I just read that actor Henry Silva died on September 14th. He was 95 years old.
Henry Silva appeared in many movies, usually playing gangsters and assassins. He started his film career in the 50s and was still active up until at least 2012. He worked with everyone from Marlon Brando to Frank Sinatra to Charles Bronson and Robert Redford. Speaking for myself, I will always remember him as the heroin-addicted Billy Score, one of the most frightening villains of all time, in Sharky’s Machine.
(If you haven’t seen Sharky’s Machine before, don’t worry. Despite getting shot several times, Bernie Casey does survive and even makes a joke about how he’s going to have to get a new suit.)
Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a new feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Fridays, I will be reviewing One World, which ran on NBC from 1998 to 2001. The entire show is currently streaming on Tubi!
The Cast of One World
When last we checked in with Miami’s favorite foster family, Jane was apologizing for trying to steal a watch for her foster father’s birthday. It was a sweet moment. Let’s see if the show continued to build on that momentum.
Because you know what? We’re living in one world….
Episode 1.5 “Community Service”
(directed by Chuck Vinson, originally aired on October 10th, 1998)
“This party blows!” Jane declares, “There’s no fights! Nothing’s been broken! No one’s fallen off the roof!”
Yes, the Blake children are throwing a party because their foster parents are out for the night. Unfortunately, the music gets too loud so the police come by and issue them a citation for disturbing the peace. The Blake parents convince the judge to give their children community service. “Community service is for punks!” Jane declares.
Marci, Jane, Neal, and Ben end up volunteering at the hospital, where they learn how to help the sick. Neal and Ben both fall in love with a doctor who, shockingly, doesn’t want much to do with teenagers who are doing court-mandated community service. Marci nearly kills a patient when she sells him a hot dog, nachos, and a cigar. Jane bonds with an initially hostile boy her age who is terminally ill. This episode would have been super depressing if not for the fact that the hospital set was obviously the same one that was used in Saved By The Bell when Zach had to have knee surgery.
Fortunately, the B-plot was more fun. Sui had to bake a cake for a class but, unfortunately, Mrs. Blake was stuck in bed with the flu. So, Mr. Blake had to help Sui with the baking and yes, it was a disaster. I laughed because I knew Sui’s struggle. Baking isn’t as easy as the commercials make it seem. Plus, Sui’s the coolest member of the family.
At the end of the show, Neal and Ben ended up delivering a baby in a stalled elevator and Jane takes the dying kid to the Warehouse so that he can experience “Miami’s hottest under 21 club.”
Episode 1.6 “The 12 Steps To Ben”
(directed by Chuck Vinson, originally aired on October 17th, 1998)
I guess Jane’s new boyfriend died after the end of the fifth episode because the sixth episode finds her in love with her new stepbrother, Ben. Unfortunately for Jane, Ben has a new girlfriend, Alex (Jordana Spiro). Unfortunately for Ben, Alex is an alcoholic. Unfortunately for Alex, Ben is a recovering alcoholic and he tricks her into going to an AA meeting. In other words, the Saturday night date is now assumed. That’s the first sign of a committed relationship. They’re as good as married now!
Every TNBC show always had at least a few episodes that centered around drinking. Unfortunately, they always made it looks like everyone was having too much fun whenever they were drunk so I imagine they probably inspired most of their viewers to think, “I can’t wait until I can try that!”
Since the main plot was pretty heavy, the B-plot featured Marci and Sui selling candy bars and …. getting arrested. These kids sure did get arrested a lot.
Wow, those two episodes were kind of heavy. Will One World ever lighten up? We’ll find out next week!
In the year 2000, Renee Zellweger was not only starring in movies and working her way to eventually winning two Oscars. She was also apparently spying on her neighbor across the street.
Did it not occur to this guy to get curtains for his bathroom? And also, how loudly is he singing that Renee can hear all of the lyrics to I Want You Want Me? If Renee can hear him from across the street, I can only imagine what it must be like to live right next door to the guy.
That said, I do think this is kind of a cute commercial. The guy is adorable in his dorky way and I’d probably watch him too. But I don’t think he and Renee are ever going to get together because it might kind of creep him out to know that she’s been watching him in the shower for all this time. To be honest, this commercial feels more like a Sandra Bullock movie than a vehicle for Renee Zellweger.
And what exactly does any of this have to do with Diet Coke?
As some of our regular readers undoubtedly know, I am involved in a few weekly live tweets on twitter. I host #FridayNightFlix every Friday, I co-host #ScarySocial on Saturday, and I am one of the five hosts of #MondayActionMovie! Every week, we get together. We watch a movie. We tweet our way through it.
Tonight, at 10 pm et, I will be hosting #FridayNightFlix! The movie? 1989’s Road House!
The name is Dalton! Everyone thought that Dalton would be bigger but he’s the second best bouncer in the world and if anything happens to Wade Garrett, he’ll be the absolute best. He’s a legend but can he clean up the wildest bar in Missouri? Will Ben Gazzara convince him to switch sides? Will Doc convince him to give peace a chance? And will Tinker ever get over his fear of polar bears? Just remember, pain don’t hurt. Be nice until it’s time not to be nice. And always check the boots for blades.
If you want to join us this Friday, just hop onto twitter, start the movie at 10 pm et, and use the #FridayNightFlix hashtag! I’ll be there tweeting and I imagine some other members of the TSL Crew will be there as well. It’s a friendly group and welcoming of newcomers so don’t be shy.
This is NOT a drill! This Friday, we have got …. DALTON! Join us as we watch 1989's ROAD HOUSE! The film is available on Prime, Netflix, and Paramount Plus and we start at 10 pm et on Friday! pic.twitter.com/JheJ2l1O5e
How is Steve Perry going to get over his heartbreak with so many people in his apartment? There weren’t many singers in the late 70s and early 80s who did as good a job singing about emotional angst as Steve Perry and in this video, he’s at his angstiest. Not even the sight of the other members of Journey falling outside of his window can bring him out of his funk. Eventually, even the other members of the band get sick of hearing about his problems and walk out on him. What is left for Steve to do than to break out some awkward dance moves?
After the Fall was included on Journey’s 1983 album Frontiers and it was the band’s 11th top 40 and their ninth top 25 single. It was also included on the soundtrack of Risky Business.
Through the Shattered Lens 