Hucklebug Episode 174: Shout-outs, movies (Bet: In the Loop, Mean Streets; Stennie: Raiders of the Lost Ark, A Slight Case of Murder, Groundhog Day), highlights and lowlights, fuck-offs and you-rules, Top Five Favorite TV Ensemble Casts.
Music: “The Hucklebuck,” performed by Otis Redding, Lee Rocker, and Frank Sinatra.
I was talking about something from last week’s Hucklebug with some friends (I’m playing catch-up)—lame “reset” endings to series or shows, the most famous being “it was only Pam Ewing’s dream” on Dallas. I was in the camp that the ending to St. Elsewhere was lame, and the only time I can think of where it worked really well was the last episode of “Newhart”. “Emily, I had the strangest dream” was awesome, and it worked, because fundamentally Bob is Bob.
Also, Chicago Hope had loads of great characters. (Maybe it will turn up on the ensemble list on this week’s show, if I get to it before Friday) I’m partial to Mandy Patinkin in most things. And absolutely yes to William Daniels. He was even fun to watch on Boy Meets World.
Please RIP my sanity this week. So far (Tuesday, I think), I’ve had lots of up close and personal time with Boy for five straight days, and I think there’s at least two more in store. He’s a lovely child, but we’re both getting tired of each other and no one else to play with.
Oh, and I almost caved in and joined Facebook today. (See above about my sanity) But the first three times I typed “http://www.facebook.com” I got redirected to bogus contests and other phishing sites. I couldn’t get in there to join. I think it was the fates above stopping me in my moment of weakness. I’m over it for the moment
I’m neutral on the Progressive lady. Don’t love her, don’t hate her.
Okay. Just heard your double digit comments challenge for this week, so I’ll hit send. Hope to finish up later.
I’m Sporcling while I listen while Boy is napping…
Ensemble casts:
-Chicago Hope (see above)
-Sports Night (how did none of you mention it?, although I misremembered the title and and originally typed ‘Sports Radio’ until I realized that News Radio was the one I didn’t care for, and googled it)
-Two and Half Men (I will admit to watching this one—when I was on bedrest, it was on in some time slot that nothing else was on, and I started watching it. It’s a guilty pleasure—I should hate this show, but I don’t. Don’t think I’ve watched it since then, though)
-Red Dwarf (excepting the last couple of seasons—you need Rimmer, and stuff Kochanski)
-I Love Lucy
-WKRP
-The Young Ones
-Monty Python (I figured that as Stennie’s #1
before she said it)
-Cybill
So glad you both enjoyed IN THE LOOP. Check YouTube for THE THICK OF IT, the BBC show that was the origin.
Also, check out THE DAY TODAY, the fake news show that spawned both the Alan Partridge character (played by Steve Coogan) and Armando Iannucci (director of IN THE LOOP and THE THICK OF IT). Chris Morris, the star of THE DAY TODAY, just showed his apparently very dark and funny “jihad comedy” FOUR LIONS at Sundance this year. I’ll let you know when I see it.
So, it’s February and the winter blahs are upon us. Tired of cold and snow.
Not sure if it’s the top five, but here are some ensembles of note:
Seinfeld.
Cheers, pre-Woody.
The Sopranos.
Soap.
The Office UK.
Also, Amazing Race on Sunday! Wow, did time go by fast!
Good luck on the double-digit comments.
Some notable ensembles:
Taxi
All In The Family
The Bob Newhart Show
SCTV (the middle, classic years)
Ed
I purposely left out shows that were represented by my favorite characters list.
Next up: literary characters?
i know this may be late but i wanted to thank you all for your good wishes. they totally worked.my biggest problem now is typing. i will write more later. hope ou get well soon Bet. love you all.
Catching up!
My picks for:
best ensemble: “Soap”
best sitcom character: Hawkeye Pierce from “MASH” (could laugh, learn and cry while watching him on that show)
best drama character of all time: Baltar from 1st season “Battlestar Galactica”
best fictional character of all time (please note: I don’t read much): Laughing Man from “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (probably my favorite anime series—he’s a mysterious outsider/anti-hero who is the first realistic vigilante I’ve seen get away with anything).
Best fictional villain: God (I quote “South Park BLU”: He’s the biggest bitch of them all!”
Best fictional villain was tough, though, since I wanted to go with Joker-san from the “Read or Die” anime series. In it he destroys almost every published book in the world in an attempt to replace the world’s knowledge. (This is a great series—just grin and bear the first few episodes. It gets better!)
I don’t understand your hatred of the Progressive lady, but I don’t watch TV hardly ever, but when I do see her, I think she’s adorable and cute and just fine.
I say that if you need a word to describe “slow when it shouldn’t be” I think you should be allowed to use the word “retarded.” If you’re saying someone is mentally handicapped when they aren’t, the criticism may be accurate, but it’s not polite. 🙁
Oh, I’m going to have another legitimate comment this week, but it is late – so late, that I’m listening again so that I can comment. It has been too long.
Norman, fuck OFF and stay away. Nobody likes you! Go, Shoo!
Yay Heidi’s mom! I’m so glad there was a mistake. Best diagnosis, ever.
Nothing more to say – I don’t have anything to add to the ensembles. You’ve pretty much covered anything I would say.
Favorite TV ensembles (you might consider movie casts, too)
Arrested Development
– First, I second everything Stennie said – truly a cast with ZERO weak links. I named Tobias last week, but it was really like a spinning wheel—anywhere it stopped would have been a winner, including Ron Howard as the Narrator.
– The show also benefited from outstanding guest stars and recurring players – Mr. Carl Weathers, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Henry Winkler (who literally jumped a shark), and Liza Minnelli as Lucille II.
– Apropos of nothing but interesting / oddball connections—do you know the connection between AD and Errol Garner (whom you mentioned accidentally a couple episodes back)?
Crime Story Michael Mann cops & mobsters series from the mid-late ‘80s, set in early ‘60s Chicago and later Vegas, baby. Much better than Miami Vice in retrospect.
Firefly Only 14 episodes, but man, what an awesome show and a bulletproof cast.
The West Wing Also named a character last time, but such a great ensemble vehicle (once they got rid of that annoying consultant, Mandy).
Topic Ideas (love the lists, btw; anything that keeps the Jenga at bay can only be good, right?)
– Best screen adaptations of books (films or miniseries) – this is important b/c you excluded book-based characters from your best characters lists.
– Most unnecessary movie remakes (they are legion) and/or best movie remakes (very rare).