August 10, 2024

This week in TV Guide: August 9, 1980




There have been, by my count, ten issues of TV Guide that I've written about that feature major articles on children's programming—its quality, its effects on children, its tie-ins to advertising. It's been a thing since before TV Guide was first published, and it's continued beyond the time when TV Guide, and television in general, ceased to become literate. The concerns have remained the same, as have the proposals. One could probably cut and paste from any of my past ten reviews, and come up with much the same content as this week's cover story by Claire Safrana, in which "A blue-ribbon panel offers guidance for parents." In fact, the only reason I'm even bothering to report on it is because of the capsule reviews of each show, some of which are frankly hilarious. 

First things first: the three best Saturday/Sunday morning shows, according to the panel, are PBS's Once upon a Classic and CBS's 30 Minutes and The New Fat Albert Show, with the ABC Weekend Specials coming in a close fourth. Once upon a Classic is the clear front-runner, with comments that include "Outclasses all the others" and "Handsome format, first-rate dramas. We could use more of those." But the entertainment value here comes from the shows at the bottom of the list.

Take CBS's The All-New Popeye Hour, which comes in at #21 out of 27 programs reviewed, scoring 2.4 out of a possible 10. The verdict: "All new? Nothing new! Violent, destructive behavior is rewarded constantly." Hello? Don't you know that's the way things are? Violent, destructive behavior is always rewarded today, provided you're on the right side. Maybe the kids watching this cartoon learned their lessons too well. 

And then there's The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show, also on CBS, ranked right in the middle at #14. "The only thing to say is that some kids love this formula of chase, collision and comeuppance." And then, at #19, you've got NBC's The Daffy Duck Show, essentially the same program but featuring Bugs's nemesis. Even so, the panel comments, "Old cartoon favorites cut up into unintelligible segments. Surely the kids will notice." How this differs from Bugs Bunny is a mystery, I guess. Apparently the kids loved it well, considering they remain hugely popular today, especially when compared to the rest of the shows on the list; just look at the Blu-Ray, remastered versions on Amazon. Message to the panel: bite me.

Some of the other comments, however, are pithy and funny, and probably right on the money:
  • Fred and Barney Meet the Shmoo (NBC): "Basically schlock."
  • The Skatebirds (CBS): "Terrible! What a waste of any child's time."
  • The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour (NBC): "Worthless, pointless, awful." [I wonder who thought combining a basketball team and a Japanese monster was a good idea?]
  • Jason of Star Comman (CBS): "It aspires to a low level апd succeeds."
  • Casper and the Angels (NBC): "Boring. A silly takeoff on Charlie's Angels. An excuse to show women in tights." [The real question is how you can do a takeoff on Charlie's Angels, featuring women in tights, and have it come out boring?
  • Saving the best for last, it's Captain Caveman & the Teenangels (ABC); "No redeeming values."
The irony is that one of the most-praised cartoons on the list is Fat Albert, the brainchild of a man who, we have since discovered, displays the very worst qualities that one might have assigned to adults who grew up watching those other cartoons. We're reminded again that irony can be a real bitch.

For all this, though, the panel's conclusion is hard to argue with. "Most cartoon shows are on the same level. Indeed, they aspire to that same, very low level," says Harvard's Dr. Gerald Lesser. "Yet cartoons are not the worst menace io attack our society in recent years. They are harmful in that they waste a lot of a child's time. We can do better than that." Indeed we can, as I've been saying the last few weeks. But considering the quality of many of the primetime shows on television, the answer is obvious: iswhy should children's television be any different?

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Where have I read this before?
"Reruns Loom for September as Actors' Strike Continues."  Yes, SAG-AFTRA is on strike against the networks and the major TV and movie studios, and Frank Swertlow gives us the latest on the work stoppage that leaves the start of the new television season in doubt. As was the case in the recent series of Hollywood strikes, the only prime-time shows that are unaffected are reality programs—Real People, Speak Up America, Games People Play, That's Incredible!, and Those Amazing Animals—and Prime Time Friday. Oh, and The Tim Conway Show, which operates under a different contract (probably since it's the only variety show left on television). It's true that there are completed episodes for many series, but the nets are reluctant to use them because they'd be scattered among reruns and would lose their promotional impact. For the same reason, events such as Shogun might be delayed. 

As was the case last year, the actors' strike is not a brief affair; it took three months, until October, before actors returned to work, although the agreement was reached in mid-February. (In fact, it was the longest actors' strike until last year's.) Unlike last year, the Emmy Awards did go on as s cheduled, but it was boycotted by the union, with best actor winner Powers Boothe (for Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones) being the only nominee to show. 

With the agreement reached in mid-September, Shogun went on as scheduled, airing September 15-19. Both sides claimed victory, as is often the case in such labor disputes, but there was one clear-cut, and most unexpected, winner: Carl Sagan's series Cosmos, which premiered during the strike, and faced little competition from the networks. I guess that outcome could have been predicted in the stars.

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The Democratic Party meets in convention this week at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with suspense in short supply. Despite a challenge from Senator Edward Kennedy, President Carter appears to have things locked up; he leads Kennedy in the delegate count, 1,982 to 1,235, with 1666 needed to win, and barring a movement to free the delegates from their primary commitments (the movement fails), Carter will win the nomination. But old traditions die hard, and Sally Bedell reports on the preparations being made by the networks for their gavel-to-gavel coverage of the proceedings. Once upon a time, the convention meant drama, suspense, and spontaneity, but today it's all about following the script. And I do mean "script"; says William Carruthers, former TV advisor to Presidents Nixon and Ford, "There is no reason that a convention should be laid out for prime time any differently than an entertainment special. You need a well-developed format and you have to consider the personalities and events to determine what you do each night." 

Although politicians and networks had long since learned the need for a certain amount of cooperation, the turning point in TV coverage probably dates back to the tumultuous 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago, a perfect storm of conflict not likely to ever be repeated, and their 1972 soirée in Miami Beach, a gathering so disorganized and chaotic that presidential nominee George McGovern wound up giving his acceptance speech at 3:00 a.m. Friday morning. That determination to not let history repeat itself could be seen almost immediately at the 1972 Republican convention, held in Miami Beach a month after the Democrats. Their three-day conclave featured a script "so meticulously detailed it included pauses for applause and instructions for cheering. Football hero Bart Starr, who appeared on the podiurn during the opening ceremony, was even directed to 'nod' to the color guard as it passed by." 

With so little suspense at hand, why do the networks insist on spending large amounts of time, talent, and money covering the proceedings? According to former NBC correspondent and Ford press secretary Ron Nessen, "Prestige, money and ratings are at stake for the networks. The network that wins the convention will win the campaign and Election Night, and through the next four years will be the news champ." Add to that the personal rivalries that exist between floor correspondents, all of whom are busy jockying for air time "like a pack of frustrated bloodhounds." One CBS correspndent glumly admits that "We're concerned about Walter [Cronkite] this year. It's his last convention and he is going to want as much time on camera as possible." With the lack of news often palpable, reporters are often forced to great lengths to fill what air time they do get; one expert calls it "let's pretend journalism." "When nothing is going on, everyone runs around posing questions to people who are in no position to give an answer," he says. "They are saying, in effect, 'Let's pretend your answer means something'." And what does it all amount to? One veteran reporter says at the end of the day, "You ask me about the cnvention. I have memories of nothing."

Today's conventions play like very bad infomercials hosted by second-rate hucksters and thrust onto all-"news" channels, with minimul network coverage until the acceptance speeches; by comparison, the 1980 conventions were models of substance. I suppose it's possible, though not unlikely, that things could change someday. Perhaps, but I wouldn't count on it. As former Reagan aide John Sears says, "There is only one rule for politicians at conventions toдау. When you are out there, look good."

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Well, this has been depressing so far, hasn't it? And since the convention dominates primetime, it falls to the local stations to offer counterprogramming. Milwaukee's WVTV handles things nicely; they're planning to air a three-night, six-hour adaptation of Taylor Caldwell's Testimony of Two Men (Monday through Wednesday, 8:00 p.m.), starring David Birney, David Huffman, Steve Forrest, Barbara Parkins, William Shatner, and J.D. Cannon. Those living in Chicagoland are fortunate; the White Sox have a three-game series against the New York Yankees, with all three games airing at 7:00 p.m. on WSNS in Chicago and WQRF in Rockford.

WGN offers specials and movies as an alternative; on Monday, it's The Madwoman of Central Park West (7:00 p.m.), a one-woman musical comedy starring Phyllis Newman. She co-wrote the semi-autobiographical story with Arthur Laurents; the songwriters include the team of Adolph Green (Phyllis's husband) and Bette Comden, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and Barry Manilow. On Tuesday, it's Casablanca, 1943's Best Picture, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, and Paul Henreid. (But you probably knew all that already. At least I hope so.) Wednesday brings 1965's Cat Ballou (6:30 p.m.), the Western comedy for which Lee Marvin won his Best Actor Oscar; Jane Fonda co-stars as the title character. And on Thursday it's Charade (6:30 p.m.), the light-hearted thriller also known as the best movie Alfred Hitchcock never directed (it was Stanley Donan), with Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau, James Coburn, and a very hummable theme. The convention ends on Thursday, and Friday WGN's back to basics, with the White Sox taking on the Boston Red Sox in Chicago (7:30 p.m.)

Of the three non-convention days, the best is Sunday, a day for sports, with ABC offering expanded coverage of the PGA Championship from the Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, with Jack Nicklaus romping to a record seven-stroke victory over Andy Bean. (2:30 p.m.) CBS counters with same-day coverage of the Formula 1 German Grand Prix, won by France's Jacques Laffite, while NBC is live in Milwaukee for Indycar's Milwaukee 200, with Johnny Rutherford taking first. (3:00 p.m. for both). 

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On weeks when we can, we'll match up two of the biggest rock shows of the era, NBC's The Midnight Special and the syndicated Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, and see who's better, who's best.

Kirshner: Guest performers are Linda Ronstadt, Fleetwood Mac, the Police and the Specials. Musical selections include "Hurt So Bad." 

Midnight: Gladys Knight & the Pips (hosts), Linda Ronstadt, Frankie Valli, Randy Newman, the O'Jays, Herb Alpert and Glen Campbell. Also featured: a salute to Elton John. Musical highlights include "Midnight Train to Georgia" (Gladys and the Pips), "When Will I Be Loved?" (Linda), a medley of Frankie Valli's hits, and "All His Love" (Randy). The episode first aired in 1976. 

I guess the two Linda Ronstadt perforamnces cancel each other out, while I think it's hard to top the Police, they're cancelled out by Fleetwood Mac. (Again, your mileage may vary.) On the other hand, you've got Herb Alpert, Glen Campbell, and Frankie Valli, and that's going to give the edge to The Midnight Special.

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Even though subliminal advertising has long been a no-no for both the movies and television, but that doesn't mean you can't expect to see some not-so-subtle messages appearing on your favorite shows when they debut following the end of the actors' strike. 

   Fight backwear buttons!
Despite CBS spokesman Gene Mater's protestations that "We don't believe we should use entertainment programming to transmit message" (long pause here for the laughter to die down), it appears that several series are taking up President Carter's suggestion that prime-time entertainment shows should encourage viewers to practice energy conservation. Last September, the president met with the heads of the three networks to discuss how this could be done, and several TV producers, including Norman Lear, Garry Marshall, and Gene Reynolds, have been working with the Department of Energy and a citizen's group called the Solar Lobby on how to educate viewers. 

For instance, an episode of Archie Bunker's Place last season included "a 10-minute segment about setting thermostats at 68 degrees," while Marshall plans to include messages on Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and Mork & Mindy. "I told these people we gotta tie energy up with sex so the viewers will listen," is how Marshall explains a proposed scene in which "Fonzie may show that his room has a 'solar side' by bringing a girl friend into what he calls 'а warm spot.'" Marshall even uses the term "subliminal" in describing the tactics being used.

Now, none of this is really new. During my conversation with CBS newsman Joseph Benti a few years ago, he mentioned how television would use various techniques such as producing commercials with racially integrated casts to try and influence attitudes in society without people being overtly aware of it. And if you listen to old-time radio sitcoms from the World War II era, you'll often hear characters talking about buying war bonds and contributing to scrap metal drives. I have to admit being uncomfortable with the whole idea of the federal government overtly promoting such messages through TV shows. I didn't like it when Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" campaign tried it, and I don't like it now, especially when someone like Marshall admits that it's a subliminal message. After all, while nobody is opposed to putting out a positive message, who gets to decide what "positive" means?

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MST3K alert: Marooned
 (1969) Oscar-winning special effects enhance the tension as mission control races against time and a threatening hurricane to retrieve three astronauts trapped in space. Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Janssen. (Friday, 3:00 p.m., WLS in Chicago) Marooned is the only film featured on MST3K to win an Oscar, and so it's appropriate that when it was shown, it was under the name Space Travelers, having been redistributed byFilm Ventures International, "an ultra-low-budget production company that prepared quickie television and video releases of films that were in the public domain or could be purchased inexpensively." I like to think that this (and the terrible new opening and closing credits) is what makes it MST3K-worthyTV  

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