February 6, 2015

Hitchcock, Sherlock, tough guys and TV Guides - they're all Around the Dial!

Limited time for me to look around the blogosphere this week, but that doesn't mean there's a limit to the interesting things out there.

"Isabel" is the latest episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour to receive the "Hitchcock Project" treatment from Jack Seabrook at bare-bones e-zine.  I'm never sure how much of the synopsis I should read when I haven't seen the episode yet - but as far as I've gotten, this one sounds very good.

At Classic Film and TV Cafe, Rick gives us the five toughest tough guys of the '70s.*  You know it's a tough decade when John Wayne only ends up in third place.  But you oughta see the two ahead of him!  Not sure about number five, but I wouldn't want to argue about it...

*I know they're all movie stars, but interestingly enough four of the five starred in their own television series at one time or another.

Cult TV Blog has some second thoughts on the British series Sherlock, with Oscar nominee Benedict Cumberbatch as the famed sleuth.  I'm glad he's warming to it; I was very skeptical of it myself until I saw the first episode, but if you're willing to view Sherlock Holmes through the lens of Doctor Who, I'd say you'll love it.

It's F Troop Friday at The HORN Section.  I've mentioned in the past that I watched F Troop when I was of age; even had one of the TV tie-in books, as I recall.  The show was worth it for Larry Storch alone, and he shines in this wild episode that includes a guest appearance from General Grant himself.  I think this one was on MeTV not that many months ago.

At Comfort TV, David takes a look at The Price is Right, and makes some very perceptive comments on the importance of the relationship between a show and its viewers.  His look back brings back memories for me, not only of Price but all the daytime game shows from that era.  And I love his comment that Dian Parkinson "was Cinemax before that was even a word."*  Well played, sir!

*He also mentioned that no one ever wore a bikini better; as I recall, she "unwore" it pretty well also.

Another week, another TV Guide review at Television Obscurities.  The issue of January 30, 1965 includes yet another plea by former FCC Chair Newton Minow to improve TV, a profile of Inger Stevens, a new William Shatner series, and more.  I really enjoy reading these recaps, particularly when it's an issue like this, one that I don't have.  But even when they're ones I do have, Robert always has a perspective that adds to my appreciation of the issue.

Sorry to link and run, but we'll be back tomorrow, right? TV  

3 comments:

  1. For the last two days, I have been trying to add a comment to your latest entry at the sibling blog, In Other Words.
    So far I've written the comment three times - and each time the comment has been wiped when I tried to publish it.
    As I write this , I fully expect the same thing to happen with this one.
    Frankly, I'm starting to feel distinctly unwelcome around her (and over there...).
    Later today, I'm going to give it one last try.
    After that, you may never hear from me again.

    OK, this one isn't wiped.
    So I'll try again with the lost one (attempt number four) - except I'm going to do it here, while I'm in.

    Last October 2, and again on Christmas night, Bones on the Fox Network aired an episode that I was sure was going to raise a social media ruckus.
    FBI Agent Booth and his wife Dr. Brennan are confronting an ex-Fed with access to J. Edgar Hoover's "secret files".
    When Booth questions the suspect's political motives, the ex-Fed replies thus:

    ... Then you know that the founding fathers had a disdain for democracy.
    They thought it was the equivalent of mob rule.
    They believed in an educated elite - property owners who would elect people like themselves to run the country, to govern the masses as they saw fit.
    This country has always been in danger of losing its footing.
    Fortunately, there are still some people who believe in the basic principles set forth by the founding fathers.
    They believe we have to take this country back from the rabble.
    Men like Hoover ... these are the real patriots ...


    Over the years, I've heard this sentiment expressed by both the Left (after the Nixon and Reagan landslides) and the Right ( after the elections of Clinton and Obama).
    Usually, it's accompanied by a call to "reform" the Electoral College - in a way that would benefit the side of the arguer.

    For myself, I still wonder why this scene went unnoticed -twice - on national broadcast TV.
    Bones is in its tenth season on Fox, and doesn't get a lot of gossip play, so that may be the reason.
    Then again, Emily Deschanel is expecting, and the baby will be written into the show, and you can bet that that will get some play ...

    Apologies for putting this on the wrong blog, but once I was in, I wasn't going to waste it ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's very interesting, Mike. You'd think that someone somewhere would have noticed that, given how sensitive everyone is to political dialogue nowadays. (My plea? I don't watch the show!)

      As for the comments, I don't know why they can be so difficult. It certainly isn't based on anything I've set here, although I'm going to check through things to make sure. I need all the commentators I can get - and especially yours, which always add so much to the blog!

      Copy them before you click on "Publish," and If you lose another one, email it to me and I'll see if I can put it in through the comments from here. Again, really sorry about that.

      Delete
    2. Thanx for the suggestions, but neither one is open to me.

      I have no idea how to "copy". Nobody ever bothered to show me how.
      Not at my old job, and not here at home.

      Anything I know about how to work this demon machine, I had to learn on the fly - which means I had to learn by trial and error (mostly the latter).
      Same with Email - I have an address, and I get loads of stuff on it, but as for sending anything out ... no go. The explanations I get are technoslavian doubletalk, for which I lack the patience and unlimited time to decipher.

      OK, now I'm in Preview, so I know this one will go through.
      The rest is in the hands of the cybergods.

      Delete

Thanks for writing! Drive safely!