Benjamonster's TV

Here's a look at my Top 5 TV news stories of the week! After today, the blog will be taking a holiday break and will return with all new posts on January 4! #1 - LOTS OF REBOOTS COMING This week had a lot of news of reboots & revivals. Of course that's a very popular trend on TV in general but it felt like we had a lot of news on that front this week. NBC is going back to the 80s with the announcement that they are developing a new version of hit comedy  Night Court , which ran from 1984-1992. It will feature celebrated original star John Larroquette and center on the daughter of original character Harry Stone (the late Harry Anderson). The next day we got the news that L.A. Law , which ran from 1986-1994 on NBC, is in development to be revived at ABC with original star Blair Underwood returning. ABC is also eying a primetime sequel series to All My Children with Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos attached to executive produce and perhaps appear. All those shows are in developm...

After this week, there will be a two week break on the blog for the holidays so the next Thursday "Episode Guides" post will be on January 7. THAT 70s SHOW: SEASON FIVE 2002-2003 25 episodes Season five of  That 70s Show  is the last to feature most of the teenage gang in high school. The season starts pretty weakly but picks up some steam as it moves along. There's a stretch of great episodes where they bring a lot of the cast together and that always works better for this show. Although there are some stories that go on too long with Eric and Donna and Kitty's menopause, there are other fresher stories like Hyde and Jackie's relationship and the growing hilarity of Fez as a character. Each episode this season took its name from a Led Zeppelin song. Starring Topher Grace as Eric Forman  (25 episodes) Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart  (25 episodes) Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso  (25 episodes) Danny Masterson as Steven Hyde  (25 episodes) Laura Prepon as Donn...

After this week, there will be a two week break on the blog for the holidays so the next Wednesday "One Season Wonders" post will be on January 6.  MAYBE THIS TIME Programming Details: September 15, 1995 - February 17, 1996 18 episodes ABC Starring:  Marie Osmond, Betty White, Ashley Johnson, Amy Hill, Craig Ferguson Created by:  Michael Jacobs, Bob Young & Susan Estelle Johnson Plot: Julia Wallace (Osmond) is a recent divorcee running a bakery with her mother, Shirley (White) while also trying to raise her daughter Gracie (Johnson).

After this week, there will be a two week break on the blog for the holidays so the next "Top 10 Tuesday" post will be on January 5. After two weeks of looking at Christmas episodes of sitcoms, this is my Top 10 Drama Christmas Episodes ! Close Calls: The Twilight Zone "Night of the Meek" This is Us "Last Christmas" American Dreams "Tidings of Comfort and Joy" 10. 7th Heaven "Here Comes Santa Claus" (December 14, 1998) Why not? I'll admit I'm not as well versed on dramas as I am on comedies, especially older ones, so I'm sure I'm missing some great Christmas episodes of classic dramas just because I haven't seen them. But this was a memorable episode from my childhood and it had a nice "Gift of the Magi" spin in one of the stories. It was festive and fun and before the show really went off the rails. 9. Scandal "Baby It's Cold Outside" (November 19, 2015) This episode was somewhat controversia...

After this week, there will be a two week break on the blog for the holidays so the next Monday "Schedules from the Past" post will be on January 4. Here's a look at Sundays in the 1986-87 season! ABC 7:00 8:00 9:00 10:00 Sep The Disney Sunday Movie Sunday Night Movie Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May In the previous season, ABC had taken over the  Wonderful World of Disney  franchise at midseason and rechristened it as  The Disney Sunday Movie . For the whole 1986-87 season, they simply aired two movies. Their  Sunday Night Movie  was a distant third behind the CBS and NBC movies on the same night.

Here's a look at this week's Top 5 TV news stories! #1 - TONS OF DISNEY+ NEWS All five news items this week could probably come from the Disney investors meeting but I'll jam it into this first post. Most of the highlights at the event were for Disney+ where original content will be ramping up in a major way over the next couple years. Among the highlights: Hayden Christensen will reprise his film role of Anakin Skywalker for a new Star Wars series, Obi-Wan Kenobi . There was a series order for Lando , a Star Wars prequel that is rumored to be starring film portrayer Donald Glover. Samuel L. Jackson will reprise his MCU role as Nick Fury and star in Secret Invasion. Tatiana Maslany will star in a TV version of She-Hulk and Mark Ruffalo will also appear.  The Falcon and Winter Soldier will premiere on March 19, 2021 while Loki will follow in May. Finally, there will be series based on the films Moana, Big Hero 6, The Princess and the Frog, Up and Cars . Whew. And those were ...

THAT 70s SHOW: SEASON FOUR 2001-2002 27 episodes Season 4 of  That 70s Show  has a couple story arcs that last the entire season. The fall-out from Eric and Donna's breakup, Bob's divorce and the on-going drama between Jackie and Kelso really drive stories from the very beginning of the season to the very end.  That 70s Show  sometimes had trouble not getting to major moments or turning points in their long arcs and that happens from time to time in season four. But there are also still plenty of standout episodes and some of the laugh out loud funniest moments of the entire series. There's also a really unfortunate 100th episode. Starring Topher Grace as Eric Forman  (27 episodes) Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart  (27 episodes) Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso  (27 episodes) Danny Masterson as Steven Hyde  (27 episodes) Laura Prepon as Donna Pinciotti  (27 episodes) Wilmer Valderrama as Fez  (27 episodes) Debra Jo Rupp as Kitty Forman ...

LIFE WITH LUCY Programming Details: September 20, 1986 - November 15, 1986 8 episodes ABC Starring: Lucille Ball, Gale Gordon, Ann Dusenberry, Larry Anderson, Jenny Lewis, Philip J. Amelio II, and Donovan Scott Created by: Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn Davis Plot: Lucille Ball returned to TV as Lucy Barker, a grandmother who moves in with her daughter, Margo (Dusenberry) and son-in-law, Ted (Anderson) and grandchildren, Becky and Kevin (Lewis & Amelio). Lucy also contends with longtime foil Gale Gordon as Ted's father, Curtis. Rounding out the main cast is an employee at Curtis' hardware store, Leonard (Scott). 

Last week, I took a look at my favorite Christmas sitcom episodes from before 1995, this week is Top 10 Christmas Sitcom Episodes (1995-Present)! Close Calls: The Middle "The Christmas Tree" The Goldbergs "A Christmas Story" Modern Family "Undeck the Halls" 10. Hey Arnold! "Arnold's Christmas" (December 11, 1996) Hey Arnold! holds up about the best of any Nicktoon from the 90s (although Doug gives it a run for its money). It always had a great blend of humor and heart and the first Christmas episode really pulls at the heartstrings with the story of Arnold trying to reunite a lonely neighbor with his daughter. It's a really touching Christmas story. 9. 8 Simple Rules "All I Want for Christmas" (December 10, 2002) This episode aired on the same night and network as an episode still to come on this list. The first season of 8 Simple Rules , before John Ritter's untimely death, is a very underrated season of comedy and I think ...

Here's a look at Saturdays in the 1986-87 season! ABC 8:00 8:30 9:00 10:00 Sep Life with Lucy The Ellen Burstyn Show Heart of the City Spenser: For Hire Oct Nov Dec Sidekicks Sledge Hammer! Jan Ohara Feb Mar Apr Starman May Without a doubt, the saddest flop of the 1986-87 season came on Saturday nights on ABC. After not having a regular TV series for 12 years, ABC was able to coax the legendary Lucille Ball back to TV with  Life with Lucy . They gave her complete control and she brought back her old writers and co-star Gale Gordon. However, TV had evolved by 1986 and the show felt incredibly dated. Ball was greeted by huge ovations in the studio audience and did not seem to see that the show was severely lacking in quality. The network had no cont...

 Here's a look at this week's Top 5 TV news stories! #1 - "SUPERSTORE" ENDING WITH SEASON SIX NBC announced on Thursday that the current sixth season of Superstore will be the final one. The series, which was one of the first to return on broadcast TV this fall, will return in January for its final stretch of episodes. Although ratings are down (like with pretty much every show) and the series did lose star America Ferrera, I think it could have gone longer and was still a cornerstone of the NBC comedy brand. I often said the show was the spiritual successor to The Office  with its look at the mundane life of down on their luck employees. It didn't always hit its marks but I do think it was underrated throughout its run. It has also been a near perfect show for handling the pandemic. It will be missed!

THAT 70s SHOW: SEASON THREE 2000-2001 25 episodes Season 3 of  That 70s Show  graded out almost as strong as Season 2. Like every season, there are some duds but there are also some of my favorite episodes of the entire series. One thing this show does better than the previous season is they don't twiddle their thumbs as long with some of the major arcs of the series. On the other side, there are just a few episodes that feel completely like throwaway episodes. Still, this season is prime  That 70s Show. Starring Topher Grace as Eric Forman  (25 episodes) Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart  (25 episodes) Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso  (25 episodes) Danny Masterson as Steven Hyde  (25 episodes) Laura Prepon as Donna Pinciotti  (25 episodes) Wilmer Valderrama as Fez  (25 episodes) Debra Jo Rupp as Kitty Forman  (25 episodes) Kurtwood Smith as Red Forman  (25 episodes) Don Stark as Bob Pinciotti  (14 episodes) Tanya Roberts as Midge ...

THE MCLEAN STEVENSON SHOW Programming Details: December 1, 1976 - March 2, 1977 10 episodes NBC Starring: McLean Stevenson, Barbara Stuart, Madge West, Ayn Ruymen, Steve Nevil, David Hollander, Jason Whitney,  Created by:  Norman Barasch and Carroll Moore Plot: Mac Ferguson (Stevenson) is an owner of a hardware store in Evanston, Illinois and a family man with wife, Peggy (Stuart). Daughter Janet (Ruymen) and son Chris (Nevil) live with them as well as Janet's two younger boys, David and Jason (Hollander & Whitney). Rounding out the main cast is Mac's mother-in-law, Grandma Ferguson (West).

Over the next three weeks, my Christmas episodes countdowns will be divided into three groups: Pre-1995 sitcoms, 1995-present sitcoms and dramas. This week is my Top 10 Christmas Sitcom Episodes (pre-1995) Close Calls: The Wonder Years "A Very Cutlip Christmas" Father Knows Best "The Christmas Story" Doug "Doug's Christmas Story" 10. The Lucy Show "Together for Christmas" (December 24, 1962) The very early episodes of The Lucy Show really had a lot of the magic that I Love Lucy had and this Christmas episode might be one of the best, if not the best, of the entire series. It's a great showdown for Lucy and Viv (even though all of Viv's choices are hideous!) 9. The Andy Griffith Show "Christmas Story"  (December 19, 1960) The only Christmas episode of  The Andy Griffith Show , it of course tugs at the heartstrings with a sweet story about a crotchety old man (a great guest performance by Will Wright). It's an episode that...

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I am back with a new week of blog posts. To start, here's a look at Fridays in the 1986-87 season! ABC 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 Sep Webster Mr. Belvedere Sidekicks Sledge Hammer! Starman Oct Nov Dec Dads Gung Ho Jan Gung Ho Dads Feb Various Programs Mar The Charmings Webster Apr Friday Night Movie May Webster Mr. Belvedere ABC had a rough go of it on Friday nights in 1986-87. They threw a lot at the wall but nothing really stuck. They first continued with a two hour block. The 8pm hour stayed the same with Webster and Mr.  Belvedere . The pairing wasn't gangbusters but it kept the lights on in the hour. Late in the season, Webster ...

Here's a look at this week's Top 5 TV news stories! I'll be taking off next week from the blog for Thanksgiving so look for the posts to continue on Monday, November 30! #1 - CONAN O'BRIEN DEPARTING LATE NIGHT AFTER 28 YEARS Late night's elder statesman, Conan O'Brien, is leaving the arena after 28 years with the end of the current season of Conan in June 2021. He hosted Late Night with Conan O'Brien from 1993-2009, had a very infamous short run on The Tonight Show from 2009-2010 and has hosted Conan on TBS since Fall 2010. He will continue to do the Conan Without Borders specials for TBS and host a weekly variety series for HBO Max. This is not surprising as there were rumors about Conan coming to an end a few years ago. While never a ratings king, O'Brien has been a fixture in late night for a very long time. I've never watched him regularly but I thought he handled the awkward Tonight Show debacle with such class and grace and it gave me a lot of ...

THAT 70s SHOW: SEASON TWO 1999-2000 26 episodes Season 2 of  That 70s Show  introduces several extended arcs that spin their wheels for a lot of the first half of the season. But in the second half of the season, the show really gets moving and has a super strong stretch. As a result, this season graded out as the highest rated one in my scores (by a slim margin) and that's almost entirely due to the second half. The stories that just feel stuck in neutral for the first half of the season finally lead to some excellent moments and character development in the second half. Season two also includes Lisa Robin Kelly as a series regular and introduces Tommy Chong as a recurring character. Starring Topher Grace as Eric Forman  (26 episodes) Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart  (26 episodes) Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso  (26 episodes) Danny Masterson as Steven Hyde  (26 episodes) Laura Prepon as Donna Pinciotti  (26 episodes) Wilmer Valderrama as Fez  (26 ...

BLONDIE Programming Details: January 4, 1957 - July 5, 1957 26 episodes NBC Starring: Arthur Lake, Pamela Britton, Hal Peary, Florenz Ames, Ann Barnes, Stuffy Singer, Mary Lawrence, Lela Bliss Created by: Chic Young Plot: Blondie was the first of two attempts to bring the long running comic strip (and at the time, movie series) to TV. Blondie Bumstead (Britton) was a smart housewife who dealt with her bumbling husband, Dagwood (Lake) and children Cookie and Alexander (Barnes & Singer). Dagwood works for Mr. Dithers (Ames). Rounding out the main cast are the neighbors of the Bumsteads, the Woodleys (Peary & Lawrence) as well as Mr. Dither's wife, Cora (Bliss). 

Last week, I took a look at Thanksgiving Episodes from before 1995. This week is the Top 10 Thanksgiving Episodes (1995-present)! Close Calls: How I Met Your Mother "Belly Full of Turkey" The Goldbergs "A Goldberg Thanksgiving" Friends "The One where Ross Got High" 10. Everybody Loves Raymond "The Bird" (November 24, 2003) Towards the end of the run of Everybody Loves Raymond , the series got a nice jolt with the recurring appearances of Fred Willard and Georgia Engel as Amy's parents. The Thanksgiving episodes with the two warring families is one of their best appearances. It's chaos as you might expect and has a lot of funny moments. 9. The West Wing "Shibboleth" (November 22, 2000) This episode has a lot of plots in it that carry some weight and gravitas but the best part of the episode is the biggest throwaway story: CJ can't deal with the President pardoning only one turkey when she knows the other one is going to be ki...

Here's a look at Thursdays in the 1986-87 season! ABC 8:00 9:00 10:00 Sep Our World The Colbys 20/20 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr Jack and Mike May ABC had a pretty quiet Thursday night lineup in 1986-87 as the night was bookended by newsmagazines. At 8pm was  Our World , a show focused on a specific period of history with archival footage and was hosted by Linda Ellerbee and Ray Gandolf. It had some critical acclaim but could struggled mightily to find in audience. In fact, it was the lowest rated show on TV of the shows that qualified for the end of year ratings. Not surprisingly, it was cancelled at the end of the season.  20/20  continued to air at 10pm. At 9pm was season two of  The Colbys . The  Dynasty  spinoff came probably a little too late because primetime ...