Late Night Retro Television Review: Pacific Blue 3.9 “Cop In A Box”

Posted on January 6, 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.

Okay, we’re doing this again.

Episode 3.9 “Cop In A Box”

(Dir by Scott Lautanen, originally aired on November 2nd, 1997)

Oh, Pacific Blue. How I have not missed you.

This episode features TC getting abducted by Harland Groves (Jeremy Roberts), a criminal who TC previously busted. Harland traps TC in an underground beach bunker. How Harland got his hands on an underground beach bunker is never explained. Harland demands that TC’s rich family pay him 4 million dollars. At the same time, he plans to use a chlorine gas bomb to kill TC. Why he didn’t kill TC to begin with and then demand the money is never really explained. It’s almost as if Harland secretly wanted his plan to fail.

I really didn’t have a problem with the idea of TC getting killed off. Pacific Blue is one of the more boring of the shows that I review and killing TC would have livened things up. At the very least, without TC around, I would no longer be forced to try to keep straight which member of Pacific Blue was TC and which member was Victor. Unfortunately, TC manages to disarm the chlorine bomb. When Harland attacks him in the bunker, it leads to a bunch of sand pouring in. Harland is suffocated while TC escapes.

Oh well.

The cool thing about this episode is that Andy Buckley — who later played David Wallace on The Office — returned as TC’s brother. The funny thing about this episode was the sight of grim-faced Palermo barking out orders while wearing his stupid bicycle shorts. And the unfortunate thing is that TC survived so Pacific Blue will not be changing any time soon.

Retro Television Review: Fantasy Island 7.21 “Bojangles and the Dancer/Deuces Wild”

Posted on January 6, 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 Tuesdays, I will be reviewing the original Fantasy Island, which ran on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The show is once again on Tubi!

It’s time for our second-to-last trip to the Island.

Episode 7.21 “Bojangles And The Dancer/Deuces Wild”

(Dir by Bob Sweeney, originally aired on May 12th, 1984)

Sisters Audrey and Judy Jennings (played, of course, by Audrey and Judy Landers) come to the Island because they’re sick of men only appreciating their bodies as opposed to their other talents. They end up meeting a hotelier named Rex Reinhardt (Stuart Whitman) who, after some poorly-defined drama involving his duplicitous chief of security (John Ericson), ends up opening a resort with the two of them. Fans of the James Bond franchise will be happy to see Walter Gotell, who played the head of the KGB opposite Roger Moore in several films, cast as a writer who romances one of the sisters.

It’s kind of a sad fantasy when you consider that this is the second-to-last episode of the original Fantasy Island and the best they could do for this story were the Landers sisters and Stuart Whitman. Not only were the guest stars not particularly inspiring but the fantasy itself didn’t really make much sense.

As for the other fantasy, it does feature a big-name guest star. Sammy Davis, Jr. plays the legendary dancer, Bojangles! Now, admittedly, Sammy doesn’t look particularly healthy in this particular episode. Reportedly, by the time the 80s rolled around, all of the smoking, drinking, and drug-taking had finally started to catch up with him. But, even while obviously ill, Sammy Davis Jr. still had the undeniable charisma of a natural-born star. The fantasy is nothing special. Joe Wilson (Glynn Turman) goes into the past so that he can dance with Bojangles. However, Sammy Davis Jr. lights up the story. He shares a wonderfully-acted scene with Ricardo Montalban, two old showbiz pros sharing what may have been a final moment together.

So, this trip to the Island was a mixed bag. Neither fantasy was particularly compelling and Tattoo’s absence was very much felt. (Lawrence, I’ve noticed, tends to be rather judgmental of the guests which is something Tattoo never was.) But at least Sammy Davis Jr. was there to add some life to the proceedings.

Only one more episode to go.

Late Night Retro Television Review: CHiPs 5.3 “Moonlight”

Posted on January 5, 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 Mondays, I will be reviewing CHiPs, which ran on NBC from 1977 to 1983. The entire show is currently streaming on Prime!

This week, it’s Ponch and Jon’s anniverary!

Episode 5.3 “Moonlight”

(Dir by Earl Bellamy, originally aired on October 18th, 1981)

A highway accident leads to a bunch of cars flying through the air in slow motion!

Ponch works off-duty as a security guard for an action film. Ponch being Ponch, he ends up flirting with the two female stars. He also ends up accidentally flirting with their stunt doubles, both of whom turn out to be men wearing blonde wigs. Oh, Ponch!

Someone is dumping toxic waste and ruining the beautiful California country side. Ponch and Jon turn to their old friend, trucker Robbie Davis (Katherine Cannon), for help. However, it turns out that the waste is being transported and dumped by someone close to Robbie!

There’s a lot going on in this episode but the majority of the screentime is taken up with Getraer, Grossman, Baricza, Turner, and Bonnie thinking about how to celebrate Ponch and Jon’s 4th anniversary as partners. At one point, Getraer does point out that it’s unusual for an entire department to celebrate the anniversary of a partnership. I’m glad that someone said that because, seriously, don’t these people have a job to do? I mean, aren’t they supposed to be out there, issuing tickets and preventing crashes like the one that opened this episode? You’re not getting paid to be party planners, people!

Knowing just how much Larry Wilcox and Erik Estrada disliked each other when the cameras weren’t rolling, it’s hard not to feel as if there’s a bit of wish-fulfillment going on with the anniversary storyline. Watching everyone talk about how Jon and Ponch are the perfect team, one gets the feeling that the show itself is telling its stars, “Can you two just get along? Everyone loves you two together!”

Reportedly, by the time the fifth season rolled around, Wilcox was frustrated with always having to play second fiddle to Estrada. Having binged the show, I can understand the source of his frustration. During the first two seasons, Wilcox and Estrada were given roughly the same amount of screen time in each episode. In fact, Estrada often provided the comic relief while Wilcox did the serious police work. But, as the series progressed, the balance changed and it soon became The Ponch Show. If there was a beautiful guest star, her character would fall for Ponch. If there was a rescue to be conducted, Ponch would be the one who pulled it off. When it came time to do something exciting to show off the California lifestyle, one can b sure that Ponch would be the one who got to do it. Baker got pushed to the side. This episode, however, allows Baker to rescue someone while Ponch watches from the background. “See, Larry?” the show seems to be saying, “We let you do things!”

As for the episode itself, it’s okay. There’s enough stunts and car accidents to keep the viewers happy. That said, the toxic dump storyline plays out way too slowly. At one point, Baricza finds a bunch of barrels off the side of the road and he looks like he’s about to start crying. It’s an odd moment.

The episode ends with Baker and Ponch happy. It wouldn’t last. This would be Larry Wilcox’s final season as a member of the Highway Patrol.

Retro Television Review: Miami Vice 5.9 “Fruit of the Poisoned Tree”

Posted on January 5, 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 Mondays, I will be reviewing Miami Vice, which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989. The entire show can be purchased on Prime!

Retro television reviews returns with Miami Vice!

Episode 5.9 “Fruit of the Poisoned Tree”

(Dir by Michelle Manning, originally aired on February 3rd, 1989)

Crockett and Tubbs are trying to take down a drug dealer named Enriquez (Jeffrey Meek) but every time that they think they’ve got the guy, his shady lawyer, Sam Boyle (Stephen McHattie), is able to use a technicality to get the case tossed. Even sending Gina in undercover backfires as Gina’s cover gets blown and a bomb meant for her kills an innocent 13 year-old instead.

Crockett thinks that Sam and his associate, Lisa Madsen (Amanda Plummer), have evidence that could put Enriquez away. Crockett puts pressure on Lisa to become a confidential informant but Lisa is devoted to Sam. Lisa’s father was a crusading anti-drug prosecutor who was stabbed to death and Sam has promised that he will do everything within his power to prove that her father was actually assassinated by a drug cartel.

Of course, there’s some things that Lisa doesn’t know. Sam is heavily involved in the drug trade himself and he’s currently in debt to gangster Frank Romano (Tony Sirico, bringing some nicely realistic menace to his role). Sam plots to double cross Enriquez to get the drugs necessary to pay off Frank. Plus, it also turns out that Sam is the one who had Lisa’s father killed.

When Lisa (and hey, that’s my name!) finds out the truth, she uses her legal training to seek her own revenge. Enriquez has been arrested due to evidence that Lisa gave Crockett. But when Lisa reveals herself to have been Crockett’s informant, the case is tossed because Lisa violated attorney/client privilege. This frees up Enriquez to kill Sam right before Sam gets onto a private plane that would have taken him to freedom. The episode ends with Enriquez getting arrested yet again and Lisa staring down at Sam’s dead body.

This was a pretty good episode, especially considering that it aired during the final season. It feels like a throwback to the first two seasons, where the morality was always ambiguous and pretty much no one got a happy ending. Lisa may have gotten revenge for the killing of her father but she did it by arranging the murder of a man who she had spent years worshipping. The Vice Squad takes down a drug dealer but not before an innocent boy is murdered. The only reason that they’re going to a conviction this time is because they actually witnesses Enriquez killing Sam Boyle. Otherwise, the case probably would have gotten thrown out again.

Miami Vice was always at its strongest when it examined futility of the war on drugs. There’s a lot of money to found in the drug trade and there’s always someone willing to step up and replace anyone who the Vice Squad actually manages to take down. This episode may end with Enriquez defeated but there’s no doubt that someone else will step into his shoes.

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 12/28/25 — 1/3/26

Posted on January 3, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Bar Rescue (Fave TV, weeknights and weekends)

I watched two episodes on Friday night. One took place at a champagne bar in Philadelphia. The other was at a Detroit jazz club. I’m never surprised to learn that most of these places ended up closing, even after Jon Taffer’s makeover. Would you want to eat or drink at a place that was featured as being incredibly dirty and vermin-infested on television?

On Saturday, I watched an episode in which Jon Taffer helped out a surly sports bar owner. Why are the owners of sports bars always so surly? I then watched another episode featuring a bar that was home to a wild racoon. After that episode, I then discovered that Fave TV was doing a Bar Rescue marathon and I ended up watching several episodes that followed. As I watched, I was reminded that I would be both a terrible bartender and a terrible waitress. It’s a good thing that I decided to spend my life watching movies instead.

Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders: Making The Team (Fave TV, weeknights)

After Erin and I finished watching one of the Perry Mason movies on Friday, we watched an episode of this reality show on Fave TV. Everyone was very smiley. I was just happy because it was filmed in Dallas so I could spend the whole show going, “Hey, I was right outside that building earlier today!”

The Danny Thomas Show (MeTV+, Weekend Afternoons)

I watched an episode of this show on Saturday, largely because I was trying out the new remote control for the TV in my home office. Danny Thomas was about to go on tour in Europe so comedian Jack Carter agreed to cover Danny’s nightclub show in the states. Danny got jealous when he saw how much the audience loved Jack. It made me laugh.

Dirty Pair Flash (Night Flight Plus)

On Friday night, I watched an episode of this often baffling anime. The episode was about the pair playing beach volleyball. I’m not sure why. There was a lot of yelling involved.

Murder, She Wrote (Start TV, Weekend Mornings)

I woke up on Saturday and watched two episodes of this old show. The first episode featured Elliott Gould arresting the wrong person and Angela Lansbury setting him straight. The second episode featured Angela Lansbury speaking straight to the camera and telling us about some other detective, who was played by Ken Howard and who solved a murder involving a former football player.

New Year’s Eve Celebrations (Everywhere, Wednesday Night)

At my BFF Evelyn’s New Year’s Eve party, we flipped through and past many different televised celebrations. We stopped to watch Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper get drunk on CNN. For the most part, though, we didn’t stick with anything for very long. We had celebrating of our own to do!

Rose Bowl Parade (NBC, Thursday Morning)

I watched a bit of the Rose Bowl parade. Watching a parade on television is never as much fun as watching it in person.

Saved By The Bell: The New Class (Prime)

Seriously, this show is perfect for my insomnia. It lulls me to sleep.

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 12/21/25 — 12/27/25

Posted on December 27, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Apple TV+)

It wasn’t such a bad little tree. You can read Erin’s thoughts on this classic here.

Equal Justice With Judge Eboni K. Williams (Tubi)

I watched an episode on Sunday. A woman was suing her former friend for smelling like marijuana when they got pulled over for failing to use their turn signal in Texas. The patrolman searched their car, found even more weed, and issued both of them citations. The woman felt that the friend should pay her ticket because the patrolman wouldn’t have searched the car if she hadn’t smelled like weed. The friend pointed out that the patrolman wouldn’t have stopped the car in the first place if the woman has used her turn signal. Personally, I didn’t think the woman really had a case because it was her car and she knew the marijuana was there even before she was pulled over. Judge Williams partially agreed, ruling that the friend should only have to pay half of the woman’s ticket as opposed to the entire ticket.

Saved By The Bell: The New Class (Prime)

This continues to be my go-to cure for insomnia.

The Simpsons (Disney+)

I watched two Christmas episodes. In one, Bart got caught shoplifting. That one made me cry. The second one featured Gil moving in with The Simpsons. “Eggs a la Harold Stassen, because they’re always running.” That made me laugh.

Christmas with THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW: S1, Ep11 – “Christmas Story”

Posted on December 24, 2025 by Bradley Crain

As a tax accountant, I get pretty stressed every year from the months of January through April 15^th. To help relieve that stress, I like to watch my favorite movies and TV shows on my 3^rd computer screen at night and on the weekends. I don’t necessarily pay much attention to them but just having them playing so I can look over and see my favorite scenes helps me feel better. A few years ago, I ended up watching all eight seasons of THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW three times during tax season. There’s just something about hanging out in Mayberry that makes me happy. Today, I thought it would be fun to revisit the one and only Christmas episode of the show.

“Christmas Story” centers on Ben Weaver (Will Wright), a crotchety old scrooge of a businessman, who catches local moonshiner Sam Muggins (Sam Edwards) pedaling his illegal liquor on Christmas Eve. Ben takes Sam, and the jug full of evidence, into Sheriff Andy Taylor’s (Andy Griffith) office, where he insists that Andy and his deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts) lock Sam up even though it’s Christmas. Andy, who’s trying to keep the peace with the important and politically connected Ben Weaver, and who still wants to have the holiday gathering he had planned with his own family, comes up with a solution. He arrests Sam’s wife and kids as “accessories” so they can spend Christmas together at the jail, and then he deputizes his girlfriend Ellie (Elinor Donahue), his son Opie (Ron Howard), and Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier) to help watch over the prisoners. Before long, the jail has turned into a Christmas party, complete with food, laughter, and singing. Everyone is enjoying themselves…everyone, that is, except Ben Weaver.

“Christmas Story” is such a good example of why I love the Christmas season and THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW. As the show plays out, the crotchety Ben Weaver spends most of his time spying through the windows of the sheriff’s station as everyone, including the prisoners, is having the best time. He’s clearly lonely, but his pride won’t allow him to admit that what he really wants is to be inside with the rest of them. After trying to get himself arrested a couple of times, the ever-perceptive Andy figures out what Ben is up to. He arrests him, but before he takes him to jail, he lets him stop by his store to pick up a few presents for the others. By the time of the feel-good ending, Ben Weaver has gone from bitter and lonely to generous and happy, all because Andy took the time to see past his gruff exterior.

Other than the satisfying emotional arc for Ben Weaver, there were a few other things that stood out to me while watching “Christmas Story.” First, this was the 1^st season of the series, so Andy Griffith was still playing Andy Taylor much more broadly. He would eventually play his character almost completely straight to give something for Don Knotts’ standout character of Barney Fife to play against. Second, the opening scene where Andy and Barney are going through the Christmas cards that they have received, specifically one from the Hubacher Brothers who are all in the state prison, is a comic masterpiece. I laughed out loud when Barney paid off the scene with the following line while viewing the picture of three smiling brothers behind bars… “Yeah, I think it’s just wonderful that they’re all together at Christmas.” Finally, when Andy plays the guitar and duets with Ellie to “Away in a Manger,” it’s just a perfect moment, one that brings up nostalgic feelings of singing the song at church or with my own family around the holidays.

At the end of the day, “Christmas Story,” like the entire series itself, isn’t really a realistic representation of the world around us. Rather, it’s a representation of a world more like we want it to be. In Mayberry, decent people do thoughtful things for other people, for no other reason than the fact that they genuinely care. And in Mayberry, the most bitter man in town, can recognize his weaknesses and turn his life around when he’s shown a little understanding and compassion. This episode provides hope for a better future for its characters, which makes it a perfect episode to watch during the Christmas season. In some ways, isn’t that what Christmas is all about?

Song of the Day: I Dreamed I Saw Jack Nance Last Night by Dumb Numbers

Posted on December 21, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Eraserhead (1977, dir by David Lynch)

Today would have been the 82nd birthday of Jack Nance, the talented but troubled actor who was a favorite of David Lynch’s and who died under mysterious circumstances in 1996. Born in Massachusetts but raised in Texas, Nance first won acclaim as a star of the stage show, Tom Paine. The director of Tom Paine later received a fellowship to the American Film Institute where he met a young director named David Lynch and recommended that Lynch cast Nance as the lead character in his film, Eraserhead. Lynch and Nance were kindred spirits, two all-American eccentrics with their own unique view of the world. Lynch went to use Nance in almost every film that he made up until Nance’s death. Nance would also appear in small roles in films from other directors, usually cast as quirky and obsessive characters. Outside of his role in Eraserhead, Nance is probably best known for playing Pete Martell on Twin Peaks. Pete’s discovery of Laura Palmer’s body launched the entire saga.

Twin Peaks 1.1 — The Pilot (dir by David Lynch)

In honor of Jack’s talent and legacy, here is today’s song of the day!

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 12/14/25 — 12/20/25

Posted on December 20, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Flight of the Conchords (HBOMax)

Murray books Bret and Jermaine for a concert at “Central Park,” but he insists that they tour first to prepare for it. Bret continually causes havoc that Murray blames on Jermaine. In the end, it turns out that the concert is at a central park not The Central Park. Jeff and I watched that classic episode on Wednesday. It made me cry a little.

Frasier (Prime)

Jeff and I watched three episodes of the original 90s version of Frasier on Tuesday. The first episode featured Frasier getting into a war of words with a columnist who wrote a column about why hated Frasier’s radio show. It almost led to an actual physical fight before the police intervened on the behest of Martin Crane. (John Mahoney was a treasure!)

The second episode was “The Candidate,” in which Frasier endorses Phil Patterson for Congress, just to discover that Phil Patterson is convinced that he was abducted by aliens and taken into outer space. The scene where a stunned Frasier attempted to record a commercial for Patteson (“the sane choice”) made me laugh so much that I almost fell off the couch.

Finally, we ended with a Christmas episode! Frasier wants to get his young son a Christmas gift that will make him think. Martin argues that Frasier should get him a gift that he’ll have fun with. Frasier and Niles have to go to a mall. The closing scene, with Martin revealing that he had purchased the gift that Frasier’s son actually wanted, made me cry.

What a great cast this show had! Watching these three episodes, I was reminded why the revival didn’t work. As good as a job as Kelsey Grammer did in the revival, no one wants to think of Frasier moving back to Boston and no longer having anything to do with his family in Seattle.

The Office (Peacock)

On Tuesday, Jeff and I watched several classic episodes of The Office. We started with season 2’s Christmas Party. Then, we watched Season 4’s Did I Stutter, followed by Season 6’s Scott’s Tots, and we followed it all up with Season 3’s The Convict and A Benihana Christmas. I know I’ve been pretty critical of the direction that The Office eventually ended up going. But the first three seasons were about as good as any sitcom that has ever aired and seasons 4-6, while uneven overall, still produced some classic episodes. I will always enjoy the Christmas episodes, no matter how much that annoying actress from A Benihana Christmas whines about it.

Saved By The Bell: The Next Class (Prime)

Saved By The Bell: The Next Class continues to be my preferred background noise for when I’m struggling to get some sleep.

Seinfeld (Netflix)

On Tuesday, Jeff and I watched two Christmas episodes of this classic 90s sitcom. We started with the episode where Elain was dating a communist and Kramer got fired from his department store Santa job because he was spreading propaganda. Meanwhile, Jerry’s high school rival resurfaced and demanded a rematch on a race that Jerry won after getting a head start. I loved this episode! Everything from Jerry and George pretending to randomly run into each other at the coffee shop to the race at the end to the little kid yelling, “Hey, this guy’s a commie!”

We followed that episode with the Festivus episode. I love the scene where Jerry Stiller (as George’s father) casually talks about seeing someone else grab the doll that he was planning to buy for his dolls. “As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be a better way!” Also, I totally would have wanted to be Submarine Captain too. Free sub? Give me my ticket!

Retro Television Review: Homicide: Life On The Street 4.16 “Stakeout”

Posted on December 7, 2025 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 Homicide: Life On The Street, which aired from 1993 to 1999, on NBC! It can be viewed on Peacock.

This week, the detectives take over someone else’s house.

Episode 4.16 “Stakeout”

(Dir by John McNaughton, originally aired on March 15th, 1996)

When a young man confesses to helping an older man carry out a series of murders, the Homicide Squad stakes out the older man’s house. Jim True-Frost and Kate Walsh play the owners of the home that the squad takes over. The husband is out of work. The wife has a habit of oversharing. While they try to adjust to having cops hanging out in their living room, the detectives adjust to the idea that Bayliss may be leaving them.

Once again, Bayliss is thinking about leaving Homicide. This has been a recurring theme with Bayliss, ever since he failed to close the Adena Watson case. (In this episode, he mentions that his number one suspect — Risley Tucker — has recently died.) Bayliss’s complaint is that he still feels like he barely knows the other detectives. He mentions that he’s never even been to Pembleton’s house. Pembleton asks if Bayliss is really that surprised that Pembleton might want time to himself when he’s not on the clock. Bayliss talks about how the Vice Squad regularly has barbecues. He talks about the comradery that he felt when he was on the Governor’s security detail. But Homicide tends to attract the misanthropes and the eccentrics.

Of course, Bayliss doesn’t leave Homicide. At the end of the episode, he takes one look at the board and sees that he still has one open case. “I can’t leave until the Lambert case is closed,” Bayliss says while Pembleton smiles.

Giardello, meanwhile, is struggling with the knowledge that his daughter is getting married to a man that he’s never even met. Giardello has been invited to the wedding in San Francisco but he keeps finding excuses not to go. Pembleton finally convinces Giardello that he needs to go to his daughter’s wedding. Unfortunately, when Giardello arrives at the airport, he’s told that all flights have been grounded due to the weather. So, Giardello misses the wedding regardless.

Eventually, the killer returns to his home. He’s a stout man who looks like he should be selling insurance. Bayliss and Pembleton arrest him and the stakeout ends. The husband, who has been out looking for a job, pulls up just as Bayliss and Pembleton are leaving. Life goes on for everyone but the dead.

This episode was okay. I appreciated that it was a return to the character-driven drama of the earlier seasons. The snowy imagery brought a lot of atmosphere to the episode and director John McNaughton (of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer fame) did a good job framing scenes that could have come across as being excessively talky in lesser hands. That said, the husband and the wife were not that interesting and I never really bought the idea that they would pour out all of their marital woes to a bunch of strangers in their living room.

This is my final Homicide review for 2025. Retro Television Reviews is taking a break for the holidays! Homicide will return on January 11th, 2026.