Thursday, August 29, 2019

Thursday Movie Picks: TV Edition-Revivals and Reboots


TV time again and Wandering Through The Shelves chose reboots and revivals which seem to be the big thing now. There are so many that I truly believe the executroids can no longer carry an original thought. They are rebooting one of my favourite shows, Bewitched which does sound intriguing and another is getting a reboot but on a more original scale...Picard! Personally I can't wait for this Star Trek series which will star Patrick Stewart as Jean Luc Picard...did I say I can't wait? Anyway, I have chosen 3  that fit the bill...

1. THE TWILIGHT ZONE-1959-1964-ORIGINAL FOLLOWED BY 1985-1989, FOLLOWED BY 2002-2003 AND FINALLY 2019 TO PRESENT



I have chosen this show before but I love the original series so much that I had to pick it again since it has been remade so many times not to mention the movie where, unfortunately Vic Morrow and 2 small children died on set. This show is the baby of Rod Serling who narrated the original series and showed up at the beginning and end of each episode to give his take on the events in his clenched teeth style of talking. Many great stars appeared on this series from Robert Redford to Burgess Meredith. There are some classic episodes that have been remade and parodied over the decades like the gremlin who turns William Shatner nuts (well more than he already is) while on an airplane, to a woman who get plastic surgery to correct her deformity so she can fit in with the rest of the public. I watched the one from the 1980's which was good and I recall liking the one episode with Danny Kaye. I don't even remember the remake from the early 2000's but I did watch the newest version which is ok if murky and dark in the cinematography.

2. THE ODD COUPLE-1970-1975 FOLLOWED BY A CARTOON 1975-1977 FOLLOWED BY 1982 AND FINALLY, 2015 TO 2017



This Neil Simon play was made into a movie with Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon which is quite funny but, to be honest, my favourite actors to  play Oscar Madison, the slob sports writer, and Felix Unger, the neat freak photographer, are Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. They perfected the  unusual friendship between these 2 polar opposites in the first series which is, by far, the best of this TV series. When Felix tries to clear his sinuses or bring in a giant potato chip chair to make the apartment look more modern, I  was in stitches. The 2 actors became close friends and Tony Randall helped Jack Klugman after Klugman developed throat cancer and had his larynx removed. They actually made a series of funny commercials together since it was hard for Klugman to find work. The second series only lasted a few episodes and it was a good premise because the 2 were African American but it just wasn't funny. The new remake is horrible.

3. MURPHY BROWN-1989-1998 FOLLOWED BY 2018-2019


I loved this series about an obnoxious, alcoholic, Barbara Walters style investigative reporter who works at a network on a show similar to 60 minutes or 20/20. We see her go through secretaries like I go through chocolate and we see her interact with the other newspeople and the producer. I loved how Candace Bergen created a character you may not want to know but are glad she fights for what is right. I also loved her  painter who was always working on her house and could put her in her place with a few choice words. This show made headlines more than once but one of the best was when the character became pregnant and decided to have the baby despite not being married. Vice President Dan "numbnuts" Quayle derided the character in one of his speeches which was one of the dumbest things I ever saw on TV. You can still believe in family values if you are a single mother. The show brought this up in an episode which ended with Murphy Brown delivering a truck load of potatoes to Quayle's residence. (Quayle didn't know how to spell "Potatoes" which caused much hilarity on late night TV). I watched the new episodes but they could not bring the magic back but I do wish they were given more time to get back into the groove of their characters.

Which 3 would you choose ? I must showcase Picard..hope you watch and enjoy...at least I hope this plays


37 comments:

  1. Well, I almost never watched TV in the 80's through 00's when I was working. I never even knew they had remakes of any of these. Loved the original Twilight Zone when I was a teen and saw the original Odd Couple. As for all the others - NADA.

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    1. At least you saw the originals of the first 2 and they were the best

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  2. Dick York was the REAL Darrin Stephens!

    Hi, Birgit!

    Few revivals and reboots are as good as the originals. When I watched the original Twilight Zone in my childhood and youth it was a different world. People didn't need sensory overload, exploding heads and chainsawed bodies to be frightened. The Twilight Zone episode that immediately comes to my mind as a favorite is considered one of the best of the series. It aired in the fall of 1961. "It's a Good Life" starred Cloris Leachman and Billy Mumy from Lost in Space.

    I liked Tony Randall and Jack Klugman in other projects, but didn't like The Odd Couple TV series, nor did I like the movie. I doubt I will watch the modern remake. I also do not like snarky characters and probably won't watch Murphy Brown, although I did watch the original series. I did not follow the original Star Trek series and have no interest in the reboot. I suppose the only one of your featured remakes that might interest me is The Twilight Zone. I haven't started watching it yet and when I do I intend to keep it on a short leash. Rod's original is a very tough act to follow.

    Enjoy the rest of your week and weekend, dear friend BB!

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    1. I agree with you about Dick York being THE Darren Stevens. Oh I thought you would have liked The Odd Couple but I guess you are entitled to your opinion even if it’s wrong...ouch..Snap! Hahahahaaa I’m just funning with ya. I am trying to recall the episode with Cloris and Billy together. I know the one with her as a scared farmer’s wife and I do remember the evil kid sending people to the cornfield..yikes!

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  3. Four versions of The Twilight Zone? That's a lot.
    I have to go with my personal favorite, Mystery Science Theater 3000! First run ran ten years and the reboot started last year - and it's just as funny.

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    1. I know! That is a ton and the original is still the best. I never watched Mystery Theatre..maybe I will

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  4. Picard looks so good. I wish it wasn't on CBS All Access though because I don't have it. lol. Same with the new Twilight Zone, I'd watch it here if I could.

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    1. I know..I hope they show it on the sci-fi channel..keeping fingers crossed

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  5. I've seen each of the originals of these three you chose; not too many of their remakes. Sometimes it just good to let things die and not try to revive them or make them new.

    betty

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    1. I so agree with you that, almost always, the original is the best

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  6. They're redoing Bewitched?! Sacrilege!!! Unless they can bring back Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, Agnes Moorehead, Marion Lorne etc. I'm not buying! Did they learn nothing from that disaster with Kidman? Apparently not.

    Anyway, LOVE the original Twilight Zone (fave ep. Inger Steven's The Hitch-Hiker) and many of the 80's ones (fave of those Her Pilgrim Soul with Anne Twomey) but the others not so much.

    Loved the original Murphy and really liked the new one. Agree it would have been good had they given them more time to find their groove (Eldin was much missed) but my understanding it was planned as a limited series from the get go.

    We Match!! Agreed that Tony & Jack were the best Odd Couple of them all. Their chemistry and suitability for the roles was just so spot on no one else can match it.

    Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980/2010-?)-The elite branch of Hawaii’s police force…the Five-O…headed by Steve McGarret (Jack Lord), his faithful assistant Danny Williams (Dan-O) (James MacArthur) and their squad fought crime on the big island for 12 years kicked off by propulsive classic opening music. In 2010 the concept was updated but kept basically the same with Alex O’Loughlin & Scott Caan taking over for Lord and MacArthur and is still running today.

    Dallas (1978-1991/2012-2014)-Life in the oil business and Southfork ranch specifically centered on the Ewing clan headed by Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) & Jock (Jim Davis), their sons-the ruthless J.R. (Larry Hagman) and good guy Bobby (Patrick Duffy) and their wives Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) and Pamela (Victoria Principal) as their spar and manipulate everyone and each other for 13 incredibly successful years. In 2012 a new version premiered following J.R. & Bobby’s sons John Ross and Christopher (Josh Henderson & Jesse Metcalfe) as they wheedled and cajoled like their Pappies. Not nearly as successful it only lasted two years but was a decent redo.

    The Odd Couple (1970-1975/2015-2017)-In 1970, two years after the successful Jack Lemmon/Walter Matthau theatrical film, Tony Randall and Jack Klugman premiered as neat freak Felix Unger and major slob Oscar Madison who tried to live together without killing each other when they separate from their wives. They did so humorously for five years. In 2015 a new version premiered with Thomas Lennon as Felix and Matthew Perry as Oscar which limped along for two years. The difference was Lennon & Perry were talented actors playing parts whereas Randall & Klugman were ideal fits who were perfection in the roles, better even than Lemmon and Matthau in the original film.

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    1. I know!!! I will give Bewitched a try but nothing will replace the original and how I love Marion Lorne! Paul Lynne is another great from that show. Apparently the lead will be an African American witch marrying a white mortal man. I am so glad we match and that we agree about the 2 TV men being the best. I love Hawaii 5O, the original. I watched a few episodes of the remake and it’s ok. Dallas was huge back in the day but I never watched it a ton because I couldn’t stand J.R. Ewing.

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  7. Good thing they found the one guy who doesn't age.

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  8. Thought the Odd Couple was hilarious. Twilight Zone always creeped me out, so I suppose it was accomplishing what it set out to do.

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    1. Odd Couple was great and wish it would come back. It was creepy for sure and still is

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  9. This is my category. It seems like EVERY holiday the SyFy channel does back to back Twilight Zones. Naturally, I've seen a lot of the originals, but never the reboots.

    I don't watch comedies, so have never seen either Murphy Brown or the Odd Couple, old OR reboot.

    However, I will share a few I like and don't like. First, I LOVE MacGyver with Richard Dean Anderson. It was a bit phony, but they tried to use things that actually worked, even if the things that were needed were right at hand. However, I can't stand Lucas Till. He's a cheap imitation of the original, even if the graphics and explosions are bigger and better.

    Battlestar Galactica is one of those shows I never saw a single episode of the first series. However, I read how people were dissing the series because they changed Starbuck (for one) and other elements. I only saw the reboot and would not have missed it for the world. I really got into it, too. For me the reboot was fabulous, but what do I know, since I never saw the original.

    The X Files is another reboot I loved. Same original cast and same creepy stories. It was one I found equally good in reboot as it was when it was the original.

    I could have gone with Hawaii Five-O, but that would have been too obvious, especially since I only saw a few of the originals in reruns.

    TV is my thing, so I'm loving your synopses, especially the way you described the original Murphy Brown. I'm still laughing over the potatoes.

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    1. I’m glad you loved this theme. Actually, I find most reboots not as good as the original except for Battlestar Galactica because I heard the remake was great. I never saw this one but I did see the original which my ex called Galacticashit. I watched it because of Lorne Greene but it was not good. Glad you enjoyed my synopsis

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  10. I loved Murphy Brown as a kid but haven't watched the new one yet - definitely interested though. So weird that it and Roseanne kind of came back at the same time.
    I guess I might go with Twin Peaks, which feels a little too obvious.

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    1. Twin Peaks works for sure. Murphy didn’t last long but I liked it although it was a bit forced. I think it would have gotten better if on longer

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  11. I saw a few episodes of the new Odd Couple series. But it just didn't quite click with me, even though Chandler from "Friends" was on that show.

    Here’s my Thursday Movie Picks!

    Ronyell @ The Surreal Movies and TV Blog

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    1. I liked Chandler from Friends but this show remake sucks

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  12. The new Murphy Brown just seemed so blah. The Odd Couple and Twilight Zone sure got around. Battlestar Galactica comes to mind. 24 reboot with Kiefer back was great, that crap they pulled later on though, nope, garbage.

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    1. I think it would have gotten better if given the chance. I never watched the remake of the new Battlestar but I did watch the horrible original because of Lorne Greene. I watched a bit of 24 but when they started to kill everyone off, I left

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  13. I didn't know about Picard. I will be checking that one out. The reboots I know are ones I never really liked. Like Baywatch, which for some reason my husband enjoys I don't get it. Happy almost weekend. hugs-Erika

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    1. Most reboots don’t work. Baywatch..must be the babes in slow motion..just like the first one which was crap as well

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  14. I'm looking forward to Picard as well! (The video wouldn't work - says "unavailable" in your country.) Surprised to learn about Bewitched and wonder if it will be successful. All three series you featured were among my favourites. The reboots, not so much. Apparently, the new Will & Grace is doing well, but I've only seen a couple of episodes. The Conners (without Roseanne) is pretty funny!

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  15. I did not know about The Odd Couple movie until I was an adult. The TV show was a fave when I was a kid. I can't recall much about it now, though. That era, I can kind of recall what I watched, but not many plots.

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  16. Certainly saw Tony Randall and Klugman. Great pairing. Seen other versions but not sure which now.

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  17. The original Murphy Brown was awesome. Is it on Netflix? I have to find it now.

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  18. Recently I've been watching reruns of the Twilight Zone reboots from the eighties. I never saw any of these back when they were on but then I wasn't watching much of any prime time TV back then. The episodes I've seen so far are not very good in comparison with the original series. I think it's difficult to successfully redo a classic like that show.

    I can't think of any other reboots that I've seen other than Leave It to Beaver when they did the all grown up version some years back. It was fun to see the actors as they look now, but still they didn't capture the magic of the original.

    I think it's tough to go back to something that is so ingrained in our memories and make it seem fresh without comparing it to what came before.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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  19. I rather strongly dislike remakes and reboots, etc. So, I almost never watch them. I did like the original 'Odd Couple', and I LOVE the original 'Twilight Zone'. TZ with Rod Serling would be on my Top 10 favorite TV series' list.

    Also, thinking further about your earlier post pertaining to movies where one actor played multiple roles, I can't believe I failed to think of James Baskett. DOH!! He played the part of Uncle Remus in 'Song Of The South' and also provided the voice for Br'er Fox. THAT would be my #1 choice, as it's also one of my Top 25 favorite movies.

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...'

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  20. Hi Birgit...I am watching re makes of Magnum and Lethal Weapon at the moment but to be honest I still prefer the originals...but they make fun TV.....hugs xxx

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  21. Agreed on Murphy Brown. Her character was fun and tart.
    YOU enjoy the rest of your long weekend.

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  22. I used to watch Murphy Brown but I was fairly young so do not remember the whole single mother headlines thing until I watched one of those shows that lists the greatest memorable TV moments.

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  23. I would've preferred the original Murphy Brown shows were re-runned than the show rebooted. The same with The Odd Couple. I sound like a old rooty-toot-toot. lol

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    i am ERIC BRUNT by name. Greetings to every one that is reading this testimony. I have been rejected by my wife after three(3) years of marriage just because another Man had a spell on her and she left me and the kid to suffer. one day when i was reading through the web, i saw a post on how this spell caster on this address AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com have help a woman to get back her husband and i gave him a reply to his address and he told me that a man had a spell on my wife and he told me that he will help me and after 3 days that i will have my wife back. i believed him and today i am glad to let you all know that this spell caster have the power to bring lovers back. because i am now happy with my wife. Thanks for helping me Dr Akhere contact him on email: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com
    or
    call/whatsapp:+2349057261346

    ReplyDelete