Thursday, August 30, 2018

Thursday Movie Picks: TV Edition-College


I am writing this on my phone and trying a test. I will tell ya of I am successful....I am successful! I wrote this and downloaded the youtube video through my phone the day before:) Yes, I am that sad sack who doesn't know a thing about computers and all that jazz. Why can't I do this on my IPad! I find that bewildering...oh well.

Since this is the final Thursday of the month (I can't believe it but am praying for cooler weather), it is all about TV over at Wandering Through the Shelves. This time it is about college (Yeah I could take a course or 4 on computers but I would just fall asleep) and, frankly, I know some shows but never watched them. I have chosen 3 but I am lacking in this area.

1. COACH-1989-1997

I enjoyed watching this sitcom when it was on even though I don't care at all about sports. I wish I could recall a lot but I do remember laughing with the couch getting into trouble usually because of his dim-witted friend who worked with him played by Jerry Van Dyke. The coach also had a long suffering girlfriend, later wife, played by Shelley Fabares. It was a fun show and one I wouldn't mind re-watching

2. SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH-1996-2003


Sabrina started off in high school but ended in college. I started watching this show because I loved Bewitched. It is no Bewitched, but it has its moments with my favourite character being the talking cat. Sabrina is raised by her witchy aunts, one more logical and one more nutty. They try to teach Sabrina on being a witch and they must deal with a teenager. Its an ok show that, for some reason, I kept watching.

3. THE BIG BANG THEORY-2007-PRESENT


Listening to geeks rant at the abhorrence of being called Trekkies not the correct term trekkers. Listening to one asking a waitress to bring a cognac to him and to make sure a flame is lit and that the flame should be blue. Seeing one feel all icky if someone touched his books. Yea, we are talking about the people I hung around with when I was in university. When this show came on, I gave it a try...and another try...and yet, another, but I just felt the past coming back to haunt me. I lived it! I could not find this comedy funny because it was too close to home and, although I loved my years at university, I did not want to revisit. Besides, reality is one committed suicide and another has, sadly, died from cancer. I know most love this show, but I can't get into it and I wish Sheldon would get some major mouth fungus.  Oh, the basic plot is about 4 very nerdy but brilliant scientists who love all things nerdy(who doesn't?) but have a hard time fitting in with the average Joes-enter the blonde gal who lives across the hall. I have to admit, I do want to see the episodes with Leonard Nimoy and Bob Newhart if I can stomach Sheldon.

Which 3 would you choose?

63 comments:

  1. Coach and Big Bang are excellent choices. I need to pull Coach up on NetFlix and watch it again.

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    1. I like Coach and wouldn’t mind watching it again

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  2. Replies
    1. It’s not that great a show but I watched it a lot

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  3. Hi, Birgit!

    Television is my strong suit, but the only one of these shows I have regularly watched is The Big Bang Theory. Like you, I am not enthused about TV series based on sports. Therefore I did not watch Coach even though Shelley Fabares is one of my favorite actresses. I caught Jerry Van Dyke's guest appearances on The Dick Van Dyke Show and occasionally watched his series My Mother The Car because I was fond of Ann Sothern, but I could only tolerate his zaniness in small doses. Sabrina the Teen Witch was too light and girly for me.

    I watched BBT for seven or eight years without missing an episode. During that span the series boasted brilliant writing and acting from a top notch cast. Arguably the most hilarious character of all is comic book store owner Stuart Bloom played by Kevin Sussman, a recurring cast member who graduated to the main cast. I am sorry that it made you uncomfortable to watch Big Bang Theory, Birgit. If you gave it another try and stuck with it you might find it therapeutic. Don't let the past control your present. Seize the power. Take it from me, laughter (and music) have a way of conquering emotional and physical pain. It's true. I admit it. When Sheldon does his snooty shtick I want to throttle him, but most of the episodes, especially in the early seasons, are better than other comedies on television with the exception of Family Guy which is consistently the funniest of all TV shows.

    I highly recommend How to Get Away with Murder as a college based TV series and would also like to mention Beverly Hills, 90210: The College Years because it had some fun moments.

    Thank you for the reviews, dear friend BB, and enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!

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    1. You know, I don’t feel pain from those years, in fact, the university years were a lot of fun overall but it is the past. When I watched the show, I just never
      Got into it because those antics I lived it and didn’t find it funny back then so why relive it? I want to thank you for your genuine concern. I never watched How To Get Away With Murder even though it gets raves

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  4. I have never seen Coach - I don't think we got it here in the UK. I was a bit too old for Sabrina. I've watched a few episodes of Big Bang Theory and although I thought them fairly funny, they are not anything I would make a point of watching.
    That's Purrfect

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    1. I was older as well with Sabrina but somehow kept watching the poor show.

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  5. We match on two picks! Sabrina and TBBT. I haven't seen your first one.

    I thought I was really reaching with Sabrina so I'm glad someone else picked it.

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    1. I know we match with 2! I thought the same thing with Sabrina so I’m glad we both picked it

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  6. Although TV is my strong suit, I have never seen ANY of these. I bet you wonder why. I don't like comedies. I don't like laugh tracks. I watched about three minutes of BBT once and turned it as soon as someone thought a laugh track should be inserted. I'm of British descent, and find I prefer dry and subtle humor. A sideways glance, a questioning look, a single word can trigger a laugh in me, where I definitely do NOT need a laugh track to prompt me to do so.

    The only tv show I can think of that comes close is Glee. Technically, this musical comedy/drama revolves around a high school glee club, the students eventually graduate and some head off to college. No laugh track and none needed. Of course, you have to like music to appreciate the L the students might stamp on your forehead if you watch it too long.

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    1. It funny with a laugh track, I don’t mind it in shows like I Love Lucy, Mary Tyler Moore Show, MASH (although they tried to stop using it later) and The Carol Burnett Show but recent shows, it just seems to be telling me when to laugh like I’m some kind of idiot. I tried watching Mom and, although I love Alison Janney, I just didn’t find it funny.

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  7. Even though I like Craig T. Nelson a lot I could never get into Coach. I've watched an episode or two of both of the others but never as a regular viewer. It seems everyone loves Big Bang Theory much more than I do.

    I went all comedy this time.

    Blue Mountain State (2010-2011)-Risqué, amiable comedy from the now defunct Spike TV network about the "Mountain Goats" the hard partying football team of fictional university Blue Mountain State. While much of it took place on a football field this was more concerned with the crazy doings of the team’s members, chief among them Alex Moran (Darin Brooks), Craig Shilo (Sam Jones III) and scene stealing dunderhead Thad Castle (a fearlessly comic Alan Ritchson).

    Boston Common (1996-1997)-Easy going and slightly goofy Virginia country boy Boyd Pritchett (Anthony Clark) accompanies his sister Wyleen (Hedy Burress) when she begins college in Boston. What’s supposed to be a short trip becomes permanent when Boyd falls in love with fellow student Joy (Traylor Howard) despite the fact she has a steady, but pompous, boyfriend, and decides to stay much to Wyleen's dismay. Being handy he gets a job as the college repairman sharing an apartment with Wyleen (and frustrating her attempts to spread her wings) while pursuing Joy and becoming enmeshed in no end of antic comedy. A huge hit in its first season this nosedived in its second when moved to a terrible time slot.

    Delta House (1978)-Watered down but still amusing sitcom derived from the megahit Animal House about the rowdy Delta fraternity house at Faber College with several of the movie’s cast returning. This also served as an early spotlight for Michelle Pfeiffer as “The Bombshell”

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    1. I don’t care for Big Bang Theory at all so I am with you on that, I just didn’t know what else to choose where I saw a few episodes. I have not seen any of the ones you mentioned although I do know about the last 2. Too bad when they move a good show to a lousy time slot..I hate that

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  8. My mom loved "Coach," I think because her father had been a football coach (except at the high school level). We watched it frequently, and while it wasn't "must see TV" for us, we thought it was pretty funny.

    We never watched "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch," but then we were in our mid-forties and had no kids, so we really didn't have any reason to.

    The earlier episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" were funny until Leonard and Penny started dating and fell in love and Sheldon became the central character of the show, which coincided with the writers making it more obvious that the man is in desperate need of psychological help. They brought Mayim Bialik in as his girlfriend (and now fiancee) which normalized him somewhat. Since this is the last season, I will be interested to see how they wrap things up, but the humor has been gone for a while and the plots seem more contrived.

    As for shows that more or less feature the theme of "college," I'd pick

    * "The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis," half of which was about his college years, although he was pretty much the same all through the series. For some reason, you usually find it on in the very early morning. I was a bit young for it when it first aired (it ran from 1959-1963), but I've seen the reruns.

    *"Saved By The Bell: The College Years," which tried to keep the same audience that had grown up with "Good Morning Miss Bliss" and "Saved By The Bell," but was nowhere near as enjoyable. I admit I used to watch "Saved By The Bell" when I was traveling and I'd get back to my hotel room after work and put the TV on to decompress.

    * And the real obvious one, "A Different World," a spinoff from "The Cosby Show" that saw Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) head off to a historically-Black college roughly modeled after Spelman College here in Atlanta. We didn't usually watch it except for when the comedian Sinbad was on the show.

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    1. I was in my 30’s when Sabrina was on and I have no kids and it’s a dumb show but I kept watching it. I never saw the Many Loves even though I know about it for Warren Beatty and Bob Denver. I never watched Saved By the Bell nor a Different World but the last one seems to be popular

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  9. Never watched any of these. The first show that popped into my head was 'Dobie Gillis'. Loved Maynard G. Krebs. "Work!"

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    1. John, above, also mentioned Dobie Gillis but I never did see this one.

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  10. We had one here called Fresh Meat which I found hilarious (though outrageously rude). It only ran for 3 or 4 series as it followed them through each tear of uni. The Young Ones is a U.K. classic from the 80s.

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    1. Each year of uni! Though there were tears too.

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    2. Someone else picked Fresh Meat, Joel..above, and it does sound good and right up my alley

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  11. I never watched Coach. The Hurricane and I watched Sabrina together every week. We loved the cat, too. I tried Big Bang and cannot watch it. It's not laughing with these people. It's laughing at them, and The Hurricane is too much like them for me to enjoy it.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. You’re right..it’s laughing at them always and I never thought of that before. I just don’t care for that show a5 all and glad you think the same.

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    2. I don't want to belittle a group of people unless they've formed a group because they're cruel.

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  12. I thought Sheldon got better when Amy came into his life. For me, the best shows are when his mom comes to visit. Did you know the actress's daughter plays Sheldon's mom in Young Sheldon? My trivia for today. I enjoyed Coach, too. The big blonde assistant coach was my favorite. Other college themed sitcom I liked was A Different World.

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    1. Yes, I know that piece of trivia because I read that somewhere but still won’t get me to see it. A Different World is popular today.

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  13. I've watched the first two and some of BBT when my grandmother has it in, but can't really stand Sheldon either.

    Buffy came to mind for me.

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  14. I'm not a good one to ask about TV shows so I can't think of any shows with this theme except for Paper Chase and I don't recall if I ever actually watched even one episode of that show.

    I've only watched an occasional episode of Big Bang Theory, but I do think it's a pretty good show.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. This week was slim pickings for me as well. I did watch The Paper Chase and found it boring but I was a kid

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  15. Coach is amazing. Can't believe I forgot about that one. Also forgot Sabrina ended in college. I wasn't the biggest fan, but it was okay. I am a fan of The Big Bang Theory. Sorry it brings back such bad memories for you.

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    1. Big Bang I just don’t find funny and I find Sheldon annoying and too close to real people I knew and I liked them but I didn’t find them funny.

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  16. So...you hate The Big Bang Theory because it’s TOO believable? 😁 Not my background, so it’s a show I enjoy.

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    1. Yup you got that right and I didn’t laugh at the people I knew back then either.

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  17. Perusing the comments, I think the only show that jumped out was The Paper Chase. I loved that show, and I was a kid.

    I never watched any of your shows. I liked Melissa Joan Hart in Clarissa Explains it All, but I couldn't stick with Sabrina. (My brother hates her, so it was kind of fun to torture him with watching her first series.) Did you hear that Big Bang Theory is ending? He's calling it quits.

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    1. I found the Paper Chase boring. Yes, I know Big Bang is ending but I heard it was slipping in the ratings and Sheldon guy is pulling the plug

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  18. Saw a few episodes of Sabrina. Loved the original I Married a Witch. But of course, I don't watch a lot of TV so never saw the other two programmes.

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    1. I love the movie I Married a Wotch and the TV Show Bewitched based on this movie somewhat

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  19. There are few shows on TV that I enjoy, but I'm part of the throng that love Big Bang.

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  20. Tricky one! The son in Arrested Development has some amusing college adventures. Alex P. Keaton went to college in Family Ties.

    Now, if we're talking about show possibilities... I think a Star Trek series based on Starfleet Academy would be awesome.

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    1. You being a couple new ones and I like that. I forgot about Family Ties. I would totally watch that Star Trek

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  21. Oops, don't think I've ever watched either of these tv shows!And good for you at your technology success as well. Have a great upcoming week. TFS & Hugs

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    1. Thank you and I hope this weekend will be a good one

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  22. This may be a record- I have seen episodes from all of these shows! I enjoyed Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and I do love Big Bang. I didn't like it for years. I tried to watch it and didn't think it was funny. Then I caught one episode and it cracked me up. After that I was hooked and I 'got it'. But- I can relate to not getting into it because I was there once. :)
    ~Jess

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  23. Yeah, I have mixed feelings about The Big Bang Theory. It's pretty well done and acted, but it annoys the heck out of me. Something about it's a bit addicting - maybe that reality factor.

    Have a great week, Birgit.

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  24. I didn't see The Big Bang Theory until after it had been on for years, but watched almost all of them in syndication and caught up. I didn't think I'd like it because I had heard about the show for years, and everyone who talked about it said "Sheldon this" and "Sheldon that." Well, he is kind of annoying, but there are plenty of other characters to focus on. Its core group of nerds share a lot of interests with me and I enjoy it quite a bit. The writing is exceptionally clever and I often laugh out loud -- please don't ever expect me to use "LOL" -- at the jokes and/or situations.

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    1. Hahahaaaa....I try not to use LOL and I will try and see the episodes with Wil Wheaton, Leonard Nimoy and Bob Newhart. I hope I will find them funny.

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  25. Birgit,

    "Coach" was a good sitcom. I always enjoyed watching it when I could catch it. I watched some of "Sabrina The Teenage Witch", too. I have yet to watch your third feature series, though. I heard that it's good. I wish screen player writers would come up with some good material like "Coach" again. Today's idea of comedy is usually embarrassingly stupid and you can't pay me enough to watch it. Thanks for sharing and for the visit. I'm sorry for the late return. Life is acting up again. :( Have a pAwesome week, my friend!

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    1. Sorry to hear that life is getting complicated but I’m glad you like Coach like I did.

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  26. I don't even remember what it was about, but I have good feelings about watching Coach with my family as a kid...must have been reruns, but we had our little TV\cuddle nights.

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    1. Coach is fun and you don’t have to like sports to enjoy it.

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  27. Birgit, re: your ? on the 3D EF. The base c/s was white. I took an ink pad, inked the flat area of the EF (not the part that would deboss). The ink only goes on that flat area, and the base white c/s stays white. I tried dragging a versamark pad lightly over the raised parts, so that I could add pearl embossing powder, which is pretty. However that effort didn't turn out well, so I just redid the inking and left off the embossing powder. I had to add an extra layer in the sentiment rectangle. With just one layer, you could see the raised embossing under it. Should have used a diffuser with the EF, but didn't think about it! Hope this helps explain. Hugs

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    1. Oh yes...I forgot about that but I’m going to give it a shot and hope it turns out as good as yours.

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  28. I liked the talking cat in Bewitched too;)
    Hope your day was fab:)

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    1. Oops..I know you meant Sabrina. I love Bewitched much more.

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  29. I watched Coach pretty regularly for a couple of years and remember it being good but have no other recollections of it. It's just completely gone out of my head.

    The Bob Newhart episodes of Big Bang are quite good. The joke is usually that he doesn't want to be there. :-)

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    1. I do want to give those episodes a shot and hope I enjoy them.

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  30. I love Sabrina the Teenage Witch...and there's a new adaptation coming in a month or two. It's going to be a little darker too from what I understand...like Riverdale.

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    1. I had heard about this and will keep an eye out for it provided it is on regular tv and not Netflix, prime or whatever

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  31. Thank for your very good article! i always enjoy & read the post you are sharing!

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