V: Then and Now November 12, 2009

Back in the 1980s, reptilian aliens arrived on earth dressed in fake human skin and red jumpsuits, and speaking in warbled voices about promoting peace and the betterment of the human race. Twenty-five years later, the aliens are better at disguising themselves (through some sort of human skin cloning procedure), and they sound and dress just like humans, but they are still using the same manipulative techniques of telling people what they want to hear.

The Cast of the New V

I am thoroughly mesmerized by both the 1980s miniseries and the new tv series that share the title of V. This single-letter creeped me out big time when I was younger (especially in its recognizable format of oozing red spray paint on a black background. I was five years old when the first miniseries aired in 1983, and six when the second one aired a year later. I am surprised that I watched them at such a young age, and it’s no wonder that I was disturbed: aliens eating gerbils and mice and taking out their fake human eyeballs to reveal yellow lizard eyes, people ripping the fake human skin off of alien visitors, and then there was the birth of the inter-species twins – one a seemingly “normal” baby with a forked tongue, and the other a full-fledged lizard child!

The creepy logo of the original V miniseries

But of course I watched V! Everyone did at the time. According to creator Kenneth Johnson’s website, the original miniseries drew an audience of 80 million viewers! I know that my family tuned in to every episode of both miniseries (from what I hear we should pretend like the short-lived tv show follow up never happened). The new ABC version has now aired two episodes, and while it hasn’t drawn anywhere close to 80 million viewers (more like 10 million), it has created a lot of buzz and has received a near unanimous two thumbs up from critics.

In preparation for the new show, I recently watched SyFy’s marathon of the original V miniseries. I am amazed but pleased that the show has stood the test of time! Sure, there are plenty of blatantly 80s music, cheap special effects, and melodramatic moments (a la all those ’80s primetime soaps), but the story and the characters are fascinating! As a child, I didn’t pick up on the Nazi allegory. But as an adult, the parallels are obvious: the V’s persecution of scientists (just as Nazis targeted Jews), the recruiting of Friends of the Visitors (similar to Hitler’s youth), the swastika-like emblem on the V’s uniforms and flags, etc.

The new version seems to have abandoned the parallels to the Nazi regime, and instead frames the arrival of the visitors in the more timely concerns of our post-9/11 world, namely the threat of terrorism and the difficulty of fighting it. I found it especially interesting that FBI agent Erica (Elizabeth Mitchell) was investigating a terrorist cell that actually consisted of alien visitors. This is a smart change from the original: rather than the spaceships’ appearances marking the first time the visitors came to earth, the new version reveals that many of the visitors have already been here for years, living secretly among us, while plotting a human takeover from within our ranks. That’s actually much more disturbing than in the original (which was pretty creepy, too, as I mentioned earlier). At least in the original version the resistance fighters could easily identify the visitors by their weird voices and distinctive uniforms. As for the new version, how unsettling to think that these aliens look exactly like us, and there’s no easy way to know that they aren’t human. Erica had worked with Dale for seven years, and while he seemed like a nice guy, he was all too eager to kill her when she got too close to the truth.

While the social/political allegories differ, the main theme remains the same: the struggle to preserve the human race and to convince the world that the visitors’ supposed agenda is not what it seems, and that they and their message are indeed too good to be true. Both shows also play out like a suspense thriller, mixed in with a bit of drama. The easiest way to compare/contrast the remaining characteristics of both versions is to take a look at the main characters:

• The Leader of the V’s
  

  Formidable foe Diana wasn't as friendly as the new version's Anna.

  • Then – Diana – Jane Badler was so distinctive in this role that she is easily recognizable, probably even now, as evil, conniving, ambitious Diana. She was a ruthless leader who had no qualms about destroying an entire race, using mind control to extract information from a prisoner, or even murdering an innocent priest. Still, though, if she had been dressed in an evening gown instead of her alien-issued red uniform, she could have easily blended in with the ladies on Dallas or Knots Landing.
  

  Anna is the "too good to be true" leader of the V's.

  • Now – Anna – I am amazed by Morena Baccarin’s transformation into short-haired, blinky-eyed alien leader Anna. I hardly recognize her as the actress who played Inara on Firefly. I have been impressed by her captivating and commanding portrayal of a charming and devious leader. Her interaction with reporter Chad Decker has been great, and her “behind closed doors” plotting against the humans has been disturbing but well played. She brings a strange allure, combined with a certain amount of creepiness, to the role that was mostly melodramatic campiness in the original.
• The Leaders of the Resistance
  

  Mike and Julie were the resistance leaders of the 1980s miniseries.

  • Then – Cameraman Mike Donovan and Scientist Juliet Parrish – Mike was played by the beastmaster himself, Marc Singer, while Juliet was played by Faye Grant, who is known more now for being married to 7th Heaven alum Stephen Collins than for any of her post-V roles. Mike was the more interesting character, since he was usually the one infiltrating the V’s ship and exposing their true faces, but Juliet had the responsibility of leading the resistance when she didn’t even know anything about being in charge. Regardless of which character was more interesting, they were a duo worth rooting for, and I’m sure the ’80s television audience was pleased when they became romantically involved.
  

  Erica and Jack are the modernized leaders of the resistance.

  • Now – FBI agent Erica Evans and priest Jack Landry – There’s not much chance of the new dynamic duo hooking up like Mike and Juliet did, since this time around one of them is a priest. I like the changes the writers made in the main characters. A scientist and a camera man wouldn’t have as much influence as an FBI agent and a priest, considering the scenario presented in the new version. As an agent, Erica has access to files concerning the visitors, and as a priest, Jack will be presented with many challenging scenarios. How can a priest, who vows to do what is right, be honest, and keep people’s deepest problems confidential, among other things, be involved in a movement that will no doubt involve deception and bloodshed? On the other hand, if he chose not to act, he would be turning his back on a huge threat to the safety of God’s children. I really like his character so far. I know Joel Gretsch best for his role as an FBI agent on The 4400, and while I was skeptical about seeing him as a priest, he has done a good job, and he has great chemistry with Elizabeth Mitchell. It’s strange for me to see Mitchell decked out in makeup, nice clothes, and with perfect hair, since for the past couple of years she’s been stuck on an island looking pretty rough, as Juliet on Lost. Since we last saw her in extreme peril on that show, it’s nice to see that she has landed a juicy role on V. I really like Erica, but I do wish she weren’t such a clueless mom! She should know that her son’s “promise” to not get involved with the visitors doesn’t mean much.
• Trouble-making Teens
  • Then – Daniel Bernstein and Robin Maxwell, visitor Brian – So far there is no human villain in the new version that matches teenaged Daniel’s despicable, self-serving ways. While he was busy working his way up the ranks of the V organization, his parents were tortured by Diana and his grandfather was packed up into a pod as future food for the aliens. Basically, he was willing to step on anyone and everyone for his own selfish gain. I hope that the new version will give us a human just as worthy of being despised as he was. As for the young love storyline, the ’80s version gave us sweet, love struck Robin, who fawned over visitor Brian like he was the latest teen heart throb. Unfortunately for her, Diana turned that budding relationship into a mating experiment, and Robin went through all the trauma of teen pregnancy, compounded by the many unusual side effects that went along with carrying and giving birth to alien offspring.
  

  I doubt that an alien-human hybrid born on the new "V" would look anything like this precious lizard baby from the original version.

  • Now – Tyler Evans and visitor Lisa – I am quite curious about how the new version will develop Tyler’s crush on visitor Lisa. So far, Lisa seems to be a relatively good-natured alien, but then again, looks can be deceiving. In the original, Brian seemed nice and genuinely interested in Robin, but it turns out he was just as power-hungry as Diana. The possibility and consequences of alien-human offspring don’t seem as monumental in the new version, since it seems like it would have already happened, what with so many visitors already being integrated into human society. I wonder how the writers will address this issue. But I’m gektting way ahead of the story here. Right now, Lisa is simply Tyler’s motivation to get involved with the Visitors.
• The Ambitious Reporter
  • Then – Kristine Walsh – Kristine’s professional ambition, and willingness to step on anyone for the sake of her career, made her an extremely irritating character. I felt no sympathy for her until her one redeeming moment, when she finally stood up for what was right.
  • Now – Chad Decker – Oh, Scott Wolf. I loved him as Bailey on Party of Five, but wasn’t sure what to make of his more grown up character on Everwood. So far I am intrigued by his portrayal of the ambitious but slightly good-intentioned reporter. I hope he doesn’t fall into the same sticky web of power and fame that Kristine did. I’d prefer that he join the resistance and work against the V’s from the inside. After all, they need someone with an inside connection.
• Human-friendly visitors
  • Then – Willie (and his waitress girlfriend Harmony), Martin – I really liked Martin in the original. He was the noblest of the visitors – willing to risk his life for the sake of doing what was right. So far there isn’t a character like him on the new version. Willie and Harmony were almost comic relief. I was amused to discover that Robert Englund, best known for playing horror icon Freddie Krueger, played such a dopey, gentle-hearted character. He and Harmony’s relationship was really sweet, especially after she still accepted him despite learning of his true appearance and eating habits.
  • Now – Ryan Nichols (and his human girlfriend Valerie Holt) – Ryan is definitely not comic relief. He is intense about everything from picking out an engagement ring to answering his cell phone to sneaking off to a mechanic’s shop to get his reptilian arm repaired. I like him, though. I’m not so crazy about Valerie, mainly because she’s not very interesting so far. I have a feeling she won’t be as accepting as Harmony if she finds out the truth about Ryan.
  

  Dale is Erica's not-so-human FBI partner

• Dale Maddox – There is no counterpart in the original to this visitor disguised as a human FBI agent. In a way, I suppose he is the new version’s Kristine Walsh, since Kristine and Mike were close until she basically went over to the “dark side” (Dale and Erica are close professionally speaking until he reveals his true nature and disappears). It makes sense for the writers to introduce an entirely new character to be the leader of sorts for the terrorist visitors who have infiltrated human society. I look forward to seeing more of Alan Tudyk in this role, especially since Dollhouse, on which he played the villainous and basically insane Alpha, has now been canceled. It is strange to always see him in these bad guy roles, since he was such a goofy, likable character on Firefly (may Wash rest in peace…)

Many questions remain unanswered for the moment on the new series:

• What is the Visitors’ true agenda?
• Do the Visitors plan to eat the humans, steal all the earth’s resources, destroy the earth, or all of the above?
• Is Tyler going to be a lizard-baby daddy?
• Will any more of the supposedly human characters be revealed as Visitors?
• Will reporter Chad Decker hold on to his journalistic integrity (is there such a thing?!), or will he become a media puppet through which Anna will spout propaganda to the public?
• Will the writers pay homage to any classic V moments, such as Diana swallowing a gerbil, or Mike ripping off the fake human face when he fought one of the aliens?

Hopefully, the new show will have a chance to find its footing and tell its story before it gets canceled. It is worrisome that there was a drastic ratings drop from episode one to two. I suppose it’s good news in a way that the show only has two more episodes to air before going on a planned hiatus until the spring. Perhaps by then viewers will be ready to tune in again after months of anticipation. If not, then at least we always have the truly classic original to return to for a complete and satisfying tale of manipulative, lying lizard visitors from outer space and the human resistance movement that brought them down with a lot of heart, hope, and helium. (In case you don’t recall, hot air balloons were an important factor in the humans’ final battle with the visitors…)

What do you think of the new V so far? I’ll leave you with a scene from the original miniseries that really disturbed me as a child, but which I now find quite amusing, particularly because of the dated special effects.

Freaks and Geeks: A Review October 28, 2009

Why did it take me ten years to watch this gem of a show from 1999? Freaks and Geeks is a show about misfits at a suburban Detroit high school circa 1980. It is the antithesis of shows like Dawson’s Creek or the more recent Gossip Girl (worlds inhabited by beautiful teens with abnormally self aware conversational skills). If for no other reason, children of the ’80s should watch the show to revel in all of that decade’s music, cars, clothing, even wallpaper (or wood paneling) – I know I had many moments of nostalgia. Thankfully, there are many other reasons to watch the show besides its spot-on ’80s setting and atmosphere. Read on for several more reasons to tune in.

The cast of Freaks and Geeks

The Characters

• The Freaks
  • Nick Andopolis (Jason Segel) – I was surprised and pleased when I discovered that Marshall from HIMYM was on this show. His character had arguably the most development of the trio of freak guys. Beneath his near-constant drug-induced stupor, and his dream of being a great drummer, he had a flair for the dramatic (see his song for Lindsay and his disco dancing) and uncertainty about the future, since his dad had basically ordered him to join the army. I didn’t really like where they left Nick – standing in a discotheque with a girlfriend he didn’t really like, while Lindsay walked out and moved on with her life. Nevertheless, he was a character I grew to love and root for.
  • Daniel Desario (James Franco) – I was impressed with James Franco in this role. He’s had quite a successful career since playing Daniel, the cool, laid back leader of the freaks. His on-again, off-again relationship with Kim was entertaining, but we also saw some of the pressure he felt at home, and his fear that he would never be good at anything. I love how we last saw him – playing Dungeons and Dragons with the geeks, and discovering that this game was something that was fun that he was pretty good at – even if his character was a dwarf.
  • Ken Miller (Seth Rogen) – Seth Rogen was little more than comic relief until late in the series, when his character developed an interest in a tuba player in the band. One of my favorite episodes is the one where she shares an important secret him, and although he struggles with processing it, he turns out to be cool with it. That episode also showed that Daniel, Nick, and Ken were loyal friends to each other. Loved it.
  • Kim Kelly (Busy Phillips) – Other than central character Lindsay, Kim was one of the few girls on the show. She was probably the least developed character of the main cast – she was mostly stuck making annoyed faces and insulting people. That’s not to say she wasn’t entertaining. Kim Kelly was a perfect character for Busy Phillips to play, and I much prefer her here than in Dawson’s Creek.
  • Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini) – Oh, poor confused Lindsay. First she’s a Math-lete, then she’s dating Nick, then she’s a Math-lete again, for one second, then she’s hanging out with Dead Heads. Wait, I guess she was just acting like the majority of American teenagers, trying to find their place in the world. While I was disappointed with where the show took her character in the end (it left a lot of unresolved issues that we’ll never see), I suppose it’s more realistic than the alternative. (I won’t give specifics, so you can see for yourself.) Despite the realistic aspects to her character, I often found myself annoyed by her aimless wandering from group to group. She wasn’t one of my favorite characters. I guess she represented the uncomfortable world in between freaks and geeks.
• The Geeks
  • Sam Weir (John Francis Daley) – John Francis Daley was the best thing about this show. He is adorable as awkward, geeky teen Sam Weir. Fans of Bones know him as psychologist Lance Sweets. He’s all grown up now, so it’s crazy that ten years ago he was just a sweet little 14 year old boy on Freaks and Geeks. While his friends Bill and Neal were sometimes unbearably dorky, Sam managed to be more charming with his adolescent confusion. For example, his crush on Cindy Sanders led to him getting all flustered around her, but when his dream of dating her actually came true, he realized they had nothing in common and was very bored and irritated with her. I liked most of his character’s developments, and the Cindy Sanders story was especially fun.
  • Bill Haverchuck (Martin Starr) – Oh, sweet dorky Bill. As I mentioned earlier, I was sometimes irritated by how he left his mouth hanging open all the time, but he was a terrific source of entertainment for his friends and the television audience. He asked the tough questions, like when he couldn’t figure out what was so great about french kissing, and started coming up with horrific hypothetical scenarios about what could go wrong. His home life was a little sad (he spent his afternoons home alone and his evening watching Dallas), and the episode about his allergic reaction to peanuts was a downer, but usually Bill made me smile.
  • Neal Schweiber (Samm Levine) – Neal represents the stereotypically irritating dorky guy who is a little too confident in his witty one-liners and ability to charm the ladies. Despite this, he was a good friend to Sam and Bill. The situation with his dad was sad, but it was nice to see Sam and Bill help out their friend as he worked through his feelings of anger and disappointment. And no doubt, if the show had told us where these guys ended up, Neal would be a highly successful businessman married to a beautiful woman.
  • Millie Kentner (Sarah Hagan) – Millie was an odd character – so straight-laced, and representative of Lindsay’s pre-freak social scene. But beneath her awkward, serious exterior was a really sweet friend. It was horrible when Kim ran over her dog!
• The Grown-Ups
  • Harold Weir (Joe Flaherty) – In the beginning, Lindsay and Sam’s father seemed like a stereotypical tv dad, muttering stories about “when I was your age” at the dinner table, but as the series progressed we saw another side behind his cranky exterior. Deep down, he cared deeply for his wife and kids, and was only trying to do what was best for them. One of my favorite moments from Mr. Weir was when he took Nick under his wing, when Nick’s own father wasn’t giving him any guidance or support.
  • Jean Weir (Becky Ann Baker) – Lindsay and Sam’s stay-at-home mom was always full of smiles and encouraging words, but she was mostly clueless about what her kids were going through at school. She and Mr. Weir were hilarious when they had scenes together, especially in the episode where they rekindled the romance in their relationship (resulting in a very awkward situation for the kids when they got home from school…). I felt so bad for her when she would go out of her way to make a special meal, or to bake cookies for Halloween, and no one would appreciate her effort.
  • Coach Ben Fredericks (Thomas F. Wilson) – Best known as Biff in Back to the Future, he was the rough around the edges, but generally well meaning P.E. coach. I loved how he sat Sam down for a heart to heart about real sex ed after Sam was freaked out by the porn that Daniel loaned him. And I also liked the episode where Coach Fredericks was dating Bill’s mom, and tried his hardest to find a point of connection with his potential step son. He was as surprised as anyone when that connection point turned out to be Dallas.
  • Jeff Rosso (Dave Allen) – The school guidance counselor, this former hippie was full of sage advice and cool vibes, which always freaked out the freaks. I loved the episode where Lindsay and her friends went to great lengths to secure fake IDs to go see a hot new band, and when they succeeded, they were disappointed to discover that the lead singer was none other than their dorky guidance counselor (who proceeded to direct the bartender to serve his students soda instead of alcohol).
  

  Hippie guidance counselor Mr. Rosso

My Favorite Episodes

• Tricks and Treats – The main thing I remember about this episode was Bill dressing up as the Bionic Woman (so funny!) and Lindsay realizing what a jerk she was becoming when she egged her own brother during her friends’ Halloween joyride around town. It was also interesting to hear the characters talk about fears of tainted candy (the main reason that kids were throwing Mrs. Weir’s homemade cookies into her front yard). I always love Halloween episodes of tv shows, and this one didn’t disappoint. But the look on Sam’s face after Lindsay egged him was so sad! So was the look on her face…

 

Bill as the Bionic Woman

• Tests and Breasts – This was the episode that found Sam, Neal, and Bill pondering the mysteries of sex, a topic of discussion brought up when they don’t understand a dirty joke, and when they start covering sex ed in P.E. Much awkwardness followed, including them watching the porn flick Daniel loaned them, and Coach Frederick’s honest Q&A with Sam.
• Carded and Discarded – The title of this episode refers mostly to Lindsay and her friends’ quest to get fake IDs, but I was more interested in the geeks’ sub plot of them befriending a pretty new girl at school. This story gave them a chance to point out the normally harsh realities of kids choosing a group and sticking to it once the dust of newness settles. But the time they spent with the new girl was fun, especially when she enthusiastically joined them in launching rockets.
• Smooching and Mooching – This episode took a game of spin the bottle to new levels of hilarity, from Neal’s pre-party practice on his ventriloquist dummy, to Bill’s unexpected heart to heart talk and makeout session with a cheerleader.
• The Little Things – This is the episode that saw Sam’s crush on Cindy turn into the harsh reality of a relationship built on infatuation, with no common interests to hold it together. She was shocked that he didn’t want to hang out with all her friends, and he couldn’t believe she thought The Jerk was stupid! The more serious plot of this episode involved Ken’s girlfriend telling him her deepest, darkest secret. The way that Ken and she worked through it all was very realistic and well done, and gave me a greater appreciation for his character.
• Discos and Dragons – This episode actually worked really well as a series finale. My favorite aspect of it was how Daniel started hanging out with the geeks – and having just as much fun with them, if not more, as with his regular friends. He finally found something he was good at in Dungeons and Dragons, and his participation in the game made the other guys feel cooler. I wasn’t as thrilled with the direction the show took Lindsay’s character, which I mentioned earlier. Oh, well. Overall, it was a great episode.

The "geeks" wait for Daniel to make his move in their game of Dungeons and Dragons

Standout Moments

• Sam streaking through the halls at school (Episode 6, “I’m with the Band”) – Sam lived out all of our worst nightmares of being naked at school! It was quite a memorable scene, with him running for cover, and not finding it anywhere.
• Lindsay’s parents read her diary (Episode 10, “The Diary”) – I loved Mr. and Mrs. Weir, and this scene found them torn between giving their daughter privacy vs. making sure she wasn’t getting involved in anything bad. What they read ended up changing how they treated her and each other, which was bittersweet to watch.
• Sam’s feathered hair and baby blue jumpsuit (Episode 11, “Looks and Books”) – Oh, my, this may have been the moment that made me laugh more than anything else on the series. He looked so ridiculous, but then most teenagers go to crazy lengths to achieve coolness, and we usually all fail miserably. He certainly did!

Sam's unfortunate choice of wardrobe and hair style

• Bill watching tv and eating an after school snack (various episodes) – Eating snacks and watching tv are part of most people’s childhood, and yet you don’t see it very often on a tv show. I appreciated this glimpse of Bill’s life. Living with a single, working mom, he came home to an empty house, and Garry Shandling kept him company.
• Coach Fredricks invades Bill’s happy home life (Episode 14, “Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers”) – From Bill’s incredulous scowl, to the awkwardness of Coach Fredricks drinking out of a mug that had Bill’s name on it, this plot seemed very realistic.
• Daniel’s stint as a punk rocker (Episode 15, “Noshing and Moshing”) – It was so funny watching Daniel make himself into a punk rocker. He looked ridiculous (much like Sam in his jumpsuit), but at least he figured out pretty quickly that the look and lifestyle weren’t working for him.

Daniel looks in the mirror and realizes how ridiculous he looks

• Future stars’ cameos – I couldn’t possibly list all the notable names here, but there were several cameos by actors who, at the time, weren’t household names, but who are now widely recognized. For example, any fan of The Office will get a kick out of seeing Rashida Jones (Jim’s ex, Karen) as a school bully who tormented Sam and his friends. Ben Stiller had a one episode stint as a secret service agent to Vice President George H.W. Bush, who was speaking at the high school. Lizzy Caplan (currently best known for her role as Amy in season one of True Blood) also showed up, as a love interest for Nick. Kevin Tighe, Locke’s con artist father on Lost, played Nick’s similarly heartless and cruel dad (he sold Nick’s drum set without asking – that’s almost as bad as stealing a kidney, right?) Aside from the core cast, who have almost all gone on to bigger and better things, the most notable familiar name is producer Judd Apatow. Before he was writing and producing movies like Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin, he was making tv shows about awkward teenagers (he later worked on Undeclared, which is about college kids). It’s nice to know that even though Freaks and Geeks didn’t live to see another season, many people who were involved in the show were able to use it as a launching pad for their careers.

Did you ever watch this show? If so, what were your favorite things about it? If not, add it to your rental queue right now. You won’t regret it!

Music Monday: George Michael’s “One More Try” August 3, 2009

The year: 1987. The man: George Michael. The look: a shock of hair with bleached tips, a dangling cross earring, a well-defined and close-cropped beard, a black jacket with huge shoulder pads, black jeans, and black pointy-toed boots. The setting: an abandoned living room with curtains billowing from the breeze flowing through the opened windows, and with every piece of furniture covered in white linen, except for an oval mirror, left uncovered so that GM can gaze at himself in the mirror and draw a heart. The song: the epic “One More Try,” one of my favorite tunes from one of my favorite ’80s artists. It is such a heartfelt, emotive song of lost love, and of a broken heart. Enjoy.

Hey Dude: Man Eating Jackrabbits, Killer Cacti, and a Girl Named Brad August 1, 2009

“It’s a little wild and a little strange, when you make your home out on the range…” Do you remember Hey Dude, a show that aired on Nickelodeon from 1989 to 1991? I used to watch it every afternoon after school, and I’ve enjoyed reminiscing about it today. If you have a few minutes, join me for a memory walk down the dusty road to the Bar None Ranch.

Hey Dude was Nickelodeon’s first original live action television series, and aired as part of its teen-oriented afternoon lineup, which as I recall also included Salute Your Shorts and Nick Rocks. Hey Dude was entertaining, and more importantly for a tween girl, had a few cute guys in the cast. Its characters and some of the plots seem awfully familiar to Saved by the Bell, but the cast of that more popular show was actually much younger at the time this one began. That being said, perhaps there is just a lot of common ground on any teen sitcom: a goofy authority figure, an arrogant but popular cute guy, a beautiful rich girl, a dorky dweeb, etc.

• The Plot: Mr. Ernst, a former accountant, buys the Bar None Ranch and moves there from New York City with his son Buddy, in an attempt to escape big city life and the pressures of his job. He hires a handful of teenagers for the summers, and they have various adventures, disagreements, and romances during their time on the staff. I came across this interesting website today that gives a “then and now” photo tour of the show’s set. (It was filmed on location on the grounds of a real dude ranch outside Tucson, Arizona named the Tanque Verde Guest Ranch.)
  

• The Characters
  • Mr. Ernst – This bumbling, balding, bespectacled boss man was the closest thing to an authority figure at the ranch. I just remember him being a big dork. The actor who played him, David Brisbin, has had the most successful post-Hey Dude acting career of any of the cast. Over the past 18 years he has appeared on several tv shows, including The X-Files, Bones, ER, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Brothers and Sisters.
  • Lucy – She was the only other adult working at the ranch, and she supposedly appeared in all but one episode (I don’t remember her that well, but I guess a grownup lady wouldn’t have been on my radar). Debrah Kalman, the actress who played Lucy, never did any other major acting work, something that is true of most of the cast.
  • Buddy – If Mr. Ernst was this show’s Mr. Belding, then Buddy is the dude ranch’s Screech. He was annoyingly dorky, and in the early episodes always had his trusty dog Cassie by his side (I hated the shot of Buddy and his dog in the opening credits – it was so cheesy). I suppose Buddy was supposed to be the pre-teen boy who aspired to be like the cool older kids who worked for his dad. The actor, Josh Tygiel, didn’t do any acting beyond this show.
  • Danny – Like Lucy, I don’t remember Danny very well at all. He was an easygoing (read: boring) Hopi Indian who also appeared in all but one episode. I must have been totally fixated on the cute guys! Joe Torres, who played Danny, has only appeared in one movie since his role on Hey Dude – he was in a movie called Groove, released in 2000, about a giant rave in San Francisco. Sounds more exciting than his role on this show!
  • Ted – Ted was my favorite character. He was the flirtatious troublemaker who had an on again, off again romance with Brad. I was disappointed when he had to leave the dude ranch to attend summer school, but he eventually returned. Of the teen cast, David Lascher has had arguably the most successful acting career. He played Josh on the tv show Clueless, another Josh on the longer running Sabrina the Teenage Witch, a boyfriend on Blossom, and one of the many cute guys in the movie White Squall.
  • Brad – I’ve never heard of another girl named Brad besides this character. She was the stereotypical spoiled little rich girl, who just so happened to be an excellent horse trainer. I always wondered why the guys were more interested in her than in sweet and cute Melody. Actress Kelly Brown left acting after Hey Dude to focus on starting a family. According to Wikipedia, she remains good friends with the actress who played Lucy.
  • Melody – Earlier, I said that David Lascher has had arguably the most successful career, because Christine Taylor is right there with him in terms of her movie and tv credits. But she is probably more well known for being married to Ben Stiller than for her roles in Friends, The Wedding Singer, Zoolander, Arrested Development, etc. Her most memorable movie role was as Marcia Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie and A Very Brady Sequel. She was a fantastic and hilarious Marcia. Back on her breakout role as Melody, she was the sweet, down to earth Melody, who worked as a lifeguard at the dude ranch.
  • Jake – Jake is described on Wikipedia as Mr. Ernst’s nephew, “an eccentric slacker who likes to play the drums.” I don’t remember that about him, but I do remember that he was Ted’s replacement. Actor Jonathan Galkin never did any other notable acting work, but he has found success as the label manager for DFA Records.
  • Kyle – Kyle was the tall, skinny cowboy who showed up in later episodes, and he became a romantic rival of Ted’s, as they were both interested in Brad.

The cast of Hey Dude, in all of their late '80s glory

• The Theme Song – I used to belt out this theme song at the beginning of every show, right down to the ridiculous voice over about “man-eating jackrabbits and killer cacti.” Do you remember all the words? Click here to listen.
  • It’s a little wild and a little strange…
    when you make your home out on the range.
    So, start your horse and come along.
    ‘Cause you can’t get a ride if you can’t hold on.
    Singin’ yippee kai aie ay. (Yippee kai aie what?)
    Like the cowboys say. (Sing it again now.)
    Yippee kai aie ay.
    ‘Till the break of day.
    (You’d better watch out for those man-eating jackrabbits… And that killer cacti!)
    Hey Dude!“

Since I couldn’t find the theme song and opening credits on YouTube, I’ll leave you with this “tribute” of sorts to the show, which is sung to the tune of “Hey Jude.” I appreciated the short clips from the show, as well as the references to other Nickelodeon shows. This is definitely a video that will only be appreciated by others who grew up watching these shows. Enjoy! To those who weren’t there, I apologize. On this video, the guy asks if anyone can remember a single plot from the show, and I actually do. Well, in bits and pieces. I remember an episode where Brad and Ted ended up handcuffed to each other for some reason, and another one where Brad, Ted, and Kyle all played miniature golf together. That’s all I’ve got. What do you remember about the show?

Retro Weekend: Best TV Show Theme Songs (with Lyrics) July 25, 2009

To wrap up my look back at the best tv show theme songs, I’ll list the ten best theme songs with lyrics. Again, I am limiting myself to the post-1980 tv world, but this time I managed to fit all the sitcoms and dramas into one list, unlike the instrumental theme songs. I hope you enjoy listening to and reminiscing about these songs as much as I did!

• The Dukes of Hazzard – I mostly associate this show with the house of a lady who babysat me in the early 80s. It was an old, creepy (to a kid, at least), isolated house, with lots of mysterious steps and closed doors. The main living room is the only place that I and my siblings were allowed to go, and the one constant about the room is that, at least in my memory, The Dukes of Hazzard was always on the television! Maybe my parents happened to drop us off there on the same weeknight every time, or maybe there was some channel that always showed Bo and Luke joy riding in their General Lee, but whatever the case, this theme song’s laid back, country tone was an appropriate soundtrack for that house. “Just two good ole’ boys, never meanin’ no harm…” As for the song making this list, it is a classic tune that was perfectly suited for the show. Too bad that the show itself hasn’t held up well over time. I tried to stomach an episode awhile ago, and it was just awful – pure campiness, horrible acting, and very little plot.

• Diff’rent Strokes – I have a vague memory of using this theme song as my answering machine greeting my freshman year of college. That’s about the time I bought a couple of “TV’s Greatest Hits” CDs and started reminiscing about the best theme songs. I love the end of the bridge with the harmonized “and together we’ll be fine.” This song has a funky beat and catchy lyrics. Fun times.

• Growing Pains – “Show me that smile again, don’t waste another minute on your cryin’.” I love the sentimental, heartfelt lyrics of this song, and it is so singalongable. Whether it was the original version or the later version with the barbershop quartet singing, this may be my favorite tv theme song. It helps that I had a crush on Kirk Cameron in the ’80s.

• The Golden Girls – Um, I just claimed that Growing Pains was my favorite theme song. Scratch that. Golden Girls takes that title hands down. What other theme song do I still spontaneously sing at random times – something I’ve done for almost 20 years now! What a wonderfully nostalgic song about lasting friendship. Sing it with me now: “Thank you for being a friend. Traveled down the road and back again. Your heart is true you’re a pal and a confidant. And if you through a party, and invited everyone you ever knew, you would see the biggest gift would be from me, and the card attached would say thank you for being a friend.”

• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – “Now this is a story, all about how, my life got flipped – turned upside down…” Back in the day, kids at school (myself included!) would pride themselves on being able to recite this tv theme rap from beginning to end. It really is fun, and was certainly an appropriate style for star Will Smith. His career as a rapper sure seems like a distant memory now that he’s a full-fledged movie star. I’ve seen reruns of this show from time to time, and it is quite dated, super cheesy, but still fun to watch.
• Gilmore Girls – This theme song took some time to grow on me. At first it was too cutesy, sappy, and sweet, but after I had made my way through the first season or two of this mother-daughter dynamic duo show, I was singing right along with Carole King and her daughter Louise Goffin, as they sing about being there for each other – “all you have to do is call my name, and I’ll be there on the next train.” The song really is perfect for the show’s quirky tone and themes of sisterhood, family, and friendship.

• CSI – From the opening chords to the dramatic closing chorus of “you, you, you, you…,” this song is very memorable. The song, “Who Are You” by the Who, may have been around long before this show began, but the crime show was my introduction to it, and so I will always associate it with those opening credit images of Warrick examining a shoe string, Grissom smashing a fake human head with a sledgehammer, and the other CSIs doing similar things looking equally attractive and stylish. The spin-offs, Miami and New York, are cheap imitations of the original, and though their theme songs are also by The Who, they lack the punch of “Who Are You.”

• Smallville - “Somebody SAVE me!” With that emotionally charged opening line, Remy Zero introduced us to the trials and adventures of a teen Clark Kent and his band of unsuspecting classmates. This show has lost a lot of its quality over the years, but the first couple of seasons were outstanding and fascinating. I still love the song, and it fit the show perfectly. The fairly recent trend of using pop songs as tv themes doesn’t bother me. If the song is well suited for the show, then why not use it? Another show and song that almost made this list are Dawson’s Creek’s “I Don’t Want to Wait” by Paula Cole. I guess you could say that the WB perfected the art of choosing pop songs to represent tv shows.
• Firefly – We move now from a couple of pop song themes, to one that is entirely original. Joss Whedon wrote the theme song, and Sonny Rhodes performed it, and it is about as close to theme song and musical perfection as you can get. It has a Western sound, and a mysterious melody, perfect for a sci fi space western, and its lyrics are very poetic and closely related to the show’s themes:

Take my love, take my land
Take me where I cannot stand
I don’t care, I’m still free
You can’t take the sky from me
Take me out to the black
Tell them I ain’t comin’ back
Burn the land and boil the sea
You can’t take the sky from me
There’s no place I can be
Since I found Serenity
But you can’t take the sky from me…

• Veronica Mars – “A long time ago, we used to be friends, but I haven’t thought of you lately at all.” I’ll close out the list with one more pop song, the Dandy Warhols’ “We Used to Be Friends.” This edgy, unusual song perfectly represents this edgy, unusual show and its edgy, unusual heroine, teen PI Veronica Mars. As the show began, we learned that Veronica had once been popular but was now at the bottom of the totem pole, so the “used to be friends” lyrics are appropriate. Here is a character who channels her anger and sadness over what has happened into solving crimes and righting wrongs, all while trying to keep herself and her dad afloat in the social waters of Neptune. Can you tell that I was a big fan of this show? I didn’t even mind the new version of the theme song for season three. The slower, jazzier style seemed appropriate for Veronica’s new life in college, as she faced a slightly more grown up set of concerns and problems.

This wraps up my series of posts about the best tv show theme songs, unless I get around to making a list of the best “classic” (read: old) tv show theme songs. So which of your favorites did I leave off?

Related Posts

• Best TV Sitcom Theme Songs (Instrumental)
• Best One-Hour TV Show Theme Songs (Instrumental)
  

Retro Weekend: Best One-Hour TV Show Theme Songs (Instrumental) July 18, 2009

Last weekend I listed the Best Instrumental TV Sitcom Theme Songs. This week, I’m sticking with the instrumentals, but moving on to one hour shows. I couldn’t just say “Best TV Drama Theme Songs” because some of these shows don’t fit into that genre. Remember that these aren’t all necessarily great shows – they just happen to have some of the most memorable, most show-appropriate, or catchiest theme songs. Once again, rather than try to list a top ten, I’ve just organized them in roughly chronological order. Thanks again to Television Tunes, for taking me on a trip down tv theme song memory lane.

• Dallas – No, I didn’t just include this long-running primetime soap because I live in Dallas. This show was a bit too before my time for me to be a fan – plus I simply don’t care too much for soaps. But the theme song has that special 70s vibe, mixed with a bold, clean brass section reminiscent of old TV westerns. It’s a nice blend of city and country, and perfectly fits the show.

• The Price is Right – Maybe I’m weird for throwing in a game show theme song to this list, but hearing this song transports me right back to my babysitters’ house, or to summers at home, when I was growing up. It is the epitome of ’70s-’80s game shows with its happy go lucky tune and hip horn section.
• Knight Rider – Please let me emphasize that I am talking about the original show, not the feeble attempt at a remake last year. Back when David Hasselhoff was still cool, he had a show with a really cool theme song. The guitar, the uber-80s synthesizer, the beat track… it’s all good. There’s a voiceover on the opening credits, but I think it still counts as an instrumental.

• Twin Peaks – I have recently been rewatching this series on a cable network called Chiller. It is at times bizarre, at times disturbing, but almost always fascinating. The opening theme is beautiful and melancholy, and sets up the strange contrast of a small town with quirky inhabitants and the sinister forces at work in their midst. All the music on this show was excellent, from the distinctive musical score for each character (I liked Audrey’s jazzy song), to the songs performed by a musician at The Roadhouse.

• Law & Order – I lost interest in this show long ago, and never even watched a couple of the spin-offs in the franchise. My favorite was always SVU, but the original had the best version of the theme song. The tone is melancholy, gritty, and hints at the seedy underbelly that the criminal justice system deals with. I like how the music changes when the opening credits shift from the police to the district attorneys.
• The X-Files – The whistling, the spooky chords. What’s not to love about this theme song? I used to whistle along to the opening credits. I guess it counts as an instrumental since there aren’t any actual words.
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer - This is a theme song that I didn’t like at first, but after years of listening to it, it’s one of my favorites. The funky rock sound is perfect for a show about an epic hero who is sometimes more interested in making the cheerleading squad than in slaying vampires. Plus, it’s just fun to listen to.
• Dexter – I wish I could have found a video of the actual opening credits, because that really enhances the experience of the song. A healthy dose of Cuban guitar, mixed with some violent images of bacon frying, shoelaces being tied, someone shaving, etc. The song, combined with the opening credits, are perfect for a show that has a sociopath posing as a regular guy.
• Friday Night Lights – I’ve fallen behind in watching this show, but I still love it and its theme song. The video below contains the song, but not the actual opening credits. The pictures that are included of the characters give you an idea of the heart of the show: a small town community, a coach who is dedicated to his family and his team, flawed high school kids doing the best they can with their circumstances, etc. The guitar-driven theme has a slow and steady pace that is fitting for the small town setting of this show, with just a hint of an edge to it, since there are bad boy characters like Riggins and Smash on the show.

• Fringe – This was my favorite new show last season, and it has a brief but perfect theme song. Like the X-Files theme that came before it, this song, penned by J.J. Abrams himself (what can’t he do?), is mysterious and haunting. The string-heavy melody hints at the show’s main focus – scientific occurrences just on the fringe of possibility.

So, which iconic theme songs did I leave off of this list? Which ones do you agree/disagree with? Next weekend I’ll move on to Best TV Sitcom Theme Songs with Lyrics.

Unzipping My Case Logic Cassette Carrying Case: Part One July 13, 2009

Last week while I was reminiscing about the Michael Jackson music I listened to growing up, I was reminded of how I used to create “playlists” of sorts by recording songs off the radio. Did anyone else do this? It required a lot of patience. I had a lavender jam box (with a neon orange “record” button and a purple strap for carrying it around), and I would sit next to it listening to the radio, with the “record” and “pause” buttons both pressed down. As one song wrapped up, I would place my finger on the pause button, and if the next song was one that I liked, I would quickly unpause the stereo to add the song to my cassette tape of favorite songs. Usually, I was waiting for a specific song to come on. This must be why I am so good at “Name That Tune.” I developed an ability to recognize a song by its opening chord!

In this age of mp3s and iTunes, it is much easier to obtain copies of your favorite music, and to arrange it just the way you want it. You can have a playlist of workout tunes, songs from movies, songs about peaches… You can be as generic or creative as you want. We didn’t have that option in the ’80s and ’90s. The closest we came to flexibility was having the option to record over previously dubbed songs when you got tired of those. And whereas today you can have thousands of songs at your fingertips, as a child and teen I was lucky if I had 150 (that’s probably how many songs I could carry around with me in my 15-cassette Case Logic case.) I think this limited access to songs in the pre-mp3 era makes me value the music I was listening to back then more, even if the songs haven’t aged well.

In the spirit of reflecting on my radio dubbing glory days, I now present to you the contents of my Case Logic cassette carrying case. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find my oldest tapes, which date back to about 1987. Hopefully I’ll dig them up for a later installment. For now, here’s “Part One”: what I was listening to and recording between 1988 and 1992. (I am so glad that I meticulously wrote down every song title and artist on each tape.) It is interesting to see how my musical tastes changed, as well as how popular music changed, over that period.

Cassette #1: 1988-1991 - There must have been some recording over old songs for this tape to span so much time. Looking back, standouts on this tape include “Praying for Time,” “Eternal Flame,” and “More Than Words.” But I also love me some Roxette (remember “Fading Like a Flower”?) and Milli Vanilli (“Girl you know it’s true! G-G-G-G girllll…”).

• Side One
  • “Every Heartbeat” – Amy Grant
  • “Dangerous” – Roxette
  • “Pure Energy” – Information Society
  • “Can’t Touch This” – MC Hammer
  • “Different Light” – Doug Stone
  • “One Moment in Time” – Whitney Houston
  • “Blame It on the Rain” – Milli Vanilli
  • “Back on My Feet” – Michael Bolton
  • “Praying for Time” – George Michael
• Side Two
  • “Eternal Flame” – The Bangles
  • “More Than Words” – Extreme
  • “Voices That Care” – Multiple artists (recorded for troops during Operation Desert Storm)
  • “Release Me” – Wilson Phillips
  • “Unbelievable” – EMF
  • “Miracle” – Whitney Houston
  • “Escapade” – Janet Jackson
  • “Freedom” – George Michael

Cassette Tape #2 (1989): - Wow, how the times have changed. Paula Abdul’s music career is a distant memory, Donnie Osmond is now an emcee for pageants and such, Michael Damian isn’t on The Young and the Restless anymore (but apparently he rereleased “Rock On” on an album this year), and Milli Vanilli has long since been exposed as musical frauds (such a shame – I really liked their songs). Who knew that New Kids on the Block would be the ones still making music 20 years later? Bon Jovi’s music has stood the test of time well, but I much prefer his late ’80s, early ’90s work to his albums of the past decade.

• Side One
  • Aerosmith (that’s how I labeled it, so not sure what song it is! Maybe “Love in an Elevator.”)
  • “Right Here Waiting” – Richard Marx
  • “Forever Your Girl” – Paula Abdul
  • “What I Am (I’m Not Aware)” – Edie Brickell
  • “Walk of Life” – Dire Straits (I had it incorrectly labeled as Bruce Springsteen!)
  • “Lay Your Hands” – Bon Jovi
  • “Batdance” – Prince
• Side Two
  • “One More Try” – Timmy T
  • “Soldier of Love” – Donnie Osmond (it seems weird that Donnie Osmond sang this song!)
  • “Hangin’ Tough” – New Kids on the Block
  • “Gonna Miss You” – Milli Vanilli
  • “Rock On” – Michael Damian
  • “Seeds of Love” – Tears for Fears
  • “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time” – New Kids on the Block
  • “We Didn’t Start the Fire” – Billy Joel

Cassette #3 (1992) – This tape represents my musical tastes in 8th and 9th grade. You’ll notice that I had developed an interest country music. In my opinion, this time period was country music at its peak, before it went downhill into the pop-crossover arena. I still belt out some Lorrie Morgan tunes from time to time (especially “Something in Red”), “I Still Believe in You” was my favorite song of ‘92, and Wynonna had some good tunes (initially) after leaving The Judds. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are, of course, still enjoying success, but “Under the Bridge” is one of my favorite songs, and definitely my favorite of theirs.

• Side One
  • “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” – George Michael and Elton John (“Ladies and gentlemen… Mr. Elton John!!!” – I love that part.)
  • “Like Two Sparrows” – Tanya Tucker
  • “Call Me Lonesome” – Radney Foster
  • “Shake the Sugar Tree” – Pam Tillis
  • “If There Hadn’t Been You” – Billy Dean
  • “Watch Me” – Lorrie Morgan
  • “Under the Bridge” – Red Hot Chili Peppers (how’s that for a transition? Lori Morgan to the Chili Peppers.)
  • “Never Knew Lonely” – Vince Gill
  • “In This Life” – Colin Raye
  • “If You Ask Me To” – Celine Dion
  • “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion)” – John Parr
• Side Two
  • “Take This Heart” – Richard Marx
  • “The River” – Garth Brooks
  • “One” – Elton John
  • “Jam” – Michael Jackson
  • “Jesus He Knows Me” – Phil Collins
  • “I Saw the Light” – Wynonna
  • “Tell Ourselves” – Clint Black
  • “Another Day” – Jon Secada
  • “End of the Road” – Boyz II Men
  • “I Still Believe in You” – Vince Gill
  • “Saddle Up Your Horses – Steven Curtis Chapman

That’s all for Part One. There’s only so much transcribing that I can handle at a time. Next week, I’ll reveal what I was recording during my high school years (‘93-’96). You’ll see names like Ugly Kid Joe, Mr. Big, and Crash Test Dummies. Good times! Did you see any of your favorites on these cassette tape playlists? What else were you listening to? If you still have your own collection of radio-recorded songs, I’d love to know what some of them are.

Retro Weekend: Best TV Sitcom Theme Songs (Instrumental) July 11, 2009

TV show theme songs have been on my mind lately, so this weekend I am kicking off a new mini series of posts in which I will attempt to identify the best tv show theme songs in various categories. To begin with, I will have separate posts for sitcoms and dramas, as well as for the “instrumental only” vs. “with lyrics” in each of those genres. Also, I am staying within my realm of knowledge, which is shows since 1980. If you know of any great pre-1980 theme songs, please let me know!

Before I get any further, I must share a link to an awesome website that also happens to be an excellent time waster. It also helped jog my memory on these theme songs, though. Basically, it is an archive of almost every tv theme song ever made:

• Television Tunes: TV Theme Songs

First up: best instrumental sitcom theme songs. Without any lyrics to guide the audience in what the show is about, we rely on the tone of the music to set up our expectations. These songs aren’t necessarily the best musically speaking; perhaps it’s better to say that they are the best at conveying the essence of the shows they introduced. Looking back on some of the classic shows on this list, there is also a certain amount of nostalgia that influenced my selection process. It would have been too difficult for me to rate the best of the best, so instead I’ve just listed them in roughly chronological order. Without further adieu, here are my “Top Ten Instrumental Sitcom Theme Songs.”

Best Instrumental Sitcom Theme Songs

• The Cosby Show (Bobby McPferrin version from 1987) – I remember being irritated how every season this show had a different opening theme and sequence. I have always thrived on familiarity! But looking back, Bobby McFerrin’s jazzy performance is the one that seems quintessentially Cosby to me. It has a fun vibe, and (pardon me if this is cheesy) some nice harmonies that reflect the family togetherness that the show represents.

• Doogie Howser – “Da da da da dada, da da da da dada…” I can’t think of a more distinctive opening to a theme song than this one for the boy genius who becomes a doctor as a teenager. The robotic sounding opening notes are reflective of Doogie’s (at the time) high tech computer journal, on which he recorded his thoughts about his experiences in both the world of medicine and teenagedom. I was reminded how much I like this theme song when Neil Patrick Harris appeared on SNL awhile back and performed it with a full orchestra for a Digital Short. The SNL version sounded much better, but the original opening theme isn’t too bad either.

• Designing Women – What better song for a show about four southern women than “Georgia on My Mind”? The song was classy, just like these (mostly) sophisticated interior designers. I especially loved Julia (Dixie Carter) and Mary Jo (Annie Potts). There have been few tv shows that I can think of that show a smarter side to the South. We aren’t all backwoods hicks, you know.

• Roseanne – Roseanne was the polar opposite of most family sitcoms of its time. It represented life for a working class family, and Roseanne and Dan weren’t raising clean cut, perfect kids like the Seavers or the Huxtables. The gritty, bluesy theme song was perfect as an introduction to the daily lives of the Connors.

• Night Court – The jazzy, saxophone-infused opening theme to this courtroom comedy was a perfect fit. Most of the show’s events took place at night, and gave us a glimpse of some bizarre misfits through the cases that Harry presided over. In addition to it having the right tone for the show, this song is simply fun to listen to.

• Kids in the Hall - I couldn’t find a video of this opening on YouTube, but you can listen to it on the provided link. Like the Night Court theme, this one is fun to listen to, but it also has a quirky, fun, slightly irreverent tone, which is just what the guys on this show were.
• The Simpsons – The opening to this longest running animated show is almost as entertaining as the show itself. Epic in scale, the music builds and builds as we meet the various members of this strange little family of yellow people.
• King of the Hill - I really love this opening theme. It is so catchy and perfect for the show, with its guitar driven melody and fast pace. Sometimes I liked the opening sequence more than the show itself!

• Seinfeld – I haven’t always enjoyed listening to this theme song, mainly because I had a boyfriend in college who thought it was hilarious to frequently imitate the bass guitar section of the song after saying something he thought was funny. (It wasn’t.) But this song is so strongly connected to the show and the characters that I couldn’t imagine seeing Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer without it.

• The Office – Oh, how I love this opening theme. There are so few shows anymore that have a fun opening sequence, so I always watch The Office intro, where we see various employees of Dundler Mifflin going about their daily work. For me, this song represents how pointless many of the hours spent in offices are (the tedious tasks, the office politics over things like who didn’t brew a new pot of coffee when they drank the last cup, etc.), and how the employees just have to make the most of them, and make their own fun.

Like I said before, I limited my list to shows since 1980. I am sure there are some worthy contenders from before then. One that comes to mind is The Andy Griffith Show. And so, I’ll leave you with that theme song, so that you’ll have something fun to whistle all day. (Hmm… does whistling count as an instrument?) What other comedies with instrumental theme songs are your favorites?

Stay tuned next weekend for the next installment of “The Best TV Theme Songs.”

Michael Jackson’s Musical Legacy July 7, 2009

You’d have to be living in a cave to have missed the media spectacle that Michael Jackson’s death has spurred. I felt particularly unable to escape it because I was in L.A. when it all began. Well, to be specific, I deboarded a plane in Salt Lake City about half an hour after the news broke that the King of Pop was dead. It is unsettling to walk into an airport terminal, after being in the bubble of an airplane, to see everyone staring concernedly at CNN. I was relieved to see that the news was only reporting the death of a celebrity (rather than some major disaster), and from that point it became an interesting sociological study to see how the airport patrons reacted to news of Jackson’s death. Some were genuinely upset, others looked shocked, and others showed disdain or indifference. How did I feel? Well, Michael Jackson was one of those uber-celebrities whose strangeness and cartoonishness made him seem larger than life, so it seemed unreal that he could be dead.

By the time I arrived in L.A. a few hours later, to visit a friend for the weekend, it seemed that Michael Jackson had permeated every corner of L.A. For the next few days, everywhere we went there was either MJ music playing (cars driving down the road, a DJ playing tracks at a beach party, the music over the loudspeakers at Barnes and Noble), or constant coverage of his death on the cable news channels (the airport, the nail salon…). It also seems odd that the one celebrity I saw in L.A. was music producer Quincy Jones, a longtime friend of Jackson’s. I spotted him eating lunch at Pane e Vino the day after Jackson’s death.

Since returning to Dallas over a week ago, I’ve managed to mostly avoid the media coverage, other than accidentally stumbling across Access Hollywood while eating dinner, or a friend making a Michael Jackson reference on Facebook. But today I felt compelled to watch his public memorial service, and so I did, from beginning to end. I didn’t want to watch because I respected Michael as a person, or because I’m mourning his death. Mostly, I wanted to witness this chapter of pop culture history, watch the musical performances, and remember the impressive musical legacy that Michael left behind.

There’s no denying that in his prime (which lasted from the early 80s to early 90s), Michael was a brilliant performer, dancer, singer, and entertainer. We were reminded of that during the memorial service as several musicians performed his music. I enjoyed Mariah Carey’s performance of “I’ll Be There.” I actually associate that song more with her than with the Jackson 5. I used to love singing along with her on that song and others on her MTV Unplugged album. Also impressive was Jennifer Hudson’s rendition of “Will You Be There.” (I just love her! She did a fantastic job with the “Star Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl this year.) But my favorite performance was Stevie Wonder’s “Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer.” I had never heard this song before, but apparently it is one that Wonder wrote, sent to Quincy Jones, and Jones in turn handed it over to Jackson, who released it. Well into his 50s, Stevie Wonder is still an amazing artist, with an amazing voice, and I was moved by his heartfelt performance.

Regardless of Michael Jackson’s erratic behavior, criminal trial, etc., he was still a human being, who obviously had many friends and family who loved him. I couldn’t help but cry when his daughter, Paris, broke down crying on stage at the end of the service, as she managed to convey how much she loved her father and what a good daddy he was. So behind the spectacle, behind all the makeup and melodrama, Michael has left behind three children who are obviously heartbroken over losing their daddy. I hope that these three children can grow up to have a more stable, normal existence than their father had.

I can’t say anything about Michael Jackson as a person. I’ll leave that to those who knew him personally. What I can talk about is my memories of his music. I was reminded of some of my own memories when I read this post last week. Here are some of the recollections I’ve had over the past week:

• All of us who were children of the 80s remember being slightly disturbed, but mostly fascinated, by the extended “Thriller” video, with its cinematic feel, its creepy dancers, and its memorable choreography. I love the scene in 13 Going on 30 when Jennifer Garner’s character managed to get a bunch of rich, uptight white people to join her in recreating the “Thriller” dance. Many of Michael Jackson’s videos were contagious like that. Videos like “Bad,” “Beat It,” and “Billie Jean” let us escape reality for a few minutes and enjoy a good beat, fun lyrics, and funky dance moves.

• In the mid-80s my family went on a vacation to Disney World, where the 3D movie Captain EO was playing. It featured Michael Jackson as the title character. I don’t remember anything about the story, but as an 8 year old, I was disturbed by the weird silver costumes, the robotic dancing, and all the 3D images that would jump off the screen at me. (I had a similar reaction to the more psychedelic Magic Journeys 3D film that was showing the next time we went to Disney World.)

• By the late 80s and early 90s I was recording songs off of the radio on my purple jam box (who needed to buy albums when you had tapes to dub?). Two of my favorite MJ tunes that I recorded were “The Way You Make Me Feel” and “The Man in the Mirror.” I also had “Will You Be There” on one of my tapes. That song was the only good thing about the movie Free Willy. I was on the road last week listening to music and thoroughly enjoyed hearing “Man in the Mirror” for the first time in several years. It reminded me that Michael (or perhaps his producers) had a gift for adding those special touches to his songs. It’s one thing to create a song with a catchy melody and lyrics, but another to make it distinctively yours. That’s what Michael did with all his “woos!” and “come ons” and “you knows.” Back in the day I made fun of those touches, but now I realize that they are what made his songs so good.
• The 1991 album Dangerous marked the end of Michael’s era of unfettered success. I have good memories associated with songs like “Black or White,” “Jam,” and “Remember the Time.”

• There were a few good songs on his last successful album, 1995’s HIStory, but for the most part I wasn’t a fan of the paler, more effeminate, more freakish MJ who sang in a soft-spoken voice about healing the world and saving the children. It was around that time that his life became a media circus sideshow, and I lost interest.

• And so time went by, my cassette tapes collected dust, and other pop singers came and went. Michael Jackson hadn’t crossed my mind in years until I stepped into the Salt Lake City airport two weeks ago, and saw the headlines about his death on CNN. It’s been fun to reminsice about the songs of my childhood. I should probably rummage around in my memory banks to discover some other musical gems. George Michael is the first name that comes to mind, but I’ll save that for another post.
• That’s all I’ll say about MJ for now. The media has talked about him way too much, so I don’t want to add to anyone’s MJ fatigue. So, thanks for the music, MJ. I’ll continue to enjoy listening to it!

Retro Weekend: My Favorite Saturday Morning Cartoons June 19, 2009

When I was growing up in Louisiana, Saturday mornings meant coffee milk (I guess to a kid that sounds more appealing than “cafe au lait”), a special breakfast (usually something like pancakes, French toast, or beignets), and a couple of hours of cartoons. Based on my perusal of the Saturday morning television schedule for every year of the ’80s on Wikipedia, it seems like my prime cartoon-watching years were 1983 to 1989. I have a lot of memories from those six years, but for this post I’m only listing my very favorite Saturday morning cartoons. It’s sad to me that there’s hardly such a thing as that anymore, but then I guess today’s kids have access to cartoons 24/7 on the various children’s cable networks. But the fact that these shows only came on once a week was what made watching them so special.

• Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies (1984-1990 on CBS) – I had actually forgotten about this show until today, when I was watching The Muppets Take Manhattan. There is a scene in the movie where Miss Piggy imagines what it would have been like to grow up with Kermit. In her daydream, we saw Piggy, Kermit, Gonzo, and a few of the other muppets as babies. These little muppet babies were so cute, that someone decided to loosely base a cartoon series on them, and so Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies was born. Watching this show as a child, there was something very fun about seeing these familiar characters with diapers and pacifiers. And my guess is that I’d enjoy watching the show as an adult, too. There’s just something fascinating about those muppets. Click here to view the Muppet Babies intro.

• The Littles (1983-1985 on ABC) – “Here come the Littles… always running to and fro…” I loved this show so much that my sister was easily able to convince me that Tom and Lucy lived in her bedroom walls. I loved the idea of little people living in elaborate passageways in the walls of a house, flying tiny airplanes and using common household objects as furniture. To this day, I still sometimes have dreams that I discover secret passageways in my house, which is kind of related to the idea of this show (but also related to books I read as a child). The catchy theme song, the cute characters, and the adventurous plots all caught my attention. Click here to view The Littles intro.

• The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991 on ABC) – I watched all the cartoons based on live-action movies (including The Karate Kid, Star Wars, and Teen Wolf), but this was my favorite. Just to be clear, I’m not talking about the later versions of the show, which included some silly Slimer cartoons and eventually a new generation of ghostbusters. I remember being impressed that the cartoon characters actually resembled the characters from the Ghostbuster movies. My favorite character was probably Egon Spengler. He had cool white hair. Click here to view The Real Ghostbusters intro.

• Pee-Wee’s Playhouse (1986-1990 on CBS) – So technically this isn’t a cartoon, but it was at the heart of my Saturday morning tv viewing. I loved how all the furniture had names, and I liked the recurring segments, such as the Secret Word, Pen Pal Letters, and Penny cartoons.

• Captain N: The Game Master (1989-1991 on NBC) – I remember really enjoying this cartoon, which found high school student Kevin and his dog, Duke, being sucked through a vortex in his tv to another universe known as Videoland, where he had adventures with various Nintendo heroes and villains. As a fan of Nintendo games, it was fun to imagine what would happen if I were transported to these characters’ worlds. (Imagine how fun that would be now, to race around in Mario Kart, or explore new worlds in Mario Galaxy!) Click here to view the Captain N intro.

Other cartoons I watched, and think I liked, but don’t really remember much about:

• Beetlejuice (1989-1991 on ABC) – I recently watched the Tim Burton movie on which the cartoon was based, and I enjoyed the morbid quirkiness of it. The cartoon was, I’m sure, more kid friendly, but still with that same feel to it.
• Star Wars: Ewoks (1985-1986 on ABC) – I also remember the Star Wars: Droids show that came on after this one, but I usually didn’t stick around for that. I loved these furry little creatures! I suppose I was in the target demographic when Return of the Jedi was released in 1983.

• Mister T (1983-1986 on NBC) – You have to love any show in which Mr. T is the coach of a gymnastics team who travels the world solving mysteries!
• The Flintstone Kids (1986-1988 on ABC) – Hmmm, might this idea have been “borrowed” from Muppet Babies? Whatever the case, I and other kids flocked to any show about familiar characters as babies/children. I also enjoyed Captain Caveman and Son, which aired along with this show.
• ALF: The Animated Series (1987-1989 on NBC) – I watched the sitcom, so it was only natural that I would also watch this animated spin-off, which was actually a prequel about ALF’s (his actual name was Gordon) life on his home planet, Melmac, before he came to Earth.

It’s interesting how many cartoons in the ’80s were based on existing tv shows and movies.I wonder if that trend started in an earlier decade and continued into the ’90s, or if it was exclusive to the ’80s. I certainly enjoyed the trend, so I’m not complaining. What were your favorite Saturday morning cartoons? Did I leave out any that you loved? Keep in mind that I was thinking specifically of shows that aired on Saturday morning, which means I couldn’t include some of my favorite cartoons (He-Man and Scooby Doo come to mind). More to come on those later.

Hope you enjoyed the first installment of my Retro Weekend segment. Check back next weekend for more ’80s or ’90s goodness.

Related Links:

• From Sesame Street to 30 Rock: A TV Viewing Timeline – Chronicles what I was watching on tv over the past three decades
• Wikipedia’s Saturday Morning Television Schedule Pages
• 80s Cartoons Website