Like a hazy dream, i am watching on FreeVee and wondering...is this really happening, or rather did this happen in 1978? I guess it did because I am having fun watching. The lead characters are examples of career women being manhandled in a male dominated 70's society, but the humor is maudlin and somewhat excruciating. It was shot in NYC and you can really tell the difference in acting styles, and set design. Exterior shots look like Rhoda's building, but i cant be sure. And sometimes the scripts and pacing feel like a NY stage play, esp since there's quite a bit of cringe in the way the lead girls over act and emote in very silly ways, but it is an incredible unintentional expose on feminism in the 70's. Everyone is sweet natured and people acted kinder. The men in the supporting cast are misfits and all the women are heroes. Dixie Carter is surprisingly bad here and her bad timing is difficult to explain, but Gretchen Wyler is pretty funny and every once in a while a good joke or a comic bit lands well. Bess is the stronger of the two, but her character is often forced to deliver lines all alone onstage, and it is campy. Lynnie is very presentational and indicated a lot and had too many jokes about being Catholic that completely sink with a thud. Her 2 part episode w/Danny Aiello as her love interest is extremely sappy like a Kmart version of Moonstruck. There are workplace ensemble scenes and apartment scenes, and lots of new york extras and actors playing parents and or agency clients. Kay Medford was in ep 3, James Naughton (I Love My Wife) was in ep4. Christopher Hewitt was in ep 5. The wardrobe is from Bloomingdale's and both women have those curled under joan of arc/bowl haircuts from 1978 that look a bit like mushroom caps. The theme song is noisily sung (belty/wail broadway style) and difficult to understand the lyrics until you hear it more than once. It's a sorta cute sitcom but episodes always feel half finished, like a lot of mistakes were included, set walls dont actually look real... as if this were taking place on the new york stage. Still it is fun to discover an ancient, fully -formed sitcom shot in NYC that history and vintage tv networks seem to have forgotten, and i managed to get thru all 19 episodes posted at free vee. Imdb seems to credit both leading ladies with 22 episodes, so maybe there are lost episodes?!
Reviews
16 Reviews
Jean Stapleton in a dual role!!
28 November 2023
I had never seen this episode the first time around when it aired. Theodore Bikel plays Edith's longtime butcher who has a crush on her. He brings his fiancee over to the Bunkers for cake and coffee, a introduces the cranky German woman to everyone, also played by Jean Stapleton in a wig and glasses. When she interacts with Edith, there is split screen technique and a Patty Duke stunt double, and the gimmick of it all is fun. And Jean Stapleton played someone with a completely different character, energy and personality, opposite herself, in the role of Edith, so that was what made this episode memorable.
The Night Agent
(2023– )
Very poor quality. On my goodness!
29 March 2023
I wrote a review of this last night and my phone deleted it, which is just as well, because i may have been harsh. Grateful to have censored myself, here i go again.
Rarely do i see a show on tv with such low quality dialogue and writing. Everyone is botox'd and most of the acting and set design and wardrobe here presumes a washington DC archetype, so we get unimaginative and cinematography of bland set designers. Every facet looks second rate, and that could be easily overcome with dynamic and interesting performers, but not here. The lady in the premature gray wig, who somehow THINKS she is stealing every scene, i found uniquely unqualified as an actress. Ditto for the frozen prune-face bald man, "i am a dc veteran douchebag loudmouth who screams everything." A lot of audiences might be fooled into thinking both performers are wry and creative, and maybe they really do have skills, but i doubt it. On this material, they are just plain bad and their scenes are excruciating.
We have terrible dialogue and it is like acting students workshopping characters in an acting class, but thankfully, we rarely see this level of bad on tv. A Kim kardashian lookalike character named Rose had me yearning for the real Kim in the role...the acting would have been better. I watched the first episode and began the 2nd, but only endured 15 minutes because it felt like torture.
I take no delight in ripping anybody's artistic efforts apart, but this show doesnt even rise to the level of TECHNICALLY proficient, i'm afraid. In several areas of industry standards, it seems deficient, and that is a surprising thing to notice when watching tv. Still a lot of viewers might not notice any of this, and enjoy the show in spite of all my observations. There are a lot of car chases and fight scenes and bodies flying thru the air and landing with a thud. People being attacked and strangled/hanged and closeups of their dying, jerking legs and shoes seems to be a mainstay/fad across tv shows nowadays in the '20's. Despite my brief viewing of this show, i saw it 3 different times. It's like the fad of the ski avalanche/snowblind/blizzard or sasquatch/bigfoot storylines across programming that i remember as a kid from the late 70's.
The bright spot i found was the lead actor guy, who was the strongest of the lot. With more experience and an actual good director whom we don't have here, he will probably find the perfect role and really shine, but oh my goodness, i am so surprised any network would decide to air any of this.
Rarely do i see a show on tv with such low quality dialogue and writing. Everyone is botox'd and most of the acting and set design and wardrobe here presumes a washington DC archetype, so we get unimaginative and cinematography of bland set designers. Every facet looks second rate, and that could be easily overcome with dynamic and interesting performers, but not here. The lady in the premature gray wig, who somehow THINKS she is stealing every scene, i found uniquely unqualified as an actress. Ditto for the frozen prune-face bald man, "i am a dc veteran douchebag loudmouth who screams everything." A lot of audiences might be fooled into thinking both performers are wry and creative, and maybe they really do have skills, but i doubt it. On this material, they are just plain bad and their scenes are excruciating.
We have terrible dialogue and it is like acting students workshopping characters in an acting class, but thankfully, we rarely see this level of bad on tv. A Kim kardashian lookalike character named Rose had me yearning for the real Kim in the role...the acting would have been better. I watched the first episode and began the 2nd, but only endured 15 minutes because it felt like torture.
I take no delight in ripping anybody's artistic efforts apart, but this show doesnt even rise to the level of TECHNICALLY proficient, i'm afraid. In several areas of industry standards, it seems deficient, and that is a surprising thing to notice when watching tv. Still a lot of viewers might not notice any of this, and enjoy the show in spite of all my observations. There are a lot of car chases and fight scenes and bodies flying thru the air and landing with a thud. People being attacked and strangled/hanged and closeups of their dying, jerking legs and shoes seems to be a mainstay/fad across tv shows nowadays in the '20's. Despite my brief viewing of this show, i saw it 3 different times. It's like the fad of the ski avalanche/snowblind/blizzard or sasquatch/bigfoot storylines across programming that i remember as a kid from the late 70's.
The bright spot i found was the lead actor guy, who was the strongest of the lot. With more experience and an actual good director whom we don't have here, he will probably find the perfect role and really shine, but oh my goodness, i am so surprised any network would decide to air any of this.
Cassie & Co.
(1982)
Pretty high quality. But. Low energy.
12 August 2022
I am watching episode 1 on Crackle and i suppose it is because Angie Dickinson was so beautiful and real and strong that i am enjoying this, but i dont know if i'll want to watch all 12 episodes, or even the full hour of the pilot. Theme music and opening credits are great. Looks like the writers who created Family worked on this show, and the pacing is similar. I cant figure out where this is shot but could be LA. I dont know if this show gives us anything better than Police Woman ever did, Angie is not as spunky here, shes more mature and less driven, and a retired police woman turned private detective, but still clashing and dominating all the men who underestimate her. And the supporting players are annoying. Overall, it is a bit disappointing if this was to signify anything major for anyone involved back in 1982. It is very well done but lacked sizzle and passion.
One in a Million
(1980– )
Watching this on Crackle right now.
11 August 2022
I have a thing for old tv shows, so i chose this to binge watch on Crackle. I survived the pilot which was kind of contrived and preachy. The entire idea is wholly implausible, that Shirley would assume the executive position, plucked as such from her job as a cab driver, but once you get past that, the humor is fast paced, the supporting cast are very strong and oddball, there is a lot of well executed physical comedy, and the scripts are genuinely funny. It is a great ensemble cast. Shirley was really funny, playing a sweetheart type, but there is plenty of put-down/ insult humor passed freely between the black and white folks in the cast, but all non vicious. Keene Curtis' character really resents and hates Shirley, but she is such a strong presence, it never goes to racist territory. There's kindness and loving gestures and sitcom conflict resolutions and warm feelings. Shirley had a very musical speaking voice and demeanor, but i do think it was a mistake to have her sing the theme song. Then again it just doesnt matter, she can carry a tune, but she cant really sing. I guess it adds to the time capsule vibes. I do think i will cut my marathon at 6 episodes, but when i get around to the last six, i might post an update. So far this is decent and fun to watch, but they should have chosen a different One In a Million situation for Shirley.
That's My Mama
(1974–1975)
Watch this if you can. Great stuff!
13 February 2022
The ensemble work in this show, and the scripts are pretty incredible, the laughs constantly surprising. The sets are roomy and the lines are shouted. There's lots of physicality, lots of high energy, lots of brilliant punchlines set up and tossed about, lots of screaming and laughing from the audience, and lots of skill. Most of what works well here is driven by character, and there is no weak link. You will laugh out loud a lot at unique outrageous humor drawn from guns, marital problems, car accidents, religion, loan sharks, a dead body, broken ankle. Ted Lange always has a choreographed entrance and struts all over. Theodore Wilson is comic perfection. Theresa Merritt has fantastic timing, she was very strong in the role of Mama. Lynne Moody is awesome as always. Clifton Davis is a hottie, etc. There's literally nothing wrong with this show.
Melba
(1986)
Four episodes are available on Crackle.
4 February 2022
Oh my goodness. I love watching junky tv from the 80's. This is definitely junky, all except for Melba herself, who is adorable and honest and sometimes funny here. Her wardrobe is off the charts hot hot hot for 1986. She also sings the peppy 80's theme song. Exterior shots of her NYC building are the same as on Rhoda. The girl playing her daughter is cute. But thats it. The writing is bad, and Melba seems to be the only pro here who tries to make it work...her supporting cast is full of unknown actors of the 80's who have no technique. Gracie Harrison is very likeable and pretty, but just not a strong enough actress to cast opposite Melba, as her best friend, like a "sister," even though race issues are not part of the comedy here. I hope Melba is now happy and fulfilled somewhere, and that this sitcom is just a faded, distant memory for her even though shes was really good in it. Sadly, only her wardrobe is the real star of this show.
Happy Birthday to Me
(1981)
Disappointing high quality horror movie.
19 November 2021
First off Melissa Sue Andersen is pretty and she manages to imbue her lines with acting values, but she was never going to become a strong enough actress to carry a lead role, and here, she badly needed styling product in her hair...brushed out frizz was NEVER in style even in the 80's. Actually, all of the acting here is decent--there are no TERRIBLE performances like in most slasher films. At least the musical score is gorgeous and top notch. Now, the script is not awful, but it is weak. Theres some kind of plot twist at the end but i kept falling asleep, so i cant remember what it was. The ending doesnt even matter because the movie suffers from bad bad bad pacing and piss poor storytelling...any drama here is just not compelling, probably because of Melissa Sue, but it is not entirely her fault. Best part about this movie is the closing credits with a theme song sung by Syreeta, whos voice and singing is gorgeous.
End of the World
(2018)
Terrible acting. My goodness.
5 October 2021
I am watching this now on Tubi, and I can't believe these men and women think they are actors. True, they memorized their lines, but they are mugging, Kirby puts his hands on his head when he is upset, the military guy named Cook makes faces and points to the sky while yelling into his cellphone. The script is trying to build some type of suspense/under pressure moodiness...it's just not working because, again, not a single person so far knows how to act except maybe a military guy in a tiny role named Diaz. He paid attention in acting class. But there's a Mariska Hargitay lookalike, with a husband in tight jeans, and both are starring in an awful awful awful awful movie. Real people would never behave in this manner when thrust into these situations, but if the actors think they appear believable, and it makes me want to cry. Both leads also put hands atop their heads when their characters are under duress. And once the shaking begins and people start getting hurt, the whole affair becomes morbid and creepy play acting, pantomiming death and doom, because, again. Not one single person in this movie can act. They could have hired an acting coach.
It's Barbara Eden!
27 September 2021
The first time we see Barbara Eden she is singing Oh My Darlin Clementine, and the voice is extraordinary, but i think it was dubbed in, because she's not known for such beautiful singing. And when I saw her name in the credits at the end I said, "I thought so!" It was fun to see her early work, and she looked gorgeous. Her character's given age was 22. Very sweet.
Gretchen Thomas is like an Aidy Bryant character.
27 September 2021
The actress who played the snack shop operator in this episode is so awesome and unintentionally hilarious. I am pretty sure she never envisioned Aidy Bryant acting just like her in a future SNL sketch, but that's who she reminds me of. And I am pretty certain too, that Aidy Bryant probably has no idea who Gretchen was either! Nevertheless, they look like sisters, even though that's of course impossible.
Highway Patrol
(1955–1959)
Absolutely incredible time capsule!
27 September 2021
If you like history, watch only for the cars, wardrobe, hairstyles, telephones, home interiors, and exterior shots of Los Angeles. The 1950's is perfectly and entirely depicted in this crime drama, but the 30 minute episodes make it extremely watchable in 2021. My favorite vintage tv network called DECADES is currently running a weekend marathon, and as I write this, I hate to see it end!
You'll see Mulholland drive, the streets of Silverlake, Chatsworth, Pasadena, The Valley, Malibu, Griffith Park, and since it is an anthology style show about the highway (CA freeways don't play a role at all) there are cars cars cars speeding and bouncing around everywhere. Often, a crazy looking transparent bubble helicopter joins in the pursuit. Much of the crime seems quaint and mundane, but there is some gritty behavior, and guns are brandished often. The cops seem to shoot at every criminal for any reason. Yet, most every shooting victim is grazed only with a flesh wound for the sake of the plot. Similarly, there are lots of car chases, but very few crashes, and the Highway Patrol always outwits the criminal in the last 2 minutes. Still, Broderick Crawford's acting, to me, is very strong and believable. He's got a strange rapid fire delivery, but he is pretty real. There are various men and women guest stars in each episode, but an interesting imprint of history too, is that the entire recurring cast and production team in the credits seems to be male. It's "A ZIV TELEVISION PRODUCTION" .
And, no joke, the visuals are incredible, even more so in black and white, perhaps. Wardrobe is nothing super fancy but of the era and thus beautiful to see...AND...if you like vintage cars, my goodness, you would be in hog heaven with this show.
You'll see Mulholland drive, the streets of Silverlake, Chatsworth, Pasadena, The Valley, Malibu, Griffith Park, and since it is an anthology style show about the highway (CA freeways don't play a role at all) there are cars cars cars speeding and bouncing around everywhere. Often, a crazy looking transparent bubble helicopter joins in the pursuit. Much of the crime seems quaint and mundane, but there is some gritty behavior, and guns are brandished often. The cops seem to shoot at every criminal for any reason. Yet, most every shooting victim is grazed only with a flesh wound for the sake of the plot. Similarly, there are lots of car chases, but very few crashes, and the Highway Patrol always outwits the criminal in the last 2 minutes. Still, Broderick Crawford's acting, to me, is very strong and believable. He's got a strange rapid fire delivery, but he is pretty real. There are various men and women guest stars in each episode, but an interesting imprint of history too, is that the entire recurring cast and production team in the credits seems to be male. It's "A ZIV TELEVISION PRODUCTION" .
And, no joke, the visuals are incredible, even more so in black and white, perhaps. Wardrobe is nothing super fancy but of the era and thus beautiful to see...AND...if you like vintage cars, my goodness, you would be in hog heaven with this show.
Wardrobe notes on actress Carol Thurston.
27 September 2021
In this episode, the actress Carol Thurston is vacuuming at home when Broderick Crawford stops by to break news that her husband was killed in the line of duty. She is not wearing a bra in this or any of her scenes. No attention is ever drawn to it by the script, nor was it to be political or sexual. I just happened to notice and I am adding this review for nostalgia and fashion history purposes, not to be lascivious. I only hope reading this review will make you giggle and wonder why, as I did. Especially because in 2021, the cars and the clothing and home interiors on HIGHWAY PATROL are incredible to see. The scripts and the acting are pretty strong too. But I have never noticed braless women on tv reruns until the late 70's.
Maybe the costume department was trying to draw contrast between her regular-normal-pretty housewife character and the other featured actress, Cece Whitney, who brought all the 1950's blonde glamor, cone shaped boobs and jet black painted arched brows. Both characters also had awesome living rooms!
Maybe the costume department was trying to draw contrast between her regular-normal-pretty housewife character and the other featured actress, Cece Whitney, who brought all the 1950's blonde glamor, cone shaped boobs and jet black painted arched brows. Both characters also had awesome living rooms!
Cellophane on lampshade...why?
4 July 2021
One of the best things about this fantastic show in 2021 is the wardrobe and the home furnishings from the era. They're beautiful, really. This is a fantastic morality play, too, although the sardonic sarcastic lines of the old man are a bit over the top in depicting his anger. The greedy family is a bit stereotypey too, especially in their final shot, clinging and clutching each other. The acting here is pretty first rate, however. The only thing I wanted to mention, however, is that this is the only time in a tv show where I have seen the plastic cellophane remaining on a lampshade. This is a pet peeve of mine when people do not remove the packaging off lampshades in their own homes in real life. I can't imagine why the set decorator didn't remove it here, especially when trying to depict an upscale mansion. Lol. Kinda off topic, but I couldn't resist!
Ski Lift to Death
(1978 TV Movie)
This movie is HARRRRRRIBLE.
12 November 2009
This one's a stinker. And trust me, I love stinky movies. The junkier the better, usually, but this film holds the distinction in my opinion as super DUPER atrocious. Almost as bad as A Vacation In Hell, but not quite. There's a shred of something interesting here, but for all the wrong reasons, of course. It has well known TV performers of the day. This is good only if you enjoy shows like The Love Boat, the charms of which, I can certainly appreciate. The action takes place at Banff, but they call the town Silver City. Deborah Raffin plays the lead character modeled after Suzy Chaffee. A fictional freestyle skier, she's come to this fictional town for a fictional competition. Howard Duff and Don Johnson and Clu Gulager are in it. She is romanced by a handsome male colleague skiier, with a few quick and creepy facial mastication-style makeout scenes.
There's some fun footage of people flipping moguls and doing high jumps at the snow skiing competition, featuring the real Suzy Chaffee acting as Deborah Raffin's body double in a beautiful and well executed ski routine--just one of several unrelated yet formulaic plot machinations.
A gunman is hired to kill Howard Duff's character. There's tons of male chauvinism. There's a ski lodge T-shirt/boobie contest with extensive footage of women gyrating and men going hubba hubba. Tacky behavior like you'd see at a strip club. Veronica Hamel's character is shown sleeping with a married man, "who was only lying." Once the disaster finally happened in the last hour, there was really no point for the movie to continue, but it did. And that's when I realized it was gratuitous and manipulative from start to finish. And I'm not saying that like it is a bad thing, but ooh, this movie is a stinker! The other, very telling factor here is this DVD came from Netflix, yet it is a copy of something taped on a vcr from a TV broadcast. The quality is very poor and it is glaring. The opening credits are missing and there are very obvious artifacts like vcr stripes and color bars and jumps and volume issues. Was this the only surviving master copy, perhaps something Suzy Chafee may have taped on her own vcr?
There's some fun footage of people flipping moguls and doing high jumps at the snow skiing competition, featuring the real Suzy Chaffee acting as Deborah Raffin's body double in a beautiful and well executed ski routine--just one of several unrelated yet formulaic plot machinations.
A gunman is hired to kill Howard Duff's character. There's tons of male chauvinism. There's a ski lodge T-shirt/boobie contest with extensive footage of women gyrating and men going hubba hubba. Tacky behavior like you'd see at a strip club. Veronica Hamel's character is shown sleeping with a married man, "who was only lying." Once the disaster finally happened in the last hour, there was really no point for the movie to continue, but it did. And that's when I realized it was gratuitous and manipulative from start to finish. And I'm not saying that like it is a bad thing, but ooh, this movie is a stinker! The other, very telling factor here is this DVD came from Netflix, yet it is a copy of something taped on a vcr from a TV broadcast. The quality is very poor and it is glaring. The opening credits are missing and there are very obvious artifacts like vcr stripes and color bars and jumps and volume issues. Was this the only surviving master copy, perhaps something Suzy Chafee may have taped on her own vcr?
A Vacation in Hell
(1979 TV Movie)
Morbid and Rotten but good for some laughs.
11 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I give this a 5 because this movie was mildly entertaining, but definitely not high caliber. On second thought, no, it was really awful. Watch only to see how people vacationed back in 1979. Shot on location in Hawai'i, it isn't as enjoyably awful as Ants! Or Roller-coaster or Condominium. Looking deeper, the movie seems to be a thinly veiled attempt at exploiting girl power, TV movie style.
Priscilla Barnes looks hot, and is a good actress. Maureen McCormick looks good too. Maureen's mother is played by Barbara Feldon, and Andrea Marcovicci (another good actress) rounds out the girl power.
All four of these women meet each other at Club Harmony while on vacation, and they decide to take an inflatable dinghy excursion with Michael Brandon's character, who is the swaggering would-be hero, or so we think. Marcovicci and Brandon have some unresolved love issues, and Marcovicci is a man-hating unhappy wretch.
Pop goes the dinghy, they sink very close to a beach on an uncharted area of the jungle beyond the resort, and decide that if they can just hike over the mountain, they will get back to civilization. Meanwhile, there are two natives in the jungle who don't do anything except provide menace for our storyline.
Movie limps along with various morbid plot twists:
They steal one of the native's shotgun and kill him. Barnes is attracted to Brandon, Marcovicci rages on out of jealousy, and McCormick makes googly eyes at him, to the chagrin of Feldon.
Michael Brandon gets shot in the foot and the women then fashion a stretcher and cart him around the jungle until they accidentally drop him down a waterfall.
Marcovicci's character is done in by her man-hating anger which causes her to slip and fall down the side of a mountain.
Priscilla Barnes sings London's Burning. Maureen McCormick does a strange whirling dirvish dance for Michael Brandon. Barbara Feldon whines incessantly.
Only three women finally make it back to Club Harmony on foot, where they walk directly to one of those public showers on the beach to wash themselves clean, while the vacationing resort goers look on. The movie ends with a freeze frame of the three orgasmic looking wet women, happy to be back to civilization.
A Vacation in Hell was really awful, but London's Burning and the Marsha Brady dance were the highlights.
Priscilla Barnes looks hot, and is a good actress. Maureen McCormick looks good too. Maureen's mother is played by Barbara Feldon, and Andrea Marcovicci (another good actress) rounds out the girl power.
All four of these women meet each other at Club Harmony while on vacation, and they decide to take an inflatable dinghy excursion with Michael Brandon's character, who is the swaggering would-be hero, or so we think. Marcovicci and Brandon have some unresolved love issues, and Marcovicci is a man-hating unhappy wretch.
Pop goes the dinghy, they sink very close to a beach on an uncharted area of the jungle beyond the resort, and decide that if they can just hike over the mountain, they will get back to civilization. Meanwhile, there are two natives in the jungle who don't do anything except provide menace for our storyline.
Movie limps along with various morbid plot twists:
They steal one of the native's shotgun and kill him. Barnes is attracted to Brandon, Marcovicci rages on out of jealousy, and McCormick makes googly eyes at him, to the chagrin of Feldon.
Michael Brandon gets shot in the foot and the women then fashion a stretcher and cart him around the jungle until they accidentally drop him down a waterfall.
Marcovicci's character is done in by her man-hating anger which causes her to slip and fall down the side of a mountain.
Priscilla Barnes sings London's Burning. Maureen McCormick does a strange whirling dirvish dance for Michael Brandon. Barbara Feldon whines incessantly.
Only three women finally make it back to Club Harmony on foot, where they walk directly to one of those public showers on the beach to wash themselves clean, while the vacationing resort goers look on. The movie ends with a freeze frame of the three orgasmic looking wet women, happy to be back to civilization.
A Vacation in Hell was really awful, but London's Burning and the Marsha Brady dance were the highlights.
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