We don't watch a lot of "live" TV at the launchpad. There really aren't any shows worth watching anymore. I do watch "Madam Secretary," "Homeland," "Timeless," and "The Americans" but that's the extent of what's on my DVR.
Here are two lists I've had for some time and haven't posted. It is likely to engender some serious discussion. The first list is from the Hollywood Reporter and the second is from Rolling Stone.
_________________________________________________
100. Desperate Housewives 2004-2012) ABC - didn't watch
99. Fawlty Towers 1975-1979) BBC, PBS - didn't watch
98. Family Ties (1982-1989) NBC - I would put this a little higher, but Alex P. Keaton's republicanism knocks him down a few pegs.
97. Ally McBeal 1997-2002) Fox - watched and enjoyed, though Calista Flockhart was borderline annoying.
96. Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005) CBS - not a fan but Mrs. BA likes it in syndication.
95. Battlestar Galactica(2004-2009) Syfy - I prefer the original, Lorne Green, Martin Landau, Barbara Bain version.
94. Parenthood (2010-2015) NBC - watched a few episodes but it never caught on with me.
93. The Brady Bunch (1969-1974) ABC - this was a staple most afternoons when coming home from school.
92. The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978) CBS - Bob Newhart is an unsung comedic genius.
91. The Americans (2013-Present) FX - see above, one of the few shows I watch.
90. Arrow (2012-Present) The CW - don't watch
89. The Rockford Files (1974-1980) NBC - Along with "Barnaby Jones," "Starsky and Hutch,"and "CHiPS" every afternoon at 4:00pm.
88. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-Present) FX, FXX - don't watch
87. Scrubs (2001-2010) NBC, ABC - didn't watch
86. True Blood (2008-2014) HBO - didn't watch
85. Law & Order 1990-2010) NBC - though it was hard to avoid, I don't think I ever saw a full episode. And I really like Sam Waterston and Jerry Orbach.
84. Alias (2001-2006) ABC - didn't watch
83. Get Smart (1965-1970) NBC, CBS - sorry about that Chief.
82. Gilligan’s Island (1964-1967) CBS - "those poor people."
81. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-Present) NBC - see #85
80. The Flintstones (1960-1966) ABC - not in its original time slot, but in syndication, it was a don't miss.
79. Sesame Street (1969-Present) PBS - I would be Un-American if I hadn't watched this.
78. Married… With Children (1987-1997) Fox - didn't watch
77. Scandal (2012-Present) ABC - didn't watch
76. Full House (1987-1995) ABC - didn't watch though LBA and SoBA like it (along with the reboot)
75. Doctor Who (1963-1989) BBC, PBS - don't hate me, but didn't watch
74. 24 (2001-2010) Fox - came to it late, but have seen all of them.
73. Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962) CBS, NBC - didn't watch, but with good reason.
72. Mork & Mindy (1978-1982) ABC - Thursday nights.
71. Saved by the Bell (1989-1993) NBC - didn't watch
70. I Dream of Jeannie (1965-1970) NBC - only in syndication
69. Entourage (2004-2011) HBO - didn't watch
68. Firefly (2002-2003) Fox - didn't watch
67. Moonlighting (1985-1989) ABC - loved this show, but they never should have slept together.
66. Taxi (1978-1983) ABC, NBC - an outstanding piece of television, this would certainly be higher on my list.
65. Family Guy (1999-Present) Fox - didn't watch
64. House (2004-2012) Fox - Mrs. BA has issues with TV that deal with the human condition, but Hugh Laurie's crankiness made this show great.
63. Hill Street Blues (1981-1987) NBC - the recent passing of Steven Bochco, moves this show up on my list.
62. Bewitched (1964-1972) ABC - not a huge fan, but have seen several episodes.
61. Roseanne (1988-1997) ABC - wasn't a fan the first time, not a fan this time.
60. Murphy Brown (1988-1998) CBS - didn't watch
59. Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969-1974) - didn't watch
58. How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014) CBS - the only ones I have seen is because Mrs. BA watched it.
57. The Good Wife (2009-Present) CBS - didn't watch
56. The Wonder Years (1988-1993) ABC - didn't watch
55. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994) Syndicated - didn't watch
54. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996) NBC - didn't watch
53. Curb Your Enthusiasm (1999-2011) HBO - didn't watch
52. True Detective (2014-Present) HBO - didn't watch
51. Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) WB - didn't watch
50. Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000) NBC - ashamed but didn't watch. At this time I don't think I realized it was my classmate's (Judd Apatow) version on my high school.
49. Orphan Black (2013-Present) BBC - didn't watch
48. The Golden Girls (1985-1992) NBC - didn't watch
47. The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966) CBS - in syndication, yes.
46. Veep(2012-Present) HBO - have seen one season but no more than that.
45. Homeland (2011-Present) Showtime - see above, although this current season is hard to watch.
44. Downton Abbey (2010-Present) ITV, PBS - didn't watch
43. The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978) CBS - not in its original timeslot, but in syndication, all the time. It was always fun to see them lose it.
42. Castle (2009-Present) ABC - didn't watch
41. Happy Days (1974-1984) ABC - Tuesday Night, 8:00, followed by Laverne & Shirley.
40. Frasier (1993-2004) NBC - LBA has become a fan of Frasier.
39. All in the Family (1971-1979) CBS - a great show.
38. Friday Night Lights (2006-2011) NBC - didn't watch
37. Dexter (2006-2013) Showtime - didn't watch
36. The Muppet Show (1976-1981) Syndicated - up there with Sesame Street.
35. Star Trek (1966-1969) NBC - in later syndication, a little.
34. South Park (1997-Present) Comedy Central - didn't watch
33. Sherlock (U.K.) (2010-Present) BBC, PBS - didn't watch
32. Parks and Recreation (2009-2015) NBC - both LBA and Mrs. BA have binge watched all of these.
31. The Office (U.S.)(2005-2013) NBC - didn't watch
30. The Wire (2002-2008) HBO - didn't watch
29. Six Feet Under (2001-2005) HBO - "I hate the living." - Nate Fisher
28. ER (1994-2009) NBC - I want to say this show went on a few seasons too many.
27. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) WB, UPN - this may get me in trouble, but didn't watch.
26. Orange Is the New Black (2013-Present) Netflix - didn't watch
25. The Big Bang Theory (2007-Present) CBS - one of Mrs. BA's favorites.
24. The Walking Dead (2012-Present) AMC - I wanted to watch this show, lover of the disaster genre as I am, but couldn't do it.
23. Cheers (1982-1993) NBC - the show was never the same after the death of Coach and Diane's departure.
22. Will & Grace (1998-2006) NBC - watched but it wasn't a must see.
21. House of Cards (2013-Present) Netflix - I watched for a while, but the news about Kevin Spacey makes it hard to come back to this.
20. Twin Peaks (1990-1991) ABC - that's some good pie.
19. The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) CBS - "I hate spunk."
18. 30 Rock (2006-2013) NBC - didn't watch
17. The Twilight Zone (1959-1964) CBS - see #73
16. Arrested Development (2003-Present) Fox, Netflix - didn't watch
15. Lost (2004-2010) ABC - Wednesday nights.
14. Modern Family (2009-Present) ABC - didn't watch
13. M*A*S*H (1972-1983) CBS - this is in my Top 10, if not Top 5
12. Sex and the City (1998-2004) HBO - didn't watch
11. The West Wing (1999-2006) NBC - likely my No. 1
10. The Simpsons (1989-Present) Fox - didn't watch
9. Mad Men (2007-2015) AMC - In my Top 5
8. I Love Lucy (1951-1957) CBS - not originally, but in reruns, yes.
7. Saturday Night Live (1975-Present) NBC - I'm not usually up that late anymore.
6. The Sopranos (1999-2007) HBO - not in its original run, but I have binged watched.
5. Seinfeld (1989-1998) NBC - not that there's anything wrong with that.
4. Game of Thrones (2011-Present) HBO - didn't watch
3. The X-Files (1993-2002) Fox - didn't watch
2. Breaking Bad (2008-2013) AMC - Like the Walking Dead, I wanted to like this, but it never grabbed me.
1. Friends (1994-2004) NBC - I have soured on this show because it is on. all. the. time.
_________________________________________________
100. 'Eastbound and Down' 2009-13 - didn't watch
99. 'Oz' 1997-2003 - didn't watch
98. 'The Golden Girls' 1985-92
97. 'Portlandia' 2011-Present - didn't watch
96. 'Gunsmoke' 1955-75 - I was more of a Bonanza fan.
95. 'Key & Peele' 2012-15 - didn't watch
94. 'Jeopardy' 1964-1975, 1984-Present - while I watched Jeopardy, for game shows, I was more of a fan of The Price is Right and Match Game.
93. 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' 1988-99 - didn't watch
92. 'American Idol' 2001-16 - didn't watch
91. 'Broad City' 2014-Present - didn't watch
90. 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' 1961-66 - "OH, ROB!"
89. 'Homeland' 2011-Present
87. 'Doctor Who' 1963-Present
86. 'Good Times' 1974-79 - I would put this show higher.
85. 'The Real World' 1992-Present - didn't watch
84. 'Real Time With Bill Maher' 2003-Present - didn't watch
83. 'House of Cards' 2013-Present
82. 'The Jeffersons' 1975-85 - I would also put this ground breaking show higher.
81. 'Dallas' 1978-91 - And yes, I was one of the millions who watched the "Who Shot J.R. episode.
80. 'The Fugitive' 1963-67 - didn't watch but am a big fan of the movie.
79. 'In Living Color' 1990-94 - didn't watch
78. 'Thirtysomething' 1987-91 - sorry, but the title of the show was "thirtysomething."
77. 'The Walking Dead' 2010-Present
76. 'Late Night With Conan O’Brien' 1993-2009 - didn't watch
75. 'American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson' 2016 - didn't watch
74. 'The Ren & Stimpy Show' 1991-95 - didn't watch
73. 'Transparent' 2014-Present - didn't watch
72. 'Girls' 2012-Present - didn't watch
71. 'Mr. Show' 1995-98 - didn't watch
70. 'Roseanne' 1988-97
69. 'The Ed Sullivan Show' 1948-71 - didn't watch, but then again I wasn't born for most of it.
68. 'The State' 1993-95 - didn't watch
67. 'The Odd Couple' - 1970-75 - this show deserves to be higher.
66. 'Downton Abbey' 2011-16
65. 'Happy Days' 1974-84
64. 'Chappelle’s Show' 2003-06 - didn't watch
63. 'The Wonder Years' 1988-93
62. 'Sex and the City'
61. 'Your Show of Shows' 1950-57 - didn't watch
60. 'Beavis and Butt-Head' 1993-97, 2011 - didn't watch
59. 'Hill Street Blues' 1981-87
58. 'Roots' 1977 - I was also one of the millions of Americans who watched this for the entirety of when it was on.
57. 'Fawlty Towers' 1975-79
56. '24' 2001-10
55. 'Six Feet Under' 2001-05
54. 'The Muppet Show' 1976-81
53. 'The Bob Newhart Show' 1972-78
52. 'The Colbert Report' 2005-14 - didn't watch
51. 'Fargo' 2014-Present - didn't watch
50. 'ER' 1994-2009
49. 'Taxi' 1978-83
48. 'The Office (U.S.)' 2005-13
47. 'The Rockford Files' 1974-80
46. 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' 1970-77
45. 'Battlestar Galactica' 2003-09
44. 'Columbo' - 1971-78 - didn't watch
43. 'The Americans' 2013-Present
42. 'NYPD Blue' 1993-2005 - was not a big fan.
41. 'The Honeymooners' 1955-56 - in reruns, sure
40. 'The Shield' 2002-08- didn't watch
39. 'Lost' 2004-10
38. 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' 1997-2003
37. 'Orange Is the New Black' 2013-Present
36. 'Law & Order' 1990-2010
35. 'My So-Called Life' - didn't watch
34. '30 Rock' 2006-13
33. 'South Park' 1997-Present
32. 'I Love Lucy' 1951-57
31. 'Sesame Street' 1969-Present
30. 'The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson' 1962-92 - if I watched late night talk show, I always went to the Master. Then to Letterman
29. 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' 1969-74
28. 'The X-Files' 1993-2002, 2016
27. 'Arrested Development' 2003-06, 2013
26. 'Friends' 1994-2004
25. 'Veep' 2012-Present
24. 'Friday Night Lights' 2006-11
23. 'Deadwood' 2004-06 - this was a great show.
22. 'Louie' 2010-Present - didn't watch
21. 'The Office (U.K.)' 2001-03 - didn't watch
20. 'Cheers' 1982-93
19. 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' 2000-Present
18. 'Star Trek' 1966-69
17. 'Twin Peaks' 1990-91
16. 'M*A*S*H' 1972-83
15. 'The West Wing' 1999-2006
14. 'The Larry Sanders Show' 1992-98 - didn't watch
13. 'Late Night With David Letterman' 1982-2015 - see #30
12. 'Game of Thrones' 2011-Present
11. 'Freaks and Geeks' 1999-2000
10. 'The Daily Show' 1996-Present
9. 'All in the Family' 1971-79
8. 'Saturday Night Live' 1975-Present
7. 'The Twilight Zone' 1959-64
6. 'The Simpsons' 1989-Present
5. 'Seinfeld' 1989-98
4. 'Mad Men' 2007-15
3. 'Breaking Bad' 2008-13
2. 'The Wire' 2002-08
1. 'The Sopranos' 1999-2007
Showing posts with label Television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Television. Show all posts
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Thursday, January 18, 2018
Where's Fred When We Need Him?
Sadly, Fred Rogers left us fifteen years ago next month. Like my mother (and last year, my father) I sometimes think, how would they react to what's going on right now? Mr. Rogers would know what to do.
- Last April, kottke.org posted a link to Twitch.TV that was streaming all 886 episodes of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. (I don't think the link is active anymore - but you can also watch episodes on Amazon Prime) I would be fine killing some time over there (if I wasn't living in the alternate reality of the West Wing when I can).
- One month later, kottke again posted about Mr. Rogers, this time about the sweaters that he wore throughout the years.
- Then in November it was announced there was to be a documentary film about Mr. Rogers, titled, "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" The first trailer dropped this week.
"Love is at the root of everything
All learning, all parenting, all relationships
Love or the lack of it.
And what we see and hear on the screen is part of who we become."
- Fred Rogers
All learning, all parenting, all relationships
Love or the lack of it.
And what we see and hear on the screen is part of who we become."
- Fred Rogers
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Come on Down! You're the Next Contestant on the Price is Right!
LBA and SoBA are off from school tomorrow. It's a professional day for the faculty at the school. I am taking the day off - maybe we'll do something fun - outside. Or maybe we'll just sit around and watch TV - including the "most fabulous hour on television - the PRICE IS RIGHT!"
List from BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed comments in regular type, my comments in italics.
The Definitive Ranking Of “Price Is Right” Pricing Games
75. Double Prices: By far the worst game on The Price Is Right (henceforth referred to as TPIR). There are literally two prices given for a prize and the contestant just has to choose the correct one. There’s no cool props, generally no big prize on offer, and no need for the contestant to do much of anything besides stand and smile dumbly as they take their 50/50 shot at some mediocre winnings. NEVER AGAIN, TPIR. NEVER AGAIN. The Brave Astronaut agrees, though I haven't seen this game - but it sounds boring
74. Switch?: What a fun little question mark on the end of this one’s name. I like to imagine it being pronounced by a middle-aged gentleman who is utterly taken aback by the possibility of the two prices being incorrect. “Swiiiitch???” The game itself sucks, though. Sorry, generic middle-aged man who only exists in my head. Also not a lot to this game
73. One Right Price: Another game that basically boils down to, “Hey, there’s two prices, so…choose the right one.” That’s what the game is even called. One Right Price. Step up the creativity, guys.
72. One Wrong Price: The inverse of One Right Price, except now there are three prizes to choose from instead of two. The extra prize makes this game just slightly less blah. It’s still really damn blah, but…not quite as much.
71. Pick a Number: Literally what it says. The price is missing a number. You pick that number.
70. Most Expensive: There are three prizes. Shockingly, one costs more than the other two. Can you deduce which one it is?
69. Flip Flop: Flip Flop? More like THIS GAME IS A FLOP. Although I will say I've seen this game before and it least has some tension.
68. Side by Side: Very similar to Flip Flop, but it’s a little more fun to watch because the way the numbers move is kind of cool. But still, boring
67. Coming or Going: Another game from the “just give us these two sets of numbers in the correct fashion” playbook. It’s the best of the bunch because it’s actually really fun watching as the numbers cascade from side to side while the contestant is trying to make up his or her mind.
66. Squeeze Play: Similar-ish to Pick a Number, except now you need to pick a number to get rid of. Still boring and ridiculously simple to play, but the sound effects as the remaining numbers squeeze into place are kind of ~cool~. I would agree with this - this game was and is one of my favorites
65. Bargain Game (formerly Barker’s Bargain Bar): The game itself probably deserves to be a tad bit lower on this list — it’s just a matter of choosing which given price is more below the actual retail price. But because this game originated as Barker’s Bargain Bar, the aura of Bob Barker has lifted it up a few spots higher in the rankings. Any game that originates with Grandpa Bob deserves better.
64. Do the Math: Math? LOL NO THANKS! The interactive chalkboard-y thing is real cool, though, so…props for that prop. Math is Hard.
63. Freeze Frame: The design of the game’s name makes you think it’s going to be 10 times more interesting than it really is. Look at it — kind of reminds you of something out of a comic book. Like, “Freeze Frame, a battle between good and evil, as the villainous Dr. Ice attempts to freeze out the world. Only you can bring the heat back and save the universe!” And then you realize that no, you’re actually just choosing two sets of numbers that make up the price of the prize. Dr. Ice wins again.
62. Double Cross: Like Do the Math, this is another game made MUCH more interesting by the electronic screen on which it’s played. Look at those bright colors and the cool X shape and all that good stuff. That’s some good electronic screen action. This is a newish game, which I have never seen.
61. Balance Game: It’s like the scales of justice, except instead of human rights and freedom and all that, it’s about lackluster vacations to overpriced resort towns.
60. Hi Lo: Is this a good game? No. But at least the contestant has to try to figure out multiple prices rather than just choose between two options like some other games. I think this is one of the original games - it deserves a better ranking.
59. Push Over: Push Over: a game on TPIR. Also, a person who gets this game and pretends to enjoy it so as not to anger Drew Carey.
58. Swap Meet: Swap Meet conjures up images of PTA parents getting together to trade in their old silverware in exchange for a cozy sweater or some shit like that. This Swap Meet is not that. It’s just attempting to swap one item out for another of the same price. Really the only reason it’s ranked this highly is because of the ~FuNkY~ color of the set.
57. Shopping Spree: Seems like a game that would be tons of fun, right? A shopping spree! Who doesn’t love those? Well, when the spree is limited to four so-so items, it’s not quite as exciting. The best part of this game is when the contestant somehow thinks that a couple of handbags is for sure more expensive than a gigantic plasma television and then gets SHUT DOWN by Drew.
56. Step Up: Would be better with a companion game called 2 Tha Streets but you work with what you’ve got.
55. Lucky Seven: Real talk: Lucky Seven is the worst game that offers up a car as the prize. Why? Because it’s fucking hard. These people are basically just guessing prices blind without any of the fun hints or mini prize opportunities that so many other games come with. There isn’t even a cool set to help spice things up — it’s just a big board that reveals numbers one by one. The only reason Lucky Seven is even ranked this high is that the excitement factor of having a car as the grand prize helps keep the tension high. I've always enjoyed this game - especially when Barker used to tell the winners if they had money left over, they could buy gas for their new car. Back then, they could actually get somewhere with a couple of bucks.
54. Danger Price: This game would be SO much better if the contestant was forced to traverse a set of laser wires in pursuit of their goal, but I guess that’s not the kind of “danger” being referred to here. Still, for such a simple game, it’s weirdly addicting watching the pieces on the board rotate to reveal their prices.
53. Take Two: This game should be way more boring than it is. The contestant literally just has to choose two items, out of four, that add up to a given dollar amount. It’s wicked simple. But for some reason, those fun ’70s-style asterisks are enough to bring this game up a bit in the rankings.
52. Grand Game: As a kid, I always thought this game was way more exciting than I now do. $10,000 seemed like such a huge sum of money, and it was always portrayed as one of the higher-stakes games because of that. But then you realize that half the games out there are giving away cash and cars worth way more than $10,000, and Grand Game loses most of its luster. The residual nostalgia is what brings this game to number 52 on the list.
51. 2 For the Price of 1: Yet another relatively boring game saved by a set piece that is way more fun than it has any right to be.
50. Bonus Game: More asterisks = another solid game option. It’s not too complex, to be certain, but the addition of a bit of luck into this one ratchets up the excitement. Also, I think one of the older games and I like the suspense
49. Five Price Tags: Because this game is played for a car, it gets an automatic bump in the rankings. The game itself is pretty dull, though. Any game that mostly just involves choosing the correct price among many given options is never all that intriguing, no matter how many price tags they add to the equation.
48. Gas Money: There’s some interesting Americana at play here, with a set and name that does just enough to evoke the aura of Route 66 and the colorful Southwestern sky. But, when it comes down to it, this is just another “choose the price from among a group of prices” game. Sure, there’s a chance to win some cash thrown in, but…
47. Bullseye: A game that seems way more complicated than it actually is, and offers quite a few chances to win the grand prize. You don’t have to hit the bullseye to win, just get on the board and then hope that the grocery item that got you there offers up the victory. Sometimes these “multiple chances” games are great. But this one is almost like two games in one, except the second game is 100% luck. I have always been a fan of the grocery games
46. 1/2 Off: It’s just fun to watch a whole pile of money come cascading out of a small box, honestly.
45. Easy as 1 2 3: The game is very similar to a bunch that have been listed above, but this one comes with numbered blocks as props. And everyone knows that regressing back to childhood via the use of oversized blocks is SO in this season.
44. Line ‘Em Up: Another one of those “why do I enjoy this stupid game so much” kind of games. There’s literally no reason it should be as entertaining as it is. No reason. But here we are.
43. Magic Number: It’s all about dat sound effect.
42. Check Out: A solid game brought down by the fact that it reminds you of how you need to go shopping for dinner later even though you’ve only got $17 in your bank account right now.
41. More or Less: What a ~unique~ ’60s-inspired font!
40. Safe Crackers: Safe Crackers is one of those games that looks INFINITY TIMES better than it actually is. You except some kind of super-sleuthing, James Bond-style intrigue. Instead, you’ve just got people putting a couple numbers in order and then trying to open a comically oversize door. Why, Safe Crackers, must you make promises you can’t keep? This game would probably be in my Top 10 or 20
39. Pick a Pair: A strikingly simple game — choose two items that cost the same as each other! — paired with the fact that the contestant is given multiple choices to win makes this a game that is easy to watch, even if it never completely stirs the imagination.
38. Pay the Rent: A relatively new game, and one that offers one of the larger (if not largest) cash prizes among any of the TPIR games. The major con here is that the name of the game just reminds you how much damn money you throw away each month on rent.
37. Shell Game: A variation on one of the most classic games of chance of all time, TPIR’s version of this gambler’s temptation throws a couple pricing questions into the mix but otherwise remains pretty similar. When you stack it up against some of the other pricing games on the show, though, you realize that even the classics aren’t necessarily infallible. And Barker did it better
36. Triple Play: Lots of cars on offer, which is an automatic bonus. Otherwise, not all that great.
35. Bonkers: Because it’s always fun watching people run around, frantically mashing large tokens against a board.
34. Card Game: This game has a bit of everything — there’s a car to be won, a bit of strategy at play, and oversize props. But too often this game ends with the contestant getting the card that allows them to just name their final price right then and there, which negates everything else about the game. I always liked this game, too. But if that "new" card is now part of the game, I agree, it takes the fun out of it.
33. Check Game: OVERSIZE NOVELTY CHECKS FTW. again, when Barker would give out the check and tall them they could only cash it backstage, classic.
32. It’s in the Bag: One of those games that really isn’t that great, but feels more enjoyable than it is because of its ubiquity. You become so used to watching as those faux-crinkled-bags descend to reveal the item within that the process becomes almost soothing.
31. Make Your Move: Whenever this game is played, I like to think about how much oil is used in between appearances to ensure that the track upon which the multicolored signs slide remains as slick as ever. Then I imagine just taking the signs and pushing them around wildly for no reason at all other than to experience the soothing glide of a well-oiled track.
30. Grocery Game: This game requires a surprising amount of skill — five grocery items are put in front of you, and you just have to come up with whatever combination of the five you think will put you within the (relatively small) price range required to win. The intrigue comes from the fact that there are so many different ways this game can be played; the contestant is give numerous paths to follow, and it’s always intriguing to see which one he or she follows. But then some idiot chooses like, 12 boxes of cookies and goes WAY overboard and you realize just how frustrating all that freedom can be. Again, the grocery games are definitely my favorites.
29. Temptation: There really isn’t much temptation here, despite the name. It’s not like the contestant is given a new offer to walk away each time, increasing as they get closer and closer to winning the car. Either way, it’s strangely enthralling watching Drew Carey hit the little buttons that reveal the actual numbers in the price of the car.
28. Golden Road: I used to think this game was THE BEST. I mean, there’s gold, and a road, which makes it seem like the game will be a long journey through a land of riches and mystery. But then the reality of the game appeared to me as I grew older. The golden road itself is all flash, no substance. The real game is just choosing one of the given numbers to complete the price of the prize at hand — not anything really different from many lesser pricing games. Still, the nostalgia I feel for the Golden Road keeps it ranked in the top 30.
27. Clock Game: Race-against-the-clock games are always enjoyable because they expose the true strength (or weakness) of the human spirit under pressure. This is a clock game distilled to its very essence — I mean, it’s literally called the Clock Game. And so while the contestant might simply be standing still the entire game, there’s a certain energy and pace to this one that infuses it will just enough je ne sais quoi. The quiet tones of Barker calling higher and lower were always soothing.
26. Cover Up: The real fun here comes from the fact that the contestant is given multiple chances to win the prize. Get just one number right, and you can continue. And since there are so many opportunities possible here, it’s one of the best games for playing along at home.
25. Money Game: Am I completely and utterly taken in by the little drawing of the car that the contestants must try to uncover? Yes. Why do I find it so great? Unclear. Just let it happen. And I remember watching when there wasn't a space in the middle, yep, I'm old.
24. Pass the Buck: The setup for the main part of the game is fine — choosing which of two items is priced a dollar too low. But once the contestant reaches the main board and must face the possibility of hitting a “lose everything,” the tension reaches a new level. This is a game with multiple ways to win, and even if the contestant doesn’t get the car, there is still just about as much money on offer as a “consolation prize” as there is total for some other pricing games.
23. Now…or Then: A history lesson and a pricing game all wrapped into one. What a fun look back into the past, when times were simpler and we weren’t paying absurd amounts of money for basic products.
22. Stack the Deck: Perhaps seems better than it actually is because it looks like one big card game. And unlike the Card Game, this one doesn’t have any crazy circumstances in which the point of the game is basically rendered null in one fell swoop.
21. Time Is Money: This one’s got a countdown clock, but instead of counting down time, it counts down money. And as each dollar ticks away, the excitement level starts ticking upward.
20. Any Number: When a game offers such a HUGE distance between its top prize and lowest prize, it feels like so much more is at stake. And perhaps no game represents this better than Any Number. You can either walk away with a car, or with barely enough to cover the cost of a cheap meal at the deli down the street. And with such a simple structure to follow, this game makes for incredibly good viewing. I always used to root for the piggy bank.
19. Pocket Change: I really like the games where they have to pick envelopes off a board at random
18. Race Game: A race against the clock, plus a person sprinting around and looking goofy, plus four different prizes up for grabs, makes for a successful game. One of my Top 10 - it goes up a notch when the contestant wipes out.
17. That’s Too Much: If only because it’s fun to watch as the host forces contestants to scream, “That’s too much!” with way more fervor than any person has the right to say those words.
16. Range Game: Who knows if the Range Game machine really takes as long to reset as they keep claiming. But there’s something about that fact — the idea that this is a special moment that comes around rarely, so it should be cherished — that is utterly endearing. I, too, love the explanation about they can't restart the game
15. Dice Game: As Beyoncé says, “Man it feel like rollin’ dice, man this feel like rollin’ dice.” I always wanted them to give the dice to hang from the mirror of the new car.
14. One Away: In times past, Bob Barker requested that contestants kindly ask the “ladies” if they have at least X amount of numbers right. Now, with Drew Carey, it’s just “sound effects lady” who is in charge. Where have the other ladies gone? Do they no longer have the ability to crosscheck the price of the car against the contestant’s given price?
13. Let ‘em Roll: As with the Dice Game, watching people roll dice is strangely enthralling. And the model-cum-croupier watching with her oversize stick at the ready makes this feel like a true ~Vegas~ game.
12. Secret “X”: SECRETS AND HIDDEN THINGS AND TIC TAC TOE YES PLEASE.
11. Switcheroo: If only because saying “Switcheroo” is hilariously enjoyable.
10. Pathfinder: You know in the first Harry Potter when Harry, Ron, and Hermione have to play as pieces on a life-size chess board, and you’re like, “Wait, being a human game piece actually looks kind of cool,” until you realize they are going to be violently attacked by the non-human pieces and it all starts to seem way too dangerous for kids to be participating in? This is kind of like that, but safer and with a car at the end. This game is in the right slot.
9. Punch a Bunch: The vicarious power you feel as a contestant slams their first through those small money holes is INCREDIBLE. "And be sure not to pull the paper out that is inside."
8. Rat Race: No, not the seminal (read: not seminal) 2001 film, but a game played with actual (robotic) rats. And while the outcome is clearly predetermined by producers, it’s still fun to watch and pretend that the little rats are actually real and fiercely competing for glory.
7. Spelling Bee: Again, my predilection for games involving pulling random slips off of a large board helps raise this game in the rankings. Plus, spelling bees are fun.
6. Ten Chances: Alternately one of the most exhilarating and most frustrating games on offer, there’s just something special about Ten Chances. And it combines watching the host hit small buttons with the fun of sliding little signs along a well-oiled track, so obviously I can’t resist. And the game requires relatively good penmanship, which is a lost art.
5. Three Strikes: Is this game actually anything like baseball? No. But does it do its darndest to make the most out of the comparison with fun props and the like? Hell yeah.
4. Hole in One: An all-time classic. Combines the fun of a regular pricing game with the tension of watching a golf tournament. OK, maybe more like watching your relatives play mini-golf, but still. The combination of shopping savvy and golfing skills needed to succeed at this game means that it is never dull, and even a contestant who has studied all of the prices of items usually on offer by TPIR obsessively won’t be guaranteed a win. That kind of uncertainty adds just the right amount of tension. when Barker would always make that first putt (and make the contestant hold his mike - perfect
3. Master Key: What is it about watching people turning fake keys in comically large fake locks that makes for good television?
2. Cliff Hangers: Ugh, SO MANY TIMES have I wanted to be able to reach into the TV screen and just grab a hold of the little yodeling climber and shake him and say, “DO YOU NOT SEE YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO CERTAIN DEATH? TURN AROUND, ALL YE WHO CLIMB HERE.” And yet, watching that poor guy plummet over the edge is one of the most iconic moments you can have on TPIR. A simply glorious game. The yodeling song would push this down a few notches for me.
1. Plinko: Is there any universe in which Plinko would not be the number one game on TPIR? Plinko is THE ultimate symbol of TPIR, and even though the top prize isn’t as high as some of the other pricing games, Plinko remains the one game that EVERYBODY wants to play. I mean, they even did an entire Plinko-only episode, for crying out loud. Congratulations, Plinko, on your literal perfection. We are not worthy.
List from BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed comments in regular type, my comments in italics.
The Definitive Ranking Of “Price Is Right” Pricing Games
75. Double Prices: By far the worst game on The Price Is Right (henceforth referred to as TPIR). There are literally two prices given for a prize and the contestant just has to choose the correct one. There’s no cool props, generally no big prize on offer, and no need for the contestant to do much of anything besides stand and smile dumbly as they take their 50/50 shot at some mediocre winnings. NEVER AGAIN, TPIR. NEVER AGAIN. The Brave Astronaut agrees, though I haven't seen this game - but it sounds boring
74. Switch?: What a fun little question mark on the end of this one’s name. I like to imagine it being pronounced by a middle-aged gentleman who is utterly taken aback by the possibility of the two prices being incorrect. “Swiiiitch???” The game itself sucks, though. Sorry, generic middle-aged man who only exists in my head. Also not a lot to this game
73. One Right Price: Another game that basically boils down to, “Hey, there’s two prices, so…choose the right one.” That’s what the game is even called. One Right Price. Step up the creativity, guys.
72. One Wrong Price: The inverse of One Right Price, except now there are three prizes to choose from instead of two. The extra prize makes this game just slightly less blah. It’s still really damn blah, but…not quite as much.
71. Pick a Number: Literally what it says. The price is missing a number. You pick that number.
70. Most Expensive: There are three prizes. Shockingly, one costs more than the other two. Can you deduce which one it is?
69. Flip Flop: Flip Flop? More like THIS GAME IS A FLOP. Although I will say I've seen this game before and it least has some tension.
68. Side by Side: Very similar to Flip Flop, but it’s a little more fun to watch because the way the numbers move is kind of cool. But still, boring
67. Coming or Going: Another game from the “just give us these two sets of numbers in the correct fashion” playbook. It’s the best of the bunch because it’s actually really fun watching as the numbers cascade from side to side while the contestant is trying to make up his or her mind.
66. Squeeze Play: Similar-ish to Pick a Number, except now you need to pick a number to get rid of. Still boring and ridiculously simple to play, but the sound effects as the remaining numbers squeeze into place are kind of ~cool~. I would agree with this - this game was and is one of my favorites
65. Bargain Game (formerly Barker’s Bargain Bar): The game itself probably deserves to be a tad bit lower on this list — it’s just a matter of choosing which given price is more below the actual retail price. But because this game originated as Barker’s Bargain Bar, the aura of Bob Barker has lifted it up a few spots higher in the rankings. Any game that originates with Grandpa Bob deserves better.
64. Do the Math: Math? LOL NO THANKS! The interactive chalkboard-y thing is real cool, though, so…props for that prop. Math is Hard.
63. Freeze Frame: The design of the game’s name makes you think it’s going to be 10 times more interesting than it really is. Look at it — kind of reminds you of something out of a comic book. Like, “Freeze Frame, a battle between good and evil, as the villainous Dr. Ice attempts to freeze out the world. Only you can bring the heat back and save the universe!” And then you realize that no, you’re actually just choosing two sets of numbers that make up the price of the prize. Dr. Ice wins again.
62. Double Cross: Like Do the Math, this is another game made MUCH more interesting by the electronic screen on which it’s played. Look at those bright colors and the cool X shape and all that good stuff. That’s some good electronic screen action. This is a newish game, which I have never seen.
61. Balance Game: It’s like the scales of justice, except instead of human rights and freedom and all that, it’s about lackluster vacations to overpriced resort towns.
60. Hi Lo: Is this a good game? No. But at least the contestant has to try to figure out multiple prices rather than just choose between two options like some other games. I think this is one of the original games - it deserves a better ranking.
59. Push Over: Push Over: a game on TPIR. Also, a person who gets this game and pretends to enjoy it so as not to anger Drew Carey.
58. Swap Meet: Swap Meet conjures up images of PTA parents getting together to trade in their old silverware in exchange for a cozy sweater or some shit like that. This Swap Meet is not that. It’s just attempting to swap one item out for another of the same price. Really the only reason it’s ranked this highly is because of the ~FuNkY~ color of the set.
57. Shopping Spree: Seems like a game that would be tons of fun, right? A shopping spree! Who doesn’t love those? Well, when the spree is limited to four so-so items, it’s not quite as exciting. The best part of this game is when the contestant somehow thinks that a couple of handbags is for sure more expensive than a gigantic plasma television and then gets SHUT DOWN by Drew.
56. Step Up: Would be better with a companion game called 2 Tha Streets but you work with what you’ve got.
55. Lucky Seven: Real talk: Lucky Seven is the worst game that offers up a car as the prize. Why? Because it’s fucking hard. These people are basically just guessing prices blind without any of the fun hints or mini prize opportunities that so many other games come with. There isn’t even a cool set to help spice things up — it’s just a big board that reveals numbers one by one. The only reason Lucky Seven is even ranked this high is that the excitement factor of having a car as the grand prize helps keep the tension high. I've always enjoyed this game - especially when Barker used to tell the winners if they had money left over, they could buy gas for their new car. Back then, they could actually get somewhere with a couple of bucks.
54. Danger Price: This game would be SO much better if the contestant was forced to traverse a set of laser wires in pursuit of their goal, but I guess that’s not the kind of “danger” being referred to here. Still, for such a simple game, it’s weirdly addicting watching the pieces on the board rotate to reveal their prices.
53. Take Two: This game should be way more boring than it is. The contestant literally just has to choose two items, out of four, that add up to a given dollar amount. It’s wicked simple. But for some reason, those fun ’70s-style asterisks are enough to bring this game up a bit in the rankings.
52. Grand Game: As a kid, I always thought this game was way more exciting than I now do. $10,000 seemed like such a huge sum of money, and it was always portrayed as one of the higher-stakes games because of that. But then you realize that half the games out there are giving away cash and cars worth way more than $10,000, and Grand Game loses most of its luster. The residual nostalgia is what brings this game to number 52 on the list.
51. 2 For the Price of 1: Yet another relatively boring game saved by a set piece that is way more fun than it has any right to be.
50. Bonus Game: More asterisks = another solid game option. It’s not too complex, to be certain, but the addition of a bit of luck into this one ratchets up the excitement. Also, I think one of the older games and I like the suspense
49. Five Price Tags: Because this game is played for a car, it gets an automatic bump in the rankings. The game itself is pretty dull, though. Any game that mostly just involves choosing the correct price among many given options is never all that intriguing, no matter how many price tags they add to the equation.
48. Gas Money: There’s some interesting Americana at play here, with a set and name that does just enough to evoke the aura of Route 66 and the colorful Southwestern sky. But, when it comes down to it, this is just another “choose the price from among a group of prices” game. Sure, there’s a chance to win some cash thrown in, but…
47. Bullseye: A game that seems way more complicated than it actually is, and offers quite a few chances to win the grand prize. You don’t have to hit the bullseye to win, just get on the board and then hope that the grocery item that got you there offers up the victory. Sometimes these “multiple chances” games are great. But this one is almost like two games in one, except the second game is 100% luck. I have always been a fan of the grocery games
46. 1/2 Off: It’s just fun to watch a whole pile of money come cascading out of a small box, honestly.
45. Easy as 1 2 3: The game is very similar to a bunch that have been listed above, but this one comes with numbered blocks as props. And everyone knows that regressing back to childhood via the use of oversized blocks is SO in this season.
44. Line ‘Em Up: Another one of those “why do I enjoy this stupid game so much” kind of games. There’s literally no reason it should be as entertaining as it is. No reason. But here we are.
43. Magic Number: It’s all about dat sound effect.
42. Check Out: A solid game brought down by the fact that it reminds you of how you need to go shopping for dinner later even though you’ve only got $17 in your bank account right now.
41. More or Less: What a ~unique~ ’60s-inspired font!
40. Safe Crackers: Safe Crackers is one of those games that looks INFINITY TIMES better than it actually is. You except some kind of super-sleuthing, James Bond-style intrigue. Instead, you’ve just got people putting a couple numbers in order and then trying to open a comically oversize door. Why, Safe Crackers, must you make promises you can’t keep? This game would probably be in my Top 10 or 20
39. Pick a Pair: A strikingly simple game — choose two items that cost the same as each other! — paired with the fact that the contestant is given multiple choices to win makes this a game that is easy to watch, even if it never completely stirs the imagination.
38. Pay the Rent: A relatively new game, and one that offers one of the larger (if not largest) cash prizes among any of the TPIR games. The major con here is that the name of the game just reminds you how much damn money you throw away each month on rent.
37. Shell Game: A variation on one of the most classic games of chance of all time, TPIR’s version of this gambler’s temptation throws a couple pricing questions into the mix but otherwise remains pretty similar. When you stack it up against some of the other pricing games on the show, though, you realize that even the classics aren’t necessarily infallible. And Barker did it better
36. Triple Play: Lots of cars on offer, which is an automatic bonus. Otherwise, not all that great.
35. Bonkers: Because it’s always fun watching people run around, frantically mashing large tokens against a board.
34. Card Game: This game has a bit of everything — there’s a car to be won, a bit of strategy at play, and oversize props. But too often this game ends with the contestant getting the card that allows them to just name their final price right then and there, which negates everything else about the game. I always liked this game, too. But if that "new" card is now part of the game, I agree, it takes the fun out of it.
33. Check Game: OVERSIZE NOVELTY CHECKS FTW. again, when Barker would give out the check and tall them they could only cash it backstage, classic.
32. It’s in the Bag: One of those games that really isn’t that great, but feels more enjoyable than it is because of its ubiquity. You become so used to watching as those faux-crinkled-bags descend to reveal the item within that the process becomes almost soothing.
31. Make Your Move: Whenever this game is played, I like to think about how much oil is used in between appearances to ensure that the track upon which the multicolored signs slide remains as slick as ever. Then I imagine just taking the signs and pushing them around wildly for no reason at all other than to experience the soothing glide of a well-oiled track.
30. Grocery Game: This game requires a surprising amount of skill — five grocery items are put in front of you, and you just have to come up with whatever combination of the five you think will put you within the (relatively small) price range required to win. The intrigue comes from the fact that there are so many different ways this game can be played; the contestant is give numerous paths to follow, and it’s always intriguing to see which one he or she follows. But then some idiot chooses like, 12 boxes of cookies and goes WAY overboard and you realize just how frustrating all that freedom can be. Again, the grocery games are definitely my favorites.
29. Temptation: There really isn’t much temptation here, despite the name. It’s not like the contestant is given a new offer to walk away each time, increasing as they get closer and closer to winning the car. Either way, it’s strangely enthralling watching Drew Carey hit the little buttons that reveal the actual numbers in the price of the car.
28. Golden Road: I used to think this game was THE BEST. I mean, there’s gold, and a road, which makes it seem like the game will be a long journey through a land of riches and mystery. But then the reality of the game appeared to me as I grew older. The golden road itself is all flash, no substance. The real game is just choosing one of the given numbers to complete the price of the prize at hand — not anything really different from many lesser pricing games. Still, the nostalgia I feel for the Golden Road keeps it ranked in the top 30.
27. Clock Game: Race-against-the-clock games are always enjoyable because they expose the true strength (or weakness) of the human spirit under pressure. This is a clock game distilled to its very essence — I mean, it’s literally called the Clock Game. And so while the contestant might simply be standing still the entire game, there’s a certain energy and pace to this one that infuses it will just enough je ne sais quoi. The quiet tones of Barker calling higher and lower were always soothing.
26. Cover Up: The real fun here comes from the fact that the contestant is given multiple chances to win the prize. Get just one number right, and you can continue. And since there are so many opportunities possible here, it’s one of the best games for playing along at home.
25. Money Game: Am I completely and utterly taken in by the little drawing of the car that the contestants must try to uncover? Yes. Why do I find it so great? Unclear. Just let it happen. And I remember watching when there wasn't a space in the middle, yep, I'm old.
24. Pass the Buck: The setup for the main part of the game is fine — choosing which of two items is priced a dollar too low. But once the contestant reaches the main board and must face the possibility of hitting a “lose everything,” the tension reaches a new level. This is a game with multiple ways to win, and even if the contestant doesn’t get the car, there is still just about as much money on offer as a “consolation prize” as there is total for some other pricing games.
23. Now…or Then: A history lesson and a pricing game all wrapped into one. What a fun look back into the past, when times were simpler and we weren’t paying absurd amounts of money for basic products.
22. Stack the Deck: Perhaps seems better than it actually is because it looks like one big card game. And unlike the Card Game, this one doesn’t have any crazy circumstances in which the point of the game is basically rendered null in one fell swoop.
21. Time Is Money: This one’s got a countdown clock, but instead of counting down time, it counts down money. And as each dollar ticks away, the excitement level starts ticking upward.
20. Any Number: When a game offers such a HUGE distance between its top prize and lowest prize, it feels like so much more is at stake. And perhaps no game represents this better than Any Number. You can either walk away with a car, or with barely enough to cover the cost of a cheap meal at the deli down the street. And with such a simple structure to follow, this game makes for incredibly good viewing. I always used to root for the piggy bank.
19. Pocket Change: I really like the games where they have to pick envelopes off a board at random
18. Race Game: A race against the clock, plus a person sprinting around and looking goofy, plus four different prizes up for grabs, makes for a successful game. One of my Top 10 - it goes up a notch when the contestant wipes out.
17. That’s Too Much: If only because it’s fun to watch as the host forces contestants to scream, “That’s too much!” with way more fervor than any person has the right to say those words.
16. Range Game: Who knows if the Range Game machine really takes as long to reset as they keep claiming. But there’s something about that fact — the idea that this is a special moment that comes around rarely, so it should be cherished — that is utterly endearing. I, too, love the explanation about they can't restart the game
15. Dice Game: As Beyoncé says, “Man it feel like rollin’ dice, man this feel like rollin’ dice.” I always wanted them to give the dice to hang from the mirror of the new car.
14. One Away: In times past, Bob Barker requested that contestants kindly ask the “ladies” if they have at least X amount of numbers right. Now, with Drew Carey, it’s just “sound effects lady” who is in charge. Where have the other ladies gone? Do they no longer have the ability to crosscheck the price of the car against the contestant’s given price?
13. Let ‘em Roll: As with the Dice Game, watching people roll dice is strangely enthralling. And the model-cum-croupier watching with her oversize stick at the ready makes this feel like a true ~Vegas~ game.
12. Secret “X”: SECRETS AND HIDDEN THINGS AND TIC TAC TOE YES PLEASE.
11. Switcheroo: If only because saying “Switcheroo” is hilariously enjoyable.
10. Pathfinder: You know in the first Harry Potter when Harry, Ron, and Hermione have to play as pieces on a life-size chess board, and you’re like, “Wait, being a human game piece actually looks kind of cool,” until you realize they are going to be violently attacked by the non-human pieces and it all starts to seem way too dangerous for kids to be participating in? This is kind of like that, but safer and with a car at the end. This game is in the right slot.
9. Punch a Bunch: The vicarious power you feel as a contestant slams their first through those small money holes is INCREDIBLE. "And be sure not to pull the paper out that is inside."
8. Rat Race: No, not the seminal (read: not seminal) 2001 film, but a game played with actual (robotic) rats. And while the outcome is clearly predetermined by producers, it’s still fun to watch and pretend that the little rats are actually real and fiercely competing for glory.
7. Spelling Bee: Again, my predilection for games involving pulling random slips off of a large board helps raise this game in the rankings. Plus, spelling bees are fun.
6. Ten Chances: Alternately one of the most exhilarating and most frustrating games on offer, there’s just something special about Ten Chances. And it combines watching the host hit small buttons with the fun of sliding little signs along a well-oiled track, so obviously I can’t resist. And the game requires relatively good penmanship, which is a lost art.
5. Three Strikes: Is this game actually anything like baseball? No. But does it do its darndest to make the most out of the comparison with fun props and the like? Hell yeah.
4. Hole in One: An all-time classic. Combines the fun of a regular pricing game with the tension of watching a golf tournament. OK, maybe more like watching your relatives play mini-golf, but still. The combination of shopping savvy and golfing skills needed to succeed at this game means that it is never dull, and even a contestant who has studied all of the prices of items usually on offer by TPIR obsessively won’t be guaranteed a win. That kind of uncertainty adds just the right amount of tension. when Barker would always make that first putt (and make the contestant hold his mike - perfect
3. Master Key: What is it about watching people turning fake keys in comically large fake locks that makes for good television?
2. Cliff Hangers: Ugh, SO MANY TIMES have I wanted to be able to reach into the TV screen and just grab a hold of the little yodeling climber and shake him and say, “DO YOU NOT SEE YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO CERTAIN DEATH? TURN AROUND, ALL YE WHO CLIMB HERE.” And yet, watching that poor guy plummet over the edge is one of the most iconic moments you can have on TPIR. A simply glorious game. The yodeling song would push this down a few notches for me.
1. Plinko: Is there any universe in which Plinko would not be the number one game on TPIR? Plinko is THE ultimate symbol of TPIR, and even though the top prize isn’t as high as some of the other pricing games, Plinko remains the one game that EVERYBODY wants to play. I mean, they even did an entire Plinko-only episode, for crying out loud. Congratulations, Plinko, on your literal perfection. We are not worthy.
Friday, January 20, 2017
Transitions
Just a few days after the election last November, Mrs. BA and I agreed that we could not be in the DC area on January 20. So we've bugged out for the weekend. The Brave Astronaut Clan has gone to Florida and are today at Legoland and headed to Universal Studios Saturday and Sunday. Monday we will take in Cape Canaveral before flying home.
Later I'll figure out how to walk through the lobby of my building every day, where a portrait of the President hangs on the wall. For the moment I will look back at this. And I'll read this. I'll be listening to this.
You can substitute the new President's name here wherever he says "Bob Rumsen"
Later I'll figure out how to walk through the lobby of my building every day, where a portrait of the President hangs on the wall. For the moment I will look back at this. And I'll read this. I'll be listening to this.
You can substitute the new President's name here wherever he says "Bob Rumsen"
And if you're wondering - Jed Bartlet is still my President.
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
2016 - You Suck
On so many levels, this was not a good year. I know that I don't have to tell you all that. But with the announcement of the death of Princess Leia, Carrie Fisher, today, December 27, this was a year that sucked, truly. Let's hope that they didn't know something we didn't about 2017.
Here's a list of deaths that significantly impacted me over the past year. Unfortunately, this list is by no means comprehensive.
Literature:
Here's a list of deaths that significantly impacted me over the past year. Unfortunately, this list is by no means comprehensive.
Literature:
- Harper Lee, 89 (February)
- Edward Albee, 88 (September)
- W. P. Kinsella, 81 (September) - author of the story that became Field of Dreams
- Beth Howland, 74 (December 2015) - Vera from Alice
- Wayne Rogers, 82 (December 2015) - Trapper John McIntyre from MASH
- Pat Harrington, 86 (January) - Schneider from One Day at a Time
- Dan Haggerty, 74 (January) - Grizzly Adams
- Abe Vigoda, 94 (January) - Detective Fish from Barney Miller
- Larry Drake, 66 (March) - Benny from LA Law
- James Noble, 94 (March) - the Governor from Benson, but for me he's the Rev. John Witherspoon from 1776
- Patty Duke, 69 (March)
- Garry Shandling, 66 (March)
- Doris Roberts, 90 (April) - the matriarch from Everybody Loves Raymond
- Morley Safer, 84 (May) - 60 Minutes legend
- Garry Marshall, 81 (July)
- Florence Henderson, 82 (November) - Mrs. Brady helped raise me.
- Ron Glass, 71 (November) - from Barney Miller
- Grant Tinker, 90 (November) - Mr. Mary Tyler Moore
- Alan Thicke, 69 (December)
- Alan Rickman, 69 (January) - for me, he's always Hans
- David Margulies, 78 (January) - the Mayor in Ghostbusters
- George Kennedy, 88 (February)
- Anton Yelchin, 27 (June) - the new Chekov from the Star Trek reboot
- Gene Wilder, 83 (August) - the one and only Willy Wonka
- Zsa Zsa Gabor, 99 (December)
- Robert Vaughn, 83 (November) - I've listed him under movies for his role in The Towering Inferno (he dies in that one, too)
- Bernard Fox, 89 (December) - you know him from a lot of TV and movies. I just saw him the other night on Big Jake, one of my favorite John Wayne films
- Carrie Fisher, 60 (December)
- Natalie Cole, 65 (December 2015)
- David Bowie, 69 (January)
- Glenn Frey, 67 (January)
- Frank Sinatra, Jr., 72 (March)
- Merle Haggard, 79 (April)
- Prince, 57 (April)
- Kay Starr, 94 (November) - legendary jazz singer
- Leonard Cohen, 82 (November)
- George Michael, 53 (December)
- Meadowlark Lemon, 83 (December 2015) - star of the Harlem Globetrotters
- Andy Bathgate, 83 (February) - legendary New York Ranger
- Muhammad Ali, 74 (June)
- Joe Garagiola, 74 (March)
- Gordie Howe, 88 (June) - Mr. Hockey
- Pat Summitt, 64 (June)
- Arnold Palmer, 87 (September) - Mr. Golf
- Ralph Branca, 90 (November) - Brooklyn Dodgers player
- Craig Sager, 65 (December) - sports announcer
- Boutros-Boutros-Ghali, 81 (February) - former United Nations Secretary General
- Nancy Reagan, 94 (March)
- Elie Wiesel, 87 (July)
- John McLaughlin, 89 (August) - founder of the McLaughlin Group
- Phyllis Schlafly, 92 (September)
- Shimon Peres, 93 (September)
- Tom Hayden, 76 (October) - among other things, he was married to Jane Fonda
- Janet Reno, 78 (November)
- Gwen Ifill, 61 (November)
- Fidel Castro, 90 (November) - finally
- John Glenn, 95 (December)
- American Democracy, 226 (November)
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
The 2015 Twelve Posts of Christmas #1
Here it is December 1 and things are heating up at the Launchpad. This weekend will be set aside for a number of activities, including the first Christmas party of the season - the St. Ambrose Men's Club President's Dinner!
I am also hoping to carve out some time for decorating - though it doesn't look like we will have time for tree hunting this year. But with this list and a half-full DVR, I can plan my holiday viewing accordingly.
Now this list is by no means complete - I also need to see Scrooged, Die Hard, and all of the Rankin-Bass specials, among others.
Wednesday, December 2
Friday, December 4
I am also hoping to carve out some time for decorating - though it doesn't look like we will have time for tree hunting this year. But with this list and a half-full DVR, I can plan my holiday viewing accordingly.
Now this list is by no means complete - I also need to see Scrooged, Die Hard, and all of the Rankin-Bass specials, among others.
Wednesday, December 2
- Christmas in Rockefeller Center NBC | 8:00pm - this showing always gives me the opportunity to tell the story about my brother getting separated from the rest of the family when they went to the tree lighting one year.
Friday, December 4
- Elf ABC Family | 7:30pm - though I own this movie so we can watch it anytime we like.
Saturday, December 5
- A Very Brady Christmas ABC Family | 7:00am - "I asked Santa to give Mommy her voice back so she could sing in church!" - Cindy Brady
- It’s A Wonderful Life NBC | 8:00pm - This is also a movie I own and will watch at least once during the holidays.
Thursday, December 17
- Disney Prep & Landing ABC | 8:00pm - IT'S SO TINSEL!
- Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice ABC | 8:30pm
Thursday, December 24
- It’s Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown ABC | 8:00pm - I also watched this last night, too.
- A Charlie Brown Christmas ABC | 9:00pm
Thursday, May 14, 2015
21 Pop Culture References You Make That Go Over Your Kids’ Heads
One of the proudest moments I've had as a father was recently, when Harrison Ford crashed his plane on a California golf course back in March - I was explaining what had happened to LBA. I asked him if he knew what I had immediately thought of when I heard about it. He paused for a moment, I hinted to him that I was thinking of a movie line - and he immediately came up with the above. There are occasions when LBA, Mrs. BA, and I will tell the other "I will text you"
So I'm fairly confident that LBA would get most of these. Via BuzzFeed
1. When you leave the room for a few minutes (it's possible that LBA may already do this):
 |
| Orion Pictures |
2. When your kid asks if you like the new Ariana Grande song:
 |
| NBC |
3. When your kid runs to their room and slams the door (although slamming doors in our house means you lose your device for a period of time):
 |
| Morgan Creek |
4. When your kid asks for milk, then whines that they want something else:
 |
| Dreamworks |
5. When you drop your kid and their friends off at the mall (LBA recently discovered Rick Astley, unfortunately):
 |
| Epic |
6. When your kid graduates from kindergarten/grade school/junior high:
 |
| Fox |
7. When your kid asks if they can have ice cream for breakfast:
 |
| Paramount Pictures |
8. When your kid is getting on your last nerve:
 |
| CBS |
9. When your kid says something crazy:
 |
| NBC |
10. When you “accidentally” turn off your kid’s video game at bedtime:
 |
| ABC |
11. When your kid freaks out that their crush is going to be at a party (this movie might have to make it into the pizza/movie night rotation):
 |
| 20th Century Fox |
12. When your kid wants you to get up off the couch and play with them:
 |
| LifeCall |
13. When you tell your kid you’re going to buy them a pony and they buy it hook, line, and sinker:
 |
| Paramount |
14. When your kid wants to know “the truth” about something (it's possible that LBA has stumbled onto me watching this movie):
 |
| Columbia Pictures |
15. When you walk in on your kid making a huge mess:
 |
| Calgon |
16. When you see the new trailer for the supercool-looking new Pixar movie:
 |
| E! |
17. When your kid complains they don’t have any money:
 |
| Fox |
18. When your kid tells you they got the lead in the school play (I am sorry to say that LBA and SoBA have "discovered" Full House - really, really sorry):
 |
| ABC |
19. When your kid says, “I know, Mom/Dad”:
 |
| Hasbro |
20. When your kid asks for a snack:
 |
| Virgin / EMI |
21. When you’re teaching your kid to swim and they tell you not to let go (Ship Sinks - Boy Dies):
 |
| Paramount |
Monday, March 30, 2015
Pork Chops (and Applesauce?)
Recently, SoBA did a project at school, where he identified certain aspects of his family. When it was requested what his favorite meal was - he wrote down pork chops. This was news to Mrs. BA and I. We've had them before, but didn't realize they were at the top of SoBA's menu items..
So then I saw this list on BuzzFeed of 23 Budget Friendly Pork Chop Recipes and decided I may need to work some of them into the rotation. Here's my favorite of the list.
Crockpot Pork Chops with Creamy Herb Sauce
Via the Crockpot Gourmet
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork loin chops
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ small yellow onion, diced (or about ¼ cup)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried mustard powder
- ⅛ (or up to ¼) teaspoon pepper, depending on taste
- 1½ cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon freeze dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon freeze dried basil
Instructions
- Sprinkle each side of pork chops with thyme, salt, pepper and mustard
- In large skillet over medium high heat melt butter with olive oil
- Add onion and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes
- Move onions and garlic to side of pan and add seasoned pork chops
- Saute for about 2 minutes on each side until lightly browned
- Transfer contents of pan to slow cooker
- Add chicken broth
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4
- Remove pork chops and cover to keep warm
- Add cream to slow cooker and whisk
- To thicken sauce pour into small saucepan and whisk in 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes until thickened to desired consistency
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste
- Pour over pork chops and garnish with freeze dried herbs
Thursday, October 16, 2014
"I Have Become Death"
C in DC recently posted to my FB wall regarding a list that was out there on "13 TV Character Deaths That We Never Got Over." The list was pitiful. If you really want to see it - you can click on the link. But it was suggested that I come up with my own list of TV Deaths that had major impact. (Bonus points for the one who identifies the title quote and where it was used in a movie)
So here goes, in no particular order:
So here goes, in no particular order:
- Edith Bunker on All in the Family - She was missing from the above list, and it is possibly one of the most poignant episodes of the entire series. I still get choked up when I think about that scene where Archie is talking to her slipper.
- Henry Blake on M*A*S*H - Henry's tragic departure was on the above list, but that was not enough to save the list's credibility. I think that one of the reasons this has such an impact was that the cast was not told of this plot twist until the moment of the filming - which is why Radar's delivery is so moving.
- Dolores Landingham on The West Wing - As many viewers never saw this coming - it hit hard. It, of course, set the stage for the series to hit the gas and blaze forward and her later appearances in Jed's memory were helpful to series watchers find closure. Honorable mention here - Leo McGarry, though we all knew this was coming following the death of John Spencer.
- Gary Shepard on thirtysomething - in one of life's great ironies, Gary, who didn't drive a car, rode his bike everywhere, is killed in an auto accident.
- Coach on Cheers - Due to the untimely death of actor Nick Colasanto, we we forced to say goodbye to Sam Malone's greatest foil. We liked you Woody, but you were no coach.
- Mr. Hooper on Sesame Street - On a show aimed at kids, it forced parents everywhere to take a crash course on explaining death to their children - and luckily the gang at Sesame Street were there to help.
- Zoe Barnes on House of Cards - Mrs. BA and I came late to the House of Cards bandwagon, so we knew this was coming. But the violence of the moment still made us both gasp and showed us the ruthlessness of Frank.
- Rosalind Shays on L.A. Law - I never, ever, step blindly onto an elevator. Not after seeing this untimely end of the evil Rosalind.
- Nate Fisher on Six Feet Under - For a show that started every episode with a death, the death of Nate as the show was concluding was still very painful.
- Lane Pryce on Mad Men - Lane got himself in a little bit of trouble and took the easy way out, leaving the other partners of SCDP to clean things up and move on. When viewers found out (and saw it) it stunned us.
Friday, February 28, 2014
February - You Are Out of Here!
The month of February has been a rough one around the launchpad. We lost our good friend and neighbor at the outset of the shortest month, followed by a succession of unfortunate events over the course of the month, including several winter storms - and then the anniversary of my mother's passing on Tuesday. I will not be sad to see this month end today.
We are planning a relatively normal Pizza / Movie night at the launchpad - though there was some discussion that we should watch Ghostbusters tonight to honor Egon Spengler / Harold Ramis, who we also lost in this cold, bleak February.
Most evenings, after LBA and SoBA are in bed, Mrs. BA and I will settle down for some TV to unwind. We are often doing other work and the TV is often on in the background - but occasionally we watch something off the DVR or, gasp, on live TV.
A while ago - kottke posted a list from the Writer's Guild of America of the 101 best written TV shows. Thoughts? Comment away. My comments appear for the first 50 shows.
2. Seinfeld - not that there's anything wrong with that. One of those shows that is sometimes on in the background if Mrs. BA and I can't find anything else to watch
3. The Twilight Zone (1959) - a little early for me, but Rod Serling is always, the Man.
4. All in the Family - it definitely started to wane toward the end - but Archie Bunker was the bomb. 5. M*A*S*H - one of those shows that I would go and find if it was on somewhere.
6. The Mary Tyler Moore Show - OH, MR. GRANT!
7. Mad Men - one of the best shows still on TV
8. Cheers - even with Kirstie Alley, I still watched.
9. The Wire - this is one I didn't watch.
10. The West Wing - Jed Bartlet is still my President.
11. The Simpsons - again, a good show, but I never got on board.
12. I Love Lucy - the definition of ground breaking.
13. Breaking Bad - I watched the first couple of episodes from the first season and even then, it was a little dark for me.
14. The Dick Van Dyke Show - a show about writers in the Top 20!
15. Hill Street Blues - HEY! Let's be careful out there.
16. Arrested Development - this show was never on my radar. I don't think I could ever get past Jason Batemen from his Silver Spoons days.
17. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - my MIL swears by this show. It's funny, but it's not for me.
18. Six Feet Under - watched every episode from every season. I often quote Nate, "I hate the living."
19. Taxi - the extremely capable and underutilized Judd Hirsch.
20. The Larry Sanders Show - don't think I ever saw one episode
21. 30 Rock - One of Mrs. BA's favorites
22. Friday Night Lights - not for me
23. Frasier - another one of those shows that Mrs. BA and I will watch in reruns if it's on.
24. Friends - see #23
25. Saturday Night Live - I recently came to the conclusion that I am too old for SNL now.
26. The X-Files - never got hooked on Mulder and Scully
27. Lost - this show was of course, out there, but it was great, if confusing.
28. ER - another one that I stayed with until the end, and that was hard.
29. The Cosby Show - Bill Cosby, showing that clean comedy is great comedy.
30. Curb Your Enthusiasm - not a Larry David fan.
31. The Honeymooners - Jackie Gleason made this show what it was.
32. Deadwood - this show could only have been successful on pay cable.
33. Star Trek - despite it's limited run - the first was the best.
34. Modern Family - have not watched this one either.
35. Twin Peaks - see Lost.
36. NYPD Blue - after Hill Street Blues, all the rest were just posers
37. The Carol Burnett Show - I still can't watch some of these sketches without losing it.
38. Battlestar Galactica (2005) - I preferred the first one
39. Sex & the City - was never a big fan
40. Game of Thrones - I only went online and watched the Red Mass Massacre because I had to know what everyone was talking about.
41. The Bob Newhart Show - I agree, this Bob Newhart was better than the Vermont inn reboot.
TIE Your Show of Shows
43. Downton Abbey - have not gotten hooked on this new one.
TIE Law & Order
TIE thirtysomething - I watched most of these, I used to know someone who had a thing for Ken Olin.
46. Homicide: Life on the Street - like the Wire, never got into this - maybe it's a Baltimore thing.
TIE St. Elsewhere - Before ER, there was St. Elsewhere
48. Homeland - I may have a thing for Claire Danes.
49. Buffy the Vampire Slayer - was not a buffy person
50. The Colbert Report - no.
TIE The Good Wife
TIE The Office (UK) - didn't watch the American one either
53. Northern Exposure
54. The Wonder Years
55. L.A. Law
56. Sesame Street
57. Columbo
58. Fawlty Towers
TIE The Rockford Files
60. Freaks and Geeks
TIE Moonlighting
62. Roots
63. Everybody Loves Raymond
TIE South Park
65. Playhouse 90
66. Dexter
TIE The Office (US)
68. My So-Called Life
69. The Golden Girls
70. The Andy Griffith Show
71. 24
TIE Roseanne
TIE The Shield
74. House
TIE Murphy Brown
76. Barney Miller
TIE I, Claudius
78. The Odd Couple
79. Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TIE Monty Python’s Flying Circus
TIE Star Trek: The Next Generation
TIE Upstairs, Downstairs
83. Get Smart
84. The Defenders
TIE Gunsmoke
86. Justified
TIE Sgt. Bilko (The Phil Silvers Show)
88. Band of Brothers
89. Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In
90. The Prisoner
91. Absolutely Fabulous (UK)
TIE The Muppet Show
93. Boardwalk Empire
94. Will & Grace
95. Family Ties
96. Lonesome Dove
TIE Soap
98. The Fugitive
TIE Late Night with David Letterman
TIE Louie
101. Oz
We are planning a relatively normal Pizza / Movie night at the launchpad - though there was some discussion that we should watch Ghostbusters tonight to honor Egon Spengler / Harold Ramis, who we also lost in this cold, bleak February.
Most evenings, after LBA and SoBA are in bed, Mrs. BA and I will settle down for some TV to unwind. We are often doing other work and the TV is often on in the background - but occasionally we watch something off the DVR or, gasp, on live TV.
A while ago - kottke posted a list from the Writer's Guild of America of the 101 best written TV shows. Thoughts? Comment away. My comments appear for the first 50 shows.
2. Seinfeld - not that there's anything wrong with that. One of those shows that is sometimes on in the background if Mrs. BA and I can't find anything else to watch
3. The Twilight Zone (1959) - a little early for me, but Rod Serling is always, the Man.
4. All in the Family - it definitely started to wane toward the end - but Archie Bunker was the bomb. 5. M*A*S*H - one of those shows that I would go and find if it was on somewhere.
6. The Mary Tyler Moore Show - OH, MR. GRANT!
7. Mad Men - one of the best shows still on TV
8. Cheers - even with Kirstie Alley, I still watched.
9. The Wire - this is one I didn't watch.
10. The West Wing - Jed Bartlet is still my President.
11. The Simpsons - again, a good show, but I never got on board.
12. I Love Lucy - the definition of ground breaking.
13. Breaking Bad - I watched the first couple of episodes from the first season and even then, it was a little dark for me.
14. The Dick Van Dyke Show - a show about writers in the Top 20!
15. Hill Street Blues - HEY! Let's be careful out there.
16. Arrested Development - this show was never on my radar. I don't think I could ever get past Jason Batemen from his Silver Spoons days.
17. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - my MIL swears by this show. It's funny, but it's not for me.
18. Six Feet Under - watched every episode from every season. I often quote Nate, "I hate the living."
19. Taxi - the extremely capable and underutilized Judd Hirsch.
20. The Larry Sanders Show - don't think I ever saw one episode
21. 30 Rock - One of Mrs. BA's favorites
22. Friday Night Lights - not for me
23. Frasier - another one of those shows that Mrs. BA and I will watch in reruns if it's on.
24. Friends - see #23
25. Saturday Night Live - I recently came to the conclusion that I am too old for SNL now.
26. The X-Files - never got hooked on Mulder and Scully
27. Lost - this show was of course, out there, but it was great, if confusing.
28. ER - another one that I stayed with until the end, and that was hard.
29. The Cosby Show - Bill Cosby, showing that clean comedy is great comedy.
30. Curb Your Enthusiasm - not a Larry David fan.
31. The Honeymooners - Jackie Gleason made this show what it was.
32. Deadwood - this show could only have been successful on pay cable.
33. Star Trek - despite it's limited run - the first was the best.
34. Modern Family - have not watched this one either.
35. Twin Peaks - see Lost.
36. NYPD Blue - after Hill Street Blues, all the rest were just posers
37. The Carol Burnett Show - I still can't watch some of these sketches without losing it.
38. Battlestar Galactica (2005) - I preferred the first one
39. Sex & the City - was never a big fan
40. Game of Thrones - I only went online and watched the Red Mass Massacre because I had to know what everyone was talking about.
41. The Bob Newhart Show - I agree, this Bob Newhart was better than the Vermont inn reboot.
TIE Your Show of Shows
43. Downton Abbey - have not gotten hooked on this new one.
TIE Law & Order
TIE thirtysomething - I watched most of these, I used to know someone who had a thing for Ken Olin.
46. Homicide: Life on the Street - like the Wire, never got into this - maybe it's a Baltimore thing.
TIE St. Elsewhere - Before ER, there was St. Elsewhere
48. Homeland - I may have a thing for Claire Danes.
49. Buffy the Vampire Slayer - was not a buffy person
50. The Colbert Report - no.
TIE The Good Wife
TIE The Office (UK) - didn't watch the American one either
53. Northern Exposure
54. The Wonder Years
55. L.A. Law
56. Sesame Street
57. Columbo
58. Fawlty Towers
TIE The Rockford Files
60. Freaks and Geeks
TIE Moonlighting
62. Roots
63. Everybody Loves Raymond
TIE South Park
65. Playhouse 90
66. Dexter
TIE The Office (US)
68. My So-Called Life
69. The Golden Girls
70. The Andy Griffith Show
71. 24
TIE Roseanne
TIE The Shield
74. House
TIE Murphy Brown
76. Barney Miller
TIE I, Claudius
78. The Odd Couple
79. Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TIE Monty Python’s Flying Circus
TIE Star Trek: The Next Generation
TIE Upstairs, Downstairs
83. Get Smart
84. The Defenders
TIE Gunsmoke
86. Justified
TIE Sgt. Bilko (The Phil Silvers Show)
88. Band of Brothers
89. Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In
90. The Prisoner
91. Absolutely Fabulous (UK)
TIE The Muppet Show
93. Boardwalk Empire
94. Will & Grace
95. Family Ties
96. Lonesome Dove
TIE Soap
98. The Fugitive
TIE Late Night with David Letterman
TIE Louie
101. Oz
Friday, August 9, 2013
Friday's List - Fictional Characters Names
So you think you're smart? BuzzFeed and Mental Floss wants to know if you know the names of all those fictional characters you grew up with.
- The Pillsbury Doughboy - real name, Poppin Fresh. His wife's name is Poppie. Children? Popper and Bun Bun. The Fresh family cat and dog are named Biscuit and Flapjack, respectively.
- The Quaker Oats man is referred to by staff at Quaker Oats as "Larry."
- Captain Crunch is named Horatio Magellan Crunch.
- Mrs. Butterworth's first name? Joy
- Jeff Albertson is the Comic Book Store guy on The Simpsons.
- The mom from Futurama is named Carol, some say after Carol Brady
- The policeman who takes people to jail in Monopoly is Officer Edgar Mallory. Your cellmate in the jail? Jake the Jailbird. And of course, the man with all the money is Rich Uncle Pennybags.
- Woody from Toy Story has a last name - it's Pride.
- On Sesame Street - Mr. Snuffalupagus has a first name - it's Aloysius. Cookie Monster's first name is Sid. Guy Smiley is a stage name - his real name is Bernie Liederkrantz.
- Peppermint Patty from Peanuts? Her full name is Patricia Reichardt. And the teacher with the speech problem is Miss Othmar.
- Mr. Clean's first name is Veritably. Yes, his name is Veritably Clean.
- If you are formally addressing Barbie, please refer to her as Barbara Millicent Roberts. If you're looking for Ken in the phone book, you're going to need to know his last name is Carson.
- The patient with the interesting ailments in Operation is Cavity Sam.
- The Man with the Yellow Hat (from Curious George) is named Ted Shackleford.
- Bruce Wayne is of course, Batman. The Penguin is Oswald Cobblepot. Wonder Woman is Diana Prince.
- A second "Larry" on the list - the bird from Twitter.
- Mr. Peanut is also known as Batholomew Richard Fitzgerald-Smythe.
- Bibendum is the name of the Michelin Man.
- The Queen from Snow White is also known as Queen Grunhilde.
- Jughead from the Archie comics is of course, a nickname for Forsythe P. Jones III.
- "Please don't squeeze the Charmin" was the plea from Mr. [George] Whipple.
- The Church Lady's given name is Enid Strict.
- Casper the Friendly Ghost's family name is McFadden.
- His friends call him Geoffrey, but the Toys R Us spokesanimal is known as Dr. G. Raffe.
- Shaggy from Scooby Doo is named Norville Rogers. And Scooby's full name is Scoobert.
- MacGyver's first name is Angus
- The A-Team's leader's full name is Bosco Albert Baracus
- Turtle from "Entourage" is Salvatore Assante.
- Though we never saw all of him, Wilson's full name in Home Improvement was Wilson W. Wilson, Jr.
- Bull Shannon's (Night Court) first name was Nostradamus
- The Skipper from Gilligan's Island and Captain of the Minnow was Jonas Grumby, while the Professor was Professor Roy Hinkley.
- "Sorry, I have just one more question" - Lt. Columbo's first name was Frank.
Friday, March 8, 2013
"Previously on The West Wing"
I am a huge fan of the West Wing, the NBC series. This year for Christmas, LBA got a Kindle Fire (he really wanted a Nintendo DS, but Mrs. BA and I opted for the Kindle, with the hopes that he would read more than play - which for the most part he has). The Kindle Fire came with a free month of Amazon Prime, with which I spent most of that month rewatching the entire series of episodes on Prime for free. I got almost through the entire series, save a few episodes in season 7.
Then of course, after I purchased the last few episodes I didn't get to see, the show is now available for free on Netflix Streaming. So I'm slowly making my way through it . . . again. The release on Netflix also prompted two posts, both on BuzzFeed, the first with "18 Things the West Wing Got Wrong" and the other with a list of the "10 Best West Wing Episodes."
18 Things the West Wing Got Wrong
My Other Favorite Episodes:
Then of course, after I purchased the last few episodes I didn't get to see, the show is now available for free on Netflix Streaming. So I'm slowly making my way through it . . . again. The release on Netflix also prompted two posts, both on BuzzFeed, the first with "18 Things the West Wing Got Wrong" and the other with a list of the "10 Best West Wing Episodes."
18 Things the West Wing Got Wrong
- In the pilot episode - one of the Christian fundamentalists states the First of the Ten Commandments is "Honor Thy Father" - Toby responds that it is actually the Third Commandment - however it's actually the Fifth Commandment - although in Roman Catholicism and Lutheranism is it the 4th commandment.
- In one episode Josh mentions that Schubert was crazy - although he was never diagnosed with any mental illness. Robert Schumann, however, spent many of his later years in and out of asylums.
- In a scene in the Oval Office with Admiral Fitzwallace and the President, they have a discussion about the Presidential Seal (in the rug). Fitzwallace points out that in most cases the eagle faces the olive branch, yet in times of war the eagle faces the arrows. In actuality, the seal was redesigned in 1945 to point to its right and the olive branch. Prior to that, the eagle pointed to its left, and the arrows. The reason for the change was that in heraldry, left pointing items were considered dishonorable.
- The President has a conversation with Toby in which he declares, "You know what I just found out recently? To be called bourbon it has to come from Kentucky, otherwise it's called sour mash." Although, the only geographic qualification is that bourbon is made in the United States, not any specific state. There are 8 non-geographic criteria for something to qualify as bourbon, including recipe ratios, the barrel, and aging.
- When the MS story takes center stage (in Season 3), there is a chess set shown in Oliver Babish's office. The chess set is set up incorrectly. The lower right corner square should be a light square, not a dark one. Also, the kings and queens are reversed.
- In the Thanksgiving episode, The Indians in the Lobby, where President Bartlet calls the Butterball Hotline, they need to quickly produce the zip code for Fargo, North Dakota, saying it is 50504. That is not one of the 14 zip codes for Fargo, North Dakota.
- Toby makes a reference to a quote, "There's an old Roman expression, when the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers." The quote is not from the Romans but from Irish novelist Oscar Wilde in his 1893 book "An Ideal Husband."
- In the episode where Bartlet plays chess with several of the staff (at the same time), Toby makes his opening move in a game with the President, who declares, "Ah, the Evans Gambit." President Bartlet would not be able to recognize The Evans Gambit after just one move. It would require three moves to recognize The Evans Gambit.
- In the episode where one of the subplots revolves around Donna's desire to gain recognition for her high school English teacher - resulting in the President calling to talk with her on the phone - and he asks her about Beowulf and the language in which she taught it - "Beowulf" was written in Old English in the 8th century. The language wouldn't evolve to the form now known as Middle English for another 300 years.
- Leo and Josh have a conversation where Leo remarks about the millions of dollars spent by the United States to invent a pen for the astronauts, while the Russians just used a pencil. Actually, the astronauts used a pencil, too. The Fisher Space Pen was developed privately with no funds from the US government.
- In the episode involving President Bartlet's reelection, Josh comments that it is raining in Oregon. Don't worry about it. Oregon passed Ballot Measure 60 in 1998. Since then, Oregonians have been voting exclusively with mail-in ballots.
- When Toby and Will Bailey are working on Bartlet's Second Inaugural Address, Toby says that "there's an incredible history to second inaugurals, 'fear itself, Lincoln . . .' " - FDR used the line "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" in his first inaugural address, not his second.
- In "Angel Maintenance," where Air Force One develops a problem, Josh remarks about the fuel used on Air Force One and it's fuel to octane ratio. Water doesn't mix with jet fuel. Water contamination is a serious problem for jet fuel. Also, jet fuel does not have an octane rating. Octane ratings are only used for internal combustion engines.
- Intern Ryan Pierce mentions that he is a descendant of President Franklin Pierce. Not possible, Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, never had a son live past 11 years old.
- In Season 7, several of the characters turn on the TV to see a news story about a woman being sentenced to death for adultery in Turkey. Adultery is not a crime in Turkey. Turkey has also outlawed the death penalty (except in times of war).
- In the plot arc about the failure at the International Space Station, in actuality a Russian Soyuz TMA spaceship is always docked to the International Space Station. It is capable of carrying three men and reentering the atmosphere.
- In another episode, C.J. works behind the scenes to try and secure a resolution in the United Nations Security Council, from Germany. However, Germany is not a member of the UN security council.
- In the final episode, Abbey Bartlet mentions that it is going to be so cold, who decided that January was the best time to hold an outdoor ceremony? The President replies wistfully, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin . . . but the drafters of the Constitution that President Bartlet mentions, originally chose March 4th for Inauguration Day. It was changed to January 20th by the 22nd Amendment which was ratified January 23, 1933.
- Two Cathedrals
- In Excelsis Deo (not one of my favorite Christmas-themed episodes)
- Game On (the debate episode with Republican Robert Ritchie / James Brolin)
- Celestial Navigation (where Josh narrates the episode - Corcoran Gallery of Art cameo!)
- Posse Comitatus (in which they take down Sharif)
- In the Shadow of Two Gunmen, Parts I and II (also on my list, I like them for the flashbacks and the filling in of the backstory.)
- Let Bartlet Be Bartlet (also one of my favorites - "This is more important than reelection, I want to speak now!")
- Shutdown (as a government employee currently living in the shadow of sequester - this is also on my list)
- Take This Sabbath Day
- Pilot (also on my list)
My Other Favorite Episodes:
- The Midterms - "In this building when the President stands, nobody sits!" (when the President dresses down the "Dr. Laura" character with the biblical quotations)
- He Shall From Time to Time - "You got a best friend? Is he smarter than you? Would you trust him with your life? That's your Chief of Staff."
- Lord John Marbury - "I thought you were the butler!" (the episodes with Marbury are some of the funniest).
- Election Day (Parts 1 and 2) - finally, Josh and Donna.
- The Supremes (Glenn Close for Chief Justice!)
- Gaza (although it features the death of Percy Fitzwallace and the near death of Donna, it's a very powerful episode)
- 20 Hours in America (Parts I and II) - Josh, Toby, and Donna get stuck in Indiana but come up with an idea for tax deductible college tuition.
- Manchester (Parts I and II) - again, a favorite for the flashbacks that fill in some backstory.
Friday, February 22, 2013
The Price is Right
"HERE IT COMES! TELEVISION'S MOST EXCITING HOUR OF CASH AND PRIZES! IT'S THE 60 MINUTE PRICE IS RIGHT!"
When I would stay home sick from school growing up - I would settle in on the couch - with the cable channel box (back in the old days, the "remote" was a push button box attached to the TV with a wire) and assorted drinks and snacks, in time to watch the 10:00 and 10:30 game shows (usually Password and Card Sharks) before tuning to CBS for the Price is Right!
My father used to refer to the show as the "Instant Greed Hour" - this from a man who used to be glued to the Wheel of Fortune. I always wanted to be on the Price is Right - in my two trips to California the show wasn't taping - so that's something still on my bucket list.
I noted with some amusement this post from BuzzFeed with "13 Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Price is Right." The list omitted Bob Barker's fear of Samoan women.
When I would stay home sick from school growing up - I would settle in on the couch - with the cable channel box (back in the old days, the "remote" was a push button box attached to the TV with a wire) and assorted drinks and snacks, in time to watch the 10:00 and 10:30 game shows (usually Password and Card Sharks) before tuning to CBS for the Price is Right!
My father used to refer to the show as the "Instant Greed Hour" - this from a man who used to be glued to the Wheel of Fortune. I always wanted to be on the Price is Right - in my two trips to California the show wasn't taping - so that's something still on my bucket list.
I noted with some amusement this post from BuzzFeed with "13 Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Price is Right." The list omitted Bob Barker's fear of Samoan women.
- Vanna White was once a contestant, although she didn't make it up on stage.
- The wheel was added to the show in 1975
- Bob Barker grew up on a reservation in South Dakota and is an official member of the Sioux tribe.
- The very first one-bid prize was a fur coat. Furs were not offered as prizes since that episode, due to Bob Barker's strong belief in animal rights.
- The show discourages contestants from wearing green shirts because some games use chroma key screens, which can blend into a contestant's shirt.
- There was once a "Price is Right" wardrobe malfunction.
- The Big Wheel can BREAK.
- "Pick A Number," probably the most boring game on the show, requires the contestant to pick a number to fill in a blank spot in the price of the prize they're playing for.
- One time Snoop Lion - née Dogg - played Plinko, and it was awesome.
- 74 games are currently rotated on the show. (32 have been retired.)
- The producers select the contestants based solely on their answers to three questions: your name, where you are from, what you do.
- One guy got famous by bidding $420 on every prize.
- The first car offered on the show, a 1972 Chevy Vega, went for $2,746.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)