What’s the opposite of a Golden Age? Tin? Aluminum? Plastic? Whatever it is, we are definitely NOT in a golden age of network TV comedy. NBC has just two lame programs, the revived Night Court and something called Lopez vs. Lopez. ABC has Abbott Elementary, which despite critical acclaim, is at best feel-good pablum. The
One of my favourite all-time phone interviews was with Bill Daily. A familiar and welcome face on TV through the ’60s and ’70s, the comedian and actor died Sept. 4 in New Mexico at the age of 91. Daily played apartment-crashing neighbour and airline co-pilot Howard Borden on The Bob Newhart Show (1972 – 78)
What’s the best new show this fall? I get asked that question every year around this time. The person asking early Thursday morning was Annette Hamm, co-host of CHCH’s Morning Live. We cram in as many clips as we can in the seven minute segment, including a look at one of the most anticipated shows
Used to be famous people died in threes but nowadays the obits never stop. Here are three familiar faces who made you watch for years, even if you never knew their names. Jack Riley pretty much stole every scene he was in for six seasons on The Bob Newhart Show. The Cleveland native died last Friday
Part of the fun in speaking with WKRP in Cincinnati creator Hugh Wilson for the long-awaited DVD release of his series was getting his back story. I’m always curious about where TV storytellers come from and how they got into The Game. I’m also fascinated about how shows were made in the ’70s and ’80s
My neighbour Doug asked me the other day if the whole world had turned to crap or was it just television. This is one of those transition weeks where, if you’re not into the Stanley Cup playoffs, or the last few new episodes of Louie or Fargo, for discerning viewers, there’s not a lot on.