Late Night Retro Television Review: 1st & Ten 5.7 “Blood Money”

Posted on October 14, 2026 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, Lawrence Taylor returns!

Episode 5.7 “Blood Money”

(Dir by Stan Lathan, originally aired on November 22nd, 1989)

Last season, Tombstone Packer (Lawrence Taylor) was introduced as a cocky linebacker from Arizona who bragged about how he was going to injure the Bulls’s quarterback. At the start of this week’s episode, it revealed that Tombstone is now playing for the Bulls but he’s still up to his old tricks. He leads the league in sacks and interceptions and he’s known for injuring quarterbacks.

Why is he injuring quarterbacks? It turns out that Michael Westwood is paying the linebackers bonuses for injuring players. However, when Westwood tries to shortchange Tombstone because he didn’t take out Texas’s quarterback until the final play of the game, Tombstone gets angry. He goes to the bar and complains to another drinker about not getting his money. That other drinker is McCarthy (Fredric Cook), a formerly great journalist who is now an alcoholic and desperate for either money or a story. He secretly records his conversation with Tombstone.

The next day, McCarthy shows up in the office of TD Parker (OJ Simpson). He tells TD that he’s going to release the story about Tombstone getting paid to injure quarterbacks unless the Bulls pay him $100,000. TD says that he needs time to talk to Westwood and Kristy before agreeing to pay that much money. McCarthy gives him three hours.

However, McCarthy also sends the details about the story to “The Sports Page.” Rumors starts to circulate. TD and Kristy go on a sports show and deny that anyone is getting paid an injury bonus. Meanwhile, Westwood confronts McCarthy and pays him $25,000 for the incriminating tape.

Without the tape, the story is dead. During the next game, Tombstone injures another quarterback and smiles about it.

Wow, what a dark episode. That said, it perhaps would have been more effective if Lawrence Taylor was capable of delivering his lines without looking straight at the camera. As I mentioned back when I was reviewing Hang Time, it’s always easy to tell when a professional athlete has been cast on a show because he inevitably ends up giving the worst performance. Taylor was a professional football player. If being a bad actor makes you a good athlete, then Taylor must have been one of the best on the field.

Actually, it’s not just Lawrence Taylor who gives a bad performance in this episode. Fredric Cook isn’t particularly effective as the drunken McCarthy. As for OJ Simpson, he delivers his lines with the bland, forced earnestness that epitomized his career as an actor. He talks a lot and you don’t believe a word he says.

This episode probably plays a bit different today than it did in 1989. Today, we know enough about concussions that it’s a bit disturbing to see Tombstone laughing about giving one to a quarterback. OJ says that the Bulls play “rough” but they also play “clean.” I have no idea what that means.

Bonus Horror On TV: Degrassi of the Dead

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Hey, remember that time in 2007 when all the students at Toronto’s Degrassi Community School were turned into zombies? This 10 minute episode of Degrassi Minis takes a non-canonical look at what would happen to everyone’s favorite Canadian high school if there was a zombie apocalypse!

(By the way, this was made in 2007, long before the premiere of The Walking Dead.)

Enjoy watching Drake turn into a zombie!

Retro Television Review: The Love Boat 8.16 “Instinct/Unmade for Each Other/BOS”

Posted on October 14, 2026 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!

This week, Janet Leigh boards the boat and probably ends up wishing she hadn’t.

Episode 8.16 “Instinct/Unmade for Each Other/BOS”

(Dir by Richard Kinon, originally aired on January 5th, 1985)

Leslie (Vic Tayback) pays money to a computer dating service and is told to meet his date Shelley in the lobby of the Pacific Princess.

Shelley (Conrad Bain) also pay money to the same computer dating service and he is also told to meet his date on the Pacific Princess. The name of his date? Leslie.

Uh-oh! There’s been a mistake! At first, the plain-spoken Leslie and the fussy Shelley just laugh it off and agree to enjoy the cruise. But then they both fall for Joan Phillipps (Janet Leigh). Joan tells both men that she loves them because she’s enjoying the attention. Eventually, Leslie learns that Joan has been making fun of him behind his back and Shelley discover that Joan has been doing the same thing to him. Leslie and Shelley agree to be friends and hit the New Yok singles scene together.

Uhmm …. okay, then. The main problem with this storyline was that it asked us to believe that Janet Leigh couldn’t do better than Vic Tayback and Conrad Bain.

Meanwhile, Emelyne Namackere (a very annoying Irlene Mandrell) boards the ship with the expectation that her long-distance boyfriend will be waiting for her. Instead, Neil Bonhoff (Bruce Penhall) shows up and introduces himself as a friend of Emelyne’s boyfriend. Neil explains that Emelyne’s boyfriend has gotten married and that he sent Neil in his place. Emelyne is upset but eventually she falls for Neil. She sleeps with Neil and then announces that she knows Neil is going to dump her because men don’t marry women who they don’t respect. (Yikes!) Neil responds by asking Emelyne to marry him. Emelyne says yes and then she discovers that Neil was lying about her boyfriend getting married. Sneaky Neil! But, as is so often the case on The Love Boat, Emelyne is eventually willing to overlook a history of sociopathic deception in the name of love.

Those stories were both pretty bad. Fortunately, the third story is a bit better. Isaac falls for Lynda Miles (Berlinda Tolbert), who is member of a New Age self-help movement called BOS. At first, Isaac just pretends to be into BOS to get Lynda to talk to him but soon, he becomes a believer. His new openness with his emotions makes his co-workers uncomfortable. It’s a very simple story but Ted Lange sells it. As for BOS itself, it sounds like a cult so I’m glad Isaac appears to be over it by the end of the episode.

This episode was pretty forgettable. Irlene Mandrell and Bruce Penhall had an amazing lack of chemistry and their story was almost painful to watch as a result. Janet Leigh deserved better.

Brad reviews WHEN MICHAEL CALLS (1972), featuring Michael Douglas!

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Bradley Crain

Today, I was browsing the “scary movie” titles on Amazon Prime when I came across SHATTERED SILENCE, with Michael Douglas featured prominently on the cover. Being a big fan of Douglas, I decided to investigate a little further. I went to my Internet Movie Database app on my phone, input “Shattered Silence,” and it pulled up the 1972 TV movie WHEN MICHAEL CALLS. The premise actually sounded interesting and creepy, and the running time was less than 90 minutes, so I thought I’d check it out.

Based on a 1967 book of the same name from author John Farris, the simple story focuses on Helen Connelly (Elizabeth Ashley), a woman who begins receiving telephone calls from her nephew, Michael. There’s just one problem… Michael died fifteen years ago! Even worse, Michael seems to know that bad things will happen to the people that Helen loves. When her loved ones start dying in horrific accidents, Helen reaches out to her surviving nephew, and Michael’s brother, Craig (Michael Douglas). Craig’s a therapist who tries to help her understand what’s really going on. What starts out seeming like a cruel prank turns into something much worse!

During the opening credits of WHEN MICHAEL CALLS, I was surprised to see that its screenplay was by James Bridges. Bridges was born in Paris, Arkansas, and he’d go on to write and direct movies like THE PAPER CHASE (1973), THE CHINA SYNDROME (1979), which also starred Michael Douglas, and URBAN COWBOY (1980). One of the reasons I really love Bridges is the fact that he wrote and directed the 1977 film SEPTEMBER 30, 1955, which was filmed in the Arkansas towns of Conway and Toad Suck, the very community I was raised in. Here, he crafts a creepy little story that makes good use of something as ordinary as a telephone to create a sense of dread. It’s a simple concept, but it’s darn effective.

The cast of this TV movie is very good, especially Elizabeth Ashley, who does most of the heavy lifting. Ben Gazzara (ANATOMY OF A MURDER, ROAD HOUSE) is also good as her estranged husband, but looking back now, the main attraction is “guest star” Michael Douglas as her therapist nephew who helps her deal with these crazy phone calls. It was a lot of fun seeing him this early in his career, even before THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO. Knowing the heights his stardom would eventually reach, the novelty of this appearance is all the more interesting.

At the end of the day, I enjoyed spending an hour and a half of my life with WHEN MICHAEL CALLS. It delivers a creepy little story, and I enjoyed seeing it through to its ending. I’m almost ashamed that I didn’t figure it out a little bit quicker, but I guess that’s all part of the fun. I won’t pretend it’s a masterpiece, but it is an effective television thriller, and I recommend it.

Looking Back, Short Film Review, by Case Wright

Posted on October 14, 2026 by casewright

When I watched this short, not only was I entertained, I was uplifted. The short reminded me of the positivity films Lisa reviews.

The short opens with a large husband, beautiful wife, and the husband finding a positive pregnancy test on his counter. I was waiting for the traditional revenge or betrayal story, but I got something totally different.

The wife says that the pregnancy test is her sister’s, but that he said that he was ok with not having kids. He feels disappointed that he won’t ever be dad and goes to his “car” to run errands. The husband goes to his electric car (ughhhh) and sees a “The Ring” like ghost in his rear camera. The man and the ghost take on a father/daughter relationship and it is … really sweet. If you’re looking for a reason to have kids, this hits that spot.

Horror On The Lens: Black Friday (dir by Arthur Lubin)

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

In today’s film, Boris Karloff plays a brain surgeon who makes the mistake of trying to save a friend’s life by performing an experimental procedure that involves combining bits of a gangster’s brain with the brain of an otherwise meek English professor. Bela Lugosi plays a rival mobster.

First released in 1940, Black Friday is an entertaining combination of sci-fi horror and gangster action. Originally, Lugosi was going to play the mad scientist and Karloff was going to play the mobster but Karloff, who felt he had been typecast as a villain, reportedly requested to be given the more sympathetic role. This noir-tinged fright flick was the last of the movies that Karloff and Lugosi would make together,

October Positivity: One More Round (dir by Chip Rossetti)

Posted on October 13, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

2015’s One More Round tells the story of Jack “The Jackhammer” Taylor (played by Tommy Lee Thomas).

Once upon a time, Jack Taylor was a big-time boxer, a contender to be worldwide champ. But eventually, he burned out on boxing. On the night of the “big fight,” he failed to show up. Now, he works at a furniture store. He spends most of his time sleeping and having dreams of the life he once had. When he makes a big sale, his boss tries to steal Jack’s commission. That’s not a good thing because Jack really needs that commission. His wife is getting frustrated with Jack’s inability to get his life together. His scheming mother-in-law all sorts of lies about him. Jack’s in trouble!

Finally, Jack does the one thing that he swore he would never do again. He returns to boxing. He steps into the gym that is owned by his uncle (Kevin Sorbo) and asks for another chance. He trains with Franco Turelli (Franco Columbu). He prepares for the fight against the fearsome B.A. Fontana (T.C. Stallings), a fighter who is so aggressive that he even takes a swing at a referee at one point. Throughout it all, Jack prays and feels that God is leading him back into the ring.

Along with Kevin Sorbo, there are some familiar faces in One More Round. Jeremy London appears as Brock Thornhill (now there’s a villainous name!), a man who courts Jack’s wife during their separation. Donald James Parker of Gramps Goes To College fame appears as one of Jack’s co-workers. It’s actually interesting to see Parker here because this is one of the few Donald James Parker performances in which he’s not playing a character who comes across as being super-aggressive and bitter. Instead, he just comes across as being a nice old man who reads the Bible and offers up spiritual advice. Parker’s character here comes across as who Parker was trying to play in Gramps Goes To College before that film became about Gramps telling off all the pointy-headed, liberal intellectuals who make up the academic world. This film features the nice version of Gramps!

That said, the majority of this movie is taken up with boxing. I actually like most boxing films. There’s something thrilling about watching two men punch each other until one of them collapses. I mean, it’s the type of thing to which I should probably object on humanitarian grounds but I can’t help myself. Boxing is (usually) exciting. The best boxing films present the fight as being modern-day gladiatorial combat. Unfortunately, the boxing scenes in One More Round aren’t particularly impressive. The low-budget is obvious as the film cuts from scenes inside the ring to shots of people in the audience, all pretending to be watching a boxing match. Neither one of the actors playing the boxers is particularly believable as a professional fighter.

In the end, I always have my doubts about any film that suggests that God picks sides when it comes to sports. I’d like to think that God would be like me and just hope that both teams have fun.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Pacific Blue 5.1 “Reckoning”

Posted on October 13, 2026 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, we start the fifth and final season of Pacific Blue.

Episode 5.1 “Reckoning”

(Dir by Terence H. Winkless, originally aired on July 18th, 1999)

The fifth season begins with an episode that, even by the standards of Pacific Blue, is problematic and dumb. Where to begin?

This episode picks up from where the fourth season ended. John Patrone is dead. Bruce Best (Kevin McClatchy), the father of a teenage girl who killed herself after being raped by Patrone, has been arrested for the crime. Bobby has been arrested for tossing the rifle that Patrone used in the harbor. Because Bobby discussed his plans with Granger, Jamie, and Monica, they’ve all been suspended from the force pending the results of an Internal Affairs investigation.

When Assistant District Attorney Tucker (Michelle Clunie) meets with Bobby and TC, Bobby does the usual smug act that all of the members of the bike patrol do whenever they’re in trouble. Bobby starts making demands for a deal that will protect the other three rookies. Tucker proceeds to charge Bobby with being an accessory to first degree murder. Ha! Take that, Bobby.

TC files a formal complaint against Susan Jessop of Internal Affairs, accusing her of sexual harassment and bias. Jessop is taken off the case but Jessop’s boss, Captain Sharp (Gretchen German), turns out to be just as strange as Jessop. (If I had to guess, I’d say that Holly Gaginer had some sort of scheduling conflict that kept her from returning as Jessop and the writers just crossed out Jessop’s name in the script and substitued Sharp’s.) TC is suspended from his command. Cory is named the new temporary commander of Pacific Blue. Cory is also the union rep for the three rookies who are being investigated. How can she both be in management and the union at the same time?

Chris gets mad at TC for getting suspended. She wants to transfer to Homicide and now, being married to him could be a career liability. They have a big argument on the pier. Cory, who really should be too busy running the department to get involved in any of this, sits on her bicycle on watches.

When it’s time for Bruce and Bobby to be taken to the courthouse for their arraignment, a man fires a shot at Bruce. Bruce falls to the ground. Oh wait, that’s not Bruce. That’s TC disguised at Bruce! And luckily, he was wearing a bulletproof vest! Patrone’s lawyer, Steve Plana (Eddie Garcia), is arrested for setting up the assassination attempt.

In the courtroom, veteran television producer Steven J. Cannell shows up as the no-nonsense judge. Tucker starts to call witnesses. Things aren’t looking good for Bobby and Bruce. Suddenly, Father Crane (John Kirby) stands up in the back of the court and announces that Bobby and Bruce are innocent. Father Crane first explains that he was the one who threw the rifle into the harbor. He says he did it after Bobby came to him for advice. Father Crane then goes on to say that he was the one who shot Patrone because that was the only way to stop Patrone’s reign of terror. Bobby and Bruce have been covering for him!

Bobby and Bruce are released and exonerated. Father Crane is convicted. TC later visits Crane in jail and says that he knows Crane is lying about both killing Patrone and tossing the rifle in the harbor. TC mentions that Crane is going to be transferred to a state prison where Patrone “had a lot of friends.” What TC, who has been reinstated as commander of Pacific Blue, does not do is apparently tell anyone that Crane is obviously not guilty. For his part, Crane says that it will be a chance for him to minister to those who really need it. You know, Father Crane, you could have just applied to be a prison chaplain. You didn’t have to confess to a murder you didn’t commit.

Bobby takes the recovered rifle and gives it back to Bruce. Bobby admits that Crane lied about tossing the gun. Bruce admits that he killed Patrone. Bobby says that he still feels like Bruce did the right thing. Bruce thanks Bobby for looking out for him. Hey, guys, there’s an innocent man — A PRIEST! — going to prison for you idiots! Is that somehow not an issue?

Chris tells TC that she knows Father Crane lied about being the murderer. She also says that she doesn’t feel like TC deserves his command. He let Bobby get away with destruction of evidence. He’s letting Bruce get away with murder. Finally, someone’s speaking some sense! Not that it matters. The episode ends with the conversation. Knowing Pacific Blue, I doubt any of this will ever be brought up again.

This episode really annoyed me. Father Crane is going to prison but I guess we’re not supposed to care because at least Bobby is off the hook. Does anyone on Pacific Blue ever take responsibility for their mistakes? This is the fourth episode to feature Jamie complaining about Internal Affairs harassing her because she lied on her application to become a police officer. Gee, Jamie — MAYBE YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE LIED IN THE FIRST PLACE! And now Bobby has basically decided that some murders are okay. Where does it end with these people?

At least this is the last season.

SOV Horror Review: Limbo (dir by Tina Krause)

Posted on October 13, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

In 1999’s Limbo, Katherine (Jessica Krause) is a young woman who lives in a city, perhaps in an abandoned warehouse. At night, she goes to the bar, where the regulars eye her with a mix of suspicion and lust. Sometimes, she takes someone home with her. Every night, she appears back at the bar and almost the same dialogue is repeated by those who see her. She takes someone home. She kills them… or does she? The waitress (Tina Krause, who also directed) appears at Katherine’s home. Voices are heard. Sped-up images are randomly spliced through the film. The camera tracks down empty hallways and through desolate alleys. Sometimes, the images are so dark that you can’t even make out what’s happening onscreen. Voices are heard, but it’s not always easy to tell who is speaking or why. The imagery becomes increasingly bizarre. Are we seeing the inside of Katherine’s head, or are we seeing something else? The viewer will have to decide that for themselves…

Actually, for all of the bizarre imagery and strange dialogue, it’s not that hard to figure out what’s happening with Katherine. The film itself is called Limbo, and the film’s final twist isn’t really a surprise. But I also think it’s fairly obvious that this is a film that’s more about visuals and style than anything else. The story is less about what happens and more about how it’s all visualized. The film plays out in a frenetic, dream-like fashion, with the dream sometimes crossing the line and becoming a nightmare. The film’s visual style captures the feeling of being overwhelmed by sensation and giving yourself over to the chaos of everyday life. The film doesn’t always make sense because it takes place in a world that doesn’t particularly make sense. I’ve read a few online reviews that have compared this film’s imagery with the work of David Lynch. I wouldn’t go that far. Lynch may have been a surrealist, but regardless of how odd his films got, there was always a feeling that he was in control and that each image reflected something he wanted to say. Limbo, on the other hand, always feels like it’s one scene away from spinning away from both the cast and the director. Occasionally, that’s kind of exciting.

In many ways, Limbo represents everything I like about SOV filmmaking. It’s a passion project, one made free from the constraints of having to please the biggest possible audience. The stark images capture the grunginess of life on the outskirts of society, and the imperfect sound design fits in perfectly with the bizarre visuals. It’s a film that keeps you off-balance. When Jessica walks along city streets, more than a few passersby stop to stare straight at the camera. It gives the entire production a raw authenticity. Director Tina Krause was herself a veteran of many SOV horror films. For her directorial debut, she took the SOV format to its logical, self-indulgent extreme. The resulting film is occasionally compelling, occasionally annoying, sometimes shallow, and sometimes insightful. It’s a chaotic mess, but it’s also the type of statement that could never be made by a mainstream studio. It’s Limbo.

October Hacks: Truth or Dare? — A Critical Madness (dir by Tim Ritter)

Posted on October 13, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The 1986 direct-to-video epic Truth or Dare tells the story of Mike Strauber (John Brace). One day, Mike came home from work and discovered his wife (Mary Fanaro) having sex with his best friend, Jerry (Bruce Gold). Needless to say, Mike is not happy about this development. Mike wanders aimlessly around town, thinking about his past with Sharon and also remembering a childhood game of Truth or Dare. (In the flashbacks, young Mike is played by AJ McLean, who would grow up to be a Backstreet Boy.) Mike considers suicide but, instead, he picks up a hitchhiker and then spends a while mutilating himself at her request.

This pretty much sets up the pattern that dominates the rest of the film. Mike mutilates himself and gets sent to a mental hospital. Mike gets released from the mental hospital and immediately does something that gets him sent back. Mike has hallucinations that lead to him mutilating more and more of himself. He cuts off his face and is soon walking around with a copper mask. Mike gets released due to overcrowding and budget cuts. Mike gets sent back to the asylum. Mike goes on a rampage. Eyes are poked out of their sockets, people are run over by Mike’s car, and—in the film’s most infamous scene—Mike drives around while holding a bloody chainsaw right out the driver’s side window. Surprisingly, people are more than willing to stand still and wait for Mike to reach them. This is definitely a case where maybe they shouldn’t have been so polite.

This is one of those independent horror films that wins points on the basis of pure audacity. One gets the feeling that writer/director Tim Ritter was eager to see just how far he could push things and things do indeed get pushed very far. At the same time, the film is so amateurish in its execution that it’s impossible to really get offended by it. Despite some decent self-mutilation effects, you never get the feeling that the movie is trying to trick you into thinking that you’re watching anything that could be considered realistic. It’s an elaborate and, at times, rather juvenile joke. It’s about as pure a film as you can get, one that was made with absolutely no consideration given to what most would consider to be in good taste. Films like this could never be made by a studio but they could be made by someone who had access to a video camera. That was the whole appeal of indie horror filmmaking.

That said, I should note that Tim Ritter has said that he was actually replaced a day into filming by producer Yale Wilson. So, how much of the film’s vision is due to Ritter and how much of it is due to Wilson is anyone’s guess. Tim Ritter was seventeen when he wrote and sold the script and 18 when the film went into production. He’s still making films to this day. The unique aesthetic of Tim Ritter lives on!