It's weird the sense of nostalgia. I was a child when I first saw this series, it's literally older than I am, but I remember when people looked like that. When that fashion and eighties decadence and the video effects technology was cutting edge.
@snoops71 Was Judith Light doing One Life to Live at the same time as Who's the Boss, or did she leave prior to joining the latter show's cast? I know Josh Taylor did both Days of Our Lives and The Hogan Family at the same time for a few years until the workload became too much. I watched The Missiles of October for a class many years ago - it also features one of my favorite actors, John Randolph, who played an Undersecretary of State. Yes I agree, Bill Devane was outstanding as JFK :)
"The Nurse" involved Mary Ellen leaving home for the first time in order to pursue her lifelong ambition of becoming a nurse. However, she quickly discovered that she needed extra science courses in order to pass the hard exam, so John-Boy had to bring her back to the mountain. The family quickly rallied around her even as she helped the county nurse on calls around town :) I wonder how Herman would have handled working for Lou and Charlie at the Trib :) I know Mrs. Pynchon would be hard on him.
Agreed.......There appeared to be a caravan parked outside that house a few times. Furthermore, when Kenny and Ginger left town, their house remained unoccupied!
This song let me know it was my bedtime, because it was school time the next day. Uuuuggghhhh!!! LOL "Cut that TV off it's time for bed." 1980s...gotta love em'. Actually "Newhart" was the TV show I remember for bedtime...because it came on at 9 pm where I was living and I was like in the 2nd to 4th grade.
Yes you are right, by that time Gary had overcome his drinking problem. He even made a trip back to Dallas after J.R. had been shot. The drinking would flare up again about three years later, after he had gotten together with Abby. She did not know how to handle it.Speaking of Gary and Val, I found out yesterday they will be appearing in three episodes of the new Dallas. Such great news! :) I think I missed the original airing of "The Outage", but I could be mistaken.
I never knew that Knots landing was a spin off of Dallas. I just found that bit of information out a few years ago. I remember watching the later episodes in the 90's though.
@snoops71 Yes, Kate & Allie was on at the exact same time as ALF :) CBS moved it to 8:00 at the beginning of season 5 in 1987, resulting in the show falling from the top 20. The move also coincided with the beginning of CBS's "lean" years in the late '80s. To this day, Annie McGuire is the one show whose cancellation still pains MTM - she had such high hopes for it. I wonder what it would have been like if The Jeffersons had lasted into 1987 - that would've resulted in a seriously long run :)
jsrosa1282 Oh yes, I definitely remember Claudia Lonow :) You're right, her parents were Sid and Karen. She was the oldest, and became out of control shortly after Sid died. Abby later gave her a kidney. Even Mom followed that storyline :) I'm glad to hear what she's up to know. I'm also glad to know she and Michele Lee remain in touch. I know Michele is also close to Don Murray and Joan Van Ark. Word has it Claudia wasn't very happy on Knots in later years, which was why she was written out.
Oh yes, she does like Hogan's Heroes :) Her favorite character is Schultz. I too thought it would have lasted at least one more season. I had never thought of Schultz and Klink teaming up with Boss and Roscoe, but now that you mention it, I could definitely see that happening :) They certainly were kindred spirits, always scheming. Cliff would have enjoyed having their help in teaming up against the Ewings. I remember hearing Richard Dawson say what a fun show it was to work on :)
@snoops71 Actually, "An Egg Grows in Gotham," from season 2, was Vincent's first Batman appearance. "The Ogg and I" was from season 3, and marked the first time Anne Baxter played Olga. They would team up again in "The Ogg Couple," also from season 3 :) Elizabeth was kidnapped in "The Hostage." "The Victims" concerned a friend of the Waltons, Laurie, who was being abused by her husband, Kenny. He was suffering from PTSD b/c of the war, and when he hit her again, Jason and John-Boy intervened.
@snoops71 That episode of Lou Grant was from season 3 and aired in November 1979. After the Trib ran Rossi's story on the dog-fighting ring, the thugs were arrested and the dogs were placed in a shelter to await adoption. Unfortunately, Mrs. Pynchon's dog Barney disappeared, so Billie headed efforts in the newsroom to get her a new one. A friend and I were talking earlier - it was a good thing Boss and Roscoe weren't patients of Trapper or Gonzo, b/c they would've received some sharp lectures :)
@snoops71 He & She was indeed about a married couple - they were played by Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss, who were married in real life :) They are still happily married after 52 years together :) Even though it only lasted a year, Allan Burns, who was head writer, won an Emmy for comedy writing. After its cancellation, he became head writer for Get Smart before departing to create MTM with Jim Brooks :) Bob actually kept copies of the memos, and gave them all to Barry before he passed.
@snoops71 A while back, I read an interview with Michael Learned and she said that her greatest regret about Nurse was that she messed it up and blamed no one but herself. She said that CBS wanted a gentle medical drama, while she wanted it to be very gritty and realistic. Michael also noted that her issues with CBS led her to talk to Ed Asner, who advised her to forget the network and do her show exactly like Lou Grant - one that would push the envelope :) As a result, she won an Emmy for it :)
@snoops71 If I'm correct Paula Prentiss was in Catch-22 and The Stepford Wives, which are two of my favorite '70s films :) Richard Benjamin starred on an NBC comedy show called Quark in 1978. Did you know Allan Burns helped create The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show? My favorite segment was always "Mr. Know-it All" :) Jim Brooks briefly served as a story editor for Get Smart, where he first met Allan. They also collaborated with Gene Reynolds to create Room 222, years before all three did Lou Grant :)
@snoops71 Yes, the father on 7th Heaven was a pastor - he was played by Stephen Collins. One of his first TV roles was during season 4 of The Waltons - he appeared in the episode "The Abdication." Have either you or Kam seen it? Stephen played an Englishman who visited the mountain as part of a film crew and Mary Ellen became attracted to him. This was before she met Curt :) Speaking of The Munsters, have you seen the episode when Eddie asked Grandpa to make him taller, but instead grew a beard?
@snoops71 Most of the time, Bob's memos were four to six pages in length - in many of them, he nitpicked the episode he was taking issue with. A well-known example of this is from the season 3 episode "And Now a Word From Our Sponsor" - he focused on what he saw as poor production values on the part of Paramount and the plot itself. Bob noted that as soon as he saw the pilot after it was finished, he likened it to joining the cast of Gilligan's Island, which ironically was created by Sherwood.
@jsrosa1282 Yes, you are correct :) The Facts of Life was added to the list at the start of the 1979-80 season, then there was Little House the season after that, and Flamingo Road. NBC was the only network I gradually built up in that way. Before long, I had a long list of shows I watched on their network :) I did watch CHiPs on occasion, too. B.J. and the Bear didn't seem very interesting, so I stuck with Love Boat. Yes, I was checking out The Waltons, too :)
@snoops71 "The Nurse" was from season 4 - the Mary Ellen-centered episode you're thinking of is "The Obsession," from season 7 :) Do you remember another season 7 episode called "The Yearning?" That was when Elizabeth developed a crush on the town's new minister :) It was a good thing Herman worked at the funeral home, and not at Ewing Oil, b/c I know J.R. would've taken advantage of him a lot. I once told my dad that I would've loved to see a race with the Munster Koach and the General Lee :)
@snoops71 Barney Rosenzweig also brought Michele Gallery, one of Lou Grant's writers, on board to Cagney & Lacey :) What I found most impressive about Ms. Gallery is that she started her career as a researcher during MTM's final season, and by the end of Lou Grant's first season, she was a full-fledged writer :) I do remember Dick O'Neill - he had a great part on the show :) Tyne Daly was on the Lou Grant episode "Violence" - she played the Trib's film reporter and clashed with Lou and Billie.
@snoops71 I just discovered a fun fact about Charles Frank - he was on Emerald Point NAS, the short-lived soap on CBS that temporarily replaced Cagney & Lacey on Mondays. He was on the CBS team in the December 1983 Battle, the one which Bob Conrad and Donna Mills co-hosted :) Also, did you know that Kate & Allie, unlike its other Monday night stablemates, was filmed in New York? Both Jane and Susan lived there and didn't want to relocate their families to California.
@snoops71 I also remember hearing that Linda and the other ladies weren't thrilled when they heard Val was being replaced by Sandy Duncan, which shows where their loyalty lay :) When The Hogan Family moved to CBS for its last season in 1990, it became a small source of conflict in our house b/c it came on at the same time as The Golden Girls. Mom followed the network switch, and watched it even with Sandy :) The SAG merger was proposed by members of the national board. No new word on the suit :)
@jsrosa1282 Emily was Rebecca. Initially, she was the daughter of patriarch William Walker's affair, but the writers decided to rewrite that after she had such good chemistry with the youngest son. They later married, then divorced. Rob Lowe and Calista Flockhart were married on the show until his character has killed off at the end of season 4. He chose to leave. Kam hasn't watched Scott's new show :) I'm sure it's on purpose. I have seen that episode of Bewitched. It's one of my favorites :)
@snoops71 No, Dennis and the boys didn't attempt to cook :) They actually found some baked chicken and potatoes in the refrigerator that was being saved for dinner. Being hungry, they decided to make it their lunch :) Margaret later criticized Dennis for leaving all the dishes out on the table and making the kitchen dirty. Speaking of Dallas, I also heard Elena's brother will be coming back into the picture for season 2. I wonder what he will have to say about John Ross and Christopher :)
My mum used to watch this... used to like the theme tune but could never get into it. I do think they should have brought Lucy to Knots Landing as well seeing as they didn't really do anything with her on Dallas when she came back.
@snoops71 I think the window cameos were uncredited b/c Bill Dozier and his staff wanted to surprise the viewers - to throw them for a loop when they least expected it :) Werner Klemperer's and Dick Clark's appearances remain my favorites :) Do you remember when the Green Hornet and Kato did their cameo? It was from season 2. Has Kam seen a season 9 episode of The Waltons called "The Pledge?" It's one of the better episodes from that season - it was when Mary Ellen tried to get into med school.
@jsrosa1282 Yep, that was the year of the ridiculous, over the top shootout at the European wedding. At the time, it was an exciting cliffhanger. However, when it returned that fall, people were complaining about how unrealistic it was. Everyone's hair was perfect, and no one was harmed. As in the case of Dallas, the viewers began to turn away, and Knots became the nighttime soap to get all of the attention. We didn't watch Boy Meets World, but that's good news for the fans :)
@snoops71 How did you manage to watch Flamingo Road and Hart to Hart at the same time, since both competed in the same slot? I'm sure it must've been a tough choice :) How did you feel about Private Benjamin replacing The White Shadow when it was canceled before season's end? I remember reading that the addition of the new guys caused the ratings to slip. I was also wondering - were you disappointed when you found out that The Waltons would end after "The Revel?" I know I would have been :)
@snoops71 Actually, Sherwood and Lloyd were preparing for an episode of The Bradys which would've dealt with Mike's death. By the time the 6th episode was in production, the on-set atmosphere had deteriorated so badly that CBS was preparing to have Sherwood fire Bob, and Mike killed off in a helicopter crash. It never came to pass as the show was canceled in March 1990, which Bob was happy about. In contrast, Ed Asner recently said that he is still upset about Lou Grant's cancellation in 1982.
@snoops71 I did some more reading on Dallas' upcoming season, and found out that the name of Elena's brother is Andres :) Ann's long-estranged daughter is named Emma. Judith Light will also be joining the cast in a recurring role as a business rival of the Ewings. Whenever I see her in a dramatic role, I picture her as Angela from Who's the Boss :) I've been frequently seeing Bill Devane in commercials for Rosland Capital - have you seen them? :) He a spokesman for the company, which sells gold.
@jsrosa1282 I've heard of The Girl from UNCLE, b/c Stefanie Powers was in it. I have yet to see it, though. I don't think I've heard of T.H.E. Cat, however. I also haven't seen The Man from UNCLE, although I have heard a lot about it. It ran on NBC for four seasons, and was replaced by Laugh-In, if I'm not mistaken. Do you know why The Girl from UNCLE lasted so briefly? That reminds me have you seen It Takes A Thief?
@jsrosa1282 That's great news about Ed :) I'm glad to know he's still so active. I definitely remember that episode of The Jeffersons :) It's one of our favorites. Then Florence ends up blabbing the whole story to Lionel and Jenny :) Another hilarious one was the time George was dog-sitting the Whittendale's dog, Poopsie. Everyone, minus Florence was so scared of him they were standing on the couch :) I agree about Trapper and Gonzo being good mentors for Mary Ellen.
@snoops71 Indeed, when Nurse premiered on April 2, 1981, it did so immediately following "The Threshold," a late season 9 episode of The Waltons. Its debut episode also served as a temporary replacement for Knots, which went on hiatus immediately following its season 2 finale. If I'm correct, wasn't that the episode when Sid's car went off the cliff? Also, do you know if Kam has seen "The Threshold?" The scene when Jim-Bob got shocked while working on the TV still gets to me, to this day.
@snoops71 Mrs. Pynchon rejected the new dog at first, but after seeing how it looked out for her, she quickly accepted it into her home :) On the preceding episode, a power blackout took place in L.A. and most of the action involved the Trib trying to publish the next day's issue. I was just talking with one of my Knots-loving friends :) She told me she wished Trapper or Gonzo would've been the surgeons to operate on Sid. I'm sure they would've been compassionate and sensitive towards Karen :)
@snoops71 Yes, "And Now a Word From Our Sponsor" was the episode in which they did the commercial - it was from season 3 :) Bob's issue with it was that he saw the storyline as too focused on slapstick. Years after TBB ended, he told Barry that he stayed for all five seasons b/c he didn't want to break his contract, as he was making a lot of money at the time, the most he had made in his career. Have you watched a CBS sitcom from the '60s called He & She? It's considered a predecessor to MTM :)
@snoops71 Are either you or Kam going to watch How to Live With Your Parents when it debuts in January? I may watch the episode with Michele Lee, but that's going to be it for my interest :) How come Abby had to give Diana a kidney? Was she suffering from a congenital kidney disease? A friend of mine had to be given a kidney from his mother last year - luckily, he is doing great now :) You'll also be interested to know Michele is close to Lucie and Desi Jr :) The two ladies are neighbors in NY.
@jsrosa1282 I forgot about Cool's pickup :) I mostly think of Salami's car, "Motel California". I can certainly see him coming on to Abby, along with a couple of the others, too :) Oh, I didn't realize Darleen Carr played the teacher Salami got involved with. Thomas Carter directed that one. According to Gwyneth Paltrow, her dad gave the guys pointers in directing, and helped to open the door for them. The Harlem Globetrotters episode was hilarious! :)
@jsrosa1282 I had forgotten how short the first season of Kate & Allie was. I can totally see Billie meshing very well with the two of them :) By the spring of 1984, I was barely watching The Dukes. I don't remember what I was tuning into by that point, but The Dukes had really lost its steam. Most of the episodes seemed to have been recycled after one another, and the car jumps were beyond unreal.
@snoops71 What role did Emily play on Brothers & Sisters? I heard Rob Lowe and Calista Flockhart were cast members, too. I've seen just one episode of that show but from what I saw, Emily is a talented young actress :) Do you know if Kam has watched Scott Baio's new Nick at Nite sitcom, See Dad Run? I still think that's a wacky name for a comedy, let alone a TV show :) Have you seen a season 8 episode of Bewitched when George Washington appeared to help out Tabitha? He was played by Will Geer :)
@snoops71 I'm guessing you're not planning to go out and buy a set of Private Benjamin if it comes out on DVD :) I watched an episode of the show once and got bored fast :) I didn't like the premise either - Judy Benjamin was a wealthy heiress who joined the Army on a whim and had to adjust to military life. Have you or Kam seen the film version with Goldie Hawn? I was talking to an old friend a few days ago, and she told me The White Shadow was a very realistic show, unlike Dallas or The Dukes.
@snoops71 I did notice that none of the cast from The White Shadow ever appeared on any of the Battles - I think they should've made an appearance during the November 1979 one. They would've greatly helped in the tug-o-war against NBC :) Did you know Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton both guest-starred on Sonny & Cher at one time? They appeared shortly after All in the Family became the #1 show :) Telly Savalas guest-starred on the season 3 premiere to promote the debut of Kojak :)
@snoops71 I just remembered that Bob Reed's birthday was yesterday :) He would have been 80 years old if he was still around. You had mentioned that you watched The Brady Brides movie earlier this week - last week, I watched The Brady 500, which was the premiere episode of The Bradys. Bob and Florence's acting, as well as Ann B.'s, was solid, but the others just tried too hard to be dramatic :) Also, yesterday marked 28 years since Jon-Erik Hexum passed away.
@snoops71 Did you watch the season 2 finale of Knots when it originally aired in March 1981? A similar thing happened to Max on the season 2 finale of Get Smart, only it wasn't shocking to see. Some KAOS agents posing as paramedics had strapped Max to a stretcher and placed him in an ambulance. On the way to their meeting place, the brakes went out, causing Max to be ejected from the back and fall into a manhole. However, he managed to survive, and climbed out still strapped to the stretcher! :)
@snoops71 "The Grass is Always Greener" involved Mike and Carol switching household roles to see who was better at what :) Carol tried to play baseball with the boys, only to end up doing badly, while Mike tried to help Marcia in the kitchen with a cooking project in order for her to earn a Girl Scouts badge. Bob objected to the scene in which Mike slipped on an egg, and wrote Sherwood a memo taking issue with it. Now I wonder - could you imagine Krystal and Alexis playing softball together? :)
@snoops71 From what I've seen and read, The Newsroom is being touted as the Lou Grant of this decade b/c it is set behind the scenes of a cable news channel. Jeff Daniels plays the anchor who oversees a variety of newsroom staff. The chairwoman of the company is played by Jane Fonda, whose character is similar to Mrs. Pynchon :) I've been wondering - how did Cliff react when Sue Ellen left Dallas at the end of season 12, in '89? I think she would've dated either Lou or Donovan, but not Rossi :)
@snoops71 Do you remember the TV movie Jamie and Danica McKellar did back in 1994? I remember it aired on NBC - they both played pregnant teens who were unwillingly involved in black-market infant sales. Dee Wallace played Danica's mom. One of my favorite Just the Ten of Us episodes involved Cindy taking Marie's ID to get into a club. Wendy took their mom's ID but she didn't look 40, so she was thrown out :) I was wondering - how did you react when Charlie's Angels got canceled in 1981?
@jsrosa1282 I had a feeling that was the reason they kept Knots on. That storyline saved the show. I wasn't happy about the break up of Gary and Val, nor Abby's part in it, but it was very intriguing and exciting to watch at the same time. Plus, there wasn't very much else going on at the time. I recall hearing in Ed's biography some of the Lou Grant staffers was upset b/c they lost their jobs. They also mentioned his being blacklisted, which was very surprising to me.
@jsrosa1282 Now, I remember :) Kate & Allie was filmed in New York. I enjoyed seeing scenes of them in various parts of the city. I read about how NBC's Dick Ebersole intently pursued Susan after she hosted SNL in the fall of 1981. I believe they are still married. I remember seeing Charles Frank in that Battle :) I watched Emerald Point NAS on occasion during its brief run. He got his start on All My Children as Jeff Martin, one of Erica Kane's many husbands :) I think he was hubby #1.
@jsrosa1282 Oh now I remember "The Victims". I've seen that episode, but Kam has not. It did a very good job showing the affect war has on those who serve. It's a powerful episode. Speaking of Batman, I noticed several uncredited cameos from TV actors like Joe E. Ross and Alan Hale Jr. Were their appearances uncredited for a reason? I figured the cameos of Sammy Davis Jr, Werner Klemperer, and Ted Cassidy would not be credited, though. It was just funny to see them appear in the window :)
@jsrosa1282 At that point in the late '70s, ABC had 20/20 pre-Barbara Walters, and NBC had a bunch of short-lived dramas in that last Thursday time slot. Do you remember a short-lived Western on CBS called Young Maverick? It was the network's attempt to revive Maverick - it starred Charles Frank and Susan Blanchard. The show was canceled after 8 episodes b/c it had to compete against Eight is Enough on Wednesdays. You're correct, the Thursday lineup in '79 was The Waltons, Barnaby and Knots :)
@snoops71 Do you also remember two segments from Rocky and Bullwinkle called "Fractured Fairy Tales" and "Peabody's Improbable History?" I always liked how they injected humor into historical events and stories :) Have you seen Ed's original guest appearance on Hawaii Five-O? It was from season 8 - he's played the same role on the new version twice thus far :) His episode aired the same night as "The Intruders," from season 4 of The Waltons - it was when Ben started working for another sawmill.
@snoops71 I recently saw an interview with Patrick in which he talked about Man From Atlantis - he still has fond memories of the show b/c it was his first acting job in Hollywood :) However, he also noted both he and Belinda Montgomery were paid quite poorly during the one season they did the show, and that he made more money during Dallas' first full season than he had in the prior four years combined :) I was wondering - how did you feel about House Calls being canceled in the spring of '82?
@snoops71 Yes that was the one when Eddie finally shed his beard b/c of Lily's soup - as a result, Grandpa's wild idea for a baldness cure was scorched :) Do you also remember the season 2 episode when Herman and Lily worked other jobs in order to buy each other gifts for their 100th anniversary? That was another funny one :) I have a feeling that if Herman worked for Jefferson Cleaners, George would be taking advantage of him all the time :) Do you remember a Waltons episode called "The Nurse?"
@snoops71 I'm guessing that the only NBC show you watched during the 1978-79 season was Diff'rent Strokes :) That was also when season 2 of CHiPs began, and it happens to be my favorite season b/c they started using the funky theme song, which is why I dislike watching any season 1 episodes - the theme is too laid-back :) When B.J. and the Bear premiered in mid-season, did you start watching it or did you stick with The Love Boat? :) I'll also guess you were still watching The Waltons :)
@snoops71 I've owned a lot of old Volvos, but the one I recently got is my first station wagon - I wanted it to have a unique name, so I called it "Daisy" and it stuck :) Do you remember a season 1 episode of The Munsters that involved Grandpa going to a dating agency in order to find a lady? The agency owner was played by Neil Hamilton, better-known as Commissioner Gordon from Batman :) It was very ironic b/c Batman would be responsible for The Munsters' abrupt cancellation in 1966.
@snoops71 I remember you also mentioning Sally Struthers did double duty during All in the Family's early years - she did the voice of Pebbles on The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show :) It's an interesting thought that Gloria and Dennis were the voices of Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm at one time. Last night I watched a season 9 episode of All in the Family which you may remember - Archie, Edith and Stephanie flew to California. At the airport, Archie made a racist remark about Gloria's Japanese-built Toyota.
@snoops71 Did either you or Kam watch the TNT drama Ray Romano was on, Men of a Certain Age? It co-starred Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula - the show was critically acclaimed but only lasted two years. Dallas was the show that replaced it :) I just read the producers will give J.R. a proper sendoff when the time comes, which I know will please many fans. I wonder if Karen and Mac would take to Elena or Christopher if they visited :) Also, have you watched HBO's acclaimed new drama, The Newsroom?
@snoops71 Oh, for a while I thought Kam was a big fan of Boy Meets World, and watched it on a regular basis :) Which show did she watch more, Step by Step or Boy Meets World? It happened to be the last TGIF show I watched, and even then I watched it during seasons 1 and 2. I was wondering if you could ask her if she remembers Topanga - I always thought it was a cool name for a girl :) Here's a fun fact about Dynasty - when ABC moved it to Thursdays against Cosby in season 9, the ratings plunged.
@snoops71 The on-set atmosphere on The Bradys extended to all, to the point where Bob began clashing with Florence and Barry, and even Dick Martin, a frequent director. CBS was also getting tired of his "memos," which were similar to the ones he wrote during his TBB days. As for Lou Grant, most of the cast except for Linda was exhausted after five long and hard seasons. Linda was very sad that the show ended b/c she wanted Billie to start a family, while continuing to write hard-hitting stories.
@snoops71 Apparently, the memo Bob wrote wasn't as long as the other ones he would write as the show went on, but he still took issue with Mike slipping on an egg, as he thought it was not realistic. The one he wrote concerning the last episode, "The Hair-Brained Scheme," was a couple of pages long and resulted in him being written out of the episode. Do you remember when Joan Collins dunked Cathy Bach in the May 1982 Battle? Joan had never played softball before, so Cathy taught her to throw :)
@snoops71 Here's a good Knots question I just thought of - do you remember Claudia Lonow? From what I've read, she played Diana Fairgate during the show's first few years - were her parents Sid and Karen? You'll be interested to know Claudia is now a writer and producer - she recently created a show for ABC called How to Live With Your Parents, which premieres in mid-season. I heard she asked Michele Lee to guest-star in an episode, which she gladly accepted :)
@jsrosa1282 Which season was "The Nurse" from? One episode regarding Mary Ellen I remember very well was when she briefly became hooked on sleeping pills when trying to pass her nursing exam. I loved how Olivia mothered her during that time :) I have a feeling Lou would have had compassion on dear Herman :) Charlie might not have been so supportive. Yes, Mrs. Pychon definitely would have been hard on him.
@snoops71 Do you remember Col. Klink's secretary, Hilda? :) They were played by Sigrid Valdis, who eventually married Bob Crane. Their wedding took place on the Hogan's Heroes set - Richard Dawson served as best man and Werner Klemperer provided music as the soloist and violinist. Werner was an accomplished classical musician b/c his father was Otto Klemperer, the famed conductor :) I know someone who wouldn't have been a fan of Klink and Schultz - Lou :) He would've given them a sharp lecture!
@snoops71 The party was indeed Dennis's idea :) However, he tried to blame Margaret for the mess in the kitchen when in fact it was he, Joey and the other boys who left all the food and dirty dishes on the table. Mr. Wilson finally told him and Margaret to get it all cleaned up before his mom got up from her nap :) Oh yes, Donna and Linda did attend the party at Val's - they noted a good time was had by all. Wouldn't you loved to have seen Abby wearing a headscarf? :)
@jsrosa1282 That baked chicken and potatoes sounds delicious. No wonder they made it their lunch :) Margaret was always quick to tell Dennis about his flaws, to tell him when he was wrong. Sounds like they had a feast :) I too heard about the introduction of Elena's brother. I have a feeling he will take sides where John Ross and Christopher are concerned. I'm sure he will not be indifferent. I look forward to seeing which one he wants her with :)
@snoops71 You may have also noticed that while Dana didn't guest-star in any season 7 episodes of Diff'rent Strokes - its last on NBC - she did appear in quite a few episodes during season 8 when it switched to ABC. That network made the unfortunate move of placing it on Fridays against Dallas, which I'm sure you picked most of the time :) I bet a lot of longtime Dallas viewers were unaware that particular season would soon come to be known as the "dream season" :) Were you surprised or shocked?
I do remember "The Yearling". It was cute to see Elizabeth have her first crush :) It is a milestone in someone's life. One place I would have enjoyed seeing Herman work was in Fred Sanford's junkyard. That would have been hilarious :) Fred would have had him doing all of the work, and cheating with the prices. I think Lamont would have come to his defense, though. Quite often :) Yes, J.R. would have taken advantage of poor Herman all the time.
@snoops71 Originally, Sherwood didn't want Bob to be in the Brady Brides movie, but Bob insisted on appearing b/c he didn't want anyone else giving the girls away before they got married. The movie's production also resulted in Maureen's drug use taking a turn for the worse, to the point that Lloyd had to take her into his own home. At the time of The Bradys, Bob knew that he was ill, but tried to keep it a secret as much as possible. Almost all of the cast and crew knew about it, though.
@snoops71 Yes I definitely remember that interesting twist - I wondered why it was Bruce instead of Batman. That was from the episode "The Curse of Tut," which featured King Tut's first appearance. Have you seen the season 3 episode "The Ogg and I," with Egghead? I remember reading Yvonne Craig's friendship with Vincent Price began through its filming :) The same day the Knots season 2 finale aired, one of my favorite season 9 episodes of The Waltons, "The Victims," aired. Do you remember it? :)
@snoops71 Speaking of old ABC shows, do you remember the intro of Marcus Welby M.D.? It showed Dr. Welby driving to the office in his large sedan, while Dr. Kiley pulled up in a motorcycle. I always thought it was a perfect way to highlight the generation gap between the two :) Have you seen the episode David Cassidy guest-starred in? He played a young man who was diabetic, and turned to Dr. Welby for counsel. I'll bet you remember the Batman episode with Ethel Merman, "The Sport of Penguins" :)
@snoops71 So when season 2 of Knots started in the fall of 1980, had Gary licked his alcohol problem at that time? I remember you telling me that he had hit the bottle during the season 1 finale, which was when he struck Val. The clip with her black eye was played during the intro of the December 1980 Battle :) Speaking of CBS's Thursday schedule, did you watch the original airing of The Waltons' season 9 premiere, "The Outrage?" It remains one of my favorite episodes :)
@jsrosa1282 I did see the Knots season finale in March of 1981. I remember hearing Don Murray was talking about leaving, but hoped that was incorrect or he would change his mind. That episode of Get Smart also kind of reminds me of an early episode of Batman. Remember when Bruce Wayne had been kidnapped, and the stretcher he was strapped to fell out of the back of the ambulance? That was the big cliffhanger for the episode, until the next night :)
@snoops71 At the beginning of "The Intruders," Ben had left home to find himself following a dispute with Liv. He took a job with the rival sawmill, but when he found out it was going to compete with John's mill, he immediately went home and told his father. Grandpa then hatched a plan to put the other sawmill out of business :) I have seen most of Ed's appearances on Match Game :) He was also a guest on Pyramid during its first season. He appeared with Sandy Duncan, who was annoying as ever :)
@snoops71 David Cassidy guest-starred on Marcus Welby M.D. during season 1, just before The Partridge Family debuted :) Tony Geary's episode was from season 7. Ironically, he also appeared on The Partridge Family in season 3 :) Do you remember the season 2 episode of Just the Ten of Us when Matthew Perry guest-starred? He played a guy who tried to date Cindy until Coach threw him out :) Speaking of which, I haven't seen Jamie Luner in some time. I wonder when she'll turn up next :)
@snoops71 SAG completed its merger with AFTRA in March of this year - it was championed by current president Ken Howard. Ed and Val have filed a suit to dissolve the merger - they've been joined by other noted actors, like Alan Ruck, Martin Sheen and Nichelle Nichols. Speaking of Val, I recently heard Linda Gray saying that she gives a lot of credit to her for helping her start out in Hollywood. That was why she, Michele Lee and Donna Mills strongly supported her during the Hogan Family fiasco.
@jsrosa1282 I can tell that was what they were thinking, as those cameos still take me by surprise :) I have yet to memorize them. I think it's funny when they mention Colonel Hogan to Werner Klemperer :) I too like the Dick Clark cameo a lot. They should have dropped in on Bandstand :) Yes, I have seen the cameo with the Green Hornet and Kato. That was another good one. I think she's seen part of "The Pledge", but not the entire episode yet. I like that episode a lot.
@jsrosa1282 I had a feeling she did not take to the dog in the beginning :) However, I'm glad to be reminded she changed her mind. Publishing the next day's edition had to have been beyond challenging for everyone due to the lack of power. How did it turn out in the end? I wonder if Trapper or Gonzo had operated on Sid would it have made a difference? He was warned it was a very risky surgery, but yes I agree about their attitude. They would have been very supportive to everyone.
@jsrosa1282 I do remember the first season of Cagney and Lacey. I liked it from the start. It was raw and realistic. There was not a lot of emphasis paid to their appearance, as was the case with both Police Woman and Charlie's Angels, so it was a fresh and different approach. I was glad to find out they were giving it another chance, as I felt they didn't give it a fair shot. Here's another bit of irony, one of Charlie's Angels' producers went on to Cagney and Lacey, too :)
@jsrsosa1282 I was meaning to ask just how long were those memos most of the time? What exactly was he saying in them? There is a lot which is unrealistic in a sitcom, but I guess he didn't think of that. I'm guessing he didn't know what he would be dealing with by signing on to do one. I think I mentioned this before, but I'm assuming there were no memos on The Defenders, Nurse, or Search For Tomorrow. That was so funny when Joan dunked Cathy, especially since she taught her how to throw :)
@jsrosa1282 Judith Light joined One Life to Live in the late '70s, a few years before I started watching it. I believe she replaced Julia Duffy in the part, but went on to make it her own. When I watched her on Who's the Boss, I always thought she took a step down by doing a sitcom, as her dramatic skills are so good. Josh Taylor is on Days now. Deidre Hall also did double duty with Our House and Days. Plus she did Electra Woman and Dyna Girl at the same time as Days Of Our Lives too, I think :)
@snoops71 If I'm not mistaken, Mitch is Afton's brother - wasn't he played by Leigh McCloskey during the original run of Dallas? I remember his appearance in the May 1981 Battle - you'll probably recall that he and Danielle Brisebois were paired up during the tandem bike relay :) I know Afton will be returning when season 2 debuts in January. A few weeks ago I watched a Pyramid episode in which Audrey Landers helped her partner win $100,000 - she jumped out of her chair as soon as they got it :)
@snoops71 What did you and Kam initially make of Patrick going to Step by Step immediately after the end of Dallas? For me at the time, I was just happy that there was another TGIF show that my mom and I could watch along with Family Matters and Perfect Strangers :) I discovered years later that the reason Patrick got a new show right away was to fulfill his contract requirements, since both Dallas and Step by Step were Lorimar productions. I think he did a decent job being a comedic actor :)
@jsrosa1282 Yes, I remember Gentle Ben very well :) I watched it on Saturday afternoons when I was in my teens. Ron Howard's brother Clint played his son. Now I see what you mean. Bonanza had such of a good balance in their episodes. I remember watching a hilarious one when Hoss was accused on being this bank robber named "Big Jack" :) Then they tackled racism in "Enter Thomas Bowers". I recall Have Gun Will Travel and Wanted Dead or Alive being serious all the time.
@snoops71 I haven't seen the Globetrotters episode yet :) What were the events that took the team to Carver? I bet Ken was glad to have them there :) When Ken did his stint on Y&R last year, was he on at the same time as Michael Learned? I was just watching clips from the Nurse episode that aired on April 23, 1981 - Mary started going out with a younger doctor, to her son's disapproval. What was ironic about Nurse was that both it and TBB were Paramount shows, but Bob Reed didn't object to it :)
@jsrosa1282 Yes, I remember laughing at that the first time I heard it :) I thought she and Joey were very cute together. Now that you mention it, I recall seeing Michele standing nearby, looking out for Danielle :) She was only around 12 or 12 at the time. Remember her return in the spring 1982 Battle? She was in the very lengthy tug-o-war. Abby would have stayed away from Mike when he and Gloria were happily married. She might have come on to him when the marriage got into trouble, though :)
@snoops71 I've seen "Enter Thomas Bowers" before - the episode was from season 5, which was one of Bonanza's best seasons b/c it finished at #2, second only to The Beverly Hillbillies. It ended the next season as the #1 show and stayed at the top for three straight years :) Have you heard of, or watched either T.H.E. Cat or The Girl from UNCLE? They both aired on NBC during the same season, 1966-67, and only lasted one year. The Girl from UNCLE is best-known as Stefanie Powers' first series :)
@jsrosa1282 Everyone who worked with him on Dallas said Patrick was the funniest on the set, the practical joker, along with Larry Hagman :) So I knew he'd be good in a sitcom. I was surprised when I heard he had a new show so quickly, but figured he and Suzanne would be a terrific pair. Kam told me she got into Boy Meets World in its final season, and her favorite character was Topanga. It took her some time to connect with it. I think I misinterpreted what she said before :)
@jsrosa1282 I actually thought that too, but when it came on one day after Saved by the Bell a few weeks ago, she immediately turned the channel, telling me she never watched it :) I'll be sure to ask her about Topanga. That is a very cool name for a girl :) She definitely watched Step by Step the most. I'm not sure how long she watched it, but I'll ask. She has yet to watch a TV show all the way to the end. I'm not surprised about Dynasty's ratings. Its peak was over by then :_
@snoops71 By the middle of season 6, the writers and producers of The Dukes were resorting to rewrites of past episodes, and using crude stop-motion techniques to simulate the car jumps, which did not sit well with the cast. In a Dukes book I read a few years ago, Cathy noted that by the spring of '84, she was tiring of the show and thought about leaving, but stayed on b/c she felt Daisy could continue to be a role model for girls. On the other hand, Dallas finished as the #1 show yet again :)
@snoops71 The other night, I watched a great season 3 episode of Lou Grant, entitled simply "Lou." He was having a bad day at the Trib as a result of a reporter plagiarizing an entire story from a college newspaper and getting it published without his knowledge. That reporter, as well as a veteran columnist, was forced to quit under pressure from Lou. I'm glad Mary didn't show up on the season 5 episode when he was shot b/c I know she would be very emotional. One of my other Volvos is "Honey" :)
@jsrosa1282 Yes, I agree with you about Chico and the Man. Jack Albertson and Scatman Crothers did their best, but Freddie was so deeply missed. I think Della Reese left before it ended, but that could be wrong. I think I saw the episode Jose' Feliciano guest-stared in. I still like hearing him sing the theme song :) No, neither Gary or Val attended J.R. and Sue Ellen's second wedding :) They had split up by that point, thanks to good 'ol Abby. Cliff showed up though, and started a fight :)
@jsrosa1282 Oh yes, I do remember them singing "I Got You Babe" at the end of each episode :) I always looked forward to seeing Chastity, as she was just a little older than me. For some reason, I always wanted Mom to watch the ending with me :) Friday would have been a good night for The White Shadow. I remember you telling me Little House was the ratings winner. To my surprise, none of the cast ever appeared on The Battle of the Network Stars. I could see Ken Howard making a great captain :)
@jsrosa1282 Lou Grant would have been a good solid addition to that lineup. I don't remember for sure, but what did ABC and NBC have on during that last time slot? So the columnist resigned due to Lou and Charlie's disagreement? Wasn't the Thursday night lineup for CBS at that time The Waltons, followed by Barnaby Jones, and then Knots? I think I'm correct on that :) It's amazing how lineups like that have not been forgotten.
RIP Don Murray. Thanks for the memories!
It's weird the sense of nostalgia. I was a child when I first saw this series, it's literally older than I am, but I remember when people looked like that. When that fashion and eighties decadence and the video effects technology was cutting edge.
@snoops71 Was Judith Light doing One Life to Live at the same time as Who's the Boss, or did she leave prior to joining the latter show's cast? I know Josh Taylor did both Days of Our Lives and The Hogan Family at the same time for a few years until the workload became too much. I watched The Missiles of October for a class many years ago - it also features one of my favorite actors, John Randolph, who played an Undersecretary of State. Yes I agree, Bill Devane was outstanding as JFK :)
Loved all those 80's night time soaps...Knots Landing, Dallas, Dynasty...Falcon Crest to a lesser extent. Those were good times!
I have this theme as my default ringtone! Cracks people up.
"The Nurse" involved Mary Ellen leaving home for the first time in order to pursue her lifelong ambition of becoming a nurse. However, she quickly discovered that she needed extra science courses in order to pass the hard exam, so John-Boy had to bring her back to the mountain. The family quickly rallied around her even as she helped the county nurse on calls around town :) I wonder how Herman would have handled working for Lou and Charlie at the Trib :) I know Mrs. Pynchon would be hard on him.
Agreed.......There appeared to be a caravan parked outside that house a few times.
Furthermore, when Kenny and Ginger left town, their house remained unoccupied!
This song let me know it was my bedtime, because it was school time the next day. Uuuuggghhhh!!! LOL "Cut that TV off it's time for bed." 1980s...gotta love em'. Actually "Newhart" was the TV show I remember for bedtime...because it came on at 9 pm where I was living and I was like in the 2nd to 4th grade.
Yes you are right, by that time Gary had overcome his drinking problem. He even made a trip back to Dallas after J.R. had been shot. The drinking would flare up again about three years later, after he had gotten together with Abby. She did not know how to handle it.Speaking of Gary and Val, I found out yesterday they will be appearing in three episodes of the new Dallas. Such great news! :) I think I missed the original airing of "The Outage", but I could be mistaken.
I never knew that Knots landing was a spin off of Dallas. I just found that bit of information out a few years ago. I remember watching the later episodes in the 90's though.
@snoops71 Yes, Kate & Allie was on at the exact same time as ALF :) CBS moved it to 8:00 at the beginning of season 5 in 1987, resulting in the show falling from the top 20. The move also coincided with the beginning of CBS's "lean" years in the late '80s. To this day, Annie McGuire is the one show whose cancellation still pains MTM - she had such high hopes for it. I wonder what it would have been like if The Jeffersons had lasted into 1987 - that would've resulted in a seriously long run :)
jsrosa1282 Oh yes, I definitely remember Claudia Lonow :) You're right, her parents were Sid and Karen. She was the oldest, and became out of control shortly after Sid died. Abby later gave her a kidney. Even Mom followed that storyline :) I'm glad to hear what she's up to know. I'm also glad to know she and Michele Lee remain in touch. I know Michele is also close to Don Murray and Joan Van Ark. Word has it Claudia wasn't very happy on Knots in later years, which was why she was written out.
Oh yes, she does like Hogan's Heroes :) Her favorite character is Schultz. I too thought it would have lasted at least one more season. I had never thought of Schultz and Klink teaming up with Boss and Roscoe, but now that you mention it, I could definitely see that happening :) They certainly were kindred spirits, always scheming. Cliff would have enjoyed having their help in teaming up against the Ewings. I remember hearing Richard Dawson say what a fun show it was to work on :)
@snoops71 Actually, "An Egg Grows in Gotham," from season 2, was Vincent's first Batman appearance. "The Ogg and I" was from season 3, and marked the first time Anne Baxter played Olga. They would team up again in "The Ogg Couple," also from season 3 :) Elizabeth was kidnapped in "The Hostage." "The Victims" concerned a friend of the Waltons, Laurie, who was being abused by her husband, Kenny. He was suffering from PTSD b/c of the war, and when he hit her again, Jason and John-Boy intervened.
If Dallas and Dynasty can get reboots, then Knots Landing and Falcon Crest should be getting reboots also.
@snoops71 That episode of Lou Grant was from season 3 and aired in November 1979. After the Trib ran Rossi's story on the dog-fighting ring, the thugs were arrested and the dogs were placed in a shelter to await adoption. Unfortunately, Mrs. Pynchon's dog Barney disappeared, so Billie headed efforts in the newsroom to get her a new one. A friend and I were talking earlier - it was a good thing Boss and Roscoe weren't patients of Trapper or Gonzo, b/c they would've received some sharp lectures :)
@snoops71 He & She was indeed about a married couple - they were played by Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss, who were married in real life :) They are still happily married after 52 years together :) Even though it only lasted a year, Allan Burns, who was head writer, won an Emmy for comedy writing. After its cancellation, he became head writer for Get Smart before departing to create MTM with Jim Brooks :) Bob actually kept copies of the memos, and gave them all to Barry before he passed.
@snoops71 A while back, I read an interview with Michael Learned and she said that her greatest regret about Nurse was that she messed it up and blamed no one but herself. She said that CBS wanted a gentle medical drama, while she wanted it to be very gritty and realistic. Michael also noted that her issues with CBS led her to talk to Ed Asner, who advised her to forget the network and do her show exactly like Lou Grant - one that would push the envelope :) As a result, she won an Emmy for it :)
@snoops71 If I'm correct Paula Prentiss was in Catch-22 and The Stepford Wives, which are two of my favorite '70s films :) Richard Benjamin starred on an NBC comedy show called Quark in 1978. Did you know Allan Burns helped create The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show? My favorite segment was always "Mr. Know-it All" :) Jim Brooks briefly served as a story editor for Get Smart, where he first met Allan. They also collaborated with Gene Reynolds to create Room 222, years before all three did Lou Grant :)
@snoops71 Yes, the father on 7th Heaven was a pastor - he was played by Stephen Collins. One of his first TV roles was during season 4 of The Waltons - he appeared in the episode "The Abdication." Have either you or Kam seen it? Stephen played an Englishman who visited the mountain as part of a film crew and Mary Ellen became attracted to him. This was before she met Curt :) Speaking of The Munsters, have you seen the episode when Eddie asked Grandpa to make him taller, but instead grew a beard?
@snoops71 Most of the time, Bob's memos were four to six pages in length - in many of them, he nitpicked the episode he was taking issue with. A well-known example of this is from the season 3 episode "And Now a Word From Our Sponsor" - he focused on what he saw as poor production values on the part of Paramount and the plot itself. Bob noted that as soon as he saw the pilot after it was finished, he likened it to joining the cast of Gilligan's Island, which ironically was created by Sherwood.
@jsrosa1282 Yes, you are correct :) The Facts of Life was added to the list at the start of the 1979-80 season, then there was Little House the season after that, and Flamingo Road. NBC was the only network I gradually built up in that way. Before long, I had a long list of shows I watched on their network :) I did watch CHiPs on occasion, too. B.J. and the Bear didn't seem very interesting, so I stuck with Love Boat. Yes, I was checking out The Waltons, too :)
@snoops71 "The Nurse" was from season 4 - the Mary Ellen-centered episode you're thinking of is "The Obsession," from season 7 :) Do you remember another season 7 episode called "The Yearning?" That was when Elizabeth developed a crush on the town's new minister :) It was a good thing Herman worked at the funeral home, and not at Ewing Oil, b/c I know J.R. would've taken advantage of him a lot. I once told my dad that I would've loved to see a race with the Munster Koach and the General Lee :)
@snoops71 Barney Rosenzweig also brought Michele Gallery, one of Lou Grant's writers, on board to Cagney & Lacey :) What I found most impressive about Ms. Gallery is that she started her career as a researcher during MTM's final season, and by the end of Lou Grant's first season, she was a full-fledged writer :) I do remember Dick O'Neill - he had a great part on the show :) Tyne Daly was on the Lou Grant episode "Violence" - she played the Trib's film reporter and clashed with Lou and Billie.
@snoops71 I just discovered a fun fact about Charles Frank - he was on Emerald Point NAS, the short-lived soap on CBS that temporarily replaced Cagney & Lacey on Mondays. He was on the CBS team in the December 1983 Battle, the one which Bob Conrad and Donna Mills co-hosted :) Also, did you know that Kate & Allie, unlike its other Monday night stablemates, was filmed in New York? Both Jane and Susan lived there and didn't want to relocate their families to California.
@snoops71 I also remember hearing that Linda and the other ladies weren't thrilled when they heard Val was being replaced by Sandy Duncan, which shows where their loyalty lay :) When The Hogan Family moved to CBS for its last season in 1990, it became a small source of conflict in our house b/c it came on at the same time as The Golden Girls. Mom followed the network switch, and watched it even with Sandy :) The SAG merger was proposed by members of the national board. No new word on the suit :)
@jsrosa1282 Emily was Rebecca. Initially, she was the daughter of patriarch William Walker's affair, but the writers decided to rewrite that after she had such good chemistry with the youngest son. They later married, then divorced. Rob Lowe and Calista Flockhart were married on the show until his character has killed off at the end of season 4. He chose to leave. Kam hasn't watched Scott's new show :) I'm sure it's on purpose. I have seen that episode of Bewitched. It's one of my favorites :)
@snoops71 No, Dennis and the boys didn't attempt to cook :) They actually found some baked chicken and potatoes in the refrigerator that was being saved for dinner. Being hungry, they decided to make it their lunch :) Margaret later criticized Dennis for leaving all the dishes out on the table and making the kitchen dirty. Speaking of Dallas, I also heard Elena's brother will be coming back into the picture for season 2. I wonder what he will have to say about John Ross and Christopher :)
My mum used to watch this... used to like the theme tune but could never get into it. I do think they should have brought Lucy to Knots Landing as well seeing as they didn't really do anything with her on Dallas when she came back.
@snoops71 I think the window cameos were uncredited b/c Bill Dozier and his staff wanted to surprise the viewers - to throw them for a loop when they least expected it :) Werner Klemperer's and Dick Clark's appearances remain my favorites :) Do you remember when the Green Hornet and Kato did their cameo? It was from season 2. Has Kam seen a season 9 episode of The Waltons called "The Pledge?" It's one of the better episodes from that season - it was when Mary Ellen tried to get into med school.
@jsrosa1282 Yep, that was the year of the ridiculous, over the top shootout at the European wedding. At the time, it was an exciting cliffhanger. However, when it returned that fall, people were complaining about how unrealistic it was. Everyone's hair was perfect, and no one was harmed. As in the case of Dallas, the viewers began to turn away, and Knots became the nighttime soap to get all of the attention. We didn't watch Boy Meets World, but that's good news for the fans :)
@snoops71 How did you manage to watch Flamingo Road and Hart to Hart at the same time, since both competed in the same slot? I'm sure it must've been a tough choice :) How did you feel about Private Benjamin replacing The White Shadow when it was canceled before season's end? I remember reading that the addition of the new guys caused the ratings to slip. I was also wondering - were you disappointed when you found out that The Waltons would end after "The Revel?" I know I would have been :)
@snoops71 Actually, Sherwood and Lloyd were preparing for an episode of The Bradys which would've dealt with Mike's death. By the time the 6th episode was in production, the on-set atmosphere had deteriorated so badly that CBS was preparing to have Sherwood fire Bob, and Mike killed off in a helicopter crash. It never came to pass as the show was canceled in March 1990, which Bob was happy about. In contrast, Ed Asner recently said that he is still upset about Lou Grant's cancellation in 1982.
@snoops71 I did some more reading on Dallas' upcoming season, and found out that the name of Elena's brother is Andres :) Ann's long-estranged daughter is named Emma. Judith Light will also be joining the cast in a recurring role as a business rival of the Ewings. Whenever I see her in a dramatic role, I picture her as Angela from Who's the Boss :) I've been frequently seeing Bill Devane in commercials for Rosland Capital - have you seen them? :) He a spokesman for the company, which sells gold.
@jsrosa1282 I've heard of The Girl from UNCLE, b/c Stefanie Powers was in it. I have yet to see it, though. I don't think I've heard of T.H.E. Cat, however. I also haven't seen The Man from UNCLE, although I have heard a lot about it. It ran on NBC for four seasons, and was replaced by Laugh-In, if I'm not mistaken. Do you know why The Girl from UNCLE lasted so briefly? That reminds me have you seen It Takes A Thief?
@jsrosa1282 That's great news about Ed :) I'm glad to know he's still so active. I definitely remember that episode of The Jeffersons :) It's one of our favorites. Then Florence ends up blabbing the whole story to Lionel and Jenny :) Another hilarious one was the time George was dog-sitting the Whittendale's dog, Poopsie. Everyone, minus Florence was so scared of him they were standing on the couch :) I agree about Trapper and Gonzo being good mentors for Mary Ellen.
AHHH.. I remember this show.....but the season finale, I think everyone in the cove either slept or married eachother.
@snoops71 Indeed, when Nurse premiered on April 2, 1981, it did so immediately following "The Threshold," a late season 9 episode of The Waltons. Its debut episode also served as a temporary replacement for Knots, which went on hiatus immediately following its season 2 finale. If I'm correct, wasn't that the episode when Sid's car went off the cliff? Also, do you know if Kam has seen "The Threshold?" The scene when Jim-Bob got shocked while working on the TV still gets to me, to this day.
@snoops71 Mrs. Pynchon rejected the new dog at first, but after seeing how it looked out for her, she quickly accepted it into her home :) On the preceding episode, a power blackout took place in L.A. and most of the action involved the Trib trying to publish the next day's issue. I was just talking with one of my Knots-loving friends :) She told me she wished Trapper or Gonzo would've been the surgeons to operate on Sid. I'm sure they would've been compassionate and sensitive towards Karen :)
@snoops71 Yes, "And Now a Word From Our Sponsor" was the episode in which they did the commercial - it was from season 3 :) Bob's issue with it was that he saw the storyline as too focused on slapstick. Years after TBB ended, he told Barry that he stayed for all five seasons b/c he didn't want to break his contract, as he was making a lot of money at the time, the most he had made in his career. Have you watched a CBS sitcom from the '60s called He & She? It's considered a predecessor to MTM :)
@snoops71 Are either you or Kam going to watch How to Live With Your Parents when it debuts in January? I may watch the episode with Michele Lee, but that's going to be it for my interest :) How come Abby had to give Diana a kidney? Was she suffering from a congenital kidney disease? A friend of mine had to be given a kidney from his mother last year - luckily, he is doing great now :) You'll also be interested to know Michele is close to Lucie and Desi Jr :) The two ladies are neighbors in NY.
@jsrosa1282 I forgot about Cool's pickup :) I mostly think of Salami's car, "Motel California". I can certainly see him coming on to Abby, along with a couple of the others, too :) Oh, I didn't realize Darleen Carr played the teacher Salami got involved with. Thomas Carter directed that one. According to Gwyneth Paltrow, her dad gave the guys pointers in directing, and helped to open the door for them. The Harlem Globetrotters episode was hilarious! :)
@jsrosa1282 I had forgotten how short the first season of Kate & Allie was. I can totally see Billie meshing very well with the two of them :) By the spring of 1984, I was barely watching The Dukes. I don't remember what I was tuning into by that point, but The Dukes had really lost its steam. Most of the episodes seemed to have been recycled after one another, and the car jumps were beyond unreal.
@snoops71 What role did Emily play on Brothers & Sisters? I heard Rob Lowe and Calista Flockhart were cast members, too. I've seen just one episode of that show but from what I saw, Emily is a talented young actress :) Do you know if Kam has watched Scott Baio's new Nick at Nite sitcom, See Dad Run? I still think that's a wacky name for a comedy, let alone a TV show :) Have you seen a season 8 episode of Bewitched when George Washington appeared to help out Tabitha? He was played by Will Geer :)
@snoops71 I'm guessing you're not planning to go out and buy a set of Private Benjamin if it comes out on DVD :) I watched an episode of the show once and got bored fast :) I didn't like the premise either - Judy Benjamin was a wealthy heiress who joined the Army on a whim and had to adjust to military life. Have you or Kam seen the film version with Goldie Hawn? I was talking to an old friend a few days ago, and she told me The White Shadow was a very realistic show, unlike Dallas or The Dukes.
Michelle Lee was DA BOMB...girl next door, easy going, smart and cute...my kinda girl!
@snoops71 I did notice that none of the cast from The White Shadow ever appeared on any of the Battles - I think they should've made an appearance during the November 1979 one. They would've greatly helped in the tug-o-war against NBC :) Did you know Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton both guest-starred on Sonny & Cher at one time? They appeared shortly after All in the Family became the #1 show :) Telly Savalas guest-starred on the season 3 premiere to promote the debut of Kojak :)
@snoops71 I just remembered that Bob Reed's birthday was yesterday :) He would have been 80 years old if he was still around. You had mentioned that you watched The Brady Brides movie earlier this week - last week, I watched The Brady 500, which was the premiere episode of The Bradys. Bob and Florence's acting, as well as Ann B.'s, was solid, but the others just tried too hard to be dramatic :) Also, yesterday marked 28 years since Jon-Erik Hexum passed away.
@snoops71 Did you watch the season 2 finale of Knots when it originally aired in March 1981? A similar thing happened to Max on the season 2 finale of Get Smart, only it wasn't shocking to see. Some KAOS agents posing as paramedics had strapped Max to a stretcher and placed him in an ambulance. On the way to their meeting place, the brakes went out, causing Max to be ejected from the back and fall into a manhole. However, he managed to survive, and climbed out still strapped to the stretcher! :)
@snoops71 "The Grass is Always Greener" involved Mike and Carol switching household roles to see who was better at what :) Carol tried to play baseball with the boys, only to end up doing badly, while Mike tried to help Marcia in the kitchen with a cooking project in order for her to earn a Girl Scouts badge. Bob objected to the scene in which Mike slipped on an egg, and wrote Sherwood a memo taking issue with it. Now I wonder - could you imagine Krystal and Alexis playing softball together? :)
@snoops71 From what I've seen and read, The Newsroom is being touted as the Lou Grant of this decade b/c it is set behind the scenes of a cable news channel. Jeff Daniels plays the anchor who oversees a variety of newsroom staff. The chairwoman of the company is played by Jane Fonda, whose character is similar to Mrs. Pynchon :) I've been wondering - how did Cliff react when Sue Ellen left Dallas at the end of season 12, in '89? I think she would've dated either Lou or Donovan, but not Rossi :)
@snoops71 Do you remember the TV movie Jamie and Danica McKellar did back in 1994? I remember it aired on NBC - they both played pregnant teens who were unwillingly involved in black-market infant sales. Dee Wallace played Danica's mom. One of my favorite Just the Ten of Us episodes involved Cindy taking Marie's ID to get into a club. Wendy took their mom's ID but she didn't look 40, so she was thrown out :) I was wondering - how did you react when Charlie's Angels got canceled in 1981?
@jsrosa1282 I had a feeling that was the reason they kept Knots on. That storyline saved the show. I wasn't happy about the break up of Gary and Val, nor Abby's part in it, but it was very intriguing and exciting to watch at the same time. Plus, there wasn't very much else going on at the time. I recall hearing in Ed's biography some of the Lou Grant staffers was upset b/c they lost their jobs. They also mentioned his being blacklisted, which was very surprising to me.
@jsrosa1282 Now, I remember :) Kate & Allie was filmed in New York. I enjoyed seeing scenes of them in various parts of the city. I read about how NBC's Dick Ebersole intently pursued Susan after she hosted SNL in the fall of 1981. I believe they are still married. I remember seeing Charles Frank in that Battle :) I watched Emerald Point NAS on occasion during its brief run. He got his start on All My Children as Jeff Martin, one of Erica Kane's many husbands :) I think he was hubby #1.
@jsrosa1282 Oh now I remember "The Victims". I've seen that episode, but Kam has not. It did a very good job showing the affect war has on those who serve. It's a powerful episode. Speaking of Batman, I noticed several uncredited cameos from TV actors like Joe E. Ross and Alan Hale Jr. Were their appearances uncredited for a reason? I figured the cameos of Sammy Davis Jr, Werner Klemperer, and Ted Cassidy would not be credited, though. It was just funny to see them appear in the window :)
@jsrosa1282 At that point in the late '70s, ABC had 20/20 pre-Barbara Walters, and NBC had a bunch of short-lived dramas in that last Thursday time slot. Do you remember a short-lived Western on CBS called Young Maverick? It was the network's attempt to revive Maverick - it starred Charles Frank and Susan Blanchard. The show was canceled after 8 episodes b/c it had to compete against Eight is Enough on Wednesdays. You're correct, the Thursday lineup in '79 was The Waltons, Barnaby and Knots :)
@snoops71 Do you also remember two segments from Rocky and Bullwinkle called "Fractured Fairy Tales" and "Peabody's Improbable History?" I always liked how they injected humor into historical events and stories :) Have you seen Ed's original guest appearance on Hawaii Five-O? It was from season 8 - he's played the same role on the new version twice thus far :) His episode aired the same night as "The Intruders," from season 4 of The Waltons - it was when Ben started working for another sawmill.
@snoops71 I recently saw an interview with Patrick in which he talked about Man From Atlantis - he still has fond memories of the show b/c it was his first acting job in Hollywood :) However, he also noted both he and Belinda Montgomery were paid quite poorly during the one season they did the show, and that he made more money during Dallas' first full season than he had in the prior four years combined :) I was wondering - how did you feel about House Calls being canceled in the spring of '82?
@snoops71 Yes that was the one when Eddie finally shed his beard b/c of Lily's soup - as a result, Grandpa's wild idea for a baldness cure was scorched :) Do you also remember the season 2 episode when Herman and Lily worked other jobs in order to buy each other gifts for their 100th anniversary? That was another funny one :) I have a feeling that if Herman worked for Jefferson Cleaners, George would be taking advantage of him all the time :) Do you remember a Waltons episode called "The Nurse?"
@snoops71 I'm guessing that the only NBC show you watched during the 1978-79 season was Diff'rent Strokes :) That was also when season 2 of CHiPs began, and it happens to be my favorite season b/c they started using the funky theme song, which is why I dislike watching any season 1 episodes - the theme is too laid-back :) When B.J. and the Bear premiered in mid-season, did you start watching it or did you stick with The Love Boat? :) I'll also guess you were still watching The Waltons :)
@snoops71 I've owned a lot of old Volvos, but the one I recently got is my first station wagon - I wanted it to have a unique name, so I called it "Daisy" and it stuck :) Do you remember a season 1 episode of The Munsters that involved Grandpa going to a dating agency in order to find a lady? The agency owner was played by Neil Hamilton, better-known as Commissioner Gordon from Batman :) It was very ironic b/c Batman would be responsible for The Munsters' abrupt cancellation in 1966.
@snoops71 I remember you also mentioning Sally Struthers did double duty during All in the Family's early years - she did the voice of Pebbles on The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show :) It's an interesting thought that Gloria and Dennis were the voices of Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm at one time. Last night I watched a season 9 episode of All in the Family which you may remember - Archie, Edith and Stephanie flew to California. At the airport, Archie made a racist remark about Gloria's Japanese-built Toyota.
@snoops71 Did either you or Kam watch the TNT drama Ray Romano was on, Men of a Certain Age? It co-starred Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula - the show was critically acclaimed but only lasted two years. Dallas was the show that replaced it :) I just read the producers will give J.R. a proper sendoff when the time comes, which I know will please many fans. I wonder if Karen and Mac would take to Elena or Christopher if they visited :) Also, have you watched HBO's acclaimed new drama, The Newsroom?
@snoops71 Oh, for a while I thought Kam was a big fan of Boy Meets World, and watched it on a regular basis :) Which show did she watch more, Step by Step or Boy Meets World? It happened to be the last TGIF show I watched, and even then I watched it during seasons 1 and 2. I was wondering if you could ask her if she remembers Topanga - I always thought it was a cool name for a girl :) Here's a fun fact about Dynasty - when ABC moved it to Thursdays against Cosby in season 9, the ratings plunged.
@snoops71 The on-set atmosphere on The Bradys extended to all, to the point where Bob began clashing with Florence and Barry, and even Dick Martin, a frequent director. CBS was also getting tired of his "memos," which were similar to the ones he wrote during his TBB days. As for Lou Grant, most of the cast except for Linda was exhausted after five long and hard seasons. Linda was very sad that the show ended b/c she wanted Billie to start a family, while continuing to write hard-hitting stories.
@snoops71 Apparently, the memo Bob wrote wasn't as long as the other ones he would write as the show went on, but he still took issue with Mike slipping on an egg, as he thought it was not realistic. The one he wrote concerning the last episode, "The Hair-Brained Scheme," was a couple of pages long and resulted in him being written out of the episode. Do you remember when Joan Collins dunked Cathy Bach in the May 1982 Battle? Joan had never played softball before, so Cathy taught her to throw :)
When did this show start? 1979?
@snoops71 Here's a good Knots question I just thought of - do you remember Claudia Lonow? From what I've read, she played Diana Fairgate during the show's first few years - were her parents Sid and Karen? You'll be interested to know Claudia is now a writer and producer - she recently created a show for ABC called How to Live With Your Parents, which premieres in mid-season. I heard she asked Michele Lee to guest-star in an episode, which she gladly accepted :)
@jsrosa1282 Which season was "The Nurse" from? One episode regarding Mary Ellen I remember very well was when she briefly became hooked on sleeping pills when trying to pass her nursing exam. I loved how Olivia mothered her during that time :) I have a feeling Lou would have had compassion on dear Herman :) Charlie might not have been so supportive. Yes, Mrs. Pychon definitely would have been hard on him.
@snoops71 Do you remember Col. Klink's secretary, Hilda? :) They were played by Sigrid Valdis, who eventually married Bob Crane. Their wedding took place on the Hogan's Heroes set - Richard Dawson served as best man and Werner Klemperer provided music as the soloist and violinist. Werner was an accomplished classical musician b/c his father was Otto Klemperer, the famed conductor :) I know someone who wouldn't have been a fan of Klink and Schultz - Lou :) He would've given them a sharp lecture!
@snoops71 The party was indeed Dennis's idea :) However, he tried to blame Margaret for the mess in the kitchen when in fact it was he, Joey and the other boys who left all the food and dirty dishes on the table. Mr. Wilson finally told him and Margaret to get it all cleaned up before his mom got up from her nap :) Oh yes, Donna and Linda did attend the party at Val's - they noted a good time was had by all. Wouldn't you loved to have seen Abby wearing a headscarf? :)
@jsrosa1282 That baked chicken and potatoes sounds delicious. No wonder they made it their lunch :) Margaret was always quick to tell Dennis about his flaws, to tell him when he was wrong. Sounds like they had a feast :) I too heard about the introduction of Elena's brother. I have a feeling he will take sides where John Ross and Christopher are concerned. I'm sure he will not be indifferent. I look forward to seeing which one he wants her with :)
@snoops71 You may have also noticed that while Dana didn't guest-star in any season 7 episodes of Diff'rent Strokes - its last on NBC - she did appear in quite a few episodes during season 8 when it switched to ABC. That network made the unfortunate move of placing it on Fridays against Dallas, which I'm sure you picked most of the time :) I bet a lot of longtime Dallas viewers were unaware that particular season would soon come to be known as the "dream season" :) Were you surprised or shocked?
I do remember "The Yearling". It was cute to see Elizabeth have her first crush :) It is a milestone in someone's life. One place I would have enjoyed seeing Herman work was in Fred Sanford's junkyard. That would have been hilarious :) Fred would have had him doing all of the work, and cheating with the prices. I think Lamont would have come to his defense, though. Quite often :) Yes, J.R. would have taken advantage of poor Herman all the time.
@snoops71 Originally, Sherwood didn't want Bob to be in the Brady Brides movie, but Bob insisted on appearing b/c he didn't want anyone else giving the girls away before they got married. The movie's production also resulted in Maureen's drug use taking a turn for the worse, to the point that Lloyd had to take her into his own home. At the time of The Bradys, Bob knew that he was ill, but tried to keep it a secret as much as possible. Almost all of the cast and crew knew about it, though.
@snoops71 Yes I definitely remember that interesting twist - I wondered why it was Bruce instead of Batman. That was from the episode "The Curse of Tut," which featured King Tut's first appearance. Have you seen the season 3 episode "The Ogg and I," with Egghead? I remember reading Yvonne Craig's friendship with Vincent Price began through its filming :) The same day the Knots season 2 finale aired, one of my favorite season 9 episodes of The Waltons, "The Victims," aired. Do you remember it? :)
@snoops71 Speaking of old ABC shows, do you remember the intro of Marcus Welby M.D.? It showed Dr. Welby driving to the office in his large sedan, while Dr. Kiley pulled up in a motorcycle. I always thought it was a perfect way to highlight the generation gap between the two :) Have you seen the episode David Cassidy guest-starred in? He played a young man who was diabetic, and turned to Dr. Welby for counsel. I'll bet you remember the Batman episode with Ethel Merman, "The Sport of Penguins" :)
@snoops71 So when season 2 of Knots started in the fall of 1980, had Gary licked his alcohol problem at that time? I remember you telling me that he had hit the bottle during the season 1 finale, which was when he struck Val. The clip with her black eye was played during the intro of the December 1980 Battle :) Speaking of CBS's Thursday schedule, did you watch the original airing of The Waltons' season 9 premiere, "The Outrage?" It remains one of my favorite episodes :)
@jsrosa1282 I did see the Knots season finale in March of 1981. I remember hearing Don Murray was talking about leaving, but hoped that was incorrect or he would change his mind. That episode of Get Smart also kind of reminds me of an early episode of Batman. Remember when Bruce Wayne had been kidnapped, and the stretcher he was strapped to fell out of the back of the ambulance? That was the big cliffhanger for the episode, until the next night :)
@snoops71 At the beginning of "The Intruders," Ben had left home to find himself following a dispute with Liv. He took a job with the rival sawmill, but when he found out it was going to compete with John's mill, he immediately went home and told his father. Grandpa then hatched a plan to put the other sawmill out of business :) I have seen most of Ed's appearances on Match Game :) He was also a guest on Pyramid during its first season. He appeared with Sandy Duncan, who was annoying as ever :)
@snoops71 David Cassidy guest-starred on Marcus Welby M.D. during season 1, just before The Partridge Family debuted :) Tony Geary's episode was from season 7. Ironically, he also appeared on The Partridge Family in season 3 :) Do you remember the season 2 episode of Just the Ten of Us when Matthew Perry guest-starred? He played a guy who tried to date Cindy until Coach threw him out :) Speaking of which, I haven't seen Jamie Luner in some time. I wonder when she'll turn up next :)
@snoops71 SAG completed its merger with AFTRA in March of this year - it was championed by current president Ken Howard. Ed and Val have filed a suit to dissolve the merger - they've been joined by other noted actors, like Alan Ruck, Martin Sheen and Nichelle Nichols. Speaking of Val, I recently heard Linda Gray saying that she gives a lot of credit to her for helping her start out in Hollywood. That was why she, Michele Lee and Donna Mills strongly supported her during the Hogan Family fiasco.
@jsrosa1282 I can tell that was what they were thinking, as those cameos still take me by surprise :) I have yet to memorize them. I think it's funny when they mention Colonel Hogan to Werner Klemperer :) I too like the Dick Clark cameo a lot. They should have dropped in on Bandstand :) Yes, I have seen the cameo with the Green Hornet and Kato. That was another good one. I think she's seen part of "The Pledge", but not the entire episode yet. I like that episode a lot.
@jsrosa1282 I had a feeling she did not take to the dog in the beginning :) However, I'm glad to be reminded she changed her mind. Publishing the next day's edition had to have been beyond challenging for everyone due to the lack of power. How did it turn out in the end? I wonder if Trapper or Gonzo had operated on Sid would it have made a difference? He was warned it was a very risky surgery, but yes I agree about their attitude. They would have been very supportive to everyone.
@jsrosa1282 I do remember the first season of Cagney and Lacey. I liked it from the start. It was raw and realistic. There was not a lot of emphasis paid to their appearance, as was the case with both Police Woman and Charlie's Angels, so it was a fresh and different approach. I was glad to find out they were giving it another chance, as I felt they didn't give it a fair shot. Here's another bit of irony, one of Charlie's Angels' producers went on to Cagney and Lacey, too :)
@jsrsosa1282 I was meaning to ask just how long were those memos most of the time? What exactly was he saying in them? There is a lot which is unrealistic in a sitcom, but I guess he didn't think of that. I'm guessing he didn't know what he would be dealing with by signing on to do one. I think I mentioned this before, but I'm assuming there were no memos on The Defenders, Nurse, or Search For Tomorrow. That was so funny when Joan dunked Cathy, especially since she taught her how to throw :)
@jsrosa1282 Judith Light joined One Life to Live in the late '70s, a few years before I started watching it. I believe she replaced Julia Duffy in the part, but went on to make it her own. When I watched her on Who's the Boss, I always thought she took a step down by doing a sitcom, as her dramatic skills are so good. Josh Taylor is on Days now. Deidre Hall also did double duty with Our House and Days. Plus she did Electra Woman and Dyna Girl at the same time as Days Of Our Lives too, I think :)
@snoops71 If I'm not mistaken, Mitch is Afton's brother - wasn't he played by Leigh McCloskey during the original run of Dallas? I remember his appearance in the May 1981 Battle - you'll probably recall that he and Danielle Brisebois were paired up during the tandem bike relay :) I know Afton will be returning when season 2 debuts in January. A few weeks ago I watched a Pyramid episode in which Audrey Landers helped her partner win $100,000 - she jumped out of her chair as soon as they got it :)
@snoops71 What did you and Kam initially make of Patrick going to Step by Step immediately after the end of Dallas? For me at the time, I was just happy that there was another TGIF show that my mom and I could watch along with Family Matters and Perfect Strangers :) I discovered years later that the reason Patrick got a new show right away was to fulfill his contract requirements, since both Dallas and Step by Step were Lorimar productions. I think he did a decent job being a comedic actor :)
@jsrosa1282 Yes, I remember Gentle Ben very well :) I watched it on Saturday afternoons when I was in my teens. Ron Howard's brother Clint played his son. Now I see what you mean. Bonanza had such of a good balance in their episodes. I remember watching a hilarious one when Hoss was accused on being this bank robber named "Big Jack" :) Then they tackled racism in "Enter Thomas Bowers". I recall Have Gun Will Travel and Wanted Dead or Alive being serious all the time.
@snoops71 I haven't seen the Globetrotters episode yet :) What were the events that took the team to Carver? I bet Ken was glad to have them there :) When Ken did his stint on Y&R last year, was he on at the same time as Michael Learned? I was just watching clips from the Nurse episode that aired on April 23, 1981 - Mary started going out with a younger doctor, to her son's disapproval. What was ironic about Nurse was that both it and TBB were Paramount shows, but Bob Reed didn't object to it :)
@jsrosa1282 Yes, I remember laughing at that the first time I heard it :) I thought she and Joey were very cute together. Now that you mention it, I recall seeing Michele standing nearby, looking out for Danielle :) She was only around 12 or 12 at the time. Remember her return in the spring 1982 Battle? She was in the very lengthy tug-o-war. Abby would have stayed away from Mike when he and Gloria were happily married. She might have come on to him when the marriage got into trouble, though :)
@snoops71 I've seen "Enter Thomas Bowers" before - the episode was from season 5, which was one of Bonanza's best seasons b/c it finished at #2, second only to The Beverly Hillbillies. It ended the next season as the #1 show and stayed at the top for three straight years :) Have you heard of, or watched either T.H.E. Cat or The Girl from UNCLE? They both aired on NBC during the same season, 1966-67, and only lasted one year. The Girl from UNCLE is best-known as Stefanie Powers' first series :)
@jsrosa1282 Everyone who worked with him on Dallas said Patrick was the funniest on the set, the practical joker, along with Larry Hagman :) So I knew he'd be good in a sitcom. I was surprised when I heard he had a new show so quickly, but figured he and Suzanne would be a terrific pair. Kam told me she got into Boy Meets World in its final season, and her favorite character was Topanga. It took her some time to connect with it. I think I misinterpreted what she said before :)
@jsrosa1282 I actually thought that too, but when it came on one day after Saved by the Bell a few weeks ago, she immediately turned the channel, telling me she never watched it :) I'll be sure to ask her about Topanga. That is a very cool name for a girl :) She definitely watched Step by Step the most. I'm not sure how long she watched it, but I'll ask. She has yet to watch a TV show all the way to the end. I'm not surprised about Dynasty's ratings. Its peak was over by then :_
@snoops71 By the middle of season 6, the writers and producers of The Dukes were resorting to rewrites of past episodes, and using crude stop-motion techniques to simulate the car jumps, which did not sit well with the cast. In a Dukes book I read a few years ago, Cathy noted that by the spring of '84, she was tiring of the show and thought about leaving, but stayed on b/c she felt Daisy could continue to be a role model for girls. On the other hand, Dallas finished as the #1 show yet again :)
@snoops71 The other night, I watched a great season 3 episode of Lou Grant, entitled simply "Lou." He was having a bad day at the Trib as a result of a reporter plagiarizing an entire story from a college newspaper and getting it published without his knowledge. That reporter, as well as a veteran columnist, was forced to quit under pressure from Lou. I'm glad Mary didn't show up on the season 5 episode when he was shot b/c I know she would be very emotional. One of my other Volvos is "Honey" :)
@jsrosa1282 Yes, I agree with you about Chico and the Man. Jack Albertson and Scatman Crothers did their best, but Freddie was so deeply missed. I think Della Reese left before it ended, but that could be wrong. I think I saw the episode Jose' Feliciano guest-stared in. I still like hearing him sing the theme song :) No, neither Gary or Val attended J.R. and Sue Ellen's second wedding :) They had split up by that point, thanks to good 'ol Abby. Cliff showed up though, and started a fight :)
@jsrosa1282 Oh yes, I do remember them singing "I Got You Babe" at the end of each episode :) I always looked forward to seeing Chastity, as she was just a little older than me. For some reason, I always wanted Mom to watch the ending with me :) Friday would have been a good night for The White Shadow. I remember you telling me Little House was the ratings winner. To my surprise, none of the cast ever appeared on The Battle of the Network Stars. I could see Ken Howard making a great captain :)
@jsrosa1282 Lou Grant would have been a good solid addition to that lineup. I don't remember for sure, but what did ABC and NBC have on during that last time slot? So the columnist resigned due to Lou and Charlie's disagreement? Wasn't the Thursday night lineup for CBS at that time The Waltons, followed by Barnaby Jones, and then Knots? I think I'm correct on that :) It's amazing how lineups like that have not been forgotten.