Life Could be a Dream - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

losthighway · 01-03-2004, 04:58 AM

I really like this episode....I think Nick showed this episode during the marathon, but not during the last cycle, so I was happy to see it again.

Part of why I like it is because all of the actors get a chance to play such diverse comical characters and I think they all do a great job. Especially Steven Weber. All of his performances are great, and of course his take on Bond is classic.

But what I really like about the episode is the ending. Everytime I see Helen's vision of what she hoped her future would be I'm touched. That is another thing that set Wings apart from so many other sit-coms....even though the show is based on comedy of course, they had so many poignant ending moments, such as Helen getting on the plane to NY or Alex breaking it off with Brian or the way the Grandchildren of Joe and Helen are watching the videotape made by Brian....and there are many others I could name....but this is another episode that has a great ending that speaks volumes about the Helen character.

peter may · 01-03-2004, 07:20 AM

I totally agree,
It was a similar ending to Lowells Departure episode.

pilotguy · 01-03-2004, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by losthighway

But what I really like about the episode is the ending. Everytime I see Helen's vision of what she hoped her future would be I'm touched. That is another thing that set Wings apart from so many other sit-coms....even though the show is based on comedy of course, they had so many poignant ending moments, such as Helen getting on the plane to NY or Alex breaking it off with Brian or the way the Grandchildren of Joe and Helen are watching the videotape made by Brian....and there are many others I could name....but this is another episode that has a great ending that speaks volumes about the Helen character.

You often hear the term "gut-wrenching" when referring to poignant moments, but "Wings" had moments that TRULY "wrenched your gut"....

Moments like the ones that you've mentioned, as well as some others (notably Joe's elevator proposal to Helen) really pack a powerful punch and are SO well performed!

It's nice to know that we can appreciate the many levels of the "Wings" series....It WASN'T just a "silly sitcom"!

Krista2882 · 01-03-2004, 04:32 PM

OH BUMMER!
I knew I was missing an episode from the end of season 7 on tape, but I couldn't remember which one it was...
I had saeen this episode during the marathon... it was one of the first episodes I had seen. But they didn't show it the last time around, so I didn't get it on tape. Oh well, I'll see it next time around.

pilotguy · 01-04-2004, 10:10 PM

Tim, Steven, Crystal and Amy looked like they were having an absolute BALL playing the various versions of themselves in this episode...especially Tim and Steven, who really looked like they were having fun.....and Steven did an EXCELLENT and HILARIOUS imitation of Sean Connery in the "James Bond" segment!

Janice · 01-07-2004, 02:40 AM

This was one of the best episodes I've seen so far. Brian and Joe dressed as stylists was too funny as was Brian as Bond.
I don't know how they all kept a straight face shooting this episode. They must have had to do numerous takes.
I'd love to see out-takes of Wings.

pilotguy · 01-09-2004, 08:42 AM

I've been watching the new DVD sets of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (the first two complete seasons), and they're EXCELLENT!

The bonus features include recent interviews with Carl Reiner and various cast members.
When they talk about the "If It Looks Like A Walnut" episode (the wild sci-fi/Twilight Zone spoof that Rob dreams), everyone says how much they enjoyed doing that episode because it was so DIFFERENT. Although the whole episode was kind of wild and bizarre, it gave the creators and actors a chance to go a little crazy and do something that was quite a change from the typical "Dick Van Dyke" episode....

I had that same feeling when watching the "Life Could Be A Dream" episode of "Wings". Episodes like this, which give the writers and cast members the chance to give the viewers something very different and "outside of the box", look like they give everyone involved a fun time and a nice change of pace from the usual storyline and characters.

wingshock · 01-09-2004, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pilotguy
You often hear the term "gut-wrenching" when referring to poignant moments, but "Wings" had moments that TRULY "wrenched your gut"....

Hey, strangers!

Another one of those moments IMO was when Helen explains to Joe why she drove the jeep through his office...

When she reminds him about the guy who took her to the dance because she was fat, and she tells Joe he was her best friend that she could always talk to ... I cry every time when I watch that scene!

Love,

Wing<><

pilotguy · 01-10-2004, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wingshock
Hey, strangers!

Another one of those moments IMO was when Helen explains to Joe why she drove the jeep through his office...

When she reminds him about the guy who took her to the dance because she was fat, and she tells Joe he was her best friend that she could always talk to ... I cry every time when I watch that scene!

Love,

Wing<><

Oh yeah, how could I have forgotten THAT one? That was a real "Lump-In-Your-Throater", and one of Crystal's finest moments as Helen.

wingshock · 01-10-2004, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pilotguy
Oh yeah, how could I have forgotten THAT one? That was a real "Lump-In-Your-Throater", and one of Crystal's finest moments as Helen.

Yeah, ITA. Hey, I'm having de ja vu. Didn't we already talk about this ep? Seems like I remember us discussing why Helen lied about what she put in the time capsule.

So, why did she lie? Because she was embarrassed that her "big dream" was something so mundane, or because she didn't want Joe's head to get any bigger, or a combination of both?

Love,

Wing<><

p.s. Sorry have been so AWOL for the past couple of months

Krista2882 · 01-11-2004, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wingshock
Yeah, ITA. Hey, I'm having de ja vu. Didn't we already talk about this ep? Seems like I remember us discussing why Helen lied about what she put in the time capsule.

So, why did she lie? Because she was embarrassed that her "big dream" was something so mundane, or because she didn't want Joe's head to get any bigger, or a combination of both?

Love,

Wing<><

p.s. Sorry have been so AWOL for the past couple of months

yes! one time back in the summer, i remember we talked about this in detail... it was actualyl under a thread about how in later seasons, Helen's cello playing was hardly ever mentioned anymore, and then i said that i remembered that "Life Could Be a dream" was one of the first episodes i had ever seen, and i thought it was so cool that she played the cello, and then i went off on a tangent asking why Helen lied about what she really wrote on the paper she put in the time capsule.

01-03-2004, 04:58 AM	#1
losthighway Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 14, 2003 Posts: 370	Life Could be a Dream I really like this episode....I think Nick showed this episode during the marathon, but not during the last cycle, so I was happy to see it again. Part of why I like it is because all of the actors get a chance to play such diverse comical characters and I think they all do a great job. Especially Steven Weber. All of his performances are great, and of course his take on Bond is classic. But what I really like about the episode is the ending. Everytime I see Helen's vision of what she hoped her future would be I'm touched. That is another thing that set Wings apart from so many other sit-coms....even though the show is based on comedy of course, they had so many poignant ending moments, such as Helen getting on the plane to NY or Alex breaking it off with Brian or the way the Grandchildren of Joe and Helen are watching the videotape made by Brian....and there are many others I could name....but this is another episode that has a great ending that speaks volumes about the Helen character.

01-03-2004, 07:20 AM	#2
peter may The SO Limey Senior Member Join Date: Feb 26, 2002 Location: LONDON Posts: 1,883	I totally agree, It was a similar ending to Lowells Departure episode.

01-03-2004, 04:32 PM	#4
Krista2882 Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 10, 2003 Location: CT Posts: 1,370	OH BUMMER! I knew I was missing an episode from the end of season 7 on tape, but I couldn't remember which one it was... I had saeen this episode during the marathon... it was one of the first episodes I had seen. But they didn't show it the last time around, so I didn't get it on tape. Oh well, I'll see it next time around.

01-04-2004, 10:10 PM	#5
pilotguy Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 09, 2003 Posts: 1,305	Tim, Steven, Crystal and Amy looked like they were having an absolute BALL playing the various versions of themselves in this episode...especially Tim and Steven, who really looked like they were having fun.....and Steven did an EXCELLENT and HILARIOUS imitation of Sean Connery in the "James Bond" segment!

01-07-2004, 02:40 AM	#6
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	This was one of the best episodes I've seen so far. Brian and Joe dressed as stylists was too funny as was Brian as Bond. I don't know how they all kept a straight face shooting this episode. They must have had to do numerous takes. I'd love to see out-takes of Wings.

01-09-2004, 08:42 AM	#7
pilotguy Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 09, 2003 Posts: 1,305	I've been watching the new DVD sets of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (the first two complete seasons), and they're EXCELLENT! The bonus features include recent interviews with Carl Reiner and various cast members. When they talk about the "If It Looks Like A Walnut" episode (the wild sci-fi/Twilight Zone spoof that Rob dreams), everyone says how much they enjoyed doing that episode because it was so DIFFERENT. Although the whole episode was kind of wild and bizarre, it gave the creators and actors a chance to go a little crazy and do something that was quite a change from the typical "Dick Van Dyke" episode.... I had that same feeling when watching the "Life Could Be A Dream" episode of "Wings". Episodes like this, which give the writers and cast members the chance to give the viewers something very different and "outside of the box", look like they give everyone involved a fun time and a nice change of pace from the usual storyline and characters.