Another Halloween has come and gone and another Horrorthon has come to a close. We hope you have had a wonderful October and that the Thanksgiving month brings you much to be grateful for!
And remember, just because you didn’t see the Great Pumpkin this year, doesn’t mean that he won’t be there for you next October. As always, Linus puts it best:
To all of our readers and from all of your friends at the Shattered Lens, thank you.
Is it just me or was there a stunning lack of Halloween specials this year? This is the first time in 12 years that Toy Story of Terror wasn’t aired on television. And, of course, It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown has been an Apple TV exclusive for a while now.
It’s hard to explain why it bothers me so much. Maybe I just don’t like change. I know that all of the old Halloween specials that I enjoyed when I was younger can still be found streaming online. I can watch them anytime that I want. That’s not the point. When I was growing up, there was something really special about gathering in front of the television with my family to watch those specials, even though I had seen all of them before. They were an event. They were something to look forward to. The waiting and the knowing that everyone across the country would all be watching at the same time was part of what made them so special. Now that you can just watch them whenever you want, it doesn’t feel as special. There’s no anticipation. There’s no thrill of the moment when it finally starts. Worst of all, there’s no communal experience. I could watch It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown in November if I wanted to. I can watch A Charlie Brown Christmas Special in July.
I never thought I’d be sad over something like Toy Story of Terror not airing on television. (This year, we watched it on Disney+.) I am, though. The world has become a little less fun and we no longer have something that used to bring the people together as a community. I feel bad for a generation that’s never going to know the excitement of having to wait to see or get something instead of getting instant and empty gratification. I worry that people don’t care as much about holidays and traditions anymore. That’s a shame.
At least I’ll always have my holiday memories.
Abbott Elementary (ABC, Wednesday Night)
Gregory throws a terrible party at his apartment. Mr. Johnson, Barbara, Melissa, and Ava go to the DMV to get their Real IDs. It’s been a while since I’ve laughed at hard at any show as I did while watching this week’s episode of Abbott. Even the things that I was previously getting tired of — like Gregory being socially awkward — once again made me laugh. Abbott Elementary occasionally gets a bit preachy for my tastes but when it work, it’s truly special.
By the way, in Texas, they just give you a Real ID when you renew your driver’s license. It’s pretty simple. I don’t know why the states up north decided to make it complicated for everyone.
Hell’s Kitchen (Thursday Night, FOX)
Poor Bradley. Chef Ramsay even gave him a pep talk and it still didn’t make him a better chef.
It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Apple TV)
On Thursday night, Erin and I did our annual viewing of this classic holiday special. You can read Erin’s thoughts here. Poor Charlie Brown. “I got a rock!”
Law & Order (Thursday Night, NBC)
This week, a murderer claimed diplomatic immunity. The White House demanded that the DA drop the charges because it had a weapons deal with the UAE. Maroun was not present and was not missed. Price and Baxter spent the entire episode giving each other strained looks of sympathy. Both Price and Baxter are such boring characters that I sometimes struggled to remember which is which. Hugh Dancy and Tony Goldwyn are both totally wasted by this show.
Night Flight (Night Flight+)
On Friday, I watched a “video profile” of musician Annie Lennox. The music was great.
Rogue’s Gallery (Night Flight+)
On Friday night, I watched a documentary on Al Capone. Now that’s crime with style!
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test (Thursday Night, FOX)
Much as with last week, I found myself wondering why anyone not in the Army would put up with being yelled at for 24 hours a day. I would have walked off the set after an hour.
Toy Story of Terror (Disney+)
Erin wrote about Toy Story of Terror here!
The Vanishing Shadow (NightFlight+)
This old timey serial about the battle for possession of an invisibility ray continued. It was fun in a 1930s sort of way!
Last Sunday, I took part in one of my favorite October traditions and I watched It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown with my sister, Erin. I always enjoy watching these old Peanuts specials with my sister. It’s been a part of our holiday tradition for as long as I can remember. You can read Erin’s thoughts on the Great Pumpkin here.
I watched the latest episode of American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez. This week, Aaron murdered Odin Lloyd. This was the crime for which Hernandez was arrested and eventually sent to prison. You would think that this would have been a major episode of the show but it was actually pretty meh. Who cares? Everything that this show had to say about Aaron Hernandez and his crimes was said several episodes ago.
I enjoyed the latest episode of Hell’s Kitchen on Thursday. The Blue Team is finally getting it together. Chef Ramsay is being a bit nicer than usual this season but he’s still entertaining. I actually kind of like it when Ramsay’s nice. One gets the feeling that he really does want everyone to reach their full potential.
How did I not know that Dr. Phil started his own television network? On Friday, I came across it while looking for something to watch in the afternoon. I ended up watching two episodes of Jail. Usually, the cops and guards on Jail get on my nerves but, in these two episodes, they actually did a pretty good job and treated everyone with a modicum of respect.
On Friday night, I watched two episodes of Night Flight. It was all about 80s music and 80s films. I enjoyed them.
Today, I watched an old episode of Dragnet from 1970. Sgt. Joe Friday (Jack Webb) was enrolled in night school. An anti-cop professor tried to kick him out of class. Fortunately, one of Joe’s classmates was an attorney and threatened to sue the college on Joe’s behalf.
As far as my retro television reviews are concerned, I finished up T&T finally. I also watched and reviewed Friday the 13th, Welcome Back, Kotter, and Check It Out. Welcome Back, Kotter is no longer on Tubi so I had two bucks to watch this week’s episode on Prime. Welcome Back, Kotter’s later seasons are far more tolerable when you can view them for free.
Horrorthon is over! I’ve got a lot of television to get caught up on, starting this upcoming week. Apparently, I’m being given an extra hour to do so. That was nice of whoever’s in charge of all that.
Another Halloween has come and gone and another Horrorthon has come to a close. We hope you have had a wonderful October and that the Thanksgiving month brings you much to be grateful for!
And remember, just because you didn’t see the Great Pumpkin this year, doesn’t mean that he won’t be there for you next October. As always, Linus puts it best:
To all of our readers and from all of your friends at the Shattered Lens, thank you.
This scene is from It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! It’s a crime that this wonderful and sweet animated special is no longer aired during the holidays. No wonder the Great Pumpkin hasn’t been seen this year!
What I love about this scene is that you can actually see the rock getting tossed into Charlie Brown’s bag while all of the other trick-or-treaters got candy. Everyone in the neighborhood knows which ghost is Charlie Brown and they’ve all decided to give him rocks!
Poor Charlie Brown!
Another Halloween has come and gone and another Horrorthon has come to a close. We hope you have had a wonderful October and that the Thanksgiving month brings you much to be grateful for!
And remember, just because you didn’t see the Great Pumpkin this year, doesn’t mean that he won’t be there for you next October. As always, Linus puts it best:
To all of our readers and from all of your friends at the Shattered Lens, thank you.
I’ve got so much stuff piling up on the DVR. I’ll get caught up on it all in November!
Big Brother (24/7, CBS and Paramount Plus)
I wrote about this stupid show over at the Reality TV Chat Blog! I will be so happy when this season is over. Every day, I pray for the cancellation of this show.
Check It Out! (Tubi)
I watched the fourth episode of Check It Out! on Friday. My review will drop in a few hours.
Degrassi Junior High (YouTube)
I wrote about Degrassi Junior High here!
Dragnet (Weekday Morning, MeTV)
I woke up early enough on Monday that, when I turned on television, I found myself watching the episode of Dragnet where Joe Friday served on a review board that was investigating whether a police officer had failed to properly identity himself. It was not one of the more interesting episodes of Dragnet.
Dr. Phil (YouTube)
On Sunday, I watched an episode of Dr. Phil in which Phil interviewed a woman who shaved her head and faked having cancer. The woman said that she felt very guilty. Dr. Phil didn’t buy it.
On Tuesday morning, I watched Dr. Phil talk to a woman who was in an abusive marriage with a total jerk. Dr. Phil called the jerk a “loud-mouthed bully” but it didn’t really seem to do much good. Later, on Tuesday evening, I watched an episode about an out-of-control teen named Taylor. Phil yelled at the parents but he didn’t seem to do much good for Taylor.
On Saturday night, I watched an episode about a disastrous wedding that was still tearing a family apart. Seriously, it was a really bad wedding. I think the only solution was for the wife to get a divorce. “Wow,” Dr. Phil said, in his condescending way.
Gun (Tubi)
Highway to Heaven (Tubi)
I wrote about Highway to Heaven here!
The Hitchhiker (YouTube)
I watched several episodes of The Hitchhiker this week, while choosing which ones to feature on the site. It was a bit of an uneven show but, when it worked, it worked. I loved Page Fletcher’s super-judgmental monologues.
It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Apple TV+)
Erin and I watched this classic on Thursday. Read Erin’s’ thoughts on it here!
Jennifer Slept Here (YouTube)
I wrote about Jennifer Slept Here here!
The Love Boat (Paramount Plus)
I wrote about The Love Boat here!
Nightmare Café (YouTube)
I wrote about Nightmare Café here!
T and T (Tubi)
Toy Story Of Terror (Disney Plus)
Erin and I watched this on Thursday, after we watched It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. I love the toys! This isn’t their best adventure but it’s still nice to see and hear everyone again.
The Vanishing Shadow (Night Flight Plus)
I watched Chapter Three of this serial on Friday night. In this episode, the invisibility ray was used.
Welcome Back Kotter (Tubi)
I reviewed Welcome Back Kotter here!
Yes Prime Minister (Monday Morning, PBS)
A member of Jim’s cabinet had a plan that he felt would help the economy and reduce unemployment. Sir Humphrey felt that the cabinet member was a pointless radical and encouraged Jim to ignore him. This episode featured one of my favorite sources of humor on this show, Jim’s tendency to just agree with whoever last spoke to him. It feels like a very realistic portrait of the way governments work.
I’ve spent this week in a state of exhaustion as I’ve tried to physically and mentally recover from this year’s Horrorthon. Here’s a few thoughts on what I watched over the past seven days.
Abbott Elementary (Wednesday Night, ABC)
The commercial was amusing and I enjoyed the scene where everyone realized that the reason they had allowed the commercials to be filmed was because they had gotten used to being followed around by cameras. I enjoyed hearing about the shows that the characters happened to be watching when they saw the commercial. I’m not really sure that Abbott needs a supervillain, though.
The Amazing Race (Wednesday Night, CBS)
I wrote about the latest episode of The Amazing Race here!
Atlanta (Thursday Night, FX)
Al moved out to a farm and nearly got killed by a feral hog. Brian Tyree Henry’s reactions were priceless.
California Dreams (YouTube)
Surf dudes without attitude …. kinda groovy …. I watched a few episodes and wrote a few reviews that will be dropping over the course of the next few weeks. I’ll be glad to be done with season 2 because, as everyone knows, season 3 is when this show gets good.
City Guys (Tubi)
98 Degrees played Manny High and Chris dated a goth! You can read about it here.
Family Feud (Weekday afternoons, Buzzr)
On Monday, I watched two episodes of this deathless game show. They were both Halloween episodes from the 80s so everyone was wearing a costume. I have no idea who won. Survey says, “Didn’t much attention!”
Fantasy Island (Tubi)
I wrote about Fantasy Island and Leslie Nielsen here!
Ghost Whisperer (Hulu)
I watched an episode of my favorite guilty pleasure on Monday. Jennifer Love Hewitt helped Hillary Duff deal with a ghost. Meanwhile, Melinda’s dead husband continued to hang out in someone else’s body. That was a weird season.
Hang Time (YouTube)
I watched a few episodes of Hang Time yesterday and today and I wrote and scheduled reviews for all of them. Keep an eye out on Monday.
Highway to Heaven (YouTube)
I shared this episode on Monday. Jonathan battled the devil for Mark’s soul.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Hulu)
I watched the episode in Sunday in which Mac and Dennis tried to create an economy based on Paddy Bucks. Meanwhile, Frank chopped off a finger while trying to sale knives. I fell off the couch laughing.
It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (Apple TV+)
Erin and I watched this classic on Sunday. It’s a part of our Halloween tradition. A few years ago, Erin wrote about this special and why it continues to appeal to us.
King of the Hill (Hulu)
I watched two episodes on Monday. The first was the episode where Hank fights for the right to trick or treat. The second was one of my favorites, in which Bobby buys a pack of Tarot cards and accidentally joins a coven.
Law & Order (Thursday Night, NBC)
A fashion designer is murdered while crime spirals out of control in New York. This was actually a pretty good episode, even if the mystery itself was rather routine. It was an episode that acknowledged just how powerless people feel in the face of America’s current crime wave and it put the blame squarely on our elected officials.
The Love Boat (Paramount Plus)
I wrote about my latest voyage here.
Night Flight (NightFlight+)
I watched an episode of this entertainment news show from 1992. The show contained a profile of Bruce Springsteen, some footage of Duke Ellington performing, and then a few comedic shorts featuring Charlie Chaplin, W.C. Fields, and others.
The Office (Peacock)
On Halloween, I watched the first Halloween episode. Imagine how different the series would have been if Michael had fired Creed instead of Devin.
One World (Tubi)
I binged the entirety of this show on Thursday and Friday. Here are my thoughts on two episodes.
Saved By The Bell (Hulu)
Zach and the gang went on a mystery weekend! It’s about as close as this show ever got to a Halloween episode so I watched it on Halloween. Even when Zach thought people were actually being murdered, he seemed oddly unconcerned.
Survivor (Wednesday Night, CBS)
I wrote about the latest episode of Survivor here!
Toy Story of Terror (Sunday Night, ABC)
I watch this special every year. I have to admit that it’s never quite as good as I seem to remember it being but, that said, how can you not love the toys?
Another Halloween has come and gone and with it, another Horrorthon. We hope you have had a wonderful October and that your November brings you much to be thankful for!
And remember, just because you didn’t see the Great Pumpkin this year, doesn’t mean that he won’t be there for you next October. I think Linus can explain it best:
To all of our readers and from all of your friends at the Shattered Lens, thank you.
Through the Shattered Lens 