Author Archives: Lisa Marie Bowman

Retro Television Reviews: Linda (dir by Jack Smight)

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 Sundays, I will be reviewing the made-for-television movies that used to be a primetime mainstay.  Today’s film is 1973’s Linda!  It  can be viewed on YouTube!

If nothing else, Linda has a wonderfully opening.

Two couples are on the beach.  Paul Reston (Ed Nelson) is talking to Anne Braden (Mary-Robin Redd) about his troubled marriage and his plans to leave his wife.  Paul’s wife, Linda (Stella Stevens), is talking to Jeff Braden (John Saxon) and looking at the rifle that he’s just handed her.  It doesn’t take long to notice that Paul and Linda seem to be closer, respectively, to Anne and Jeff than to each other.

When Anne stands up and walks toward the ocean, Linda shoots her in the back.  When Jeff runs over to Anne’s body, Linda pulls the trigger again and Jeff collapses.  Stunned by his wife’s actions, Paul runs back to his car and drives into town to get the police.  (This is another one of those movies that could have only been made in the pre-smartphone era.)  When Paul and the police return, they find Anne’s body but Jeff and Linda are nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, Linda and Jeff come walking down the beach.  Jeff is carrying a bunch of fish and a fishing pole.  They look shocked when they see the police.  Then, when Jeff sees Anne’s body, he accuses Paul of killing her and attacks him.  Paul is arrested and taken to jail.

As I said, it’s a wonderful opening, full of twists and entertaining overemoting.  In fact, it’s so good that it’s difficult for the rest of the film to keep up.  After being charged with Anne’s murder, Paul hires a folksy attorney named Marshall Journeyman (John McIntire).  Unlike everyone else, Journeyman believes Paul’s story that he’s being framed by Jeff and Linda.  Journeyman sets out to prove that Paul is innocent.

Of course, the audience already know that Paul is innocent because the audience saw exactly what happened.  Watching the film, it was hard for me to not to feel that the story would have benefitted by a little more ambiguity as to whether or not Paul was a victim or if he truly was the delusional madman that both Linda and Jeff tried to paint him as being.  We know from the start what Jeff and Linda are doing so the only question really becomes how Journeyman is going to trick them into revealing the truth.  Unfortunately, even getting them to do that turns out to be a bit too easy.  The movie suggests that Journeyman is a brilliant investigator but, in the end, it all really just comes down to the villains not being very smart.

That said, the film’s cast does a good job.  Ed Nelson is sympathetic as the confused husband and John McIntire brings so much homespun charm to Journeyman that I got the feeling that this film was probably designed to be a pilot for a possible series.  Best of all, John Saxon and Stella Stevens play the scheming couple.  Saxon gets to wear a swimsuit and dramatically shout to the Heavens as he pretends to be shocked over Anne’s murder.  Stevens smirks at every question and accusation and appears to be having a great time playing an old school femme fatale.  The cast makes this movie worth it.

The Hollywood Critics Association Honors Everything!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

 

On February 24th, the Hollywood Critics Association announced their picks for the best of 2022!  You can see the nominees by clicking here and you can check out the winners below!

Best Picture
Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Director
Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Actress
Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Actor
Brendan Fraser – The Whale

Best Supporting Actress
Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Best Supporting Actor
Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Adapted Screenplay
Sarah Polley – Women Talking

Best Original Screenplay
Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Voice or Motion-Capture Performance
Jenny Slate in Marcel The Shell With Shoes On

Best Cast Ensemble
Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best First Feature
Charlotte Wells – Aftersun

Best Action Film
RRR

Best Comedy
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Best Horror Film
The Black Phone

Best Indie Film
Marcel The Shell With Shoes On

Best Animated Film
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Best Documentary Film
Good Night Oppy

Best International Film
RRR

Best Short Film
All Too Well: The Short Film

Best Original Song
RRR – “Naatu Naatu” performed by Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava

Best Stunts
RRR

The Minnesota Film Critics Alliance Honors Everything!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here are the winners from Minnesota!

Best Picture
“The Banshees of Inisherin” (RUNNER-UP)
“Everything Everywhere All At Once” (WINNER)
“The Fabelmans”
“Tár”
“Women Talking”

Best Director
Todd Field for “Tár” (RUNNER-UP)
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for “Everything Everywhere All At Once” (WINNER)
Martin McDonagh for “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Sarah Polley for “Women Talking”
Park Chan-Wook for “Decision to Leave”

Best Actor
Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in “Elvis” (WINNER)
Colin Farrell as Pádraic Súilleabháin in “The Banshees of Inisherin” (RUNNER-UP)
Brendan Fraser as Charlie in “The Whale”
Gabriel LaBelle as Samuel Fabelman in “The Fabelmans”
Paul Mescal as Calum in “Aftersun”

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tár in “Tár” (WINNER)
Viola Davis as General Nanisca in “The Woman King”
Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till in “Till”
Mia Goth as Pearl in “Pearl”
Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Quan Wang in “Everything Everywhere All At Once” (RUNNER-UP)

Best Supporting Actor
Paul Dano as Burt Fabelman in “The Fabelmans”
Brendan Gleeson as Colm Doherty in “The Banshees of Inisherin” (RUNNER-UP)
Brian Tyree Henry as James in “Causeway”
Barry Keoghan as Dominic Kearney in “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Ke Huy Quan as Waymond Wang in “Everything Everywhere All At Once” (WINNER)

Best Supporting Actress
Angela Bassett as Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (WINNER)
Jessie Buckley as Mariche in “Women Talking”
Kerry Condon as Siobhán Súilleabháin in “The Banshees of Inisherin” (RUNNER-UP)
Nina Hoss as Sharon Goodnow in “Tár”
Stephanie Hsu as Joy Wang in “Everything Everywhere All At Once”

Best Ensemble
“Babylon”
“The Banshees of Inisherin” (RUNNER-UP)
“Everything Everywhere All At Once”
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”
“Women Talking” (WINNER)

Best Screenplay
“The Banshees of Inisherin” by Martin McDonagh (WINNER)
“Everything Everywhere All At Once” by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (RUNNER-UP)
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” by Rian Johnson
“Tár” by Todd Field
“Women Talking” by Sarah Polley

Best Editing
“The Banshees of Inisherin”
“Everything Everywhere All At Once” (WINNER)
“Nope”
“Tár”
“Top Gun: Maverick” (RUNNER-UP)

Best Cinematography
“The Batman” (WINNER)
“Elvis”
“Nope” (RUNNER-UP)
“Tár”
“Top Gun: Maverick”

Best Music
“Babylon”
“The Banshees of Inisherin” (RUNNER-UP)
“The Batman” (WINNER)
“The Fabelmans”
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

Best Costume and Make-up
“Babylon” (WINNER)
“The Batman” (RUNNER-UP)
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
“Elvis”
“Everything Everywhere All At Once”

Best Production Design
“Avatar: The Way of Water”
“Babylon” (RUNNER-UP)
“The Batman”
“Elvis”
“Everything Everywhere All At Once” (WINNER)

Best Sound Work
“Avatar: The Way of Water”
“The Batman”
“Elvis”
“Nope” (RUNNER-UP)
“Top Gun: Maverick” (WINNER)

Best Special Effects
“Avatar: The Way of Water” (WINNER)
“The Batman”
“Everything Everywhere All At Once”
“Nope” (RUNNER-UP)
“Top Gun: Maverick”

Best Animated Feature
“Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood”
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” (RUNNER-UP)
“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” (WINNER
“Turning Red”

The NAACP Image Awards Honor Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The NAACP Image Awards were handed out last night.  You can find the nominees here and the winners below!

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Angela Bassett

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Motion Picture
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Will Smith – Emancipation (Apple)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Viola Davis – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Tenoch Huerta – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
The Inspection (A24)

Outstanding International Motion Picture
Bantú Mama (ARRAY)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture
Jalyn Hall – TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
Wendell & Wild (Netflix)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture
Keke Palmer – Lightyear (Walt Disney Studios)

Outstanding Short-Form (Live Action)

Dear Mama… (Film Independent)

Outstanding Short-Form (Animated)
More Than I Want To Remember (MTV Entertainment Studios)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)
Ericka Nicole Malone – Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (Hulu)

TELEVISION + STREAMING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Cedric The Entertainer – The Neighborhood (CBS)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Drama Series
P-Valley (Starz)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Nicco Annan – P-Valley (Starz)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 (FOX)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Cliff “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Loretta Devine – P-Valley (Starz)

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Morris Chestnut – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Keith David – From Scratch (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Nia Long – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)
ABC News 20/20 Michelle Obama: The Light We Carry, A Conversation with Robin Roberts (ABC)

Outstanding Talk Series
Sherri (Syndicated)

Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)
Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Children’s Program
Tab Time (YouTube Originals)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series)
Ja’Siah Young – Raising Dion (Netflix)

Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
Jennifer Hudson – The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)

Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
Tabitha Brown – Tab Time (YouTube Originals)

Outstanding Guest Performance
Glynn Turman – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Animated Series
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)
Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)

Outstanding Short Form Series – Comedy or Drama
Between The Scenes – The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Short Form Series or Special – Reality/Nonfiction
Daring Simone Biles (Snap)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

RECORDING CATEGORIES

Outstanding New Artist
Coco Jones – ICU (Def Jam Recordings)

Outstanding Male Artist
Chris Brown – Breezy (Deluxe) (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)

Outstanding Female Artist
Beyoncé – Renaissance (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album
Kingdom Book One – Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin (Tribl Records, Fo Yo Soul Recordings and RCA Inspiration)

Outstanding International Song
No Woman No Cry – Tems (Def Jam Recordings)

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album
Lift Me Up – Rihanna (Def Jam Recordings)

Outstanding Album
Renaissance – Beyoncé (Parkwood/Columbia Records)

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By – Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis and Dave Jordan (Hollywood Records)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song
Positive – Erica Campbell (My Block Inc.)

Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental
JID014 (Jazz is Dead) – Henry Franklin, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge

Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal
Legacy – Adam Blackstone (BASSic Black Entertainment Records / Anderson Music Group / Empire)

Outstanding Soul/R&B Song
Cuff It – Beyoncé (Columbia Record/Parkwood Entertainment)

Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song
Hotel Lobby – Quavo, Takeoff (Motown Records/Quality Control Music)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional)
Silk Sonic – Love’s Train (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary)
Chris Brown feat. Wizkid – Call Me Every Day (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)

DOCUMENTARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Documentary (Film)
Civil (Netflix)

Outstanding Documentary (Television)
Everything’s Gonna be All White (Showtime)

WRITING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Brittani Nichols – Abbott Elementary – “Student Transfer” (ABC)

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
Marissa Jo Cerar – Women of the Movement – “Episode 101” (ABC)

Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special
Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams – Entergalactic (Netflix)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture
Ryan Coogler – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

DIRECTING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Angela Barnes – Atlanta – “The Homeliest Little Horse” (FX)

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series
Giancarlo Esposito – Better Call Saul – “Axe and Grind” (AMC)

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special
Anton Cropper – Fantasy Football (Paramount+)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture
Gina Prince-Bythewood – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)
Reginald Hudlin – Sidney (Apple TV+)

LITERARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
Take My Hand – Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Penguin Random House)

Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction
Finding Me – Viola Davis (HarperCollins Publishers)

Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
Illustrated Black History: Honoring the Iconic and the Unseen – George McCalman (HarperCollins)

Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography
Scenes from My Life – Raphael G. Warnock (Penguin Random House)

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration – Tracey Lewis-Giggetts (Gallery/Simon and Schuster)

Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
To the Realization of Perfect Helplessness – Robin Coste Lewis (Alfred A. Knopf)

Outstanding Literary Work – Children
Stacey’s Remarkable Books – Stacey Abrams, Kitt Thomas (HarperCollins – Balzer + Bray)

Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
Cookies & Milk – Shawn Amos (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

PODCAST CATEGORIES

Outstanding News and Information Podcast
Beyond the Scenes – The Daily Show (Central Productions, LLC)

Outstanding Lifestyle/Self-Help Podcast
Therapy for Black Girls (Therapy for Black Girls)

Outstanding Society and Culture Podcast
LeVar Burton Reads (SiriusXM’s Stitcher Studios)

Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Podcast
Two Funny Mamas (Mocha Podcasts Network)

COSTUME DESIGN, MAKE-UP & HAIRSTYLING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Costume Design (Television or Film)
Ruth Carter – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Outstanding Make-up (Television or Film)
Debi Young, Sandra Linn, Ngozi Olandu Young, Gina Bateman – We Own This City (HBO Max)

Outstanding Hairstyling (Television or Film)
Camille Friend – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

OUTSTANDING SOCIAL MEDIA PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
@KevOnStage – Kevin Fredericks

The Producers Guild Honors Everything

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Yesterday, the Producers Guild announced its picks for the best films and television shows of 2022.  With Everything Everywhere All At Once winning both her and with the Directors Guild, it’s perhaps time to admit that its victory at the Oscars in two weeks is feeling a bit like a done deal.

Here are the PGA winners:

The Award For Outstanding Producer Of A Feature Theatrical Motion Picture
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Banshees of Inisherin
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick
The Whale

The Award For Outstanding Producer Of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Minions: The Rise of Gru
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Turning Red

The Award For Outstanding Producer Of Documentary Motion Pictures 
All That Breathes
Descendant
Fire of Love
Navalny
Nothing Compares
Retrograde
The Territory

Norman Felton Award For Outstanding Producer Of Episodic Television – Drama
Andor
Better Call Saul
Ozark
Severance
The White Lotus

Danny Thomas Award For Outstanding Producer Of Episodic Television – Comedy
Abbott Elementary
Barry
The Bear
Hacks
Only Murders in the Building

Award For Outstanding Producer Of Limited Or Anthology Series Television
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
The Dropout
Inventing Anna
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Pam & Tommy

Award For Outstanding Producer Of Non-Fiction Television
30 for 30
60 Minutes
George Carlin’s American Dream
Lucy and Desi
Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy

Award For Outstanding Producer Of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Saturday Night Live

Award For Outstanding Producer Of Game & Competition Television
The Amazing Race
Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars
Top Chef
The Voice

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 2/19/23 — 2/25/23

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

With this being the week of Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday, I didn’t watch much but I did watch some.  And here are my thoughts!

Abbott Elementary (Wednesday Night, ABC)

PESCA …. PESCA …. PESCA …. I’m not really a fan of the whole “the charter school is coming for us!” storyline but I do love the Gregory/Janine storyline.  Some of Tyler James Williams’s line deliveries made me laugh so hard that I nearly fell out of my chair while watching this week’s episode.

Animal Control (Thursday Night, FOX)

I like Joel McHale and I really like animals so I was hoping that I would really, really like this new sitcom but …. eh.  The first two episodes just didn’t work for me.  As tired as I am of the whole mockumentary format, I do kind of feel that maybe that was the approach that should have been taken with Animal Control.  Right now, the show just feels a bit forced and awkward and the frequent lowbrow humor feels cheap.  Despite the presence of McHale, this is definitely not Community.  I did laugh when the weasel set that guy’s house on fire, though.

The Brady Bunch Hour (YouTube)

I wrote about The Brady Bunch Hour here!

California Dreams (YouTube)

Here’s this week’s review.

City Guys (Tubi)

Here’s this week’s review!

Fantasy Island (Tubi)

Here’s this week’s review!

Law & Order (Thursday Night, NBC)

I watched last week’s episode of Law & Order on Monday night.  It dealt with a shooting at a nightclub.  The shooter was stalking his ex-girlfriend but the majority of the episode dealt with the cop who responded to the 911 call and who froze and sat in his police car for 3 minutes before entering the club.  Obviously, this was meant to remind the viewers of both the cowardly deputy at the Parkland shooting and the cops who stayed outside of the classroom in Uvalde.  The show had sympathy for the cowardly cop.  I did not, just like I didn’t have any sympathy for Scott Israel’s deputies.  This was another episode that ended with Price getting his conviction but still getting punched outside the court because all of the bad publicity led to the cowardly cop committing suicide.  Again, the show attempted to put the blame on the tabloid press.  Myself, I put the blame on the cop who let others die.

As for this week’s episode, it dealt with race as Detective Shaw filed a report on two cops who profiled him at a crime scene while the show’s defendant was a real estate guy who was spreading rumors about mostly black criminals in order to run down property values.  This was one of those episodes where the person on trial was definitely a bad guy and he was probably guilty but I still didn’t think Price proved the case beyond a reasonable doubt.  I think the Law & Order revival would benefit from occasionally admitting that even a good prosecutor can lose a weak case.  It would make the show a bit more realistic.  At this point, Price is apparently the greatest prosecutor who has ever lived because he has a 99% success rate despite the majority of his cases being noticeably weak.

What’s interesting is that, after basically spending a season and a half as a self-righteous loose cannon who did things like prosecute a pharmaceutical firm just to get revenge for his brother’s unrelated death, Price is now being portrayed as being a pragmatist while the cops are now the social justice warriors.  Of course, who knows?  The next episode could find Price once again tilting at windmills and Cosgrove once again acting like a reactionary.  Narrative consistency is not one of this show’s strengths.

The Love Boat (Paramount Plus)

I wrote about The Love Boat here!

Night Court (Tuesday Night, NBC)

When Abby’s train is delayed, she annoys all of the other passengers with her upbeat personality.  I have no idea to whom this show is meant to appeal.  The only reason I watched it is because I needed to have something in the background for thirty minutes while I did some dusting.

Retro Television Reviews: California Dreams 4.3 “Principal Tiffani” and 4.4 “The Dateless Game”

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 Saturdays, I will be reviewing California Dreams, which ran on NBC from 1992 to 1996.  The entire show is currently streaming on YouTube!

Surf dudes with attitudes….

Episode 4.3 “Principal Tiffani”

(Dir by Don Barnhart, originally aired on September 30th, 1995)

Earl Boen returns as Principal Blumford!  The last two times that Blumford appeared, he was given dialogue that deliberately harkened back to his days of appearing in the first two Terminator films.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen here but Principal Tiffani is still an important Blumford episode because this is the episode where it becomes clear that Tiffani and Blumford are having a secret affair.

Seriously, how else do you explain Blumford’s decision to appoint Tiffani to the role of “student principal?”  In fact, I’m not even sure that there is such a thing as the student principal program, despite the fact that both Saved By The Bell and California Dreams did episodes about it.  It just doesn’t make any sense.  Why would a student be put in charge of the school for a week?  In this episode, Blumford not only names Tiffani as student principal but he also expects her to run the school during mid-terms week.  I mean, shouldn’t Tiffani be studying for her mid-terms?  And why make Tiffani principal as opposed to someone who actually wants the job?

I think we all know the answer.

At first, Tiffani struggles with her new position.  No one will listen to her.  Then her other boyfriend, Jake, gives her a lesson in how to yell at people.  Tiffani takes his lessons to heart and goes mad with power, handing out detentions and forcing troublemakers to stand in the corner of her office in time-out.  Eventually, the entire school rebels and, on cut day, Tiffani discovers that the halls are completely deserted.

The entire school goes to Sharky’s, of course.  The Dreams, minus Tiffani, perform.  I imagine there’s nothing better than getting hired for a sweet cut day gig.  Eventually, Tiffani and Blumford show up at Sharky’s but Tiffani has learned to not be such a martinet so she lies and says that students had her permission to go to Sharky’s.  She then orders all of them to start studying, which they do.

Blumford pretends to fooled by Tiffani but, obviously, he knows what’s really going on.  Technically, Blumford could have gotten in trouble for giving an important role like student principal to someone who was obviously unqualified for the job but the hearts wants what the heart wants.

This was a very romantic episode.

Episode 4.4 “The Dateless Game”

(Dir by Don Barnhart, originally aired on October 7th, 1995)

Speaking of romance, it’s time for Jake and Tiffani’s first anniversary!  They’ve only been dating for 2 episodes but whatever.  Everyone acts like they’ve been together forever.  (Actually, Lorena specifically says that Tiffani and Jake have been a thing for 3 months.)

However, before Jake can celebrate their anniversary, he decides help Sly and Mark out with their plan to take part in a charity dating game.  When the third bachelor fails to show up for the event, Jake agrees to take the stage with Sly and Mark.  Of course, despite his best efforts to pretend to be a shallow burn-out, Jake wins and it turns out his date is scheduled for the night of his anniversary!  Instead of just coming clean to Tiffani, Jake attempts to go on both dates at the same time.  That was a pretty dumb idea on Jake’s part and it helps to explain why Tiffani has been cheating with Blumford.

Needless to say, Jake’s dumbass plan explodes in his face.  Fortunately, the Dreams know how to fix the situation,  They hold a dating game of their own so that Jake and Tiffani can see that they belong together.  Tony is the host and William James Jones totally throws himself into the performance.  For some reason, the fake dating game is held at Sharky’s.  As far as I could tell, no one was ordering food during the dating game.  If Sharky’s goes out of business, blame it on the Dreams and their constant drama.

These two episodes felt very much like they belonged more on Saved By The Bell than California Dreams but no matter!  This cast long ago proved that they had the chemistry necessary to transcend even mundane material and that’s certainly what happens here.  Jake and Tiffani forgive each other and the audiences says, “Awwww!’ but somewhere, Principal Blumford’s heart is breaking.

Live Tweet Alert: Watch Goodnight Mommy with #ScarySocial

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

 

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, for #ScarySocial, ArtAttackNYC will be hosting 2022’s Goodnight Mommy!

If you want to join us on Saturday night, just hop onto twitter, start the film at 9 pm et, and use the #ScarySocial hashtag!  The film is available on Prime.  I’ll be there co-hosting 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.

 

Music Video of the Day: Bath County by Wednesday (2023, dir by Karly Hartzman)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to the parts of the world that aren’t often featured in media.  Though I’m a city girl, I’ve got enough family living in the country that some of these places look very familiar to me.

Enjoy!