I'll take Potpourri for $1,000, Alex

It would have been too easy to write about Jimmy Kimmel this week, and I’ll admit I was tempted. Ultimately, though, I just didn’t have the time. The issue isn’t really a political one—not for me, anyway. Rather, it’s a question of the rights and obligations of a television network, its affiliates, the FCC, and the use of the public airwaves. (And isn’t that a quaint phrase nowadays? "The public airwaves." It makes television sound like a public service instead of the noxious plague it so often seems to be.)

But I digress. To take a real dive into the ontological and existential aspects of that story would require more time than I care to spend right now. Having just returned from the Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Convention, I’ve got better and far more enjoyable things waiting for my attention.

This year’s MANC was another triumph. We came away with movies, autographs, merchandise, and a heap of good memories. We had dinner with friends we hadn’t seen in over a decade, caught up with fellow nostalgia buffs we meet only once a year, attended excellent talks, and even had our pictures taken with Hailey and Juliet Mills. I don’t know how you top a weekend like that—short of winning the lottery, and even then, I’m not sure it would.

Meanwhile, the latest "American TV with Mitchell Hadley" doubleheader features Dan Schneider and me talking about two television pioneers who deserve more attention than they get: Ernie Kovacs and Steve Allen. You can see them at this link.

Yesterday I also had a terrific conversation with Tommy Kovac's on his podcast "Splat from the Past," where we discussed—what else?—Darkness in Primetime. Since Tommy’s had me on before, he knows the right questions to ask, and that led us into more detail on individual episodes than I’ve gone into elsewhere. The show runs under an hour, and since it isn’t a video, you’re spared the ordeal of looking at me the whole time.

If, however, you’re a glutton for punishment, check out "The Two-Minute Author" series on my YouTube channel. In each short video I talk about the programs highlighted in Darkness in Primetime. If you don’t yet have the book (and why not?), the videos might nudge you into it. If you do, think of them as a companion piece that adds to the experience. I will eventually run out of things to say about Darkness, which is why, in the coming weeks, you’ll also hear more about my other projects: writing postmodern fiction, the writers who influenced me, book recommendations, and more. My interests extend beyond classic television, and this is where you’ll see that.

Speaking of which, have you subscribed to my monthly newsletter, "In Other Words"? It’s where I share updates on podcasts, new projects, book recommendations, and the occasional detour into something completely outside the writing world. It’s also where I talk more about my new novel in progress. Sign up for free here. The Two-Minute Author is a complement, not a duplicate, to what you’ll find there.

Finally, if you’ve read Darkness in Primetime—or any of my books—please consider leaving a review on Amazon or wherever you purchased it. Reviews matter hugely to independent authors. They help algorithms put our books in front of new readers, and they serve as the word-of-mouth every author relies on. On behalf of indie writers everywhere, thank you.

So yes, things are going very well here at Chez Hadley. With all of that good news, who really needs Jimmy Kimmel?  TV

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Around the dial

There's a wealth of interesting informatin out there just waiting to be had, so let's have it!

This year's Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention was an unfortunate victim of the Wuhan virus, but fear not: thanks to Martin and Michelle Grams' ingenuity, this year's convention goes online with highlights from previous years. The virtual MANC runs Friday and Saturday, September 25 and 26, and can be seen through Sunday at the MANC Facebook page. Included among the presentations is my good friend Carol Ford's 2015 talk about Bob Crane, one that sets the record straight on a lot of misrepresentations regarding Bob's life. 

The Hitchcock Project continues exploring the works of Harold Swanton at bare•bones e-zine, and this week Jack's focus is on the seventh-season episode "The Twelve-Hour Caper," starring Dick York. How well did Swanton adapt the original short story by Mike Marmer? Read and find out.

At Comfort TV, David looks at the delightful Twilight Zone episode "A Nice Place to Visit" and Couture's painting “The Romans of the Decadence,” and places them within the context of today's confusing times. Make time to read a very incisive piece.

Having just interviewed William Bartlett about his book NBC and 30 Rock, I'm in kind of an NBC frame of mind. Jodie has the answer to that at Garroway at Large with an update on her Dave Garroway bio. This is a book I'm really looking forward to when it comes out. 

At this week's Cult TV Blog, it's John's turn to take the trip across the pond, and it's no surprise when the show is The Wild Wild West, a series that is reminiscent in many ways of The Avengers. As John says of "The Night of the Lord of Limbo," what's not to love about a story that combines time travel and magic?    

It doesn't seem possible that the sitcom The Odd Couple turns 50 this year, because that reminds me of how old I'm getting. Be that as it may, Terence looks back at the legendary comedy at A Shroud of Thoughts. It's enough to make me forget my age. TV  

Around the dial

No prattling on from me this week; we'll just get right to it.

At bare-bones e-zine, the Hitchcock Project moves on, with Jack introducing us to the works of Bill S. Ballinger—specifically, the 1959 episode "Dry Run," with Robert Vaughn, Walter Matthau, and David White. Quite a cast, wouldn't you say?

Speaking as we were of Hitchcock, at Classic Film and TV Café Rick has a list of his choices for Hitch's best movies. Try not to get dizzy looking at these titles, a reminder of how great, and how successful, Hitchcock was as a director.

If you've ever thought that The Brady Bunch was a live-action comic strip, here's your confirmation: The Secret Sanctum of Captain Video takes a look at the Brady Bunch comic book story "T.V. or Not T.V.," a cautionary tale of "television and its' effect on the newly-blended family!" Ooh. . .

At Comfort TV, David has a look back at highlights from the career of Sherry Jackson and her journey from a child star on The Danny Thomas Show to her very grown-up guest roles in the 1960s and beyond: everything from Star Trek to Lost in Space to Charlie's Angels.

Now, this is the kind of thing I'm a sucker for: nearly three hours of retro television introductions, courtesy of The Last Drive In. It was videos like this that got me into watching the FredFlix channel at YouTube, many, many pleasant hours ago.

It's time once again for Hondo at The Horn Section, and this time Hal's watching "Hondo and the Apache Trail," the follow-up to "Hondo and the Apache Kid," with guest appearances by Nick Adams and Annette Funicello.

This would have been about the time that I wrote about our experiences at this year's Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Convention, but as you know, real life intervened this year. Never fear, however, for Carol has her own write-up at Bob Crane: Life & Legacy.

Now, which Doctor Who story was "The Macra Terror"? Ah yes, now I remember. At Cult TV Blog, John takes a closer look at the reconstructed story, with animation filling in the gaps where the original footage was unavailable. (Thanks, BBC.) Time for me to start watching again, perhaps.

Do you remember The Baileys of Balboa? Television Obscurities does, so take a trip back (including the links provided in the story) to learn more about this single-season sitcom, starring Paul Ford and John Dehner, which premiered 55 years ago. Has it really been that long? TV 

TV Guide: America's Time Capsule

A number of you have been asking if it would be possible for me to post the presentation I gave at the Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Convention last September, "TV Guide: America's Time Capsule." Thanks to my great and good friend Carol Ford, the audio of my talk has now been synched with the PowerPoint slides to replicate last year's spellbinding experience. It's the next best thing to having been there yourself! From the program description:

Throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, there was no better barometer as to the cultural climate in America than the pages of TV Guide. During those days, the little, odd-shaped magazine was arguably the most influential publication in television, and those who think of it merely as something that told us what was on TV, something that could be read and then thrown away as soon as the week was finished, risk overlooking a treasure trove of information, a time capsule that helps us understand who we were then, who we are now, and how we got that way. 

While I'm at it, this is a good time to remind you that if you like this presentation and appreciate the material I bring you each week on It's About TV!, you can find more of it in my book, The Electronic Mirror: What Classic TV Tells Us About Who We Were and Who We Are (and Everything In-Between!) available at Amazon.com, BN.com, and other online dealers. It was one of the hits of the convention, and it's sure to find a place in your classic TV book collection! TV