#27 - Odd Man Out: Fight Club

yes - image is froma  differnt episode but it had the two mates on.

Odd Man Out aired in the UK on Trouble (more about that channel later), it's always kind of surprises me when a sit-com that lasted 13 episodes makes it around to my side, I always assumed it was brought as a part of a package involving other shows or either it's really cheap, my memory always suggested it was a show that lasted a full season (not half that).

The premise is about a teenage boy (Erik Von Detten), who lives in a house full of women, including his mother, 3 sisters and auntie and his best friend seems permanently over (which is related to the house full of women thing), the cast I always remembered was Jessica Capshaw (Kate's daughter and Spielberg's step-daughter) played his aunt, Von Detten voiced Sid in Toy Story and was in Christmas Every Day (a movie like Groundhog Day but set at erm... Christmas) and Natali Cigluiti who played one of his sisters was Lindsay on Saved By The Bell - The New Class for the first few seasons (one of the few to survive the cast cul of it's second season).

Odd Man Out see our friends fall out but as the title suggests there is no physical fighting and for a show that got repeated multiple times and I probably watched more then once rang very little bell with me (honestly many of the other episodes might be the same).

The most enjoyment I honestly got out of it was nostalgia to television at that time in my life (my teens) because it did feel like a standard sit-com from that era (which doesn't mean it's bad).

#25 - Mrs. Brown's Boys: Mammy's Valentine

Okay, let's get the bias out of the way... I REALLY CAN'T STAND THIS SHOW, so I have to admit there could be some instant viewer bias here, and I actually mistyped the title at first on for some reason wrote "Mrs. Brown's Eye" which yeah is pretty fitting when it comes to my opinion of this show. Anyway I would say I find the jokes tired and worn out and hate that every other character seems to find Mrs. Brown so feckin' hilarious (helps that he - as in Brendan O'Carroll, the man in very bad drag - wrote it).

The people I know who seem to like this show are over 50, I'm sure you might be younger and like it or know people younger then that who like but in my life there is nobody I know who is a fan of this who was born after 1975. So I chose to watch Mrs. Brown's Boys because so far on this blog I've been doing television episodes I actually watch and wanted to watch something that would challenge me and try and watch it with an open mind.

At this point want I want to say I have no problem with broad comedy and I've laughed plenty at broad humour in the past it's just Mrs. Brown's Boys does absolutely nothing for me.

The plot centres around Agnes (as in Mrs. Agnes Brown) not having a date for valentine, there's internet dating involved, the exact situtations you expect will arise and at one point Mammy turns on the laptop and is told to press "any key" and she searches for any key, haha... wait didn't Homer query where the any key was back in the feckin' 90s! - but to be fair that is probably the episodes freshest joke, take another joke for example...

"What do you call the useless thing at the end of a willy?" --- "a man"

That is a legit joke in the episode, are you kidding me??? I think I heard that for the first time in the 1990s and I would wager it was a few decades old by that point.

There was probably gold to mine from the episodes premise but O'Carroll goes for the most predictable jokes imaginable and it doesn't help that most of the cast aren't really performeners (I believe many are relatives or the like), I was also not a fan of when things went wrong and they kept I in mainly because it didn't feel particularly natural.

In fairness I did laugh at one bit, when Mrs. Brown cried when she got stood up, but I don't think that was mean't to be funny, but it was played so sincere that is just verged on the ridiculous

I really did give this a chance but it's not for me, if you do find it funny and I do mean it in a none sarcastic way - but good for you, not all shows are mean't for everyone, I'm sure I could put say Spaced on for somebody who might like this and they'll call it awful and unfunny so I have to say no new fan here and probably never will be.

#24 - Puppetman: Unsold Pilot

I got to witness "The Muppets" during the first part of the first season of Saturday Night Live, I say this just to prove as much as I love Jim Henson and those Muppets, I know for certain not everything he touched turned to gold I was also aware from a Jim Henson biography that in 1987 he produced a show titled Puppetman that went unsold and was about the goings on behind the scenes of a puppet show (but not like The Muppet Show, I mean the actual puppeteers).

It's best to say my opinion on Puppetman is mixed, anything involving the puppets is pretty good and there is some nice Muppet characters that wouldn't be out of place elsewhere but... the plot about Gary (Fred Newman) looking after his son and finding out the mother is going be away for 6 months (they've split) is so generic that you just want the scenes too move along.

I don't know if this was the first thing that Henson produced that took away the illusion of the Muppet characters but that might have some explaniation to why it was never picked up, but there is a spark there with the behind the scenes (though it's not exactly Larry Sanders Show).

Overall I've seen worse make it to series and go on years but next to some other Jim Henson work it's just not in the same league.

#22 - Coming To America: Unsold Pilot

I like to think I have a pretty good knowledge of shows based on films, even the ones that failed or only made it as far as an unsold pilot, but I have to admit the existence of an unsold pilot for Coming To America passed me by.

So a year after the films release, a television pilot was produced in 1989 which rather then Eddie Murphy (who would have been way too expensive - but he stayed on executive role) we get Tommy Davidson playing Prince Tariq (you'll recall Murphy played Prince Akeem). Davidson about a year later would go onto to appear in sketch show In Living Color.

While Akeem set off to find a woman who loved him for him and not his money, Tariq as being exiled to America by his brother to attend college and has blown through his allowance in only 9 days. While Murphy was charming in the role, Davidson is nothing like that even other female character which p-off's his aide Oha (Paul Bates - who is the only actor to appear from the people, he has the same name but it's unclear if he was mean't to be the same character) and to make money get a job at their landlords diner (not McDowells).

It's not very good, but if it had gone to series and made it to show in 89, I would have probably regularly watched it. Another thing that stood out with the pilot was the randon excuses for Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson impressions.

Overall, more of a curio then anything and easy to see why there wasn't a series to follow.

#20 - After MASH: Yours Truly, Max Klinger

I'm not sure but I still think Rader is supposed to be 19.

MASH is without question my favourite television series of all time, I love it... own all the DVDs, even a couple of vintage items including figures, a collectors plate and a vodka dispenser. The series ran for 11 years and I went out with a bang with it's finale "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen". During that final season though, the 7 members of the cast got a say in whether to continue, it was voted no with a vote of 4 to 3. Unsuprisingly the ones who voted yes to continue - Harry Morgan, Jamie Farr and William Christopher - are the stars of After MASH.

Following up a great show with a spin-off the next season is tricky, , and I believe the chances of the show are going to be more Joey then Frasier when it comes to success. So the series of After MASH began with the Korean War over and the three back in civilian life, Potter bored and Mulcahy still suffering the effects of going deaf (which is sorted out in this shows pilot) and Klinger who did stay in Korea in the MASH finale is back with his wife and the three then work at the same hospital.

"Yours Truly, Max Klinger" is the 16th episode of the first season and is notable that it features another MASH original when Gary Burghoff returns to his role as Walter 'Rader' O'Reilly, a role he played in the film version, and through the TV series until he left in the 8th season, and it's about the three going to his wedding in Iowa... but as they leaving through the door, Radar is at the door with cold foot.

Firstly, it's great to have an original MASH character back with the three, but After MASH though it could have potential dealing with those dealing with life after the war After MASH just never captured it, MASH mixed comedy and drama quite beautifully at times something this show could never do, it's not to say I didn't like it but it's a show I still enjoy for what it was.

David Ackroyd as Dr. Mark Boyer, also has a subplot in a bar wallowing in self pity at the bar, who when Radar's bride to be comes in actually seems to knock him out of (by having a go at him).

Overall, it's a decent episode it's just got an whole 11 seasons of awesomeness to live up to which many episodes of TV would fail, but yeah After MASH is not a disaster qualtity wise by any means.

#19 - Clerks: Unaired Pilot

Dante? Randall? I'm not sure it even matters who is mean't to be which

TV shows based on films whether you love or hate them usually have some link, something indentifial about them - MASH, Clueless, Limitless, Buffy The Vampire Slayer etc. - the shows might not always be completely linked to the movie, but like I said you can just tell...

Which is not really true at all about the 1995 unaired pilot based on Kevin Smith's debut and breakthrough movie which I believe the movies' Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randall (Jeff Anderson) auditioned for and even got turned down for (seriously you'd think you'd want the films actors reprising there roles) and it's not just the lack of actors or any involement from Kevin Smith, it... just feels nothing like Clerks.

It's not even because it's not in black and white or it's recorded in front of a studio audience... it... it just doesn't capture anything of the film, take away the Clerks title and it's just a generic sit-com about the employees of a convienence store.

Dante and Randall are here (Andrew Lowery and Jim Breuer) which where quite interchangeble as far as I'm concerned, notably absent is the films most iconic characters Jay and Silent Bob (unsurprisingly Kevin Smith had zero to do with this) which is even if they did recast and softened them up for TV you have to question why they are not there (or similar obvious replacement characters).

Some of the cast you might end recognizing from other work including Breuer who went on later the same year (1995) to be on Saturday Night Live and there's a small-role for Keri Russell who has had a decent career.

Overall just watch it as a curio because even without the Clerks. connection it's just a generic comedy pilot that would have fizzled out quickly if it made it to air. .

#18 - Boy Meets World: Turkey Day.

Thanks to it's sequel series Girl Meets World, Boy Meets World is back on UK TV after quite the absence. BMW was a show I used to love watching in the 90s (though I fell out of it in the college years though I saw some and saw Feeny was still there teacher for some reason), and while it's return to UK TV as not marked something I will go out my way to watch I still get enjoyment from watching it.

"Turkey Day" is the fourth seasons Thanksgiving episode and if I have seen it before in the 90s I really have no recollection of it and even features Shawn's mother who I never think of being around whatsoever, but looking up she apparently physically appeared in 3 episodes (including this one).

The episode plots feature Shawn and Corey winning turkey and stuffing after donating the mot cans, neither can decide who gets which but hit on the idea to have both family together for Thanksgiving at Shawn's families trailer park home (I'm not sure why having it at the Matthews house wasn't an option), there is a lot of issues when there with Shawn's family feeling inferior and Corey's not always quite knowing how act and say. So the episodes really about class and that and the issues we have with those below or above us.

The episode has an happy ending that when with the kids absent (they go to have dinner with Frankie and his brother also on the park) decide it's not working and go there seperate ways but overhear the kids giving thanks and how they accept each other, and decide if the kids can do it they should be able to do it.

There is very little Topanga or Feeny in this episode both appearing the beginning and end. The episode as a nice message that's not too in your face (unlike Girl Meets World, which honestly I don't really have a problem with doing) and does have time for it's jokes among the message it wants to get a cross.

Overall, in my opinion I think the middle section of seasons from Boy Meets World is it's best and this is bang in the middle of all that, the show is still enjoyable as I remember.

#15 - Days Like These: Batteries Not Included

Eric and Donna is that you?

Ignorning gameshows or reality TV for a second there is not really that many British remakes of American shows that come instantly to mind (I can think of a lot more the other way around), I mean without looking it up I can think of The Upper Hand (Who's The Boss), The Brighton Belles (The Golden Girls), In With The Flynns (Grounded For Life), Married For Life (Married With Children) and Days Like These which was based on That 70s Show, the biggest success of the lot of them was Upper Hand which ran 7 series so it's more of the exception to the rule when it comes to success.

So back to Days Like These, a British remake that kept the name of Eric and Kitty Forman, changed the first name of Red to Roy, let Donna, Bob and Midge keep there first names (changing there surnames to Palmer), also let kept Jackie keep her fame name (she became Burget), as Michael Kelso (McGuire then completely changed the name of the Hyde has he became Dylan and Fez became Tobjorn Rasmussen (maybe because Fez stood for Forgein Exchange Student and it's something that doesn't really exist here in the UK).

This pilot episode asks the question I'm sure you've all been waiting to ask - what if they took the pilot episode script, changed a few details (including place) then reshot it with a British cast? -

Because that is totally what it is - 99.9% of the jokes are recycled and it's structed in the same way. So it is about Eric getting his Father's car, sneaking away to go a concert and the car breaking down, whilst that is the breakdown we do still get trying to sneak beer away from the parents party, Eric told he's getting the car while stoned and the walls move, McGuire giving it away that Donna might like Eric, Jackie wanting Donna to go the bathroom and Tobjorn not understanding why guys don't go together (and the joke comes back at the end), the same interludes, Michael and Jackie forced to miss the concert (here Steve Earley) and Donna kissing Eric on the hood of the car at the very end (and he even says the same line), so yeah it's like I just described the That 70s Show pilot.

I believe this was shown in the UK before That '70s Show premiered over here, this was produced during That 70s Show's first season so it actually came on the scene quite quickly, the show got a first series order of 13 (with 10 making it on to TV) very often shows get a run of 6 episodes so even the show is a failure, there are actually more episodes of this then such classic British shows as Fawlty Towers and The Young Ones.

So in someways it's hard to know how to judge this show, you can't help but picture the American counterparts in the characters with only Jackie and Tobjorn capturing the original characters spirit strong enough for my eyes. Who knows maybe given long enough it might have developed in it's own thing but it's all rather unneccessary when you've got That '70s Show.

#14 - That '80s Show: Tuesday Comes Over

Beats having glasses or paint on her overalls...

Let's face it for every Frasier or Laverne and Shirley, there is at least a dozen failed spin-offs, even really successful shows have failed when it comes to the spin-off, even Cheers had The Tortellis long before Frasier (focusing on Carla's ex-husband Nick and family, when it came to a spin-off though nobody from That '70s Show made the jump to That '80s Show, I got to be honest though I always assumed Brittany Daniel played the same character (I don't know where I got that bit of misinformation from as the character names are completely different).

So basically That 80s Show attempted to do for the 80s what it's parent show did for the 70s and that's kind of feeling what you get here, a bit of a rehash with none of the characters really feeling fresh enough for it to stand on it's own two feet and while there is less characters then the 70s, character traits are clearly an amaglanation of the more well known characters. It's clear that Eric Corey (Glenn Howerton) and Tuesday (Chyler Leigh) are heading towards some sort of relationship while is friend Roger Park (Eddie Shin) as a forgettable subplot at a car dealership selling to an old couple, I got to say the father (played by Geoff Pierson who pops in a lot of stuff) character is more Bob then Red though so it was good to have a different dynamic in the relationship and his subplot is him tricked into rent a hot-tub from Sophia (Brittany Daniel) who based on this episode feels like she should be a one-shot character but maybe there is more too her based on this episode, the cast is rounded out by Margaret (Margaret Smith) the record store manager for both Corey and Tuesday and finally Katie (Tinsley Howard) Corey's sister and a airhead but seems like she could be one of the more likable characters.

Anyway the episodes plot is it turns out Tuesday is living in the back of her and Katie invites her over for a shower after finding out, this leads Tuesday to find out that Corey still lives at home (he'd been lying to her), I know what a plot-line!

I do think given time the show could have developed into it's own thing, you can see glimpses of potential here and there and there is nothing outright bad about the episode.

#13 - Punky Brewster: Just Say No

With George Gaynes recent passing at the grand old age of 98, it reminds me of how much he was a part of my childhood, I loved (and still love) the Police Academy movies and every day when I got in my school this was in a block of shows and this was one of the ones I looked most forward to watching (Different Strokes was another one).

So I am a bit biased when it's comes to Punky Brewster, I think the theme song is awesome (it's even on my phone playlist... seriously), also I think Soleil Moon Frye as the title genuinely does give one of the best child performances in any sit-com.

It's obvious by the title of this episode that it's going to be one of them episodes with a message, which tend to get called very special episodes and 9 times out of 10 they are done badly and you really feel like you are being lectured too so in a nutshell the plot of the episode is that Punky and Cherie join a clique called the Chicklis and it turns out dun-dun-dun they do drugs and want Punky and Cherie too as well.

It's surprising how quick the girls introduce drugs into the mix after Punky and Cherie get iniatied into the clique, when Punky asks if they are drugs the man girl replies "just some grass, a few uppers and a little nose candy" which is obviously just hilarious the way she says it and keeps wanting the girls to "party" with them, thes script was clearly written by an adult who as totally forgot what it's like to be a kid.

So after this scene the girls are in a big dilemma they obviously don't want to do drugs but they'll be out the club, and Punky goes to visit cool teacher Mike (T.K. Carter) for advice which even though it's a lecture on peer pressure it is one of the episodes better handled moments which includes Mike turning into James Brown (seriously) and the scene ends up him handing Punky a Just Say No leaflet.

Back at the treehouse the girls are holding a joint as the ringleader tells them to grow up and tries bullying them, and they decide to start a group that makes you feel good about yourself called the Just Say No Club (sounds like a snore) and even gets one of the girls to join (yay)

The episode ends the girls over a Just No Music video handing out t-shirts and holding picket signs with Just Say No with the rest of the cast and even shows some real footage from the marches (which the actresses attented themself).

Obviously it's message is really in your face but I have seen more forced Very Special Episodes and it does do a better job then most of balancing the normal flow of the show and the message it want to convey