THE HAT SQUAD: PAT MORITA

Pat Morita passed away at the age of 73 on Thanksgiving Day. Once again, here is proof that 2005 will be noted as a year in which so many great TV characters were forever lost to us because of the deaths of the actors who played them.

I think I could argue successfully for the inclusion of his 'Happy Days' character of Arnold in the TV Crossover Hall of Fame - on the Birthday Honors list at least. That would be taking into account the character he played in his own show, 'Mr. T. And Tina'.

TV SERIES
"Adventures with Kanga Roddy" (1998) TV Series .... Uncle Pat
"The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo" (1996) TV Series .... Mike 'Grandpa' Woo
"Ohara" (1987) TV Series .... Lt. Ohara (1987-1988)
[In the movie "Savannah Smiles" (1982), Morita played Father Ohara. A televisiologist could argue that Lt. Ohara and Father Ohara were the same man, but seen in two different universes - Earth Prime-Time and the Cineverse, respectively. Unseen circumstances (rather than the unforeseen kind) would have been the reason as to why he chose different career paths in each universe.]
"Blansky's Beauties" (1977) TV Series .... Arnold
"Mr. T and Tina" (1976) TV Series .... Taro Takahashi
"Happy Days" (1974) TV Series .... Matsuo 'Arnold' Takahashi (1975-1976, 1982-1983)
[I don't think this was officially established, but Matsuo and Taro were probably twin brothers, even with the difference in the time periods in which the shows were set. As "Arnold" proved once he showed up as a regular on 'Blansky's Beauties', they both were able to hang onto their "youthful" appearances. This is probably thanks to that pearl cream that used to be hawked in commercials by Nancy Kwan.]
"The Queen and I" (1969) TV Series .... Barney Cook

TV RECURRING ROLES
"Baywatch" playing "Hideki Tanaka"
in episode: "Rescue Me" (episode # 11.22) 14 May 2001
in episode: "Father Faust" (episode # 11.14) 12 February 2001
in episode: "The Ex-Files" (episode # 11.12) 29 January 2001
in episode: "Broken Promises" (episode # 11.6) 6 November 2000
in episode: "Dangerous Games" (episode # 11.4) 23 October 2000

"The Hughleys" playing "Mr. Park"
in episode: "His Park Is Worse Than His Bite" (episode # 3.10) 27 November 2000
in episode: "Guess Who's Coming Out for Dinner?" (episode # 3.2) 18 September 2000
in episode: "Seoul Brother Next Door" (episode # 2.12) 7 January 2000

"Sanford and Son" playing "Ah Chew"
in episode: "Sanford and Rising Son" (episode # 5.10) 21 November 1975
in episode: "The Over Hill Gag" (episode # 4.24) 14 March 1975
in episode: "The Masquerade Party" (episode # 4.18) 31 January 1975
in episode: "Strange Bedfellows" (episode # 4.17) 24 January 1975
in episode: "Going Out of Business" (episode # 4.6) 18 October 1974
in episode: "There'll Be Some Changes Made" (episode # 4.5) 11 October 1974
[After all those appearances, Morita then returned to the show one last time to play a new character.......
"Sanford and Son" playing "Colonel Hiakowa" in episode: "Sergeant Gork" (episode # 5.23) 12 March 1976
I'd have to investigate further, waiting to see it on TV Land or checking episode guides, but it could be that they were one and the same character. "Ah Chew" was just an obvious alias.]

"M*A*S*H" playing "Capt. Sam Pak"
in episode: "The Chosen People" (episode # 2.19) 26 January 1974
in episode: "Deal Me Out" (episode # 2.13) 8 December 1973

TV CROSSOVERS
"Blansky's Beauties" (1977) TV Series .... Arnold (1977)
&
"Happy Days" (1974) TV Series .... Matsuo 'Arnold' Takahashi (1975-1976, 1982-1983)

"Mr. T and Tina" (1976) TV Series .... Taro Takahashi
&
"Welcome Back, Kotter" playing "Mr. Takahashi" in episode: "Career Day" (episode # 2.1) 23 September 1976

TV MOVIES
Gone to Maui (1999) (TV) .... Mr Ono
Singapore Sling: Road to Mandalay (1995) (TV) .... Y.C. Kung
Greyhounds (1994) (TV) .... Akira Mochizuki
Extralarge: Ninja Shadow (1993) (TV)
Choose Your Own Adventure: The Case of the Silk King (1992) (TV)
Mastergate (1992) (TV) .... Kevin Naito
Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes (1990) (TV) .... Yoodo Toda
Babes in Toyland (1986) (TV) .... The Toymaster
What Has Four Wheels and Flies (1986) (TV)
Alice in Wonderland (1985) (TV) .... Horse
Amos (1985) (TV) .... Tommy Tanaka
Blind Alleys (1985) (TV) .... Kenji Sato
The Vegas Strip War (1984) (TV) .... Yip Tak
For the Love of It (1980) (TV) .... Ishihara
Human Feelings (1978) (TV) .... Waiter
Farewell to Manzanar (1976) (TV) .... Zenahiro

TV SPECIALS
Happy Days: 30th Anniversary Reunion (2005) (TV) .... Himself/Matsuo 'Arnold' Takahashi
Reflections on Ice: Michelle Kwan Skates to the Music of Disney's 'Mulan' (1998) (TV) .... Emperor/Narrator
Lamb Chop's Special Chanukah (1995) (TV) .... Pat
[This marks the second death this year of an actor who appeared in this special; the first being Lloyd Bochner.]
Happy Days Reunion Special (1992) (TV) .... Himself
The Barbara Eden Show (1973) (TV)

TV NARRATION
Beyond Barbed Wire (1997) (as Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita) .... Narrator
Big Bird in Japan (1991) (TV) .... Narrator (Bamboo Princess story)

TV PILOTS
Punch and Jody (1974) (TV) .... Takahasi
[That name is not a mis-print; I found it spelled like that in two different sources. So I can't finagle a connection to either 'Happy Days' or 'Mr. T. And Tina'. Unless I argue for mis-spelling on immigration forms and/or birth certificates.]
Cops (1973) (TV) .... Captain Irving Ho
Brock's Last Case (1973) (TV) .... Sam Wong
A Very Missing Person (1972) (TV) .... Delmar Faulkenstein
Evil Roy Slade (1972) (TV) .... Turhan

TV GUEST APPEARANCES
"Robot Chicken" playing "Himself" (voice) in episode: "S&M Present" (episode # 1.9) 17 April 2005
"Yes, Dear" playing "Trainer" in episode: "When Jimmy Met Greggy" (episode # 3.24) 19 May 2003
"Body & Soul" in episode: "Yes Master" (episode # 1.6) 5 November 2002
"Spy TV" playing "Himself" (episode # 2.12) 23 July 2002
"Son of the Beach" playing "King Kumonya" in episode: "B.J. Blue Hawaii" (episode # 2.1) 13 March 2001
"First Years" (as Noriyuki Morita) in episode: "Touched by a Reindeer" (episode # 1.5)
"Caroline in the City" playing "Mr. Chu" in episode: "Caroline and the Ultimatum" (episode # 4.20) 5 April 1999
"Diagnosis Murder" playing "Martin Gaylord" in episode: "Food Fight" (episode # 5.23) 30 April 1998
"The Outer Limits" playing "Michael Chen" in episode: "In the Zone" (episode # 4.5) 20 February 1998
"Family Matters" playing "Mr. Tanaka" in episode: "Grill of My Dreams" (episode # 9.12) 9 January 1998
"Boy Meets World" playing "Wise Man" in episode: "I Was a Teenage Spy" (episode # 3.19) 26 April 1996
"Married... with Children" playing "Mr. Shimokawa" in episode: "Turning Japanese" (episode # 10.21) 17 March 1996
"One West Waikiki" playing "Judge" in episode: "Kingmare on Night Street" (episode # 2.11) 2 March 1996
"Murder, She Wrote" playing "Akira Hitaki" in episode: "Kendo Killing" (episode # 12.12) 4 January 1996
Hart to Hart: Secrets of the Hart (1995) (TV) .... Ling Goldberg
"Burke's Law" playing "Boots McKay" in episode: "Who Killed the Motor Car Maverick?" (episode # 2.2) 14 April 1995
"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" playing "Mr. Yoshi" in episode: "Love Hurts" (episode # 5.9) 14 November 1994
"Dave's World" playing "Hardware Store Owner" in episode: "Exorcising with Dave Barry" (episode # 1.12) 29 November 1993
"Space Rangers" playing "Nazzer" in episode: "Fort Hope" (episode # 1.1) 27 January 1993
"Good Grief" playing "Chip" in episode: "Mooses, Masons, and the Secret Life of Trees" (episode # 1.5) 28 October 1990
"What a Dummy" in episode: "The Contractor From Hell" (episode # 1.3) 14 October 1990
"Pryor's Place" playing "Joe" in episode: "Voyage to the Planet of the Dumb" (episode # 1.4) 13 October 1984
"Lou Grant" playing "Ike Tatsumi" in episode: "Recovery" (episode # 5.15) 8 March 1982
"Magnum, P.I." playing "Jack Metro" in episode: "One More Summer" (episode # 2.16) 11 February 1982
"Laverne & Shirley" playing "Mr. Wong" in episode: "Separate Tables" (episode # 5.26) 13 May 1980
"The Incredible Hulk" playing "Fred" in episode: "Stop the Presses" (episode # 2.10) 24 November 1978
"The Love Boat" playing "Tycoon" in episode: "Gopher the Rebel/Cabin Fever/Pacific Princess Overture" (episode # 1.25) 20 May 1978
"The Love Boat" playing "Vincent" in episode: "The Old Man and the Runaway, The/Fine Romance, A/Painters" (episode # 1.12) 24 December 1977
"The Man from Atlantis" playing "Moby" in episode: "Imp" (episode # 1.15) 25 April 1978
"Starsky and Hutch" playing "Jewelry Store Owner" in episode: "The Trap" (episode # 3.15) 1 February 1978
"Chico and the Man" playing "Pat Yamaguchi" in episode: "Charo Takes Over" (episode # 4.9) 2 December 1977
"Kung Fu" playing "Arthur Chen" in episode: "Ambush" (episode # 3.23) 4 April 1975
"Cannon" playing "Chuck Yamagata" in episode: "The Avenger" (episode # 4.7) 30 October 1974
"Police Woman" playing "Mike Matsuto" in episode: "Anatomy of Two Rapes" (episode # 1.5) 11 October 1974
"Hawaii Five-O" playing "Phoebe" in episode: "Tricks Are Not Treats" (episode # 6.7) 23 October 1973
Columbo: Étude in Black (1972) (TV) .... The House Boy
"The Bob Newhart Show" playing "Bartender" in episode: "Bob and Emily and Howard and Carol and Jerry" (episode # 1.12) 9 December 1972
"Love, American Style" in episode: "Love and the Woman in White" (episode # 4.11d) 24 November 1972
"Love, American Style" in episode: "Love and Lady Luck" (episode # 4.9b) 10 November 1972
"Love, American Style" in episode: "Love and the Love Potion" (episode # 2.22b) 26 February 1971
"The Odd Couple" playing "Mr. Wing" in episode: "You Saved My Life" (episode # 2.17) 21 January 1972
"Green Acres" playing "Charlie Lee" in episode: "Hawaiian Honeymoon" (episode # 6.25) 16 March 1971
"The Bill Cosby Show" playing "Tree Surgeon" in episode: "The Power of a Tree" (episode # 2.23) 28 February 1971
"Nanny and the Professor" playing "Jason Wong" in episode: "My Son, The Sitter" (episode # 2.11) 11 December 1970
[There could be some kind of familial relation to the character he played on the episode of 'Laverne & Shirley' listed above. But then again, the name is equivalent to Smith or Jones.....]
"The Courtship of Eddie's Father" playing "Duke" in episode: "The Littlest Kidnapper" (episode # 1.4) 8 October 1969
"The Outsider" playing "Toshi" in episode: "Love Is Under 'L'" (episode # 1.7) 6 November 1968
"Blondie" in episode: "Sayanora Dagwood" (episode # 1.1) 26 September 1968
"Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." playing "Chris Yamato" in episode: "The Recruiting Poster" (episode # 4.2) 15 September 1967

BCnU......
Tele-Toby

"MEDIUM" ZONK!S - NEITHER RARE NOR WELL-DONE

"So who do you think's a hotter psychic?
Patricia Arquette, Jennifer Love Hewitt, or you?"
Dean, to Sam,
'Supernatural'

Ooooh! Here's a challenge! A 2-in-1 Zonk! to splain away.

A good pop culture reference should only provide enough information... information... information so that the audience gets the joke. But it shouldn't beat the audience over the head to get the point across.

Tain't funny if you splain it.

So in their lack of specifics, such Zonk!s hopefully give me as a Televisiologist plenty of room to wiggle out a reason why a TV show should be mentioned within another TV show AS a TV show, instead of being accepted as part of the same universe.

In this case, Dean was referring to the two network series that deal with women who believe in spooks. (They do, they do, they do, they DO believe in spooks!)

Patricia Arquette stars in 'Medium' on NBC, and Jennifer Love Hewitt is 'The Ghost Whisperer' on CBS.

But to have added in that trivia would have killed the pace of the joke-insult Dean was lobbing at his brother Sam.

(Actually it's kind of disturbing that a guy would even consider the "hotness" of his own brother, even if it was funny to compare him with two women.)

So the lack of specifics is my salvation. It's for the audience's sake at home that we know Dean is referring to two TV shows. But within the framework of his own Reality, who knows what Dean was talking about? Perhaps there's a fictional movie which stars both women as psychics. One's a blonde. One's a brunette. They're both hot.

And they fight crime!

Maybe the televersions of Ms. Arquette and Ms. Love Hewitt operate rival tele-psychic hotlines.........

It's open to anybody's guess - er, interpretation. But so long as the actual TV shows of 'Medium' and 'The Ghost Whisperer' were not mentioned, I'd say we were free and clear to find any other splainin that feels comfortable.

And as a disciple of the Reclining Spud, I always go for what's comfortable.

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

In keeping with the season, here is my favorite TV quote for Thanksgiving:

"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!"

Arthur Carlson

'WKRP In Cincinnatti'

All the best for you and yours today.

BCnU!

Tele-Toby

"LOST" IN THOUGHT: NATHAN

The seventh episode of 'Lost' this season, "The Other 48 Days", could easily have taken the easy road and thus be subtitled "Island Of The Parallel People" We were even led to believe that the vignette for each day would echo what happened to themain cast on the other side of the island.

The "Lostaways" caught boar. The tailies caught a chicken.

Jack treated a guy with a leg wound (and I think it was Leslie Arzt.) The tailie with a leg wound died after seven days.

Somebody in both groups had to give mouth-to-mouth to revive somebody.

Each group had somebody land in the forest.

And then there was Nathan.

He said he was from Canada. Ethan claimed to be from Ontario.

"Ethan Rom" is an anagram for "other man". If the audience assumed Nathan's last name was Rom, his anagram would be "another man".

But as we later learned, such speculation was meaningless....

But just because the character of Nathan is no longer on the show in island time, that doesn't mean Josh Randall, who played the role, won't be on again.

Like Ian Somerhalder before him, he could appear in a flashback for one of the other suvivors. And I've got one in mind.

First let's take a look at what little we know about Nathan:

Remember, he said that he was from Canada.

Nathan claimed that he was in Australia on a company retreat.

Goodwin told Ana-Lucia that Nathan was not a nice person.

Now here are a few facts about Hugo Reyes:

"Hurley" won about 114 million dollars in the jackpot lottery.

Some of the money was invested in a shoe company.

The shoe company was located in Canada.

The shoe company burned down.

It would appear the crash was pre-determined/pre-destined/pre-arranged. And "the Others" did their homework, because Goodwin knew something about Nathan, enough to judge him as being bad, and it's doubtful it would have come up on any flight manifest.

So I'm thinking.... maybe Nathan was responsible for the shoe company fire?

I think it's plausible, and as we all know, stranger things have happened with this show!

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: HAROLD J. STONE

The first time Harold J. Stone came to my notice was in 1972, with his role in 'Bridget Loves Bernie'. But he proved to be such a powerhouse of a character actor - a true bull of a man, - that it was impossible to miss him in any of his other roles before or since.

Two other roles of note for me were in 'The Twilight Zone', in which he played sort of an FAA inspector on the verge of a psychotic breakdown; and in 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' - in the classic episode 'Lamb To The Slaughter' with Barbara Bel Geddes.

A few of his guest appearances will need further study, in order to see if they can be linked to other shows via family trees.

For instance:

"Tales of Wells Fargo" playing "Roy Dorcas" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Sniper" (episode # 2.38) 26 May 1958
Roy Dorcas could have been the ancestor to a modern-day pirate known as Captain Dorcas in an episode of 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.'

"The Defenders" playing "Charles Crewe" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Broken Barrelhead" (episode # 1.32) 26 May 1962
It could be that Charles Crewe might have been the grandfather of Jack Crewe, the Hollywood action hero who played Hamlet at the New Burbage Shakespeare Festival in 'Slings & Arrows'.

"The Name of the Game" playing "Harry Mudd" (as George E. Stone) in episode: "Keep the Doctor Away" (episode # 1.21) 14 February 1969
Ooooooh! This is an exciting one, kiddies! How can I resist making the claim that he was one of the ancestors of Harcourt Fenton "Harry" Mudd, the character played by Roger C. Carmel in two episodes of the classic 'Star Trek'?

This tribute was made up with the help of the IMDb.com, but I do have to point out a redundancy in their list of Harold J. Stone's credits:

"Disneyland" playing "Chisholm" in episode: "The Slaughter Trail" (episode # 5.23) 20 March 1959
"Texas John Slaughter" playing "John Chisholm" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Slaughter Trail" (episode # 1.6) 20 March 1959

Obviously, these were the exact same shows.

BCnU....
Tele-Toby


TV SERIES
"Bridget Loves Bernie" (1972) TV Series .... Sam Steinberg (1972-73)
"My World and Welcome to It" (1969) TV Series .... Hamilton Greeley (1969-70)
"The Grand Jury" (1959) TV Series .... John Kennedy (1959)
"The Walter Winchell File" (1957) TV Series (as Harold J. Stone) .... Lt.
"The Goldbergs" (1949) TV Series .... Jake Goldberg (1952)
"The Hartmans" (1949) TV Series .... The handyman

TV MOVIES
The Legend of Valentino (1975) (TV) .... Sam Baldwin
The Werewolf of Woodstock (1975) (TV) .... Lt. Martino
Breakout (1970/I) (TV) (as Harold J. Stone) .... Phil Caprio
Ready and Willing (1967) (TV) (as Harold J. Stone)
Operation Razzle-Dazzle (1966) (TV) (as Harold J. Stone) .... Sergeant

TV GUEST APPEARANCES
"Highway to Heaven" playing "Harvey Milsap" in episode: "Close Encounters of the Heavenly Kind" (episode # 2.14) 15 January 1986
"Simon & Simon" playing "Ty Becker" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Dillinger Print" (episode # 3.21) 8 March 1984
"Lou Grant" playing "Fred Gruber" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Law" (episode # 5.18) 12 April 1982
"Charlie's Angels" playing "Joe Fenell" (as Harold J.Stone) in episode: "He Married an Angel" (episode # 5.9) 31 January 1981
"Trapper John, M.D." playing "Santori" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Straight and Narrow" (episode # 2.6) 11 January 1981
"Vega$" playing "Augie Brenner" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Black Cat Killer" (episode # 3.3) 11 November 1980
"Barney Miller" playing "Steven Haddad" (as Harold J. Stone)
in episode: "Homicide: Part 2" (episode # 7.2) 6 November 1980
in episode: "Homicide: Part 1" (episode # 7.1) 30 October 1980
"Three's Company" playing "Bernie Bustamente" (as The Loan Shark) in episode: "The Loan Shark" (episode # 4.10) 20 November 1979
"Vega$" playing "Mr. Hunter" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Best Friends" (episode # 1.16) 7 February 1979
"Barney Miller" playing "Mr. Siegel" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Kidnapping" (episode # 5.1) 14 September 1978
"Charlie's Angels" playing "John Strauss" (as Harold J.Stone) in episode: "Angels at Sea" (episode # 1.21) 23 March 1977
"Welcome Back, Kotter" playing "Charlie Kotter" in episode: "Kotter and Son" (episode # 2.16) 20 January 1977
"Kojak" playing "Franco 'Six Bits' Donatello" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "A Grave Too Soon" (episode # 3.19) 1 February 1976
"Police Woman" playing "Rolf" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Pattern for Evil" (episode # 2.4) 3 October 1975
"Harry O" playing "Capt. Gunther" in episode: "Anatomy of a Frame" (episode # 2.1) 11 September 1975
"The Rookies" playing "Al Steinman" (as Harold J Stone) in episode: "Take Over" (episode # 3.14) 30 December 1974
"The Rockford Files" playing "Sorrell, underworld boss" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Countess" (episode # 1.3) 27 September 1974
"Hec Ramsey" in episode: "Only Birds and Fools" (episode # 2.5) 7 April 1974
"Griff" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Elephant in a Cage" (episode # 1.8) 24 November 1973
"Medical Center" playing "Ferretti" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Woman for Hire" (episode # 5.9) 19 November 1973
"Cade's County" playing "Tom Braddock" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Jessie" (episode # 1.21) 12 March 1972
"Longstreet" playing "Emory Taggart" in episode: "Anatomy of a Murder" (episode # 1.19) 3 February 1972
"Mission: Impossible" playing "John Lawton" in episode: "Blind" (episode # 6.1) 18 September 1971
"Hogan's Heroes" playing "General Strommberger" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Look at the Pretty Snowflakes" (episode # 6.23) 21 March 1971
"The Bold Ones: The New Doctors" playing "Harry Miller" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "A Matter of Priorities" (episode # 2.6) 3 January 1971
"The Name of the Game" playing "Lieutenant" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "So Long Baby, and Amen" (episode # 3.1) 18 September 1970
"The Virginian" playing "Adam Southcort" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Shiloh Years" (episode # 8.17) 28 January 1970
"Hogan's Heroes" playing "Field Marshall Rudolf Richter" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Defector" (episode # 5.10) 28 November 1969
"Medical Center" playing "Lombardi" (as Harold J Stone) in episode: "The Battle of Lily Wu" (episode # 1.5) 22 October 1969
"It Takes a Thief" in episode: "Rock-Bye, Bye, Baby" (episode # 2.22) 25 March 1969
"The F.B.I." playing "Ignatius Cober" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Cober List" (episode # 4.25) 23 March 1969
"The Name of the Game" playing "Harry Mudd" (as George E. Stone) in episode: "Keep the Doctor Away" (episode # 1.21) 14 February 1969
"The Virginian" playing "Grant Buchanan" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Death Wait" (episode # 7.15) 15 January 1969
"Hogan's Heroes" playing "Major Teppel" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Bad Day in Berlin" (episode # 4.11) 7 December 1968
"Mannix" playing "Judge Green" in episode: "Pressure Point" (episode # 2.3) 12 October 1968
"Hawaii Five-O" playing "D. J. Georgiade" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Tiger by the Tail" (episode # 1.3) 10 October 1968
"Ironside" playing "Jim Connolly" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Force of Arms" (episode # 1.16) 4 January 1968
"Felony Squad"
in episode: "An Arrangement with Death: Part 2" (episode # 2.14) 7 December 1967
in episode: "An Arrangement with Death: Part 1" (episode # 2.13) 1 December 1967
"The Iron Horse" playing "Josh Wyatt" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Steel Chain to a Music Box" (episode # 2.10) 18 November 1967
"I Spy" playing "Zarkas" (as Harold J. Stone)
in episode: "The Seventh Captain" (episode # 3.9) 13 November 1967
in episode: "Philotimo" (episode # 3.5) 9 October 1967
in episode: "The Beautiful Children" (episode # 3.2) 18 September 1967
"The Man from U.N.C.L.E." playing "Stavros" in episode: "The It's All Greek to Me Affair" (episode # 3.21) 3 February 1967
"Mr. Terrific" playing "Shenko" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Matchless" (episode # 1.1) 9 January 1967
"The Virginian" playing "Einar Carlson" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Ride to Delphi" (episode # 5.2) 21 September 1966
"The Legend of Jesse James" playing "Sergeant Foy" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "A Field of Wild Flowers" (episode # 1.32) 25 April 1966
"The Virginian" playing "Jake" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Mark of a Man" (episode # 4.30) 20 April 1966
"A Man Called Shenandoah" playing "Jason Pruitt" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "An Unfamiliar Tune" (episode # 1.30) 11 April 1966
"Get Smart" playing "Captain Groman" (as Harold J. Stone)
in episode: "Ship of Spies: Part 2" (episode # 1.28) 9 April 1966
in episode: "Ship of Spies: Part 1" (episode # 1.27) 2 April 1966
"The Big Valley" playing "Sam Beldon" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Teacher of Outlaws" (episode # 1.19) 2 February 1966
"The Virginian" playing "Ev Clinchy" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Laramie Road" (episode # 4.12) 8 December 1965
"The Trials of O'Brien" playing "Max Fabrikant" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Picture Me a Murder" (episode # 1.11) 27 November 1965
"Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre" playing "Borginin" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Russian Roulette" (episode # 3.7) 17 November 1965
"Run for Your Life" playing "Angie Zeno" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Savage Season" (episode # 1.8) 8 November 1965
"Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre" playing "Enrico" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Kicks" (episode # 3.4) 13 October 1965
"Gunsmoke" playing "Jeff Sutro" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "He Who Steals" (episode # 10.36) 29 May 1965
"Gilligan's Island" playing "Dubov" in episode: "Goodbye Old Paint" (episode # 1.34) 22 May 1965
"The Nurses" playing "Elihu Kaminsky" (as Harold J. Stone)
in episode: "Where There's Smoke" (episode # 3.23) 9 March 1965
in episode: "Nurse Is a Feminine Noun" (episode # 2.21) 13 February 1964
"Mr. Novak" playing "Joe Garvin" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Beat the Plowshare, Edge the Sword" (episode # 2.17) 26 January 1965
"Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" playing "Admiral Jiggs Starke" in episode: "Mutiny" (episode # 1.18) 11 January 1965
"Dr. Kildare" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Catch a Crooked Mouse" (episode # 4.12) 17 December 1964
"Gunsmoke" playing "Jim Downey" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Hung High" (episode # 10.8) 14 November 1964
"Daniel Boone" playing "Greenbriar" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Family Fluellen" (episode # 1.4) 15 October 1964
"Bonanza" playing "Chad" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Hostage" (episode # 6.2) 27 September 1964
"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" playing "Osterman" in episode: "The Second Verdict" (episode # 2.30) 29 May 1964
"Gunsmoke" playing "Orval Bass" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Homecoming" (episode # 9.34) 23 May 1964
"The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters" playing "Colonel Dolan" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Day of the Dark Deeds" (episode # 1.25) 8 March 1964
"Kraft Suspense Theatre" playing "Dr. Nat Kaufman" in episode: "Leviathan Five" (episode # 1.14) 30 January 1964
"77 Sunset Strip" playing "Lieutenant John Frazier" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Deposit with Caution" (episode # 6.10) 29 November 1963
"The Defenders" playing "Sargeant Henry Olson" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Loophole" (episode # 3.8) 16 November 1963
"Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre" playing "Ernie Santee" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The House Next Door" (episode # 1.7) 15 November 1963
"Breaking Point" playing "Joseph Babcock" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "And James Was a Very Small Snail" (episode # 1.9) 11 November 1963
"Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre" playing "Turin" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" (episode # 1.6) 8 November 1963
"The Greatest Show on Earth" playing "Greenwood" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Garve" (episode # 1.5) 15 October 1963
"Arrest and Trial" playing "Gus Ortega" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Tears from a Silver Dipper" (episode # 1.3) 29 September 1963
"The Untouchables" playing "Julie Flack" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "One Last Killing" (episode # 4.24) 2 April 1963
"Dr. Kildare" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "A Place Among the Monuments" (episode # 2.21) 28 February 1963
"The Rifleman" playing "Marshall" in episode: "The Bullet" (episode # 5.21) 25 February 1963
"Ben Casey" playing "Reb Sholem Isaacs" (as Harold J Stone) in episode: "A Hundred More Pipers" (episode # 2.20) 18 February 1963
"Empire" playing "Gerald Wormser" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Tiger Inside" (episode # 1.20) 12 February 1963
"Rawhide" in episode: "Incident at the Trail's End" (episode # 5.15) 11 January 1963
"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" playing "Taxi Driver" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Black Curtain" (episode # 1.9) 15 November 1962
"The Untouchables" playing "Louie Madikoff" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Pressure" (episode # 3.26) 14 June 1962
"The Defenders" playing "Charles Crewe" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Broken Barrelhead" (episode # 1.32) 26 May 1962
"Target: The Corruptors" playing "Allie Janowitz" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "License to Steal" (episode # 1.30) 4 May 1962
"Tales of Wells Fargo" playing "Brian" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Royal Maroon" (episode # 6.30) 28 April 1962
"The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor" playing "Fred Forrest" (as Harold J. Stone)
in episode: "Three Blind Mice: Part 2" (episode # 3.25) 6 April 1962
in episode: "Three Blind Mice: Part 1" (episode # 3.24) 30 March 1962
"Cain's Hundred" playing "Marty Emson" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Savage in Darkness" (episode # 1.24) 27 March 1962
"87th Precinct" playing "Gantry" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "A Bullet for Katie" (episode # 1.20) 12 February 1962
"Target: The Corruptors" playing "Al Deus" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Play It Blue" (episode # 1.17) 19 January 1962
"Cheyenne" playing "Perez" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Wedding Rings" (episode # 6.10) 8 January 1962
"The Untouchables" playing "Adam Stone" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Hammerlock" (episode # 3.10) 21 December 1961
"Target: The Corruptors" playing "Herman" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Silent Partner" (episode # 1.11) 8 December 1961
"Cain's Hundred" playing "Dave Braddock" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Dead Load" (episode # 1.9) 21 November 1961
"The New Breed" playing "George Sorens" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Compulsion to Confess" (episode # 1.5) 31 October 1961
"Gunsmoke" playing "Horace Kelk" in episode: "Miss Kitty" (episode # 7.3) 14 October 1961
"The Twilight Zone" playing "Grant Sheckly" in episode: "The Arrival" (episode # 3.2) 22 September 1961
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" playing "Mac Davis" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Ambition" (episode # 6.38) 4 July 1961
"Route 66" playing "Gus" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "A Skill for Hunting" (episode # 1.26) 12 May 1961
"The Barbara Stanwyck Show" playing "Jake Lytell" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Frightened Doll" (episode # 1.29) 24 April 1961
"Michael Shayne" playing "Ross Colby" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Trouble with Ernie" (episode # 1.29) 21 April 1961
"The Untouchables" playing "Barney Jarreau" (as Harold J Stone) in episode: "Ring of Terror" (episode # 2.24) 13 April 1961
"Surfside 6" playing "Harry Wilde" in episode: "The Impractical Joker" (episode # 1.24) 13 March 1961
"Have Gun - Will Travel" playing "Judge Elmer Greenleaf" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Last Judgment" (episode # 4.25) 11 March 1961
"Route 66" playing "Lieutenant Mangano" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Play It Glissando" (episode # 1.14) 20 January 1961
"The Untouchables" playing "Tough Tommy Karpeles" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Tommy Karpeles Story" (episode # 2.11) 29 December 1960
"Hong Kong" playing "Judge Moisom" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Dragon Cup" (episode # 1.12) 14 December 1960
"The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" playing "Hiram Grant" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Fanatic" (episode # 6.8) 22 November 1960
"Stagecoach West" playing "Tanner" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Red Sand" (episode # 1.7) 22 November 1960
"The Islanders" playing "Larr" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Phantom Captain" (episode # 1.7) 13 November 1960
"Rawhide" playing "Nick Mesa" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Incident of the Night Visitor" (episode # 3.4) 4 November 1960
"Laramie" playing "Sam Bronson" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Dark Trail" (episode # 2.7) 1 November 1960
"The Tall Man" playing "Ben Myers" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Parson" (episode # 1.7) 29 October 1960
"The Untouchables" playing "Charles 'Pops' Felcher" in episode: "The Rusty Heller Story" (episode # 2.1) 13 October 1960
"Wanted: Dead or Alive" playing "Harry Simmons" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Cure" (episode # 3.2) 28 September 1960
"The Rifleman" playing "Benjamin Stark" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Trail of Hate" (episode # 3.1) 27 September 1960
"Tales of Wells Fargo" playing "Phil" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Man for the Job" (episode # 4.37) 30 May 1960
"Overland Trail" playing "Cash" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Reckoning" (episode # 1.16) 29 May 1960
"The Alaskans" playing "Ed Bundy" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Long Pursuit" (episode # 1.17) 31 January 1960
"Naked City" playing "Simon Beecker" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Saw My Baby There" (episode # 1.37) 9 June 1959
"Gunsmoke" playing "Jim Gatluf" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Buffalo Hunter" (episode # 4.33) 2 May 1959
"Bat Masterson" playing "Jess Hobart" in episode: "Man of Action" (episode # 1.25) 22 April 1959
"Disneyland" playing "Chisholm" in episode: "The Slaughter Trail" (episode # 5.23) 20 March 1959
"Texas John Slaughter" playing "John Chisholm" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Slaughter Trail" (episode # 1.6) 20 March 1959
"Trackdown" playing "Ambrose Hacker" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Fear" (episode # 2.26) 18 March 1959
"Alcoa Theatre" playing "Tony Busso" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Goodbye Johnny" (episode # 2.10) 9 February 1959
"Zorro" playing "Salvio" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Iron Box" (episode # 2.15) 15 January 1959
"77 Sunset Strip" playing "Lou Catto" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Vicious Circle" (episode # 1.10) 12 December 1958
"Sugarfoot" playing "Galt Kimberly" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Yampa Crossing" (episode # 2.7) 9 December 1958
"Cimarron City" playing "Fred Barker" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "A Respectable Girl" (episode # 1.9) 6 December 1958
"Trackdown" playing "Quince Flanders" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Schoolteacher" (episode # 2.10) 7 November 1958
"Gunsmoke" playing "Judge Rambeau" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Letter of the Law" (episode # 4.5) 11 October 1958
"The Rifleman" playing "Oat Jackford" in episode: "Home Ranch" (episode # 1.2) 7 October 1958
"The Frank Sinatra Show" playing "Lt. Garrow" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "A Gun at His Back" 13 June 1958
"Tales of Wells Fargo" playing "Roy Dorcas" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Sniper" (episode # 2.38) 26 May 1958
"Goodyear Theatre" playing "Captain Stemson" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Giant Step" (episode # 1.15) 28 April 1958
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" playing "Lieutenant Jack Noonan" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Lamb to the Slaughter" (episode # 3.28) 13 April 1958
"Alcoa Theatre" playing "Lieutenant Nelson" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Loudmouth" (episode # 1.13) 7 April 1958
"Suspicion" (as Harold J. Stones) in episode: "The Bull Skinner" (episode # 1.26) 7 April 1958
"The Restless Gun" playing "Ben Reed" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Sheriff Billy" (episode # 1.25) 10 March 1958
"The Court of Last Resort" playing "Captain Cunningham" in episode: "The Frank Clark Case" (episode # 1.18) 21 February 1958
"Trackdown" playing Yewci in episode: "The Witness" (episode # 1.16) 24 January 1958
"Cheyenne" playing "Rafe Larkin" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "The Last Comanchero" (episode # 3.9) 14 January 1958
"Zane Grey Theater" playing "Tuphill" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Trial by Fear" (episode # 2.14) 10 January 1958
"Have Gun - Will Travel" playing "Samuel Abajinian" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "Helen of Abajinian" (episode # 1.16) 28 December 1957
"Have Gun - Will Travel" playing "Holgate" (as Harold J. Stone) in episode: "A Matter of Ethics" (episode # 1.5) 12 October 1957

HAPPY ZONK!SGIVING!

On my flights to California and back two weeks ago, Continental showed the same episode of 'Hope & Faith' from last season (as well as the movies, of course). Since today is Thanksgiving, they chose to show that particular episode.

Near the end of it, while admiring the fierce determination of their father's bride to be, Faith said to Hope, "Wow! Look at Wonder Woman!"

There's certainly no Zonk! inherent in this. There was no mention of Wonder Woman as a comic book nor as a TV series. Obviously Faith was referring to Wonder Woman as a real person; the super-hero exists in the same universe as the former star of 'The Sacred And The Profane' and her sister.

However, Wonder Woman was last active about twenty-five years ago, at least as far as the TV audience saw. She was probably still fighting for Truth, Justice, and the American Way (using her invisible plane and her magic lasso) all this time.

The Amazon Princess probably gets a lot of notoriety from the Press, and her picture may have been splashed across plenty of front pages - from the New York Ledger to the Los Angeles Tribune. (Maybe her picture was taken by Carl Kolchak and Peter "Spiderman" Parker?)

If so, Faith probably may have seen them and noticed the resemblance between Wonder Woman and Summer Kirkland. And seeing the gung-ho action taken by Summer to get them off the plane cemented that resemblance. (Good thing she wasn't wearing glasses or someone might have noticed Summer's resemblance to Diana Prince as well!)

And thus, "Wow! Look at Wonder Woman!" becomes a pop culture reference within the show, but an inside joke to us watching at home - since Lynda Carter played both Summer Kirkland and Wonder Woman in Toobworld.

I hope you and yours have a Wonder-filled Thanksgiving.....

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

MARY RICHARDS:

"Do you like Wonder Woman, Stevie?"
STEVIE:
"Nah. She's too butch."
'The Mary Tyler Moore Show'

"THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE": THE ONES WHO GOT AWAY

As far as the Real World is concerned, the SS Poseidon sank beneath the waves last night on NBC. But within the realm of Toobworld, that event hasn't even taken place yet; it will capsize just moments into the New Year, due to a terrorist explosion.

(In the Cineverse, it happened over thirty years ago and will happen again next year. In the literary universe, it happens anew every time somebody reads the novel by Paul Gallico.)

Like the tagline for the TV movie put it, the only hope for survival was up. But not everyone who began the trek towards the hull at the bottom of the ship survived the journey. It wasn't because of how strong they were physically, but their strength of will and spirit. And even then some perished because they had the inner strength to make the ultimate sacrifice.

The TV movie focused on this small band of passengers and as the Poseidon sank deeper, it was assumed that almost everybody else would go down with the ship.

But this is Toobworld. And in the TV Universe, lots of things happen off-screen that we are never aware of. So it's my contention that there were other survivors who escaped... and many of them were probably not even on the passenger manifest.

For precedent, just take a look at the televersion of the Titanic. There are at least five examples of TV characters who were on board the doomed ocean liner and yet were able to escape without resorting to taking up precious space in the lifeboats.

What was their secret? Time travel. And I think they will all be drawn to the Poseidon come New Year's Eve.

THE DOCTOR (DAVID TENNANT) - 'DOCTOR WHO'
Ideally, it could be any one (or more!) of the ten incarnations of the Gallifreyan Time Lord who could have materialized the TARDIS on the ceiling below decks of the Poseidon. (The ship's upside down, remember.) However, three of the actors who played the Doctor have passed away, and Time in the Real World has not been kind to several of the others who assayed the role. For the most believable presence, it would have to be either Christopher Eccleston, who was Doctor Number Nine... Number Nine...... Or David Tennant, who currently wears the mantle of the Time Lord.

And since it's unlikely that Eccleston will be returning to the role any time soon, that practically leaves Tennant by default.

I've always believed that the TARDIS has some kind of precognitive intellect; it knows where to take the Doctor just in the nick of time to avert some kind of disaster. Obviously it didn't arrive before the explosion took place, or the Doctor might have saved the day. So perhaps it brought him there afterwards to counter an even greater threat - the Sea Devils!

Making their first known appearance in Toobworld in 1973 (1972 in the Real World), the Sea Devils had previously battled the Doctor during his third incarnation. There had been some suggestion that there were other colonies around the world and these Sea Devils might have come from one of these nearby the disaster.

The Sea Devils would have seen the capsized vessel as befitting them for a future home. It would also give them access to human technology which they could exploit for the eventual conquest of Earth. (And any human corpses they found would be stock for the larder.)

Swimming in through the blast-hole, the Sea Devils would have found the tenth Doctor waiting for them. And he would not have been without allies.....

JEFFREY JONES (MEENO PELUCE) - 'VOYAGERS!'
Jeffrey Jones first teamed up with time traveler Phineas Bogg on his adventures in 1982. Following the linear time line of Toobworld, he would now be 35 years old. He could have materialized on board the ship at any time in his biological life, but I always side with using the original actor whenever possible.

Now that he was grown up, Jeffrey was probably a Time Agent in his own right, with his own Omni device. But the explosion that sank the Poseidon might be used to splain away the loss of Jeffrey's former mentor Phineas Bogg.

The actor who played Bogg, Jon-Eric Hexum, perished in a bizarre gun mishap over 21 years ago.

TONY NEWMAN & DOUG PHILLIPS (JAMES DARREN & ROBERT COLBERT) - 'THE TIME TUNNEL'
I think Tony and Doug are still trapped in the Time-stream, even after thirty years have passed. The Time Tunnel was a government-sponsored project, so of course there would be a major screw-up.

'The Poseidon Adventure' took place decades after they first entered 'The Time Tunnel', so there would have been no way for them to be forearmed with knowledge that would have been ignored by Captain Gallico anyway (their standard method of operation).

Doug and Tony may not have been yanked out of harm's way in time either, since tech support wouldn't have known what was about to occur. So it is possible one or both of them could have perished.... something to consider for the eventual demise of either actor.

But unless the Time Tunnel was locked in to the spirit as well as the cellular structure for Tony and Doug, then it would send the corpse hurtling through the Time-stream along with the surviving partner. Blegch!

SAM BECKETT (SCOTT BAKULA) - 'QUANTUM LEAP'
The only reason we know Sam Beckett didn't leap into one of the core group of survivors in 'The Poseidon Adventure' is because we didn't see Scott Bakula among them, which is a given rule for the viewing audience.

But he could have leapt into the life of one of the people in the background; just after they went off-screen, around a corner, into the bathroom.

And once Sam Beckett showed up, his holographic companion, Admiral Al Calavicci (as played by Dean Stockwell) was sure to follow.

It wouldn't have been the first time Sam leaped into a situation involving the sinking of an ocean liner, nor would he have been new to the experience of living the life of someone doomed to die. Why he was dropped into this situation would need the computation skills of Ziggy and Gooshie to figure out, but it would all be part of the plan by the Great Bartender in the sky......

DOCTOR BOMBAY (BERNARD FOX) - 'BEWITCHED'
Every time the witch doctor was summoned for a medical emergency, he was always coming in from some wild, hedonistic event, like a safari or a masked ball. Being on board the Poseidon for New Year's Eve would have been plausible for his dance card.

And once they noticed that he was among the passengers, Bob and Wendy Fate would have succumbed to the temptation to sink the Poseidon.

Why? Because of his similarity to both a passenger and a crew member on board the Titanic in the Cineverse. (See 'Titanic' and 'A Night To Remember', respectively.)

ANDREW, THE ANGEL OF DEATH (JOHN DYE) - 'TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL'
Although Bishop Schmidt was struggling with his own inner conflicts, we didn't see angels Monica or Tess there to help him with his moral quandary. But more than likely Andrew was present to help ease the passage of all those about to perish.

And if we didn't see actor John Dye among the actors on board, it could be that he had assumed a different mortal form. Hey, he's an angel. He can do that sort of thing.

JONATHAN CHASE (SIMON McCORKINDALE) - 'MANIMAL'
Say what you will about the show. But as the 'Manimal', Jonathan Chase was a hero. If he had been on board the ocean liner, you know he would have stayed behind rather than save himself, in order to save as many people as he could before it was too late.

However, once the inevitable could no longer be denied, Chase would have had no alternative but to assume the form of some kind of sea creature and escape through the blast hole.

Probably passing the Sea Devils as they showed up......

MARK HARRIS (PATRICK DUFFY) - 'MAN FROM ATLANTIS'
The amphibious humanoid wouldn't have been on board the Poseidon originally. But he may yet show up once it was under the surface (and probably after its classification was changed from a rescue to a retrieval mission).

Working with his colleagues from the Foundation for Oceanic Research who were traveling on board the submersible named "Cetacean".

Also helping out with the investigation would be.....

LEE CRANE (DAVID HEDISON) - 'VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA'
Long retired from active service, Crane might still have been connected with the Nelson Institute for Marine Research.

(Based on the show taking place circa the "future" of 1973, Admiral Harriman Nelson more than likely passed away near the end of the 1990s.)

Or it could be that Crane was also working for FOR with Mark Harris.

For that matter, FOR and NIMR might have been consolidated into one research facility as a cost-cutting measure for both institutes.

So that concludes my look at 'The Poseidon Adventure' and the hypothetical place it might occupy in the Big Picture, the Great Link, of Toobworld. I hope you enjoyed the voyage with me as your captain.

BCnU!
Cap'n Toby
(Not to be confused with the Kiddie TV host seen on 'The Lone Gunmen')

THE CROSSOVER OF THE WEEK!
'CHILDREN IN NEED' & 'DOCTOR WHO'

I wasn't kidding when I said it's feast rather than famine when it came to crossovers during each of the Sweeps months. Last week our top choice was the two-part adventure shared by the CSI teams in Miami and New York City, but I also mentioned a couple of runner-ups in the connection 'Joey' made with the 'Ellen' talk show, and 'Hot Properties' link to 'Oprah'.

But the guys who monitor "Tommy Westphall's Mind" (see the two links at left) also found another one. When 'Veronica Mars' visited the Lariat Rental Car agency, she was entering the world of 'The X-Files'.

So here we are in a new week and with a new link......

Our crossover happened on Friday night over in the United Kingdom. (Toobworld is global, baybeee, and I'm just sorry that with my limited resources, I can't keep track of any crossovers that might be happening in India and Scandinavia and Japan!)

The 26th annual "Children In Need" telethon was held, during which there were mostly concert performers by musical groups donating their efforts, like Madonna and Status Quo.

But there was also a brand new 'Doctor Who' vignette which starred David Tennant and Billie Piper. This was no "Dimensions In Time" spoof (which I accept as canon, by the way), because it bridged the gap between the end of last season and the upcoming special, 'The Christmas Invasion'. This short "story" actually fulfilled a purpose in Toobworld.

The adventure picked up less than a second after the finale and left us on a cliff-hanger so that we might be eagerly anticipating Christmas Day even more so now.
Jesus will be so pleased.
What was it about?
Oh, it was about five minutes long, I'd say.....
I'm not going to go into detail, as my American audience has not even seen the first season of the new revival for 'Doctor Who' (at least not as far as the mainstream is concerned). And Zarquon only knows when - or if! - the American public will ever get a chance to see the show.

But I will say this - a simple declarative above gave away at least one of the main articles of interest in the vignette.

However.... If you really have a mind to see the sketch, then hie thee thither to the BBC Online and look for the 'Doctor Who' Home Page. There you can open up a viewer to see the piece in its entirety.

And I suppose, - if you're feeling charitable around the holidays, - you can also find the information about how to donate to the Children In Need fund.

Coming up..... It looks to be a tie for Crosssover Of The Week after the holiday. And they'll be going head-to-head in their own little battle of the network stars!

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

"THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE": PASSENGER MANIFEST III

We don't have to consider only those characters who were played by actors who passed away to have been passengers on the SS Poseidon (which is airing tonight on NBC at 8 PM est).

Why not a few from TV shows that are just no longer on the air?

Like.....

PURSER CHARLES DUFFY (LARRY STORCH) - 'THE QUEEN AND I'
and
SUSANNAH POMEROY (GALE STORM) - 'THE GALE STORM SHOW'/'OH, SUSANNAH!'
So far as I know, both of these actors are still alive. And hopefully they've got plenty of years ahead of them.

But both Ms. Pomeroy and Charlie Duffy, despite their advanced ages, might have still been working in the ocean cruise business. Charlie had been the purser aboard the Amsterdam Queen, while Ms. Pomeroy was the social director for the Ocean Queen.

I'll stake the Toobworld claim here and now that both these ocean liners were owned by the same company. Perhaps as fellow employees for the firm, Susannah and Charlie met and fell in love so that they were working together on board the Poseidon. And when the ship was sinking, they remained together to the very end.

Ah, who am I kidding? Considering the type of characters Larry Storch usually plays, Charlie Duffy probably grabbed one of Susannah's dresses and disguised himself to make a break for one of the life boats!

TEDDY ZAKALOKIS (JON CRYER) - 'THE FAMOUS TEDDY Z'
Since Jon Cryer is comfortably ensconced finally in a hit CBS sitcom ('Two And A Half Men'), it's a safe bet there wouldn't be much of a problem with killing off this earlier character.

"Teddy Z" was a young talent agent fresh out of the mail room. But fifteen years later, he's probably parlayed his networking skills to rise up the corporate ladder. Maybe he's even sold out and/or burned out in a spectacular example of the fickle rise-and-fall in Tinseltown. Fifteen years is a long time in Hollywood's short attention span, after all.

So like many of the other characters I've considered to be passengers on board the SS Poseidon, maybe Teddy Zakalokis decided to take stock of his situation. Maybe he decided to go back to Greece, land of his forefathers, and find new meaning to Life.

Once the ship started sinking and he was about to become famous for a whole new reason, Teddy Z probably wished he was the one who had a stunt man, rather than some of his clients!

GEORGE & KATHERINE CALDER-YOUNG POPADOPOLIS (ALEX KARRAS & SUSAN CLARK) - 'WEBSTER'
Now that their adopted son, Webster Long, was grown up and out in the world on his own, the former football player and his wife (an ombudsman for Chicago) might have decided to relive the event where they first met. On a cruise to Greece, these two strangers felt their mutual attraction was so strong and just so right that they immediately got married before the cruise was over.

But on this trip down "Memory Lake", they probably never expected to go down with the ship!

This could actually be the background story for a proposed revival of 'Webster'. But this time, the grown-up would have to face Life on his own, now that he had been orphaned a second time. And you wouldn't have to rehire Emmanuel Lewis for the role; any up-and-coming young black actor could fill the bill.

In fact, unless he's making good money from Bravo's 'Celebrity Poker', Dule Hill should be needing a job soon with 'The West Wing' winding down.....

I'm just sayin', is all; throwing the idea out there, free of charge.

LARRY DALLAS (RICHARD KLINE) - 'THREE'S COMPANY'
TV characters can come back all the time, either in reunion specials and movies, or even as guest stars in other TV shows. (A good example of that would be Alan Brady, who appeared on 'Mad About You' over thirty years since his last appearance on 'The Dick Van Dyke Show'.)

But I don't think it's likely that Larry Dallas will resurface. And if he was on the Poseidon, he definitely wouldn't resurface!

After all, 'Three's Company' survived with the loss of Suzanne Somers as Chrissie, and with the Ropers being spun off to their own short-lived sitcom.

But the death of John Ritter dealt a death-blow to any hopes that the series might one day be revived. What could they do without Jack Tripper to lead the way?

So Larry Dallas - whose family name was really Dallipoulos, - might have been a passenger. And keeping true to his nature, he might have been there courtesy of some aging dowager who kept him as her gigolo. In that respect, he might have taken advice from Sue Ann Nivens ('The Mary Tyler Moore Show') who had plenty of experience in that type of voyage.......

THE PORTAKOLIS FAMILY (NIA VARDALOS, ET AL) - 'MY BIG FAT GREEK LIFE'
It's nothing personal. I never even saw the movie. But I know the film had a lot of fans who wish this attempt to cash in on its success never existed. Letting the televersion of Clan Portakolis perish might bring closure to those fans.

And a few chuckles to sick bastids such as myself!

ARNOLD HORSHACK (RON PALILLO) - 'WELCOME BACK, KOTTER'
Okay, this one is personal. It's not Palillo's fault. I liked the character. I think he's a true classic and an original.

Blame Dr. Nafe Katter, formerly head of the drama department at the University of Connecticut. He used to throw his pet student's success on the sitcom in our face all the time.

There are characters out there who might have had reason to be on board the Poseidon, but there's no way in Hades the Powers That Be here in the Real World would allow them to do so.

DR. FRASIER CRANE (KELSEY GRAMMER) - 'CHEERS' & 'FRASIER'
Dr. Frasier Crane had Greek relatives on his father's side, (exemplified by Patti LuPone as his shrewish aunt), and perhaps he took his new bride on a trip to Greece to see the origins for that branch of the family. (I'd like to think that he'd be married to Laura Linney's character by now.)

However, 'Frasier' is a powerhouse of a character, and he didn't last long enough to tie the record set by James Arness as Matt Dillon on 'Gunsmoke' to be killed off now. (Although he might have appreciated noting the irony in a Katherine Ann Porter sort of way.) There's always a chance Kelsey Grammar might bring the character back to the airwaves in the future, so we'll leave him off the passenger list.

JESSE KATSOPOLIS (JOHN STAMOS) - 'FULL HOUSE'
Although I can't splain it, there is definitely a fascination with the Olsen Twins out there in the Real World. And I have great faith in the return of 'Jake In Progress' starring John Stamos, buttressed by his current stint as a paramedic on 'ER'.

So I wouldn't bet against a 'Full House' and cash in his chips as Jesse Katsopolis. He might have finally made it big as a musician and as such, he would have been able to take his wife on the cruise after visiting his family's country of origin. Or at least maybe he got a gig on board the Poseidon in the house band for Jak's Lounge.

Play "The Morning After" one mo' time!

BALKI BARTOKOMOUS (BRONSON PINCHOT) - 'PERFECT STRANGERS'
Yes. I'm serious, I'm not being "ridikalas".

I don't think the network suits would want to kill off Balki because there might always be a reason to bring him back with his cousin Larry Appleton for a sequel to 'Perfect Strangers'.

Stranger things have happened in the world of Television, you know.

But if there's any hope, maybe as the ship passed his home on the Isle of Mypos, maybe Balki was overcome with homesickness and jumped overboard.

Or better yet, Larry tossed him over the side........

Well, it's time for nappies. Looks like that's all I have time for before the movie premieres tonight on NBC at 8 PM EST. (I'm so shameless!)

But I still have more to go - including the possible passengers who could have escaped without anybody else realizing it. And the missing links to TV shows, past and present.

Stay tuned!

NBCnU!
Tele-Toby

"THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE": PASSENGER MANIFEST II

TV characters from years past may have long outlived the actors who portrayed them. But the time finally comes when by all realistic measurements of mortality we should make our goodbyes to their memory. (Unless of course they're Time Lords or witches or demi-gods, etc.......)

Here are a few of those TV characters who might have had good reason to be on board the S.S. Poseidon......

PETER STAVROS (CESAR ROMERO) - 'FALCON CREST'
and
DETECTIVE STAVROS (GEORGE "DEMOSTHENES" SAVALAS) - 'KOJAK'
After he divorced Angela Channing, the matriarch of the Falcon Crest Vineyards, Peter Stavros returned to his native Greece.

But perhaps the holidays this year marked a special time in his life. It could have been his birthday, a landmark year; the anniversary for the founding of his company, perhaps. The cruise was to last a month, so there's plenty of opportunities in that time span for something to crop up.

And in order to celebrate in a grand manner, Peter Stavros might have invited family members from all over the world - even distant cousins such as retired detective Stavros, a poor schlub from New York City's 13th Precinct.

LUCY & RICKY RICARDO (LUCILLE BALL & DESI ARNAZ) - 'I LOVE LUCY' & 'THE LUCY-DESI COMEDY HOUR'
I'd like to think that the marriage of the Ricardos far out-lasted that of the actors who played them. And perhaps Ricky finally succumbed to his wife's plaintive whining that he never took her anywhere - and going down to the club just wasn't going to suffice.

So remembering only the good times from their cruise to Europe, and how it was an ocean cruise to Havana that first brought Lucy into his life, perhaps Ricky sprang for a trip aboard the Poseidon.

He should have probably stayed closer to home on board the Pacific Princess!

After all those years together, Ricky probably figured Lucy had something to do with the ship capsizing. "Lucy! You got some splainin to do!" he'd cry out as the water rose up to their necks.

And just before she'd go under for the last time, Lucy would curl up her lip to make that spidery expression and say, "Ewwwwwwwwwww......"

DR. HARRY WESTON (RICHARD MULLIGAN) - 'EMPTY NEST'
Retired from his Miami practice, and with the probable death of his doofus of a dog Dreyfuss, Dr. Weston might have cajoled his buddy Charley Dietz to set him up with a good deal on an ocean cruise.

If that's how he found himself on board, then maybe Dr. Weston has only himself to blame. After all this time, he should have realized he was only going to get screwed over if Charley was involved.

And if Charley had assured him that the trip would be perfectly safe, it's not his fault. He probably had no choice but to channel his inner Joe Isuzu......

BUFFY DAVIS (ANISSA JONES) - 'FAMILY AFFAIR'
Anissa Jones died from a drug overdose when she was about eighteen years old. That doesn't mean her character of Buffy had to die at the same time, leaving her brother Jody to grieve the loss of his twin. Buffy might have grown up to find love, raise a family, become a success in the corporate world, sue Mr. French for abuse.

But there's no guarantee a TV character will live to a ripe old age off-screen. And eventually Buffy Davis might have met a sad end just like the actress who portayed her so many years ago.

The only difference would be that Buffy had no choice over how she died.......

BARNABY JONES (BUDDY EBSEN) - 'BARNABY JONES'

Here's another example of a TV character long retired who might have been on board the Poseidon to enjoy his golden years. (See the last post re: Charlie Hume and Miss Ellie.)

But Barnaby Jones might have been on the case. If the Riddler was on the ship in hopes of making a big score (Again, see the last post.), maybe the gray panther gumshoe was hot on his trail.

TED BAXTER (TED KNIGHT) - 'THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW'
There are two compelling reasons as to why I would never consider the former anchorman for WJM in Minneapolis for inclusion on the SS Poseidon.

First off, I'd like to think that despite being "such a boob", I think Ted would have been still married to Georgette Franklin. And as played by Georgia Engel, Georgette was so sweet and so "damned nice" that I would hate to think she perished at sea as well. And who knows? If there is ever yet another reunion movie for 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show', Georgette Franklin Baxter might show up in it as a widow, as Simka Gravas did in an episode of 'The Tony Danza Show'.

The second reason why Ted Baxter probably wasn't on board the SS Poseidon?

He's too cheap to have paid for the trip.

Okay, I've got a few more ideas about the passenger manifest for 'The Poseidon Adventure'.

Stay tuned!

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

"THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE": PASSENGER MANIFEST I

New York City, or rather 'The Naked City', has 8 millions stories. Look at how many of them are walking around in the montage for the opening credits of 'The Odd Couple'.

The starship Enterprise had over 400 crew members during its five year mission for the original 'Star Trek'. Uncle Martin O'Hara left behind a whole civilization on Mars - several different intelligent species, in fact! - when he was stranded here on Earth as 'My Favorite Martian'.

Even in the small towns which are the settings for soap operas, like Harmony, Llanview, and Genoa City, characters keep marrying from within the same group of people. And in cases like that of Erica Kane in Pine Valley on 'All My Children', they keep marrying those same people over and over and over again.

Get in the car and do some traveling, people! Those other characters in town have lives as well, you know.

In their review for 'The Poseidon Adventure' (NBC tonight, 11/20, 8 PM EST), the Hollywood Reporter mentions "the thousands of others who are washed into oblivion by torrents of water".

According to the Hallmark Channel website, the ocean liner was carrying 2500 passengers and 1200 crew members. In the interconnected universe of Earth Prime-Time, surely we've seen some of those characters before?

That's why I think 'The Poseidon Adventure' will serve the needs for Toobworld nicely; helping us to bid farewell to many TV characters whom we know will never get the chance to appear on our TV screens ever again. Some of these characters were in TV series that have no hope of ever being revived - and even if they were, the shows would most likely be recast, and thus the series would be thrust into an alternate TV dimension.

Sadly, most of these characters must be considered forever gone because the actors who played them have passed away. This year alone has seen an extraordinary amount of TV legends leave us, both the actors and their fictional alter egos. 2005 still has more than a month to go, and I'm sure we'll be seeing even more actors listed in the obits who have given us so many years of pleasure with the memorable characters they created.

So why not let some of these characters go out in a blaze of glory as passengers on board the SS Poseidon? Even if we never got a chance to see them during the TV movie, it could still be argued that they were on board but at a different part of the ship. After all, you can't squeeze all 2500 "background artistes" (as Andy Millman describes 'Extras') into a scene - unless you were doing some kind of arena stadium overview.

Since Howard Morris passed away earlier this year, if I wanted to say Ernest T. Bass from Mayberry ('The Andy Griffith Show') was on board the Poseidon, who's to say I'm wrong?

Well, I would be the first, because that's just a ridiculous idea. (As the Poseidon sails past the Isle of Mypos one day out of Athens, I can hear the cry now: "Don't be ridikalas!")

There are certain classic TV characters played by actors who died this year who could never be on board ship since they existed (or will exist) in different time periods. Characters like General Burkhaldter, Doc MacPheeters, and Commander Montgomery Scott. A character like Perry White as played by Lane Smith in 'Lois & Clark' would be found in a different TV dimension; the Perry White from 'The Adventures of Superman' is the accepted Toobworld version, and he must have passed away decades ago.

And despite an interest in paying tribute to Thurl Ravenscroft, the idea of Tony the Tiger being on board the Poseidon is right out!

But there are plenty of other TV characters we could include among those 2500 passengers on board the Poseidon, and not all of them have to be connected to actors who passed away this year.

(Speaking of 'All My Children', there was no need to consider Phoebe Wallingford, as played by the late Ruth Warrick, for this list. Her character's passing was honored in a memorial service on the show.)

Here are just a few of the ideas that I had.....

MAXWELL SMART (DON ADAMS) - 'GET SMART'
Since Homeland Security was on board the ship, perhaps CONTROL asked their former Chief, Agent 86, to come out of retirement and work the case as well. Since Agent 99 is now a Congresswoman, she might not have been able to get away from her duties in the House of Representatives to accompany him on this "Voyage of the Darned", and so her life would have been spared.

On the show, Max had plenty of experience disguised as a waiter, so he would have had no problems fitting in (that is, no more than would have been usual for him) and loving it. Once the ship flipped and Max found himself underwater, he may have been electrocuted when his Blackberry shoe (Would you believe an iShoe?) shorted out.

There may have been a chance for him to survive, but he missed it by that much......

OLIVER & LISA DOUGLAS (EDDIE ALBERT & EVA GABOR) - 'GREEN ACRES'
Having finally retired yet again from the Hooterville farm life, "Oleevar" might have taken his lovely wife Lisa back to Hungary to visit her relatives back home. And as an anniversary present, perhaps he surprised her with this month-long cruise aboard the Poseidon before they headed home to America.

As the ship overturned, it could be that the final thought going through Oliver Wendell Douglas' mind was "Farm living really WAS the place to be!"

ELEANOR SOUTHWORTH EWING (BARBARA BEL GEDDES) - 'DALLAS'
and
CHARLIE HUME (MASON ADAMS) - 'LOU GRANT'
No, I'm not suggesting that they were traveling together! I listed them together because they could have shared a common reason as to why they were on the Poseidon. They might have both been on the ocean voyage as a way to enjoy their golden years.

Miss Ellie would have been able to get away from the constant petty squabbling among her clan back at the Southfork Ranch; while Charlie and his wife could have been finally taking that dream vacation now that he had retired from as the Managing Editor of the Los Angeles Tribune.

Of course, neither of them would have realized that when it comes to dream vacations, nightmares are dreams as well.....

PETE THORNTON (DANA ELCAR) - 'MACGYVER'
Despite his blindness, Pete Thornton might have still been involved in covert operations for the Phoenix Foundation. And what better cover than a blind man taking a recuperative cruise?

In some way not seen in the TV movie, perhaps Pete would have been working with Mike Rogo of Homeland Security, coordinating information... information... information. Or perhaps he was even with Maxwell Smart (despite the fact that he resembled Smart's former boss at PITS in "The Nude Bomb".)

CATHY SHUMWAY (DEBRALEE SCOTT) - 'MARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN' & 'FOREVER FERNWOOD'
You have to feel sorry for Cathy. Trapped in the small town of Fernwood, Ohio, she was probably still unlucky in love after all these years. Now in her early fifties, Cathy may have decided to go for broke and take this cruise in hopes of finding her true love.

But unlike Marcia Brady on 'The Brady Bunch' (and it's always "Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!"), the only Davy Jones whom Cathy would meet has a locker at the bottom of the ocean.......

THE RIDDLER (FRANK GORSHIN) - 'BATMAN'
When is the SS Poseidon similar to ice cream?
When it's a float! Holy Ruby Yacht of Omar Kayam, Batman!

I haven't yet finished reading my copy of the script for this new version of 'The Poseidon Adventure' (Thanks, Bryce!), so I don't know if there's any valuable gem kept in the purser's safe, as there was in the movie "Titanic". But rather than wait for it to arrive in Gotham City, as he first did for the Moldavian stamp collection, the Riddler might have instead boarded the Poseidon to intercept its journey.

Sailing under the alias of Edward Nigma, the Riddler would have thus avoided being inevitably foiled by the Dynamic Dum-Dums by keeping out of their jurisdiction.... even if Batman and Robin were probably collecting Social Security pension by now in the main TV dimension.

And as the ship sank beneath the waves, perhaps the Riddler felt a cold sensation as if he had somehow gone through all of this before. Because half a century before, a man named Dan Wesker, who looked just like the Riddler, went through the exact same disaster, thanks to a German U-boat. (See the TV movie 'Golaith Awaits' for more details.)

GILLIGAN (BOB DENVER) - 'GILLIGAN'S ISLAND'
Looking through the roster for the crew, there were 1200 jobs on board that could be filled by working class heroes of TV Land.

Maybe Gilligan finally decided after all these decades to finally step out from the shadow of the Skipper (That's a big shadow!) and get back to sailing the ocean blue. Even if Our Little Buddy's skills as a mighty sailing man had miraculously improved with Time, it would still be the worst maritime decision since the Ancient Mariner shot that albatross out of the sky!

I don't want to make this manifesto any longer than it is. But I have plenty of other ideas to share about the other passengers and crew of the Poseidon, including a few folks who probably even got away without anybody being the wiser!

So I'll save those for the next few entries. Hopefully I'll get them finished before the movie begins tonight at 8 pm EST on NBC!

(If I were to drown, would I say "Glub glub glub" or "Plug plug plug"?)

BCnU!
Tele-Toby
~~~~~~~~

"THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE": UPON THE FARTHER SHORE

One of the basic rules of Toobworld is that a character's life continues after his or her show is no longer broadcast. Just because we can't see them anymore, that doesn't mean they go into stasis until revived for some future reunion special.

But when do their lives finally do end? Do they die at the same time as the actors who portrayed them? I'd like to think even then they continue to thrive; it's just that we won't ever have the chance to see them grace our Television screens ever again. (Unless some producer figures we don't care at home who plays the role.)

However, eventually everyone has to die - among the mortal characters anyway. And it would be nice to think that it could be somehow tied into a Televisual moment.

And sometimes just such a moment arrives that can help us say good-bye to a whole slew of characters.

Back in November of 2001, I published an essay in the Tubeworld Dynamic about the possibility that some long-missing TV characters - whether due to series cancellation or because of the deaths of the actors - might have perished in the televersion of the World Trade Center.

For example, perhaps John Kelly of 'NYPD Blue' became a security expert for some financial corporation after he left the force. Maybe the entire staff of 'Empire' were at work on one of the upper floors when the planes struck.

I tried to write the piece respectfully because of the real people who passed away, but I was still considered a ghoul for even considering it.

And yet here we are less than five years later, and the wife of Mac Taylor from 'CSI: NY' perished on 9/11. Samantha Spade of 'Without A Trace' got shot in the leg due to some widower lashing out in grief over the loss of his wife in the collapse. The various crews on the 'Third Watch' had to deal with the loss of their comrades who rushed in to save others. Just about every dramatic series on TV since that awful day has addressed the issue in a fictional sense.

So was I being ghoulish? Or was it all a matter of timing? How come nobody ever seems to care that so many TV characters were on board the Titanic in Toobworld? Or at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese struck? If all the fictional characters who claimed to be in Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1964, really were there, the President's motorcade might never have made it through.

Tonight, a major disaster will again be presented in Toobworld. But this time it's a fictional event - 'The Poseidon Adventure' on NBC beginning at 8 pm EST. According to the website for the Hallmark Channel (who will eventually be showing the full four-hour version of the mini-series), the ocean liner will be carrying 2500 passengers and 1200 crew members for a month-long cruise out of Athens.

But the mini-series will be focused on only about a dozen or so major characters.

Later today I'll post my ideas about who else might be on board this coming New Year's Eve when the ship capsizes. And who's to say we're wrong? Many of my choices were either portrayed by actors now deceased themselves, or they were part of TV shows no one is likely to ever revive.

So while you're watching 'The Poseidon Adventure' tonight on NBC (8 PM Eastern, 7 PM Central), keep an eye on those other passengers you see in the background before they become fish food.

You never know..... One of them might be a member of 'The Colbys'!

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

"THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE": TIMING IS EVERYTHING

I'm not sure if this is standard knowledge among the Faithful, but the Toobworld chronology for any TV show is based upon when it was first broadcast, unless otherwise stated. Obviously, shows like 'Star Trek' are set in the far future, while Westerns can generally be fixated around the 1880's.

With 'The Poseidon Adventure', making its U.S. network premiere tonight on NBC at 8 PM EST, we know it's set on a specific date - this coming New Year's Eve. (Hey! It's 'The Poseidon Adventure'! You can make changes in characters, reasons for the capsize, etc., but some things should be held sacrosanct.)

However, had there been no established time-frame for the event, then it would be my opinion that 'The Poseidon Adventure' had already taken place.

As a four-hour mini-series, it has already debuted in Australia. I'd like to think that Toobworld is a global concept and therefore that broadcast - even though I didn't see it, (Harrumph!) - would have been the established moment in Time for the catastrophe.

Like I said, it's a moot point as far as 'The Poseidon Adventure' goes. But this has happened before. Just this past summer, one of my favorite TV shows of this past year played out on the Sundance Channel - 'Slings & Arrows'. It was new to me, but it had been broadcast on Canadian Television back in 2003.

So for the Toobworld Timeline, action movie star Jack Crewe appeared as Hamlet at the New Burbage Shakespeare Festival in 2003, not during the summer of 2005 as would have been assumed by the show's American presentation.

Clear as mud, right?

BCnU!
Tele-Toby