Around the dial - New Year's edition

They say that as you get older, time goes by more quickly, and I'm increasingly inclined to believe this.  It doesn't seem possible that it's 2014, does it?  But before we bid 2013 adieu completely, let's take a look back at some recent stories.

Back in November, TV When I Was Born did a couple of very nice pieces on coverage of the JFK assassination, and I'm not just saying this because Dixon Hayes links to my interview with David Von Pein.  Dixon does a very good job not only summarizing the coverage from that weekend, but understanding the importance - cultural as well as historical - of what happened and how it changed the way we were.  Highly recommended pieces!

One of my favorite newer blogs is the aptly-named Cult TV Blog - but then how could I feel otherwise when it comes to a site that talks about The Prisoner, The Avengers, Danger Man and other great British series from the era.  The first post of this new year is a great summary of one of my favorite Prisoner episodes, "Checkmate."   As anyone who's read my list of top 10 TV shows knows, The Prisoner is one of those shows that's had a big effect on my way of looking at things, and I never get tired of reading new things about it.

Another blog I've had the pleasure to read this last year is Classic Sports TV and Media, which covers two of my favorite things - sports and television.  Jeff ends the year with a look back at a summary of some of his top stories from 2013, and I'm looking forward to reading what the new year has to bring.

As long as we're discussing lists, Television Obscurities presents a dubious one: 2013's new obscurities, the shows from the last year that ran 13 episodes or less.   As you regular readers know, I'm drawn to obscure programs from the past - I wonder how much of their appeal lies in the thrill of the chase?  As someone points out, pretty much all of these programs are readily available on DVD or streaming video - will they be as fondly remembered years from now?

Comfort TV has a pretty interesting take on Marilyn Monroe and Farrah Fawcett as two sides of the same coin.  I'd never really thought about this before in quite this way, but I think David's persuasive in his analysis. Guilty admission: I've never really been all that into Marilyn Monroe.  Don't ask me why; I don't think it means I'm not a normal, red-blooded American male, but she doesn't do that much for me.  Farrah, on the other hand - well, that poster is a bit, uh, hard to ignore, isn't it?  Even today it makes an impression or two. (David's also write - us writers always remember the bad notices more than the good.)

As for that, I'll try to give you more of the good and less of the bad in 2014.  We'll kick it off with another classic TV Guide on Saturday - see you then! TV