Gen X and older people remember the dark days of having only 3-4 channels on our television sets. ABC, NBC, CBS, and then later, FOX. We all loved that one because of The Simpsons, not knowing that its toxic news channel would later contribute to the rise of misinformation and the fall of democracy. Doh!
Love this one! Also, you are the second person I’ve seen in the past week post a picture from in front of the last Blockbuster and the other person was Blippi. Not sure what that says about my life, but it feels important.
This is a hilarious post. I remember the days of the remote, and I remember we kids being in charge of changing channels for my dad. Getting up to get the remote, finding the remote in the sofa or under a stack of newspapers, watching something boring while also reading a book because you couldn't reach the remote and you didn't want to get up, these were real things. The Jeffersons was on from 1975 from 1985, which I think means either decade can claim it. I was fascinated to read your New Yorker Cillian Murphy *humor* piece upset a major movie star. After re-reading it a couple of times I'm still going with humor rather than outrageous attack. Yes to VHS tapes from video stores. In San Francisco we had Le Video in The Sunset with 90K VHS tapes and an expanding collection of DVDs before it died (1980-2015 RIP). It was a pleasure to decide on a film topic, go to Le Video, and create a film festival with all the tiles you desired. My current streaming services—Criterion, Hulu (on the way out), Netflix, Max, Apple+, plus a range of streaming options I dip in and out of—don't have the films I want to watch. I'd go back to video stores and three stations.
I had major TV watching flashbacks. The shows like night stalker, along with fantasy islands real creepy episodes colored my bad dreams. I think capt stubing on love boat got creepy, especially doc! I have been thinking of ditching cable (for sports because Hulu doesn’t keep up well) which I have in addition to ka-Ching so many streaming services. And last week I couldn’t find anything to watch. Either already had or none appealed. Sigh. Did use to love the blockbuster runs.
Oh I miss those days, too. Our family televisions were always ones that my insurance claims adjuster dad would bring home from a client's house fire, so our living room usually smelled like smoke and the TV disguised as a piece of furniture had big burn spots on the console part.
Saturdays were reserved for cartoons, American Bandstand, and of course, Soul Train. Don Cornelius was WAY cooler than Dick Clark, and the music was so much better.
Ahhh, memories of sitting around the TV watching Gunsmoke and running to the bathroom on the commercial break to wash my hair in under 2 minutes so my sister could roll it in huge porcupine curlers before we went to bed. And remember, back then TV was free! Buy the TV, plug it in, slap it to stop the snowy scrolling, adjust the rabbit ears, and if your parents let you stay up late, you could hear Kate Smith sing God Bless America before the TV went to test pattern. And then--this is spooky--there was no more TV until the next morning . . .
Hello! I was just wondering if “They’re not all gems” came from that old Andy Kindler comedy album. I’m a huge fan. Anyway, great piece regardless. Cheers!
I was just telling my husband that I spent most Saturday nights watching Love Boat and Fantasy Island with my grandmother and he said, "And no one thought that was a bad idea!?" Love this and Cillian Murphy's Bedtime Routine!
Left a well deserved 5 star review on Amazon Canada 👍🏼
Love this one! Also, you are the second person I’ve seen in the past week post a picture from in front of the last Blockbuster and the other person was Blippi. Not sure what that says about my life, but it feels important.
This is a hilarious post. I remember the days of the remote, and I remember we kids being in charge of changing channels for my dad. Getting up to get the remote, finding the remote in the sofa or under a stack of newspapers, watching something boring while also reading a book because you couldn't reach the remote and you didn't want to get up, these were real things. The Jeffersons was on from 1975 from 1985, which I think means either decade can claim it. I was fascinated to read your New Yorker Cillian Murphy *humor* piece upset a major movie star. After re-reading it a couple of times I'm still going with humor rather than outrageous attack. Yes to VHS tapes from video stores. In San Francisco we had Le Video in The Sunset with 90K VHS tapes and an expanding collection of DVDs before it died (1980-2015 RIP). It was a pleasure to decide on a film topic, go to Le Video, and create a film festival with all the tiles you desired. My current streaming services—Criterion, Hulu (on the way out), Netflix, Max, Apple+, plus a range of streaming options I dip in and out of—don't have the films I want to watch. I'd go back to video stores and three stations.
I had major TV watching flashbacks. The shows like night stalker, along with fantasy islands real creepy episodes colored my bad dreams. I think capt stubing on love boat got creepy, especially doc! I have been thinking of ditching cable (for sports because Hulu doesn’t keep up well) which I have in addition to ka-Ching so many streaming services. And last week I couldn’t find anything to watch. Either already had or none appealed. Sigh. Did use to love the blockbuster runs.
Wendi, are you teaching any more classes this summer? In person in Austin, perhaps? If not, I'll sign up for this one on the 9th.
Oh I miss those days, too. Our family televisions were always ones that my insurance claims adjuster dad would bring home from a client's house fire, so our living room usually smelled like smoke and the TV disguised as a piece of furniture had big burn spots on the console part.
Saturdays were reserved for cartoons, American Bandstand, and of course, Soul Train. Don Cornelius was WAY cooler than Dick Clark, and the music was so much better.
Ahhh, memories of sitting around the TV watching Gunsmoke and running to the bathroom on the commercial break to wash my hair in under 2 minutes so my sister could roll it in huge porcupine curlers before we went to bed. And remember, back then TV was free! Buy the TV, plug it in, slap it to stop the snowy scrolling, adjust the rabbit ears, and if your parents let you stay up late, you could hear Kate Smith sing God Bless America before the TV went to test pattern. And then--this is spooky--there was no more TV until the next morning . . .
Hello! I was just wondering if “They’re not all gems” came from that old Andy Kindler comedy album. I’m a huge fan. Anyway, great piece regardless. Cheers!
I was just telling my husband that I spent most Saturday nights watching Love Boat and Fantasy Island with my grandmother and he said, "And no one thought that was a bad idea!?" Love this and Cillian Murphy's Bedtime Routine!