TVSquad

For the longest time, I've kvetched about the fact that the television industry has stopped programming for Saturday night. For years, Saturday was a great night of television. I remember M*A*S*H and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, not to mention guilty pleasures like The Facts of Life and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Even NBC's thrillogy, The Pretender and Profiler were fun. All those shows were Saturday night hits (some bigger than others).

Well, I'm not alone in missing Saturday TV; Oscar-winner Barry Levinson feels the same. Levinson is also a TV producer -- he did Homicide: Life on the Street and The Philanthropist -- and he thinks the networks are making a big mistake by not seizing on Saturday primetime. He knows the business pretty well and he's confused by the networks' strategy.

"I don't think the answer is to retreat," he told the New York Daily News. "When you give up Saturday night, you open the door for people to go somewhere else. Basically, they're shrinking their own audience."

As Bob mentioned in his DVD post this week, The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The Complete Fifth Season was released in a 3-disc set on Tuesday. I have fond memories of watching this show as a kid, and the clips after the jump confirm once again that it featured one of the best casts in TV history.

Not only was each actor perfect for their role, but their timing and delivery of lines was second to none. I also love all of the 1970s-era props, clothes and decor, because of course, the show was made in the 1970s.

I don't mean of one particular show, I'm talking about the best episode of any TV series? Not an easy thing to do. Just think of how many shows and how many episodes we've had in 60+ years. The new issue of TV Guide is out, and while the full list of the 100 best episodes isn't online yet (here are #'s 100-81), we do know some episodes in the top ten (TV Guide did a similar issue back in 1997).

The number one ep? "The Contest" from Seinfeld. "Chuckles Bites The Dust" from The Mary Tyler Moore Show and "Opie The Birdman" from The Andy Griffith Show are up there too, as is the pilot episode of Lost and the "College" episode of The Sopranos. What's the first episode that comes to mind when you think of great TV?

The success of Slumdog Millionaire and Frost/Nixon recently inspired me to assess the ten best movies about television. TV has been a fertile source of entertainment for filmmakers. The TV turf is also a popular setting for TV shows, and there have been some all-time great shows about the tube. Here are nine that I think warrant special recognition -- in no special order.

1. The Mary Tyler Moore Show
It all started at WJM-TV in Minneapolis. The Mary Tyler Moore Show was the perfect sitcom blend of home and work, and work happened to be the local TV news team. As Mary Richards, the associate producer, Mary Tyler Moore was the single girl America loved because she was real, funny, gorgeous and lovable. At work, the news was mangled nightly by Ted Baxter, the quintessential news reader anchorman who loved every dulcet tone of his voice and had no idea what he was reporting. In perfect irony, when the show came to an end, most everyone at WJM -- Lou Grant, Murray Slaughter, Sue Anne Nivens, Mary -- were fired. Only Ted was spared!

AOL Television has compiled a list of the 50 Best TV Comedies -- Ever, this week revealing numbers 50-41. Inspired by what they did, I've decided to list my favorite sitcom sidekicks, those funny foils that oftentimes make the star shine even brighter than you might have thought. Coming up with just a ten-pack hasn't been so easy. Many times, I'd look at a show and think, "No, it's more of an ensemble. There isn't one sidekick." Falling into that category were B.J. and Trapper John on M*A*S*H. Neither were Hawkeye's sidekick, really (any more than Radar was). Same thing with Friends -- they were all each other's sidekicks. Also, on The Odd Couple, Oscar and Felix were equal; neither was a sidekick. Ditto Two and a Half Men and Laverne & Shirley. Also, because it's my list, I decided not to include married couples -- sorry Rob and Laura, Ricky and Lucy, Archie and Edith.

Whew, after all that, here, in alphabetical order, are the ten I love -- within my own parameters! Feel free to comment with your choices, if your favorite isn't on my list.

• At 7, USA has coverage of the U.S. Open (CNBC takes over at 9 except on the west coast).
• At 8, ABC Family has a new Kyle XY, then new episodes of Greek and Slacker Cats.
• Lots of classic shows on American Life starting at 8: 77 Sunset Strip, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Newhart, WKRP, and The Bob Newhart Show.
• Also at 8: Nickelodeon has a new SpongeBob SquarePants.
• At 9, ABC has a new Fat March.
• There's a new episode of The Closer on TNT at 9, followed by a new Saving Grace.
• USA has a new Monday Night RAW at 9.
• Food Network has a new Unwrapped at 9.
• At 10, NBC has a new Dateline.
• TBS has a new My Boys at 10.
• MTV has a new ep of The Hills at 10.
• VH-1 has a new Pick Up Artist at 10.
• The Travel Channel has a new Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations at 10.
• There's a new Weeds on Showtime at 10, then a new Californication.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Betty White, the actress best known for her roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls, and for being confused with the little old lady who raps in The Wedding Singer was honored yesterday by the Los Angeles Zoo. White, who has served on numerous zoo association and foundation boards, will have a plaque hung in her honor next to the L.A. zoo's gorilla exhibit.

Her new official title is "Ambassador to the Animals,' but I'd like to see what the precise job description of that position is... sounds like fun. The ceremony was attended by numerous dignitaries including the mayor of Los Angeles. White is currently in her eighth year as a zoo commissioner and plans to continue to "love the animals."