| I Love Lucy: The Quiz Show Originally broadcast on CBS on Monday, November 12, 1951 at 9 PM ET. Plot: Lucy tries to cover her unpaid bills by going on a quiz show, but may have a difficult time explaining the last challenge to Ricky. Analysis: Seems like someone took two 15-minute scripts and married them into the 30-minute program, one being the quiz show portion, the other being the final situation that Lucy has to explain to Ricky to earn the money. It’s still fun to watch, if a bit uneven. Of note is one of the guest stars in the show, Frank Nelson. Even if you have never heard of Nelson, you know his shtick: a long, high-pitched, drawn out “Yessssssssssss???” when responding to a greeting or a request for help. His distinctive voice was heard most notably on the Jack Benny Program over the radio for years before making the jump to television. He will be something of a regular on Lucy and Jack Benny’s television program, among other television appearances. You will no doubt come to know his voice pretty quickly, but I will still point out appearances. As noted before, the original openings for I Love Lucy are an extra on the DVDs, so to approximate the broadcast, you will watch the original opening first, then skip over the familiar “satin heart” opening directly into the episode. The Bottom Line: Like I said, the story is a bit uneven, but still a fun episode of Lucy, especially wondering how she will work her way through the final challenge. Worth checking out, especially if you are a fan of Lucy and her physical comedy. The Quiz Show can be found in two different formats: I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) or I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1). Just depends how big a fan of Lucy you are which version you would want to pick up. Next time, another ride with Cisco Kid. | ||
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
I Love Lucy: The Quiz Show
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The Cisco Kid: Bates Story
The Cisco Kid: Bates Story
Originally broadcast in first-run syndication on Monday, November 12, 1951.
Plot: It’s a collision course with wackiness as Cisco and Pancho are mistaken for recently escaped convicts.
Analysis: There are times when a show tries way too hard to either be funny or take itself way too seriously. This is, unfortunately, one of those times as the plot both tries to be funny and serious and succeeds at neither. Compound that some laughably bad fight effects and the ability to magically teleport from the center of town to the middle of the desert and this one leaps from laughable to just plain bad.
As usual, the show is in color, but to recreate the original 1951 broadcast atmosphere, simply turn down the color on your television.
The Bottom Line: I know, I am being very tough on a Western intended for the small fry, but I do have a reasonable expectation of being entertained and this episode of Cisco falls woefully short. Great if others enjoy it, but I cannot recommend it.
If you are so interested, Bates Story is included on The Cisco Kid: Collection Two (http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Kid-Collecti....86758713&sr=1-3).
Next time, more Lucy.
Originally broadcast in first-run syndication on Monday, November 12, 1951.
Plot: It’s a collision course with wackiness as Cisco and Pancho are mistaken for recently escaped convicts.
Analysis: There are times when a show tries way too hard to either be funny or take itself way too seriously. This is, unfortunately, one of those times as the plot both tries to be funny and serious and succeeds at neither. Compound that some laughably bad fight effects and the ability to magically teleport from the center of town to the middle of the desert and this one leaps from laughable to just plain bad.
As usual, the show is in color, but to recreate the original 1951 broadcast atmosphere, simply turn down the color on your television.
The Bottom Line: I know, I am being very tough on a Western intended for the small fry, but I do have a reasonable expectation of being entertained and this episode of Cisco falls woefully short. Great if others enjoy it, but I cannot recommend it.
If you are so interested, Bates Story is included on The Cisco Kid: Collection Two (http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Kid-Collecti....86758713&sr=1-3).
Next time, more Lucy.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Tales of Tomorrow: The Search For The Flying Saucer
Tales of Tomorrow: The Search For The Flying Saucer
Originally broadcast on ABC on Friday, November 9, 1951 at 9:30 PM ET.
Plot: A reporter comes to New Mexico looking for proof of flying saucer landings.
Analysis: Gee, what could THIS be based off of?
Seriously though, this is one of the better Tales of Tomorrow scripts, but it suffers from time limitations. A story like this really needed at least an hour to be developed and flesh out the characters and their motivations. That being said, it is really quite good and a step up from some of the sub-par scripts we have been getting from the show.
It does also kind of make me wonder about the ties of television and the development of the science fiction genre around this time. Tales of Tomorrow is, as we have said, the first sci-fi television anthology series and one of the first to try and open up sci-fi to adult fans. Kids were buying into this stuff hook, line and sinker thanks to Captain Video on DuMont and the recent releases of movies like The Day The Earth Stood Still and The Thing From Another World. Truth be told, it is fair to suppose that these stories were not just creations of fertile imaginations but of recent world developments.
The science part of the science fiction comes from the leaps and bounds science was making in this time, best exampled by the splitting of the atom in Los Alamos, New Mexico. True, the power of the atom could level cities, but if you could harness that much power and channel it, then you would have a whole new means of powering the world. Obviously, that is something that will come up more and more as we go through the 1950s.
As for the other part of the story, the little green men visiting from other worlds that were capturing minds and imaginations, they too can be traced make to an incident in New Mexico and the basis for the plotline of the episode. In 1947, four years prior to this boom in science fiction, there was a crash of an object outside of Roswell, New Mexico. What exactly happened has been subject of debate ever since and I am not going to dip my toe into those waters. Suffice to say, the initial reports were enough to make people wonder what was out there. Take that and combine it with the leaps our own technologies were making and it is pretty easy to see why science fiction was becoming so popular around this time – purely because people were curious about both the possibilities of the unknown and what was becoming known. This too is something we will see more of as we go along.
The Bottom Line: As I have said, this story, while good, suffers from constraints of the media. That being said, this is also one of the few plots in the series so far to make any potential visitors look at least sympathetic. While not a classic television episode, the plot has enough promise for me to give a recommendation for the episode to be checked out.
The Search For The Flying Saucer is included with twelve other Tales of Tomorrow on Tales of Tomorrow: Collection Two (http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Tomorrow-Col....3581521 &sr=1-3). Take a look, if so interested, given it is not going to be too expensive these days.
Next time, we ride again with the Cisco Kid.
Originally broadcast on ABC on Friday, November 9, 1951 at 9:30 PM ET.
Plot: A reporter comes to New Mexico looking for proof of flying saucer landings.
Analysis: Gee, what could THIS be based off of?
Seriously though, this is one of the better Tales of Tomorrow scripts, but it suffers from time limitations. A story like this really needed at least an hour to be developed and flesh out the characters and their motivations. That being said, it is really quite good and a step up from some of the sub-par scripts we have been getting from the show.
It does also kind of make me wonder about the ties of television and the development of the science fiction genre around this time. Tales of Tomorrow is, as we have said, the first sci-fi television anthology series and one of the first to try and open up sci-fi to adult fans. Kids were buying into this stuff hook, line and sinker thanks to Captain Video on DuMont and the recent releases of movies like The Day The Earth Stood Still and The Thing From Another World. Truth be told, it is fair to suppose that these stories were not just creations of fertile imaginations but of recent world developments.
The science part of the science fiction comes from the leaps and bounds science was making in this time, best exampled by the splitting of the atom in Los Alamos, New Mexico. True, the power of the atom could level cities, but if you could harness that much power and channel it, then you would have a whole new means of powering the world. Obviously, that is something that will come up more and more as we go through the 1950s.
As for the other part of the story, the little green men visiting from other worlds that were capturing minds and imaginations, they too can be traced make to an incident in New Mexico and the basis for the plotline of the episode. In 1947, four years prior to this boom in science fiction, there was a crash of an object outside of Roswell, New Mexico. What exactly happened has been subject of debate ever since and I am not going to dip my toe into those waters. Suffice to say, the initial reports were enough to make people wonder what was out there. Take that and combine it with the leaps our own technologies were making and it is pretty easy to see why science fiction was becoming so popular around this time – purely because people were curious about both the possibilities of the unknown and what was becoming known. This too is something we will see more of as we go along.
The Bottom Line: As I have said, this story, while good, suffers from constraints of the media. That being said, this is also one of the few plots in the series so far to make any potential visitors look at least sympathetic. While not a classic television episode, the plot has enough promise for me to give a recommendation for the episode to be checked out.
The Search For The Flying Saucer is included with twelve other Tales of Tomorrow on Tales of Tomorrow: Collection Two (http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Tomorrow-Col....3581521 &sr=1-3). Take a look, if so interested, given it is not going to be too expensive these days.
Next time, we ride again with the Cisco Kid.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
I Love Lucy: Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying To Murder Her
Sorry about the lack of postings, but with the chaos in Egypt on Friday (History major and news junkie, after all) and spending some family time on Saturday, didn't to have a chance to post until today. I'll be making every effort to keep the blog posts daily going forward.
Now, to today's show:
I Love Lucy: Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying To Murder Her
Originally broadcast on CBS on Monday, November 5, 1951 at 9 PM ET.
Plot: Obsessed with a murder mystery novel, Lucy begins to wonder if Ricky is plotting to do away with her after overhearing a phone call between Ricky and his agent.
Analysis: Lucy’s mugging with the camera is what makes this one a lot of fun, especially when she thinks Ricky has drugged her. Aside from that, this show is starting to develop its formula: Lucy either makes a misconception or plots a scheme enabled by Ethel, Ricky solves the problem and we’re done in about twenty minutes. This is not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination, but it is fun to see how fast the show got it so right to become such a classic.
Continuing our profile of the actors, we turn to Vivian Vance now. Contrary to casting, Vance was actually 42 at this point in the show, 22 years younger than her on-screen husband William Frawley and only 2 years older than Lucy. She was also not the first choice for Ethel, as originally Lucy wanted another actress, Bea Benaderet, for the part. But Benaderet was already cast in the Burns and Allen television broadcasts and was unavailable. Vance also at this point had no television or movie experience, being exclusively a stage actress. Despite all these shortcomings, Vance would eventually win over Lucy and the audience over the course of the show.
Once again, the original opening is included as an extra on the DVD, so to recreate a resemblance to the original broadcast, simply watch that first, then jump to the beginning of the episode after the opening.
The Bottom Line: It may not be the funniest Lucy episode ever, but Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying To Murder Her continues to develop the dynamics between Lucy and Ricky and Lucy and Ethel, which is key for how the show will develop as we go along. If you are interested in seeing the episode, it is included in two formats: I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) or I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1), depending on how much Lucy you may want or be able to afford.
Next time, another tale of tomorrow.
Now, to today's show:
I Love Lucy: Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying To Murder Her
Originally broadcast on CBS on Monday, November 5, 1951 at 9 PM ET.
Plot: Obsessed with a murder mystery novel, Lucy begins to wonder if Ricky is plotting to do away with her after overhearing a phone call between Ricky and his agent.
Analysis: Lucy’s mugging with the camera is what makes this one a lot of fun, especially when she thinks Ricky has drugged her. Aside from that, this show is starting to develop its formula: Lucy either makes a misconception or plots a scheme enabled by Ethel, Ricky solves the problem and we’re done in about twenty minutes. This is not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination, but it is fun to see how fast the show got it so right to become such a classic.
Continuing our profile of the actors, we turn to Vivian Vance now. Contrary to casting, Vance was actually 42 at this point in the show, 22 years younger than her on-screen husband William Frawley and only 2 years older than Lucy. She was also not the first choice for Ethel, as originally Lucy wanted another actress, Bea Benaderet, for the part. But Benaderet was already cast in the Burns and Allen television broadcasts and was unavailable. Vance also at this point had no television or movie experience, being exclusively a stage actress. Despite all these shortcomings, Vance would eventually win over Lucy and the audience over the course of the show.
Once again, the original opening is included as an extra on the DVD, so to recreate a resemblance to the original broadcast, simply watch that first, then jump to the beginning of the episode after the opening.
The Bottom Line: It may not be the funniest Lucy episode ever, but Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying To Murder Her continues to develop the dynamics between Lucy and Ricky and Lucy and Ethel, which is key for how the show will develop as we go along. If you are interested in seeing the episode, it is included in two formats: I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) or I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1), depending on how much Lucy you may want or be able to afford.
Next time, another tale of tomorrow.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The Jack Benny Program: Guest - Dorothy Shay & Bob Crosby
The Jack Benny Program: Guest Starring Dorothy Shay and Bob Crosby
Originally broadcast on CBS on Sunday, November 4, 1951 at 7:30 PM ET.
Plot: There really is none here, it’s basically the traditional Jack Benny show with music acts hosted around some skits.
Analysis: Where do I start on this one? It’s so difficult to really analyze a show like this because, much like with the contestants on You Bet Your Life and later guest stars on The Tonight Show, it is going to be different with every episode and humor is, after all, subjective.
As for Benny, well, what can be said beyond that he was probably one of the most influential comedians of the 20th century. Born in 1894 in Chicago, he started studying and playing the violin when he was six years old. By 1911, he was in vaudeville theaters with varying success and partners over the years until the entry of the United States in World War I. Benny would serve in the U.S. Navy and continue to play to entertain until, as the story goes, he had a bad performance and was forced to ad-lib his way out of it, which led him to add comedy to the act.
After the war up until 1932, Benny would continue to play vaudeville until he was given a shot at hosting a variety show on the radio. Shifting networks and sponsors, Benny would be on the air almost continuously from 1932 until 1955, pulling down some of radio’s highest ratings throughout this period. In 1950, he was given a television contract for five specials. By this year, 1951, he had been extended to an episode every six weeks for the 1951-1952 season. Strange as the structure may seem, this was the only way Benny could appear on television and still do his weekly radio broadcasts.
A few words on our guest stars, if I may, and I will adopt this policy for all featured guest stars on these variety and talk shows going forward: Dorothy Shay, born in Florida in 1921, was trained as a classical singer, but sang with her natural Southern accent songs based on rural settings when they proved to be more popular. We’ll be seeing more of her as television rolls along, so, as they say, stay tuned for that. As for Bob Crosby, yes, this is Bing Crosby’s brother, whom you may have heard of. Bob was born after Bing in 1913 and had a voice at least as good as Bing. Bob Crosby would perform with various groups as a front man from the 1930s forward and, like Bing, would pick up his own radio show between 1943 and 1950. He would continue to do guest shots like what we saw here in early television until landing his own television show in 1953. I am not sure if we will be seeing more of him or not, so I will play it save and leave it at that.
The Bottom Line: Like I said, humor is subjective in scenarios like this. Some may find it hysterical, some may wonder what the big deal is. Regardless, it is one of radio’s biggest names on television and that, by itself, is significant in showing the movement of radio to television.
The episode of the Jack Benny Program can be found on The Best of Jack Benny from Mill Creek Entertainment (http://www.amazon.com/Best-Jack-Benny/dp....97357409&sr=1-1). This is a very inexpensive collection with a lot of classic Benny that I will be referring back to as we go along. Unfortunately, we have yet to have an “official” release of Jack Benny television material, so groups like Mill Creek and Timeless Media are all we have, although more does exist, but is being held back for a variety of reasons. One may hope that someday we will see more.
Next time, more Lucy.
Originally broadcast on CBS on Sunday, November 4, 1951 at 7:30 PM ET.
Plot: There really is none here, it’s basically the traditional Jack Benny show with music acts hosted around some skits.
Analysis: Where do I start on this one? It’s so difficult to really analyze a show like this because, much like with the contestants on You Bet Your Life and later guest stars on The Tonight Show, it is going to be different with every episode and humor is, after all, subjective.
As for Benny, well, what can be said beyond that he was probably one of the most influential comedians of the 20th century. Born in 1894 in Chicago, he started studying and playing the violin when he was six years old. By 1911, he was in vaudeville theaters with varying success and partners over the years until the entry of the United States in World War I. Benny would serve in the U.S. Navy and continue to play to entertain until, as the story goes, he had a bad performance and was forced to ad-lib his way out of it, which led him to add comedy to the act.
After the war up until 1932, Benny would continue to play vaudeville until he was given a shot at hosting a variety show on the radio. Shifting networks and sponsors, Benny would be on the air almost continuously from 1932 until 1955, pulling down some of radio’s highest ratings throughout this period. In 1950, he was given a television contract for five specials. By this year, 1951, he had been extended to an episode every six weeks for the 1951-1952 season. Strange as the structure may seem, this was the only way Benny could appear on television and still do his weekly radio broadcasts.
A few words on our guest stars, if I may, and I will adopt this policy for all featured guest stars on these variety and talk shows going forward: Dorothy Shay, born in Florida in 1921, was trained as a classical singer, but sang with her natural Southern accent songs based on rural settings when they proved to be more popular. We’ll be seeing more of her as television rolls along, so, as they say, stay tuned for that. As for Bob Crosby, yes, this is Bing Crosby’s brother, whom you may have heard of. Bob was born after Bing in 1913 and had a voice at least as good as Bing. Bob Crosby would perform with various groups as a front man from the 1930s forward and, like Bing, would pick up his own radio show between 1943 and 1950. He would continue to do guest shots like what we saw here in early television until landing his own television show in 1953. I am not sure if we will be seeing more of him or not, so I will play it save and leave it at that.
The Bottom Line: Like I said, humor is subjective in scenarios like this. Some may find it hysterical, some may wonder what the big deal is. Regardless, it is one of radio’s biggest names on television and that, by itself, is significant in showing the movement of radio to television.
The episode of the Jack Benny Program can be found on The Best of Jack Benny from Mill Creek Entertainment (http://www.amazon.com/Best-Jack-Benny/dp....97357409&sr=1-1). This is a very inexpensive collection with a lot of classic Benny that I will be referring back to as we go along. Unfortunately, we have yet to have an “official” release of Jack Benny television material, so groups like Mill Creek and Timeless Media are all we have, although more does exist, but is being held back for a variety of reasons. One may hope that someday we will see more.
Next time, more Lucy.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
I Love Lucy: The Diet
I Love Lucy: The Diet
Originally Broadcast on CBS on Monday, October 29, 1951 at 9 PM ET.
Plot: Lucy wants to be in Ricky’s show when his regular dancer quits, but has to lose 20 pounds to fit the costume.
Analysis: This is great fun to watch as Lucy’s physical comedy is on full display here, between trying to fit the costume and trying to lose the weight, her timing is just fantastic to watch. One does wonder whatever happened to Butch given I do not think we ever saw the Ricardos' dog after this episode. Must have joined Chuck from Happy Days in “college.”
A brief look at Desi Arnaz now, if I may. Something that needs to be noted up front is, as funny as Lucy is, I am not certain it would have worked nearly as well if she did not have as good a straight man as Desi was. We will see some examples of Desi and his brand of comedy in later seasons. It is enough to note that, like his character on I Love Lucy, he emigrated from Cuba to the United States in 1933. Picking up English along the way, he found work in show business where he met Lucy on the set of Too Many Girls in 1940, marrying shortly thereafter. He was drafted for US Army service in World War II, but suffered a knee injury prior to enlistment. He did complete his training, but due to the injury was stationed mainly working for the United Service Organization until the end of the war. After the war, he would tour with his orchestra while Lucy worked on radio and pictures until the opportunity to work with Lucy on television came along and the rest we all know by now.
As is part of the notes by now, if you want to have an idea how the show originally looked as originally broadcast, the original opening is included as an extra on the DVD, so simply watch that first, then jump to the beginning of the episode after the opening.
The Bottom Line: Funny, but not hysterical. The Diet is an entertaining half hour between Lucy’s antics and Ricky’s reactions. If you are interested in checking out the show, you have two choices: either I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) or if you want it all, I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1). The Complete Series may be more expensive, but it is a more efficient way to get the show if you are planning on doing the whole show.
Next time, a radio institution comes to television.
Originally Broadcast on CBS on Monday, October 29, 1951 at 9 PM ET.
Plot: Lucy wants to be in Ricky’s show when his regular dancer quits, but has to lose 20 pounds to fit the costume.
Analysis: This is great fun to watch as Lucy’s physical comedy is on full display here, between trying to fit the costume and trying to lose the weight, her timing is just fantastic to watch. One does wonder whatever happened to Butch given I do not think we ever saw the Ricardos' dog after this episode. Must have joined Chuck from Happy Days in “college.”
A brief look at Desi Arnaz now, if I may. Something that needs to be noted up front is, as funny as Lucy is, I am not certain it would have worked nearly as well if she did not have as good a straight man as Desi was. We will see some examples of Desi and his brand of comedy in later seasons. It is enough to note that, like his character on I Love Lucy, he emigrated from Cuba to the United States in 1933. Picking up English along the way, he found work in show business where he met Lucy on the set of Too Many Girls in 1940, marrying shortly thereafter. He was drafted for US Army service in World War II, but suffered a knee injury prior to enlistment. He did complete his training, but due to the injury was stationed mainly working for the United Service Organization until the end of the war. After the war, he would tour with his orchestra while Lucy worked on radio and pictures until the opportunity to work with Lucy on television came along and the rest we all know by now.
As is part of the notes by now, if you want to have an idea how the show originally looked as originally broadcast, the original opening is included as an extra on the DVD, so simply watch that first, then jump to the beginning of the episode after the opening.
The Bottom Line: Funny, but not hysterical. The Diet is an entertaining half hour between Lucy’s antics and Ricky’s reactions. If you are interested in checking out the show, you have two choices: either I Love Lucy: The Complete First Season (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lucy-Complete....97198253&sr=1-4) or if you want it all, I Love Lucy: The Complete Series (http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Comple....97198253&sr=1-1). The Complete Series may be more expensive, but it is a more efficient way to get the show if you are planning on doing the whole show.
Next time, a radio institution comes to television.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Tales of Tomorrow: Test Flight/Blog Status
Did you all miss me?
Sorry about the inconsistent blog posts, but working on college classes can sometimes get in the way. So, what I'm going to try and do now is when I have some days off is build up as many of these reviews as I can and post them when I find a moment or two. For me, nothing is more important then maintaining the quality of the blog and I simply will not post if I do not think it is up to my standards.
I also got some news that, in the not too distant future, season sets of The Gene Autry Show, which we discussed some posts back, will be coming out. This is something I was always worried about, being forced to backtrack. To be honest though, with so many shows I did not get a chance to cover (Suspense, The Lone Ranger, Howdy Doody and so on), I really do not mind a chance to take another pass. I know there are people out there who are dying to get to eras that are more familiar to them and I cannot begrudge them that. One way to look at this is an opportunity to expand horizons and give older shows that you may not have known about a chance. That is, after all, the entire point of the blog: to introduce the history of television through any and all broadcasts and get a snapshot of what the world was like not so long ago.
OK, covered all that. I do expect to update the blog with some more regularity as long as I have time so I do request patience if I am gone a while. I will not abandon the blog anytime in the future, I can promise you that.
So... to business and our next show:
Tales of Tomorrow: Test Flight
Originally broadcast on ABC on Friday, October 26, 1951 at 9:30 PM ET.
Plot: One of the world’s richest men is determined to be the first man in space, no matter what it costs him.
Analysis: After the Thunderbird quality of an I Love Lucy, it’s almost archaic to go back to Tales of Tomorrow, which feels like a Model T by comparison. Technically, the show has always had some issues and that is to be expected for the ambitions of the stories on a bi-weekly basis, but they seem to show up more by contrast. That being said, knowing how the show is usually plotted, you can guess where we’re going with this pretty quick since this show loves to throw curve balls and shock endings.
I talked about Lee Cobb once before, in connection with the Red Channels scandal that was brewing at the time. This is our first chance to see him as an actor and, once you get him away from bewildering techno-babble, he delivers a very competent performance. Then again, it is not much of a stretch that once someone has a fortune and control to pursue a passion no matter what might happen. The only drawback is you know at some point, he’s going to make a mistake and we’re all just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The Bottom Line: As long as you know going in there are limitations because of the time period and the occasional technical mistake, this isn’t bad. Test Pilot is the traditional cautionary tale of ambition and reaching too far, especially when the bill comes due. If you want to check it out, it’s included with twelve other Tales of Tomorrow episodes on Tales of Tomorrow: Collection One (http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Tomorrow-Col....3424148 &sr=1-1). No matter where you shop for it, it is not too expensive.
Next time, more laughs with Lucy.
Sorry about the inconsistent blog posts, but working on college classes can sometimes get in the way. So, what I'm going to try and do now is when I have some days off is build up as many of these reviews as I can and post them when I find a moment or two. For me, nothing is more important then maintaining the quality of the blog and I simply will not post if I do not think it is up to my standards.
I also got some news that, in the not too distant future, season sets of The Gene Autry Show, which we discussed some posts back, will be coming out. This is something I was always worried about, being forced to backtrack. To be honest though, with so many shows I did not get a chance to cover (Suspense, The Lone Ranger, Howdy Doody and so on), I really do not mind a chance to take another pass. I know there are people out there who are dying to get to eras that are more familiar to them and I cannot begrudge them that. One way to look at this is an opportunity to expand horizons and give older shows that you may not have known about a chance. That is, after all, the entire point of the blog: to introduce the history of television through any and all broadcasts and get a snapshot of what the world was like not so long ago.
OK, covered all that. I do expect to update the blog with some more regularity as long as I have time so I do request patience if I am gone a while. I will not abandon the blog anytime in the future, I can promise you that.
So... to business and our next show:
Tales of Tomorrow: Test Flight
Originally broadcast on ABC on Friday, October 26, 1951 at 9:30 PM ET.
Plot: One of the world’s richest men is determined to be the first man in space, no matter what it costs him.
Analysis: After the Thunderbird quality of an I Love Lucy, it’s almost archaic to go back to Tales of Tomorrow, which feels like a Model T by comparison. Technically, the show has always had some issues and that is to be expected for the ambitions of the stories on a bi-weekly basis, but they seem to show up more by contrast. That being said, knowing how the show is usually plotted, you can guess where we’re going with this pretty quick since this show loves to throw curve balls and shock endings.
I talked about Lee Cobb once before, in connection with the Red Channels scandal that was brewing at the time. This is our first chance to see him as an actor and, once you get him away from bewildering techno-babble, he delivers a very competent performance. Then again, it is not much of a stretch that once someone has a fortune and control to pursue a passion no matter what might happen. The only drawback is you know at some point, he’s going to make a mistake and we’re all just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The Bottom Line: As long as you know going in there are limitations because of the time period and the occasional technical mistake, this isn’t bad. Test Pilot is the traditional cautionary tale of ambition and reaching too far, especially when the bill comes due. If you want to check it out, it’s included with twelve other Tales of Tomorrow episodes on Tales of Tomorrow: Collection One (http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Tomorrow-Col....3424148 &sr=1-1). No matter where you shop for it, it is not too expensive.
Next time, more laughs with Lucy.
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