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safenoe
Daria
Parker Lewis Can't Lose
Community
M*A*S*H
Degrassi Junior High
Turning Point with David Jeremiah
Facing the Canon (interview series with J John)
Degrassi High
Charles Stanley
21 Jump Street (the ones when Johnny Depp was still invested in the series)
As Time Goes By
Monk
Duckman
New Tricks
Inspector Lynley
Touch of Frost
Midsomer Murders
Shakespeare and Hathaway
The Coroner
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Diagnosis Murder
The Simpsons (the first 10 seasons)
Rosemary and Thyme
DCI Banks
Vera
Lewis
Tales of the Unexpected
Tales from the Darkside (but only the opening theme)
Bergerac
Backup (an underrated British police drama)
Saturday Night Live
Ratings
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Reviews
Split Enz: Six Months in A Leaky Boat (1982)
A classic
Split Enz, a band from New Zealand, released Six Months in A Leaky Boat back in 1982, and it did incredibly well in the charts in Canada, although I didn't know it kind of got ignored in England because some people there thought the song was a veiled reference to what was happening in the Falkland Islands. Anyway, Six Months in a Leaky Boat endures after more than 40 years. One of the members of Split Enz, Neil Finn, joined Fleetwood Mac a few years ago following the departure of Lindsey Buckingham. Anyway, Six Months in a Leaky Boat is a catchy song and can mean so many things political perhaps.
Death in Paradise: The Secret of the Flame Tree (2017)
Secrets
Kemi-Bo Jacobs plays Esther Monroe, a very good friend of DS Florence Cassell (Josephine Jobert), and she meets an untimely end, and that causes issues and all.
Ramon Tikaram, who has a very cheerful imdb profile photo, guest stars as Oliver Wolf, and Monica Dolan plays Patricia Lawrence. I think Dolan is one of the few actors to have starred in Black Mirror and Inside No. 9.
One thing as a long-time fan of Death in Paradise I do wonder. I wonder how the Saint Marie police take the photos of the suspects for their whiteboard. Quite seriously, at the crime scene do they kindly ask the suspects to calmly pose for the whiteboard init, I don't quite get it really. Anyway, more credit should also be given to the two paramedics who turn up at the crime scene. They play a pivotal role.
I'd love for acclaimed actors like Danny Dyer, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas to make guest appearances.
The Twilight Zone: Upgrade (2002)
Grass is greener...
Upgrade had quite a twist at the end, with a St. Elsewhere feel to it, where the characters are part of a computer graphic program, and, and it was quite unexpected, as we kind of are left to wonder about the overarching influences in our lives.
Anyway, I'm enjoying watching the Forest Whitaker revival of The Twilight Zone, and even though it lasted only one season, it was a worthy attempt to keep the Twilight Zone on for the current culture. Anyway, I look forward to seeing more episodes and appreciating them and reflecting on the 1980s revival and the original one as well. Upgrade is worth watching.
The Good Ship Murder: Barcelona (2023)
Penultimate episode
So here we are, the penultimate episode of The Good Ship Murder, and much of action is set in Barcelona (which hosted the 1992 Olympics by the way) and also the climactic confrontation on board the ship at the end, with concerned passengers in the background. Anyway, Olivia Nita plays Maria Illiescu, and for authenticity, Nita is a Romanian actress, and she resembles Australian actress Isla Fisher.
So will Jack persuade Kate to call of her engagement to Piers or what, but really Kate senses that Jack's running away from something. Anyway, at the end Jack sings True Faith at the memorial service and before the audience of passengers.
Taylor Dayne: I'll Be Your Shelter (1990)
Taylor Dayne
I love this song, I'll Be Your Shelter by Taylor Dane, and I was reflecting that it was released in 1990, so that's 34 years ago init, and it endures in popularity from generation to generation, because it's so optimistic and upbeat. Anyway, in the music video we see Taylor Dane doing impressive dance moves and moving to what appears to be an impromptu concert in a large tent, in front of fans who are privileged to witness such an amazing performance by Taylor Dane. Anyway, I'll Be Your Shelter is incredibly popular on the internet with so many people posting comments about such a wonderful song.
Death in Paradise: Erupting in Murder (2017)
Volcanic
Yorquiris has an uncredited role as Figurant, and I had check the dictionary for the meaning, being a stage actor who has a small part with little or nothing to say. But still, the figurants play a critical role in Death in Paradise and in every television or movie or theatrical production, for instance in Death in Paradise you have the two actors playing paramedics who turn up at the murder scene. Anyway, here Mount Esme is the setting of the season six murder, and we see the beginning of the end of Humphrey's tenure in Death in Paradise, to be continued a few years later in Beyond Paradise init.
Death in Paradise: Flames of Love (2016)
Season five wraps up
Anyway, I've been enjoying reflecting on Death in Paradise after becoming a fan when it debuted over a decade ago. Anyway, here we have Flames of Love, which is the season five finale. Kris Marshall by this time had been the DI for three seasons, so it was Ben Miller as DO for two seasons and one episode (the first of season three), with Marshall coming on board in season three, episode one. Marshall departs in episode six of season four, so his total tenure was almost four seasons init.
Tom York (not famous musician Thom York) is guest star, along with Aimee-Ffion Edwards. Worth watching init.
Seinfeld: The Letter (1992)
Guest starring Catherine Keener
Catherine Keener guest stars as artist Nina West, and this was seven years before her career exploded with her pivotal role in Being John Malkovich. Anyway, here George gets some prized seats at a Yankees game, and this was before George was appointed the Assistant to the Traveling Secretary for the New York Yankees season five to season eight. Elaine gets embroiled in a massive dispute about a baseball cap, and Kramer gets hit by a baseball, an also he gets his portrait painted, which is quite impressive. It was actually Larry Salk who painted Kramer's portrait. Anyway, a worthy episode init.
Law & Order: Facade (2024)
A comic in New York
Tyler Thomas Moore plays the victim Ellis Joyner in this controversial episode (well, most Law and Order episodes are controversial). Ellis is an up and rising comic trying to make it big in New York, until tragically his life is cut short in the subway. The prosecution lifts the lid on an cop who's undercover in the MMA organization that's more than what it seems. Zak Orth plays defense attorney Harry Kagan, and he resembles John Goodman, and he could play Goodman in a biopic. Daniel Marconi, who plays the accused Brandon Arnou, has a resemblance to Fred Savage, and again he could play Savage in a biopic.
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist: Broadcaster Ben (1997)
You know what the music means...
I've been a big fan of Dr Katz, Professional Therapist when I discovered it in the mid-1990s, and unfortunately at the time I was only able to see a few episodes, as I didn't have my VCR set to record them unfortunately. But thankfully now with the internet I'm able to finally catch up on the Dr Katz episodes I missed all those years ago. Anyway, here we have Ben seeking to enroll in broadcasting school, and thankfully he finds out it's a scam before he signs on the dotted line. It's quite prescient in a way because of reports of some scam colleges that prey on the young people. Anyway, worth watching.
The Twilight Zone: The Executions of Grady Finch (2003)
Grady's in the zone
Jeremy Sisto, who later starred in Law and Order, plays a murderer on death row, Grady Finch, who keeps on getting saved from execution by freaky circumstances, and we wonder if he really is guilty or not. Anyway, Alicia Witt, who became famous after her starring role in the 1990s sitcom Cybill, guest stars as Finch's attorney, Liz. Also Terry Chan guest stars as Nathan Park.
The ending is quite a twist, and almost has a Tales of the Unexpected feel to it. Anyway, I liked this revival of The Twilight Zone and it's a shame it ran for only one season. It deserved to run for at least four seasons.
ABC: The Look of Love (1982)
An early 1980s classic
I've heard ABC's The Look of Love many times and it's such an upbeat and thoughtful song. Anyway, what brought me here was the British television crime drama series, The Good Ship Murder, particularly its episode Sicily, where Jack Grayling (Shayne Ward) performs The Look of Love at the end of the episode. So I had to come here and finally post an imdb user review for the video by ABC. There's kind of a Depeche Mode feel to this, along with Accidentally Kelly Street thrown in, and I love the bright colors in the Look of Love video. Anyway, all credit to ABC that this song has endured in popularity after more than four decades.
The Good Ship Murder: Sicily (2023)
The Godfather
I'm enjoying watching The Good Ship Murder, and here we are as reach the end of season one. Here Jack gets entangled with the Italian boss of some large company (ice-cream I think, bringing back memories of the Scottish movie Comfort and Joy), and also we are led to believe that Jack crosses the line by doing the beast with two backs with a passenger, who happens to be the daughter of the victim. As it turns out Jack didn't do the beast with two backs, but he wanted to init. Anyway, at the end Jack has a videoconference call with his daughter Mia.
Also, at the end, Jack sings ABC's The Look of Love with Beverley Carnell (Claire Sweeney) performing back-up vocals. We also learn that Piers has set the wedding with Kate for 25 June in Brussels, Belgium.
Steps: 5,6,7,8 (1997)
Catchy song
I remember when Steps exploded onto the 1990s pop scene with 5, 6, 7, 8 back in 1997, so nearly 30 years ago init, and it's such a catchy and upbeat song. The video is a mixture of eurobeat, with a dash of line dancing, set in Spain on some beach there, with the line "My boot scootin' baby is drivin' me crazy". You also see quad bikes on the beach, and it's all fun and sums up the optimism of the 1990s as we got close to Y2K and the millennium init. Anyway, 5, 6, 7, 8 was written by Barry Upton and Steve Crosby and produced by Karl Twigg, Mark Topham and Pete Waterman, so quite a joint effort init.
One Step Beyond (1959)
Worth a look
For some reason on the internet I discovered One Step Beyond just today, and already I've watched a couple of episodes. I guess there are the inevitable comparisons to The Twilight Zone (I think they debuted the same year), but some may prefer One Step Beyond, some The Twilight Zone. Anyway, the black and white aspect gives the foreboding feel, and the host, with his quasi-English accent, does a decent job to ease us into the episode init.
Anyway, lots of fans are enjoying rediscovering One Step Beyond, and I look forward to seeing more episodes now that they're in the public domain init right.
One Step Beyond: The Bride Possessed (1959)
Guest starring Virginia Leith
For some reason I only found out about One Step Beyond today, after it debuted in 1959, so 65 years ago. It debuted around the same time as The Twilight Zone (the original one) and I'm keen to watch some of them.
Virginia Leith is amazing as Sally Conroy, with her swing in personalities that was so realistic. I don't know what method acting Virginia used, but it was so convincing, and I wonder how she prepared just as the clapper board clapped. Anyway, I learned today that Virginia passed away only recently, living to the age of 94, and passing away in 2019. Anyway, I have to watch more of One Step Beyond.
Death in Paradise: The Blood Red Sea (2016)
Mutiny on the shipwreck
I became a big fan of Death Paradise when it debuted over a decade ago, and I've enjoyed reflecting on the series and its impact on pop culture. Anyway, here it's mutiny on the shipwreck, and whenever I watch an episode of Death in Paradise, I wonder how long it takes for the writer or writers to come up with the plot and flesh out the characters and sub-plots and all.
One thing as a long-time fan of Death in Paradise I do wonder. I wonder how the Saint Marie police take the photos of the ring of suspects for their whiteboard at the station, Quite seriously, at the crime scene do they kindly ask the suspects to calmly pose for the whiteboard init, I don't quite get it really. Anyway, more credit should also be given to the two paramedics who turn up at the crime scene. They play a pivotal role. Also you rarely see a funeral held for the victim init.
I'd love for acclaimed actors like Danny Dyer, Dani Dyer, Phoebe Waller-Bridge to make guest appearances.
One Step Beyond: The Riddle (1959)
Leonard and Kumar go to India
For some reason I only found out about One Step Beyond today, after it debuted in 1959, so 65 years ago. It debuted around the same time as The Twilight Zone (the original one) and I'm keen to watch some of them. Anyway, The Riddle is the first episode of One Step Beyond, and is hosted by John Newland with a quasi-English accent, and the ending was quite the twist and would have made Rob Serling very proud. In fact, I can imagine a future episode of Inside No. 9 using the plotline twist. Anyway, this episode was set in India, and who would have thought that nearly 60 years after The Riddle debuted, an Indian would become Prime Minister of England.
The Twilight Zone: Sanctuary (2002)
Guest starring Nicki Aycox
I saw Sanctuary just today, and afterwards I wanted to find out what became of the Nicki Aycox, who guest starred in this episode, and I was sad to learn that Nicki tragically passed away in 2022 at the aged of 47, taken by leukemia. So hard to believe.
Sanctuary, from the 2002 reboot of The Twilight Zone, draws upon the Garden of Eden story from the Book of Genesis, and the ending was quite unexpected. Heartthrob actor Rob Estes stars in this, as does Elizabeth Berkley, who managed to pick herself up after Showgirls. Anyway, it's a shame the 2002 reboot didn't last longer than a season init.
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Swashbuckling
I saw The Adventures of Robin Hood back in the 1980s when I was in high school, we watched it in class, and I loved the movie! It's amazing that upon reflection now, Olivia de Havilland (who played Maid Marion) lived to the ripe old age of 104, passing away in 2020. De Havilland was only 22 when the movie was released, so quite an achievement, and she also became a Dame, hence the DBE (Dame of the British Empire) at the end of her name.
Alan Hale played Little John, and around 30 years later his son, Alan Hale Jr. Played the Skipper in Gilligan's Island. Anyway, for a reboot I'd love for Danny Dyer to play Robin Hood.
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist: Electric Bike (1997)
Chappelle's on point
Electric Bike, from season four of Dr Katz, Professional Therapist, has the legendary Dave Chappelle as a guest and he really nails it when it comes to race relations, for example when he riffed on how two Irish were beating up an Italian, he described it as "so precise" and we know what he means. Also, Chappelle was so prescient when he riffed on how black Americans hostages don't figure much in ransom demands, and I was recalling how just last year, Travis King, "defected" to North Korea, but you can predict what happened, North Korea promptly returned him without any ransom demand. Chappelle was so on point and prescient.
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist: Memoirs (1997)
Ben's memoir
I loved Memoirs because of the focus on Ben trying to motivate himself to write a memoir, and claiming he's getting no support from the publishing industry because they're not willing to offer him and advance of $20,000 or so to keep on writing. It reminded me of the struggling authors who don't get any advance but manage to write monster blockbusters. It reminded me of Indian author Vikram Seth, who after over a decade, still hasn't submitted a manuscript for A Suitable Girl, the long-awaited sequel to A Suitable Boy. Anyway, I've been a fan of Dr Katz, Professional Therapist since the mid 1990s, and I'm enjoying catching on the episodes I missed out on back then.
The Twilight Zone: Act Break/The Burning Man/Dealer's Choice (1985)
Who's a card
I saw Dealer's Choice recently, and it's hard to believe it debuted nearly 40 years ago, and it starred an up and coming actor by the name of Morgan Freeman, whose career later hit the stratosphere with Se7en. Anyway, Dealer's Choice also starred Dan Hedaya, M. Emmet Walsh, Garrett Morris (famous for being in Saturday Night Live), and Barney Martin, whose career was revived in Seinfeld. Anyway, Dealer's Choice isn't a bad episode, but I think the script needed to be tightened up somewhat to add more tension, but still, the 1980s revival of The Twilight Zone was worthy and there are some thoughtful episodes.
The Twilight Zone: Mr. Motivation (2002)
Motivational
Mr. Motivation stars Wallace Langham and Christopher McDonald. Actually, this is McDonald's second appearance in The Twilight Zone, with his first in the 1986 episode Aqua Vita, from the first revival of The Twilight Zone. Anyway, I remember first seeing Wallace Langham as the cruel school leader in the underrated movie The Chocolate War from the 1980s that was based by the novel by Robert Cormier and was directed by Keith Gordon.
Anyway, not a bad movie and it reminded me of the 1963 episode, Living Doll from the original run of the Twilight Zone, but here the doll encourages Langham's character to do good.
Seinfeld: The Fix Up (1992)
Conducting
Having become a fan of Seinfeld, I'm enjoying watching some of the early episodes and reflecting on the cultural phenomenon of Seinfeld, especially and particularly in light of Jerry Seinfeld's Unfrosted that was released just recently.
Maggie Jakobson (who later used the name Maggie Wheeler) guest stars as Elaine's friend Cynthia, and Elaine works to fix Cynthia up with George, and George gets excited that he could become a father after some beast with two backs activity with Cynthia. Anyway, I liked Jerry's opening monologue about the role and value of orchestra conductors, and that was quite funny.