THE FRIDAY FIVE: Top 5 TV News Stories of the Week Ending 3/26/21

Here's a look at the Top 5 TV news stories of the week! I will be taking a two week Spring Break from the blog so it will return on Monday, April 12!

#1 - RIP GEORGE SEGAL & JESSICA WALTER

Two TV legends passed away this week. George Segal first hit it big in the movies including an Academy Award nomination for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? But in the last couple decades, he's been best known for two TV shows. First was a starring role on the underrated 1997-2003 NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me, where he played a womanizing owner of a magazine. Most recently, he was the lovable Grandpa "Pops" on The Goldbergs. Segal was still working on The Goldbergs at the time of his death at age 87. His last episode will reportedly air on April 7. Segal was a great presence on The Goldbergs over the years even though it seemed to be clear he was in declining health. The death of Jessica Walter at the age of 80 was more of a surprise. She also had some film hits but will always be beloved for her Emmy-nominated role as the icy matriarch Lucille Bluth on Arrested Development. One of the absolute standouts in a cast full of standouts, Walter created a very iconic character. Another role she was well loved in was the voice of Malory Archer in Archer. Walter's last TV appearance was a guest role on American Housewife's 100th episode in February. Two TV legends, gone within days of each other!

EPISODE GUIDES: Parks and Recreation Season Two

On Thursdays, I go through classic series with a critical look at each season. Today I am looking at Season Two of Parks and Recreation!

PARKS AND RECREATION: SEASON TWO

2009-2010
24 episodes

After a rough start to the series, Parks and Recreation came back for season two with a much clearer focus of the show it wanted to be. The improvement from the six episode first season to the second season is truly something to behold. I can't think of a more dramatic difference for the better in sitcom history. It doesn't get all the way there in its second season. They still have the lingering issues with the Mark Brendanawicz character. But they fix that at the end of the season too with his departure and the arrival of Rob Lowe and Adam Scott, the last missing pieces to make the show truly spectacular.

Starring
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope (24 episodes)
Rashida Jones as Ann Perkins (23 episodes)
Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz (24 episodes)
Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford (24 episodes)
Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson (23 episodes)
Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate (23 episodes)
Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer (22 episodes)
Jim O'Heir as Jerry Gergich (24 episodes)

Retta as Donna Meagle (21 episodes)

Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger (2 episodes)

Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt (2 episodes)

Jaima Williamson as Wendy Haverford (7 episodes)

Louis C.K. as Dave Sanderson (5 episodes)

Josh Duvendeck as Ben (5 episodes)
Andy Forrest as Kyle (5 episodes)
Blake Lee as Derek (5 episodes)
Phil Reeves as Paul Iaresco (5 episodes)
Mo Collins as Joan Callamezzo (4 episodes)
Alison Becker as Shauna Malwae-Tweep (3 episodes)

Andrew Burlinson as Burly (3 episodes)

Jay Jackson as Perd Hapley (3 episodes)

Mark Rivers as Rivers (3 episodes)

Ben Schwartz as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein (3 episodes)

Alan Yang as Chang (3 episodes)

John Balma as Barney (2 episodes)

Mel Cowan as Mel (2 episodes)

Kirk Fox as Joe (2 episodes)

Yvans Jourdain as Councilman Howser (2 episodes)

Jim Meskiman as Martin Housely (2 episodes)

Natalie Morales as Lucy (2 episodes)

Pamela Reed as Marlene Griges-Knope (2 episodes)

Kevin Symons as Councilman Bill Dexhart (2 episodes)

Cooper Thornton as Dr. Harris (2 episodes)

Colton Dunn as Brett (1 episode)

Darlene Hunt as Marcia Langman (1 episode)
Megan Mullally as Tammy Swanson (1 episode)
Susan Yeagley as Jessica Wicks (1 episode)

Harris Wittels as Harris (1 episode)

7. Pawnee Zoo (9/17/09)
Leslie's stunt to have penguins marry at the zoo turns into a fiasco when it turns out it was two male penguins and Leslie faces opposition from a conservative group and praise from the gay community.

After it's so-so first season, Parks and Recreation really figured things out over the summer and opened season two with its strongest episode to that point. It starts right at the beginning with the cold open and is hilarious all the way through. Some highlights include Leslie at the club, the first appearances of Joan Callamezzo and Marcia Langman and Andy's hilarious attempt to be more mature. The show was smart to start doing stories not about the pit and this was a hilariously clever take on a major political issue at the time. It really is incredible to watch this episode right after episode six and see how much they've figured things out.
RATING: 9.5/10

8. The Stakeout (9/24/09)
After discovering marijuana growing in the community garden in the pit, Leslie sets up a stakeout with Tom to find the culprit on the same night Ann and Mark go on their first date. Ron has a hernia but won't seek help for it.

I was always kind of mixed on Louis C.K. even before his whole #MeToo scandal so I was never the biggest fan of his episodes on Parks and Recreation though he does have a funny monologue at the end of the episode. This episode is still more sure of it than any of season one's episodes but it's not nearly as strong as the season two premiere. The best story is Ron's hernia because it starts to showcase the relationship between Ron and April and has the iconic line "I'm Ron F***ing Swanson."
RATING: 6.5/10

ONE SEASON WONDERS: The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo

On Wednesdays, I look at shows that lasted one season or less. Today I am looking at 1960s flop The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo!

THE FAMOUS ADVENTURES OF MR. MAGOO

Programming Details:

September 19, 1964 - April 24, 1965

26 episodes

NBC

Starring: Jim Backus

Created by: Walter Black and Barbara Chain

Plot: An animated series based on the bumbling character Mr. Magoo (Backus). In this series, Magoo often puts himself in famous literary stories. The pilot was based on the story of William Tell.

TOP 10 TUESDAY: Top 10 TV Houses

Tuesdays are Top 10 Tuesdays where I count down a topic in the TV realm. This week is Top 10 TV Houses!

Close Calls

The Ricardo Connecticut House - I Love Lucy

The Petrie House - The Dick Van Dyke Show

The Dunphy House - Modern Family

    

10. The Addams House - The Addams Family

Of the two "creepy" houses, I think The Addams Family had a better house than The Munsters. It was more regal complete with an indoor garden and a super creepy play room. The Munster house might seem more haunted but this one is more spectacular.

9. Lorelai Gilmore's House - Gilmore Girls

It was a real thrill to see the exterior of Lorelai Gilmore's house when I was on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Burbank a couple years ago. It has a big beautiful porch and feels very lived in inside. Although the house itself is on a California lot, it has a New England charm.

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1988-1989 Fridays

After this week, I will be taking a two week "Spring Break" so the next Schedules from the Past post will be on April 12! On Mondays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Fridays in the 1988-89 season!

ABC	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00
Sep	Perfect Strangers	Full House	Mr. Belvedere	Just the Ten of Us	20/20
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May

ABC was one year away from launching their TGIF block and while it wasn't known as TGIF in 1988-89, their Friday lineup included many soon-to-be TGIF shows. The lineup did not have any new shows and stayed the same for the entire season. The night started off with Perfect Strangers, which had made a successful move to Friday the previous season. The highest rated show in the block was the second season of Full House at 8:30pm though it was still only #32. At 9pm was Mr. Belvedere. It was the only show airing on the night that didn't make it to the official TGIF lineup as it was sent to Saturday after the season. The 9:30pm entry was Just the Ten of Us, a show that had aired just four episodes the previous season (in a prime slot) and got renewed. It did OK and got renewed again but was the lowest rated show of the block. As usual, 20/20 occupied the 10pm slot.

THE FRIDAY FIVE: Top 5 TV News Stories of the Week Ending 3/19/21

 Here's a look at the Top 5 TV news stories this week!

#1 - NFL LOCKS UP RIGHTS FOR THE NEXT DECADE

One of my other hobbies besides TV is the NFL and occasionally the two worlds mix as the NFL made big TV news this week. The NFL has lined up the ten years of broadcast rights through 2032 and there is much that will be staying the same but also some changes. The biggest change is Amazon Prime will carry the Thursday Night Football broadcast exclusively starting in 2023. That's a big moment because it's the first time a streamer will have exclusive rights to a regular weekly game. CBS will continue with the AFC package and FOX will continue with the NFC package while NBC will continue to have Sunday Night Football. Streamers Paramount Plus and Peacock will also carry the CBS and NBC games respectively. Finally, ABC will return to the Super Bowl rotation in 2026 for the first time in twenty years as they will share the big game and some Monday Night Football airings with ESPN. The biggest trend is that most NFL games will be shown in multiple places across broadcast, cable and streaming. It only makes sense but the more fragmented it is, the less that Broadcast TV has one of its final trump cards.

EPISODE GUIDES: Parks and Recreation Season One

On Thursdays, I go through classic series with a critical look at each season. Today I am looking at Season One of Parks and Recreation! A reminder about my breakdown in ratings of episodes:

9-10: Exceptional

7-8: Strong

5-6: OK

3-4: Mediocre

1-2: Terrible

PARKS AND RECREATION: SEASON ONE
2009
6 episodes

The first season of Parks and Recreation is pretty infamous among its fans. It was a show that was real slow coming out of the gate. Before the show became Parks and Rec, it was initially conceived as a spinoff of The Office. Despite the fact that they got away from that conceit, the first season seems like a very poor imitation of The Office. Most specifically, Leslie Knope seems like a pale imitation of Michael Scott. The first season is by far the most uneven of the series despite only being six episodes. There are no real standout moments and it's easy to see why so many (including me) had to be convinced to give the show a second chance. They are lucky they got a second season or else this would have been a little remembered flop.

Starring
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope (6 episodes)
Rashida Jones as Ann Perkins (6 episodes)
Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz (6 episodes)
Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford (6 episodes)
Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson (6 episodes)
Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate (6 episodes)
Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer (6 episodes)
Jim O'Heir as Jerry Gergich (6 episodes)
Retta as Donna Meagle (4 episodes)

Pamela Reed as Marlene Griges-Knope (3 episodes)

Alison Becker as Shauna Malwae-Tweep (1 episode)

Andrew Burlinson as Burly (1 episode)

Jim Meskiman as Martin Housely (1 episode)

Phil Reeves as Paul Iaresco (1 episode)

Cooper Thornton as Dr. Harris (1 episode)

Jaima Williamson as Wendy Haverford (1 episode)

Susan Yeagley as Jessica Wicks (1 episode)

1. Pilot (4/9/09)
Leslie Knope is an overeager employee of the Pawnee Parks and Recreation Department who attempts to help a local nurse whose boyfriend fell into a giant pit.

It's very interesting to watch the first episode of Parks and Recreation after knowing where the show went and how it developed. There are glimpses of the show it would become and the characters we have grown to love. But it also isn't firing on all cylinders by any means. Amy Poehler has some of the wide-eyed, government loving Leslie Knope down but her character is way too close to Steve Carell's Michael Scott on The Office. Perhaps the most clearly defined character from the jump is Nick Offerman's Ron Swanson thanks to his monologue about government.
RATING: 5/10

2. Canvassing (4/16/09)
Leslie enlists her new subcommittee on filling the pit and building the park to go canvassing in support of the project.

One of the things that hurt Parks and Recreation in its much maligned first season is it was far too reliant on the one project of building a park in the pit. That plot consumed a lot of episodes in their entirety and I think that hurt the show with finding its footing because it's not very character friendly and it's honestly not that interesting a plot. Another thing the show has committed to wanting to do but hasn't figured it out completely is the public forum. These became a great source of hilarity in later seasons but there's not a ton of laughs here.
RATING: 2.5/10

ONE SEASON WONDERS: Jack & Bobby

On Wednesdays, I look at shows that lasted one season or less. Today I am looking at 2000s flop Jack & Bobby!

JACK & BOBBY

Programming Details:

September 12, 2004 - May 11, 2005
22 episodes
WB

Starring: Christine Lahti, Matt Long, Logan Lerman, Jessica Pare, Edwin Hodge and John Slattery
Created by: Greg Berlanti, Vanessa Taylor, Steven A. Cohen & Brad Meltzer

Plot: Jack and Bobby McCallister (Long & Lerman) are brothers living with their mother, Grace (Lahti) in Hart, Missouri. While they may seem to be living average lives, one of the boys will grow up to be President from 2041-2049. Also in the cast is a love interest of Jack, Coutney Benedict (Pare) and her college president father, Peter (Slattery). 

TOP 10 TUESDAY: Top 10 TV Apartments

Tuesdays are Top 10 Tuesdays where I count down a topic in the TV realm. This week is Top 10 TV Apartments!

Close Calls

Alex Levy's Apartment - The Morning Show

Rhoda and Joe Gerard's Apartment - Rhoda

Bob and Emily's First Apartment - The Bob Newhart Show

10. The Weismans' Apartment - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

A really stunning apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the apartment where Midge, her kids and her parents live would sell for millions of dollars today. I love how sprawling it is and the show makes expert use of the characters moving throughout the apartment. It's also so brightly colored with a great 50s style, especially in the kitchen.

9. Joey Tribbiani's Apartment - Friends

One of the two major apartments on the series (the other one is still to come on this list), Joey's apartment is the ultimate guys apartment in the early years. Compared to Monica's beautifully decorated apartment, Joey and Chandler ornamented things with a pool table, recliners and (for a time) a canoe. Even when Rachel moved in, it still had Joey's handprints (likely messy from food) all over it.

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1988-1989 Thursdays

On Mondays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Thursdays in the 1988-89 season!

ABC	8:00	9:00	10:00
Sep	Various Programs
Oct
Nov	Knightwatch	Dynasty	Various Programs
Dec
Jan			HeartBeat
Feb	A Fine Romance
Mar	Thursday Night Movie
Apr			Various Programs
May

ABC was back to the drawing board on Thursday nights as no show that aired on the night in 1987-88 returned to the network. Of course, it got a delayed start thanks to the Writer's Strike. Part of the regular lineup launched in November but the 10pm hour didn't get a regular occupant until January. At 8pm was Knightwatch. Starring Benjamin Bratt, the drama was about a volunteer group called "Knights of the City" and made up mostly of ex-gang members that was set up to help law enforcement. It was very low rated and lasted just a couple months. It was replaced by A Fine Romance, a romance drama about divorced hosts of a travel show. Filmed in various places of Europe, A Fine Romance was originally slated to air on Sunday nights but was replaced by the quickly put together reboot of Mission: Impossible in light of the Writer's Strike. It never got to air on Sundays and was instead thrown to the wolves on Thursdays where it lasted just seven episodes and was one of the lowest rated shows on TV. When it was yanked, ABC aired family movies often broken into two parts for the rest of the season. At 9pm was Dynasty. Once the #1 show on TV, the show moved over from its long time Wednesday home but the writing was on the wall. Co-star Linda Evans had departed the series and it had dropped tremendously in the ratings in its final season. ABC made the decision to cancel the show after nine seasons and 220 episodes. It was not a sure thing that it was going to end as it ended on a cliffhanger. A miniseries aired in 1991 to tie-up loose ends. It's interesting that a show that was so associated with the Reagan era of opulence ended just a few months after Reagan left office. As already mentioned, no regular show aired at 10pm until January when season two of HeartBeat returned. The medical drama had been a surprise renewal the previous season but like many reach renewals, it did not do any better in year two. Various specials returned to occupy the slot for the rest of the season. It was once again back to the drawing board for ABC on Thursday nights.

THE FRIDAY FIVE: Top 5 TV News Stories of the Week Ending 3/12/21

 Here's a look at the Top 5 TV news stories this week!

#1 - HUGE RATINGS FOR MEGHAN & HARRY & OPRAH

There was a ton of hype for the big Oprah Winfrey interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on Sunday night and the ratings did not disappoint. It's pretty rare these days that a major non-sports TV event can draw eyeballs all at once with even award shows looking worse and worse. But the interview delivered huge ratings and exceeded most expectations. It earned 17.8 million viewers and a 2.7 demo for CBS. Shows used to regularly do those kind of numbers or better but in 2021, that's a real big deal. It also garnered huge numbers in the UK the next night and has no doubt had a ton of digital viewing in the days since. Leave it to Oprah to still be able to pull big numbers on Broadcast TV in 2021!

EPISODE GUIDES: A Recap of Rhoda

Here is a summary of Rhoda! Next week I will start looking at a more recent favorite, Parks and Recreation, but before that, here is a look at all five seasons including the ultimate countdown of Rhoda's best and worst episodes!

RHODA

September 9, 1974 - December 9, 1978
110 episodes (4 unaired)

Starring

Valerie Harper as Rhoda Morgenstern Gerard (110 episodes)
Julie Kavner as Brenda Morgenstern (110 episodes)
David Groh as Joe Gerard (55 episodes)
Nancy Walker as Ida Morgenstern (42 episodes)
Lorenzo Music as Carlton the Doorman (82 episodes)
Ron Silver as Gary Levy (33 episodes)
Ray Buktenica as Benny Goodwin (28 episodes)
Kenneth McMillan as Jack Doyle (24 episodes)

Harold Gould as Martin Morgenstern (17 episodes)
Michael DeLano as Johnny Venture (11 episodes)
Rafael Campos as Ramon (10 episodes)
Scoey Mitchell as Justin Culp (9 episodes)
Barbara Sharma as Myrna Morgenstein (9 episodes)
Anne Meara as Sally Gallagher (7 episodes)
Richard Masur as Nick Lobo (7 episodes)
Nancy Lane as Tina (7 episodes)
Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Richards (6 episodes)
Beverly Sanders as Susan Alborn (6 episodes)
Wes Stern as Lenny (6 episodes)

ONE SEASON WONDERS: The Louie Show

On Wednesdays, I look at shows that lasted on season or less. Today I am looking at 1990s flop The Louie Show!

THE LOUIE SHOW

Programming Details:
January 31, 1996 - March 6, 1996
5 episodes
CBS

Starring: Louie Anderson, Bryan Cranston, Paul Feig, Kate Hodge, Laura Innes, Nancy Becker Kennedy
Created by: Matt Goldman & Louie Anderson

Plot: Dr. Louie Lundgren (Anderson) is a psychotherapist in Duluth, Minnesota. A little curmudgeonly, he deals with his those around him including best friend Curt (Cranston), colleagues Jake (Feig) and Helen (Kennedy) and potential roommate Gretchen (Hodge). Also in the main cast is Curt's wife, Sandy (Innes).

TOP 10 TUESDAY: Top 10 Fictional TV Towns

Tuesdays are Top 10 Tuesdays where I count down a topic in the TV realm. This week is Top 10 Fictional TV Towns!

Close Calls

Hawkins - Stranger Things

Bluffington - Doug

River Run - Homefront

10. Point Place - That 70s Show

That 70s Show was more about house scenes that the town it was set in which is why it's not higher on the list. But there were some sites of some of the funniest moments: Fatso Burger, The Hub and of course, the water tower. It was Everytown, USA in the 1970s and fit the show well.

9. The Good Place - The Good Place

Perhaps this shouldn't be considered a "town" but the sheer inventiveness of it means it deserves a spot. Although the series evolved quite a bit, I think the physical look of "the good place" was accomplished best in the very first episode with its surrealism and candy-coated brightness.

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1988-1989 Wednesdays

On Mondays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Wednesdays in the 1988-89 season!

ABC	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00
Sep	Growing Pains	Head of the Class	Wednesday Night Movie
Oct
Nov
Dec			The Wonder Years	Hooperman	China Beach
Jan
Feb
Mar			Coach
Apr				The Robert Guillaume Show
May

ABC once again went with the two hour sitcom block on Wednesday nights but like so many fall plans, it got a late start due to the Writer's Strike. The 8pm hour started a little sooner and was a repeat of the end of the previous season. Perfect Strangers had been sent to Fridays while Tuesday hit Growing Pains moved to the lead off Wednesday slot and paired with Head of the Class. It continued to be a formidable pair in the 1988-89 season. A movie and some occasional specials occupied the rest of the night for a couple months but in December, the rest of the lineup premiered. The Wonder Years had been a breakout hit in its six episode Tuesday run the previous season on its way to an Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy Award. However, it was maybe not quite ready to be in an anchor slot as it dipped a little bit in the ratings and was sent back to Tuesday. Its replacement was the new Coach. It's interesting that the Craig T. Nelson sitcom started its run in an anchor slot because it very rarely was in an anchor slot during its many years on air. It struggled in its first season but was renewed. There was no such luck for the 9:30pm occupants. The first one was season two of Hooperman. The critically acclaimed dramedy had been a bit of a reach renewal in its first season and things didn't go any better in year two. It was pulled from the lineup towards the end of the season and burned off in the summer. It was replaced with The Robert Guillaume Show. Guillaume had a long and acclaimed run on Benson that had ended in 1986, but his titular sitcom about a single father in an interracial relationship didn't go as well and lasted just 13 episodes that aired into the summer. The 10pm entry was China Beach, which had aired just a few episodes in late spring the previous season. It got most of the season in the Wednesday 10pm slot but continued to struggle in the ratings. However, ABC was extraordinarily patient with this critically acclaimed drama and gave it a third season. Star Dana Delany won the Emmy for Lead Drama Actress which helped reward ABC's commitment.

THE FRIDAY FIVE: Top 5 TV News Stories of the Week Ending 3/5/21

Here's a look at my Top 5 TV News Stories of the week!

#1 - GOLDEN GLOBES RESULTS

The Golden Globes aired on Sunday and there were good things and bad things. The good things were a lot of the winners. Pretty much every win in the TV category was either my vote or one I was quite pleased with. This includes a big night for The Crown with wins for Drama series, Emma Corrin, Josh O'Connor and Gillian Anderson. Jason Sudeikis had a well-deserved win for Ted Lasso as did Anya Taylor-Joy and her series, The Queen's Gambit. Schitt's Creek didn't have a huge sweep like it did at the Emmys but it won for Comedy series and Catherine O'Hara. So the wins were great. The show itself and the ratings were not. The show was plagued by technical issues after the Emmys did it almost flawlessly while Amy Poehler and Tina Fey were very disappointing after their great turns in the past. Whoever had the idea to have them host from different coasts instead of in the same room should be fired. The ratings were also dismal as it crashed 68% from last year. I'm sure a (hopefully) more normal ceremony in 2022 will be up some but I'm not convinced this isn't still a general trendline for awards shows even disregarding the pandemic.

EPISODE GUIDES: Rhoda Season Five

On Thursdays, I go through classic series with a critical look at each season. Today I am looking at Season Five (the final season) of Rhoda!

RHODA: SEASON FIVE
1978
13 episodes

Rhoda's final season was a truncated one as the show was cancelled in December 1978 after only 13 episodes had been produced (and only nine had aired). This feels like a continuation from season four in many ways except with the ill-advised split between Ida and Martin (more on that below). While Rhoda has an occasional good moment and even a couple decent episodes, it is a show that seems so wildly different from season one and not in a good way. Rhoda could never figure out what it fully wanted to be and only made it four and a half seasons as a result.

Starring
Valerie Harper as Rhoda Morgenstern (13 episodes)
Julie Kavner as Brenda Morgenstern (13 episodes)
Ray Buktenica as Benny Goodwin (11 episodes)
Kenneth McMillan as Jack Doyle (9 episodes)
Nancy Walker as Ida Morgenstern (8 episodes)
Lorenzo Music as Carlton the Doorman (10 episodes)

Nancy Lane as Tina (6 episodes)
Harold Gould as Martin Morgenstern (3 episodes)

98. Martin Doesn't Live Here Anymore (9/23/78)
On his 60th birthday, Rhoda and Brenda discover that Martin has left Ida to find himself in Florida.

Rhoda's ill-fated fifth and final season kicks off with a very jazzed up version of the theme that actually isn't that bad when you get to used to it. What is bad is the decision to split Martin and Ida up. I actually can't believe the show decided to do this after the very polarizing divorce of Rhoda and Joe. Not only do they not need to rehash separation storylines, it's also far less believable that Ida and Martin would split than Rhoda and Joe and completely out of character for Martin to leave Ida, even if just to "find himself." Some decent performances are hard to even appreciate thanks to the horrific story but a solid turn from Nancy Walker keeps the episode from being a complete waste.
RATING: 3.5/10

99. In Search of Martin (9/30/78)
After learning where Martin is in Florida, Rhoda and Brenda go with Benny to find him.

While the Ida and Martin saga continues, I will say this is one of the first times that Benny is actually a decent human being. He volunteers to drive Rhoda and Brenda to Florida and then has a funny moment where he manipulates a coin toss. This is the second episode in the last four that has a very long section in Benny's car although this one is better done than the two-parter at the end of season four. I think if I was in charge of Rhoda and decided to do this unnecessary arc, I would try to have found a way for the Martin scene to be used in the first episode because it explained his side of things much better. I still don't think the arc was a good idea.
RATING: 5.5/10

ONE SEASON WONDERS: Women in Prison

On Wednesdays, I look at shows that lasted on season or less. Today I am looking at 1980s flop Women in Prison!

WOMEN IN PRISON

Programming Details:

October 11, 1987 - February 20, 1988

13 episodes

FOX

Starring: Julia Campbell, Blake Clark, C.C.H Pounder, Peggy Cass, Antoinette Byron, Denny Dillon and Wendie Jo Sperber

Created by: Katherine Green, Michael G. Moye & Ron Leavitt

Plot: Women in Prison is set in a cell block of Bass Women's Prison in Wisconsin. Newest inmate Vicki Springer (Campbell) was framed by her husband and gets to know the other inmates, murderer Dawn (Pounder), prostitute Bonnie (Byron), the much older Eve (Cass) and Pam (Sperber), who was arrested for computer fraud. They all contend with guard Meg (Dillon) and assistant warden Clint (Clark). Oh yeah, and it's a comedy!

TOP 10 TUESDAY: Top 10 TV Hangout Spots

Tuesdays are Top 10 Tuesdays where I count down a topic in the TV realm. This week is Top 10 TV Hangout Spots!

Close Calls

Cafe Nervosa - Frasier

The Pizza Bowl - Laverne & Shirley

Mario's - Taxi

10. Riff's - Mad About You

Riff's is on this list for one reason and one reason only: Ursula. Before she played Phoebe on Friends, Lisa Kudrow was known as the ditzy and frustrating waitress at Riff's in a recurring role. Why Paul and Jamie kept going back to this place, I'll never know, but it was great especially when they connected the worlds of Friends and Mad About You with the two characters.

9. Molly's - Chicago Fire, Chicago PD & Chicago Med

Molly's is a pretty typical hangout spot for a show but what makes it fun is it's the spot that unites the three different shows from NBC's hit One Chicago lineup. The world of the three shows intersects a lot but the only "common ground" really is Molly's.

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1988-1989 Tuesdays

On Mondays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Tuesdays in the 1988-89 season!

ABC	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00
Sep	Various Programs		Tuesday Night Movie
Oct	Who’s the Boss?	Roseanne
Nov
Dec			Moonlighting		Thirtysomething
Jan
Feb
Mar		The Wonder Years	Roseanne	Anything But Love
Apr
May				Have Faith

As mentioned in my Monday post, the 1988-89 season got off to a delayed start thanks to the Writer's Strike that led to a rolling start to shows instead of a traditional premiere week. ABC got the beginning of its lineup started in October. Who's the Boss? was an extremely successful lead-off show right in its prime but it was eclipsed by the show that followed. At 8:30pm was Roseanne, which was a breakout hit. It might be difficult to remember now given all that has happened with the show and its star, but when it debuted in the Fall of 1988, it was not like anything else on TV. The blue collar and opinionated family was a different kind of TV family and Roseanne was a mammoth hit right away. It finished the season at #2 in the ratings only behind The Cosby Show. It's interesting how both those shows helped redefine the family sitcom for the positive but have had their legacies tarnished in part thanks to their stars although it's not as severe a situation for Roseanne, whose TV family lives on to this day with The Conners. ABC's two Tuesday dramas didn't start until December. Moonlighting was no longer a buzzy show for the network and dropped pretty severely in its fifth season from #12 to #49. That resulted in it being pulled off Tuesdays in March and sent to Sundays before being cancelled at the end of the season. It was one of those shows that burned brightly but quickly. Thirtysomething continued at 10pm. It was fresh off an Emmy win for Outstanding Drama Series but couldn't translate that exposure into becoming a show with a huge audience. It stayed a niche show even after its Emmy win. When Moonlighting moved off the night, ABC went to a two hour comedy block and Roseanne became the 9pm anchor in its first season, deservedly so. The Wonder Years returned to the night after experiencing a ratings dip on Wednesdays while a new comedy aired at 9:30pm. Anything But Love starred Richard Lewis and Jamie Lee Curtis as co-workers who struggled to keep things platonic. It only aired six episodes but airing behind Roseanne gave it a Top 10 finish in the ratings and an easy renewal even if it was a timeslot hit. At the very end of the season, ABC aired Have Faith at 9:30pm. Set in a Chicago Catholic Parish, it lasted just seven episodes and aired into the summer before being cancelled.