Author Archives: Lisa Marie Bowman

Retro Television Review: St. Elsewhere 2.16 “After Dark”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Fridays, I will be reviewing St. Elsewhere, a medical show which ran on NBC from 1982 to 1988.  The show can be found on Hulu and, for purchase, on Prime!

This week, it’s time to name the Doctor of the Year!

Episode 2.16 “After Dark”

(Dir by Eric Laneuville, originally aired on February 29th, 1984)

It’s time for the annual end-of-the-year dinner, during which the Women’s Auxiliary will announce their pick for Doctor of the Year.  Last year, to Dr. Craig’s shock, Westphall won the award.  This year, Dr. Craig is sure that he’s going to win.  Even though Craig says that he doesn’t care about awards, he still has his wife, Ellen (Bonnie Bartlett), write out a speech for him.

The dinner is just as boring as usual.  The majority of the doctors who show up mention that their spouse couldn’t make it because they suddenly came down with the flu.  When it is time to announce the Doctor of the Year, Dr. Craig prepares to accept the award.  However, the award is given — for the second year in a row — to Dr. Westphall!

Seriously?  I mean, what the Heck?  Nothing against Dr. Westphall but what exactly has he done to deserve the award this year?  Dr. Auschlander has continued to see patients while battling cancer.  Dr. Craig performed a heart transplant!  Meanwhile, Dr. Westphall has dealt with the administrative stuff and been kind of grumpy.  I’m totally on Dr. Craig’s side here.  There’s no way Westphall deserved that award for two years running.

Westphall, himself, had to leave the awards dinner early because of an emergency at the hospital.  (More on that below.)  Dr. Craig accepts the award in Westphall’s place and — surprise! — gives a sincere speech about how much he appreciates Dr. Westphall’s leadership.  Good for Dr. Craig!  That said, there’s no way Dr. Westphall deserved the award this year.

Meanwhile, Kathy Martin, who we last saw being raped by Peter White in the morgue, is missing.  Peter wanders through the hospital in a narcotic-induced haze, carrying his ski mask in his pocket.  He nearly attacks Shirley.  He does attack Wendy Armstrong and this time, he doesn’t even put on his ski mask.  Fortunately, Fiscus hears Wendy’s screams and knocks Peter out with a fire extinguisher.  Peter is taken away by the police while Westphall heads to Peter’s home to tell Peter’s wife that her husband is the Ski Mask Rapist.

Victor is thinking of getting divorced.  Bobby, on the other hand, decides to ask Joan to marry him.  And Dr. Morrison continues to get too involved with his patients.  When Joseph (Dan Hedaya), a construction worker dealing with random bouts of blindness, is told that he’ll have to quite job, Morrison calls out a fellow doctor being callous.  Good for Morrison!

The episode, a well-acted one that deftly mixed drama and comedy, ended with some unanswered questions.  Peter’s been arrested.  Is he gone for good?  And where is Kathy Martin?  And seriously, how did Dr. Westphall win that award!?

Live Tweet Alert: Join #FridayNightFlix for Rocky Balboa!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

As some of our regular readers undoubtedly know, I am involved in a few weekly watch parties.  On Twitter, I host #FridayNightFlix every Friday and I co-host #ScarySocial on Saturday.  On Mastodon, 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?  Rocky Balboa!

If you want to join us this Friday, just hop onto twitter, find Rocky Balboa on Prime, start the movie at 10 pm et, and use the #FridayNightFlix hashtag!  I’ll be there happily tweeting.  It’s a friendly group and welcoming of newcomers so don’t be shy.

See you there!

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special David Hess Edition

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

Today, we remember actor David Hess on his birthday.  It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 David Hess Films

The Last House On The Left (1972, dir by Wes Craven, DP: Victor Hurwitz)

Hitch-Hike (1977, dir by Pasquale Festa Campanile, DP:
Franco Di Giacomo and Giuseppe Ruzzolini)

The House On The Edge of the Park (1980, dir by Ruggero Deodato, DP: Sergio D’Offizi)

Body Count (1986, dir by Ruggero Deodato, DP: Emilio Loffredo)

Late Night Retro Television Review: Highway to Heaven 4.14 “Country Doctor”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Thursdays, I will be reviewing Highway to Heaven, which aired on NBC from 1984 to 1989.  The entire show is currently streaming on Tubi and several other services!

This week, Mark and Jonathan meet yet another grouchy old man.

Episode 4.14 “Country Doctor”

(Dir by Michael Landon, originally aired on January 13th, 1988)

Grouchy old Dr. Hudspeth (Roscoe Lee Browne) is getting older and his health is suffering but if he retires, who will take over his practice?  Jonathan and Mark come together to show Dr. Hudspeth the importance of having faith in other people and also how much everyone in the town has come to love him.

This episode was sentimental in the typical Highway to Heaven way.  Grouchy old man are always secretly saints on this show.  That said, this episode didn’t do much for me because the doctor was a little bit too grouchy.  That’s a polite way of saying that Roscoe Lee Browne yelled almost all of his line and never quite came across as being as great a doctor as he was supposed to be.  Browne wasn’t alone.  Everyone in this episode overacted, including Michael Landon and Victor French.  Considering how over-the-top the show tends to be with everyone delivering their lines normally, having people shout pushed the show over the edge.

In the end, this was Highway to Heaven on autopilot.

Retro Television Review: Decoy 1.4 “To Catch A Thief”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Thursdays, I will be reviewing Decoy, which aired in Syndication in 1957 and 1958.  The show can be viewed on Tubi!

This week, Casey investigates a case of insurance fraud.

Episode 1.4 “To Catch A Thief”

(Dir by Teddy Sills, originally aired on November 4th, 1957)

A thief and his girlfriend mug a business owner named Mr. Whitaker (John McGovern).  When the police capture the thief, Mr. Whitaker claims that more money was stolen from him than was recovered.  Casey is sent undercover to discover whether or not Whitaker is lying or if a cop actually skimmed the cash that they recovered.

Pretending to be the thief’s girlfriend, Casey approaches Mr. Whitaker and tries to blackmail him.  When Mr. Whitaker appears to be innocent, his secretary (Mary James) falls under suspicion.  Mr. Whitaker, however, is eventually exposed as trying to commit insurance fraud when he has a conversation with his secretary at the police headquarters.  Unfortunately, for him, the room was bugged.

This episode bothered me.  On the one hand, I didn’t want an innocent police officer to be suspended for stealing money that he didn’t steal.  On the other hand, having Casey go undercover as a blackmailer felt almost as if it verging on entrapment.  As well, I found it hard to understand why Mr. Whitaker would be fooled into thinking Casey was the one who had robbed him earlier.  Didn’t Mr. Whitaker see the people who mugged him?

This episode just didn’t work for me.

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Underground Cinema Edition

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films is all about letting the visuals do the talking.

Let’s hop in the cinematic time machine and take a trip to the distant past with these 4 shots from 4 independent films!

4 Shots From 4 Underground Films

David Holzman's Diary (1967, dir by Jim McBride)

David Holzman’s Diary (1967, dir by Jim McBride)

Eggshells (1969, dir by Tobe Hooper)

Eggshells (1969, dir by Tobe Hooper)

Late Night Retro Television Review: 1st & Ten 1.10 “Wine Time”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Wednesdays, I will be reviewing 1st and Ten, which aired in syndication from 1984 to 1991. The entire series is streaming on Tubi.

This week, it’s hard to win a game when you’re star players are in jail.

Episode 1.10 “Wine Time”

(Dir by Bruce Seth Green, originally aired on January 27th, 1985)

When the Bulls are cheated by a fake vineyard owner named Jacques St. George (Peter Elbling), Bubba and Jethro (Cliff Frazier) end up in prison for attacking him.  Jethro is surprised to discover that their cellmate is an old friend of his named Mike (Eddie Bell).  Mike wears a long blonde wig and a dress.  Jethro doesn’t know what to make of it.  Mike explains that he likes “dressing like this” and says it’s no different from how much Jethro enjoys playing football.

Meanwhile, Diane is desperate to get Bubba and Jethro out of jail in time for their next game.  She even goes to Arcola Brothers for help but, in the end, she decides that she can’t compromise her morals by accepting favors from gangsters.  The team plays with Jethro and Bubba.  The team loses.

Meanwhile, Dr. Death (Donald Gibb) and Otis (Tiny Lister), two defensive backs, go to the hospital and threaten to toss Jacques out of a window until he agrees to drop the charges.

This episode actually had a few amusing moments, mostly due to the performances of Gibb and Lister.  I appreciated the fact that the team lost the game as opposed to pulling off some sort of last minute miracle.  Diane refused to compromise her principles and that’s a good thing.  But her solution was still basically to allow Dr. Death and Otis to threaten to kill a guy.  This episode sent some very mixed messages.

I will say this.  Michael V. Gazzo’s performance as Sal Arcola is one of the few things that I consistently enjoy about this show.  A playwright, Gazzo had a pretty good side career going as a movie and television mobster.  He’ll always be best remembered for playing Frankie in The Godfather, Part II.  1st & Ten is no Godfather but Gazzo is always entertaining.

Retro Television Review: The Love Boat 6.17 “Gopher’s Daisy/Our Son, The Lawyer/Salvaged Romance”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Wednesdays, I will be reviewing the original Love Boat, which aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986!  The series can be streamed on Paramount Plus!

Come aboard!  Love is life’s sweetest reward….

Episode 6.17 “Gopher’s Daisy/Our Son, The Lawyer/Salvaged Romance”

(Dir by Richard Kinon, originally aired on January 29th, 1983)

Gopher has a new exercise machine but only he and the Captain know about it.  All through the cruise, Gopher and Stubing disappear into Gopher’s cabin, put out the “Do Not Disturb” sign and then groan and moan while using the exercise machine.

At the same, the ship has a stowaway.  As a part of her sorority initiation, Jennifer Canfield (Chanelle Lea) has to take a cruise without paying for it.  (That’s an odd initiation ritual.)  Having figured out Gopher’s schedule, Jennifer secretly stays in his room whenever he’s doing his duties.  Julie and Isaac both spot Jennifer sneaking in and out of Gopher’s cabin and they quickly decide that both Gopher and Stubing must have brought her aboard to be their — what?  Their personal sex slave?  That seems to be the implication.  Strangely, neither Isaac nor Julie seem to be too upset about that implication.  Julie has a cocaine problem so I guess I can understand her attitude but Isaac …. well, I expect more from Isaac.

Eventually, Jennifer is caught.  Instead of having her arrested, the Captain allows Julie and Isaac to pay for Jennifer’s fare on the boat.  So, does this mean that Jennifer’s not going to be allowed to join the sorority?

(Myself, I’m just considering the amount of people who have stowed away on the Love Boat over the past few seasons.  Seriously, taking a cruise without paying for it appears to be the easiest thing in the world.)

Meanwhile, James Coco and Doris Roberts play Harriet and Lou, a married couple who board the boat with their son, Jonathan (Adam Arkin).  Now that Jonathan has graduated law school and passed the bar, he thinks that it might be time for him to move into a place of his own.  Harriet is so traumatized at the thought of Jonathan moving out that she demands a divorce from Lou.  Both Harriet and Lou want to be represented by Jonathan.  Run, Jonathan, run!  In the end, the marriage is saved and everything get worked out but seriously, Jonathan needs to do more than just get an apartment of his own.  He needs to move to another state or maybe even another country.

(Also, in the past, there’s no way Julie would have ignored a handsome, single lawyer on the ship.  Unfortunately, Julie now seems to be more concerned with finding her next fix than finding a husband.)

Finally, Allison Newman (Joan Rivers) is a recently divorced woman who starts a tentative shipboard romance with passenger Max Glutovsky (Alex Rocco).  However, when Max tries teacher her how to play shuffleboard and puts his hands around her waist, Allison yells for him to leave her alone and runs away.  Max thinks that Allison is rejecting him because he’s not as rich as she is.  Max, you dumbass!  Allison has just had a mastectomy,  Her husband left her after the operation and now, she’s feeling insecure about getting close to anyone.  Of the three stories, the one worked the best, due to the performances of Rivers and Rocco.

The Rivers/Rocco story was effective.  The storyline with Roberts, Coco, and Arkin was rather shrill and left me feeling sorry for Adam Arkin’s character.  (Casting Doris Roberts as an overly possessive mother made this story feel like an unsuccessful dry run for Everybody Loves Raymond.)  Isaac and Julie thinking Gopher was sex fiend?  That was just silly.  In other words, this was a pretty uneven cruise.

Next week, hopefully things will look up with a two-hour episode set in Greece!

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Edgar G. Ulmer Edition

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

121 years ago, on this date, the great director Edgar G. Ulmer was born in what is today the Czech Republic.  It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Edger G. Ulmer Films

The Black Cat (1934, dir by Edgar G. Ulmer, DP: John J. Mescall)

Detour (1945, dir by Edgar G. Ulmer, DP: Benjamin H, Kline)

The Man From Planet X (1951, dir by Edgar G. Ulmer, DP: John L. Russell)

Beyond The Time Barrier (1960, dir by Edgar G. Ulmer, DP: Meredith Nicholson)

Late Night Retro Television Review: Pacific Blue 2.20 “Bad Company”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Tuesdays, I will be reviewing Pacific Blue, a cop show that aired from 1996 to 2000 on the USA Network!  It’s currently streaming everywhere, though I’m watching it on Tubi.

This week, Palermo is the peace maker.  *snicker*

Episode 2.20 “Bad Company”

(Dir by Corey Michael Eubanks, originally aired on April 6th, 1997)

In Santa Monica, there are two gangs.

One gang is group of white bikers.  The other gang is a group of black men who spend all of their time playing basketball.  The two groups hate each other but they all respect Lt. Palermo.  Palermo previously brokered a peace between the two group.  However, the peace is now threatened because someone has been tagging up both gang’s territories.  The two gangs are about to go to war, despite Palermo riding his bicycle all over town….

*snicker*

I’m sorry, I can’t help but laugh.  Listen, I know that gangs and gang culture are no laughing matter.  But this episode features angry gang meetings that are broken up by Palermo riding up on his bicycle and talking tough to everyone.  Palermo looks ridiculous with his shorts and his polo shirt and his Schwinn bicycle.  “Palermo’s the peace maker!”  What’s Palermo going to do if someone breaks the peace?  Chase him on his bicycle?

It turns out that a gun dealer (Daniel Quinn) is trying to kickstart his business by starting a gang war.  He’s not very good at his job because the gangs soon team up with the — *snicker* — bike patrol to him down.

Meanwhile, when Victor’s friend is killed after an underground fighting match by an associate of the gun dealer’s, Victor goes undercover to catch him.  Elvis (David Lander), the bike engineer who used to be a member of the regular cast, witnessed the murder and he finds himself being pursued by the gun dealer.  Don’t worry, Elvis!  The bike patrol is looking out for you!  Mixing the broad humor of David Lander’s performance as Elvis with a storyline about how gangs are destroying communities and getting innocent people killed was a decision that really didn’t pay off.  “Increase the peace and now laugh at this guy with an exaggerated accent.”

This episode was  a pretty good example of why Pacific Blue’s main weakness was always its premise. This episode featured a lot of scenes of the members of the bike patrol looking serious and barking out orders.  It’s hard to be intimidated by someone wearing shorts and riding a bicycle.

The title of this episode is Bad Company.  In the end, the truly bad company rode a Schwinn.