Around the dial

The picture up top comes from a Radio Times article from a couple of years back. The Radio Times is the British publication that is, I suppose, most comparable to what the old TV Guide was like, although perhaps one of our British readers can enlighten me further; I've only read it for Doctor Who. The article is by Alison Graham, who appears to be a woman after my own heart; it's titled "What Do People Talk About If They Don't Watch Telly?", and I swear that this quote could have come, unedited, from my own lips:

There are some phrases that place a cold, dead hand of fear around my heart. Top of the list is “Have you read my blog?”, closely followed by “And now it’s time for Thought of the day”, with “Will you sign my petition” coming a very close third.

Actually, may I just revise that. Really, really at the super-top of the list is “I don’t have a television.” By choice! Can you imagine? There are people who don’t have tellies? What’s wrong with them? How can anyone not watch telly? It’s like saying “I choose not to breathe because I take all of my essential nutrients via osmosis from fairy dust.” Or, “I’ve decided not to eat because it messes up my mouth.”

It gets better from there; just read it.

At Garroway at Large, Jodie completes the story of The CBS Newcomers, part one of which began last week. It's the tale of Dave Garroway's attempted comeback as host of a televised talent show. Of Garroway, one critic says, “This man has too much talent to languish on the sidelines.” Would that we were able to see more of that talent today.

You've probably seen, read, or at least heard about, the hit that HGTV had with A Very Brady Renovation, and at Comfort TV, David points out how the show's success demonstrates the great affection that people have for the Bradys, and wonders what show could get the treatment next?

Seeing as how I'm a sucker for Perry Mason, it should be no surprise to any of you that I've chosen Thursday, October 8, 1964 as the daily entry to visit in this week's trip to the TV Guide 365 project at Television Obscurities.

The second Bill Ballinger script for Alfred Hitchcock Presents is the fifth-season episode "Road Hog," with Raymond Massey and Robert Emhardt, and you can read all about this terrific episode in Jack's Hitchcock Project at bare•bones e-zine.

Fire-Breathing Dimetrodon Time takes a look at what is perhaps the most unique Doctor Who story ever. It's the one-episode "Mission to the Unknown" from 1965, and what's unique about it is that neither the Doctor nor any of his companions appear in it. It's the prologue to the epic Daleks' Master Plan that would air later in the year. It is, alas, one of those missing episodes, but thanks to the University of Central Lancashire, you can now see the animated reconstruction (featuring the original soundtrack). Always good to end on a high note!


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