The Terrible Catsafterme

SEASON 1 – CBS

Created by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll

NOTE: The series was based on characters created by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, who performed the roles of Amos and Andy on the radio show “Amos ‘n Andy” from 1928-1943 as a nightly radio serial, from 1943-1955 as a weekly situation comedy, and from 1954-1960 as a nightly variety show called “The Amos ‘n’ Andy Music Hall”. Additionally Gosden and Correll appeared in a 1930 film as the characters in “Check and Double Check”. 

Theme music: “Angel’s Serenade” by Gaetano Braga, performed by the Jeff Alexander Chorus

• 001. Kingfish Gets Drafted – 6/28/1951
  • George “Kingfish” Stevens (Tim Moore), the leader of the Mystic Knights of the Sea lodge in New York City, is mistaken for a 19-year old man with the same name and is sent an army draft notification, where he shares this news with his friend Andrew Hogg Brown (Spencer Williams, Jr.). Andy suggests that Kingfish see his lawyer Algonquin J. Calhoun (Johnny Lee), who suggests that the best recourse would be to have Kingfish’s wife Sapphire Smith Stevens (Ernestine Wade) make a plea to the draft board on his behalf. This doesn’t work as planned, because Sapphire thinks Kingfish has volunteered and is thrilled with his patriotism. Kingfish then decides to go into the army but is then informed by Mr. Thompson (Vince Townsend) from the draft board that his draft notice was mistake. He tries to enlist in all branches of the service, but is rejected on all fronts. The lodge throws a big party for Kingfish attended by Andy, their friends taxi driver Amos Jones (Alvin Childress), and Henry Van Porter (Jester Hairston) who presents Kingfish with an expensive watch. Kingfish later tells Henry that he will be assigned to the 135th outfit, based on a street sign that he sees. When the real 135th outfit is shipped out to Fort Bragg, Kingfish begins hiding in the lodge basement. Sapphire and her Mama Ramona Smith (Amanda Randolph) start to head off to see Kingfish, but when he finds out, he has Andy pose as Western Union and tell Sapphire that he is on furlough and will be coming home. Kingfish designs a makeshift military outfit to wear home, but the plans are foiled when a report phones Sapphire for statement about her husband shipping out overseas. This prompts Sapphire and Mom to beat Kingfish so severely that he winds up in the hospital. Nick Stewart aka Nick O’Demus plays Lighnin’ the janitor at the lodge hall. Corny Anderson is Walters. Zelda Cleaver is Mrs. Jackson. 6/2/18

Read the rest of this entry »

SEASON 1 – CBS

Theme song composed by Roy Ingraham, Charles Koff, and Edward Paul

NOTE: This series was based on the 1937 film of the same title, as well as its two sequels “Topper Takes a Trip” (1938) and “Topper Returns” (1941). The original film was based on the 1926 novel “Topper” and its 1932 sequel “Topper Takes a Trip,” both written by Thorne Smith. The 1945 radio series “The Adventures of Topper” also pre-dates the television series.

• 001. Topper Meets the Ghosts – 10/9/1953
  • As he is returning from a business trip, stuffy banker Cosmo Topper (Leo G. Carroll) and his wife Henrietta (Lee Patrick) bump into socialite couple George (Robert Sterling) and Marion Kerby (Anne Jeffreys) at the airport. The Kerbys are heading out for their fifth anniversary weekend at a ski resort. While there, they encounter an alcoholic St. Bernard that they name Neil (Buck). All three are killed by an avalanche but have the ability to materialize as ghosts at will. Meanwhile, Topper and Marion consider buying the Kerbys’ old house, which they are shown by realtor Mr. Moulton (Lyle Talbot). The Kerbys make themselves visible to Topper only and give him background info on the house, as well as sabotage the deal so that Topper can get the house at a low price. 5/31/14

  Read the rest of this entry »

SEASON 1 – NBC

Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur

Theme song written by Gaby Moreno and Vincent Jones

• 001. Pilot – 4/9/2009
  • Presented as a mockumentary, the show follows Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), who works at the Parks and Recreation department in the town of Pawnee, Indiana. She is overzealous and has grandiose dreams for her future. Her co-workers include anti-government boss Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), Mark Brendanawicz (Paul Schneider), a level-headed guy with whom she once slept, the unenthusiastic Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari), and even less interested intern April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza). Leslie hosts a community outreach forum that is typically only attended by nuts, but at this particular one, concerned citizen and nurse Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones) brings up a giant gaping hole that has been left on a property across from her house into which her lazy boyfriend Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt) fell when he was drunk, breaking both of his legs. Leslie pledges to get the hole filled and to build a park on the property. Swanson has no intention of letting her do this, but with pressure from Mark, who owes him a favor, he lets her start her own exploratory sub-committee. During a visit to the hole, she also falls in, which is captured on camera…but despite everyone making fun of her, Leslie remains optimistic about getting the park built. Loudon Wainwright III plays Barry, Retta is Donna Meagle, Jim O’Heir is Jerry Gergich. Ian Roberts appears as Ian Winston. 5/30/14

Read the rest of this entry »

SEASON 1 – Fox

Created by Loren Bouchard

Theme song: “Bob’s Burger’s Theme” by Loren Bouchard

• 001. Human Flesh – 1/9/2011
  • After having to close down his burger shop Bob’s Burgers numerous times for fires and infestation, Bob Belcher (H. Jon Benjamin) prepares for the re-re-re-opening at its location in the seaside town of Seymour’s Bay just down the street from an amusement park featuring the famous Wonder Wharf amusement park. His wife Linda (John Roberts) and their children Tina (Dan Mintz), Gene (Eugene Mirman), and Louise (Kristen Schaal) assist – but mostly hinder – at the restaurant. The date is September 3, and Bob has forgotten his and Linda’s anniversary, but she naively thinks that a surprise is coming. They are also visited by health inspectors Hugo (Sam Seder) and Ron (Ron Lynch), who find a list of violations while observing the kitchen. However the real reason they have come is because Louise brought in a hamburger and told the class it was made from human flesh. Hugo happens to have once been engaged to Linda and was then left by her to marry Bob. He is bitter and still in love with her, so he shuts down the restaurant for their big opening weekend while the burgers are inspected, which causes a picketing mob to form outside the restaurant. Ron reminds Hugo that they have the ability to test the meat in their van laboratory and talks him out of trying get revenge. Mort (Andy Kindler), the proprietor of the It’s Your Funeral crematorium next door, where they supposedly get their meat from, helps Bob address the crowd. A bus comes by with an Adventurous Eaters club that are willing to pay $50 a burger for the human flesh, so Bob tries to keep Ron quiet that the meat test as 100% beef. The restaurant has a lucrative weekend after all, and they all go for a ride on the Ferris Wheel. 5/30/21

Read the rest of this entry »

SEASON 1 – ABC

Theme song: “Angela” by Bob James

• 001. Like Father, Like Daughter – 9/12/1978
  • At Manhattan’s Sunshine Cab Company’s fleet garage in Manhattan, we meet taxi drivers Alex Reiger (Judd Hirsch), Tony Banta (Tony Danza), an aspiring prizefighter, Bobby Wheeler (Jeff Conaway), an aspiring actor, Elaine Nardo (Marilu Henner), mechanic Latka Gravas (Andy Kaufman), and cranky dispatcher Louie De Palma (Danny DeVito). Alex’s fare John Burns (Randall Carver) accompanies him back to the garage to make change for his fare and discovers that the payphone returns any money put into it, so everyone takes advantage to make free calls. Alex decides to call his daughter Cathy (Talia Balsam) whom he hasn’t seen in fifteen years after being asked by his ex-wife Phyllis to let her new step-father raise her. When he finds out that Cathy will be flying from Rio to Portugal, stopping in Miami along the way, he and his friends drive down to greet her. Although they only get five minutes together, they are able to connect and promise to keep in touch. John ends up getting a job as a driver. 5/29/14

Read the rest of this entry »