gimme a break-related stories
Posted Mar 15th 2009 2:02PM by Eliot Glazer
Filed under: OpEd, American Idol, Video, Commercials, Web, Adult Swim, Children, Dancing With The Stars, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free

It goes without saying that television from the 80's - as a decade - tends to stand on its own as having provided some of the oddest junk we may ever see: the glorification of cat-fights (see:
Dynasty), the existence of
Twin Peaks, and an alien as the star of his own sitcom (see:
Tony Danza Alf).
Of course, classically cheesy schmaltz like
Dancing With The Stars and
American Idol continues to thrive, keeping viewers fastened to their couches amid every note sung or dance move executed by someone in a fedora or boa, respectively.
Continue reading 80's sitcom intros that now look like self-parodies - VIDEO
Posted Sep 15th 2008 6:04PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: TV on DVD, Reality-Free
Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.Lots of good stuff for TV Squad readers this week, from season one sets for
Chuck,
Pushing Daisies, and
Private Practice to a new
Seinfeld season one set and
Cybill.
I have the
Ozzie & Harriet disc but since it's Christmas-oriented, I'll probably wait a couple of months to review it.
- The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet - Christmas with the Nelsons
- Alvin & The Chipmunks - Alvin!!! Edition
- Avatar: The Last Airbender - Book 3 Collection
- Chuck - Season 1
- Criminal Minds - Season 3
- Cybill - Vol. 1
- Dirty Sexy Money - Season 1
- Duckman - Season 1 and 2
- Father Knows Best - Vol. 1
- Gimme A Break! - Seasons 1 and 2 (Canada)
- Goosebumps - A Night in Terror Tower, Monster Blood, and One Day in Horrorland
- Inside The Actor's Studio - Robin Williams
- Meerkat Manor - Best of Season 3
- Private Practice - Season 1
- Pushing Daisies - Season 1
- The Red Green Show - 2000
- Seinfeld - Season 1: The Very Beginning
- Torchwood - Season Two
- Will & Grace - Complete Series and Season 8
Posted May 19th 2008 2:02PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Video, Music and Variety, Celebrities, Reality-Free
Oh, they don't make 'em like this anymore.
After the jump is a video from the NBC 60th Anniversary show in 1986 (very interesting). It's rather surreal. We get to see Bea Arthur, Nell Carter, Charlotte Rae (Mrs. Garrett from Facts of Life), Marla Gibbs, and Alfonso Ribiero sing a song about "family." That's the NBC family, that is, as all of them were starring on shows at the time (Facts of Life, Golden Girls, Gimme A Break, 227, and Silver Spoons). Punky Brewster herself makes an appearance too, but only to say three words and gives a thumbs up. Barbara Eden introduces the song. The most cringe-worthy moment isn't any of the singing, it's when Gibbs and Carter pass each other on the stairs and casually say that they love each other's shows.
Can you imagine a network doing this now? I want to see Hugh Laurie, Stewie, the guys from Prison Break, Marge Simpson, and Gordon Ramsay get on stage at the next Emmy Awards and sing about the FOX family.
[via Best Week Ever]
Continue reading NBC stars sing about family - VIDEO
Posted Feb 20th 2006 11:59AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Talent, OpEd, Commercials, Celebrities
So you were an adorable kid on a couple of hit TV shows (Gimme A
Break and Blossom), an underrated show (Brotherly Love) and endless other shows and TV movies.
You want to get away from your kid actor days because you're an adult, so you drop the whole "Joey" thing and
start going by the name "Joseph." You want to graduate to meatier roles, more mature roles.
So why do you agree to star in an Ice Breakers commercial with the Duff sisters and say your famous
"whoa!" line? I can understand why some TV stars might want to cash in on an old catch phrase - how many
times have we had to sit through Gary Coleman saying "whatchoo talkin 'bout Wills? when he got older? - but why
you, Joey? (Sorry, Joseph). You're a talented guy who could probably do a lot of things, and while I'm all for
self-deprecation and even some nostalgia, I think you're too young to be looking backward like that. So stop saying
"whoa" and grab a meaty character role or co-star in a nice ensemble drama.