The Terrible Catsafterme

SEASON 1 – NBC

Created by Gary David Goldberg

Theme music: “Without Us” (originally identified as “Us”) by Jeff Barry and Tom Scott, and sang by Dennis Tufano and Mindy Sterling (episodes 1-10), and sang by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams (episodes 11 and beyond)

• 001. Pilot – 9/22/1982
  • Steven Keaton (Michael Gross) and his wife Elyse (Meredith Baxter-Birney) are a liberal couple who met during the Woodstock era, and now live in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, where Steven works as station manager for the public television station Channel WKS and Elyse works as an independent architect. They have two teenage children, the ultra conservative Republican Alex (Michael J. Fox) and the ditzy but good-natured Mallory (Justine Bateman), and a nine-year old daughter Jennifer (Tina Yothers). Alex invites his latest crush, the rich airhead Kimberly Blanton (Cindy Fisher) over for dinner, which proves to be awkward since Alex is trying so hard to impress her. When Alex tells his parents he is going to meet her and her parents Preston (John Petlock) and Emily (Toni Sawyer) at the Carlton club, Steven blows his stack because the Carlton club is restricted. Alex heads off anyway, and Steven eventually gets so irritated by it that he goes to the club and demands that Alex leave. Alex is angry with his apologetic father but after they talk and hug it out, Alex understands his father’s intentions, while Steven realizes he can’t expect his son to act just like him. Meanwhile Elyse tries to design a house for the Emersons, a couple who hate each other and want to be in separate parts of the house. Maurice Marsac is Roger the waiter. 3/28/16 Read the rest of this entry »

SEASON 1

Created by Al Lewis

Theme music by Wilbur Hatch

NOTE: This show is a continuation of the radio program of the same name that aired between 1948-1957

• 001. Trying to Pick a Fight – 10/3/1952
  • Constance “Connie” Brooks (Eve Arden) is a sarcastic high school English teacher at Madison High School, where she has a budding relationship with Biology teacher Philip Boynton (Robert Rockwell), and lives in the home of her landlady Margaret Davis (Jane Morgan) on Carroll Avenue. Her principal is the blustering and irritable Osgood Conklin (Gale Gordon), whose daughter Harriet (Gloria McMillan) attends the high school. Harriet’s boyfriend is squeaky-voiced Walter Denton (Richard Crenna), who also proclaims that Miss Brooks is his favorite teacher is Miss Brooks and often gives her rides to school in his topless jalopy. Walter tells Miss Brooks that he has picked a fight with Harriet because it always leads to an amorous make-up. Connie decides to try this herself with Philip but she can’t seem to make him angry. She then mentions this to Mr. Conklin, who tries it with his own wife Martha (Paula Winslowe). It seems to work too well when his housekeeper reports that she has left with her valise. He assumes that she is going to her mother’s house in Montrose, so he heads to the train station. When Martha calls the school, Connie explains the idea she put into his head and advises her to let his heels cool at the train station. Philip overhears this and becomes genuinely irritated with Connie. Martha invites Connie over to wait for Mr. Conklin’s return, but she begins to panic when he is out late, having borrowed Walter’s jalopy. Walter reports the car stolen to get the police to look for him, and eventually finds out that Conklin has gone all the way to Montrose. He is brought back by a police officer (Edwin Max) soaking wet from the rain. Conklin and his wife make up, Walter and Harriet make up, but when Connie thinks she is going to get a kiss from Philip, he merely feeds her a jellybean. Later Walter is arrested for driving his own ‘stolen’ car. NOTE: This episode was later broadcast as a rerun as a flashback episode with new footage in which Connie tells Mrs. Davis about her dream that relates to this episode. 3/28/16

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SEASON 1

Created by Mark Roberts

Opening theme: “I See Love” written by Keb’ Mo’ and Josh Kelley, performed by Keb’ Mo’

• 001. Pilot – 9/20/2010
  • Mike Biggs is a single lonely overweight Chicago police officer, who frequently hangs out at Abe’s diner with his partner Officer Carl McMillan (Reno Wilson), and Molly Flynn (Melissa McCarthy) is a single overweight fourth grade schoolteacher living with her wine-chugging mother Joyce (Swoozie Kurtz) and pot-smoking irresponsible sister Victoria (Katy Mixon). Both Molly and Mike separately attend an Overeaters Anonymous meeting and take a liking to one another. Molly invites Mike to come speak to her class, and after doing so, she gets distracted by the kids before he can ask her out again. He almost gets another chance at the next meeting, but when he falls over a table and dislocates his finger, the chance is ruined again. When he and Carl respond to a burglary call at Molly’s house, he finally gets to ask her for a date and she accepts. Nyambi Nyambi is Babatunde “Samuel”, the sarcastic waiter at Abe’s. Tucker Albrizzi is Tucker. Brendan Patrick Connor is the group leader George. Kiara Muhammad is Crystal. John O’Brien is the waiter. 3/27/17

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SEASON 1 – NBC

Created by Bill Cosby, Ed Weinberger, and Michael J. Leeson

Theme song: “Kiss Me” composed by Stu Gardner and Bill Cosby

• 001. Pilot – 9/20/1984
  • Dr. Clifford Huxtable is a middle-aged OB/GYN living in Brooklyn Heights, New York with his family, his lawyer wife Clair (Phylicia Ayers-Allen, later Phylicia Rashad), and their children Denise (Lisa Bonet), Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe), and Rudy (Keisha Knight Pulliam). Clair is extremely angry when Theo brings home four D’s on his report card, and charges Cliff with talking some sense into him. Cliff uses Monopoly money to try and convince him that he will not be able to afford to live on a minimum wage job, and Theo in turn tries to tell his father that he should love him regardless of his talents. Cliff thinks that is ridiculous and insists that he try harder. Cliff also has to contend with Denise’s style of dress and her date (Todd Hallowell), a former merchant marine who has an earring. Cliff tries to get some alone-time with Clair when they go to bed, but Vanessa and Rudy end up in bed with them when Rudy thinks she hears a wolf-man in their closet. Keith Reddin is father-to-be Mr. McManis. 3/27/16  Read the rest of this entry »

SEASON 1 – NBC

Theme song: “The Streetbeater” by Quincy Jones

NOTE: This series is an American adaptation of the BBC series “Steptoe and Son” which aired between 1962-1965, and was revived 1970-1974.

• 001. Crossed Swords – 1/14/1972
  • Fred G. Sanford (Redd Foxx) is an elderly widower of 23 years and junk dealer in the Watts section of Los Angeles, California. He and his son Lamont (Demond Wilson) live together in the house that doubles as their junk dealership Sanford and Son Salvage, but Lamont has aspirations of moving on to bigger and better things, but Fred often guilts him into staying, usually pretending to have a heart attack and ‘joining’ his late wife Elizabeth. Lamont has picked up a rare porcelain statue for $15, but thinks that it is worth a fortune and will be his ticket out of the business. He and Fred take it to an antiques dealer (William Lanteau) in Beverly Hills, who offers them $850 for it. Fred wants to take it, but Lamont thinks he can get more on the open market and puts it up for auction. Lamont successfully drives up the bid to $1500, but the auctioneer (Robert Manden) awards the statue to Fred, who has bid $2000 in the front row. Fred then ends up breaking the statue accidentally, blaming his arthritis. More frustrated than ever, Lamont threatens to move out, but can’t get the car started. The next day Fred leaves him a suicide note, but ends up happily coming out of the closet when he hears Lamont frantically calling the police. Gilchrist Stuart is an auction bidder. 3/28/15

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