Discuss: Movie Spin-offs to Television

Doug: From the silver screen to the "idiot box" -- live action and/or animated (which should really open this up for fans of The Real Ghostbusters). And if anyone wants to argue that Batman: The Animated Series is a spin-off of Tim Burton's 1989 film Batman, you'd get no argument from me!

Also, yesterday Prowler wrote this:

Doug, just a suggest for a topic; a movie that just didn't live up to the hype or a favorite that upon rewatching, just didn't hold up.

 Feel free to consider that for your commenting pleasure, too!

The Fall Preview TV Guide!

 Redartz:  Good day, all! As we visit today, Summer is still with us, although Autumn is looming ever closer (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway). The end of summer has always been a bittersweet time for many, myself included. Years ago, it meant the imminent return of school, and the resultant loss of that summer vacation free time. Yet it also meant Fall- with Halloween, colorful leaves and cooler, invigorating weather. It also meant the return of new television programming, after three months of summer reruns. And, with the new shows, came the Fall Preview TV Guide! 

The Fall Preview issue became an anticipated tradition of Fall for me; giving notice of returning favorites and also the first news of brand-new shows (no internet buzz then, of course). This annual, special issue of the iconic tv magazine generally was expanded in size to accommodate the extra coverage and photo features. It also featured schedules of the week's programming, in the form of a chart highlighting the new shows (which sometimes generated anguish, upon seeing a familiar favorite show no longer in it's old time spot, cancelled to make room for some new show).

Schedule from Fall 1973-74

  Usually a page was devoted to a brief write-up of each new program, along with a photo to whet your viewing appetite. 

From Fall 1964-65

 A load of all-time greats debuted in the fall of 1964; this page shows a few from the Saturday night schedule...

From Fall 1964-65

 And a few from Friday night 1964...

From Fall 1973-74

 Here's the introduction to a favorite from our Bronze Age:


  Here's the great Friday night schedule from that fall of 1973...

Of course, a big highlight was the new Saturday morning cartoon schedule. Here we have the Fall 1973 Saturday morning shows...

  Here's a link to the NBC 1974 Saturday Morning Preview show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN-GA5Z0o0I

These vintage Preview issues are a veritable treasure trove of trivia, fun and nostalgia. Aside from the programming features, they are loaded with old ads (amazing how many cigarette ads there were back then). Plus, it's a kick to read the capsule descriptions of the week's shows, see the specials and movies broadcast during the week, and just to be reminded of the evenings spent watching some beloved classics.
Nowadays, the Fall Preview TV Guide lacks the indispensable quality it once had. The tv seasons have shifted, and summer replacements are often the rule. Cable schedules vary , starting and ending all year long. Yet the big networks still rely on the fall to debut much of their new shows, and the TV Guide still produces a Fall Preview issue (sometimes two weeks' worth). I still pick it up each year. Tradition, you know...

Fall Preview 2014

Suggestion Unboxed - Local Television Programming You Loved

Doug: Back in October we ran a post requesting ideas from our readers. We promised to run all of those suggestions at some point. While we've covered many of them, it's been a while since some of those thoughts graced our blog. Here's another one:

Martinex1 said: I am curious about local television, favorite local programming, and local shows from our childhood?

Discuss: Comic Adaptations of Television and Film

Doug: Two weeks ago, Martinex1 asked us about comics created using licensed properties. We're going to trim that down just a bit today, and ask you to recollect on those comics (of various sizes) that adapted specific films or television shows -- in some cases from specific episodes. Whether the comic went on to publish original material is not really on the table today -- we want pans and praises of the four-color versions of the live material.

It's a TV Saturday!

By request -- talk about whatever you want to talk about. Good episodes, bad shows, favorite tropes, horrible acting. If it's TV-related, it's fair game this weekend!

National Treasures

Doug: I've had this idea in my head for a long time -- really since a year ago when I was in a conversation about some of the American greats. Today I'd like you to pontificate on those luminaries in the world of pop culture who are treasures to your nation -- and we'll certainly cast this net wide so our non-American friends can love on their own entertainers, sports figures, etc.

Doug: The conversation, as I remember it, began with a discussion on some of Hollywood's treasured performers from its golden age. It segued quickly to those folks who are presently working and which of them could even at this point be considered "American treasures". I nominated Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, not only for the duration of their careers but the scope and diversity of their talents. Both played roles as young actors, both have been renowned for comedic as well as dramatic roles, both have starred and have been in supporting roles, and both have progressed through human aging and have mastered roles at all stages along the way.  There were other actors and musicians bandied about in a day-long conversation (that in teaching occurs for six minutes at a time, every 54 minutes. Hall duty!).

Doug: To get us started today, I'll leave Hanks and Streep on the table, and add Vin Scully, the voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the past 66 seasons. At one time the voice of not only the Dodgers but of all of Major League Baseball through his work on the MLB Game-of-the-Week as well as the play-offs and World Series, Scully has been a steady, reliable commentator who generally works alone -- always painting an accurate picture of the game for his listeners. In the world of American sport, he is without peer in the broadcasting field.

Doug: So let's hear it -- who are your National Treasures from the worlds of film, television, music, and sports?