Today the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to Adam Sandler!
Here he is in 1996’s Happy Gilmore, learning how to put and shouting one of the defining lines of the 1990s.
Author Archives: Lisa Marie Bowman
Late Night Retro Television Review: CHiPs 4.12 “Home Fires Burning”
Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Mondays, I will be reviewing CHiPs, which ran on NBC from 1977 to 1983. The entire show is currently streaming on Prime!
It’s arson and basketball on CHiPs!
Episode 4.12 “Home Fires Burning”
(Dir by Charles Bail, originally aired on February 1st, 1981)
Two arsonists (David Hayward and Michael Cavanugh) are setting RVs on fire as a part of an insurance scam. One man (Jack Kruschen) who hires the arsonists is horrified when their carelessness leads to a security guard getting seriously injured. If the guard dies, the man is looking at serious jail time! (Luckily, the guard doesn’t die and apparently, everyone just forgets about sending his boss to jail.)
Luckily, Baker is there to help track the arsonists down. Ponch, on the other hand, is busy putting together a Highway Patrol basketball team. It’s hard not to notice how much time the Highway Patrol spends on stuff like basketball, dirt bike competitions, and drag car racing. Somehow, Ponch has gone from being the department’s screw-up to now being the guy who is automatically given all of the responsibility. It’s the Ponch Show and everyone knows it.
This episode was directed by veteran stuntman Charles Bail and it does have some spectacular stunts. (A car jumping through an exploding RV was my favorite.) And let’s be honest. I could sit here and spend hours talking about CHiPs became the Ponch Show during the fourth season and how the rest of the cast was underutilized. And I would be totally correct. But the stunts and the car crashes are the main appeal of this show and this episode featured several examples of each.
As such, this was a good episode.
Retro Television Review: Miami Vice 4.19 “Blood & Roses”
Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Mondays, I will be reviewing Miami Vice, which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989. The entire show can be purchased on Prime!
This week, Gina’s in trouble again!
Episode 4.19 “Blood & Roses”
(Dir by George Mendeluk, originally aired on April 1st, 1988)
Frank Mosca (Stanley Tucci) is back!
In case you’ve forgotten, Mosca was the villain from the fourth season premiere, Contempt of Court. That episode ended with Mosca getting away with everything. This episode finds him killing a rival drug lord (Michael Wincott) and trying to kill Crockett. Because Mosca knows who Crockett and Tubbs are, it falls on Gina to go undercover. This becomes yet another episode where Gina starts to fall for the bad guy and ends up having sex with the target of a Vice investigation. As often happens with these type of episodes, Gina ends up shooting Mosca to keep him from shooting Sonny. Mosca’s body plummets down an air shaft and it’s hard not to notice that Stanley Tucci has suddenly become a mannequin with painted hair.
Stanley Tucci gave a magnetic performance as the charismatic but evil Frank Mosca. Watching Tucci, it’s easy to see why the show brought him but Mosca was such a memorable character that it’s shame that he was given a standard Miami Vice death scene. Mosca deserved to go out with a bit more style. Saundra Santiago gave a good performance as Gina but it’s hard not to notice that every time she’s at the center of an episode, it’s pretty much the same basic plot. As a character, Gina deserved better than to constantly be used as a sex toy by every bad guy she went undercover to investigate.
Watching this episode, I found myself wondering if the show’s writers remembered that Crockett was supposed to be married. Between his jealousy over Gina getting close to Mosco and a scene where he and Gina shared a brief but intense kiss, it was hard not to notice that Crockett didn’t seem to be thinking about his wife. Perhaps this episode was originally meant to air earlier in the season, before Crockett’s somewhat improbable wedding. Who knows? It’s been a while since anyone asked Crockett about Caitlin. Maybe they got a quickie divorce offscreen.
This episode was typical of season 4. It was well-made but everything just felt a bit too familiar. to be effective.
Join #MondayMania For The Perfect Teacher!
Hi, everyone! Tonight, on twitter, I will be hosting one of my favorite films for #MondayMania! Join us for 2010’s The Perfect Teacher!
“I can be your dream …. or I can be your nightmare!” Words to live by!
You can find the movie on Prime and then you can join us on twitter at 9 pm central time! (That’s 10 pm for you folks on the East Coast.) See you then!
Monday Live Tweet Alert: Join Us for American Samurai!
As some of our regular readers undoubtedly know, I am involved in hosting a few weekly live tweets on twitter and occasion ally Mastodon. I host #FridayNightFlix every Friday, I co-host #ScarySocial on Saturday, and I am one of the five hosts of Mastodon’s #MondayActionMovie! Every week, we get together. We watch a movie. We snark our way through it.
Tonight, for #MondayActionMovie, the film will be American Samurai!
It should make for a night of fun viewing and I invite all of you to join in. If you want to join the live tweets, just hop onto Mastodon, pull up American Samurai on YouTube, start the movie at 8 pm et, and use the #MondayActionMovie hashtag!
Enjoy!
Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi: The Next Generation 1.4 “Eye of the Beholder”
Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Sunday, I will be reviewing the Canadian series, Degrassi: The Next Generation, which aired from 2001 to 2015! The series can be streamed on YouTube and Tubi.
This week, Emma meets Sean.
Episode 1.4 “Eye of the Beholder”
(Dir by Eleanore Lindo, originally aired on April 8th, 2002)
It’s time for the first Degrassi school dance of the year! Ashley is superexcited because she was able to talk Mr. Raditch into letting her throw a night dance. Unfortunately, that means that Manny’s parents will not allow her to go to the dance. With Toby and JT planning on staying at Toby’s to look at porn while Toby’s parents are out of the house, that means Emma will have to go to the dance all by herself! Emma is mad. Then again, Emma is always mad.
Meanwhile, a new student has shown up at school. He briefly went to the school last term but his family moved up north. Now, he’s back in Toronto and living with his brother and returning to Degrassi. He’s also having to repeat Grade 7, something that Jimmy mocks him for. He’s …. SEAN CAMERON!
Yes, this is the episode the introduces Daniel Clark as Sean Cameron. Sean would go on to become one the most important characters during the classic seasons of Degrassi: The Next Generation. A sensitive juvenile delinquent who alternated between being a brooding rebel and a petty criminal, Sean is best-remembered for eventually dating Emma Nelson but it’s often forgotten that he also dated the supercool Ellie Nash. I’ve always preferred Ellie/Sean to Emma/Sean but I’m getting ahead of myself. That’s all in the future.
What’s important for this episode is that Sean also goes to the dance by himself. And when Jimmy continues to give him a hard time, Sean grabs him and prepares to beat up on him like Kendrick Lamar preparing to drop another diss track. With Mr. Raditch approaching, Emma cools off the situation by asking Sean to dance.
In the episode’s other main storyline, Terri is shocked when Spinner asks her to the dance. Paige is shocked as well. With the overweight Terri feeling insecure (it’s her first date — ever!), Paige helps matters by telling Terri she should have some sherry to calm her nerves. Soon, Terri is drunk and, by the time she and Paige make it to the dance, she’s a giggly mess. Long story short: Terri gets sick after one dance with Spinner and, the next morning, it’s clear that Spinner is now dating Paige. This is another case where it’s hard to watch this storyline unfold without considering the future. Paige and Spinner are not only destined to become a classic Degrassi couple but, ultimately, Paige is going to become a better friend to Terri than Ashley ever was. Eventually, Terri will get her first boyfriend. Of course, he’s going to turn out to be a complete psycho who, after putting Terri in a coma, will end up shooting up the school in a totally separate episode and putting Jimmy in a wheelchair. Agck! Seriously, these students have no idea what’s waiting for them in the future.
Finally, Toby and JT get caught looking at porn. Toby’s parents then force them to look at more porn and discuss how it objectifies both men and women. When Toby tells Manny and Emma about it, Manny and Emma both chime in with “Losers.” Yep, that about sums it up.
The main problem with this episode is that I never really bought Spinner asking Terri to the dance. It’s not because Terri’s fat. (Spinner wasn’t exactly skinny himself in these early episodes.) Instead, it’s just that Spinner and Terri really didn’t have much chemistry. Even in this very early episode, Spinner and Paige just seemed to belong together. Still, the most important thing is that Sean Cameron has arrived and Degrassi will never be the same.
Scenes That I Love: The Puppet Scene From Deep Red
Today is a special day here at the Shattered Lens as we celebrate the birthday of Dario Argento!
Now, we’ve got a lot of Argento-related stuff scheduled for October so, for today, I’m just going to share one of the best scenes from one of my favorite Argento films, 1975’s Deep Red. This scene features what is seriously the creepiest puppet that I’ve ever seen.
4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Elia Kazan Edition
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!
116 years ago, on this date, Elia Kazan was born Istanbul. Kazan would go on to become a groundbreaking director, both for the stage and in movies. He would play a key role in turning both Marlon Brando and James Dean into stars and he made films, like Gentleman’s Agreement and A Face In The Crowd, that challenged the political pieties of the day. Of course, he also named names in front of HUAC, a decision that continues to be controversial to this day. Two of Kazan’s films — Gentleman’s Agreement and On The Waterfront — won the Oscar for Best Picture. A Streetcar Named Desire was widely expected to win before it was upset by An American In Paris. A Face In The Crowd is often cited as being one of the most prophetic films ever made. When Kazan was given an honorary Oscar in 1999, many in the auditorium refused to applaud but his influence as a filmmaker cannot be denied.
It’s time for….
4 Shots From 4 Elia Kazan Films
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951, dir by Elia Kazan, DP: Harry Stradling)
On The Waterfront (1954, dir by Elia Kazan, DP: Boris Kaufman)
East of Eden (1955, dir by Elia Kazan, DP: Ted D. McCord)
A Face In The Crowd (1957, dir by Elia Kazan, DP: Gayne Rescher and Harry Stradling)
Late Night Retro Television Review: Good Morning Miss Bliss 1.8 “The Boy Who Cried Rat”
Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Saturdays, I will be reviewing Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which ran on the Disney Channel from 1988 to 1989 before then moving to NBC and being renamed Saved By The Bell. The entire show is currently streaming on Prime!
This week, Zach takes up terrorism.
Episode 1.8 “The Boy Who Cried Rat”
(Dir by Gary Shimokawa, originally aired on February 11th, 1989)
Miss Bliss has been nominated for Indiana Teacher Of The Year because of course she has. Mr. Belding is super-excited. He is convinced that Miss Bliss’s Battle of the Eighth Grade Stars will put her over the top! What is the Battle of the Eighth Grade Stars? Miss Bliss wears silly costumes and asks historical questions. Miss Bliss can’t wait to be named Teacher of the Year.
Uh-oh, Zach Morris needs an extra week to study for his midterm so he can get the B that his father is requiring before he’ll take Zach on a ski vacation. Zach convinces Screech to set his two pet rats free in the school. As a result, the school is shut down for a week and the Best Teacher judge will not get to see Miss Bliss’s Battle of the Eighth Grade Stars. But when Zach hears that Miss Bliss is going to miss her chance to be Teacher of the Year, he feels guilty and confesses. Somehow, this leads to the school not being closed for a week. I mean, Screech was able to find one of his rats but the other one is still loose in the school. Zach confessing doesn’t change the fact that there’s still a rat infestation. Mr. Belding offers Zach and Screech a deal. If they act really enthusiastic during Miss Bliss’s Battle of the Eighth Grade Stars and they help Miss Bliss win the title of Teacher of the Year, Belding won’t give them detention. Zach agrees.
(Personally, I think it can be argued that Zach should have been expelled and that his behavior is evidence of a sociopathic personality but whatever. Miss Bliss is what matters here!)
Unfortunately, Zach and the class get too enthusiastic about the Battle of the Eighth Grade Stars. They’re so busy praising Miss Bliss that Miss Bliss fears that they’ve become distracted from studying for their midterms. Miss Bliss tells the judge that her number one concern has to be getting the kids ready for their test, not competing for a title.
So, of course, Miss Bliss wins the title.
More than any previous episode of Good Morning Miss Bliss, this episode felt like a typical installment of Saved By The Bell. Zach came up with a wacky scheme. Screech somehow got roped into it. And, in the end, no one faced any real consequences for their behavior. That said, this is also a typical Good Morning Miss Bliss episode in that Miss Bliss is again portrayed as being too good to be true and the entire school was portrayed as revolving around keeping her happy.
Personally, I don’t think Miss Bliss’s Battle of the Eighth Grade Stars was all that impressive. Teacher of the Year? STOP THE COUNT!
Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 8/31/25 — 9/6/25
Big Brother 27 (CBS, Paramount+, Pluto TV, 24/7)
Only one more month of this crap left! I’ve been writing about Big Brother, on an increasingly irregular basis, over at the Big Brother Blog. I’ll be happy when Survivor and The Amazing Race return.
The Dark Side of Comedy (Hulu)
I watched a few episodes of this show because I was bored. The Dustin Diamond episode was sad. You know what wasn’t sad? The Family Matters episode, in which the only two members of the cast willing to be interviewed complained endlessly about being overshadowed by Jaleel White. I mean, admittedly, if my big chance at stardom was short-circuited by Urkel, I’d probably be bitter too but still, there comes a time when you have stop whining.
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (Hulu)
I finished up the latest season. I have to admit that the trip to the dog track almost made me throw up, it got so (intentionally) disgusting. But no matter! Frank as the Golden Bachelor? Brilliant! Now, I want to see Dennis and Mac on The Amazing Race. Or maybe Charlie and Frank on The Amazing Race. Or Dee and …. well, she’d probably end up running alone. It would still make me laugh, though.
The Paper (Peacock)
From the creators of The Office …. oh, I really wanted to like this. And the show had its isolated funny moments but what it didn’t have were any characters who were, in any way, as interesting as the folks on The Office. The Paper mixed the format of The Office with the earnestness of Parks and Rec and I was pretty bored by the sixth episode. One thing that this show didn’t seem to get is that people could see themselves in The Office because everyone hates their job. Everyone could relate to Jim’s frustrations and Pam’s boredom. The Paper, on the other hand, is about people who love their job to an almost obnoxious extent and, as such, the characters just weren’t relatable. If anything they were kind of annoying. The show attempts to do a Jim-and-Pam thing with the characters played by Domhnall Gleeson and Chelsea Frei but it doesn’t work because 1) he’s her boss and 2) the two actors don’t really have much chemistry. Their scenes together felt forced. (I was happy to see Oscar Nunez again, if just because he brought so much needed cynicism to the show.) I’m a big admirer of producer Greg Daniels and the King of the Hill reboot was brilliant but, in this case, I think he overestimated that amount of nostalgia that people have for newspapers.
The Serial Killer’s Apprentice (HBOMax)
This documentary took a look at the disturbing life and crimes of Texas serial killer Dean Corll and it featured an interview with Elmer Henley, the young man who went from being Corll’s accomplice to eventually being Corll’s killer. Henley is still serving a life sentence. This documentary featured an interview with him and it made the mistake of featuring an actor playing the older Henley as he spoke on the phone in the jail. It’s an interesting story and I’m surprised that it hasn’t been turned into a cheap B-movie like so many other real-life serial killer tales have. That said, this documentary was a bit on the shallow side. Elmer Henley may have ultimately killed Corll but, before that, he helped Corll kill a lot of people. Henley is right where belongs, in prison for the rest of his life.
Through the Shattered Lens 