Tuesday’s Shot Call

April 16th, 2024 by

New Shots! comic, which is out of order, I should have posted a different one. Will post next week. New video as well.



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Tuesday Shot Call

February 27th, 2024 by

New Shots! comic and new video.



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Friday Fish Fry

January 5th, 2024 by

My Three Sons aired from 1960 to 1972 on ABC for the first five seasons and then on CBS for the remaining seasons. The first five seasons were black and white, then it became full color after. It showcased a widower, Steven Douglas (played by Fred McMurray), living with his three sons, and their grandfather. Over the twelve seasons, 380 episodes were produced. Throughout the entirety of the show, Fred McMurray and Stanley Livingston were the only two people to appear in all the episodes. What was interesting, hot button topics of the time never really entered the show. Both Mike and Robbie were in the military reserves, but Vietnam was never brought up. At most the Korean war was brought up in one episode. When the show ended Chip was old enough to enter the military, but he was in college.

This show has run in perpetuity on MeTV for several years. Usually 5 days a week. So if MeTV, without interruption started with season 1, episode 1, and ran five episodes a week. The entire 12 seasons would be played within a year and a half. Which is about how often season 1, episode 1 appears in the length of time I have been viewing the show. I have viewed the show often enough, I recognize some of the episodes to a point where I no longer pay attention.

During the first five seasons, the Douglases went through a variety of situations. The first season felt stiff, but it was well done. Season 2 was better, and producers tried to add in other characters, such as friends of the boys, and girl friends of the two older boys. There was also cast changes. About midway through season 5, grandpa Bub, was replaced by Uncle Charlie. Both men whom played the characters hated each other. The process was done by simply sending Bub on a trip to Ireland, and he never returned. Charlie shows up to visit Bub, and stays. What is really incredible about the episode 18 of season 5 is how Charlie is incorporated into the family. Charlie is supposed to ship out, but he desires to stay with Steve and his family. But, because Charlie is not asked to stay, he will not stay. Yet, all the family wants Charlie to stay, but will not ask him to stay, because Charlie is due to ship out. Ultimately Steve has to go away for work, Charlie agrees to watch the boys, but has to ship out. Chip has a sort of parent/teacher conference, with no one to go. Chips older brothers are willing to help out, but that is not the same. Charlie finds out from Robbie why Chip is upset, and decides to go to the conference. Chip is exited that Uncle Charlie stays, and he becomes a permanent fixture. This is a beautiful display of how men deal with emotion.

When the show switched to CBS and color format, it actually was written better. Season 6 started out with Mike marrying Sally, but it was only a minute or two of the show. Due to contract disputes, the actor whom played Mike never returned. Ernie, Chip’s friend, was adopted by the Douglas family a few episodes later. The actor who played Ernie, was actually the actor who played Chip’s younger brother. Ernie kept the count to three sons. The odd part is Ernie had a dog named Wilson, the dog stopped appearing the episode after Ernie was adopted and no one mentioned the dog after. In episode 13 Mike and Sally are mentioned as living in Arizona, and in episode 19 Mike is mentioned as being a professor, he is even referenced in episode 20. Season six ends with a family trip to London and Steve romancing a widow.

Season 7 focused more on Steve and Robbie, with a few Chip and Ernie episodes. Robbie is in college, and expanding his horizons. Chip is having girl troubles, in one case he has to impress a girl’s grandmother whom is very old fashioned. The grandmother’s idea of dating is more in line with the early 1900s, which makes sense, because the woman is probably early 70s in age, and remembers being a teen girl in the 1900s. Before automobiles. Chip rents a horse and buggy to take the girl on a date. In many instances where the entire family is involved, it is usually integrating Ernie into the family. Like a fishing trip both Robbie and Chip do not want to go on, and so they try to pursuade Steve into taking Ernie, who really wants to go. The season ends with the family going to Hawaii and getting into some form of hijinks.

Season 8, the Douglases move to Los Angeles, California. The first 7 seasons took place in Bryant Park, a small fictional town in Wisconsin. Producers made the move, for production reasons. Robbie, the next oldest boy, falls in love with Katie. Then marries her quickly. Season 9 starts out with Katie becoming pregnant. Steve adds on to the house to provide Robbie and Katie with a larger room to raise the triplets. Season 10 starts out with Steve falling in love with a substitute teacher, Barbara. Barbara has a young daughter, nicknamed Doddie. Robb and Katie have moved out. Steve weds Barbara, and the season is about the family integrating.

Season 11 begins with the First Anniversary of Steve and Barbara. Chip has a girlfriend, Polly, whom seems to be moving emotionally faster in their relationship than him. Eventually they elope and that causes some issues with her father. The final episode of season 11 was supposed to be a setup for a spinoff series starring Robbie and Katie. Which never happened.

Season 12 begins with an epic four episode story, Steve’s cousin lookalike Fergus coming to the US to find a bride. Fergus is played by Fred McMurray, but voiced by a different actor. Fergus leaves with his new bride. The rest of the season tends to focus on Chip and Polly, and their problems, with Katie having issues as well. It ends with a whimper, when Steve’s boss concerned about his son, has Ernie help out.

The show was not renewed for a thirteenth season. Overall the show was very much a snapshot of life in the 1960s and early 1970s of an average American family. Not as complicate and people were not bombarded by 24 hour news. People were insulated from larger concerns. There were hints of certain events going on, but the show remained insulated. The focus was on comedy and misadventures of the family. Becoming too wrapped up in current events might end up causing problems, people watched television to escape. Now everything is in people’s faces in all the shows. Comedies no longer focus on a situation due to some happenstance event running out of control. A show like My Three Sons might be out of place today, but if viewed as a snapshot of it’s time, people can find it very funny.



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Friday Fish Fry

November 24th, 2023 by

The old “Of Love” shows have always been a favorite of mine to watch, when I have nothing to watch. Which seems to be very common these days. I have most available from Apple, because I purchased them. Yep, I am a freak for bad television, but it was entertaining. It also was four years of loyally watching VH1 for me.

I tried to break things down below, it happened extremely quickly, you can see when I break it down by year, VH1 was really seeing a potential money maker. Sadly a tragic event put an end to this style show.

In 2006, Flavor of Love was the first in the “Of Love” shows. Season 1 ran at the start of 2006, so it was recorded in 2005. All of this pre-smart phone, and MySpace was a big deal. So all the women in the first show are 18 years older as of this writing.

Flavor of Love two came out almost immediately after one, in 2006. Season one was still being promoted when season two was being recorded. Flav had to actually go to a photoshoot in season two for season one.

In 2007, Rock of Love season 1 aired. Since the producers were unsure of whether Flavor Flav was going to do a third season. Also, the Flavor of Love spinoff starring two time loser, Tiffany Pollard aired. I Love New York seasons 1 & 2 nearly aired back to back. There was maybe a five month gap.

Also, Charm School Season One would air with many of the girls from Season 1 & 2 of Flavor of Love.

VH1 began to realize they had a potential hit on not only the shows staring people whom were famous, but shows spun off from these shows.

In 2008, season 2 of Rock of Love aired. One contestant was recognizable to me. Megan Hauserman, whom was on Beauty and the Geek Season 3 previously, was one of Brett’s VIPs. She seemed somewhat manipulative, but shy.

Megan, that same year, would appear in I Love Money season 1, coming close to winning, and appear in Charm School, Rock of Love edition.

Flavor of Love season 3 would air, and Flav announced it would be his last show.

At the end of 2008, a spin off of I Love New York, which was a spin off of Flavor of Love, entitled Real Chance of Love aired. Real & Chance were brothers whom appeared on I Love New York, and I Love Money whom were looking for love. The show did well, and not only would spin offs of a show work, but spin offs of spin offs worked.

In 2009, VH1 would really add in more shows. Rock of Love 3, actually Rock of Love Bus Tour, started the year off. Seasons 2 of I Love Money & Real Chance of Love would air.

Season 3 of Charm School with women from both Rock of Love, Bus and Real Chance of Love came out.

For the Love of Ray J season 1 came out as well, though I did not watch this. Ray J was famous for making a porn video with Kim Kardashian.

During 2009, two spin off shows of Rock of Love would air as well. Daisy of Love, starring Daisy De LaHoya and Megan Wants a Millionaire, starting Megan Hauserman were being broadcast. Megan Wants a Millionaire would air. Due to one of the contestants being part of a murder, then suicide, the show was pulled from the air. As was I Love Money season 3.

In 2010, the final of love spin off ran. Frank the Entertainer, A Basement Affair. It probably would have been pulled, but it was already produced and ready to run. For the Love of Ray J season 2 also ran. VH1 quietly ran I Love Money season 4 as well, then pulled the plug on all of love type shows. For me it was an end of an era, but due to some purchasing, streaming, and even bit torrents, I managed to get nearly all of the shows.

VH1 has aired specials involving the shows and celebrating the tenth anniversary of certain shows, since the last one aired in 2010, there might be twenty year re-airings. Lacey, the villain of Rock of Love season 1 has a channel on YouTube dedicated to the shows. She talks with some of the old contestants. She also uses it to promote her own streaming service Storm TV. Look it up, I am not going to provide any links.

The yearly rundown below:

2006 –

Flavor of Love season 1
Flavor of Love season 2

2007 –

Rock of Love season 1
Charm School season 1 (spin off of Flavor of Love 1 & 2)
I Love New York season 1 (spin off of Flavor of Love 1 & 2)
I Love New York season 2 (spin off of Flavor of Love 1 & 2)

2008 –

Rock of Love season 2
Flavor of Love season 3
Real Chance of Love season 1 (spin off of I Love New York season 1)
I Love Money season 1 (spin off of Rock of Love season 1 & 2, I Love New York season 1 & 2, Flavor of Love 1 and 2)
Charm School season 2 (spin off of Rock of Love season 1 & 2)

2009 –

Rock of Love season 3
I Love Money season 2 (spin off of Rock of Love season 1 & 2, I Love New York season 1 & 2, Flavor of Love 1 and 2)
Real Chance of Love season 2 (spin off of I Love New York season 1)
Charm School season 3 (spin off of Rock of Love season 3 and Real Chance of Love season 1)
Daisy of Love season 1 (spin off of Rock of Love season 2)
Megan Wants A Millionaire season 1 (cancelled after a few episodes)
I Love Money season 3 (completely cancelled and never aired)

2010 –

Frank the Entertainer, A Basement Affair season 1 (spin off of I Love New York season 2)
I Love Money season 4 (cast came from I Love New York season 2, Real Chance of Love season 1 & 2, Rock of Love season 3, Megan Wants a Millionaire season 1, Daisy of Love season 1 and For the Love of Ray J season 1)

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Friday Fish Fry

October 27th, 2023 by

Hard media is the best way to go. You have a physical copy of the shows you love to watch, and you can watch them at your liesure. Unfortunately streaming companies such as NetFlix and Hulu seem to no longer offer DVD or Blu-Ray sets of their most current seasons.

When Stranger Things came out, I was aware of the series, and actually curious, but I was not ordering NetFlix to watch the series. If I did join NetFlix, I could have also watched the last two seasons of Orange is the New Black. Since I stopped subscribing to NetFlix after OitNB season 5 came out. This became a moot point, when Walmart came out with a complete Orange is the New Black DVD set, which I purchased. Now I am slowly watching the series. No binge watch of half the season one day, then finish the next day.

I purchased the first two seasons of Stanger Things on DVD. Watched them with some glee. Being a child in the 1980s era, and a player of Dungeons and Dragons, I knew how awesome growing up in that time frame was. I also knew what being an outcast in that era entailed. The Duffer Brothers capture that perfectly.

Then season 3 came out, no DVD set. Season 4 came out, no DVD set of Season 3 yet. Now season 5 is coming out, no DVD set of 3 or 4. I understand streaming services holding back on DVD sets of original shows. Those streaming services want you to order the service. Disney is doing this with all the Star Wars related shows, but I am done with Star Wars since the last three movies came out. Stranger Things on the other hand, I do want to watch the show. But, I feel NetFlix has nothing else to offer. I am not someone whom orders a service, watches what I want, then cancels. I thought about ordering HBO thru Hulu to watch the Game of Thrones spin off, House of Dragons. But, HBO has put out a Blu-Ray and DVD set of the first season. Because HBO knows that there are fans of certain shows whom buy DVD or Blu-Ray sets. Those fans make the one time investment. I watched the entire Game of Thrones series on DVD. I watched Sopranos on DVD, and I watched Entourage on Blu-Ray.

I am wondering, is holding out hope for Stranger Things seasons 3 and 4 to come out on DVD a fruitless endeavor? If season 5 comes out, will Netflix wait a year, and make a deal with Target to produce a complete series set? Orange is the New Black ended 4 years ago, and it took that long for Walmart to make a deal and release a complete series set. Will it be another 5 years for Stranger Things to come out completely on DVD?

DVD sets are still selling well. The younger generations are realizing streaming is not controllable by them. The streaming service controls what it puts out. The producer of the series can digitally change things. What you saw the first time might be completely different the next time. Even with rereleases of DVD sets, there have been edits. Simpsons is a good example. The original sets contained episodes that were now deemed, unacceptable to today’s audience. Current DVD or Blu-Ray releases do not have those.

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