CharlieBrown-related stories
Posted Oct 11th 2009 10:02AM by Jane Boursaw
Filed under: TV on DVD, OpEd, Animation, Children, Reality-Free, Jane After Dark
Like most people in the known universe, I grew up with Charlie Brown. In addition to watching all the TV specials, my family amassed a fairly large collection of the paperback Peanuts books and even a few nice hardcovers. Family friendly graphic novels, you might call them.
So I was pretty excited to learn that Warner Home Video was releasing a lot of the TV specials, both individually and in collections. On Oct. 20, the
Peanuts 1970's Collection, Vol. 1 will hit store and cyber shelves in a 2-disc set. A nice publicist sent me an advance copy, so I'm happy to devote this week's
Jane After Dark to this lovely set.
I'm always harping on all the sex and violence on TV right now -- often in shows that bill themselves as family friendly -- so it's really nice to have something you can watch with your kids that you
know won't contain anything offensive or off-color. Not only that, the stories usually have a moral lesson, but they don't whack you over the head with it. It's more subtle, wrapped up in the humor and innocence of the stories and characters.
Continue reading Jane After Dark: Peanuts 1970's Collection, Vol. 1
Posted Mar 3rd 2009 11:02AM by Eliot Glazer
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Video, Animation, Children, Reality-Free
Some say the most important job in the world is that of a teacher. And, really, we've all been placed under the tutelage of someone who was literally
paid to provide education. But yet, so often, kids find themselves inspired by - and often in worship of - these individuals, young and old alike, who can play an integral role in shaping one's childhood and, some might argue, the rest of their lives.
Of course, that isn't
always the case. Teachers can also be awful monsters whom we never forget for their ability to patronize, degrade, or humiliate us, often leaving one wondering if the man or woman in question took the job merely to torture students. This, naturally, can lead a kid to fantasize about how cool it would be to fall under the instruction of one of the following actors who, despite likely not possessing any type of teaching certification in real life, would probably be a blast to spend 40-or-so minutes on a daily basis.
Continue reading Five small-screen teachers for whom we'd totally do our homework - VIDEOS
Posted Dec 24th 2008 12:03PM by Jay Black
Filed under: OpEd, Festivus, TV 101, Reality-Free
If there's one universal among TV Christmas specials it's this: they all seem to want to tell you what the "true" meaning of Christmas is. There are so many specials trying to explain the true meaning of Christmas, it actually makes you wonder if the power of TV to influence has been exaggerated. I mean, you'd think after watching approximately eleventy-five billion hours of holiday programming, we'd have gotten the point already.
Perhaps the reason why America continues to view Christmas less as a time for spiritual reflection than as one for reindeer sweaters, crass consumerism, and suicide contemplation is because our Christmas specials aren't really sending the messages that they claim to be. Sure, on the surface we're told about "peace on earth and goodwill to men, blah blah blah", but there's a bubbling subtext in these specials if you only look hard enough.
I've decided to put my New Jersey state college English degree to good use and break down what Christmas specials are
really saying...
Continue reading TV 101: The true meaning of TV Christmas specials (OR: You're a mean one, Mr. Black)
Posted Dec 2nd 2008 5:07PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Industry, OpEd, TiVo, Reality-Free
It was only a matter of time. What was once the ultimate convenience for TV fans has now been labeled as an affliction. Brad Berens of iMedia, a company that analyzes the way advances in media impact people's lives, had identified the responsibility we feel when we TiVo or DVR a show or series and then don't get around to watching it in a timely fashion as
"TiVo guilt." I can't disagree. I don't know about you, but I'm always checking my DVR list to see what's stacked up that I still have to watch. It's not that I feel like I have to watch these shows -- after all I recorded them because I want to see them -- but there is a burden attached.
According to Berens, what I'm experiencing is called "opportunity costs," and my TiVo viewing has become -- believe it or not -- homework!
Continue reading Yes, I am afflicted with "TiVo guilt"
Posted Jun 13th 2008 5:38PM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: Arrested Development, Retro Squad, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free
Do not adjust your web browser. You are now entering the Retro Squad, where we are reviewing past episodes of classic TV shows.If you are a devoted
Arrested Development fan like me, you probably watched all episodes at least five times each if not more. But have you noticed all the Easter eggs featured on the show? They take the shape of props in the background, allusions to other TV series or movies, expressions, etc. If not, you may be interested in the post below where I list some of the Easter eggs featured on the show and where to find them.
If you recently got addicted to this gem of a show, you may want to print this article out and spot the eggs the second time you watch the series. Because, let's face it, you'll want to watch it again! And again! Oh, and again!
Continue reading Arrested Development: The Easter eggs
Posted Feb 3rd 2008 10:09PM by Richard Keller
Filed under: Sports, OpEd, TV Sports
On a cool Thanksgiving morning old (Underdog) and new (Stewie from Family Guy) parade balloons battle it out for a inflatable bottle of Coca-Cola. As they cross the skyline of New York City fists fly and heads are butted. But, in the end, neither is the one who claims the prize. That honor goes to the honorable Charlie Brown, who seems to have finally won something in his life.
This was a cute and gentle commercial by Cola-Cola, which rarely disappoints when it comes to Super Bowl ads. I never realized that the Underdog and Stewie Thanksgiving Day balloons had such angry looks on their faces. That was an advantage in this commercial as we saw the two balloons battling it out. I enjoyed when Underdog slammed Stewie against the building. Nice job overall.
Continue reading Coca-Cola: "Dueling Parade Balloons"
Posted Dec 17th 2006 5:06PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming
At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, followed by the season finale of Survivor and the reunion show. - ABC has A Charlie Brown Christmas at 7, followed by The Santa Clause 2.
- NBC has a new Football Night In America at 7, then the Chiefs vs. the Chargers.
- Also at 7: Food Network has the Nigella Bites Christmas Special, followed by Emeril's Happy Happy Holidays.
- At 7:30, The CW has a new Reba.
- At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, followed by new epsisodes of American Dad and Family Guy, then a repeat Family Guy.
- How The Grinch Stole Christmas (the Jim Carrey version) airs on ABC Family at 8.
- TBS is showing National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation all night.
- At 9, Discovery has Holiday Mythbusters.
- Hallmark has A Boyfriend For Christmas at 9.
- At 10, Showtime has a new Dexter.
Posted Nov 22nd 2006 8:31PM by Kevin Kelly
Filed under: Animation, Children
It's a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Week! Charlie Brown, where have you been all these years? We've been missing you. We usually see you at the major holidays, like Christmas and Halloween, but to be honest those visits seem repetitive. What else have you been up to? Sure, you've taken some trips and had some valentines and such, but we've come to expect more Charlie Brown, and quite frankly, we need you these days. Please think about giving us
Charlie Brown's Democratic Presidential Election, or something equally topical and timely.
10 Zen Monkeys has compiled a
list of Charlie Brown's five worst cartoon moments. Check it out on their site which comes complete with YouTube embedded video and spot-on commentary. Continue onto see my thoughts about the list:
Continue reading Charlie Brown's five worst cartoon moments
Posted Oct 24th 2006 8:09AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Cable, TV Royalty, Animation, Web, Children
I am older than It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
One year older, to be exact. The classic Halloween TV special marks its 40th anniversary this year, and Fine Living Network is celebrating with several TV and web specials and features. On TV, you can watch a special one hour episode of We Live Here titled We Live Here - In Fear, which will explore three haunted cities around the country: Savannah, Georgia, St. Augustine, Florida, and Memphis, Tennessee. The special will air several times until November 1. Online, you can watch a new reading of the classic Peanuts story by Top 40 icon Rick Dees. And to make your Halloween complete, you can download a wav file of spooky Halloween sounds.
Posted Sep 18th 2006 11:04AM by Brett Love
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, FOX, Family Guy, Animation
(S05E02) And we're back, with what was, at best, an ok episode. Was it just me or did it seem like a lot of the cut away gags just didn't work this week? We open episode two at the air show with the citizens of Quahog anxiously hoping for a plane crash. When that doesn't happen, someone runs up and stabs the pilot, to cheers from the crowd. Then Quagmire appears in his plane, The French Tickler, and proceeds to crash through the crotch of Veronica Mars and Paris Hilton on billboards. He dodges the Greta Van Sustren billboard until he can crash through a Jack Daniels one first.
As they are leaving, they realize that Stewie is lost. After Peter goes through a dull lineup flashback we go to Brian searching for Stewie. He's stopped at the booth of the local morning zoo radio show. While I agree with the idea that most morning zoo shows are overproduced to the point of annoying, playing those overly long radio intros again and again wasn't funny. But they did set up for a later point. Anyway, while using the PA, Brian is discovered by the PD of the radio station.
Continue reading Family Guy: Mother Tucker
Posted Aug 17th 2006 11:58AM by Adam Finley
Filed under: The Simpsons, Animation, Web
I'm a huge admirer of Peanuts, both the comic strip and the television specials, but I also love to see them satirized. Mad Magazine always had funny parodies of the Peanuts gang, usually having them behave more "adult" than they did at the hand of Charles Schulz. The Simpsons also poked fun at Charlie Brown and his friends on more than one occasion. Matt Groening is actually a Peanuts fan, too, which always seemed to make those moments even funnier.
If you're wondering what Peanuts would be like if the gang had weapons and an insatiable urge to maim and kill one another, I invite you to check out "Bring Me the Head of Charlie Brown." This is an old student film from Cal Arts, and I noticed that the name "Jeff Pidgeon" appears in the credits, which is also the name of someone who works at Pixar. I don't think it's a coincidence, but I sent Jeff an e-mail for verification and I'll update this post when I get confirmation, though I'm ninety-nine percent sure it is him. Also, somebody contacted Boing Boing, where I found this video, to inform them that the names of two Simpsons directors, Jim Reardon and Rich Moore, also appear in the credits.
Update: I received a message from Jeff Pidgeon, confirming his involvement with the project: "It is! Jim and I went to school together. I did the wah-wah voice of the Great Pumpkin."
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