Twelve Lists of Twelve
Eleven Months of Magic
Eleven Months of Magic
Eight Amazing Quotes from Barbie (A Shlara Joint)
Seven Weeks of Sobriety*
Anywho... given that you can watch just about anything, please keep that in kind. Most any movie or television awaits you. Choose more wisely. And like Travis Kelce, go deep. Deep into the archives of cinéma du screen grand et petite.
Seven Weeks of Sobriety*
List #1: 12 Episodes of Television to Stream and How to Stream Them (Today)
I've read more than a couple articles lately about the "state of television" and how it's changed considerably since... 2001? Boy, does that make me feel just ancient. Think about how TV was in 1983!
Yes, it's a whole new world out there for you living room escapists. New Netflix series come out every hour on the hour now, and anything you catch live or nearly live on (wave the cane) cable or (seem hip but you're not really a cable-cutter) YouTube TV can be streamed separately soon thereafter. It's all there for you, just waiting with the kimono open for all to see.
What do you want to watch?
Sure, you can watch a new series -- scan through Rotten Tomatoes or listen to a relative tell you what they just binged their way through. (Nota Bene: mind the trepidation with that latter methodology. I am still... still... STILL taking heat for my fervent to quite fervent recommendation of the film 12 Monkeys, which I had recently seen in the theater. In 1995.
12 Monkeys!!! Day 12!!! Have one!!!
You can watch the finest television shows ever recorded. Or some that are simply unique moments in TV history. Or just fun for me to remember! Think about it. But where to begin, Whitney?
How about 12 episodes with my stamp of approval?
Giddyup. In no order.
1. Miami Vice - "Out Where the Buses Don't Run" - Season 2, Episode 4, October 18, 1985
Currently available on Amazon Prime Video (free)
Bad-assed story of a cop named Hank from years back who put his all into the job, got beaten by a messed up system and completely lost his shit. He's back in town and Crockett and Tubbs have to deal with his antics. Bruce McGill, whom you know formally as Daniel Simpson "D-" Day (whereabouts unknown), plays the cracked up cop to a T, and the story gets thicker and dicier as it goes on. Watch it. A gripper.
2. Taxi - "Reverend Jim: A Space Odyssey" - Season 2, Episode 3, September 25, 1979
Currently available on Amazon Prime Video (free)
The entire episode is worthy and a hoot. Danny DeVito's curmudgeonly Louie DePalma enjoys a goofball when the good Reverend Jim sneaks it in his coffee. Hoodtop songs ensue. And the scene from the DMV when Jim can't figure out what a certain traffic light means... well, I can't tell you how many times I have watched this one on repeat. Just. So. Brilliant. Watch it. (It's often unavailable, so watch it now before it's gone.)
3. The Twilight Zone - "Time Enough At Last" - Season 1, Episode 8, November 20, 1959
Currently available on Amazon Prime Video (free)
Check out Burgess Meredith pre-Mickey, pre-Penguin. He's an odd bookworm guy. He's Dave. He just wants time to read. And then gets it. Watch it. Whoa.
4. The Young Ones - "Bambi" - Season 2, Episode 1, May 8, 1984
Currently available on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV for $2
Swerving out of classic TV to cult classic idiocy, if you have any itch for farcically destructive British comedy and/or early 80's Brit-rock but haven't watched The Young Ones, treat yo self. Enter with zero expectations except for a wild ride. See Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, and others before they were anyone to watch. Make fun of Rik. And Neil. And Vyvyan. But never cool guy Mike. Watch it.
5. NewsRadio - "Complaint Box" - Season 3, Episode 14 - January 29, 1997
Currently available on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV for $1
A highly underrated show, there are plenty of episodes that showcase the strong writing and the silly antics of post-KITH Dave Foley, pre-extreme Joe Rogan, preposterous Andy Dick, and, of course, the inimitable Phil Hartman as Bill McNeal. 2nd pick was "Movie Star" with James Caan. Watch them.
6. The Mary Tyler Moore Show - "Chuckles Bites the Dust" - Season 6, Episode 7 - October 25, 1975
Currently available on Amazon Prime Video (free)
Ask anyone about the best episodes on TV history, this one comes up. It's a fantastic first glimpse of this star-studded cast (Judge Smails, Capt. Stubing, Lou Grant, and Betty White!) and the silliness of WJM-TV. I won't spoil the catch phrase of this episode, but it's a good one. Watch it.
7. The X-Files - "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" - Season 3, Episode 4 - October 13, 1995
Currently available on Amazon Prime Video (free)
The X-Files episodes were divided down the middle -- the conspiracy theory myth arc ones that built a storyline over a decade, or the "Monster of the Week" ones that were standalone fun. I saw most every show 25 years ago, and I prefer the latter. This one, guest starring Peter Boyle as a psychic who could foresee people's demises, was a great one in the pure vein of this terrific show. A different episode that wholly goes against the X-Files grain for some Mulder & Scully fun was "Bad Blood." Watch them.
8. M*A*S*H - "Abyssinia, Henry" - Season 3, Episode 24 - March 18, 1975
Currently available on Hulu
A classic episode that fans of the show will know by name, this one occurred when actor McLean Stevenson thought maybe it was his building star power that helped make the show a hit, rather than vice versa. (He would later say what a mistake that was.) They wrote Henry Blake off, as they would Wayne Rogers' Trapper John directly after. As opposed to the Trapper saga, Hawkeye does get to say goodbye to Lt. Col. Henry Blake. They all do. It's bittersweet and must-see until the end. Watch it.
9. The Muppet Show - "Harry Belafonte" - Season 3, Episode 14 - February 19, 1979
Currently available on Disney+
Want to feel some utter loving joy? Want to see Harry Belafonte croon "Day-O" for the first time on television? Want to see muppet silliness, funny side stories, enjoyable songs, and just goodness abound from the Henson world? Watch it. (The John Cleese episode ain't bad, either.)
10. All in the Family - "Draft Dodger" - Season 7, Episode 15 - December 25, 1976
Currently available on Amazon Prime Video (free)
On Christmas Day in the 200th year of our nation's existence, CBS and AITF gave us a fierce, family-style look at Vietnam and the damage it did back home... Archie Bunker style. Everyone says watch the Sammy Davis episode, and you should, but this is a slow burn sitcom episode. Watch it.
Oh, but for the very best scene I can ever recall from any AITF, watch this!
11. Quantum Leap -"The Leap Home, Parts I & II" - Season 3, Episodes 1 / 2 - September 28 / October 5, 1990
Currently available on Peacock
Sam Beckett, scientist traveling through time and inhabiting bodies to try to right historical wrongs. Cool concept, well executed for its day. Rob and I enjoyed in our Williamsburg summers. But what if he leapt into his own body? Whoa. Great two-parter. Tear-jerker. Watch it.
12. Cheers - "Pick a Con Any Con" - Season 1, Episode 19 - February 24, 1983
Currently available on Hulu and Paramount+
What, you thought I wouldn't include Cheers? Come now. It's rather hard to pick my favorite episode of my favorite show of all time. For now, I'll go with this suggestion, though there are truly dozens. ("Thanksgiving Orphans is a close second.") Watch Coach get taken for a ride by a conniving would-be poker buddy with Harry Anderson to the rescue. Love it. Watch it now.
Bonus suggestion: Homicide: Life on the Street - "Subway" - Season 6, Episode 7 - December 5, 1997
Current NOT available - hopefully soon
My late great Baltimore-loving buddy Flynn always talked about this episode. A victim of a crime has to help the team solve a case. The crime was getting shoved in front of a subway train. Where he is stuck and will never escape alive. This one is a dandy and needs release (along with the others) from licensing hell.
There are plenty of additional episodes that I could have selected for this little exercise. I mean, there are old TV shows that are simply on all the time. Seinfeld ("The Marine Biologist"), Friends ("The One with the Embryos"), The Simpsons (Homer vs. The Eighteenth Amendment"), The Office ("Dinner Party"). So you've seen them all.
There are also old television shows I'd insist you watch every episode of: Arrested Development ("Afternoon Delight,"), The Wire ("Middle Ground,"), The Sopranos ("The Pine Barrens"), NYPD Blue's first season ("Rocking Robin"), Mad Men ("The Suitcase"), Parks and Recreation ("Flu Season" or "The Fight").
Other individual finalists included Brooklyn Nine-Nine ("The Box") WKRP in Cincinnati (you know "Turkeys Away" but I give you "In Concert," a very different episode), Barney Miller ("Hash"), Family Ties ("Help Wanted"), It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (the Dave-touted "Charlie Works" and the Wade Boggs episode), and the final Newhart.
Which ones are your all-time favorites?
Anyway, there's a sea of old stuff out there to accompany your new-fangled, shiny new objects. Quite a few are too dated and don't hold up. But when you uncover an old gem, it's good fun. Enjoy.
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2 comments:
belfonte on that muppet show episode was so good. eight year-old me was mesmerized. as was my father, who made a habit of loudly singing that song around the house for what seemed like the rest of his natural life.
This is tre-fucking-mendous. Episodes I recommend include:
Magnum, P.I. "Home from the Sea" (s4.e1, 1983) - Magnum treads water for 24 hours while inspired by his father's Rolex GMT Master.
Miami Vice "El Viejo" (s3.e1, 1986) - Bon Jovi, Willie Nelson, Steve Buscemi, a Ferrari Daytona, what's not to like?
Twin Peaks "Miss Twin Peaks" (s2.e21, 1991) - season 2 hit a major lull in the middle but then this episode happened; the final scene is as suspenseful as anything I've watched and Rollergirl is involved.
The Twilight Zone "Midnight Sun" (s3.e10, 1961), "The Invaders" (s2.e15, 1961) and "Eye of the Beholder" (s2.e6, 1960) - I used to watch the Twilight Zone marathon every year with my father so I've seen a ton of them several times and I do not argue with "Time Enough at Last" but these three are gems.
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