Soap Dish: Keep the 'Light' Shining

I don't think I've ever watched an episode of Guiding Light, TV's longest-running soap opera, but I still consider myself a fan of the show. I'm a fan of all soap operas. I love the genre, which I inherited from both my mother and grandmother. I grew up watching the continuing dramas of Search for Tomorrow (with Morgan Fairchild as the evil Jennifer), Another World (with Rachel and Iris), Days of our Lives (with Doug and Julie), The Young and the Restless (with its amusing alliteration of Leslie, Laurie, Lance and Lucas), and As the World Turns (with the wonderful Eileen Fulton as Lisa). I've read what seems like a million books on soap operas, so I do consider myself fairly knowledgeable on the subject. And I think it would be a devastating blow for the daytime soap genre if the low-rated Guiding Light was canceled by CBS.

Both TV Week and Entertainment Weekly have recently reported that the show is a likely candidate for cancellation when its current contract expires in September, which would leave its 2.17 million devoted viewers in a state of mourning. And yet another one bites the dust to quote the old Queen song. I've sadly watched over the years as many daytime dramas--some far better than others, but even a mediocre soap can be fun--have ended, including Another World, Search for Tomorrow, Passions, The Edge of Night, Ryan's Hope, Sunset Beach, Santa Barbara, Love of Life, Generations, Texas, The Doctors, Loving, The City, Capitol and Port Charles. And now Guiding Light appears to be on the brink of extinction unless a miracle occurs within the next month. It's possible--especially if fans of the show unite to voice their support. And that's why I'm writing this post--to offer my help in keeping this show alive and kicking. If Guiding Light joins the long list of dearly departed dramas, it will only make the already shaky soap opera genre that much weaker--and a year from now another show or two will be on the cutting block. And that, my friends, is a very nasty pattern that should be avoided at all costs. We gotta keep our soaps on the air any way we can.

So if you want to show your support for Guiding Light, I urge you to contact the following folks (this information is reposted from my friend Patrick Erwin's groovy soap blog, A Thousand Other Worlds, and from the "Keep the LIGHT Shining!" Facebook group:

Barbara Bloom
Senior VP, CBS Daytime Programs
CBS Television
7800 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Leslie Moonves
CEO
CBS-TV Entertainment
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019

Ellen Wheeler
Executive Producer
c/o Guiding Light
CBS-TV
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019

Guiding Light: (866) 695-1895
CBS in New York: (212) 975-4321
CBS NY (Fax): (212) 975-4516
CBS in LA (Les Moonves): (213) 852-2345
CBS Audience Services: (212) 975-3247

Patrick also recommends that fans contact their local CBS affiliate and newspaper TV critic as well as Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly, Michael Logan of TV Guide, Kristin Dos Santos of E!, Robert Bianco of USA Today, and even LGBT press like The Advocate, AfterElton.com and AfterEllen.com due to Guiding Light's current "Otalia" story (the characters of Olivia and Natalia were recently named 2009's Sexiest Couple Alive by TV Guide Canada).

Guiding Light began as a radio serial way back in 1937, and it first aired on television in 1952. That's a helluva long time, and over the years it's introduced viewers to many memorable characters, including Bert Bauer and her two sons, Mike and Ed; Holly Norris Bauer and her second husband, Roger Thorpe (played by the late Michael Zaslow), who was one of daytime's greatest villains; the Stapleton sisters, Rita and Eve; business tycoon Alan Spaulding and his adopted son, Phillip (played by fan favorite, Grant Aleksander, who recently returned to the show); Alan's sister, Alex Spaulding, and her son, Lujack; Ross Marler and his wife, Carrie Todd (played by the great Jane Elliot); the love triangle of Nola Reardon, Kelly Nelson and Morgan Richards; Vanessa Chamberlain and her brother, Quint; and, of course, Reva Shayne Lewis, who has been played by the fabulous Kim Zimmer since 1983. Guiding Light is a show rich with history, and it would be a great loss to see it end. Here's hoping the Light keeps shining for many years to come.

Groovy Guy: Herb Alpert

Today is Herb Alpert's 74th birthday. I'm a big fan of his music--especially from the years with his group, the Tijuana Brass (I think I inherited this from my mother, who paid $2.50 to see them in concert in 1967--I still have her old ticket stub). The man has sold more than 72 million albums worldwide and won seven Grammy Awards.

Of course, I have my personal favorite tunes of his: The "Casino Royale Theme" from the 1967 film, and Alpert's number one solo single, "This Guy's in Love with You" (written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David), featuring a rare vocal performance. He sang this to his first wife (dig her groovy eyelashes in the video below) in a 1968 CBS TV special (the segment was taped on the beach in Malibu). I find it interesting that the song was not originally intended to be released, but after the TV special, CBS received thousands of telephone calls about it, which convinced Alpert to release it as a single two days after the show aired. The song reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, remaining in the top position for four weeks.

Alpert is still performing today, and he and his second wife, Lani Hall, have a new album being released on May 26 called Anything Goes, which is a live collection of reinterpreted standards. They're also going on tour (click here for their concert dates).

Now here's some of Herb Alpert's groovy music to enjoy!

Groovy Video: The Signing of Brittany Spears

I am not a Brittany Spears fan. I'm not remotely interested in her personal life, and her music doesn't do all that much for me. But sometimes when I see her face plastered across some magazine cover, I have to wonder if she wishes she could go back in time to her days on The New Mickey Mouse Club and just start over. Anyway, she's not the topic of this post. The cute guy in the photo is.

His name is Michael DiMartino. He's a 24-year-old sign language interpreter from Brooklyn, and since January 2008, he's been posting unique videos on YouTube (as Captain1Over) in which he signs songs while performing them. And yesterday I saw one of them for the first time--his version of Brittany's "Womanizer"--and I just thought it was so creative and fun that I felt like sharing it (and, of course, it doesn't hurt that the young man is adorable). Mr. DiMartino is developing quite a following on YouTube as you can see from the following comments posted on there from his "fans":

"How do you say WOOF in sign language?"

"I got three words for ya, dude: hot Hot HOT!!!"

"You are yummy!"

"I would like to do unspeakable things to you, mate."

I guess I'm one of his fans now as well, and I look forward to seeing what he does next (perhaps signing some Olivia Newton-John or a Broadway show tune? Just an idea). If you want to see more of Michael, click here.

If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Designing Women

Every Tuesday I post five questions relating to television or film, and the first person who sends me the correct answers wins the highly coveted Robert Conrad Tuesday Trivia Award (this honor is named after the actor for the delicious beefcake he frequently displayed while starring on TV's The Wild Wild West).

Last week's lucky winner was Carey Parrish, and he answered the following questions about TV's Knots Landing correctly:

1) What were the names of Sid and Karen's three children? Diana, Eric and Michael

2) Who was Val and Gary's grown daughter? And what actress played her? Lucy/Charlene Tilton

3) Who was Val's mother? And what actress played her? Lilimae/Julie Harris

4) What Knots Landing star received a Tony nomination for the Broadway musical, Seesaw? Michele Lee

5) What Knots Landing star played Joe's ex-wife on Rhoda? Joan Van Ark

Please send your answers for this week's questions to deepdishdrama@aol.com or via a private Facebook message (DO NOT post your answers on here where everyone can see them or they will be deleted). This week's theme is TV's Designing Women:

1) Who were Claudia and Quinton?

2) What was the name of Suzanne's pet pig?

3) What were the names of Charlene's daughter and kid sister?

4) Where did Suzanne move to in 1991? And to whom did she sell her share of the interior decorating business?

5) What actress played B.J. Poteet during the show's last season?

Dish of the Day #117

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Maybe I want to do the Frug with Baby Spice (or a rich man)

Any regular reader of this blog knows that my musical tastes favor the past, meaning that any song after 1986 is considered "contemporary" music. So when a groovy tune comes along that is from the last 20 years or so, it's something worth mentioning. Having recently discovered Emma Bunton's "Maybe", I find myself now hopelessly hooked on the song, which the former Spice Girl wrote and released in October 2003 as a single from her second solo album, Free Me. And the delightful Bob Fosse-inspired music video of the pop tune is a joy to behold for us show tune enthusiasts, who adore the 1966 Broadway musical, Sweet Charity, and the 1969 film version that was directed and choreographed by Fosse. Bunton's "Maybe" video pays homage to Charity's wildly energetic dance number, "Rich Man's Frug", which is comprised of three "movements" ("The Aloof", "The Heavyweight" and "The Big Finish") that showcase Fosse's distinctive choreography style, especially his creative use of unusual poses, gestures and arm movements. And, according to an interview with Bunton, it only took her and her dancers two days to learn the choreography for the video. Okay, so I'm a little late to the "Maybe" party--by about five years--but better late than never. You gotta admit, it's a groovy tune and video. Now I just need someone to do the Frug with, since I'm not sure if my boyfriend's back would survive the dance.

TV Flashback: I'm in a slapAbby mood

Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner first graced our TV screens on November 20, 1980, when she arrived in Knot Landing and began to stir things up on the Seaview Circle cul-de-sac. She beat that other delicious diva, Alexis Carrington, by a year, since Joan Collins didn't appear on Dynasty until November 4, 1981. For me, Abby (as played by the fabulous Donna Mills) took a prime time soap that was still struggling to find its own identity and transformed it into something unique and addictive. I looked forward each week to see what dastardly deed the lady would do next. Would she really steal Gary away from his sweet wife, Val? You betcha.

So to honor Abby and the upcoming DVD release of her first appearance on Knots (the second season will be available on April 14), here are three slapAbby scenes to enjoy.

The first is from "Moments of Truth" (Episode #27 in Season 2) that was televised on February 26, 1981. The women give Ginger (I always liked her) a baby shower at Val's house, and three criminals break in to rob them and end up taking the ladies hostage. During all this, Laura and Abby find the time for a few heated words in the kitchen over the latter's seductive behavior towards one of the gunman. Laura (another one of my favorite characters) is also not too happy with her neighbor for sleeping with her slimy husband, Richard. Her "You are such a slut" to Abby is priceless.



This classic Val/Abby scene is from "China Dolls" (Episode #52 in Season 3) that was televised on April 29, 1982. Val finally confronts Abby about whether she is having an affair with her husband, Gary, and Abby--who, of course, has been sleeping with him--delivers her delicious answer with just the right amount of bitchiness: "Well, I'm not saying we're having an affair. And I'm not saying we're not. I am saying I can have him anytime I want him." And later in the episode, she does have him again.



This final scene is from "The Spin Doctor" (Episode #234 in Season 10) that was televised on February 16, 1989. You don't mess with Karen MacKenzie, and when Abby pressures her new husband, Greg, to take back his young daughter, Meg, from her foster parents, the MacKenzies, to help his candidacy for mayor, she brings the wrath of Karen upon herself. Greg gave the baby to Karen and Mack to raise after his wife Laura's death because he just couldn't handle being a single father. Knots always had the most involving storylines out of all the prime time soaps, and even though I wish Laura had never been killed off, her sad departure did set up many terrific future stories on the show.

Dish of the Day #116

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Coming to your TV this fall . . . maybe

As a kid growing up, I looked forward to the new television season every September, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on the Fall Preview issue of TV Guide. It was one of my favorite days of the year. And I really haven't changed all that much, since I still get excited when I receive Entertainment Weekly's Fall Preview in the mail (TV Guide just hasn't been the same ever since it got bigger--and less better in my opinion). So when I recently came across a list of the TV pilots being filmed for the 2009-10 seasons of the five major networks, I couldn't resist choosing my favorites:

ABC TV Pilots

The Bridget Show: A sitcom starring Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls) as a self-help guru. Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development) also stars (I adore Ms. Graham, so I'll definitely tune in).

Cougar Town: A sitcom with Courteney Cox-Arquette as a 40-year-old single mother with a 17-year-old son. Busy Philipps, Ian Gomez and Josh Hopkins (Swingtown) also star (Monica with a teenage kid--makes me feel really old).

Eastwick: Based on John Updike's novel, The Witches of Eastwick, this drama stars Rebecca Romijn (Ugly Betty), Lindsay Price (Lipstick Jungle) and Jaime Ray Newman as the three witches. Sara Rue (Popular) and the wonderful Veronica Cartwright (who played Felicia in the 1987 film version) are also in the cast. There have already been two failed pilots based on the book--in 1992 Lost producer Carlton Cuse produced a half-hour show for NBC starring Julia Campbell, Catherine Mary Stewart and Ally Walker, and in 2002 FOX developed a 60-minute series focusing on the teenage sons of the original witches played by Marcia Cross (Desperate Housewives), Kelly Rutherford (Gossip Girl) and Lori Loughlin (90210)--and the handsome Jason O'Mara was cast as Daryl (since his latest show, Life on Mars, has been canceled, maybe they should consider him for the Eastwick role once again--just an idea). It will be interesting to see if third time's the charm for these "desperate" witches.

Empire State: A drama about two families--one rich, one blue collar--who clash over their children's Romeo and Juliet romance. Gail O'Grady, Michael Nouri and David Morse star.

Happy Town: A small-town murder mystery in the vein of Twin Peaks (Twin Peaks!!! I'm so there). Sam Neill and Dean Winters star.

Inside the Box: A drama about a female news producer and her colleagues in a D.C. network news bureau. Kim Raver (Lipstick Jungle) and Jason George star (I've heard that NBC's Lipstick Jungle is unlikely to be renewed for a third season, so its stars are obviously moving on).

Limelight: A soapy drama about the students and faculty at a New York performing arts college (sounds kind of like an updated Fame to me).

My American Family: A mockumentary sitcom about three different families--one traditional, one gay, one multiethnic--who all live in the same suburb. Ed O'Neill (Married with Children), Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ty Burrell star.

V: A remake of the cult 1980s series about aliens. Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost) and Scott Wolf (Party of Five) star (apparently Mitchell has only been cast as a guest star, so this doesn't mean Juliet will be killed off at the end of this season--although many Lost fans are very concerned. She's one of my favorite characters on the show, so I'm hoping Mitchell will be staying "lost").

CBS TV Pilots

Accidentally on Purpose: A sitcom about a San Francisco movie critic who accidentally gets pregnant by a much younger man. Grant Show (Melrose Place, Swingtown) and Jenna Elfman (Dharma & Greg) star.

Big D: A sitcom about a New York couple who move to the husband's hometown of Dallas. Chicago's very own Deanne Dunagan, who won a Tony Award last year for her wonderful performance in August: Osage County, plays another Southern mother in this show.

The Eastmans: Medical drama about a complicated family of doctors. Donald Sutherland, Jacqueline Bisset and Jesse Bradford star (Bisset and Sutherland in a show together is enough for me to watch--at least one episode).

The Good Wife: Drama about a politician's wife who pursues her original career as a defense attorney. This premise doesn't really sound all that great to me, but the show's got an interesting cast--Julianne Margulies, Chris Noth, Josh Charles and the fabulous Christine Baranski.

Happiness Isn't Everything: A sitcom from Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz about a dysfunctional family with Jason Biggs and Richard Dreyfuss (as pushy patriarch Jerry Hamburger).

A Marriage: A relationship drama from thirtysomething creators Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick (I'll watch anything they come up with). Bruce Greenwood and Miranda Otto star.

CW TV Pilots

Lily: The Gossip Girl spinoff starring Brittany Snow as a young Lily van der Woodsen growing up in Los Angeles in the 1980s. Andrew McCarthy also stars.

Melrose Place: The 1990s soap gets a remake. Here's hoping it's much better than the dismal 90210 update, but I'm not going to hold my breath since Heather Locklear has already refused to return as Amanda. Apparently the show will feature the son of Grant Show's character, Jake Hanson.

Vampire Diaries: A young woman is torn between two vampire brothers--one good, one evil (seems like a smart idea, considering how popular those Twilight books and movie are). Lost alum Ian Somerhalder stars.

NBC TV Pilots

Legally Mad: A drama from David E. Kelley, the creator of Ally McBeal and Boston Legal, about the eccentric personalities in a law firm (sounds a lot like Ally and Boston, doesn't it?). The delightful Kristin Chenoweth and Loretta Devine star in this series.

Parenthood: Yet another TV series based on Ron Howard's 1989 film about a large family. This one stars Craig T. Nelson, Maura Tierney (ER, Newsradio) and Peter Krause (Six Feet Under, Dirty Sexy Money). NBC already tried its hand at this show once before back in 1990 with a cast that included David Arquette, Jayne Atkinson, Ed Begley Jr. and Leonardo DiCaprio. It lasted 12 episodes.

FOX TV Pilots

Ab Fab: Based on the fabulous BBC show, here comes an American version with Kathryn Hahn as Eddie and Kristen Johnson as Patsy. Roseanne once tried to develop an American remake starring Carrie Fisher, but it never went anywhere. I have very low expectations for this pilot making it, but you never know. And I am curious to see it.

So it looks like ABC has the most interesting lineup of potential shows for next season (probably because they need to replace the series they've recently canceled, including Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone, Life on Mars and Dirty Sexy Money). The pilots I most want to see are Eastwick, Happy Town, A Marriage and Legally Mad, so I hope they all get picked up when the networks reveal their 2009-10 schedules in May. Now I want to know which shows you're hoping to see this fall, so vote for your favorites in the sidebar poll (choose as many as you want).

Dish of the Day #115: Vote for your Favorite

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning today you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week in the sidebar poll.

Dish #110 barely beat #106 for first place last week with 30% of the 100 votes cast. #106 received 27%, while #108 came in third with 23%, followed by #109 with 13% and #107 with 7%.

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Let's Get 'Lost': The Good Life

I confess I'm not a big Sayid fan. Nothing against Naveen Andrews, whose performance is wonderful, but I've never found the character all that interesting. Sayid's got a killer instinct--it's in his nature--and last night's Lost didn't add much new information to his resume. However, even a "just okay" episode of the show is far better than most anything else on television these days.

We did learn a bit more about Sayid and Ben's relationship with the former killing off all of Charles Widmore's people who posed a threat to him and his island friends. And Ilana, the woman on the plane with Sayid, was a bounty hunter hired to bring him back to Guam to face the music for killing one of Widmore's cronies.

I really liked Sawyer and Juliet in last night's episode, which gave us a glimpse of their uncertainty about the future. Neither of them wants the arrival of their former island mates to disrupt the lives they've created for themselves. The couple seems quite happy playing house together, and no one--not Sayid or Kate--is going to mess things up for them. But--and this is a pretty big "but"--it's painfully obvious that Sawyer still has lingering feelings for Ms. Austen. And Juliet is certainly aware of this. She's no dummy--and I'm sure she will fight for her man. As for Kate, she should leave Sawyer alone and stick with Jack, but it will probably take her until the final episode to realize this.

My favorite part of the show was the final few moments when Sayid unexpectedly shot the 12-year-old Ben after the boy helped him escape. I felt kind of sorry for the kid, but he must survive because if he's really dead, wouldn't this affect the future--and change it? Without an adult Ben around, everyone's lives would be radically different, so I assume little Ben wasn't fatally wounded. I guess we'll find out next week. But you do have to admit that Lost definitely knows how to deliver a delicious cliffhanger.

TV Flashback: "Robert can propose to Bill"

I think this rare clip of the cast of TV's All in the Family performing an in-house "tribute" to The Family Viewing Hour is a hoot. They performed their new 1975 version of the show's theme song, "Those Were the Days" (written by Lee Adams and Charles Strouse, the composers of many Broadway musicals, including Bye Bye Birdie and Applause), in front of a live studio audience, but it never aired.

Back in 1975, the FCC began The Family Viewing Hour, which required the networks to show only family-friendly programming from 8 to 9 pm EST because they thought there was just too much sex and violence on television during that hour (what a quaint concept considering what's shown on TV today). This ruling forced Norman Lear, the creator of All in the Family, to move his #1-rated sitcom from its 8 pm time slot on Saturday to 9 pm on Monday in the fall of 1975, where it continued to be the #1 show that season. The Family Viewing Hour ended in 1977, while All in the Family ran for nine seasons until 1979 when it was revamped as Archie Bunker's Place (which lasted until 1983).

One final comment: doesn't Jean Stapleton look fabulous and very unEdithlike in the clip?

UPDATED on 1/17/10: Unfortunately, the YouTube video was removed during 2009. So I've replaced it with another rare clip of Carroll O'Connor singing "Remembering You", the ending theme song of All in the Family.

Johnny Depp is Barnabas Collins

In the Home Theater Forum's chat with Warner Home Video Theatrical on Monday night, I was very excited to hear that they will be releasing on DVD the films, House of Dark Shadows (1970) and Night of Dark Shadows (1971), in conjunction with the new Johnny Depp movie of Dark Shadows. So it looks like it's finally coming true--Depp will be playing Barnabas Collins in the new Dark Shadows adaptation, which director Tim Burton will be shooting this summer in London.

For those of you who might not be familiar with Dark Shadows, it was a Gothic horror daytime soap opera that aired on ABC for 1,225 episodes from 1966 to 1971 and spawned the two feature films listed above. The series became hugely popular in 1967 when the character of Barnabas Collins, a nearly 200-year-old vampire, was released from his coffin and began terrorizing the town of Collinsport, Maine. During its run, the series also featured werewolves, ghosts, zombies, witches, warlocks, time travel and a parallel universe while borrowing plots from such classic tales as Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Picture of Dorian Gray and Wuthering Heights. Dark Shadows continues to have a large and loyal cult following even today, and apparently Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was a big fan of the show as was Madonna and Depp (who had a childhood obsession with the series).

And now Depp's dream of portraying the infamous vampire is becoming a reality (his involvement in the project was first announced back in 2007). If the new movie is successful, there might even be an ongoing franchise of future sequels, since there are so many different tales they can tell. I'm hoping to see some Adam and Eve, Chris Jennings and Quentin Collins someday on the silver screen.

So far I haven't heard who else has been cast in the new Dark Shadows, but for some reason Catherine Zeta-Jones sprung to my mind as a potential Dr. Julia Hoffman. And Meryl Streep would make a fabulous Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, wouldn't she? As for governess Victoria Winters, either Katie Holmes or Anne Hathaway would be perfect in the role (although I guess the latter will now be busy with her ambitious Judy Garland theater/film project). I suspect that there won't be too many other stars in the film, since Mr. Depp's Barnabas is obviously the main attraction. And I am so looking forward to seeing him take his first bite of lovely flesh as ghoulish as that may sound. He'll make a groovy vampire.

Dish of the Day #114

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'High Fidelity' (The Musical) Turns Me On

How can you not like a show that features a song called "I Slept With Someone (Who Slept with Lyle Lovett)"? I wasn't that familiar with the musical version of the 2000 film, High Fidelity, starring John Cusack as the owner of a Chicago used record store who tries to win back the girl he loves. I remember liking the movie, which I think was the first time I really noticed actor Jack Black as Cusack's scene-stealing co-worker. It's an amusing film that I can certainly relate to, since I've spent many hours in used record stores over the years. And last night I became a fan of the musical based on it as The Route 66 Theatre Company of Chicago presented a free staged reading of High Fidelity at The Mercury Theatre (a groovy little space on the hip Southport strip, which has undergone a total facelift since I lived near there 20 years ago). According to their webpage, the company is an ensemble of creative artists committed to producing theater in both Chicago and Los Angeles, and their mission is to "cultivate dynamic, relevant and provocative stories that bridge the 2,448 miles of cultural divide." Well, I certainly think they accomplished this with their High Fidelity reading. It was definitely dynamic and provocative--although it does feel like a nostalgic piece of work that is firmly set in the year 2000 (references to the defunct Coconuts music store and John Tesh's co-host stint on Entertainment Tonight, which ended in 1996, are still funny--but not relevant--in 2009).

The musical had a dismal debut on Broadway in 2006, lasting only 14 performances. Ben Brantley of The New York Times called the show one of the "All-Time Most Forgettable Musicals", and he seemed to dislike it mostly because he found it bland and the characters not obnoxious enough. I would have to strongly disagree with his review, although it's quite possible that the Broadway production was very different from what I saw on stage last night. An Amazon customer says that the musical was "badly misdirected" on Broadway, but I'm happy to report that this was not the case in Route 66's reading, which was exquisitely directed by actress Michelle Duffy (who was also fabulous as Laura in the show). My only complaint with her direction is that the character of Anna didn't stand next to her new boyfriend, Dick, at the end of the show, which could easily be fixed whenever they mount a full production. And that was the purpose of the reading--to get potential producers interested in helping them "put on a show." If I were a rich man, I would give the company the money they need to stage a full production because I would love to see it again. And it wouldn't have to be much different from the reading; they could do it like the successful and stripped-down revival of Chicago. High Fidelity doesn't need a fancy set--although the only Tony nomination the show received was for Best Scenic Design of a Musical. The musical is about the quirky characters and the catchy songs--and, Mr. Brantley, the character of Barry is very obnoxious (but I loved him by the end of the show).

I was so impressed by Route 66's reading. Artistic director Stev Tovar was perfect as the lead character, and I was rooting for him and Duffy to reconcile (they had definite chemistry on stage). And the supporting cast was amazing, especially Michael Mahler as the sweet, shy Dick, Angela Ingersoll as the feisty Liz, and Larry Adams as the hilariously self-involved Ian. But the most impressive performance was by Jonathan Wagner in the Jack Black role of Barry. He was okay--and obnoxious--in the first act, but in the second act with his wonderful Bruce Springsteen impression and his first-rate rendition of the final song, "Turn The World Off (And Turn You On)", the actor stole the show--and my heart (I don't want to marry the guy, but I do want to see his Barry again someday).

I'm surprised that High Fidelity was such a big flop on Broadway with its witty book by David Lindsay-Abaire and delightful tunes by Tom Kitt and Amanda Green (the talented daughter of actress Phyllis Newman and lyricist/playwright Adolph Green). It must've been the direction of the show--or else the cast wasn't as top-notch as the one I saw perform the show last night. So, if you are a Daddy Warbucks with some extra cash lying around--or maybe you know one--I highly recommend that you check out The Route 66 Theatre Company and consider donating a few dollars or more to their High Fidelity venture. Trust me, they're damn good--and their production of the show deserves to reach a much wider audience. And I really want to see Mr. Tovar dance again like Courteney Cox does in the 1984 music video of Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark".

You can contact Route 66 at (773) 308-6927 or at stef@route66theatre.org.

Dish of the Day #113

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I'd Cry On His Shoulder, Too

I don't usually blog about sordid Hollywood affairs, but since this gives me an opportunity to post a hot photo of actor Eddie Cibrian, here's my two cents worth about his alleged affair with country music singer LeAnn Rimes: I can certainly understand why she turned to him for comfort over her troubled marriage--the guy is gorgeous. . .and maybe he's a good listener, too. Put it all together and you've got yourself one dreamy dude--except for the fact that he's married with children, which makes this scandal especially sad. However, I just read yesterday that rumor has it poor LeAnn is married to a friend of Dorothy's, who--according to "a music industry source close to Rimes"--has been "trying to work through [his homosexuality], believing he can change, as ridiculous as that sounds in this day and age. . .He continues to say he deeply loves LeAnn and wants to have kids with her." Oh dear. That does sound rather ridiculous, but, unfortunately, there are a lot of closeted men out there in the same exact boat as LeAnn's confused hubby. He may indeed love the singer, but the last thing she needs is to have a child with the guy, which would only make matters far worse.

Now considering Us Weekly, which has always been the "Jan Brady" to People magazine's "Marcia", has released an incriminating video of Cibrian, 35, and Rimes, 26, holding hands and kissing recently at a sushi restaurant, there's no denying that the two kids are up to something beyond the "just friends" stage. She even suggestively sucks on his finger at one point, which I can honestly say I've never done to a "friend"--and when I have committed such an act in the past, it's never been in a public place with security cameras around. Such behavior is not too bright for a couple apparently cheating on their spouses.

But there is a bit of good news to report: Cibrian and Rimes' Lifetime movie, Nora Roberts' Northern Lights, scored an estimated 4.5 million viewers in its debut Saturday night, making it the network's most-watched TV movie so far this year. I'm sure that all this publicity surrounding their affair probably helped the film in the ratings, but I doubt very much the toll it's taken on their personal lives has been worth it. I know, I'm not helping them out any by voicing my opinion on the whole mess, but Mr. Cibrian does look mighty fine in the photo, don't you agree? Now if only he could star in something worth watching again. Even though a shirtless Eddie is always a big plus and cheesy dialog like "Now that we've run out of things to say, do you want to have sex? You know, hot, wet, forget-all-of-our-problems sex. It's basic, it's primal, and it's low in fat" can be a hoot, it's just not enough to make me tune in to his latest flick.

If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Knots Landing

Every Tuesday I post five questions relating to television or film, and the first person who sends me the correct answers wins the highly coveted Robert Conrad Tuesday Trivia Award (this honor is named after the actor for the delicious beefcake he frequently displayed while starring on TV's The Wild Wild West).

Last week's lucky winner was Barry Saltzman, and he answered the following questions correctly:

1) What 1976 film written by Neil Simon has several detectives invited to a wealthy recluse's home? Murder by Death

2) What film features the song "Hernando's Hideaway"? The Pajama Game

3) What Doris Day vehicle has her returning home after five years on a desert island to discover that her husband has just remarried? Move Over, Darling

4) What 1966 film has Lana Turner as Holly Parker, who degenerates from wealth to booze and prostitution? Madame X

5) What 1975 musical has Ann-Margret experience childbirth, a nervous breakdown and being murdered? Tommy

Please send your answers for this week's questions to deepdishdrama@aol.com or via a private Facebook message (DO NOT post your answers on here where everyone can see them or they will be deleted). This week's theme is TV's Knots Landing:

1) What were the names of Sid and Karen's three children?

2) Who was Val and Gary's grown daughter? And what actress played her?

3) Who was Val's mother? And what actress played her?

4) What Knots Landing star received a Tony nomination for the Broadway musical, Seesaw?

5) What Knots Landing star played Joe's ex-wife on Rhoda?

Dish of the Day #112

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.

Groovy Movie News: The Warner Bros. Film Archive Collection

Some very interesting DVD news is being officially announced today by Warner Bros., which is launching an "on demand" DVD initiative in which you eventually will be able to order any of the 6,800 theatrical features in the studio's library not available on disc and receive a custom-made DVD within a week for $19.95 (check out the article in today's USA Today).

Plans call for 20 or more classic films to be added each month to The Warner Archive Collection, which begins with an initial slate of 150 films, including All Fall Down (1962) with Warren Beatty, Made in Paris (1966) with Ann-Margret, Orphans (1987) with Albert Finney, Private Lives (1931), The Rain People (1969) by Francis Ford Coppola, and my personal favorite, Sweet November (1968) with Sandy Dennis and Anthony Newley. You can also order films digitally, downloaded directly to your computer for $15. However, Warner Bros. won't be shipping these DVDs outside of the U.S.

I'm going to wait before I order any films and check out the Home Theater Forum chat with Warner Home Video executives that will be held tonight (click here for more information). I'm just curious to hear what they have to say about this new venture. However, if you do decide to buy any films, use the code "XB392" to receive a 25% discount on 5 movies only (it's good through March 31).

Dish of the Day #111

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.

TV Preview: Glee

Glee, a new one-hour musical comedy on FOX, looks like an absolute delight with a dream cast that includes many Broadway actors. From the queer mind of Ryan Murphy, the creator of Nip/Tuck and Popular, comes this series, which will have a sneak preview on Tuesday, May 19, after American Idol (it will begin its regular 13-episode run in the fall). The show stars Matthew Morrison (Hairspray, South Pacific) as Will Schuester, an optimistic Spanish high school teacher who offers to take over McKinley High's Glee Club with the help of his fellow teacher--and potential love interest (even though he's married)--Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays, who played Charlie on Ugly Betty). The club has become a haven for misfits and social outcasts with the exception of two true talents: Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith), the popular high school quarterback with movie star looks and a Motown voice, and Rachel Berry (Lea Michele, who was in Spring Awakening), a perfectionist firecracker who is convinced that show choir is her ticket to stardom.

Glee also stars Jessalyn Gilsig (Gina on Nip/Tuck) as Will's wife, Terri, and the wonderful Jane Lynch (Best in Show, A Mighty Wind) as cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester. Victor Garber and Debra Monk will be seen in the recurring roles of Will's parents, and Kristin Chenoweth, John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys) and Cheyenne Jackson will appear as guest stars. Now doesn't all that just sound fabulous? Hopefully the show will live up to my already high expectations. So mark your calendars and tune in on May 19 after American Idol (a very smart promotional move).

DVD Dish: The World According to Shirley MacLaine

I'm kind of curious to check out this upcoming Region 2 DVD release starring one of my favorite actresses. Back in 1971, Shirley MacLaine tried her hand at a TV sitcom, Shirley's World, which only ran for 17 episodes on ABC (it was up against CBS's Medical Center and The NBC Mystery Movie on Wednesday nights). She played Shirley Logan, an international photojournalist based in London, but her assignments for World Illustrated magazine took her all over the world (the lavish series was filmed in England, Scotland, Tokyo, Hong Kong and other locales). Although the show flopped in the US, it became so popular in Britian that MacLaine was offered $10 million to continue as the bubbly Miss Logan in a British-funded production, but she refused.

Shirley's World will be released on April 20, but you must have a Multiregion DVD player in order to watch it (I highly recommend a Philips DVP3140 player--it's only $39.99 on Amazon--and you can easily make it region free). If you're interested in purchasing the DVD, please click on the DVD cover below.

DVD Dish To Bitch About

As if yesterday's news wasn't bad enough about The Mary Tyler Moore Show Complete Series delay and the syndicated episodes on the upcoming Rhoda release, I'm even more pissed off today after learning that the rotten bastards at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment have decided to give us The Norman Lear Collection, a 19-disc DVD which includes the following:

The First Season of All in the Family, plus two new featurettes with Norman Lear and Rob Reiner, "Those Were The Days - The Birth of All in The Family" and "The TV Revolution Begins - All in the Family is On the Air", and the never-before-released pilot episode, "Those Were the Days", and the never-before-released "Lost" 1971 pilot episode, "And Justice For All".

The First Season of Sanford and Son, plus the new featurette, "Everyone Loves a Clown," in which Norman Lear talks about the creation of the show.

The First Season of Maude, plus two new featurettes, "And Then There's Maude: Television's First Feminist" including interviews with Bea Arthur, Adrienne Barbeau and Rue McClanahan, and "Everything But Hemorrhoids: Maude Speaks to America", in which Bea Arthur and Norman Lear reminisce about working together.

The First Season of Good Times, plus the new featurette, "Ain't We Lucky We Got'Em: Good Times", in which Norman Lear and Jimmie Walker talk about the show.

The First Season of The Jeffersons, plus the new featurette, "Movin' On Up: The Jeffersons" with Norman Lear reflecting on the show.

The First Season of One Day at a Time, plus the new featurette, "This is It - The Story of One Day at A Time" including interviews with Bonnie Franklin, Mackenzie Phillips and Norman Lear.

Volume 1 of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, plus two new featurettes, "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman: Inside the Funhouse Mirror" including interviews with Norman Lear, Louise Lasser and Mary Kay Place, and "The Breakdown" with Lear discussing Louise Lasser's performance in Episodes 129 and 130 (which are also included).

So, out of the 19 discs, two of them boast six hours of the all-new bonus features listed above. Sounds great, doesn't it? And it's all ours on June 9 for only $159.95. Now you may be wondering, "What's the problem, Marc?" Well, I'll tell you: I already own the first seasons of All in the Family, Maude and Mary Hartman, so I don't need to buy them again. However, if new DVDs of these shows were released separately with the interviews and pilot episodes, I might be persuaded to buy them. But, gee, wouldn't it have been really nice to the fans of all these shows to have included these fabulous extras in the original releases? And now they want us to shell over big bucks for shows that we don't care for in order to get the ones that we do want (despite liking LaWanda Page as Aunt Esther, I have no desire to own Sanford and Son on DVD). We all know what was going on in the minds of these Sony executives when they dreamed up this dismal DVD idea--dollar signs and greed, of course. Anything to make a buck. And I would love to pay them money for the second season of Maude and another volume of Mary Hartman, but apparently they're not listening to any fans. It's such a shame that a bunch of money-hungry idiots are in charge of releasing DVDs. There better not be anything wrong with the upcoming Designing Women and Peyton Place DVD releases, or I'm going to have to bitch slap someone. But I will end this post on a lighter note by quoting the perfect thread title about all of this from the website, Home Theater Forum: "Sony meatheads reach a new low."

P.S. MatthewA's response on HTF is a hoot: "Sony must have waxy yellow buildup where brains should be. What should have been dyn-o-mite is just a bust. God'll get you for that Sony, you big dummy!"

The Edies Back Together Again

I've been curious and somewhat apprehensive about the new HBO film, Grey Gardens, ever since I heard that Drew Barrymore was cast as Little Edie. Now I've always liked the actress, but after seeing Christine Ebersole's amazing Tony Award-winning performance in the musical version, she left very big shoes to fill for anyone who played Little Edie in the future. And judging from HBO's promotional trailer below, it looks like Barrymore is wonderful as the young Little Edie, but she's no Ebersole when it comes to the older Little Edie. However, the movie still looks very good with beautiful cinematography and, of course, a fascinating story.

In case there are a few folks out there who may not be familiar with the 1975 documentary, Grey Gardens, here's a brief synopsis: Edith "Big Edie" Bouvier Beale and her daughter, Edith "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale, were the aunt and first cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and they lived together in squalor and almost total isolation in Grey Gardens, a decrepit 28-room mansion in East Hampton, New York. I highly recommend Albert and David Maysles' documentary film about these two women and their everyday lives, which has achieved a cult status over the years.

The HBO film debuts on Saturday, April 18, starring Barrymore, Jessica Lange as Big Edie, Jeanne Tripplehorn as Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and Malcolm Gets as George 'Gould' Strong (Big Edie's close friend and accompanist). Lange and Tripplehorn both seem perfectly cast in their roles. I do find it odd though that teenage handyman Jerry ("The Marble Faun") doesn't appear in the movie, since he's such an important character in both the documentary and the musical version. And I was also interested to read today that director Michael Sucsy first considered Renee Zellweger for the role of Little Edie before casting Barrymore (she might have been very good in the part). But I'll reserve my final judgment until I've seen the complete film, which hopefully will be fabulous.

Dish of the Day #110: Vote for your Favorite

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning today you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week in the sidebar poll.

Dish #103 was the big winner last week with 31.7% of the 120 votes cast, but I suspect that the groovy clock on the wall helped the hot couple gain a few votes. #104's hairy chest came in second with 24.2%, and #102's delicious threesome was third with 20%, followed by #105 with 14.2% and #101 with 10%.

Online Surveys & Market Research

Let's Get 'Lost': Reunited and It Feels So Good

Before I get to my review of last night's Lost, I must briefly mention Better Off Ted, the new ABC sitcom that debuted before it. I thought the show was silly and somewhat bizarre (freezing someone?), but it does have a good cast, including the always delightful Portia de Rossi and the very handsome Jay Harrington (see photo) as Ted (you may remember him from that bad American remake of Coupling or as Susan's boyfriend, Dr. Ron, on Desperate Housewives). I especially liked Andrea Anders as Ted's co-worker and young Isabella Acres as Ted's daughter--they were both quite funny. Better Off Ted isn't going to be appointment television for me, but for a sitcom, it wasn't bad. It's no Office or 30 Rock, but it's a helluva lot better than ABC's According to Jim.

Now let's talk Lost, which gave us yet another fascinating episode divided into two separate parts. The story picked up where it last left off two weeks ago with Sawyer being reunited with his long-lost friends--Jack, Hurley and Kate--and helping them fit in to the Dharma Initiative as new recruits. Meanwhile, we also followed the people left on the plane that crashed on the island--mainly Sun, Ben and the pilot, Frank Lapidus. Unfortunately, poor Sun discovered--with the eerie help of Jack's deceased father, Christian--that her husband, Jin, is indeed alive and well--back in 1977. I'm sure these two kids will be reunited someday on the show, but it might take awhile since she's currently stuck in 2007. Sun did have the best line of the show when she told Frank, "I lied", after knocking out Ben with an oar. I like Sun--she's fun.

Here are some other random thoughts on the episode:

Most Intriguing New Character: Young Ben, whom Sayid met in the final moments of the show. They did an excellent job of casting this role as the actor looks a lot like Michael Emerson, who plays the adult Ben.

Future Fight To Look Forward To #1: It was quite obvious that Juliet was less than thrilled to see Kate again and that Kate and Sawyer's relationship is far from finished. These two ladies will definitely exchange sharp words--or worse--over Sawyer in the future.

Future Fight To Look Forward To #2: Sawyer was thoroughly enjoying being the guy in charge during his and Jack's tense meeting to discuss their future plans. I don't see these boys becoming best buddies anytime soon.

Best Putting It Together Moment: Juliet's reaction when she learned that Amy had named her baby "Ethan", whom we've already met as a creepy adult.

So next week's preview looks like we'll see the destruction of the Dharma Initiative with all the burning buildings--and I've recently read the following SPOILER: One of these characters will be killed off before the end of this season--Ben, Sawyer, Daniel, Jin or Miles. And I've also heard that whoever it is is someone who is "much-loved" by many fans. Hmmm, out of those five guys, the only one who immediately springs to my mind is Sawyer, since Ben is definitely NOT much-loved, Daniel and Miles are too new, and even though we do love Jin, he's already been presumed dead once. Would they really say goodbye to Sawyer? I can't imagine they would, but this is Lost were talking about. I guess anything goes, but I'm hoping James Ford stays alive until the very last episode.

DVD Dish: A Not So 'Mary' Delay

I was disappointed to learn today that the DVD Complete Series box set of The Mary Tyler Moore Show will not be released on May 5 as originally reported. But don't worry, it hasn't been canceled--only delayed--but no new release date has been announced. Hopefully 20th Century Fox people have realized that they've pissed off Mary's devoted fans by requiring us to buy the first four seasons on DVD again in order to get the last three seasons, which they will now release separately. This would be the ideal scenario in a perfect world, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

In other bad DVD news, I just read a depressing review of the new Season One release of Rhoda on Sitcoms Online, which received an advance copy. Apparently 15 out of the 24 episodes are the edited, syndicated versions (Boo! Hiss!), and the video quality on many of the episodes is horrible. And here I was so looking forward to seeing Rhoda again, but I HATE edited, syndicated versions of my favorite shows. It really burns my butt if I may vent here for a moment. So I just canceled my Amazon order.

However, there are plenty of other upcoming TV-on-DVD releases that are still on track and (hopefully) in good shape:

Beverly Hills, 90210, Season 7 - April 7
Dallas, Season 11 - April 21
Designing Women, Season 1 - May 26 (let's hope this sitcom has complete episodes; the box set does have an interesting bonus feature: "Designing Women: A Reunion" featuring the four original ladies and series creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason in a 2006 seminar)
Dynasty, Season 4, Volume 1 - April 7
Everwood, Season 2 - June 16 (I never watched this WB drama when it originally aired back in 2002-06, but I've heard good things--and I'm sure its fans are thrilled since it's been FIVE years since Season 1 was released on DVD)
In Treatment (HBO) - March 24
Knots Landing, Season 2 - April 14
Mad Men, Season 2 - July 7
Peyton Place, Part One - May 19
Peyton Place, Part Two - July 14
That Girl, Season 5 - May 5
True Blood, Season 1 (HBO) - May 19
Weeds, Season 4 (Showtime) - June 2

Groovy Hero: Chad Lindsey

I just read about Mr. Lindsey today, and he definitely deserves the title of "Groovy Hero" for rescuing a 60-year-old man, who fell on the NYC subway tracks on Monday. Even the wonderful Rachel Maddow thinks very highly of the guy, who appeared on her show last night. Chad Lindsey, 33, is a real-life Superman--and damn, he's cute. He's also an aspiring actor, who is currently appearing in The Flea Theater's production of Kaspar Hauser. And get this, his role requires him to repeatedly lift another character who cannot walk. How weird is that? Obviously the part helped prepare him for his recent heroics.

Click here to read a recent New York Times story about Lindsey, and below you can watch Rachel's interview with him as well as his acting reel (he was "Dr. Perfect" in the 2003 film, Girls Will Be Girls, in which he kisses the fabulous Coco Peru--that lucky girl).

Groovy Guy: Kenne Kuramochi

One of the things I like best about having my own blog is that I can promote my talented friends and their groovy work. So today I'm tooting my horn for my pal, singer Kenne Kuramochi, who is such a nice guy.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Kenne first got his start in the entertainment industry as a child model and Off-Broadway chorus boy--and the voice behind the TV commercial jingle, "Cotton, The Fabric Of Our Lives." You can click here to watch Kenne's music video for his cover of New Order's "True Faith", which was filmed on the streets of Paris, France (I think it's very sweet with two young men meeting in the City of Love). In March 2006, it was #1 on Canada's BPM TV music channel for two weeks, and the single also reached #6 on the United Kingdom's Commercial Pop Top 30 Chart, #7 on the French Club Chart, and an impressive #12 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart in the United States in 2005.

And now Kenne has a brand new single, which will be released in a few months, called "Take Me Back", which you can listen to below. Click here to become his Facebook friend. I'm sure he would love to meet you.

Kenne - Take Me Ba...

Dish of the Day #109

Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.

Remembering Natasha Richardson 1963-2009

It's so very sad when someone as young and talented as actress Natasha Richardson leaves this world much too soon. I was fortunate enough to see her wonderful performance in Patrick Marber's play, Closer, on Broadway in 1999, and I also enjoyed her in the films, The Comfort of Strangers (1990), and Widows' Peak (1994). But the crowning point of her career was when she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for the 1998 revival of Cabaret.

Richardson, 45, was part of one of Britain's most famous acting dynasties--including her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, her aunt, Lynn Redgrave, and her sister, Joely Richardson--whose work on stage and screen I've admired all my life. My thoughts tonight are with her family--especially her husband, actor Liam Neeson, and their two sons.

TV on DVD Wish List

Back in December I posted my Wish List of movies that I would love to see released on DVD, and so far only one out of my 61 films is available on a Region 2 disc--1961's Paris Blues with Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier. And now I've compiled a second Wish List of a "few" favorite TV shows/miniseries that I think deserve to be on DVD (I'll keep you posted if any of them are released):

All That Glitters (1977): This short-lived syndicated soap opera spoof by Norman Lear was set in a world of role-reversal, in which the women were the breadwinners and men were treated as sex objects. It starred Eileen Brennan, Greg Evigan, Gary Sandy, Jessica Walter, Anita Gillette and Linda Gray.

Beggars and Choosers (1999-00): This very funny behind-the-scenes look at network television appeared on Showtime for 35 episodes and starred Brian Kerwin, Charlotte Ross, Tuc Watkins and Carol Kane.

Behind The Screen (1981-82): This short-lived late-night weekly serial aired on Fridays at 10:30 pm (CST) on CBS and starred Janine Turner, Michael Sabatino, Mark Pinter and Debbi Morgan. I know it will never be released on DVD, but I still fondly remember it.

The Carol Burnett Show (1967-78): Columbia House already released some complete episodes, but I'm still hoping that season sets will come along one of these days.

China Beach (1988-91): Dana Delany and Marg Helgenberger were wonderful in this drama set during the Vietnam War. I suspect that music rights are holding up a release of this show.

The Colbys (1985-87): I'm hoping that once the Dynasty DVD releases reach 1985 that they might give us this spin-off, starring Katharine Ross, Barbara Stanwyck, Stephanie Beacham (as Sable!), Tracy Scoggins and a hunky Maxwell Caulfield.

The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (1987-91): A truly original comedy-drama starring the delightful Blair Brown and an excellent supporting cast that included Allyn Ann McLerie as Molly's mother and David Strathairn as a quirky love interest.

Falcon Crest (1981-90): TV's Dallas and this show were the one-two punch every Friday night for many years. The fabulous cast included Jane Wyman as Angela Channing, the owner of the Falcon Crest winery, Ana Alicia as the scheming Melissa, Susan Sullivan as the sweet Maggie, David Selby as the conniving Richard, Abby Dalton as the crazy Julia, and Lorenzo Lamas and William R. Moses as the handsome beefcake. The soapy drama also featured an impressive list of guest stars, including Lana Turner, Kim Novak, Celeste Holm, Eve Arden, Leslie Caron, Gina Lollobrigida and Morgan Fairchild.

Flamingo Road (1980-81): Speaking of Morgan Fairchild, anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows that I adore this short-lived soap opera that featured the actress in her best bitchy role as Constance Weldon Carlyle. Add in Stella Stevens, Barbara Rush, Mark Harmon and the hairy chest of John Beck and you've got yourself a damn good show.

Fresno (1986): This soap opera parody featured Carol Burnett as family matriarch Charlotte Kensington, Charles Grodin as her son Cane, Teri Garr as Cane's wife Talon, Dabney Coleman as the evil Tyler Cane, and a shirtless Gregory Harrison as Torch, who certainly got me all hot and bothered.

From Here to Eternity (1979-80): The classic 1953 film was remade in this sexy 1979 miniseries starring Natalie Wood, William Devane and Kim Basinger. It then became a weekly series in 1980 with Barbara Hershey replacing Wood and Don Johnson joining the cast.

Hollywood Wives (1985): A delightfully trashy miniseries starring Candice Bergen, Mary Crosby, Angie Dickinson, Anthony Hopkins, Stefanie Powers, Suzanne Somers and the hunky Andrew Stevens.

Homefront (1991-93): This drama should've lasted for many years instead of only two seasons on ABC. The fabulous cast included Wendy Phillips as Anne Metcalf, a widowed mother, Kyle Chandler as her son Jeff, Tammy Lauren as Jeff's girlfriend Ginger, Sammi Davis as the scheming Caroline, Mimi Kennedy as socialite Ruth Sloan, and Kelly Rutherford as Judy, a beautiful bartender who attracted both Ginger and Ruth's men.

Huff (2004-06): I loved the first season of this Showtime drama starring Hank Azaria, Oliver Platt and Blythe Danner, and I'm hoping they might someday release the second season on DVD.

Knots Landing (1979-93): The second season of my favorite prime time soap is finally being released on DVD next month, which means we've only got 12 more seasons to go. I want to see Ciji Dunne (Lisa Hartman), Chip Roberts (Michael Sabatino), Greg Sumner (William Devane), Joshua Rush (Alec Baldwin), Jill Bennett (Teri Austin), Peter Hollister (Hunt Block), Paige Matheson (Nicolette Sheridan), Anne Matheson (Michelle Phillips) and Ruth Galveston (Ava Gardner).

The Larry Sanders Show (1992-98): Only the first season of this great HBO sitcom has been released on DVD. It starred Garry Shandling as a neurotic talk show host, Rip Torn as his producer, and Jeffrey Tambor as his sidekick.

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976-77): This syndicated soap opera parody has only received one DVD release so far, and I want to see all 325 episodes featuring Mary Kay Place in her best role as Loretta Haggers. I also wouldn't mind seeing the sequel, Forever Fernwood, and the talk show parody spin-off, Fernwood/America 2-Night, with host Barth Gimble (Martin Mull) and his sidekick, Jerry Hubbard (Fred Willard).

Maude (1972-78): Yet another wonderful show that has only had its first season released on DVD. For me, Bea Arthur will always be Maude Findlay, the outspoken liberal of Tuckahoe, New York, and Rue McClanahan will forever be her best friend, Vivian.

Paper Dolls (1984): Only 14 episodes exist of this prime time soap, but I'd love to see them again. The cast included Dack Rambo, Brenda Vaccaro, Nicolette Sheridan and Morgan Fairchild as the bitchy Racine, who had no last name.

Pasadena (2001): I was very bitter when this addictive drama was axed by FOX after only four episodes (13 were filmed). Dana Delany was excellent as Catherine McAllister, and it's such a shame that the show was never given a chance to find an audience.

St. Elsewhere (1982-88): I know some folks might disagree with me, but I think this hospital drama was a better show than ER. It received 13 Emmys during its six seasons, and the impressive ensemble cast included Denzel Washington, Alfre Woodard, Mark Harmon, David Morse, Ed Flanders, and William Daniels in his best role as Dr. Mark Craig. Only the first season was released on DVD back in 2006.

Sisters (1991-96): I think this drama was the last show I watched every Saturday before that night of the week became a barren no-man's land. I loved spending time with the screwed-up Reed sisters, and the cast was marvelous: Swoosie Kurtz, Sela Ward, Patricia Kalember, Julianne Phillips, George Clooney and Ashley Judd.

thirtysomething (1987-91): I loved this show about baby boomer yuppies, and seeing Ken Olin and Patrica Wettig act together again on Brothers & Sisters has only made me miss their old characters of Michael Steadman and Nancy Weston even more.

And here's some breaking TV-on-DVD news: I just learned today that Peyton Place (1964-69), which is finally being released on DVD on May 19, will be receiving a second DVD release on July 14. Considering there are 514 episodes of the show, I'm hoping that these releases continue on a regular basis. I gotta have my Mia Farrow/Ryan O'Neal/Dorothy Malone fix.