Solomon's Weekly Rant Discussion (12/1/07): Same 'Ole Merrython; TV One; TNT NBA

[Pavan]

Please read:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/2007/12/mini-dvd-review-futurama-benders-big.html

...then discuss.

[Ireneparalegal]

I haven't even paid attention to TVLand to know that is what they are doing. I tune into TVland for I Love Lucy and the Jeffersons, but I hadn't noticed the schedule. If that is what they are showing, that is too soon. Like you said, closer to Christmas is nice to see Christmas-themed episodes of shows. By the time you get closer to Christmas, you feel all Christmased out. Can't think of any other way to describe it.

You did mention to me abt TVOne a while back. I guess sending an email and asking them why they are so selective abt the "black" shows they air would be the way to find out. I would love to see them bring all those classic shows you mentioned. I could see their ratings going real high if they did.

As for the NBA commercials, I dont' get why the commercials have to be basketball related anyway. What happened to just regular commercials? Not that it matters much because I hate commercials and it is rare when I like one. They should air that commercial that is currently airing for Burger King where the car full of ladies is trying to run down and kill the king!!! :rofl: OMG, my daughter showed me that commercial when it was on and I was :brent...that is one damn funny commercial. 'Bout time Burger King realized we hate that bastard!

[Buffyboy323]

Very nice rant this weekend Solomon. I think it's a bit early for the TVLand "Merry-Thon." I would understand if they were airing a small block of shows every night until Christmas (like ABCFAMILY does). But having a weekend marathon the 2nd day of December and then again later in the month doesn't make sense - especially if they're airing the exact same episodes.

I think it's good that TVLand is actually showing the Christmas episodes of their shows in a marathon, but they could have included ALL of the Christmas episodes of ALL the shows they have the rights to. An example is All In The Family. They always pick one or two Christmas episodes, in the meantime the show had four or five Christmas shows (though I can see why they wouldn't air the two-parter when Beverly La Salle gets murdered).

It was expected for them to be airing the same shows as years past. These are their shows. I agree that they should try to spice it up a little with a new show or two. And if they're too cheap to do that, then like I said - they shouldn't treat their OTHER shows like step-kids they don't want; They should air every Christmas episode of every show they have on their roster, not only the shows that do well all year round. That would at least spice something up. I remember a few years ago (2005) they included shows like Just The Ten of Us, Family Ties, and a few others in the "Merry-Thon" - even though they didn't air them all the time. They should do that again.

As for TV One; They need more shows. Maybe they don't have that much of a budget yet? That would sort of explain why they would get the rights to Eve and All Of Us, rather than the "classics" like The Jeffersons and Diff'rent Strokes. Or maybe they like having those shows to balance out old black shows, with new black shows. I will give that channel some credit for airing 227 though. I haven't watched it on there in about a year, but before that, it was nowhere to be found (USA back in the day). And I do watch Good Times occasionally on TV One. Their editing is better than TVLand's. The picture quality is better too.

[wkomorow]

I absolutely agree with the Merri-thon is pathetic. Why was it that KTLA was able to put togther a 60 hour marithon of unique programs, but TVLand can't seem to bring unique Christmas episodes of classic shows - Dennis the Menance, Hazel, Newhart, the Bob Newhart show, MTM, Barney Miller, etc.?

[TVFactFan]

Very nice rant this weekend Solomon. I think it's a bit early for the TVLand "Merry-Thon." I would understand if they were airing a small block of shows every night until Christmas (like ABCFAMILY does). But having a weekend marathon the 2nd day of December and then again later in the month doesn't make sense - especially if they're airing the exact same episodes.

I think it's good that TVLand is actually showing the Christmas episodes of their shows in a marathon, but they could have included ALL of the Christmas episodes of ALL the shows they have the rights to. An example is All In The Family. They always pick one or two Christmas episodes, in the meantime the show had four or five Christmas shows (though I can see why they wouldn't air the two-parter when Beverly La Salle gets murdered).

It was expected for them to be airing the same shows as years past. These are their shows. I agree that they should try to spice it up a little with a new show or two. And if they're too cheap to do that, then like I said - they shouldn't treat their OTHER shows like step-kids they don't want; They should air every Christmas episode of every show they have on their roster, not only the shows that do well all year round. That would at least spice something up. I remember a few years ago (2005) they included shows like Just The Ten of Us, Family Ties, and a few others in the "Merry-Thon" - even though they didn't air them all the time. They should do that again.

As for TV One; They need more shows. Maybe they don't have that much of a budget yet? That would sort of explain why they would get the rights to Eve and All Of Us, rather than the "classics" like The Jeffersons and Diff'rent Strokes. Or maybe they like having those shows to balance out old black shows, with new black shows. I will give that channel some credit for airing 227 though. I haven't watched it on there in about a year, but before that, it was nowhere to be found (USA back in the day). And I do watch Good Times occasionally on TV One. Their editing is better than TVLand's. The picture quality is better too.


Exactly, it was always the Saturday before Christmas not 3 weeks before. Now if it was a Merrython of Shows that we don't see everyday then I would not have a problem with it. And far as TV one they do treat the shows well but they need to leave those UPN leftover shows alone

[clj2]

I've never heard of half of TV One's shows....aren't a lot of them old short-lived UPN shows?

After 227 leaves next month, the only 'real' shows will be Hangin' w/ Mr. Cooper, Roc, Good Times, and Martin..

[JulieSomoski]

I kind of agree and disagree with the Merrython. Sure, showing it this weekend is too early, but it's just this weekend. We're not getting Christmas episodes again until right before Christmas, so to me, it's not that big of a deal.

I do completely agree about the TV One thing, though. They also air the sitcoms that are either from UPN, or all about African-Americans. Like why would they have Good Times, and not have The Jeffersons? Sure, Good Times was about a family living in the ghetto, but that doesn't mean a thing. The Jeffersons was a lot better than Good Times, yet it's nowhere to be seen on the network. Same thing with the other shows you mentioned, like Dif'rent Strokes. So there not entirely black shows. Who cares?

[TVFactFan]

I kind of agree and disagree with the Merrython. Sure, showing it this weekend is too early, but it's just this weekend. We're not getting Christmas episodes again until right before Christmas, so to me, it's not that big of a deal.

I do completely agree about the TV One thing, though. They also air the sitcoms that are either from UPN, or all about African-Americans. Like why would they have Good Times, and not have The Jeffersons? Sure, Good Times was about a family living in the ghetto, but that doesn't mean a thing. The Jeffersons was a lot better than Good Times, yet it's nowhere to be seen on the network. Same thing with the other shows you mentioned, like Dif'rent Strokes. So there not entirely black shows. Who cares?


And the Black shows they do air with white characters have small roles. Like EVE-lol

I guess The Jeffersons has too many white characters, which is a total of 4-lol

Ralph
Mr. Bentley
Tom
Charlie

[JulieSomoski]

And the Black shows they do air with white characters have small roles. Like EVE-lol

I guess The Jeffersons has too many white characters, which is a total of 4-lol

Ralph
Mr. Bentley
Tom
Charlie

Yeah, their shows are basically all black shows, which gets on my nerves. I just guess The Jeffersons is too white for them-LOL

[catsrule]

TV One sucks. I wish Comcast would replace it with WE so I can see Hope & Faith.

[JT]

TVLand's Merry-Thon is...ugh...a waste of time. One of the first things I ever saw on TVLand in my own home was Merry-Thon 2001, which was awesome, as was 2002 and 2003. Since then, the Merry-Thons have pretty much included nothing but shows already on the channel.

It really makes me wonder who signed off on the anniversary weekends for Warner Bros. and Nick-at-Nite. Whoever did that needs to hightail his ass back here and get us some exciting marathons again.

[Dean Winchester]

I agree, I wish TV Land would just acquire episodes of shows not in the TV Land library to air for a one-time airing during the holiday season. Andy Griffith and MASH marathons? BORING!!! That's like N@N "rewarding" it's viewers with a Fresh Prince marathon.

With TV One, I think it all depends on how much shows cost. Shows like The Jeffersons and The Cosby Show may cost a bit more to acquire than 227 or Good Times (remember that TV One aired Good Times before it made a "comeback" in popularity, so it likely was cheaper than it was before it had a renaissance on TV Land and DVD). Of course, if they aired Gimme A Break for one day last year, why didn't they pick it up for regular rotation?

[Ireneparalegal]

[QUOTE=Dean Winchester]Andy Griffith and MASH marathons? BORING!!! That's like N@N "rewarding" it's viewers with a Fresh Prince marathon./QUOTE]
:rofl: :lol:



I am glad that TVOne has brought THE PJ's back to television. I loved that show when it aired on FOX. It is funny as hell. :lol:

[Cactus Jack]

Awesome rant!

[stevejay]

It's not the fact that they are running it 25 days before Christmas. It's the fact that they are running the same 6 shows, 4 times to = 24 hours. They could have picked up other shows from the ones that they do not own and they could have gone out to sell a package but they no longer want to put effort into the "CLASSICS". They want the newer shows or shows that they produce. I will admit that the ratings have been better lately but it's because the schedule has been a little more consistent. When they constantly change the schedule and nobody knows they did(they do not promote the classic shows)the ratings suffer. We watch at the office on occasion. Monday's definitely not. We don't even turn on TV Land as it's Cowboy Day. Watch this!!! They are running the All In The Family episodes from the last season which nobody wants to watch and the ratings will suffer and it will come off the schedule. Every time they run these episodes it miraculously leaves the schedule soon after.

[friendsfan77]

Screw TVLand. I'll just give myself my OWN "Merry-thon."

[TVFactFan]

Screw TVLand. I'll just give myself my OWN "Merry-thon."


I wish I could do that

[friendsfan77]

I wish I could do that
I don't have as much stuff as they do in their vaults, but I do admit it's a lot of fun watching a bunch of my favorite Christmas shows around the holiday.

[JT]

This is sorta off topic, but kinda not. I made a little schedule for what I'd like to see as a 70s-themed network, with only sitcoms that are generally considered 70s shows (even if they ran far into the 1980s or started in the late 1960s), and I made a list of all of the Christmas episodes of each of the shows on the schedule. The only two that didn't have any were "Soap" and "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman." This is the list:

1. "Alice" - #33 A Semi-Merry Christmas (1977)
2. "Alice" - #83 Mel, the Magi (1979)
3. "Alice" - #125 Mel's Christmas Carol (1981)
4. "Alice" - #173 'Tis the Season to Be Jealous (1983)
5. "All in the Family" - #26 Christmas Day at the Bunkers' (1971)
6. "All in the Family" - #76 Edith's Christmas Story (1973)
7. "All in the Family" - #149 The Draft Dodger (1976)
8. "All in the Family" - #172 Edith's Crisis of Faith #1 (1977)
9. "All in the Family" - #173 Edith's Crisis of Faith #2 (1977)
10. "Barney Miller" - #45 Christmas Story (1976)
11. "Barney Miller" - #155 Homeless (1981)
12. "The Bob Newhart Show" - #14 His Busiest Season (1972)
13. "The Bob Newhart Show" - #39 I'm Dreaming of a Slight Christmas (1973)
14. "The Bob Newhart Show" - #63 Home is Where the Hurt Is (1974)
15. "The Bob Newhart Show" - #87 Bob Has to Have His Tonsils Out, So He Spends Christmas Eve in the Hospital (1975)
16. "The Bob Newhart Show" - #109 Making Up is the Thing to Do (1976)
17. "The Bob Newhart Show" - #132 Twas the Pie Before Christmas (1977)
18. "The Brady Bunch" - #12 The Voice of Christmas (1969)
19. "Happy Days" - #27 Guess Who's Coming to Christmas (1974)
20. "Happy Days" - #131 Christmas Time (1978)
21. "Happy Days" - #173 White Christmas (1980)
22. "Happy Days" - #221 All I Want for Christmas (1982)
23. "The Jeffersons" - #49 The Christmas Wedding (1976)
24. "The Jeffersons" - #76 984 W. 124th Street, Apt 5C (1977)
25. "The Jeffersons" - #99 George Finds a Father (1978)
26. "The Jeffersons" - #143 All I Want for Christmas (1980)
27. "The Jeffersons" - #217 Father Christmas (1983)
25. "Laverne & Shirley" - #25 Oh, Hear the Angel Voices (1976)
26. "Laverne & Shirley" - #76 Oh, Come All Ye Burns (1978)
27. "Laverne & Shirley" - #117 Candy is Dandy (1980)
28. "Laverne & Shirley" - #143 Friendly Persuasion (1981)
29. "Mary Tyler Moore" - #14 Christmas and the Hard Luck Kid (1970)
30. "Maude" - #36 The Office Party (1973)
31. "Maude" - #83 The Christmas Party (1975)
32. "Maude" - #106 Walter's Christmas Gift (1976)
33. "Maude" - #132 Maude's Christmas Surprise (1977)
34. "Mork & Mindy" - #13 Mork's First Christmas (1978)
35. "The New Dick Van Dyke Show" - #38 The Jailbird (1972)
36. "The Odd Couple" - #12 Scrooge Gets an Oscar (1970)
37. "One Day at a Time" - #76 Girl Talk (1978)
38. "One Day at a Time" - #196 Not a Creature Was Staying (1983)
39. "The Partridge Family" - #38 Don't Bring Your Guns to Town, Santa (1971)
40. "Rhoda" - #16 Guess What I Got You for the Holidays (1974)
41. "Sanford and Son" - #99 Ebenezer Sanford (1975)
42. "Three's Company" - #20 Three's Christmas (1977)
43. "Welcome Back, Kotter" - #34 Hark, the Sweathogs (1976)
44. "Welcome Back, Kotter" - #60 Sweathog Christmas Special (1977)
45. "What's Happening!!" - #9 Christmas (1976)
46. "What's Happening!!" - #53 Positive Identification (1978)

Wouldn't it be absolutely, 100% incredible if someone aired all of these episodes? I had no idea "Maude" had so many Xmas episodes, or "The Bob Newhart Show." Those are probably great episodes that'll never get aired anywhere at all.

So much for spreading the Christmas cheer, TVLand. You suck.

[BensonFan]

So much for spreading the Christmas cheer, TVLand. You suck.

Ditto that for me. With all the possibilities (some of which you listed), did they actually play the same Green Acres and Gunsmoke Christmas episodes just 3 or 4 hours apart? :rolleyes:

[oz615]

And the Black shows they do air with white characters have small roles. Like EVE-lol

I guess The Jeffersons has too many white characters, which is a total of 4-lol

Ralph
Mr. Bentley
Tom
Charlie

I mean if they can show Boston Public which btw has a lot of white characters on the show then i don't see why they can't show The Jeffersons,Benson,Diff'rent Strokes,etc.

[TVFactFan]

I mean if they can show Boston Public which btw has a lot of white characters on the show then i don't see why they can't show The Jeffersons,Benson,Diff'rent Strokes,etc.


Exactly, I would love to see the seasons that are not on DVD UNCUT while I wait for the DVD release. TV ONE loves Good Times and has no intentions on getting rid of it, it will be 4 years in 4 weeks that GT has been on the network

[GSU2004]

Good points about TVOne. They need to expound on their programming. While its commendable to air "one season wonders" such as Fastlane and Wanda at Large, I would like to see other forgotten about shows such as Benson, Julia, Baby I'm Back, South Central, Where I Live, Whats Happening Now (TVLand's handful of episodes don't count) and more.

They should fill their weekday programming with shows that lasted longer than a few episodes to prevent their schedule from getting stale. I like Wanda at Large but I can recite all of the lines now. Bump these shows to weekend airings only. Another thing about TVOne, stop with all of the damn airings of Roots and Martin.

[TVFactFan]

Good points about TVOne. They need to expound on their programming. While its commendable to air "one season wonders" such as Fastlane and Wanda at Large, I would like to see other forgotten about shows such as Benson, Julia, Baby I'm Back, South Central, Where I Live, Whats Happening Now (TVLand's handful of episodes don't count) and more.

They should fill their weekday programming with shows that lasted longer than a few episodes to prevent their schedule from getting stale. I like Wanda at Large but I can recite all of the lines now. Bump these shows to weekend airings only. Another thing about TVOne, stop with all of the damn airings of Roots and Martin.



Yeah it's time for Martin to go too-lol

[GSU2004]

Yeah it's time for Martin to go too-lol

LOL, especially when we are on the third season in DVD releases for it and every city has a local that airs it constantly.