Well it's fall again and normally I will write several articles dedicated to the basic idea that I never judge a show by it's pilot, but this fall is different. I don't feel like this is Fall 2008 but more like Fall 2007 part II. It is hard to believe that it was almost a year ago (Nov. 5th 2007) when the Writers Guild of America went on strike. From that point I decided to suspend reviewing any new shows out of a sense of fairness and solidarity. I felt that saying something critical about someone's show during the strike was kicking someone when they were down. As my readers know, I love television the same way others love movies or music, and even though I was saddened to see the TV season cut short I stood by the writers. I felt that it was important to remind my readers that nothing happens in Hollywood until a writer types the words FADE IN.

The shows I didn't review last fall or Fall 2007 Part I were Life, Pushing Daisies and Samantha Who?. These three shows are all back this season and my favorite show from last fall or Fall 2007 Part I, Journeyman, was canceled but thanks to the strike at least every episode was aired.

Here is my FALL 2007 PART I Scorecard.
The Big Bang Theory. Still on the air.
I said, "Sweet characters and cleaver dialogue do not a sitcom make".
K-Ville. Off the air.
I said, "I think that it is great that eighty percent of the show's crew is from the local talent pool. I am curious what the people of New Orleans and the New Orleans Police Department thinks of the show".
Cane. Off the air.
I said, "The show should have a broad appeal. It has many of the ****c elements of good story telling, man vs. man, brother vs. brother, father vs. son, all set in front of a Latin background. I am optimistic that the show won't resort to some of the stereotypical soap opera conventions like evil twins, people returning from the dead and whole seasons being dismissed as a dream".
Journeyman. Off the air.
I said, "The show has an appeal beyond the science fiction crowd. The only thing about the show that is predictable is that is unpredictable. Other new shows should take a lesson from Journeyman. Start with a good story and build on that".
Bionic Woman. Off the air.
There is one element to the show that I will freely admit to having mixed feelings about and that is the blurry line between who the good guys and the bad guys are. I like that the heroes have baggage. I'm sure that there are viewers that want to see the good guys wearing white hats and the bad guys wearing black hats (Toy companies like straight out good guys and bad guys when it comes to marketing action figures).
Reaper. Still on the air.
I said, "The best way to describe the show is Maynard G. Crebs from Dobie Gillis meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a hint of Ghost Busters".
Back to You. Off the air.
I said, "I was hoping for something more comparable to Murphy Brown or The Mary Tyler Moore Show but instead this reminded me more of Good Morning, Miami, especially the Latina character Montana Diaz Herrera (Ayda Field)".
Cavemen. Off the air.
I said, "I saw the pilot and I can hear my college television production teacher say, "What's the point?" First you have to buy into the premise that cavemen have lived among us since the beginning of time. The opening credits features a montage of cavemen throughout history. Anything would be better than the chosen premise, time warp, thawed from an iceberg or cloned caveman DNA".
Chuck. Still on the air.
I said, "I watched the pilot. The episode opens on the night of Chuck's birthday party. Chuck's sister has invited lots of women for Chuck to meet but I don't see this guy needing his sister's help getting laid". And "Zachary Levi is a very talented actor. I liked him on Less Than Perfect, but I don't see him as a good fit for this show".

As for Samantha Who?, Pushing Daisies and Life:
Samantha Who?: I was quite surprised and impressed with the show. My first impression from the promotional material was this would be a female version of My Name Is Earl. In fact my first reaction was, "Why didn't they call it My name is Girl". Christina Applegate has incredible star power and is likable, cute and willing to fall on her face for a laugh.
Pushing Daisies: This is a fun macabre escape from reality. I use it as a mental sorbet after watching the news.
Life: Damien Lewis is one of the finest actors on TV today. He has created a character that viewers sympathize with but you don't necessarily want to have a beer with him and at times you just want to smack him. I see an Emmy in Damien Lewis' future.

For Fall 2007 Part II there are only two shows that I really have an interest in checking out and reviewing. Strangely enough both are American versions of foreign shows. From England Life On Mars and from Australia Kath & Kim but most of my TV viewing is fall dedicated to watching 2008 Election coverage. As always I watch the pilot and the first episode following the pilot. My gut tells me that Life On Mars will have a following but I don't see Kath & Kim lasting past Christmas.

To quote Dennis Miller, "Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong".

Stay Tuned

Tony Figueroa

A meeting of the SHATNER AWARD committee was held at the Don Knotts room of the Burbank Holiday Inn, September 22nd 2008 at 7:48 P.M. As always the SHATNER AWARD committee was informed that in order to be compliant with Robert's Rules of Order they must use actual dates instead of STAR DATES.
In accordance with out bylaws The SHATNER AWARD will be given to those individuals or groups who need to be told to, "GET A LIFE!" because "IT'S JUST A TV SHOW".

• New Business: McCain campaign surrogate Carly Fiorina called Tina Fey's portrayal of Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live "disrespectful" and "sexist."
  
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXPy6Pl2wc4

Tonight (Tuesday, February 12th 200 the members of the Writers Guilds East and West voted by a 92.5% margin to lift the restraining order that was invoked on November 5th.

The strike is over.
Read the official WGA announcement to striking writers on Deadline Hollywood Daily.

To Quote Alan Brady (Carl Reiner on The Dick Van Dyke Show episode Coast-to-Coast Big Mouth), "Oh, happy days are here again!"

And I can go back to signing off with "Stay Tuned"


Tony Figueroa

A few years ago I discovered the MGM cartoon Peace on Earth while watching an episode of the Cartoon Network's Toon Heads. Since then it has been one of my favorite holiday cartoons. This 1939 cartoon was written by Jack Cosgriff, Charles McGirl and Khat Harman and directed by Hugh Harman and is the only cartoon ever nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Before reading any further I want you to watch the cartoon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8OYvHPpGDY

This cartoon was created prior to America's involvement in the Second World War by people who served in the First World War. This amazing story takes you on a journey:

From Cute and Fuzzy,
To Man's inhumanity to man.
To a climax.
To a resolution.
And back to Cute and Fuzzy.

The cartoon was remade by William Hanna & Joseph Barbera in 1955 as Good Will to Men and was also nominated for the Best Short Subjects Oscar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qzqSwB68Tc

While the remake is set in a post atomic bomb era the message stays the same and sadly that message has not been learned. One of my favorite moments in Peace On Earth is towards the end when the audience collectively realizes that the animal's houses were made from the men's helmets and the lamppost was made from a sword. Then you sober up when Mama Squirrel sings, "Sleep in heavenly peace". On a final note I want you to think about this:

The story that was told.
Those moments that touched you.
The buttons that were pushed.
The feelings felt.
The lessons learned (and not learned by some).

The writer started this journey with an idea, and then it was translated:

To words.
To voice, music and Foley.
To ink & paint.
To the big (and later small) screen.
And the audience translated the sight and sounds back into the writer's original idea.

Something to think about when you are enjoying those holiday specials.

To quote Tiny Tim, "God bless us, everyone!"


Merry Christmas



Tony & Donna Figueroa

For those of you who will be spending Thanksgiving with your family. I'm sure you will be under strict orders not to discuss politics, religion or the writers strike (If you are in LA or NYC) at the dinner table. I wanted to provide you with a safe topic of conversation that should be good for at least two courses or until your drunk uncle asks, "When are you gonna get a real job".

TV Land and Entertainment Weekly assembled a list of the 100 Greatest TV Icons. Most of the time I'd like to rip these lists apart like a turkey carcass and add my honorable mentions. I totally understand that someone in my age group would rearrange the numeric order, but that could be said of any TV generation. Let's dig in.

I do think that certain actors received iconic status when in reality it should have been their most famous character receiving the honor.

Examples from list include:
100. Marcia Cross. The status should have been granted to Cross' Desperate Housewives character Bree Vandecamp. Bree has become the poster child for the modern day Stepford Wife. 91. Dennis Franz (Andy Sipowicz in NYPD BLUE)
86. Jerry Mathers (as the Beaver)
82. Ted Knight (Ted Baxter) Keith Olbermann pays homage to Ted Baxter when he impersonates Bill O'Reilly.
75. Peter Falk (Lt. Columbo)
70. Bob Denver (Gilligan)
69. Barbara Eden (Jeannie)
63. Ed Asner (Lou Grant) Lou Grant became an icon once he said, "You know what you got? You got spunk. I hate spunk!"
58. Don Knotts (Deputy Barney Fife)
49. Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal)
45. Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Buffy was to girls in the 90s what Gidget (40. Sally Field) was to girls in the 60s.
42. James Gandolfini (Tony Soprano)
32. Henry Winkler (The Fonz)

Examples not from list include:
Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan). The Captain was to children's television what icon #1. Johnny Carson was to late night television.
Hoss Cartright (Dan Blocker)
Rader O'Reilly (Gary Burgoff)
Elvira mistress of the dark (Cassandra Peterson).
Ginger & Mary Ann (Tina Louise & Dawn Wells). Ginger & Mary Ann proved that there are the girl that you have fun with and the girl that you marry.
Lary "Bud" Melman (Calvert DeForest)

I also think that certain characters received iconic status when in reality it should have been the creator of that character receiving the honor.

Examples from list include:
21. Kermit the Frog should actually be Jim Henson.
57. Charlie Brown should actually be Charles Schulz

Examples not from list include:
Max Headroom (Matt Frewer).
Maxwell Smart (Don Adams)
Joe Friday (Jack Webb)
Iron Eyes Cody (Crying Native American in Keep America Beautiful PSA)
Mel Blanc (His list of characters is to long)

The Dictionary defines Icon as a person or thing that is uncritically adored, revered or admired, or is regarded as a symbol of a particular culture or sphere, etc; an idol.

I would define a TV icon as:
A) Someone who has set a standard of excellence in their field.

Examples from list include:
85. Rod Serling
81. Dick Cavett
64. Phil Donahue
60. Merv Griffin
55. Fred Rogers AKA Mr. Rogers
51. Bob Hope
41. Jon Stewart
28. Howard Cosell
23. Barbara Walters
22. Milton Berle
19. Andy Griffith
16. David Letterman
15. "Not Ready for Primetime Players"
14. Ed Sullivan
13. Jackie Gleason
10. Dick Clark
8. Jerry Seinfeld
6. Carol Burnett
5. Walter Cronkite
4. Bill Cosby
3. Oprah Winfrey
2. Lucille Ball
1. Johnny Carson

Examples not from list include:
Desi Arnaz
Danny Thomas
Jack Webb
Carl Reiner
Ernie Kovacks
Sheldon Lennard
Norman Lear
The Smothers Brothers
Lorne Michaels
Jack Benny

B) Someone who can be used as an example, role model, metaphor, analogy or punch line.

Examples from list include:
99. Delta Burke
96. Shannen Doherty
95. Richard Dawson
92. Judge Judy
85. Rod Serling
81. Dick Cavett
80. Adam West
74. Joan Rivers
72. Cher
68. Don Cornelius
65. Pamela Anderson
64. Phil Donahue
63. Ed Asner
60. Merv Griffin
55. Fred Rogers AKA Mr. Rogers
54. Florence Henderson
53. Ed McMahon
51. Bob Hope49. Calista Flockhart
47. Simon Cowell
46. Lassie
44. Susan Lucci
40. Sally Field
39. Jennifer Aniston
36. Diahann Carroll
34. Bob Barker
33. Ellen DeGeneres
31. Sarah Jessica Parker
28. Howard Cosell
27. Regis Philbin
26. Farrah Fawcett
23. Barbara Walters
18. William Shatner
14. Ed Sullivan
13. Jackie Gleason
11. Roseanne
10. Dick Clark
9. Homer Simpson
8. Jerry Seinfeld
7. Mary Tyler Moore
5. Walter Cronkite
4. Bill Cosby
3. Oprah Winfrey
2. Lucille Ball
1. Johnny Carson

Examples not from list include:
Donna Reed
Charo
The Gabor sisters
Jack Benny

C) Someone whose TV character can be used as an example, role model, metaphor, analogy or punch line.

Examples from list include:
100. Marcia Cross.
99. Delta Burke
96. Shannen Doherty
93. Neil Patrick Harris
91. Dennis Franz
89. Robert Guillaume
86. Jerry Mathers
85. Rod Serling
82. Ted Knight
78. Art Carney
75. Peter Falk
74. Joan Rivers
70. Bob Denver
61. Pee Wee Herman
58. Don Knotts
52. Ron Howard
50. Larry Hagman
49. Calista Flockhart
42. James Gandolfini
39. Jennifer Aniston
37. George Clooney
32. Henry Winkler
30. Alan Alda
29. John Ritter
24. Michael Landon
20. Carroll O'Connor
19. Andy Griffith
18. William Shatner
13. Jackie Gleason
12. Dick Van Dyke
11. Roseanne
9. Homer Simpson
8. Jerry Seinfeld
4. Bill Cosby
2. Lucille Ball

Examples not from list include:
Donna Stone The Donna Reed Show. With out her there would be no Bree Vandecamp.
Mr. Spock
Dr. Johnny Feaver
Fred Flintstone
Ned Flanders
Jack Benny

D) Someone who has created of redefined a TV genre.

Examples from list include:
85. Rod Serling
81. Dick Cavett
71. Rosie O'Donnell
68. Don Cornelius
64. Phil Donahue
61. Pee Wee Herman
60. Merv Griffin
55. Fred Rogers AKA Mr. Rogers
41. Jon Stewart
36. Diahann Carroll
28. Howard Cosell
27. Regis Philbin
23. Barbara Walters
22. Milton Berle
20. Carroll O'Connor
19. Andy Griffith
16. David Letterman
15. "Not Ready for Primetime Players"
14. Ed Sullivan
13. Jackie Gleason
12. Dick Van Dyke
10. Dick Clark
6. Carol Burnett
5. Walter Cronkite
4. Bill Cosby
3. Oprah Winfrey
2. Lucille Ball
1. Johnny Carson

Examples not from list include:
Desi Arnaz
Danny Thomas
Jack Webb
Carl Reiner
Sheldon Lennard
Ernie Kovacks
Bill Hanna & Joe Barbera
The Smothers Brothers
Norman Lear
Jack Benny

And not forgetting that this is still a business.
E) Someone whose image sells T-shirts, lunch boxes and Pez dispensers.

Examples from list include
86. Jerry Mathers
85. Rod Serling
80. Adam West
72. Cher
71. Rosie O'Donnell
70. Bob Denver
69. Barbara Eden
65. Pamela Anderson
61. Pee Wee Herman
58. Don Knotts
57. Charlie Brown
54. Florence Henderson
53. Ed McMahon
46. Lassie
45. Sarah Michelle Gellar
44. Susan Lucci
43. Flip Wilson
41. Jon Stewart
39. Jennifer Aniston (The Rachel hair****also makes her a ****icon)
36. Diahann Carroll
32. Henry Winkler
27. Regis Philbin
26. Farrah Fawcett
25. Heather Locklear
24. Michael Landon
22. Milton Berle
21. Kermit
19. Andy Griffith
18. William Shatner
16. David Letterman
15. "Not Ready for Primetime Players"
13. Jackie Gleason
9. Homer Simpson
8. Jerry Seinfeld
4. Bill Cosby

Examples not from list would be incredibly long. I noticed that I added Jack Benny four times and Jack Webb three times. Perhaps the people who put together the list don't know Jack.
If Jack Benny was alive to see him self not make the list, he might respond with, "Well!" and then probably feel better when he learns that there is no cash value to the honor.

Happy Thanksgiving


Tony Figueroa

On day five of the writer's strike this Child of Television was in front of the Fox Plaza building (AKA the Diehard building) along with four thousand creative and talented people rallied against Fox and the media conglomerates that make up the AMPTP. This was the greatest gathering of fellowship and solidarity that I have ever experienced. I have spent more than a hundred hours on different picket lines. The speakers at the event included WGA West President Patric M. Verrone, Screen Actors Guild President Alan Rosenberg, Family Guy writer-producer-actor Seth MacFarlane, Rev. Jesse Jackson and one of my personal heroes Norman Lear. I did get to meet many people, like Mr. Lear, whose work I have admired over the years. More importantly I also ran into many friends that I currently work with or have worked with in the past. As we marched down Avenue of the Stars and Pico Boulevard to the Fox Studio gate, old friendships were rekindled and as a whole we became a larger galvanized group presenting a united front and letting the AMPTP know we in are all on the same page. Bloggers need to let the world know what the media is not telling them and show the faces that belong to those names that scroll by so fast at the end of your favorite TV show. I hope to see you on the picket line. Those bloggers, who can walk the picket line, I encourage you to do so. If you are not in New York or LA, United Hollywood has artwork that you can post on your blog to help get the message out there and you can also walk a Virtual Picket Line on Myspace.

To quote Seth MacFarlane at the rally, "There are a lot of decent people at every studio who want a quick end to this thing just like we do. I look forward to working with them again when this is all over and we're all awkwardly pretending like it didn't happen."

Stay Tuned or should I say, "In solidarity"


Tony Figueroa

Today is the first day of the Writer's Strike. The big issue has been DVD and new-media residuals. These will be the same issues that are going to be brought up when Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Directors Guild of America (DGA) contracts are up later next year. Even though I am not a Writers Guild of America (WGA) member, I am a member of SAG, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes (IATSE). I strongly support my brothers and sisters in the WGA.

I was at a Starbucks this morning. A studio executive comes in and recognizes the barista. She says, " Don't you work for me?" The barista has a studio job but needs to supplement his income by pulling a couple of shifts at Starbucks. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone in Hollywood is a millionaire. Most people in this town are no different than anyone else in America. We work hard to keep a roof over our head and feed our families. Like union members across this country we want fair payment for our work, health care and pensions. We also deserve Residual payment when others are reusing our creative work for profit. Lets face it, nothing happens in Hollywood until a writer types the words FADE IN.

To quote Tonight Show host Jay Leno at the picket line in front of NBC Burbank, "I've been working with these people for 20 years. Without them I'm not funny. I'm a dead man without them."

Stay Tuned

Tony Figueroa

Dear American Television Viewers,

Last fall I fell in love with a new show Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. I wrote in Never Judge a Show by it's Pilot: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,

1. I liked what I saw and feel that more shows should be like this, not a copy of this show but something that goes along with the spirit of the above (Judd Hirsch as Wes Mendell in the show's pilot) rant.

2. I also have to ask those who are accusing the show as being Anti-Christian to count all the Christian characters you see on TV. Then with your other hand count how many Christian characters are presented in a positive light on TV.

3. My hope is that Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip becomes the next great water cooler show. Unlike other water cooler shows where people just talk about what the characters did, here we can shift topic of conversation to the issues discussed on the show. This show could be bigger than The West Wing, if Aaron Sorkin is kept in charge and left alone to do his job.

My Hollywood Friends and I loved the show, but right after singing it's praises they would always end with, "It will do well in L.A. and New York but middle America, especially the Bible Belt wont get it". I would remind my Hollywood friends of my summer travels throughout Middle America with my wife Donna performing our show Guess Who's Coming To... at Fringe Theatre Festivals in Kansas City, Minneapolis and Indianapolis. I wrote about our travels in an article titled The people from Iowa where I stated,

1. This grouping of people was always empowered with setting the standard for what is acceptable in our creative pursuits and our dayjobs. Even though I know that there is absolutely no difference between catering to the mainstream and selling out to the lowest common denominator I want to have a marketable product.

2. We also mentioned that since we (Donna and I) both have the same commercial agent we would go out on calls together for McDonalds, Sears or some other American Institution. We're there to read for the same spot. However when we arrive we're split. Donna gets paired up with the Danzel clone and If I am seen as white I may be paired off with a Caucasian wife or if am seen as Latino I will be matched up with someone of color but there's a lot of cream in the coffee. The fine line between JLo and Beyonce. In the America of McDonalds & Sears, nobody marries outside of their own race. Why? Because someone on Madison Ave. feels that Middle America is not ready for us.

3. My point here is that we have come a long way and still have a long way to go. It might help us get there if the creative people on both coasts spend some time in the Fly-Over States instead of just pandering to them or who we think they might be.

When I defended the people from Middle America, The Bible Belt, Iowa, Red States, Fly-Over States or as Donna likes to call it, Oklabama, my Hollywood friends looked at me like I just drank the Kool-Aid.

Apparently my Hollywood friends were right and I was wrong about Middle America. Perhaps the talented people who I got to know on our tour represented a small minority of people who want to see good writing and acting on TV. Some don't even watch TV. Maybe when Middle America saw Wes Mendell in the first few minutes of the pilot saying, "Ah, it's not going to be a very good show tonight and I think you should change the channel. Change the channel. Right, right now. Turn off the TV ok" Middle America took him literally and turned their TVs off. Maybe Wes was right when he said, "There is a struggle between art and commerce. Well there has always been a struggle between art and commerce. Now, I'm telling you, art is getting its ass kicked. And it's making us mean. And it's making us b***hy Perhaps Middle America didn't want to see Hollywood rant Maybe Wes's comment, "And the two things that make them scared gutless are the FCC and every psycho religious cult that gets positively horny at the very mention at a boycott" opened a Pandora's box that put the show on so many hit lists that it was doomed from the start. Often being on numerous hit lists results in millions of dollars in free publicity, but this time it was not the case. Speaking of "psycho religious cults" I find it strange that we never saw the "Crazy Christians" skit on Studio 60, but the mere idea of a "Crazy Christians" skit outraged some religious people. Some religious people were offended by the depiction of a Christian character Harriet Hayes (Sarah Paulson) who was not their brand of Christian even though I know Christians in Hollywood just like her. I can't blame Aaron Sorkin for doing what NBC wanted him to do. I do not blame NBC for taking the show off the air, I feel that they had faith in this project and gave it every possible chance. NBC will also air the remaining episodes on Thursday nights at 10 PM. I feel the blame lies with Middle America not knowing quality programming when they see it (I say this with apologies to the fans of the show who live in Middle America). I can't help but take it personally after I defended Middle Americans to my Hollywood friends. This year several of my favorite shows were canceled (George Lopez, Crossing Jordan, Andy Barker P.I., Jericho and Raines). It's hard not to take Studio 60's cancellation personally either. All my life whenever one of my favorite TV shows was canceled I was told it was because nobody was watching it. Well I was watching, but my tastes were never in line with Middle America's. I wonder if Middle America truly realizes the power they have.

To be fair and in the interest of full disclosure I did say in my article Never Judge a Show by it's Pilot: 30 Rock,

"After attending various networking functions and constantly being told by many network comedy development heads all saying they do not want "Behind the scenes" shows (Please don't ask me to name names.), but every fall I still see new "Behind the scenes" shows. Some feel that this is because Hollywood's new young writers have never worked outside the entertainment industry so they write what they know. Others feel that those who work in Hollywood think that their lives and jobs are just so interesting that everyone in America will find their lives and jobs just as interesting (Again please don't ask me to name names.)"

Every fall we still see new "Behind the scenes" shows. Some of these shows hit and others miss. My wife pointed out to me that The Mary Tyler Moore Show was more about the life of Mary Richards than a behind the scenes look at television newsroom. Perhaps we should study past "Behind the scenes" to see what worked, what didn't and what shows were just ahead of their time. Or perhaps I am over thinking all of this. Maybe Middle America expected a behind the scenes look a late night comedy show to have more laughs.

To quote Tina Fey at the Writers Guild Awards, "I hear Aaron Sorkin is in Los Angeles wearing the same dress - but longer, and not funny."

Stay Tuned

Tony Figueroa

I do not want to repeat my Blake vs. Potter debate, but comparing "The Addams Family" to "The Munsters" is like comparing "Laverne & Shirley" to "Cagney & Lacey". Other than the fact that these were macabre sit-coms mocking the nuclear families that were on the air at the time, these two shows and families were very different. For example if Eddie Munster (Butch Patrick) wanted to join the Boy Scouts his parents Herman & Lily (Fred Gwynne and Yvonne De Carlo) would be thrilled where as if Pugsley Addams (Ken Weatherwax) wanted to join the Boy Scouts his parents Gomez & Morticia (John Astin & Carolyn Jones) would be mortified and hope that this was just a phase. If there was an explosion in Grandpa's (Al Lewis) laboratory, it would be an accident with humorous consequences, where as if there was an explosion in Uncle Fester's (Jackie Coogan) room, it would be expected and encouraged behavior. If Herman got sick he would go to his family doctor (Paul Lynde) who had just sent his eyeglasses out to be repaired. The doctor would then perform Herman's entire examination with out being able to see him and receiving the repaired glasses in time to say goodbye then mayhem ensues. If Gomez got sick he would contact his family which doctor and because of his massive wealth he did not have to worry about whether or not the which doctor was covered under his HMO.


The Addams Family
THE ADDAMS FAMILY debuted on ABC on September 18 1964, and ran through September 2, 1966. The show was based on Charles Addams' dark, warped and funny comic strip created for the "New Yorker" magazine. Charles Addams named the characters for the TV show. The episodes were written by Nat Perrin who had written several Marx Brothers movies. (Come to think of it Gomez had some Groucho Marx qualities). One of my favorite elements of the show was the brilliant use of sound effects like in the days of radio comedy, thus requiring the audience to use their imagination. An example of this was when a houseguest saw Kitty (a lion). All you heard was a roar followed by a running sound effect followed by a door slam. In fact I would love to perform some of the old TV show scripts as a radio comedy. The show mocked other TV families by being their polar opposite. This family would do everything from sword fight to blowing up model trains in the middle of their own living room. If "Fear Factor" was around then, they would have the home version. I don't think anybody knew where John Aston began and Gomez ended. Everything gave him a rush and his love for Morticia can only be described as horney monogamy. With all the craziness the show had moral high ground. Not only did you see a loving family where the parents were not afraid to show affection in front of the kids, you got to see so called "normal people" compromise their principles in order to do business with Gomez followed by humorous consequences.


The Munsters

THE MUNSTERS debuted on CBS on September 24, 1964 and ran through September 1, 1966.
This show mocked other TV families by having a family of ****c movie monsters emulate them. The show was developed, written, and produced by Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher (The same team created, wrote and produced "Leave It to Beaver"). The Show is a brilliant mix of three key ingredients.

The patriarch is the Frankenstein monster who married Dracula's daughter and live in the states as an "Typical American Family". There is more to Herman than a big stupid baby who throws tantrums by saying, "Darn! Darn! Darn! Darn!" Here is a character that is the Frankenstein monster, but he really thinks he is Fred MacMurray from "My Three Sons". Fred Gwynne could deliver Ward Cleaver (Hugh Beaumont) type dialogue totally straight and was incredibly funny doing it. He was also able to play the stooge to Al Lewis in one scene, and then straight man to guest stars Paul Lynde or Harvey Korman in another. Al Lewis' Grandpa was and will always the most unique interpretation of the Dracula character since Bram Stoker first created him. Again I don't know where Al Lewis begins and Grandpa AKA The Count AKA Sam Dracula (I guess the guys at Ellis Island could not spell Vladimir) ends. Like Dracula he has found immortality. On April 30th he turned 95 years old.

Because of the macabre settings of the show, I think the writers were able to slip things under the censor's radar. The wild look in Gomez's eyes when he and Morticia played with whips and chains came very close to S&M. "The Munsters" did jokes about Vietnam, nuclear war and drugs. Herman & Lily were also the first TV couple to sleep in the same bed while Gomez & Morticia had twin beds of nails.

Grandpa: Hmm. What smells so good?
Herman: I cut myself shaving.

Morticia: Think of Romeo and Juliet.
Gomez: They died!
Morticia: Oh, but what fun they had those last three days.

Stay Tuned


Tony Figueroa