It’s Charles Bronson’s birthday so it only makes sense that today’s music video should be for a performance of the Ennio Morricone-composed theme of one of his best films.
Enjoy!
Tag Archives: review
Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi: The Next Genreation 1.12 “Wannabe”
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, we get a peek into Degrassi’s future.
Episode 1.12 “Wannabe”
(Dir by Laurie Lynd, originally aired on June 10th, 2002)
This week’s episode is a good example of Emma Nelson being the worst person possible.
Paige and Hazel (Andrea Lewis) are planning on relaunching the Degrassi Spirit Squad, with help of Oskar (Fielding Horan), a character who I’m pretty sure was never seen again after this season. Manny, a trained gymnast, wants to join the Spirit Squad and does a cartwheel in the school hallway for her audition. It looks like Manny is finally going find a life outside of being Emma’s supportive friend and….
Uh-oh, Emma looks mad.
Yes, Emma is angry again. She writes an editorial for the school newspaper, calling the Spirit Squad a sexist relic and saying that the only people interested in it are bimbos. For some reason, the newspaper runs the editorial, which leads me to suspect that they have no faculty sponsor.
Paige, Manny, and Hazel responds by grabbing every issue of the paper and ripping out Emma’s editorial. That is some of the funniest and most realistic high school behavior ever. However, the show expects for us to be as upset as Emma. No, I’m sorry. Emma’s editorial was out-of-line and was clearly written by someone who had a personal issue with Paige. (Never mind that Paige was the one who came to Emma’s rescue when Emma got her first period while wearing a white skirt….) A responsible editor wouldn’t have published it. If I said to Arleigh, “Hey, you know that former film blogger in Canada with whom I had that extremely petty argument 15 years ago? I’m going to write a surprise, 1,000-word post calling him a loser just because I’m in a bad mood,” Arleigh would rightfully suggest that I reconsider. Add to that, every editorial that Emma has written has sounded like scoldy crap but, during the first season at least, Emma was such a creator’s pet that we weren’t supposed to notice.
Mr. Simpson confronts Paige and Manny about vandalizing the Degrassi Grapevine. Paige says that she saw Hazel doing it. Manny realizes that Paige cannot be trusted! Paige tells Manny that she’ll be lucky to make the Spirit Squad unless she adjusts her attitude.
Of course, those of us who have seen Degrassi knew the future. Despite Emma’s whining, The Spirit Squad is going to become one of the show’s mainstays. Manny is going to make the squad and become friends with Paige. Meanwhile, Hazel is eventually going to be retconned into a Somalian refugee who ends up dating Jimmy until he gets shot in the back. Meanwhile, Emma will marry Spinner and….
Oh yeah, Spinner! Poor Spinner! In this episode, Spinner gets stuck in one of the lamest Degrassi storylines ever. Toby, JT, and Liberty think that they have a Pringles can that will win them a million dollars in some weird Canadian Pringles sweepstakes. Spinner decides that he wants some of the money as well and J.T. and Toby say sure because they’re like 4’11 and Spinner is like 5’10. But it turns out that JT had the wrong can so no one wins anything. Yes, it’s just that dumb.
Again, it’s good to know the future when watching the Pringles subplot. J.T. will never become rich because he’s going to be brutally murdered during his senior year. Before he dies, J.T. will manage to impregnant Liberty and Liberty will give the child up for adoption. Meanwhile, Toby will end up hosting a Canadian robotics competition. (Yeah, I don’t quite understand it myself….) And Spinner will end up flunking three times before graduating at the age of 21. And even then, he still hung out around the school until he was like 30. Never underestimate how far this show would go to keep a popular character around.
This episode was pretty lame but historically, it was very important. Not only was it the first episode to feature Spirit Squad drama but it was also one of the first episodes to suggest (albeit unintentionally) that Emma was essentially a sociopath who couldn’t stand to see her friends happy. This episode was a harbinger of Degrassi’s future.
Retro Television Review: Homicide: Life On The Street 4.13 “I’ve Got A Secret”
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 Homicide: Life On The Street, which aired from 1993 to 1999, on NBC! It can be viewed on Peacock.
Ring ring. “Homicide.”
Episode 4.13 “I’ve Got A Secret”
(Dir by Gwen Arner, originally aired on February 2nd, 1996)
This week, almost everyone has a secret.
For example, when Pembleton and Bayliss are called in about a man found dead in his car, they discover that, earlier in the day, he went to a local ER after being shot. The gunshot wound, which was accidental, didn’t kill him. Instead, it was the internal bleeding that the doctor either missed or intentionally ignored. Dr. Kate Wystan (Mimi Kennedy) may come across as being a selfless doctor who has dedicated her life to helping the residents of Baltimore’s most crime-ridden neighborhood but Pembleton and eventually Bayliss come to suspect that her secret is that, because the victim was black and a known criminal, she didn’t give him the same standard of care that she gives to her other patients. Pembleton considers this to be murder, though it sounds more like a case of malpractice than anything else.
Munch spots Kay kissing a man outside of police headquarters and he becomes obsessed with trying to figure out who the man is. He’s always believed that Kay is happy being single and alone. (Uhm, hello? Munch? Remember when she dated Ed Danvers?) Kay’s secret is that apparently she has a life outside of Homicide.
Finally, Lewis and Kellerman spend the entre episode chasing a burly man who is wanted for killing both of his parents. At first, this entire storyline feels almost like a parody of NBC’s request that the series start featuring more action. Lewis and Kellerman spend the entire first half of the episode chasing this guy through allies and pool halls and every time, they fail to catch him. There’s none of the badass heroics that we’ve come to expect from cop shows. Eventually, Lewis reveals that his brother is in a mental institution. When Lewis tries to visit his brother, he’s just turned away. Lewis’s secret is that he actually cares about his brother.
This was an okay episode. By this point in the series, Homicide had reached the point where it could do an episode where the true enjoyment came less from the storyline and more from just listening to the characters talk to each other. I really didn’t care much about the crimes that they were investigating. Instead, I just enjoyed listening to Pembleton and Bayliss talk and bounce ideas off of each other. They’ve come along way since the day that Bayliss objected to Pembleton’s interrogation technique and Pembleton shouted that he would never have a partner. By the same token, Kellerman and Lewis have their own unique chemistry that is fun to experience. They’re like the sensitive frat cops. As for Munch and Kay, they should just hook up already. It’s obvious to everyone that they’re in love!
Maybe that’s their secret?
Song of the Day: Changes by David Bowie
Here’s David Bowie with Changes!
Still don’t know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild, a million dead-end streets and
Every time I thought I’d got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I’ve never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I’m much too fast to take that test
Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Don’t want to be a richer man)
Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Just gonna have to be a different man)
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They’re quite aware of what they’re going through
Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Don’t tell them to grow up and out of it)
Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Where’s your shame, you’ve left us up to our necks in it)
Time may change me
But you can’t trace time
Strange fascination, fascinating me
Ah changes are taking the pace I’m going through
Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Oh, look out you rock ‘n rollers)
Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Pretty soon now you’re gonna get older)
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can’t trace time
Songwriters: David Bowie
Music Video of the Day: Borrowed Waters by Equilibrium feat. Roniit (2025, directed by Devin Schiro and Roniit)
Let’s continue to try to relax with today’s music video of the day. (I’ve been exhausted since October 15th!)
Enjoy!
Late Night Retro Television Review: Saved By The Bell 1.3 “The Gift”
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 Saved By The Bell, which ran on NBC from 1989 to 1993. The entire show is currently streaming on Prime and Tubi!
This week, Zack exploits his best friend.
Episode 1.3 “The Gift”
(Dir by Dennis Erdman, originally aired on September 8th, 1989)
Screech gets stuck by lightning!
Wow, I guess he’s dead now. Oh wait, this is Saved By The Bell. People get struck by lightning all the time. Screech isn’t dead. Instead, he can now see into the future. Zack is thrilled that his friend has a power that he can exploit and Screech is thrilled to be exploited. (That’s actually kind of sad.) It’s all fun and games when Zack uses Screech’s powers to trick Slater into losing his bomber jacket. But then, when Zack attempts to use Screech to pass Terrible Testaverde’s history midterm, things fall apart.
Terrible George Testaverde (John Moschitta, Jr.) is supposed to be the most fearsome teacher at Bayside. Everyone fears his superhard midterms. From what we see of his class, he actually appears to be a surprisingly easy teacher, albeit one who talks extremely fast. His midterm questions also don’t seem that tough. Essentially, Zack and the Bayside crew are freaking out because they’re going to have write an essay on three basic questions about the American Revolution. What a bunch of wimps. Seriously, I could pass Testaverde’s midterm with my eyes closed.
Screech loses his powers after Zack accidentally spills a drink on him but still comes up with three questions that Testaverde might ask. Zack sets up a study date with Kelly, one that is crashed by Jessie, Lisa, and Slater. Zack assures them that he knows what the three questions will be. Jessie says, “You would never lie to Kelly, would you, Zack?”
Screech later says that he’s seeing three different questions, which means that it’s time for another wacky plot! Zack pretends to be Mr. Belding and calls Testaverde and tells him that the school is flooded. Then, he pretends to be Testaverde and calls Belding and says that he has laryngitis and he needs Belding to administer his midterm. Neither Belding nor Testaverde apparently notice that the person calling them sounds like he’s 14.
The plan nearly works. Belding gives the class the three questions that Zack called him with. But then Testaverde shows up, dress like a plumber. “My school needs me!” he says. Testaverde and Belding eventually figure out what happened. (These aren’t the smarter public educators in the world.) Testaverde administers the real midterm….
Jessie gets a C and faints. Slater doesn’t seem to care about his grade, mostly because Slater’s a bad ass. Zack gets an “F minus, for scamming.” He also has to be Slater’s slave for a month. (Slater has Zack order a pizza. Zack asks for one with the “hottest peppers you can find.”) Screech passes because he actually studied so Zack makes fun of him and the audiences goes wild….
Watching this episode, I realized that the appeal of Saved By The Bell was how incredibly amoral it was. There was no right or wrong and there were no consequences. Zack fails a midterm. He lies to both a principal and a teacher. He reacts to Screech getting struck by lightning by taking advantage of him (as opposed to calling an ambulance). And, other than having to order a pizza for Slater, nothing bad really happens to him. Most shows would make a big deal about the importance of getting good grades and caring about your friends. Not Saved By The Bell! Saved By The Bell takes place in a world where, even when Zack loses, he somehow wins. I can understand why that would appeal to many viewers.
Next week, Kelly convinces Zack that she’s going to kill him.
Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 10/26/25 — 11/1/25
This week was all about horror movies but here’s a few thoughts on what little of episodic television that I watched this week.
Abbott Elementary (Wednesday Night, ABC)
Why would they take the kids camping? This episode made no sense to me. I’m a little tired of hearing about Gregory’s “goofballs.”
Dragnet (YouTube)
I watched the “Night School” episode and the “Talk Show” episode. They both made me smile. I’ve seen them so many times that watching them automatically relaxes me.
Hell’s Kitchen (Thursday Night, F0x)
Will the Blue Team ever get it together? I assume they will eventually. The men always seem to start out weak before becoming unbeatable towards the end of the season. Still, right now, I wouldn’t want any of these people making me anything to eat.
Law & Order (Thursday Night, NBC)
For the second week in a row, Maroun did not appear. I don’t really have a problem with that, as Maroun was (is?) kind of an annoying character but it’s hard not to notice that now, neither Reid Scott nor Hugh Dancy are working with a partner. I also noticed this week that Reid Scott, Hugh Dancy, and Tony Goldwyn all look way too similar. Suddenly, Law & Order is dominated by sickly-looking white guys.
Retro Television Review: Baywatch 1.4 “Message In A Bottle”
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 Baywatch, which ran on NBC and then in syndication from 1989 to 2001. The entire show can be viewed on Tubi.
Save me!
Episode 1.4 “Message In A Bottle”
(Dir by Kim Manners, originally aired on October 20th, 1989)
Hobie’s such a dumbass.
For the second time in like four episodes (and that’s not counting the pilot), the entire Baywatch team is mobilized to search for him after he goes missing. This time, Hobie overhears Mitch and his ex-wife arguing over who should have custody of him so Hobie and two of his stupid little friends head off to an island that’s also being used by a couple of murderous modern-day pirates.
Seriously, Hobie — stuff like this isn’t going to look good when Craig is in court and trying to argue that you should stay in California with your Dad. So far, Hobie has nearly been killed by a collapsing pier, he’s ended up getting chased by a murderer on a jet ski and, in this episode, he’s menaced by two other murderers. It’s time to send Hobie to Indiana or some place else where there’s no ocean.
In other news, Shauni accidentally drives over Eddie’s foot so Mitch orders them to work the 24-hour shift together so that they can learn how to work as a team. Truth be told, Eddie is a bit of whiny punk and he definitely needs to learn how to work with other people. That said, I think Mitch is overlo0king the fact that Shauni, a trained lifeguard, drove over someone’s foot. (Shauni was apparently backing out and didn’t realize Eddie was behind her, which is even worse.) Mitch finds the whole thing to be amusing and, later, Shauni has a good laugh when she nearly runs over Eddie a second time. I don’t think any of these people should be anywhere near anyone who needs help. Sometimes, people really should just stand in the darkness.
This episode was supposed to make me appreciate the efforts of the Baywatch lifeguards to protect the beach and to find missing kids like Hobie. Instead, it just made everyone look incompetent and irresponsible. Halfway through this episode, I wanted someone to get attacked by a shark. It hasn’t happened yet but at least the show has given me something to which to look forward.
Song of the Day: To Sir With Love by Tina Arena
Let’s start of November with Tina Arena’s cover of To Sir, With Love. This is one of those cases where the cover version is actually superior to the original version.
Music Video of the Day: Sympathy Magic by Florence + The Machine (2025, dir by Autumn de Wilde)
Let’s start November with Florence + The Machine, shall we?
Enjoy!
Through the Shattered Lens 