EPISODE GUIDES: Get Smart Season Two (Part 2)

On Thursdays, I take a detailed and critical look at a TV show. This year, I will be splitting full seasons into two posts so today I am looking at the second half of Season 2 of Get Smart! For the first half, click here!

46. It Takes One to Know One (1/7/67)

When the number two agents keep getting killed, CONTROL installs Hymie as number two unaware that the KAOS agent is also a robot.

What's worse than an episode with one robot? An episode with two robots. I have already mentioned by dislike for Hymie and it stems from my dislike for robot stories in general. On top of that, there's no Barbara Feldon so the whole episode feels a little bit off. I think the Hymie plots were something that the creators enjoyed a whole lot more than the viewers, but maybe that's just me. Maybe if I wasn't such a hater of robots, I would find this premise clever

RATING: 2/10

47. Someone Down Here Hates Me (1/14/67)

KAOS puts a reward on killing Max and creates other incentives to make it happen.

One of the things I like that Get Smart does is treat KAOS like any other business instead of an evil empire. In this case, they are incentivizing their agents to kill Maxwell Smart with the threat of... cancelling the holiday party. The ho-hum-ness of it all was always a funny dichotomy with Get Smart and this is a good example of that. There is some Siegfried in this episode (strangely, Bernie Kopell was not credited for it though) so that knocks things down a couple notches but it's still a funny concept and pretty funny execution.

RATING: 8/10

ONE SEASON WONDERS: Living Dolls

On Wednesdays, I take a look at a series that lasted one season or less. Here is a look at Living Dolls!

LIVING DOLLS

September 26, 1989 - December 30, 1989

12 episodes

ABC

Starring: Michael Learned, Leah Remini, Alison Elliott, Halle Berry, Deborah Tucker and David Moscow

Created by: Ross Brown

Plot: A spinoff of Who's the Boss?, this series centers on aspiring models in New York City at an agency run by Trish Carlin (Learned). The models include Charlie (Remini), a friend of Alyssa Milano's character from Boss as well as Caroline, Martha and Emily (Tucker, Elliott & Berry). Rounding out the main cast is Trish's son, Rick (Moscow). 

TOP 10 TUESDAY: Top 10 Petticoat Junction Characters

This week for my Top 10 Tuesday, I am going back in time to the 60s and the Top 10 Petticoat Junction Characters!

10. FLOYD SMOOT

There weren't a ton of characters on Petticoat Junction even though some characters were played by multiple actors (more on that below). So Floyd Smoot was not a major character on Petticoat Junction, but he was likable nonetheless as the train conductor of the Cannonball along with Charley Pratt. He was good natured and kind and a good example of how Petticoat was a kindler and gentler show than its louder neighbor, Green Acres (though he did appear on Acres a couple times too).

9. DR. JANET CRAIG

June Lockhart was put in an unenviable position on Petticoat Junction. Her character, Dr. Janet Craig, was brought on the show towards the end of its run as a replacement for Kate Bradley after Bea Benaderet's death. By the time she joined, the show was already tired plus Kate was such a force that the show felt pretty empty without her. Janet Craig wasn't a bad character, she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was still a likable presence.

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1990-1991 Thursdays

On Mondays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Thursdays in the 1990-91 season!

ABC	8:00	9:00	10:00
Sep	Father Dowling Mysteries	Gabriel’s Fire	Primetime Live
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr		Twin Peaks
May		Various Programs

ABC had a pretty steady Thursday night lineup in 1990-91. At 8pm was the third season of Father Dowling Mysteries (and second on ABC). The gentle Tom Bosley drama aired at 8pm the whole season but was not renewed for a fourth season. The show was moving more from "case of the week" style to more theologically themed episodes and that change did not help matters. At 9pm was Gabriel's Fire, a new drama starring James Earl Jones as a former Chicago police officer who had been wrongly imprisoned. The series was notable for bringing film star Jones to the small screen and he earned an Emmy Award for his performance but it struggled to reach a wide audience. The show was renewed in part due to the critical acclaim and was re-named Pros and Cons for its second season. Late in the season, Fire moved to Wednesdays and Twin Peaks came back to the night but it was far from the cultural zeitgeist it had been when it aired on Thursdays just a year before. Now it was at the tail end of a very disappointing second season and ready for an imminent cancellation. Primetime Live continued to hold down the fort at 10pm.

THE FRIDAY FIVE - Top 5 TV News Stories of the Week Ending 9/24/21

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

#1 - EMMY AWARDS RECAP

The 73rd Annual Emmy Awards were held on Sunday nights and the wins were not very surprising but still deserving with Ted Lasso, The Crown and The Queen's Gambit taking the top prizes in comedy, drama and limited series respectively. They were uneventful wins but those were also the winners in my personal awards so it was well deserved. In Drama, The Crown completed a complete Schitt's Creek style sweep including surprise wins for Tobias Menzies (over the late Michael K. Williams) for Supporting Actor and Olivia Colman (instead of co-star Emma Corrin) for Lead Actress. In comedy, Hacks was a threat to Ted Lasso with the expected win for Jean Smart for Lead Actress but also wins for Writing and Directing. The Limited Series genre had more spreading out of awards as Mare of Easttown took three of the four acting awards, Ewan MacGregor was a surprise winner for Lead Actor for Halston and Michaela Coel took home Writing (receiving one of two standing ovations for a win, the other was for Smart). As for the ceremony itself, it had a couple nice moments including great speeches by Hannah Waddingham, Kate Winslet, Jean Smart and Jason Sudeikis. I loved the Schitt's Creek bit and the fact that the Schitt's cast got a chance to shine after having their big sweep last year with no audience. Jennifer Coolidge was funny and Conan O'Brien was ridiculous. Cedric the Entertainer was pleasant as host when he was just engaging with the audience but his many bits or pre-taped segments did not work at all and the telecast felt very long. In terms of ratings, the return to a more normal ceremony and a football lead-in helped the telecast rise 16% in total viewers and half a demo point. It even topped the 2019 ratings in the demo so that was welcome news for the beleaguered award show ratings across the board.

EPISODE GUIDES: Get Smart Season Two (Part 1)

On Thursdays, I take a detailed and critical look at a TV show. This year, I will be splitting full seasons into two posts so today I am looking at the first half of Season 2 of Get Smart!

GET SMART: SEASON TWO

1966-1967
30 episodes

Season Two of Get Smart is a significant improvement on Season One as the show is much more sure of itself and comfortable in being the parody spy show it strives to be. It also introduces one of the more popular characters, Siegfried, played by Bernie Kopell. I have some mixed opinions on Siegfried as you will read in this season and future seasons, but he is a fan favorite. For a second straight season, the series was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series at the Emmys but this season also produced the first win for Don Adams.

Starring
Don Adams as Maxwell Smart (30 episodes)
Barbara Feldon as Agent 99 (26 episodes)
Edward Platt as The Chief (29 episodes)

Robert Karvelas as Larabee (20 episodes)
David Ketchum as Agent 13 (12 episodes)
Stacy Keach as Professor Carlson (10 episodes)
Bernie Kopell as Siegfried (5 episodes)

Dick Gautier as Hymie the Robot (2 episodes)
King Moody as Shtarker (1 episode)

31. Anatomy of a Lover (9/17/66)
KAOS has reprogrammed Hymie to try to kill the chief and Max is asked to dismantle him but can't. He takes him home where the Chief's visiting niece falls in love with Hymie.

Season Two kicks off with the second appearance of Hymie the Robot. I mentioned in season one that I'm not a big fan of Hymie but I do appreciate the cleverness of his stories and this is a pretty strong plot to kick off the season. It's also sweet to see how much Max cares about Hymie that he tries to defy the Chief. There's a lot of good one liners here especially as Max tries to hide Hymie in his apartment and when he's confronted about it. After some thin season one plots, there's a lot to this episode between the mystery of who's programming Hymie, the Phoebe love story and the Hymie jokes themselves.
RATING: 8/10

32. Strike While the Agent is Hot (9/24/66)
Max becomes the head negotiator of the Guild of Surviving CONTROL Agents at the same time he's trying to solve a case.

This episode is pretty clever because of the way they dovetail the two stories. At first, all the negotiating stuff seems like a kind of silly subplot but then it gets a little bit subversive where Max can't believe the benefits that KAOS is giving their agents. Even as they're trying to kill each other, they're getting into the intricacies of the KAOS and CONTROL contracts, which is a pretty funny twist on the episode. The case itself is so-so and more in service of the negotiating comedy, but that works here.
RATING: 7.5/10

ONE SEASON WONDERS: Cop Rock

On Wednesdays, I take a look at a series that lasted one season or less. Here is a look at Cop Rock!

COP ROCK

September 26, 1990 - December 26, 1990

11 episodes

ABC

Starring: Anne Bobby, Barbara Bosson, David Gianopoulos, Larry Joshua, James McDaniel, Ron McLarty, Mick Murray, Peter Onorati and Ronny Cox

Created by: Steven Bochco & William M. Finkelstein

Plot: It was basically Hill Street Blues: The Musical (incidentally, that concept was what inspired this show). A gritty cop drama peppered with musical numbers. The series was set in Los Angeles and centered on a police station led by Chief Roger Kendrick (Cox). The rest of the cast made up the musically inclined detectives and officers within the precinct while they all had to deal with Mayor Louise Plank (Bosson).

TOP 10 TUESDAY: Top 10 The Wonder Years Characters

On Tuesdays, I do a Top 10 list. This season, I am doing Top 10 characters from various TV shows. With the launch of the reboot series this week on ABC, I am counting down the Top 10 The Wonder Years Characters!

Close Calls: Grandpa Arnold, Mr. Collins, Doug Porter, Mr. Diperna, Miss White

10. LINDA SLOAN

Linda Sloan was a character in only one episode of The Wonder Years but she made enough of an impression to land at #10 on my list. She was Kevin's lab partner who had a secret crush on him but he was too blinded by a more conventionally beautiful girl to realize the best person for him was right next to him. Kevin's plan backfired on him and we never saw Linda again, but I really wish we had. Her portrayer, Maia Brewton, had a great energy and chemistry with Fred Savage.

9. BECKY SLATER

Kevin's greatest nemesis - Becky Slater - appeared on and off throughout the first couple seasons of The Wonder Years. Played by Danica McKellar's real life sister, Crystal, Becky was a thorn in Kevin's side as he went from dating her to despising her all while he kept his eyes on Winnie. She was great as the bratty and vindictive ex but she also had a couple really sweet moments especially when Kevin broke her heart. Another "also ran" in Kevin's love life who could have had more screen time.

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1990-1991 Wednesdays

On Mondays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Wednesdays in the 1990-91 season!

ABC	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00
Sep	The Wonder Years	Growing Pains	Doogie Howser M.D.	Married People	Cop Rock
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan					Equal Justice
Feb				Anything But Love
Mar
Apr					Gabriel’s Fire
May					American Detective

Wednesday nights on ABC in 1990-91 was the home of one of TV's most notorious flop. But more on that in a little bit. First up was a comedy block. The Wonder Years entered its fourth season. The series had gone from Tuesdays to Wednesdays then back to Tuesdays and now was back on Wednesdays in the lead-off slot. At 8:30pm was Growing Pains, sliding back half an hour. Both shows were solid performers but not runaway hits anymore. The top performer of the night was at 9pm as the second season of Doogie Howser M.D. continued to do well. At 9:30pm was Married People, a sitcom about three different couples at different stages of life in the same New York City apartment building. The cast included Jay Thomas and Bess Armstrong and lasted just half a season. It was replaced by Anything But Love, which had been cancelled the previous May before getting "un-cancelled" a month later. Its third season lasted just 11 episodes but it cheated death yet again with another renewal. At 10pm came that notorious flop I mentioned - Cop Rock. The cop drama came from noted drama mind Steven Bochco in a genre he was very familiar with. But the twist was it also included musical numbers. And it was musical numbers of all styles - pop, rock, gospel, showtunes, etc. While the show is known as a huge flop and ill-conceived disaster now, it's interesting to note that it wasn't completely panned by in the Fall of 1991. There was a lot of apprehension but also some pretty genuine interest from TV critics. Of course it was a ridiculous premise that wasn't going to work though and the tide quickly turned especially once the ratings started coming in. The show was cancelled in December of that year but is still remembered whenever a list of Biggest TV Flops of All Time is published. Check back Wednesday for my One Season Wonders post on Cop Rock! It was replaced by the second season of Equal Justice, which had been held for midseason. The series was cancelled after its second season but did win its second straight Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing of a Drama Series. There were two more shows that aired in the 10pm hour: a brief run for Gabriel's Fire on the night at the end of its first season and the unscripted American Detective.

THE FRIDAY FIVE: Top 5 TV News Stories of the Week Ending 9/17/21

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

#1 - EMMYS ARE THIS SUNDAY!

This Sunday is the Emmy Awards! It looks to be a big night for The Crown and Ted Lasso while the Limited Series categories are the most interesting to watch. Here are my predictions for the major awards!

Outstanding Drama Series

Will/Should Win: The Crown

Should Have Been Nominated: For All Mankind

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Will/Should Win: Emma Corrin, The Crown

Should Have Been Nominated: Elarica Johnson, P-Valley

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Will/Should Win: Billy Porter, Pose

Should Have Been Nominated: Nicco Annan, P-Valley

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Will/Should Win: Gillian Anderson, The Crown

Should Have Been Nominated: Susan Kelechi Watson, This is Us

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Will Win: Michael K. Williams, Lovecraft Country

Should Win: O-T Fagbenle, The Handmaid's Tale (I didn't see much of Williams in Lovecraft country but I would not be sad to see him get a posthumous win, I just can't say he should have won when I only watched a bit of the show)

Should Have Been Nominated: Michael Dorman, For All Mankind

Outstanding Comedy Series

Will/Should Win: Ted Lasso

Should Have Been Nominated: Girls5Eva

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Jean Smart, Hacks

Should Win: Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant (but Smart was great too!)

Should Have Been Nominated: Renee Elise Goldsberry, Girls5Eva

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Will/Should Win: Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso

Should Have Been Nominated: Iain Armitage, Young Sheldon

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Will/Should Win: Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso

Should Have Been Nominated: Anna Baryshnikov, Dickinson

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso

Should Win: Brendan Hunt, Ted Lasso

Should Have Been Nominated: Nico Santos, Superstore

Outstanding Limited Series

Will/Should Win: The Queen's Gambit

Should Have Been Nominated: The Haunting of Bly Manor

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Will Win: Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen's Gambit

Should Win: Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown

Should Have Been Nominated: Kate Mara, A Teacher

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Will/Should Win: Hugh Grant, The Undoing

Should Have Been Nominated: Ethan Hawke, The Good Lord Bird

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Will/Should Win: Kathryn Hahn, WandaVision

Should Have Been Nominated: T'Nia Miller, The Haunting of Bly Manor

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Will Win: Daveed Diggs, Hamilton

Should Win: Evan Peters, Mare of Easttown

Should Have Been Nominated: Brendan Gleeson, The Comey Rule

EPISODE GUIDES: Get Smart Season 1 (Part 2)

On Thursdays, I take a detailed and critical look at a TV show. This year, I will be splitting full seasons into two posts so today I am looking at the second half of Season 1 of Get Smart! Here is a look at Part 1!

GET SMART: SEASON ONE
1965-1966
30 episodes

16. Double Agent (1/8/66)
Max pretends to turn on 99 and join KAOS without letting her in on a master plan. However, his first KAOS assignment is to kill her.

Just like the episode "My Nephew the Spy," this episode takes too long to get going into its main plot. The actual plot is a pretty clever one with Max acting as a double agent even to 99. But the episode takes forever to get to the main plot and unlike "My Nephew the Spy," it's not even that great once it gets to the main plot. While 60s sitcoms can benefit from having more thorough stories than today's sitcoms with their A, B and C plots, this can be the downside. There just apparently wasn't enough plot to make it a 25 minute episode.
RATING: 2/10

17. Kisses for KAOS (1/15/66)
99 goes undercover to romance an art dealer with a plan to blow up foreign embassies while Max poses as 99's chauffeur.

This episode is one of the first to start to play up the Max-99 relationship when Max clearly gets jealous during the operation. That produces a few funny moments especially when Max poses as the butler in his own apartment. But otherwise, the plot is not all that compelling. It actually seems to be more about Max and 99 then the art plot and it seems a little too soon to do that. I like the hinting at it, but trying to build an episode around Max's jealousy doesn't feel earned yet.
RATING: 3.5/10

18. The Dead Spy Scrawls (1/22/66)
Max goes undercover as a pool shark with a remote control cue ball while 99 searches the KAOS communications center.

One of the nice things about watching Get Smart on DVD is listening to Barbara Feldon's introductions. I learned in the intro to this episode that Don Adams was actually an expert pool player. This episode also features Leonard Nimoy a year before he hit it big in Star Trek. Knowing that makes Maxwell Smart's ineptness even better. There's some fun moments here, but this is further proof that in Season One, Get Smart often didn't have the pacing down for their episodes and too many of them drag on without enough plot. This is another one of those.
RATING: 4/10

ONE SEASON WONDERS: Uncle Buck

On Wednesdays, I take a look at a series that lasted one season or less. Here is a look at Uncle Buck!

UNCLE BUCK

Programming Details:

September 10, 1990 - March 9, 1991

16 episodes

CBS

Starring: Kevin Meaney, Dah-ve Chodan, Jacob Gelman, Sarah Martineck

Developed for Television by: Tim O'Donnell

Plot: Based on the 1989 film of the same name, Buck (Meaney) is a slob and traditional "guy's guy" who is forced into a caretaker role for his nieces Tia and Maizy (Chodan & Martineck) and nephew Miles (Gelman) after his brother and sister-in-law are killed in a car accident.

TOP 10 TUESDAY: Top 10 Schitt's Creek Characters

On Tuesdays, I do a Top 10 list. This season, I am doing Top 10 characters from various TV shows. With the Emmys coming up this Sunday, I am looking at last year's Emmy darling with the Top 10 Schitt's Creek Characters!

10. RONNIE LEE

Ronnie is an underrated character in Schitt's Creek. She's always ready with a sarcastic comment or an eyeroll when one of the more outrageous characters does something more, well, outrageous. But she also became a more developed character as the series went along. We started to see that there was more to her than just a sarcastic quip and she had some deeper qualities. I would have liked to see the show go a step further and maybe even put her in the center of an episode or two but oh well.

9. TWYLA SANDS

It took me much longer than it should have to realized Twyla was played by a member of the Levy family. She was never given a ton of things to do, but she made the most of them with a sweet spirit and a couple surprising moments (especially in the finale). Although the show had a lot of heart, there were many times it could be a little cynical, especially earlier in its run with so many cynical characters. So a character like Twyla and her optimism was essential.

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1990-91 Tuesdays

On Mondays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Tuesdays in the 1990-91 season!

ABC	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00
Sep	Who’s the Boss?	Head of the Class	Roseanne	Coach	Thirtysomething
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb		Davis Rules
Mar					Eddie Dodd
Apr		Baby Talk		Stat	Thirtysomething
May

ABC had a lot of strong pieces returning to its Tuesday lineup for 1990-91. Roseanne had tied for the #1 show on TV the previous season and though it slipped to #3 this season, it was still a dominant presence. It started to be more divisive though especially after Roseanne Barr's mangling of the national anthem at a Padres game in the Summer of 1990. Leading off the night yet again was Who's the Boss?. The show made a classic move for an older show about kids by bringing a younger kid into the cast but he never really gelled and was written out of the show at the end of the season. This was also the final season that Boss aired on Tuesdays as it was starting to slip in the ratings and was sent off to Saturdays after this season. At 8:30pm was Head of the Class, which had been airing on Wednesdays but was undergoing a major transition as series star Howard Hesseman had left the show. His teacher role was replaced by comedian Billy Connolly but the show couldn't survive the transition and was cancelled after five seasons and 114 episodes. It was yanked from the lineup in January and returned in burnoff mode in the summer. A spinoff series starring Connolly's character and titled Billy aired in the 1991-92 season. Replacing it on Tuesdays was Davis Rules, which got the coveted post-Super Bowl slot. This had worked for The Wonder Years on ABC a few years prior but the case was different for Davis Rules. The family comedy starring Randy Quaid and Jonathan Winters struggled to catch on in the ratings but ABC still renewed it for midseason. However, CBS ended up buying it from ABC and running it in midseason 1992 before cancelling it. The final Tuesday 8:30pm entry was Baby Talk, which moved over from Fridays. It did a little bit better than Davis Rules and was renewed for a second season despite some behind the scenes turmoil. Following Roseanne for much of the season was Coach and it always did well when it had a good lead-in. Coach was briefly replaced by Stat, a cark comedy that was a remake of the 1977 series A.E.S. Hudson Street and set in a New York City hospital. It lasted just six episodes. Thirtysomething remained at 10pm but had never been a huge ratings hit and had also had lost some advertisers over gay-themed storylines (remember, this was 1990). It aired for most of the year but was cancelled at the end of the season after four seasons and 85 episodes. The cancellation was somewhat of a surprise at the time and a wrap up movie was planned for the following season but that never materialized. The show continued to be an Emmys magnet, winning two acting awards after its cancellation. It was briefly replaced in the spring by Eddie Dodd, a legal drama starring Treat Williams and Annabelle Gurwitch. It lasted just four episodes in its slot before adding two more as a summer burnoff. So while Tuesdays still had a lot of success, ABC was bracing for big changes on the night for 1991-92.

THE FRIDAY FIVE: Top 5 TV News Stories of the Week Ending 9/10/21

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

#1 - R.I.P. MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS

The TV world was stunned this week with the passing of Emmy nominee Michael K. Williams at the age of 54. Williams was perhaps best known for an acclaimed role on a show that never broke into the Emmys - The Wire. He was an HBO darling who also earned acclaim during his time on Boardwalk Empire and received Emmy nominations for TV movies and limited series The Night Of, Bessie and When They See Us as well as the documentary series Vice. He is considered the frontrunner to win Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Lovecraft Country this year. Voting closed shortly before his death so the vote won't be impacted by that but he still has a strong possibility of winning. I was not too familiar with Williams' work as The Wire and Boardwalk Empire remain on my "to-watch" list and I couldn't get into Lovecraft Country, but the outpouring of love from co-stars and critics is a testament to his appeal as an actor and person.

EPISODE GUIDES: Get Smart Season 1 (Part 1)

On Thursdays, I take a detailed and critical look at a TV show. This year, I will be splitting full seasons into two posts so today I am looking at the first half of Season 1 of Get Smart!

GET SMART: SEASON ONE
1965-1966
30 episodes

Get Smart launched in 1965 amidst a slew of silly fantasy sitcoms. In the midst of the Cold War and escalating tensions, it was something different. Sure it looks maybe a lot like a silly 60s sitcom now but it was something a little bit sharper and a little bit more satirical and that's why it earned so much critical acclaim. The first season, while being something different at the time, is not Get Smart's finest season. It's still finding its way and the balance between being a spy show and a sitcom. There are signs of things to come but a lot of the episodes in season one fall flat.

Starring
Don Adams as Maxwell Smart (30 episodes)
Barbara Feldon as Agent 99 (28 episodes)
Edward Platt as The Chief (29 episodes)

Robert Karvelas as Larabee (9 episodes)

Milton Selzer as Parker (7 episodes)
Victor French as Agent 44 (6 episodes)
Dick Gautier as Hymie the Robot (1 episode)

1. Mr. Big (9/18/65)
Maxwell Smart teams up with Agent 99 for the first time to defeat Mr. Big, who is threatening to destroy New York City with a device called the Inthermo.

The pilot of Get Smart is the only one in black and white and thank goodness because Get Smart really benefits from being in color. Even though many shows were still filming in black and white in 1965-66, Get Smart only did the pilot that way. What I didn't remember until I watched the pilot again was how many of the famous recurring jokes are present from the start. Here, we get the shoe phone, the cone of silence and Max's famous line "and loving it." It also seems like the show is ostensibly set it New York City here, not just for the case but for CONTROL headquarters whereas it eventually makes it clear that it's set in DC (never mind the fact that it's clearly filmed in LA and you can see the Hollywood sign at one point). It's not one of Get Smart's better stories, but it does a good job setting the tone. Fun fact, this episode was immediately preceded on NBC by the pilot of I Dream of Jeannie.
RATING: 6/10

2. Diplomat's Daughter (9/25/65)
Max and 99 are assigned to protect a Scandinavian princess from the head of the Chinese branch of KAOS called The Claw.

You know it's a 60s show when the phrase "Orientals" appears but there's no point in judging them by contemporary standards. Anyway, the first color episode of Get Smart shows that the show is still getting its legs under it. In particular, Don Adams and Barbara Feldon do not yet have the chemistry that they later develop. This episode feels to drag on for a very long time and once Max is captured, it's clear he's going to get out of it but the show just plays on his ineptness one too many times. This episode is notable for featuring writer Leonard Stern as the bad guy.
RATING: 3/10

ONE SEASON WONDERS: Ferris Bueller

On Wednesdays, I take a look at a series that lasted one season or less. Here is a look at Ferris Bueller!

FERRIS BUELLER

Programming Details:

August 23, 1990 - August 11, 1991

13 episodes

NBC

Starring: Charlie Schlatter, Richard Riehle, Sam Freed, Jennifer Aniston, Ami Dolenz, Brandon Douglas, Judith Kahan, Cristine Rose

Developed by: John Masius

Plot: Based on the hit 1986 movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ferris Bueller (Schlatter) is a popular and charismatic and sometimes troublemaker Santa Monica high school student who frequently talks to the camera. He navigates life with his neurotic best friend, Cameron (Douglas) while chasing his crush, Sloan (Dolenz). He also has to deal with his parents (Rose and Freed) and older sister (Aniston) as well as his main adversary, Principal Ed Rooney (Riehle).

TOP 10 TUESDAY: Top 10 Friday Night Lights Characters

On Tuesdays, I do a Top 10 list. This season, I am doing Top 10 characters from various TV shows. My Top 10 this week, in honor of the beginning of football, is Top 10 Friday Night Lights Characters! Friday Night Lights has an incredibly deep ensemble so there are also several close calls and there could have been more. There won't be this many every week!

Close Calls: Smash Williams, Becky Sproles, Luke Cafferty, Joe McCoy, Billy Riggins

10. JULIE TAYLOR

This was a very tough list and I was very tempted to put several of the close calls on this list at #10 over Julie because I grew to not like Julie much as a character in the final season. But she is an essential member of the Taylor family and drives so many interesting stories in the first couple seasons. There was an inherent sweetness in the young love between Julie and Matt and her dynamics with her two parents felt very real and earned.

9. LORRAINE SARACEN

Matt Saracen's sweet and forgetful grandmother is one of the best recurring characters on Friday Night Lights. With many great one-liners and a genuine affection for her son, she had a heart of gold but we could also see glimpses of a harder edge thanks to a tough life lived. I spent most of the series worried that the show, which loved to pull at heartstrings sometimes, would kill off Grandma Saracen and I wasn't sure my heart could take it. So I was happy she made it all the way.

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1990-1991 Mondays

Welcome back to a new season on my blog! Look for posts every weekday! On Mondays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Mondays in the 1990-91 season!

ABC	8:00	9:00	10:00
Sep	MacGyver	Monday Night Football
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan		Monday Night Movie
Feb
Mar
Apr
May

ABC had briefly tried to do something different on Mondays in 1989-90 but for 1990-91, it was back to normal with MacGyver leading off the night and Monday Night Football in the fall followed by a movie in the spring. Monday Night Football continued to be a strong ratings performer while MacGyver and the movie were more modest ones.