The time has finally come. After 24 weeks of weighing the programming options available to us on any given night on any given network over the last twenty-nine years, we’re ready to get started making the really tough choices. Since I’d like to conclude this experiment with Thursday, I figure we should start our discussion off on Friday, the first night of the weekend, and the de facto first night in our programming week.
For your reference, see how I arrived at my choices — and pick your own — by taking a look at my CBS, NBC, and ABC Friday night lineups. Then dive right into the fun below.
8:00-9:00 I’m pretty sure that my familiarity with all my choices here is due only to syndication, which means there’s a pretty good chance that I haven’t even seen every episode these series had to offer. And as a point of order, any time I’m looking at making a choice between an hour show and a half-hour show, it’s going to require that I evaluate the entire hour, meaning sometimes it’ll be two against one. For our first time slot, that means we’re looking at The A-Team versus Perfect Strangers and Mr. Belvedere.
I loved the characters on The A-Team. And the fact that they were running from the military at the same time as they were helping people only added to my enjoyment every time out (as opposed to with The Pretender). Can’t you just hear the theme music in your head? Perfect Strangers was one of my favorite pre-NBC Must See TV sitcoms. The show was made during a time when it was still okay to mine comedy from a man’s accent, or the simplicity of the people in his country. And I’m still thrilled every time I see Bronson Pinchot (Balki) in Beverly Hills Cop. He’s just a funny guy. Mr. Belvedere was one of those mid-to-late eighties/early nineties comfort sitcoms, where home feels oh so good, like Charles in Charge or Boy Meets World. And to be honest, Bob Uecker (George) is one funny guy. Surprisingly so, but he is.
This is a tough call. A part of me feels as if going for the sitcoms will leave a great original series out in the cold. My week’s likely going to be stacked with laughs, so why risk losing out on a first class shoot-‘em-up action series that only comes along so many times in 30 years (and believe me I’ve looked)? On the other hand, all comedies are not created equal, and these two are some of the better ones out there…. In the end, it’s going to come down to childhood memories. On the one hand, I don’t feel sentimental, or outraged, by the making of an A-Team movie with a new team. On the other hand, I have many a fond memory of Perfect Strangers and Mr. Belvedere. I’ve got to go with my heart.
9:00-10:00 Another stacked deck. Here we’re looking at JAG in the hour slot, up against Night Court and Diff’rent Strokes at 9:00 pm, and Boy Meets World at 9:30. I’m going to disappoint some people right off the bat — JAG is out, because Boy Meets World remains one of my favorite shows still today. Love Shawn (Rider Strong), love Cory (Ben Savage), love Topanga (Danielle Fishel), love the Matthews family, love Mr. Feeny (William Daniels), love Shawn’s brother Jack (Matthew Lawrence). Love, love, love. Sorry, JAG, no dice. So it’s really just a question of which sitcom to slot at 9:00.
Night Court was a really funny show. I had no idea who John Larroquette was at the time, but I loved the conceit of a group of people living in their own cyclical world, as well as the cast of characters who came through every now and then. And Harry Anderson can do a magic trick. Diff’rent Strokes certainly made me laugh, no question. Gary Coleman knew exactly how to play his part, and some of the most memorable scenes from that show were between him and Charlotte Rae. And remember when Arnold was at that pervert’s bike shop? Or when Kimberly (Dana Plato) had an eating disorder? Or when Willis (Todd Bridges) ended up bruised and battered after trying to stand up for Arnold? Lots of memories.
And I think that answers the question right there. I can remember laughing a lot at Night Court, but I’m able to remember specifics from Diff’rent Strokes. And it meant a lot to me. In fact, some of that life-lesson stuff is still with me today. Isn’t that what makes a show an icon?
10:00-11:00 I wish there was more to say here, but the fact is that I gifted this one to my wife. Not that there was much else to choose from on NBC, but how was I to know that ABC and CBS would give me nothing? Somehow, someway, Medical Investigation made it onto my ultimate of ultimate Friday night lineups. Note to my wife: The price range for my thank you gift starts in the electronics aisle where they put out empty boxes to prevent the expensive stuff from being stolen.
And that’s all she wrote. If I had my way, I’d be watching the following lineup in perpetuity on Friday nights: Perfect Strangers, Mr. Belvedere, Diff’rent Strokes, Boy Meets World (two straight hours on ABC!), and Medical Investigation.
How about you? What does your dream Friday night lineup look like?
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Apr 30, 2010 @ 15:00 EST5EDT
