as Cynthia was less Alex from Lost, more Frankie from Cold Case.
• Dakota Fanning as an ankle-biting new neighbor.
• Lois’ parents, Ida (Cloris Leachman) and Victor (Robert Loggia), were horrors. Victor disappeared without so much as a pat-me-bum.
• Dewey bringing home his class gerbil, and setting him free in his walking ball. The gerbil popped up frequently in season two in the background of outside shots.
• Francis and his excursion to Alaska — where we met Lavernia (Brenda Wehle) — was the beginning of the end for Francis’ character. The writers were no longer able to figure out what to have him do. The one nice thing to come from the Alaska arc? Piama (Emy Coligado). But it’s hard to reconcile military school Francis with Piama Francis.
• Apparently a lot of famous people worked at Hal’s (Bryan Cranston) company, or at least crashed the company picnic, like Patrick Warburton, Susan Sarandon, and Stephen Root to name but three. And I love the scene between Lois and Bradley Whitford, as she balls him out for mistreating his wife (Sarandon) … it must have been awkward back at home that night.
• Andy Richter as the boys’ therapist. It was a clips show, but still.
• The Grotto — with Otto (Kenneth Mars) and Gretchen (Meagen Fay) — was still a  weird excursion, but sometimes an inspired one.
• It was brilliant introducing a fifth child, and I loved how it totally caught Lois and Hal by surprise, pitting them into further despair. Plus, Jamie (James and Lukas Rodriguez) was great!
• “If Boys Were Girls”: Renee, Mallory, Daisy, and … Francis.
• The family joining that Church for the free daycare, and every subsequent misstep they took, from the choir to Hal teaching Bible classes.
• Great surprises like Dewey becoming a master pianist, or his being a Malcolm-level genius. Or that Hal came from a fabulously rich family (Christopher Lloyd played his father). Or that Reese (Justin Berfield) could cook — none of the talents were introduced in a vacuum, but rather were new discoveries for us when the characters first learned of them. I always appreciated that.
• Lois actually washed her kids’ mouths out with soap — we saw Reese experience the horror.
• It wasn’t a good thing, but something I want to mention nonetheless: I hate that Reese was friendless and alone. I know he was a bully, but you mean to tell me that in their public school he had no clique of bullies to hang out with? And that no girls were interested in him? His sadness at being all alone got to me whenever it got to him.
• Dewey as “Le Great El Foldo” was brilliant showmanship.
• I enjoyed Dewey’s development, brought on by the introduction of his special class. I think it was a stretch for him to become a father-figure to these kids so shortly after some classic immaturity from him at home, but I love responsible Dewey.
• The old man with the walker who chases Dewey and Reese down on Halloween? Priceless.
• Malcolm working at the Lucky Aid gave him a lot more screen time than he’d been getting for the preceding few seasons. And his strength was always when matched with Lois.

The above actually brings me to a particular area of strength for the show: pairings. As the series evolved, it became an intricate network of great couplings. Some of my favorites: Reese and Dewey (for Dewey’s manipulation of Reese), Francis and Ida (only a person so hateful could elicit such a reaction from her grandson), Piama and Ida (not much interaction, but I love that Ida always thought her the “help”), Lois and Ida (love/hate), Piama and Lois (hate/love, and at its best when Piama would stand up to Lois), and Hal and Dewey. Dewey always got screwed (although I’d imagine Jamie would have eventually gotten it worse), and it was always fun to see Hal scrambling to try and make things right for him.

So, there you have some of my favorite memories from Malcolm in the Middle. Got some of your own? Share them with me below.

Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with the one line that remains for me the most indelible of the entire series, and perhaps, when taken in context, best encapsulates all you need to know about the family plot. In season one, episode two (”Red Dress”), the boys wrap an anniversary present for their parents. Dewey sits anxiously by, repeating his one request over and over. And, true to the form that we had yet to learn, once it’s time Reese just ignores him and does it himself. And that’s the very nature of the boys’ relationship. What a show!

Dewey: “I get to do the bow.”

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Undeclared is the best show about school ever made. Cliqueclack Flashback = DONE.

Judd Apatow’s quickly-canceled college follow-up to his quickly-canceled high school series, Freaks and Geeks, was released my junior year of college. I hadn’t seen Freaks and Geeks at the time, so I had no idea who Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, or any of the other now-familiar faces in the cast were. I just knew that it was the funniest and most painfully-realistic portrayal of college life that I had ever seen.

The cast looked, dressed and sounded like actual college students– not 30-year-old hookers, which is a feat that has not been accomplished since. The guys were odd looking– a fact that was freely mentioned, and even the hot girls looked like normal hot college girls, not model/actresses. It was this realism that allowed the writing to shine and allowed the viewers to identify with every single thing these people were going through.

After all, who hasn’t had embarrassing singalongs with their friends after they’ve talked you into letting them give you ill-advised highlights?

(The beauty starts at about 5:15)

Even in the pilot episode, when we first meet the characters and there’s Steven, the adorable dork, and Lizzie, the cute girl with the inappropriately older boyfriend she’s been dating for years, it’s painfully obvious that Steven is going to fall in love with her. While 99 out of a 100 TV shows would use this as a plot device that stretches over a season or four, Apatow and company go a different way: Lizzie and Steven sleep with each other in the pilot episode. The nerd actually gets the girl in the pilot.

Of course, that’s not to say they live happily ever after– Jason Segel plays Lizzie’s boyfriend Eric, after all, and he certainly isn’t going to go quietly. In fact, when he finally finds out that Lizzie and Steven slept together, he drives down to the school to fight Steven. My favorite thing about the fight scenes in Undeclared is just how real and awkward they are. Not everyone can be Ryan Atwood.

One of the things that was the most fun for me was seeing unexpected people show up on the show. Amy Poehler, Ben Stiller, and Will Ferrell all made appearances, as did a just-starting-out Jenna Fischer with a crazy red perm.

Even Adam Sandler appeared as himself, in a surreal episode that basically seems like a script treatment for Funny People.

And I’m not sure, but the roommate who is moving out in this scene sure looks like Felicia Day to me. Am I out of my mind? There’s no mention on IMDb of her being on Undeclared, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not her, right?

In all, watching the first and only season of Undeclared for the first time since it originally aired was more fun than I ever imagined it could be. There are few shows that are as funny and just as honest as this show is. If you ever went to college, or hell, even if you didn’t and just want to know what the experience is like, there isn’t a better example of college life than Undeclared.

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“Sometimes you want to go, where everybody.…” No? Sorry! I think it’s something about “tossed salads and scrambled eggs.” That sounds more like it.

I actually wasn’t a Cheers fan, so there’s little that I could say about the broader evolution of Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), except for this: man did he look young in Boston! And trim, with more hair…. But Frasier also wasn’t himself when he was a member of a large ensemble. The character actually only evolved once he settled in Seattle on his own show. And what happened afterwards is one for the history books.

Frasier was one of the smartest shows on television; there’s no denying it. Just because every other show out there has made a thousand jokes to that effect doesn’t negate the truth. But it wasn’t necessarily a show meant just for high-brow people, nor was it comedy that only those types of people could relate to. With a core group of superbly fine actors, and a constantly rotating cast of great guests, Frasier was just plain funny.

Grammer as Frasier Crane was a casting decision made in heaven. It’s hard to define exactly how Frasier himself evolved — he was just as self-centered, pompous, snobbish, and socially awkward in the finale as he was in the pilot. But what did change over the course of those 263 intermittent episodes, and therefore how Fraiser did transform, were his relationships. There are no better examples than the friendship that grew between him and Niles (David Hyde Pierce), and the love and understanding that developed between him and his father, Martin (John Mahoney).

Niles and Frasier initially found themselves timidly feeling out exactly how to relate to one another. Niles was the younger brother who finally learned to branch out on his own when Frasier left for Boston, Frasier the older brother who last knew Niles as a tag-along. And yet, Niles’ marriage to Maris — a brilliant creation of a significant being who was to never appear on screen because of the inability to create her in human form — was emblematic of just how little Niles had actually grown. Frasier came along and inadvertently saved him, giving him the strength to finally find happiness with Daphne (Jane Leeves).

And Frasier and Martin were at odds in the pilot. Yes, Martin — with his dog Eddie — came to live with Frasier, which brought Daphne into the picture as Martin’s live-in physical therapist, but the two had no bond to speak of. Martin had never understood Frasier, and Frasier had always felt hurt that his father could never relate to him. The same could be said about Martin’s relationship with Niles.

Their travails made for some great comedy, while all the while the two worked towards a better appreciation of who the other one was. Sure, Frasier was never going to see the pleasure in a beer and a ballgame, and Martin never did take to sherry and the opera, but by the end, neither one looked down on the other’s proclivities.

Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin), Frasier’s producer, was the final member of the inner circle. While she and Frasier connected a lot sooner than he did with anyone else — their fighting aside, they were close almost as soon as Frasier convinced Roz to stick it out with him on his show — the growth that took place was Roz’s alone. Always moving from guy to guy, Roz’s metamorphosis came in the form of her daughter, Alice. Which also provided Frasier with the opportunity to be a source of love and support for a child, while his own was back in Boston with his ex-wife, Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth). I always wished Frasier and Roz had worked out as a couple.

It’s Daphne who I think displayed less of an evolution than anyone else. Sure, Niles was a departure for her, but from the beginning she was always looking for love. She also found a family with the Cranes, but she never changed as a person — and I’m glad for it. Her wackiness (”I’m a bit psychic”), humor, and high spirits — mixed with a dash of English bitterness and loathing — brightened up countless scenes, and added a tremendous amount to the laughter and frivolity on the series.

Martin was possibly my favorite character. All he wanted was to enjoy life, and then along came his sons, two of the biggest buzz-kills in the world. A simple man who loved his chair, his Ballentines, his TV, and his dog, his sons were just strangers to him, until Frasier’s return to Seattle following Martin’s career-ending injury (getting shot in the hip) thrust them all together. If you look at it from that perspective, the show was about a man in the later stages of life, getting a second chance at reconnecting with his kids. And he somehow managed to squeeze in a third act, too.

Niles was a constant source of humor in his ineptitude. One of my favorite moments on the show was the cold open where he’s preparing for a date at Frasier’s … not a word is spoken, but he ends up setting the couch on fire, destroying his suit, passing out numerous times, and using dinner to put out the flames. It’s so prominent that I can’t even remember what episode it was from.

Although I certainly can name what episodes other great moments occurred in: the bird on Niles’ head, Thanksgiving in Boston, the flour baby, the sibling book, Niles sitting in for Frasier, the brothers’ restaurant, the Shangri-La, The Montana … I could go on with examples forever; Frasier is a series that almost never disappointed me.

And I certainly don’t mean to leave out some of the great characters who made up the ensemble — Bulldog (Dan Butler) was rough but offered great comedic relief, Kenny (Tom McGowan) added a face to management that had been sorely missing before him, Gil (Edward Hibbert) was an enigma who always dropped in with the timeliest of one-liners, Noel (Patrick Kerr) was exactly what I always imagined a Trekkie to be … and on and on to Donny (Saul Rubinek), Bebe (Harriet Sansom Harris), and all the countless women who paraded through Frasier and Martin’s lives.

I was never even much of a fan. I enjoyed Frasier, but when I started buying the DVDs, it was because my wife was sick one summer and she had nothing to watch on TV. But once I started watching from the beginning, I got hooked. In just a few short years, I’ve watched the series more than a half dozen times, and it never gets old. The humor isn’t full of contemporary references, it doesn’t have a shelf-life, and it isn’t demeaning to anyone who might be trying to connect with it.

It’s just the story of a man who discovers, in mid-life, that he has a family that he’s never known. So he sets out to get to know them … and to win a staring contest with a dog — I guess one out of two isn’t bad.

What are some of your favorite Frasier moments?

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Ah, the post that started it all. The West Wing Week is an outgrowth of this here weekly feature; the series was simply too mammoth to be contained in just one post. Either that, or I figured it was a good way to get everyone else to carry the load for me (a thought that has merit to it) — I could just refer back to another post instead of actually dissecting a topic.

Seriously though, The West Wing was a show with so many strengths in so many different areas, not to mention so many faithful amongst our writers and readers, that we felt the need to not only share a lot with you, but also to do so from various perspectives.

The point being that a lot of ground has been covered already, with some yet to come. As a result, I figured the best way to flash back on The West Wing was to just look back, retrospective style, at the highlights that came together to make season after season, all adding up to one phenomenal series. Let’s see what we’ve got.

Season One opened with a trumpet blast, and ended on a high-pitched cry. The stuff in between? I think Sam was too smart to imagine that he could get involved with Laurie (Lisa Edelstein) without any consequences. Leo’s divorce, while sad, was necessary for him to play his role in the administration — not a general statement, just Leo specific. We learned exactly who Josh was when he turned down an NSC card, and the privileges that came with it, and we got a hilarious look at Sam, Josh, and Charlie when they stood up for Zoey (Elisabeth Moss) at the bar. The translation chain in the kitchen at the state dinner for the Indonesian leader was all good, while Bartlet’s conversation with the sailor on the maintenance ship caught in the hurricane was heartbreaking. Judge Mendoza (Edward James Olmos) gave Toby a good scare, and Josh a phenomenal acting performance, while Leo’s drug problems showed us what Josh and Sam were made of. And the hail of bullets in the finale was the finest of fine cliffhangers.

Season Two started by telling us how the West Wingers found their way to the Bartlet Administration. Not a single story disappointed. We felt CJ’s after-shock, while Josh’s PTSD was the performance of a career (and yet he turned in many over the life of the series). Ainsley (Emily Procter) was a great, albeit too temporary, addition to the cast, and the Chinese Christians seeking asylum were yin to the double turkey pardoning’s yang — I loved CJ with the turkeys — on Thanksgiving. Leo’s attempted apology to a columnist was a perfect comedy of errors, the “Big Block of Cheese Day” was brilliant levity (Cartographers for Social Equality!), and Stackhouse’s (George Coe) filibuster was one of my all-time favorite moments in West Wing history. “17 People” really began the tale of Bartlet’s MS, which quickly led the hilarious Oliver Babish (Oliver Platt) to smash his recorder with a gavel. “18th and Potomac” and “Two Cathedrals” were truly powerful episodes, and a grand finale to a great season.

Season Three began with a divergence, speaking to September 11th; I actually really enjoyed the story of “Isaac and Ishmael.” The consultants, led by Bruno (Ron Silver), added some flavor and fire to the election season, while the entire special prosecutor arc, from Donna’s testimony to Leo’s, to the Congressional censure, was an interesting way to keep us, and all of the show’s characters, involved in what could have been a very insulated story. “Two Indians in the Lobby” was great (is that the start of a joke?), breaking up the heady MS story and the subsequent Bartlet psychiatric sessions. He and Stanley (Adam Arkin) were just fantastic together. The multiple chess matches, and accompanying discussions, that Bartlet conducted were a brilliant means of telling a story within a story, and yet it was juxtaposed with the Qumar assassination, an event that no one was on the inside for. The highlight, and ensuing lowlight of the season? Mark Harmon as CJ’s Secret Service agent, Simon. His murder was just awful.

Season Four began with an interesting tale of what America was looking for from their next president, in “20 Hours in America.” Bartlet and Charlie’s difficulties over hiring Debbie (Lily Tomlin) was yet another mini-story that was done so well. The real story of the election, for me, was Sam, the California 47th, and Will Bailey — Ritchie (James Brolin) was little more than a stuffed shirt. Election day itself, however, was rich with story, from Josh and his band of inept voters, to Charlie and Orlando Kettles (Omar Benson Miller), to Donna looking to nullify her mis-vote. And of course the news that Sam would be running for Congress in California. Will’s introduction to the West Wing was monumental, Toby’s father’s visit on Christmas taught us a lot about our favorite prickly staffer, Danny (Timothy Busfield) was too good a guy to be the one to suspect about Qumar, and Bartlet and Charlie made the search for a Bible suspenseful. In addition to Will, this season saw one other great addition — Matthew Perry as Joe Quincy was an inspired choice, from his interview with Josh during a lockdown, to his discovering Hoynes (Tim Matheson) in a scandal. Unfortunately, the season ended on a letdown for me — I dislike Zoey, so a story all about her? At least we got a guest spot from Taye Diggs!

Season Five is lamented by many people as a stumble for the show, but I vehemently disagree. Sure, the Zoey story was still alive, but it gave us John Goodman as Acting President Walken, Haffley (Steven Culp) as the new Speaker, and the ridiculous Bob Russell (Gary Cole) as the new VP. “Han” was a beautiful story about a very sad, yet brilliantly talented, young man, Joe Quincy was back to speak to Chief Justice Ashland (Milo O’Shea), Josh blew it with Senator Carrick and saw his portfolio scaled back, and Bartlet shut down the government. How could you not love his struggle with the Speaker? A presidential funeral brought back Walken and his dog, while mandatory judicial sentencing clemencies showed us Donna at her most engaged and compassionate. Toby whiffed on social security, Hoynes wrote a tell-all, CJ opened the press secretary’s job up to a documentary crew, and she fought with the mega-media conglomerates over seating — it was hilarious when she took out all but four or so chairs in the briefing room! I was disappointed in the finale — “Gaza” was a bad idea, in my opinion — but “The Supremes” (Glenn Close and William Fichtner together were amazing) was The West Wing at its best. Simply unbelievable!

Season Six was really about Bartlet’s legacy. The Israel-Palestine peace process left Leo in the ER for heart surgery, and CJ in his place at Bartlet’s right-hand. The Taiwan Independence Movement flag could have made history, if it wasn’t just failing eyesight that led to the misstep. China was the diplomatic trip of Bartlet’s career, and even crippling MS couldn’t keep him down. And yet levity existed as well — Josh, an SUV, and a Prius? The season also laid the groundwork for what could have been The West Wing 2.0: Josh recruited Congressman Santos (Jimmy Smits) to run for president, and Donna went to work for Vice President Russell. Santos defined who he was with ethanol production, and he battled his way into the New Hampshire debate. Arnie Vinick (Alan Alda) won the Republican nomination, only to turn around and face a backlash from his right. Meanwhile in the West Wing, Leo challenged the staffers to make the most of their “365 Days,” Toby argued the suffrage of middle-schoolers, Leo negotiated with Cuba, and a West Wing leak threatened to implode the administration. Not to mention the Democratic mud-wrestle for the allusive 2,162 votes needed for the nomination. The Convention episodes were great political TV.

Season Seven could have also been season one of the next show that never was. The Santos/McGarry ticket was a puzzle, but it was an honor long due Leo. Toby as the West Wing leak was a ridiculous twist, but his brawl with Josh in season six had ended the possibility that he’d find anything else to do. I found the live debate to be refreshing, if not great television, while Ellie’s (Nina Siemaszko) wedding was a bit of a bore (except for Will as wedding planner). It was also unusual to have people coupling up on the show — Will and Kate (Mary McCormack), and Donna and Josh — although I did like the former pair…. The Kazakhstan crises gave us an interesting insight into the struggles of lame-duck presidents and the transition of power, while Bruno finding Santos’ briefcase showed us just how ugly politics can be, while at the same time how some politicians can rise above the fray. And the series would have ended differently had John Spencer lived — his loss was such a blow that Santos couldn’t lose the election. Mr. Spencer will be sorely missed. The win, however, rolled right into a really interesting look at the formation of a new administration, and it brought Sam back to the fold. And “Inauguration Day” was a perfect close to a seven-year book….

As well as the perfect opening to the next novel in the series. I believe, all things being equal, that The West Wing could have lived on with the Santos administration. Half the main characters were signed on for the next 4-8 years, and the transition would have been such a simple thing. Plus, Jimmy Smits at the helm? Alan Alda as a series regular? Was this ever considered?

Whether it was, or it wasn’t, the seven years we did get were something I’d never trade for anything. The West Wing made a huge impact on me, and it will continue to do so for years to come — I can keep going back and enjoying my DVDs forever!

This is in no way a comprehensive account, but hopefully it brought back some nice memories for all of you — I know it did for me. But what did I miss?

And to everyone who was a part of The West Wing, from crew to cast, all I have left to say is this: thank you.

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What I’m trying to say is, it was something for everyone.

I could highlight the history of the show, give you a mini-biography of all the stars and basically bore you to death with facts. Instead, you’re going to get some quick memories and musings about The Greatest American Hero.

• I can’t help but think this show paved the way for lots of other tongue-in-cheek shows with elements of goofiness and ordinary-guy-turns-super themes, but there’s no denying Lois and Clark took some lessons from Stephen J. Cannell, The Greatest American Hero’s creator.
• Interesting tidbit: You may know of Stephen J. Cannell from The Rockford Files, 21 Jump Street or The A-Team, but to me, he’s famous for playing poker with Rick Castle.
• When Michael Pare said, “Mr. H” in his stylized Vinnie Barbarino, it took my tweenie breath away.
• Anyone else think Bill Maxwell and Burn Notice’s Sam Axe are kind of similar, or do Robert Culp and Bruce Campbell just remind me of each other? Or maybe I’ve completely lost it….
• Even at age 11, I found Ralph’s stupidity on losing the instruction manual annoying. What the hell dude? These aliens trusted you with their super suit and you lost the manual. Twice, if I recall correctly.
• Admittedly, I still know every word to the theme song and now my super-hero-crazed son sings along.
• This type of show, that combines humor and fighting the forces of evil (usually with a supernatural element) is still my favorite, more than 25 years after I was first exposed to this genre. Currently, we’ve got Supernatural as the best example of this.

Do you have a memory, observation or influence from The Greatest American Hero to share?

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No context needed for us fans. Take it away, Crane and Kaufman….

“Who’s FICA? Why’s he getting all my money?” – Rachel

“What do you know?! No one’s going up to you and saying, ‘Hi! Is that your nostril? Mind if we push this POT ROAST THROUGH IT?’” – Carol

“Dear God, this parachute is a knapsack!” – Chandler

“We’ve gotta get some sleep.” – Julie
“Yeah, it’s really 6:00 tomorrow night our time.” – Ross
“Well, listen, don’t tell us what’s gonna happen though, ’cause I like to be surprised.” – Chandler

“You’re over me? When were you … under me?” – Ross

“This must be so hard. ‘Oh, no! Two women love me. They’re both gorgeous and sexy. My wallet’s too small for my fifties, and my diamond shoes are too tight!’” – Chandler

“How do you expect me to grow if you won’t let me blow?” – Rachel
“You know, um … I don’t have a … have a … problem with that.” – Ross

“Stare into the barrel of a gun, pee into the wind!” – Joey
“Joey, I assure you, if I were staring into the barrel of a gun, I would be pretty much peeing every which way.” – Chandler

“Oh! Uh, sorry, did I get ya?” – Joey
“NO, YOU DIDN’T GET ME! IT’S AN ELECTRIC DRILL! YOU GET ME, YOU KILL ME!” – Chandler

“If the Homo sapiens were, in fact, homo sapiens, is that why they’re extinct?” – Joey
“Joey, Homo sapiens are people.” – Ross
“Hey, hey, I’m not judging!” – Joey

“If I had to, I’d pee on any one of you!” – Joey

“WE WERE ON A BREAK!” – Ross
“And hey, just so you know — it’s not that common, it doesn’t happen to every guy, and it is a big deal!” – Rachel
“I KNEW IT!” – Chandler

“Yeah, but, Monica — do you really want to be in a relationship where you can actually use the phrase ‘That’s not how your dad used to do it’?” – Phoebe
“Fine! Judge all you want to, but: married a lesbian (at Ross), left a man at the altar (at Rachel), fell in love with a gay ice dancer (at Phoebe), threw a girl’s wooden leg in a fire (at Joey), livin’ in a box (at Chandler)!” – Monica

“…take thee, Emily…” – Priest
“…take thee, Rachel…” – Ross

“Someone at work ate my sandwich!” – Ross
“Well, what did the police say? – Chandler

“Exactly! Unisex!” – Rachel
“Maybe you need sex. I had sex a couple days ago.” – Joey
“No, no, Joey! U-N-I-sex.” – Rachel
“Well! Ain’t gonna say ‘no’ to that!” – Joey

“You are so cute. How did you get to be so cute?” – Monica
“Well, my grandfather was Swedish, and my grandmother was actually a tiny little bunny.” – Chandler

“Rachel, did it bother you when Ross flirted with other women?” – Chandler
“No, it bothered me when he slept with other women.” – Rachel
“Thank you for that.” – Ross

“Who would you rather sleep with, Monica or Rachel?” – Joey
“Dude, you are sick.” – Ross
“Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot you had that whole Rachel thing.” – Joey

“It tastes like feet!” – Ross
“I like it!” – Joey
“Are ya serious?” – Ross
“What’s not to like? Custard, good. Jam, good. Beef, GOOD!” – Joey

“Thursday! Look, if you need help remembering, think of it like this: the third day. All right? Monday, one day. Tuesday, two day. Wednesday, when? Huh? What day? Thursday! The third day! Okay?” – Joey

“Uh, Joe — a moo point?” – Rachel
“You know, like a cow’s opinion. It doesn’t matter. It’s moo.” – Joey
“Have I been living with him too long, or did all that just make sense?” – Rachel

“Ross! My neighbors ate all my candy!” – Monica
“Mine stole my newspaper! It’s like a crime wave!” – Ross

“My character is coming out of his coma!” – Joey
“That’s great!” – Chandler
“And not only that, I’m gettin’ a new brain!” – Joey
“So great things are happening at work and in your personal life!” – Chandler

“You’re fast and irresponsible. That adds up to a bad driver.” – Ross
“Well, in high school, that added up to head cheerleader.” – Rachel

“Monica, we need more candy.” – Rachel
“What? There’s only been like 4 kids!” – Monica
“Yeah I know, but one of them just said that she loved me so I just gave her everything.” – Rachel
“No wonder you’re pregnant.” – Phoebe

“It was a pink bunny or no bunny at all.” – Monica
“No bunny at all! ALWAYS NO BUNNY AT ALL!” – Chandler

“I got TiVo!” – Rachel
“What’s TiVo?” – Dr. Green
“It’s slang for pregnant.” – Phoebe

“I’m sorry I won’t be able to make it to your imaginary wedding, but I’m really busy that day. I already have a unicorn baptism and a leprechaun Bar Mitzvah.” – Phoebe

“I’m not great with the advice. Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?…” – Chandler

“I’m also a mento for kids.” – Joey
“A men-to.” – Interviewer
“Right.” – Joey
“Like the candy?” – Interviewer
“As a matter of fact, I do.” – Joey

“Oh, my God, you know what, I think you’re right! I think — you know what? Listen, listen: a pigeon … no, no, wait, an eagle flew in, landed on the stove, and caught fire! The baby, seeing this, jumps across the apartment to the mighty bird’s aid! The eagle, however, misconstrues this as an act of aggression and grabs the baby in its talons! Meanwhile, the faucet fills the apartment with water! Baby and bird, still ablaze, are locked in a death-grip, swirling around the whirlpool that fills the apartment!” – Ross
“Boy, are you gonna be sorry if that’s true.” – Rachel

“Do you guys have to go to the new house right away, or do you have some time?” – Rachel
“We’ve got some time.” – Monica
“Okay. Should we get some coffee?” – Rachel
“Sure…. Where?” – Chandler

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We all have friends. We know what that’s all about. But, Friends? I’m willing to bet that not many of us have cliques quite like them. Incestual dating? Marriage? Plus, non-twin siblings in the same group? College roommate this and former-homeless that? Safe to say that our friends on Friends were an unusual bunch. And, you know what? That’s why the show worked.

Even for those of you who have, or are, living this life, there was nothing “been there” about this simple premise. Particularly not for me, as I started dating my wife before you could include the word “teen” in our ages. And yet, in the age of Seinfeld, and post-Cheers, Friends was a wild success that you can’t escape from even now, five years after they said goodnight. Why? It’s all about the characters. And the jokes!

The starkest character evolution belonged to Ross (David Schwimmer). From a nerdy, creepy little man, pining for Rachel and having a baby with his now lesbian wife, Ross turned into one of the funniest people on TV. Off the top of my head? “Pivot! Pivot!” and the hilarious double-date scene in season 10 (”Fajitas!”). Ross made me want to kill him for a long time, but by the end, I was a huge fan. I mean, I’m anti Ross/Rachel, but you gotta love Ross.

Joey (Matt LeBlanc) didn’t slack on evolution himself. And it wasn’t just the career trajectory that struck me. First of all, Joey went from pretty-boy dense to just plain stupid, which, while good for us, doesn’t really make sense when you stand far enough back to gain perspective. Beyond that, though, as he lost brain cells, his sensitivity grew. Joey turned into one of the most solid friends on a show all about them; whatever you thought of the pairing, his struggle with his feelings for Rachel, because of his love for Ross, was something to aspire to. Do any of us cherish friendship that much?

The golden boy was Chandler (Matthew Perry). Chandler was the absolute funniest character on the entire show, a man-child who was responsible while also immature. Yes, he slid down the maturity scale from pilot to finale, but there was always some balance there. His relationship with Monica would have killed the character, if he wasn’t saved by best-buddies Ross and Joey. Chandler and Joey together made for some of the funniest moments in the history of the series, although it would be reckless not to mention the awkward nature of Chandler’s relationship with Rachel. Just hilarious.

Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) was the absolute worst character on the entire series (yes, I’m including Marcel the monkey in that rating). Just awful. Sorry.

Monica (Courteney Cox) could be extremely funny, but her relationship with Chandler created this screaming, whining shrew that she never was able to break free from. For the years preceding their relationship, she was never my go-to-girl, but she always made me laugh. Afterwards? How much can you emasculate the man you “love?”

This isn’t a problem with females in comedy — Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) got better and better each and every week. I wasn’t crazy about spoiled and snobby Rachel, but once she found herself with Ross, the character soared. And, while there are plenty of classic moments from the show that call for Ross and Rachel to be mixing it up (relationship wise — as sparring partners, they’re awesome), I actually think that Rachel and Chandler could have made for some great TV. At the very least, Joey and Rachel should have been given the opportunity to further explore things. Rachel is responsible for cracking Ross’ shell (and vice versa), but she was cheated by not getting something fresh and interesting to explore.

Where are the million-per six these days? Schwimmer just appeared on Entourage, and keeps on popping out Madagascar babies. LeBlanc flamed out with Joey, and his very public divorce. He’s probably still laughing, though, as he bathes himself in all of those millions. Perry has dropped a movie here and there, but was most noticeably awesome in the spectacular Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. SEE IT!

Kudrow is suckling at the teat of comebacks, but nothing she’s done is of much note; it wasn’t just her character that I thought sucked. Cox is a busy little beaver, but Dirt, and her turn on Scrubs, were embarrassing resume stains. I’m not sure Cougar Town will be any different. And Aniston? She’s hilarious, awesome and a certified success. I’m only as current as what’s made it to the movie channels, but she’s been clicking since Bruce Almighty … if you ignore her guest spots on TV.

The cast of supporting and minor characters who pranced across the Friends’ stage are innumerable. But, you know something? Not many of them stick, and even many that do, don’t do so for good reasons. Okay, so respect must be paid to Gunther (James Michael Tyler), as creepy as he was. But, for example, as funny as he was in the beginning, Jack (Elliott Gould) turned into a gross old man by series end. And I never liked Judy (Christina Pickles).

It’s really just a sprinkling of significant others that I enjoyed. Phoebe’s Mike (Paul Rudd) and David (Hank Azaria), Ross’ Elizabeth (Alexandra Holden) and Mona (Bonnie Somerville), Monica’s Richard (Tom Selleck), Rachel’s Tag (Eddie Cahill) and Gavin (Dermot Mulroney) … I never realized that Phoebe dated the biggest stars! Even so, I enjoyed them, not her with them.

A couple of guests were both surprising, as well as well utilized, over the life of the series. Giovanni Ribisi as Phoebe’s brother Frank, and his wife Alice (Debra Jo Rupp); Cole Sprouse (Big Daddy) as Ben Geller; Reese Witherspoon as Rachel’s sister Jill; Max Wright as Central Perk’s Terry; the Mad About You crossover of Ursula Buffay; Chandler’s roommate Eddie (Adam Goldberg); Phoebe’s Parker (Alec Baldwin); Rachel’s other sister, Amy (Christina Applegate). Plus, the minor drop-ins of the likes of Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Ben Stiller, Sean Penn, and more. Actually, the show scored better on the shorter haul guests than on the longer ones.

Crucial to the success of the show, beyond what I’ve mentioned above, is re-watchability. TV is all about syndication, and few shows have been more successful in that respect than Friends. Of course, that’s not to ignore the different DVD-set combinations, “best of” compilations, etc. — how could you miss them? And they work because of how quotable so much of the show is. Check back for my follow-up post, a Friends’ quotes reminiscence.

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For about the first two seasons of Sliders, I was completely hooked. That’s because this kid, Quinn, was the ultimate basement tinkerer and nerd, making this incredible machine right under the noses of everyone, including his parents. As hokey as many parts of the show were, I was actually rather impressed at some of the scientific details behind how the sliding machine worked. Dare I say that some of it made actual sense?

In the pilot episode of Sliders, the main character, Quinn (Jerry O’Connell), is seen reading a book titled Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimension. I was so intrigued by the formulas and explanation behind the machine Quinn built, that I went out and bough the book. It’s really a fascinating and fantastic read, even for non-math types like me. I tore through the book in a couple of days, and it only made me more interested in the show … for some reason. Because really, in the end, it was a pretty hokey show, and no amount of “real life science” could save it from that.

The start of Sliders‘ third season in 1996 slipped by my radar, but when I found time to catch up I wasn’t pleased. The show had taken quite a turn from the fun I’d remembered in the previous two seasons, especially in how season two ended with the gang almost making it home (in fact, they seemingly did make it home, though didn’t realize it). Filming moved from Vancouver to Los Angeles so FOX could keep a closer eye on production. First, Professor Arturo (John Rhys-Davies) was killed off, then things only got worse.

Later on we’re introduced to something called the Kromagg Dynasty, throwing the show way off its base. We saw a little of them in the season two episode “Invasion,” and even then I raised an eyebrow. Could they really start bringing in quasi-aliens to the show? Would that ruin things? Yes they did and, for me, yes it did. I didn’t watch past half of season three, as I was too uninterested in the show at that point, but a quick synopsis is enough to make me thankful I didn’t continue on. The truth about Quinn’s parents; the way the show handled the absence of Quinn and brother Colin in the rest of the series; ending a five-season show with a cliffhanger. Those are just some of the disappointments capping off the later seasons of Sliders.

The oddest thing about Sliders was that, in the end, the strangest most unlikely Slider of them all wound up being the final original Slider left in the end: Rembrandt. Had most of the original cast stayed on and the series not have gone down that Kromagg path, I may have stuck around myself. Well, at least I got an introduction to a great book out of it.

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Remember the good old days, when Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally, and Sean Hayes knew where their next paychecks were coming from? Yeah … I bet they do, too. Fondly.

It’s the fate of many successful sitcom ensemble casts: good together, struggling apart. Where have our friends been recently? McCormack crashed and burned with Trust Me; Messing did the same with The Starter Wife, once the network took the training-wheels off; Mullally watched In the Motherhood die a painful death, while The Megan Mullally Show isn’t remembered for much; and Hayes hasn’t sacred up much more than a small part in The Bucket List – enjoyable, but, still.

But in their heyday? Thems were some good times.

Even though I absolutely could not stand Grace. I just couldn’t get over how needy and whiny she was, or how comfortable she was adversely affecting Will’s life. He gave her everything, and I don’t think she gave nearly enough in return. And certainly not when there was a love interest in the picture… nope, then you could just forget it.

So, what was so much fun about it? Well, Jack, for starters. Even with all of the criticism he had for Will (and Grace, but that was funny), I found him to be a better friend to Will in the long run. And Karen? Mullally is one of the funniest comedians on the planet, and so its kind of sad that she hasn’t gotten her stuff together for another successful run at a sitcom.

And when you got Jack and Karen together, the comedy just oozed from their pores. Yeah, Karen was just as cruel to Grace (and Will) as Jack was, but besides most of it coming during a state of inebriation, she was also the most fragile of the bunch.

And, how about her little Rosie (Shelley Morrison)? Whether she was giving it back good to Karen, or playing lovey-dovey with “husband” Jack, Rosario was one of the best parts of an already extremely funny show. Stereotypes abounded with her character, but she was comedy, through and through.

The most enjoyable life the show followed was Jack’s. I say “life” instead of “evolution,” because Jack never really grew. He bounced around careers, men, passions, one-man shows, and weight jokes, but, at the end of the day, he was always the same Jack. Or, “Just Jack.”

And, I found it brilliant that Karen was employed as the assistant at “Grace Adler Designs”, because it opened up a world of comedy that logically should have never existed on the show. The laughs were so smooth that I never stopped to wonder what Karen was doing with a job. Certainly not cashing those paychecks!

Will & Grace employed an army of guest actors, something that a lot of people find disagreeable. On the contrary — the only difference between this and a show like Seinfeld, in that respect, is that Seinfeld came earlier, and so caught the actors before we knew who they were. Which is to say, every good show uses a lot of famous faces… it just depends if you caught them pre or post.

One of the ones that stands out the most for me is Will’s dad, George (Sydney Pollack). What a huge coup to land an artist like Pollack in such a subtle and small role. Plus, Will had a rather difficult relationship with his father, neither of them realizing that Will’s sexual orientation didn’t matter between them. The fact that Will lost his dad while still sorting himself out was sad. And Lesley Ann Warren, George’s mistress Tina, is of note for her current role, as Brandi on In Plain Sight. She hasn’t traveled far from the mold.

I love that Jack had a sperm-donor baby, and with Rosie O’Donnell, of all people. Elliot (Michael Angarano) was an extremely funny kid, struggling to learn how to be a man from his gay father. It was the traditional things that tripped them up (sports, girls), but both played the relationship with a lot of heart.

Lorraine Finster (Minnie Driver), Karen’s husband’s other woman, was a shockingly shallow role for an actress fresh off of a Good Will Hunting high, while Beverley Leslie (Leslie Jordan) was a hilarious little peanut of a man, who never fully realized that the joke was actually on him.

I think Grace lucked out a whole bunch with her boyfriends, but her biggest mistake was letting Nathan (Woody Harrelson) go; he was the one for her. Not because Leo (Harry Connick Jr.) was bad for her, but rather because she was bad for him. I just think that Nathan was a lot more the type of guy who was prepared to deal with her nonsense, and adequately dish it back.

And, speaking of significant others, Vince (Bobby Cannavale) was the worst decision that Will ever made. If I remember correctly he was a real sicko, but James (Taye Diggs) was much more Will’s speed. Or, at least they looked good together. Same for Will and Matthew (Patrick Dempsey).

Small spots featured a ton of greats, too: Glenn Close, as a psycho photographer; Macaulay Culkin as a baby-faced shark of an attorney; Matt Damon playing gay to land a role in a gay men’s chorus; Michael Douglas, an aggressive, closeted homosexual cop; Andy Garcia as Karen’s former lover; the legen … wait for it … dary Neil Patrick Harris as a reformer of homosexuals; Dylan McDermott, momma’s boy; Demi Moore, babysitter to adults; Luke Perry, gay birdwatcher; Jeremy Piven, still (or, already) a pervert; Britney Spears, who I generally dislike, pulling Jack’s show out from under him; Wanda Sykes, interviewing to be Karen’s surrogate, and countless others.

Which is not to forget the great “starring as self” actors, either, like Kevin Bacon, Candice Bergen, Cher, Sandra Bernhard, Elton John, James Earl Jones, Matt Lauer, Jennifer Lopez, Barry Manilow, Martina Navratilova, Bebe Neuwirth, Al Roker, George Takei… Are you really going to tell me they were all mistakes?

I actually just reminded myself of two great Jack eras: Jack as a TV executive and talk show host, and Jack as an acting class teacher. He was so out there, that anything and everything made sense. And made me laugh. Sean Hayes could voice a fish and be funny… hey!

The strength of a show like Will & Grace, and the strength of Will & Grace itself, is the ability of the writers to weave together so many different pieces of funny into one flowing tapestry. That includes guests, and outrageous plotlines, and even a little of the physical humor. It was a job well done, and while I realize that they couldn’t go any further with things, I still regret that it had to end.

As Rosario said, in response to Karen’s “Why you ingrate – when I met you, you were boxing donkeys for money.”… “You pulled me outta Business School, you tipsy witch!”

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Due to a combination of lax parental oversight and just being kind of a weird kid, I spent what would now be called my “tween” years in a weird horror phase. From the age of about 9-12, or so, I rented every single Friday the 13th movie, every Alfred Hitchcock movie I could get my hands on, as well as other random horror films. This dovetailed with another obsession I had at the time — Nick at Night. I would watch Dragnet, Dobie Gillis, and Car 54, Where Are You? constantly — but as much as I enjoyed those shows, none of them ever came close to my absolute favorite: Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Since I was already familiar with his films, it brought me no end of delight to find out that there was a TV show that basically had 30-minute versions of Alfred Hitchcock movies. They were dark, scary, gruesome, and even funny at times. They were everything I wanted, and I got to see them all the time.

Even the intro was awesome. The scary music, the simple line-drawing of a silhouette, and then finally, the man himself, slowly walking onto the screen. I still get chills watching it.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents Intro:

While the episodes themselves generally dealt with murder and betrayal, they were unlike anything else on television at the time — or, really, at any other time either. The Twilight Zone comes close, thematically, in a lot of ways, but AHP doesn’t deal with the supernatural or the unexplainable; the bad guys here are people you know. They could be your wife, mother, father, husband, neighbor, or even you.

The bad guys don’t always lose, either. In fact, they probably won more than they lost on this show. Take, for instance, my favorite episode of all time: “Lamb to the Slaughter.” A wife bludgeons her husband to death, and feeds the murder weapon to the policemen investigating the crime. The episode ends with her laughing maniacally as they enjoy their dinner.

The episode, incidentally, was based on a short story by Roald Dahl. For a kid who was also at the time reading James and the Giant Peach, and The Witches, this was a very confusing time, indeed.

“Lamb to the Slaughter:”

(You can watch the rest of the episode on YouTube).

The thing that really made the show, and Hitchcock himself, so creepy was that it often used gallows humor. Like, real gallows humor. The way each episode was structured had Hitchcock speaking to the audience at the beginning of the episode to intro the story, and at the end, to crack a joke, teach a “lesson,” or sometimes, as was with “Lamb,” even give a bit of an epilogue. One of the funniest/creepiest examples is Hitchcock’s “cure for insomnia.”

Cure for Insomnia:

The fact that this is what shaped my childhood probably explains a lot about me now. I know that there are a lot of episodes I missed, so I fully intend to catch up with whatever I haven’t seen, since this truly is an amazing show (with well over a hundred episodes). Most of them are available on Hulu, so if you haven’t seen this show in a while, or never before, you can start now.

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As with most of the series that I’ve chosen to flashback to, writing about The Sopranos frightens me. How in the world is it possible to reflect on the magnitude of this work in just a (relatively) short post?

There’s only one place to start: this 86-episode opus, which spanned eight and-a-half years, and six (or five, and one in two parts) seasons, was a giant. While we spend the rest of this reminiscence dissecting, never lose sight of that fact. A giant.

I wasn’t a fan from the beginning. In fact, I think I consciously kept my distance, because I found it insulting that television would try and trample on the sacred grounds of The Godfather and Goodfellas. But my father-in-law (back when he was just my very longtime girlfriend’s father) would always tell me how great a series The Sopranos was. His favorite parts were Tony’s (James Gandolfini) sessions with Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), as he, himself, is a Freudian psychoanalyst. I know, right?

Needless to say, I enjoyed that aspect of the show least, but it was one particular encounter that my father-in-law relayed to me that finally got me to check out the show: when Dr. Melfi is raped, and she determines, in the end, not to tell Tony about it. I so disagreed with my in-law’s position that she made the right decision that I needed to see it for myself, in order to properly articulate my argument. I disagree with him to this day, but he got me hooked. Thanks for that.

The Sopranos zoomed in on Tony Soprano, a man caught between his two families, and the worlds in which each lived. Tony was a man of contradictions, a guy talking about what Catholics don’t do, while cheating on his wife and murdering other human beings. But, in his own way, God was a major factor in his life. Otherwise, why would he waste his breath on him?

A lot about Tony can be summarized in his insatiable appetite for all things that appealed to him. It was true with women and money, just as much as it was true with his quest for happiness, and cementing his legacy. Tony never heard the word “enough,” so he never cut himself off. There’s a reason the producers weren’t happy with Gandolfini the season that he showed up slimmed down.

I never really understood why Tony couldn’t have presented his therapy with Dr. Melfi as court-ordered. Would it have been so hard to believe? And, at the same time, wouldn’t it have saved everyone a lot of angst?

Melfi faced a tough situation, too, what with helping a gangster cope with “how to be a better, more adjusted, gangster.” The truth is that, while her moral dilemma may have been authentic, it all felt very staged. In my mind, you either believe in the Hippocratic Oath, or you don’t … I don’t see the grey. Were I faced with setting John Wilkes Booth’s leg, followed by a prison sentence for treason, I’m not sure how I would act, but I would hope that every medical professional would “treat the patient.” What’s Melfi’s problem with that?

I was also very much not into her own therapy sessions. The idea preceded In Treatment (a show my father-in-law is wild over. My wife and I won’t even turn it on), and was as bad on The Sopranos as I imagine it to be on In Treatment. Who wants to see a shrink shrunk? They can’t even let someone else analyze them – “Almost Elliot, you almost had it.” – No, Jennifer, he DOES have it, because he’s YOUR shrink.

Melfi’s rape was a painful arc to watch. There was an intimacy that we’d forged with her, and it was difficult to literally SEE her go through that. All the stupid dream interpretations aside, I don’t understand why she didn’t let Tony loose. Forget the ethics of the situation for a moment; Tony would have acted out of love — genuine emotion — for her. Had her ex or son had any nerve, they would have done it themselves. So why, besides his being a patient, would it have been different for Tony to actually get the job done? I just don’t see the moral and ethical inhibition on that one.

As significant as Tony and Melfi’s relationship was, it wasn’t at the heart of the series. Family was. You know, the show would have been lacking without them, but I seriously couldn’t stand Tony’s immediate family. I secretly prayed that they would up and disappear in the middle of the night, but, at the same time, I didn’t feel that Carmela (Edie Falco) deserved to escape from her unhappiness. Petty, I know.

I was never sure why Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) didn’t die a painful death, or go to Berkeley and never return. AJ (Robert Iler), as a kid, was annoying, but his young-adult persona made no sense to me. Was he supposed to be Tony minus the swagger? He was just an idiot, with an unsubstantiated lack of drive, and depression. Too bad he made it out of his car alive before it burned, although that would have been too little, too late.

Tony’s mother, Livia (Nancy Marchand), was neither the great actress that people said, nor was her character of interest to me. And, sister Janice (Aida Turturro) should never have left that ashram, or Seattle (she ruined at least three men that we saw back in Jersey), because there was a big “Not Welcome” sign hanging over the East Coast for her.

But, family who was also Family? Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) never stopped being a confused kid who didn’t know up from down, and I despised the way he treated Adriana (Drea de Matteo), but he was a great character on the show, who allowed us to see both sides of Tony without being subjected to the latter’s returning home. I loved how Christopher grew from that kid in the baseball cap, into a top guy in the Soprano Family. Imperioli totally didn’t deserve to have his legacy saddled with Life on Mars.

Uncle Junior, played by the great Dominic Chianese, while a bit too crotchety for me, was a great foil for Tony’s success; a man twice shoved back in line, first by a brother, then a nephew. Thank God he never had a son. Junior was also a hard case to cozy up to, what with the way he treated all those around him, and his constant scheming at cutting his “little nephew” down to size. But, by the end of the series, Junior had grown into somewhat of a giant; AJ didn’t deserve to be the one to kill him, so thank goodness he was too much of a wuss to have done it, anyway.

More Family than family was cousin Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi), whose stint on the show was awesome, and a great example of how to add a star without over-shadowing the rest of the cast. His and Christopher’s little rivalry was inspired, too. Buscemi is an artist, and by not only lending his acting, but also his directing (four episodes) skills to the show, Buscemi made the acceptably redundant statement that The Sopranos is one for the ages.

There was a core group who consistently stayed in Tony’s sphere throughout, and then a rotating bunch of guys who came and went. Christopher was present from day one, as was Silvio Dante (Steve Van Zandt), and Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri (Tony Sirico). Sil was a solid consigliere, with a rational outlook on things (except when he was gambling). His brief stint as Acting-Boss aside, Sil was great for the show. And, Van Zandt has the mug of a gangster, so it freaks me out to see him as he really is, bandanna on his head as he plays guitar with the E Street Band. Wild.

Paulie, on the other hand, spent a lot of time complaining, and then later questioning his position in the family. But there was something about Paulie’s totally off-the-wall fears and superstitions that I loved, and his “silver wings” only had a little something to do with it. I also really liked any and all business dealings that Paulie and Christopher had together; who could forget the Russian in the woods?

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I’ve got to be perfectly honest -- when That ’70s Show was on the air, I never watched it. It wasn’t until two or three years ago that I caught some re-runs and went, “Holy crapballs, this show is freaking amazing.”

I knew about it, of course. I’ve had a massive, raging crush on Topher Grace since Win a Date with Tad Hamilton. (Topher, you could do so much better than Kate Bosworth. Can I interest you in, say, me?) When he doesn’t have his haircut that makes him look like an eight year old, he still makes my stomach do funny fluttery things. But I never felt the need to watch the show. What a dumb premise, I thought. A show about people in the ’70s? How do you pitch that to studio executives? I can just see a bunch of nervous, eager writers lining up and going, “Look, we’ve got this idea for a show about a bunch of kids in the ’70s. And we will call it… That ’70s Show.” If I was an executive, I would have laughed in their faces and kicked them out of my office.

This is why I am not an executive.

There is no reason why this show should be good. It’s predictable, kitschy, and inflicted upon the world Ashton Kutcher. But there’s something about it that makes it utterly perfect to just sit and marathon the entire day on YouTube when you really don’t want to do anything else. It’s easy, it’s light, and I’m sorry, Fez is kind of hilarious, even if he did date Lindsay Lohan. I could watch the Red and Kitty show for hours. I don’t even mind the stupid circles and weird and cheesy transition clips! Or laugh track! It’s a freaking miracle!

I think the single greatest thing about this show was the Jackie/Hyde relationship. I mean, the seasons before those two crazy kids hooked up weren’t bad, but when they were together the show was pure magic (and when they broke up, the show jumped the shark. Fast). They were so perfect together with their opposites attract, love-to-hate-you, old married couple routine.

And then there’s Fez. Oh, Fez. He’s my sister’s absolute favorite character, and he might be mine too. I honestly am kind of awed that Wilmer Valderrama had the acting chops to pull off this character, since his work since this show has mostly comprised of Yo Mama.

And of course there’s my love, Topher Grace. Mmmm. BaCON.

Was anyone else a fan of That ’70s Show?

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Reminiscing aside, Dr. Katz was, and remains, one of my favorite shows.

At it’s core, Dr. Katz was a pretty ingenious idea. It followed the animated life of Dr. Katz – if you hadn’t guessed, he was a professional therapist. The catch was that all his patients (more or less) were stand-up comedians. The patients would come into Dr. Katz’s office and spout some of their best bits. Most stand-up is pretty much just therapy for the comedian to begin with, so most of the bits fit perfectly in the setting. Each episode featured a couple guest stars. The long list of comics who dropped by included the following: Denis Leary, Garry Shandling, Sarah Silverman, Conan O’Brien, Kathy Griffin, Joy Behar, Dave Chappelle, Whoopi Goldberg, Ray Romano, Jon Stewart, and Rodney Dangerfield, just to name a few.

Here is a clip of Jim Gaffigan that perfectly illustrates a typical episode, with Gaffigan’s bit about the manatee, animated, while Dr. Katz listens.

As the series grew in popularity even some bigger name actors took their turns on Dr. Katz’s sofa. Jeff Goldblum, David Duchovny, Winona Ryder, famous playwright David Mamet, and Lisa Kudrow, all did guest stints.

The stand-up and guest stars weren’t the only part of the show, though. About half of each episode featured the life and times of Dr. Katz. This usually meant following the exploits of Dr. Katz’s lazy son Ben, or his sarcastic assistant Laura, as they interacted, and generally made life difficult for Dr. Katz. The show could have been a real flop if this part of each show were boring. However, Jonathan Katz has such a dry, clever sense of humor, that sometimes he even overshadowed the big name guest stars. The humor was always subtle and clever, and rarely disappointed.

The clip below features the subtle and bizarre comedy of David Duchovny, who feels more comfortable in the closet than the waiting room. It also shows Laura the secretary at her best – completely disinterested in her job.

A nostalgic romp into the world of Dr. Katz wouldn’t be complete without some commentary on the animation style. Lovingly called “Squigglevision“, the computer animation was unique and charming. Well, I always liked it. When I started rewatching the show recently on my 50 inch TV, it gave my roommate a headache. In any case, Squigglevision gave Dr. Katz a very unique style.

Were you a fan of Dr. Katz? Did you think it was as clever and witty as I did? I still miss it and love to revisit my DVDs every now and then. If you’ve missed the show, I definitely recommend checking it out, especially if you’re a fan of stand-up comedy.

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It was sort of a hipper version of thirtysomething, with Sela Ward and Billy Campbell playing two divorcees who meet and become involved, thus entangling everyone else in their lives, including kids, ex-spouses and co-workers.

When I think about Once and Again, the first thing that comes to mind is the incredible actors involved with the show, and none of them were hard to look at either. I had the biggest crush on Billy Campbell — oh, sorry, he likes to be called “Bill” now — and Sela Ward became a household name because of her role as Lily.

Lots of other stars emerged from Once and Again, too: Shane West, who scored a nice gig as Dr. Ray Barnett on ER and has been working steadily in movies; Evan Rachel Wood, who now has an amazing movie career, including starring opposite Mickey Rourke in last year’s runaway hit The Wrestler; Ever Carradine, who’s had great roles in 24, Women’s Murder Club, and Eureka; Jeffrey Nordling, who played the role of Larry Moss on 24 this past season; Todd Field, who went on to direct and/or write many feature films, including the award-winning Little Children in 2006; and Marin Hinkle, who plays Judith Melnick on Two and a Half Men.

Once and Again ran for three seasons, and it was just a really good drama with some comedy thrown in. It was helmed by Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick, the Bedford Falls team who brought us thirtysomething and My So-Called Life, so it went beyond the easy soap opera storylines and got into the nitty-gritty of trying to blend two families who didn’t always want to be blended.

Along with all of the interpersonal drama, the show tackled some touchy issues, like drug abuse, mental illness, eating disorders, and even sexual identity.

From the first few episodes, I knew Once and Again was a show I’d want to have in my collection, so I’ve still got the entire series taped on VHS. The first two seasons were released and discontinued on DVD, but you can still find used copies on Amazon. Season three is yet to be released, but hopefully, we’ll see that sometime in the future, too. If you like the Herskovitz/Zwick style of TV shows, I definitely recommend it.

Anyone else a fan of Once and Again?

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I had a friend growing up who was completely enamored with Seinfeld. He was one of those guys who drank in everything that their older brother had to offer, and so he picked up on the show, one that wasn’t really meant for those of us in junior high. Yet, even with his constant chatter about Seinfeld, his random quoting from Seinlanguage, even his dressing up as Kramer when the occasion called for it, I wasn’t interested.

In fact, none of us were. Sure, we all watched the series finale of the acclaimed sitcom, but that was just because it was something that you did. People talk about the unprecedented audience for the M*A*S*H finale, but part of that unbelievable number lay in the fact that that’s what you did: you watched the swan song of a legend. Of course, with no frame of reference for the series, I was left with a rather unsatisfied feeling when Seinfeld drew to a close. But, the show was over, and would surely drift into the night.

A few years later, as a college freshman, I knew a guy who was very into the whole Internet thingy. He would scour the web, capturing and burning all manner of shows that both were, and weren’t, on the air anymore. With nothing to keep me occupied during my time in college, I started to borrow random CDs from him, catching myself up on hundreds of hours of television that I’d never before seen. Among those discoveries? Seinfeld. And that’s where the love affair began.

Honestly, I was a bit stumped as to how to attack this project that I assigned myself. What do I say about a show so monumental, so groundbreaking, as Seinfeld? On the other hand, how do I fit all there is to say into one post? It may seem ridiculous, but this is not an easy task.

You see, for all the people who still don’t get Seinfeld today, there are hundreds, upon thousands, upon millions of us, who simply can’t get enough. Why do you think it’s constantly on television? I’ve seen the entire series at least a dozen times, and I keep on coming back for more.

I think it’s pointless to discuss the greater meaning of the series. For those in the know, there are ten opinions for every person, as to what made it so great. And for everyone who keeps refusing to take joy in the simple pleasure of comedy done right? If Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Michael Richards couldn’t convince you otherwise, I certainly won’t be able to articulate an argument here that’ll make you tune in. So let’s stick to our reminiscing.

Where to begin? Let’s start with the big four, and expand outward from there.

Jerry Seinfeld: Played by Seinfeld himself, Jerry was the epicenter of this phenomenal masterpiece. Granted, Jerry never fully turned himself into an actor, but his growth in the field was an impressive effort, made by a man who never wanted to be one in the first place. Seinfeld was, and is, a comedian extraordinaire, and the brilliance of the show owes a lot to his writing, his humor, and his mind.

There’s a progression in the series that begins with Jerry as the lead and the ensemble as support, and culminates in an intricately interwoven set of four storylines that are all interrelated. And the amazing thing is that you couldn’t really see it coming. While the formula was in place for the latter six seasons, or so, each and every episode led us to believe that the main four characters were heading down solitary roads, only to discover at different points of the half hour that all of the paths naturally converged.

There’s a lacking today in sitcoms. No, I’m not simply referring to the quality, which is a given. More than that, is shows’ inability to really maintain an ensemble feel throughout the life of a single arc, let alone an entire series run. While many succeed on a one-off basis, none have managed to maintain the high level of writing and planning necessary to do so for the long haul. Jerry Seinfeld succeeded at many things on his show, and the biggest one of all was how he managed and nurtured it.

It puzzles me to this day how Jerry the character managed to date as many beautiful women as he did. I realize that it was television, but my guess is that Jerry the real person led this exact life. Even as a lowly standup. While I fully believe the legend that he’s not the nicest of people, his character clearly had a certain charm that made his life of leisure not only possible, but probable. I know that he struggled to find his footing (I’ve read Seinfeld: The Making of an American Icon, numerous times), but Jerry really did find success in nightclubs and on talk shows. He is one of the few who managed to break out of the pack, and really become a headliner.

Which is why, in real life, he blazed the path for comedians to television. Ray Romano, and Paul Reiser, to name but two, owe a large debt to the man known as Seinfeld. And he left behind another legacy that can’t be minimized: today, we constantly refer back to Seinfeld as a prime example of a show that would have never survived in the current environment of series turnover. Seinfeld bounced around the week, taking a few years to finds its audience … can anyone argue with the results?

I realize that I haven’t said much about Jerry Seinfeld the character, but the truth is that there isn’t a considerable amount that stands out about him from the show. Not to minimize how great he was, but rather to applaud the series on successfully utilizing Jerry as the center that the rest of the series’ crazy rotated around. As neurotic, and out-of-his-mind, as Jerry was, he was generally the voice of reason when it came to most matters. Which is exactly what he was supposed to be.

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Silk Stalkings

Anyway, I got a television for graduation and late at night, that’s what I did. Donna Reed and Mary Tyler Moore were role models for the wife and mother I’d someday become (thank you, Nick at Nite), but Rita, oh Rita Lee Lance led the life of excitement and danger that I craved, with a hunky partner (my first crush of many on Rob Estes’s characters) Christopher Lorenzo.

Then there was the sex. I think Silk Stalkings was the most riskee TV show I’d ever seen. Maybe I led a sheltered life, but c’mon, I was watching The Donna Reed Show for crying out loud, work with me. Sex, drugs, danger; I found Silk Stalkings to be dark and suspenseful, but the partners and their bosses (all three were great!) had so much spark and chemistry (banter, if you will) that it was light enough to be entertaining.

But back to the dark and scary for a moment, because I don’t think I’m explaining that right. There was something so artistic done with the lighting on this show, that a mood was created that fascinated me. This was Miami (Palm Beach, if you want to get specific), but not the pastel-ed, palm-treed Miami of Miami Vice. Somehow they juxtaposed brightly colored sets with darkened lighting to create a unique mood exclusive to Silk Stalkings. Sexy, suspenseful, dark and creepy, but so, so appealing. Are you worried about my deviant nature yet? Check it out in this clip… you’ll see just what I mean:

And here you get a very good idea of the chemistry the two leads, Estes and Capture have:

The cases added to the sexy nature of the show, because they were all about hookers and drugs… how do I convince you that this really was quality television if you haven’t seen it? Just because the guest actresses were always high and in their underwear didn’t make it any less compelling. There was a magic to Silk Stalkings that would draw you in, with the cinematic artistry, the writing and the chemistry of the actors.

Don’t talk to me about the later seasons when Capture and Estes were replaced by another team of cops… there was no Silk Stalkings for me without the original duo, even though the series lasted for three more seasons. Good for them, but I don’t handle change very well, so by then I’d moved on to Friends and Early Edition. There’s such a fondness in my heart for Chris and Rita, the darkness of Miami after dark and the love of raunchy TV they instilled in me all those years ago. Thank you Stephen J. Cannell, for your sex-tainted vision of a detective show.

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The summer of ‘03 was a weird time for me. I graduated college and decided to study abroad in Ireland. When I returned home in July, I didn’t have a job or a place to live. I basically lived in my pajamas on my mother’s couch until I secured a job in September. I was broke and depressed and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Then The O.C. premiered.

I actually didn’t watch the pilot, because I had no interest in teen dramas. I had never really been a fan of 90210, and as a recent college graduate, my teenage years were behind me. I didn’t think this show had anything to offer me, so instead I spent all day watching Trading Spaces on TLC and cross-stitching, even though I hate things that are cross-stitched.

When the second episode came around, a friend of mine decided to have people over to watch it, saying that it was really a lot better than he expected. I was wary, but since my human contact was comprised mostly of making catty comments to myself about the Trading Spaces designers, I decided to go. It was that night that I fell in love with The O.C.

The O.C. was impressive because it managed to at once be a typical teen drama, while making fun of typical teen dramas. The writing was genuinely good, and it handled very common TV fare in ways that I hadn’t really seen before. It had heart, and yes, even “very important lessons,” but it was also funny. The O.C. rarely delved into melodrama, and when it did, it was quickly followed by a joke that reminded you not to take it all too seriously.

The clip above perfectly illustrates what makes this show great: a funny line followed by some ridiculous violence. Everybody was always throwing punches in The O.C. From the night where we first met Luke and he knocked Ryan out before uttering the famous line, “Welcome to The O.C., bitch,” to when Marissa’s dad gets his ass kicked at a debutante ball, nobody in the entire county was safe from a fist to the nose. In fact, there were so many fights that later on in the series, it became a running joke on the show.

Here’s a small sampling of the fights just from season one:

What really made the first season of The O.C. though was Seth and Summer. Adam Brody and Rachel Bilson dated throughout most of the show’s run, and their on-screen chemistry is palpable. Episode 7, “The Escape,” when Ryan, Marissa, Seth and Summer all go down to Mexico is the first time we really get to see how these very different characters are kind of perfect for each other. It also shows how the prissy, snotty Summer can actually be really funny.

The first season became so ridiculously successful, that FOX extended its order to a staggering 27 episodes. Looking through them again now, outside of the whole Oliver saga, most of them were outstanding. Very few shows can put together a solid 12 episode season, much less a 27-episode one, but season 1 of The O.C. did just that.

Not only did they put together some great television, but they used music in a way that no one else really was at the time. From the introduction of what would become their iconic theme song early on in the pilot,

to the use of Ryan Adams’ cover of “Wonderwall” toward the end of this Seth and Summer scene,

to Alexi Murdoch’s “Orange Sky” with Ryan, Marissa and Seth,

the music was an integral part of this show, acting as another character.

Despite this strong showing, or maybe because of it, the quality began to fall off in season 2 with the over-emphasis of Seth’s ironic hipsterdom and just continued on a downward spiral. But regardless of anything that came after that, The O.C. had a pretty perfect season (which spawned some great soundtracks). The O.C. Season 1 was the first TV on DVD purchase I ever made, and to this day I’ll put on a couple of episodes and it never fails to put me in a good mood.

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I don’t even know where to begin when discussing My So-Called Life, there were so many stellar aspects. I think it is the one teen drama that I’ve seen that treated the teenage condition with respect and realism. The characters on this show were real. They weren’t the overly intellectualized caricatures that were featured on Dawson’s Creek, and they weren’t the cheesy way-too-pretty characters from 90210. The characters on My So-Called Life came across as real, true people. From the always soul-searching Angela, to the free spirit Rayanne, nerdy Brian, or prissy Sharon, all these characters were people worth knowing. I loved how the relationships of all the teens ebbed and flowed so naturally. Like so many people in high school, they were friends one day, enemies the next, some unlikely friends, and some soul mates. The relationships were always honest and genuine.

I loved the way that the show captured the angst of teen life without becoming overly sentimental. Angela Chase, as played by Claire Danes, was a great main character. Like so many people trying to find themselves in high school she changed friends, changed looks, and changed her attitude in a struggle to find where she fit in. Yes, there was a whole lot of pining over boys, and fighting with friends over little things, but this show was so much more than that. It dealt with issues like abuse, homosexuality, drug use, and yes, even dyslexia with respect.

Another aspect of the show that I really appreciated were the parents. Angela’s mom and dad were allowed to be real, flawed characters. The show didn’t just focus on the kids, but spent enough time with the parents to make them integral parts of the show. We got to see them grow, change, and question their lives just like the teenagers, and it really helped to add dimension to the program.

The show launched several careers. Some of them were more successful (Claire Danes) than others (Jared Leto). I think so many shows have tried to recapture the magic that was My So-Called Life, but I don’t think any have come close. Maybe it was just that I was at the right age when I watched My So-Called Life, but I thought it was so far superior to more popular shows like Dawson’s Creek, which I always hated.

Were you a fan of the angst ridden show? If not, I highly recommend tracking it down. Unfortunately, it’s not a very big time commitment as there were only 19 episodes of the show. It was cut down in it’s prime in one of the worst cancellations of all time. Stupid ratings.

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Dude. When I was a teenager, I was obsessed with Sifl and Olly. I don’t even know how to explain it, but I can tell you this: sock puppets are awesome.

It started when I was around 14. My older brother was staying with us after he had surgery on his knee, and we were about to move to South Korea at the end of the summer. We were all so stressed out, but my brother and I got a break from it all watching Sifl and Olly on MTV late at night and laughing our asses off.

A year later, after moving back to the States, I found out my best friend loved the show just as much as I did and we cracked ourselves up (and believe me, we were the only ones laughing) talking about sock puppets and people who look like sock puppets. Dave Grohl? Sock puppet. Our newest American Idol, Kris Allen, is definitely a puppet of the sock variety.

For those unfamiliar with The Sifl and Olly Show, it goes a little something like this: Sifl, the black sock puppet, and Olly, the white one, were the hosts of the show. Besides the puppet thing, the show was a lot like a half hour version of the skits you see on SNL about a talk show on a public access channel. Two dudes trying so hard to be professional, but it just doesn’t quite pan out. There was a variety of regularly featured segments, as well as a lot of funny banter in between. Here are just a few of them, but if you want to see more, there is a wealth of Sifl and Olly videos on YouTube, which was a happy surprise to me when I started thinking about this post.

A Word with Chester and Letters to Chester

Most sockheads I know will say that Chester is their favorite character. He’s not mine (that title goes to Olly, after whom one of my dogs is named), but he is pretty awesome. And by awesome, I mean that he’s socially awkward, loves bubbles, and sounds like a serial killer when he talks about women. He is also a very accomplished cook, as he demonstrates when he’s asked to share one of his favorite recipes.

Precious Roy’s Home Shopping Network

Oh, I loved Precious Roy, and especially his intro song. “Precious Roy, Precious Roy, makin’ lots of suckers out of girls and boys!” Some of his more memorable products were Precious Roy’s Pirate Cripplers, Edible Sandals, and Chicken Flavored Air Conditioning, a personal favorite of mine. And a visit from Precious Roy wouldn’t be complete without him calling us all “Suckers!”

Rock Facts

You know how you’ll be watching CNN or some other news show and they ask a trivia question right before the break, and answer it when they come back? That’s what Rock Facts was. Only, most of them involved Björk and none of them were actually facts. What male singer has been in every single rock band since 1975? Björk. What hidden talent does Celine Dion hide from her fans? Why, she’s a world class bass-fisherman, and can fit four pool balls in her mouth at once. What, you didn’t know that?

Musical Numbers

You know that song, “United States of Whatever”? It originated with Sifl and Olly. Liam Lynch, who released the song on his album “Fake Songs“, was co-creator and co-writer for the show, as well as providing the voice (and hand) of Olly, the first person puppet to sing the song. That may have been the only song from Sifl and Olly to ever reach the top 10 in two different countries, but it wasn’t the only one worth remembering.  There was “Rock n Roll Friends,” “Baby for Gravy,” and of course, “Crescent Fresh.”

I’m ashamed to say that I actually forgot about Crescent Fresh, both the term and the amazingly hilarious song that goes with it. My friend’s (the same one from above) husband wrote on his Facebook status not too long ago that he was crescent fresh, and I had no idea what he was talking about. For shame…to make up for it, I give you the song that explains the meaning of “Crescent Fresh.” May it give you the giggles as much as it did me.

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