The Big Valley - The Blog-o-Rama Christmas Show A Day

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The Big Valley is a great television western that has somehow managed to get short changed in it's release to DVD.  Only the first season and half of the second season have been released.  My guess is that after getting an entire first season on DVD, fans balked at having to pay a big price for only half a season when season two was released. 

The show centered around the Barkley family with the magnificent Barbara Stanwyck portraying the matriarch of the family.  Along with her three sons and daughter, each week provided another great episode.

In this Christmas episode, Jarrod tries to reform an outlaw's girlfriend (Lynn Loring) by having her spend Christmas with the Barkleys.  This episode was from season one.

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Hart To Hart - The Blog-o-Rama Christmas Show A Day.

'Tis The Season To Be Murdered

'Hart to Hart', starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers aired on ABC television from 1979-84.

Jonathan Hart (Robert Wagner) was a self-made millionaire and the CEO of Hart Industries, a global conglomerate. His wife Jennifer (Stefanie Powers) was a beautiful freelance journalist. Living the jetset lifestyle, the glamorous couple spent their free time as amateur detectives and in every episode they found themselves involved in cases of smuggling, theft, international espionage and, most commonly, murder. At their opulent Californian home, they were assisted by Max (Lionel Stander), their loyal, gravelly-voiced butler, cook, and chauffeur who also helped out in their "cases". The Hart's pet dog was "Freeway", named so because he was a stray they had rescued when he was found wandering on the freeway. 

If you have never seen this show believe me when I tell you it was very entertaining.  Wagner and Powers as a couple was cast perfectly and in general the shows were extremely well written, being both witty, fun, and exciting at the same time.

This episode naturally takes place during the Christmas season.  The Harts go undercover at their toy company to expose a costly security leak.  Watch it and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: hart to hart,stephanie powers,robert wagner,abc,christmas episode,blog-o-rama,riesen2b

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Saint John Of Las Vegas - Steve Buscemi In A Starring Role.

This looks like a very good movie.  I guess I take particular interest in it since it is another movie that was filmed here in Las Vegas.  On top of that, it stars one of the best actors around--Steve Buscemi.

Here's the plot:

After a run of bad luck, John (Steve Buscemi), a compulsive gambler, runs away from Las Vegas and toward a normal job and life. Taking a nondescript position in an auto insurance company in Albuquerque, he tries to get ahead in the straight world, amid the ever-present temptations of scratch-off lotto tickets. When his boss, Mr. Townsend (Peter Dinklage), asks John to accompany his top fraud debunker, Virgil (Romany Malco) on an investigation of a dubious car "accident" near Vegas, John sees an opportunity to get a promotion, though he's concerned about returning to the gambling game. Before leaving he becomes involved with his eccentric co-worker Jill (Sarah Silverman), a dalliance that has the potential to become a real relationship. Soon John is on the road with Virgil, where they encounter a series of offbeat characters, including a wheelchair-bound stripper (Emmanuelle Chriqui), a nude militant (Tim Blake Nelson), a park Ranger (Jesse Garcia), and a carnival human torch (John Cho).

While Virgil is the supposed leader of the investigation, it's John who begins to finally assert himself, pushing the case closer to a conclusion. Through the journey, John's confidence builds, and he realizes that he can't escape his gambling addiction by running away from it—it will follow him wherever he goes. It's only when he returns to Vegas and his experiences there finally send him on the path to breaking free. First time writer/director Hue Rhodes' Saint John of Las Vegas follows the wild and funny trip a guy has to take to discover there's more than one way to hit the jackpot in life.

Saint John of Las Vegas will be released on January 29, 2010.

Technorati Tags: comedy,drama,steve buscemi,sarah silverman,romany malco,peter dinklage,emmanuelle chriqui,tim blake nelson,movie trailer,riesen2b

Source: TrailerAddict.Com

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21 Jump Street - The Blog-o-Rama Christmas Show A Day.

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Christmas In Saigon

Long before the role of Captain Jack Sparrow ever entered his mind, Johnny Depp began as a television star on 21 Jump Street. Depp rose to prominence as Officer Thomas Hanson, Jr. on Jump Street and quickly became regarded as a teen idol. Uncomfortable with that characterization, he turned his focus to film roles that he felt were right. He initially came to film prominence as the titular character of Edward Scissorhands, and later found box office success in roles such as Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow, Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series and his role as the quirky Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

21 Jump Street aired on Fox from 1987-91. The show is about a group of young cops whose youthful appearances enabled them to work undercover in both high schools and sometimes colleges to catch troubled youths. The show's plots covered typical issues of its time, including alcoholism, hate crimes, drug abuse, racism, homophobia, AIDS, child abuse, and sexual promiscuity. Similarly, each problem was often solved by the end of the hour long show, giving an implicit moral about the impact of a particular activity.

This episode first aired on December 20, 1987  In this episode,   Officer Ioki is faced with immediate dismissal from the Chapel when he's uncovered as a Vietnamese refugee.

So, for all of you Johnny Depp fans out there, here is 21 Jump Street.

Incidentally, you can watch a total of 55 episodes of 21 Jump Street at Hulu.Com.  And in a side note,  although all five seasons were released by Anchor Bay Entertainment between 2004-06, the releases contained extensive music substitutions and inaccurate cover art.  However, in October it was announced that Mill Creek Entertainment, famous for it's low cost/low quality DVD's had made an agreement with Stephen J. Cannell to distribute seven of his series, including this one.  No release date has been set, but they say that they are working on them.

I bought the Steve McQueen western Wanted: Dead Or Alive series a month ago which was released by Mill Creek and only paid 21 dollars for it.  I was expecting the quality to be poor and was really shocked to find that the shows from this 1950's western were of very good quality.  Either the masters had been well preserved or Mill Creek did a great job of remastering them.  Keep your fingers crossed that this will be the same case for 21 Jump Street.

Technorati Tags: 21 jump street,christmas episode,christmas in saigon,johnny depp,millcreek entertainment,riesen2b,drama,cops

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Highway Patrol - The Blog-o-Rama Christmas Show A Day.

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Christmas Story

 

You might want to call this show the original CHiPs, only you won't find Erik Estrada in this version of the California Highway Patrol.  Instead you get the steadfast Broderick Crawford as Chief Dan Matthews, the gruff and dedicated of a police force in a state, although not identified as California, is nevertheless taken for granted that it is.  This was a syndicated series that ran from 1955-59.

In this Christmas episode, Ted Spaeth's career as a successful architect has caused him to neglect his wife Laura and their six-year old daughter Julie.  When he arrives home on Christmas Eve, he finds that his wife and daughter have left him and he takes off to find them.  The highway patrol becomes involved when the girl goes missing in search of Santa Claus.  Interestingly, this episode originally aired, not in December, but in June, the last show of the season, on June 25, 1956.

Technorati Tags: highway patrol,broderick crawford,christmas episode,chips,erik estrada,riesen2b

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Hearts Afire - The Blog-o-Rama Christmas Show A Day.

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Everyday's A Holiday

Between "Three's Company" and "8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter" (retitled  8 Simple Rules after Ritter's untimely death) John Ritter starred with Markie Post in "Hearts Afire".  The show also starred Billy Bob Thornton, Ed Asner, and George Gaines.   It aired from 1992-95 and aired on CBS.

The show found John Ritter playing an aide to a senator (Gaynes). His life is somewhat complicated by his wife (Post)'s father (Asner) having spent a long stretch in prison for financial impropriety, and her somewhat-unnecessary attempts to re-integrate him into society.

This episode is all about family as the gang piles into Adam's Winnebago to go to New York, but when the Winnie stalls, everyone is forced to spend Christmas in the camper.  It first aired on December 14, 1992.

It's a pretty good episode.  Until I found this, I had forgotten that this show even existed.

 

Technorati Tags: hearts afire,john ritter,markie post,billy bob thornton,ed asner,george gaines,christmas episode,riesen2b,comedy,sitcom

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Bewitched - The Blog-o-Rama Christmas Show A Day.

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A Vision Of Sugar Plums

I didn't get a chance to post a show yesterday so look for two posts today of the Christmas Show A Day.  Up first, is Bewitched.  This episode premiered on December 24, 1964, which was the first season for the witch Samantha Stevens and her husband Darren.  Larry Tate was Darren's boss and her nosy neighbor was Gladys Kravitz and her much maligned husband Abner.  The show also featured Endora as Samantha's meddlesome mother.

Samantha and Darrin bring a six-year-old "problem" orphan named Michael to their home for Christmas, but all their efforts to get him to join in the season's festivities fail.  Billy Mumy (Will Robinson from Lost In Space) plays the orphan.  It is a very classic Christmas episode and one that I know you are going to enjoy.

Technorati Tags: bewitched,christmas episode,samantha stevens,gladys kravitz,endora,hulu.com,billy mumy,riesen2b,sitcom,comedy

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My Mother The Car - The Blog-o-Rama Christmas Show A Day.

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Many Happy No- Returns

 

Time to kick off this year's version of riesen2b's blog-o-rama Christmas show a day which began last year.  And we kick it off with one of the most joked at, berated, derided and skewered television shows of all time.  By the way, all of the vicious criticism on this quaint, funny show was way overboard. 

I'm talking of course about the Ann Sothern, Jerry Van Dyke comedy, "My Mother The Car".  Making it's debut on September 14, 1965, this show was about the Mother of Jerry Van Dyke's character, being reincarnated as a 1928 Porter automobile (incidentally, there was no such brand) to offer him advice and at the same time putting him in various predicaments.   It ran for only one season on NBC and is now the stuff of television folklore.  Even in 2002 the show was put down by TV Guide which rated it the second worst show ever to air, after The Jerry Springer Show.

The fact remains though, that for most kids from that era, this was a great show and many were disappointed when it was canceled.  It now has somewhat of a cult following.

Wikipedia.com gives this synopsis of the show:

The show follows the exploits of attorney David Crabtree (played by Jerry Van Dyke), who, while shopping at a used car lot for a station wagon to serve as a second family car, instead purchases a dilapidated 1928 "Porter" touring car. Crabtree heard the car call his name in a woman's voice which turned out to be that of his deceased mother, Gladys (voiced by Ann Sothern). The car, a valuable antique, is a reincarnation of his mother who talks (only to Crabtree, of course) through the car's radio. The dial light flashed in sequence with "Mother's" voice. In an effort to get his family to accept the old, tired car, Crabtree brings it to a custom body shop for a full restoration, which in turn brings it to the attention of a rather shifty car collector.

For the rest of the series, Crabtree is pursued by the avaricious Captain Manzini (Avery Schreiber), who is determined to acquire the valuable automobile from Crabtree. In a running gag characterizing his shifty nature, Manzini (who resembles a 1920s silent film villain) always mispronounces Crabtree's name when speaking to him. "Now, then, Crabapple..." "That's Crabtree." "Whatever."

The plot of this episode finds that Mother is furious when she learns that Dave intends to let Barbara choose her own Christmas present.

So here it is, the Christmas episode of "My Mother The Car"  My Mother The Car is not available on DVD although the owners of this show could make a killing by releasing it.  However, uou can watch the entire series at Hulu.Com by clicking here.

Technorati Tags: my mother the car,ann sothern,jerry van dyke,1928 porter,nbc,1965,comedy,riesen2b,christmas episode,christmas show-a-day

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ABC News Cancels Adam Lambert Gig On Good Morning America.

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Did you turn in to ABC's Good Morning America this morning to see Adam Lambert perform?  Did you sit through the entire show waiting, only to realize the American Idol runner up from last season was not making an appearance as had been scheduled?  Are the executives in charge of news programs at ABC a bunch of homophobes?

Turns out the executives for ABC News got cold feet after Lambert's bold, sexually provocative performance on the American Music Awards Sunday night.  They felt that too many young children would be watching early in the morning.  I say, who are they kidding?  Most kids I know are watching anything other than Good Morning America while eating their Cocoa Puffs.

CBS proved that they aren't too shy to have Adam on and have scheduled him for The Early Show to discuss his performance, his GMA cancellation, and also to perform.

ABC denies that their parent company, Walt Disney Co. had any say in the matter.  I would guess that is true.  But I also think their towering influence as owners of ABC leads executives of the broadcasting company to make decisions based on who owns them.

Thumbs up to CBS.

Technorati Tags: adam lambert,good morning america,gma,abc,the early show,cbs,controversy,ama,american music awards,homophobes,riesen2b

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Family Ties - The Blog-o-Rama Thanksgiving Show A Day.

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No Nukes Is Good Nukes.

I know, this is a strange title for a Thanksgiving episode.  But, that's what this is.

Family Ties is a sitcom starring Michael J. Fox that aired on NBC from 1982-89. The show also starred Michael Gross, Meredith Baxter Birney, Justine Bateman, and Tina Yothers.  The basic joke that ran throughout the series was that Fox was a conservative Republican while his parents were left wing liberals.

 

The title of this episode makes sense when you read the plot:  Steven and Elyse are arrested on Thanksgiving when protesting nuclear arms. Alex is pro-nuclear weapons, though Jennifer's questions shake his reasoning. Mallory just wishes someone else could do the protesting and leave their family peace. Steven and Elyse are given a chance to leave prison if they sign a document promising never to protest and swearing they support the arms race. They refuse it.

Watch a Family Ties Thanksgiving and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: family ties,michael j. fox,meredith baxter birney,thanksgiving episode,michael gross,justine bateman,tina yothers,no nukes is good nukes,riesen2b

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