Make Em Laugh — The (Very Funny) History of Comedy

Posted on January 25, 2009 at 3:48 pm

There is no better way to strengthen family connections than combining shared laughter and history. So every family should make time to watch the hilarious new PBS series “Make Em Laugh,” the history of comedy on television and in the movies in the United States, from the silent era to Jon Stewart, with current comedians commenting on their inspirations and influences. Episodes on slapstick, satire, pushing the limits, and verbal humor are on the schedule (NOTE: some mature material)

‘Lost’ Travels Through Time

Posted on January 21, 2009 at 8:00 am

Jen Chaney reports in the Washington Post that “Lost” gets even more mysterious with its season premiere as the island itself begins to travel through time.
After four seasons that contained flashbacks, flash-forwards and electromagnetic forces that sent some characters into a chronological tailspin, the crafty writers of the ABC drama about plane crash survivors on a mysterious island take things to a whole new level during the fifth season. In the season premiere, which airs Wednesday, the island itself moves in time. Repeatedly. Several characters become “unstuck” in time. And “Lost” proves that it stands — to borrow a phrase from James Franco in “The Pineapple Express” — at “the apex of the vortex” of TV time travel.
Chaney remembers some other television series that experimented with time travel, including “Dr. Who,” “The Simpsons,” and “Quantum Leap.”
Entertainment Weekly has a guide to Season Five of “Lost” from Doc Jensen for those who can use a refresher. Chadwick Matlin of Slate has another guide for the lost with advice on how to find out everything you need in each episode’s opening moments.
Instead of searching for recaps online or trying to pull an 82-episode marathon, just watch the first few minutes of each premiere–the introductory scene through the first commercial–and you’ll learn everything you need to know.
Matlin knows what he’s talking about — his bio says he taught a course on “Lost.” And he says that season one was about survival, season two was about the hatch, season three may be about the Others, season four may be about the island’s advantages, and season five? Matlin says the clues will all be in the first part of this week’s episode.
What do you think about this development for “Lost?” Deepening the mystery or jumping the shark?

Related Tags:

Television

Jen Chaney’s Top Holiday Television Episodes

Posted on December 22, 2008 at 7:00 pm

The Washington Post’s always-delightful Jen Chaney wrote about her favorite television series holiday episodes from “Seinfeld” and “South Park” to “Moonlighting” and “The O.C.”
Be sure to take a look as the column includes some great clips.

I remember the great “Dick Van Dyke Show” Christmas episode, with the gang putting on a show.

“Mad About You” had a sweet Christmas flashback as its main characters met in late December and had their first real talk at a Christmas party. “Barney Miller” had its own bittersweet take because no one — cop, victim, or suspect — wanted to be in the police station on Christmas. Especially Santa, who is there because he got mugged. The episode is available on Hulu along with other classic television show Christmas episodes from shows like “Chicago Hope,” “American Dad,” “House,” “Silver Spoons,” “Adam-12,” “The Bob Newhart Show,” and “Welcome Back, Kotter.”

Related Tags:

Holidays Television

Christmas Specials and Jewish Children

Posted on December 20, 2008 at 4:00 pm

December is a long month for Jewish parents. From the day after Thanksgiving until New Year’s Eve, America is completely saturated with Christmas and it can be very difficult to explain to small children why Santa seems to come to every house but theirs. Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick has a thoughtful essay on the fine distinctions drawn by some Jewish parents when it comes to cultural touchstones like “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” The semiotic lines parents draw between “The Grinch” (universally allowed) and “The Night Before Christmas” (not so much) are as much a reflection of the complex balance between making sure children do not feel like outcasts and preserving their cultural and religious identity as it is a reflection on the differences in the programs. Lithwick finds that the controlling principle seems to come down in favor of the programs watched by the parents when they were children, back when their own parents were faced with the same difficult choices.

Ruby

Posted on December 14, 2008 at 8:00 am

Television viewers have been inspired and captivated by Sunday School teacher Ruby Gettinger, a woman who is putting her weight loss journey on television in a reality show. Once over 700 pounds, she is now down to 500 and sticking with her diet. A special episode of Ruby airs tonight at 8:00 PM ET/PT, in which Ruby turns to God and her congregation for support in her time of need.

Related Tags:

Spiritual films Television