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Saturday Night Life was a show that wasn't shown on the NBC affiliate back when I lived in the World's Worst Town™. This was back when the show debuted, so I was never sure whether the station thought it was too controversial, or simply wanted the revenue from showing old movies instead. At any rate, that was about 45 years ago, or around the same time that Garry Berman stopped watching it altogether. This week, he tells us why.

For years, we've been inundated with more television than anyone could possibly watch, thanks to the increase in streaming. But now, according to Mary Kate Carr at The A.V. Club, the end of Peak TV also means a decline in new television shows, by as much as 25%, if you can notice it. What does the future hold? It's a question we ask often, but nobody really knows the answer.

Kat Lively's latest episode of her podcast Calling Old Hollywood is now available, as she interviews screenwriter Neal Gumpel about Hollywood and the entertainment industry, films, AI, existentialism, the evolution (and censorship) of comedy, and other wide-ranging topics. You can see that episode here, along with past episodes, articles, and more. 

At Realweegiemidget, Gill looks at one of her favorites among the "retro television reunion film" genre, 1983's The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E., starring our heroes Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, with Patrick Macnee stepping in for the late Leo G. Carroll. It's one of the earliest of the reunion movies, and one of the most enjoyable; too bad it didn't result in a few more.

The Hitchcock Project continues unabated at bare•bones e-zine, with Jack reviewing the second and last contribution of Richard Fielder, 1963's "To Catch a Butterfly," starring Bradford Dillman, Diana Hyland, and Ed Asner. It's not just a gripping mystery, it is, as Jack says, "a fascinating look at parenting styles in America in the 1950s and 1960s," the kind of thing TV does so well.

The Broadcast Archives has a number of fascinating posts this week, including a 1949 Science Illustrated article (not written by AI, as Sports Illustrated might have done) on "What Every Family Wants to Know About Television," but I'm also recommending this look at Dave Garroway's pre-Today series Garroway at Large, an excellent example of the "Chicago Style" of television.

At Cult TV Blog, John continues his series of articles wondering if Patrick McGoohan's Number 6 was a plant, not a Prisoner, with the episode "Many Happy Returns." It's one of the series' more bizarre episodes, and looking at it from John's perspective makes it even more bizarre, but does it prove that Number 6 is a plant? You'll have to see for yourself.

Television Obscurities looks at a recent list from the Television Academy (the people who put on the Emmys) on the Top 75 Most Impactful Television Moments. Aside from my refusal to recognize "impactful" as a real word, I agree with Robert that it's nice to see a list that's not loaded with the recency bias that we see in so many of these lists. As always, YMMV.

Norman Jewison, the director whose works include the movies In the Heat of the Night, Rollerball, Fiddler on the Roof, and many more, died this week, aged 97. As Terence points out at A Shroud of Thoughts, Jewison also did a lot of television earlier in his career, particularly variety shows and specials. Quite a career, any way you measure it.

It seems like just yesterday that we were reading about Paul's journey through Season 1 of Bonanza, and already we're on to Season 2, as he recounts at Drunk TV. The legendary Western is hitting is its stride, and this season's episodes develops and expands on themes and characters introduced in the first season. It's already clear that Bonanza is not the average TV horse opera.

At The View from the Junkyard, Mike digs into "The Practical Joker," from the second season of Star Trek: The Animated Series. Romulans, gas clouds, practical jokes, and our first look at what is obviously The Next Generation's holodeck—what more, really, could anyone hope for from a 23-minute animated show? 

And finally, my friend Rodney Marshall has edited a new book, New Waves: 1980s TV In Britain, a collection of essays on the decade in British television drama. If that isn't enough, Maddy at Classic Film and TV Corner is one of the contributors, as she looks at The Gentle Touch, the first British series to feature a female police officer as the lead. Be sure to check it out. TV  

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During its nine-year run, The Facts of Life aired five Christmas episodes, and this week at Comfort TV, David ranks those five episodes, from worst to first. There's still time to add them to your pre-Christmas viewing list!

At Garroway at Large, Jodie looks back at the past year, which included the publication of Peace, and what's ahead for the future. There's also a video of Dave with Arlene Francis and Betty White; as Jodie says, what better way to get ready for Christmas?

John visits the wonderful world of Sherlock Holmes at Cult TV Blog, with the 1968 episode "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle," starring Peter Cushing as Holmes and Nigel Stock as Watson. I quite enjoy Cushing's Holmes, and John's review helps explain why. As a bonus, John includes a recipe for Christmas pudding, and a couple of podcast recommendations!

Remembebr how, at Drunk TV, Paul had just received the complete box set of Bonanza? Well, this week, he's back with a look at the show's excellent first season, which sets the stage for the following 13 seasons. This set is a textbook example of how a complete series collection ought to be done.

Let's keep with the Western motif for a moment, as Television's New Frontier: the 1960s looks at the 1962 episodes of Cheyenne. It's the seventh and final season for television's first hour-long drama with recurring characters, and while it doesn't have a final episode per se, the season seems to serve as a fitting end to the popular series.

It's the 40th anniversary of the classic A Christmas Story, which we watched a couple of nights ago, and at A Shroud of Thoughts, Terence celebrates the anniversary with some great background information that's sure to increase your appreciation for the film. 

Can you imagine the original Star Trek without James T. Kirk? That's the question Mike asks at The View from the Junkyard, and he answers it with the animated episode "The Slaver Weapon," an outstanding and thought-provoking story written by Larry Niven, one of the genre's greats. 

Variety looks at the 100 greatest TV shows of all time, and before I've even looked at it, I can tell you two things: 1) it will be controversial, and 2) it will be weighted toward more contemporary programs. Nonetheless, it's here if you're interested!

I'll be back tomorrow with the TV Guide Christmas issue from—well, stick around and see what year we visit this time. However, for those of you who may be offline or traveling on this holiday weekend, let me take the opportunity to wish you all a safe and blessed Christmas, and to end with links to a couple of beloved local favorites from my youth: "Walking in My Winter Underwear" from Lunch with Casey, and "The Night Before Christmas" from Axel's Treehouse. I don't think you need to be from the Twin Cities to enjoy these! TV  

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At bare-bones e-zine, Jack kicks things off this week with the first of Thomas Grant's Hitchcock scripts, "I Can Take Care of Myself," a thin if nasty story with Myron McCormick, Linda Lawson, and Will Kuluva. Not a great episode, but it is Hitchcock.

John returns to the mysterious world of Sapphire & Steel at Cult TV Blog with part four of "Assignment Six," continuing the story that he's been relating the last few days. This assignment has its strengths and weaknesses, but it's an interesting glimpse into the direction the series might have taken had it continued for another series.

At Classic Film & TV Café, Rick reviews the streaming service Tubi and answers the question of whether or not it's worth watching. The answer is "yes," if you don't mind commercial interruptions in return for it being a free service. Read it and find out why it might be an essential part of your viewing options.

Let's stay on FAST (free, ad supported TV) for a moment, as Silver Scenes presents us with some December picks that are currently streaming on Roku. If you're looking primarily for Christmas favorites, you can find that out here. Again, if the commercials don't bother you (as they didn't for the first 50 or so years of TV history), you'll find some good viewing options.

At Drunk TV, Paul enlightens us on a massive DVD undertaking: the complete series box set of Bonanza. For those of you keeping score at home, that amounts to 431 remastered episodes on 112 discs. Stay tuned for season-by-season reviews—good luck, Paul!

We're currently making our way through the classic ABC WWII series Combat!, so it was sad to see that Jack Hogan, who played PFC Kirby, died last week, aged 94. I get that information courtesy of Terence at A Shroud of Thoughts, who has a thoughtful review of Hogan's career and credits, which include Detective Sergeant Miller on Adam-12.

At The View from the Junkyard, Roger and Mike compare notes on the Avengers episode "The Joker," a Steed/Peel adventure that's a remake of the black-and-white story "Don't Look Behind You." How does it work? Read and find out.

And let's end on a Yuletide note: The Imaginative Conservative compares versions of A Christmas Carol, including the acclaimed made-for-TV movie starring George C. Scott. How do they shape up, and how does this compare to your own rankings? TV  

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Some self-promotion to start the week: I'm back on the Eventually Supertrain podcast this week, talking with Dan Budnik about one of our favorite shows, Bourbon Street Beat. But even if you think you've heard too much from me just by reading this blog, listen for Amy The Conqueror talking about Eerie, Indiana, and Amanda Reyes discussing Masquerade. If you have as much fun listening as I get from doing my segment, you'll have a great time!

At Vox, Todd VanDerWerff has a thoughtful piece on “storytelling bloat,” the consequence of the boom in TV drama due to the demand for programming on streaming services and cable networks. According to VanDerWerff, what we’re seeing is a confluence of TV storytelling and movie storytelling, where three-hour stories are being stretched out to as many as 10 hours.

Today, the kinds of mid-budget movies that used to lure adults into the theater are increasingly consigned to streaming services and cable networks. And because the success of those services often depends on how much time they can get you to spend watching them, they stretch out too many of these stories like taffy if they can.

The cure for storytelling bloat: perhaps a simple return to how television used to operate, letting the characters and their lives evolve over time, done within the framework of episodes featuring self-contained stories. It’s an interesting meditation on what television is, and what it should be; I highly recommend you read it.

Elsewhere, at bare-bones e-zine, Jack has opened a new chapter in his Hitchcock Project with “Three Wives Too Many” (what a great title!), the inaugural Hitchcock script from Arthur A. Ross. We’ll be on the lookout for more Ross stories in the coming weeks.

At The Horn Section, Hal has turned his attention back to Crazy Like a Fox, with the result being a look at the 1985 episode “Is There a Fox in the House?” driven, as usual, by the always-entertaining father-son relationship between the great Jack Warden and John Rubenstein.

I know Dave Garroway was ubiquitous in the early days of television, but hosting a preview of the upcoming college football season called Kickoff 1953? I would like to have seen Matt Lauer do that! Seriously, this is a fun clip from Jodie at Garroway at Large that shows just how versatile the Master Communicator was.

At A Shroud of Thoughts, Terence tells of how Guy Williams almost joined the cast of Bonanza, and what that would have meant not only for the show, but for television history as well. Ah, what might have been.

Joanna is at it again, preparing for this year’s “Christmas in July” party at Christmas TV History. You’re welcome to join in the fun, either my sharing your own answers to this year’s questionnaire (as your faithful scribe will be doing), or just reading what everyone else has to say. It’s all good fun, though.

Donna Mills graces the cover of the June 17, 1989 issue of TV Guide, the latest in Robert’s “A Year in TV Guide” series at Television Obscurities. There’s also a piece on Father Knows Best timed to coincide with CBN’s Father’s Day marathon, plus the week’s programming.

Oh, and that picture at the top? The two men standing are Don Hewitt on the left, and Dr. Frank Stanton, head of CBS, on the right, and they're checking out a monitor prior to the beginning of the first Kennedy- Nixon debate. A dramatic moment, to be sure. TV