SHOE'S VIEWS

My friend and little buddy, Sean Shoe Hand, fellow Iddiot and father to my god-daughter, wrote to me from Taiwan with this observation of the finale to Volume Two of 'Heroes':

Watching the season finale, "Powerless", I noticed two small maybe clues to a larger Heroes story. Micah already, albeit jokingly, referred to his cousin Monica Dawson, as "just like Saint Joan" the hero on the cover of issue 10 of 9th Wonders...

Well, I wouldn't be surprised if she turns out to be, but what I find interesting is that in Issac Mendez's drawing she's holding a knife that bears a striking resemblance to the one on display in the vault, among the Company's treasures.

Looks like a lot of folks noticed that as well, based on my googling of 'St. Joan', 'Heroes', and 'knife'.....

Well, I didn't notice it at all. In fact, I never saw the playing cards or the black pyramid or the key in that vault. All I saw was the brain. And all I could think was "Braiiiiinnnnnssssss".

Made me hungry......

Thanks for pointing it out, Sean! I can't catch everything.

BCnU!
Toby OB

"REAPER" SHE ZONKED

In a recent 'Reaper' episode, Bert "Sock" Wysocki used 'Murder, She Wrote' as his alibi. For the audience viewing at home, O'Bviously it was supposed to be a reference to the TV show starring Angela Lansbury.

But that doesn't work for Toobworld. Even though the two shows are wildly different in tone and subject matter, 'Murder, She Wrote' and 'Reaper' share the same TV world.

There's an easy splainin, however. (I wish I had an Easy Button for splainins!)

For Sock, "Murder, She Wrote" is not a TV show. It's a biography of Jessica Fletcher (a member of the TV Crossover Hall of Fame, by the way). Mrs. Fletcher has been around long enough as a best-selling author, and one who solved almost 200 murders at that, to warrant such scrutiny. (Hopefully it hasn't been in her memory!)

And that closes the book on that Zonk!
BCnU!
Toby OB

GOLDEN WHITE

Betty White appeared as herself in this week's episode of 'Ugly Betty' - but don't look for any connection between the show's title and the guest star!

Ms. White's got quite a resume of appearances as part of the League of Themselves in Earth Prime-Time. Not only in the main Toobworld, but in the Tooniverse (with two appearances in 'The Simpsons' and one for 'Family Guy') and in Earth Prime-Time/MOTW as well.

Never heard of that one? Earth Prime-Time/MOTW is the world of the TV movies of the week in which there is a line of succession in the United States Presidency that is far different from the one shared by the real world and most of the TV dimensions.

Betty White appeared as herself in a great two-part TV movie back in the early 1970s, "Vanished" which was based on the book by Fletcher Knebel. Richard Widmark appeared as President Roudebusch whose administration was plagued by the mysterious disappearance of one of his top aides. (I'm hoping someday somebody will finally release this on DVD - jam-packed with great character actors!)

Here's the rundown of her League of Themselves appearances in Toobworld:

EARTH PRIME-TIME

"Ugly Betty"

- Bananas for Betty (2007) TV episode .... Herself

"I'm with Her"
- Meet the Parent (2003) TV episode .... Herself

"The John Larroquette Show"

- Here We Go Again (1996) TV episode .... Herself

"The Naked Truth"
- Star and Comet Collide! Giant Bugs Invade! (1995) TV episode .... Herself

- Elvis Is Coming! (1995) TV episode .... Herself

"Matlock"
- The Network (1987) TV episode .... Herself

"Madame's Place"

- Episode #1.19 (1982) TV episode .... Herself

"The Odd Couple"
- Password (1972) TV episode .... Herself

"O'Hara, U.S. Treasury"

- Operation: Lady Luck (1972) TV episode .... Herself

EARTH PRIME-TIME/MOTW

"Vanished" (1971) (TV) .... Herself

THE TOONIVERSE

"The Simpsons"
- Homerazzi (2007) TV episode (voice) .... Herself

- Missionary: Impossible (2000) TV episode (voice) .... Herself

"Family Guy"
- Peterotica (2006) TV episode (voice) .... Herself

That's quite a list! TV characters with far less credits are already inducted into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame, so there's something wrong with the fact that she's not in there yet herself.

Therefore, I'm letting the faithful know that in the Class of 2008, Betty White will finally enter that not-so-hallowed hall.

BCnU!
Toby OB

WGA STRIKE REMINDER

A couple of updates/news stories regarding the writers' strike:

UNITED HOLLYWOOD

DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD DAILY

Looks like the AMPTP will be playing hardball soon.

Keep strong, WGA! Right makes Might! S'right!

And to show your support, click on Stubby:

BCnU!
Toby OB

ECCE PROMO: TORCHWOOD HEROES

The UK has finally reached the conclusion of the first season of 'Heroes' ("Volume One") on BBC2 and now they can look forward to the return of 'Torchwood' in January.

To celebrate both, BBC2 broadcast a nice bit of Toobworld mash-up combining both shows for a promo that aired a few days ago.

Luckily for American televisiologists, a fan has put the blipvert up on YouTube.

I'll bet there are a lot of slash fanficcers out there who will use this to kick off their crossover porn.....
BCnU!
Toby OB

WHEN THE TARDIS IS ZONKIN'....

When 'EastEnders' showed up on the TV screen in the "Army of Ghosts" episode of 'Doctor Who', I wasn't too concerned. After all, for the time being we're watching an alternate TV dimension's Doctor, not the one from the main Toobworld. (Although the general storyline remains similar between the two versions.) So in that dimension, 'EastEnders' is just a TV show, which means the RTD version of 'Doctor Who' shares the same TV dimension as 'Hot Metal', 'Extras', and 'Gimme Gimme Gimme'.

I realize it wasn't very good, but "Children In Need" presented a crossover between 'EastEnders' and 'Doctor Who' back in 1993 which I consider canon. (Even if some 2013 aspect of Albert Square was later contradicted by 'EastEnders' itself, I'm fairly certain a splainin could be found for it.) That "Dimensions In Time" vignette serves as proof that 'EastEnders' and 'Doctor Who' can share the same TV dimension.

However, now comes word that 'EastEnders' filmed a few scenes at a fictional 'Doctor Who' exhibit supposedly at St. Paul's Cathedral. Apparently as part of their honeymoon(?), Bradley and Stacey visited "Doctor Who - The Time Lord Revisited" because Bradley is something of a 'Who' nut. When the scenes are broadcast sometime in the new year, audiences will see the couple alongside the TARDIS, Cybermen, a Dalek and even K-9.

So even though we can get around mentions of 'EastEnders' in 'Doctor Who', it gets a bit trickier if 'Doctor Who' gets mentioned in 'EastEnders' without losing the prime-time soaper to yet another TV dimension.

(Sounds like that old chocolate/peanut butter argument from the Reese's blipverts: "Hey! You got 'EastEnders' in my 'Doctor Who'!")

It's not that hard to conjure up a splainin, and in fact I've done it in the past - most references to 'Doctor Who' within another TV show which should be sharing the same reality are about the movies which starred Peter Cushing back in the 1960s. And for alls we know, there have been movies since then about "Doctor Who" in Toobworld featuring other actors. (This gives us an out in case specific actors are named.)

As to why there would be a movie about the Doctor, here's my theory: Some movie producer heard rumors of the Doctor's existence (It's not like he was hiding himself back when he visited London in the sixties and seventies.) and decided to cash in by making a movie about him. Of course, he didn't know all the specific details about the mysterious stranger and that's why the character is actually named "Doctor Who" in the movies. But he did know enough that he was able to get right such details as the Doctor zipping about in the TARDIS and having a grand-daughter (although he has two in the movie).

No need for Zonk-splainin when it comes to the presence of the Cybermen, K-9 and the Dalek at this exhibit because all of them would have been known to the general public of London due to past invasions or other encounters.

So making references to 'Doctor Who' as fiction within the world of Walford isn't a Zonk. Referring to 'EastEnders' as a soap opera while on board the TARDIS is.

Got it? Good.

BCnU!
Toby OB

WEISS GUYS

More proof that the world of the TV Universe has to include online content: the creators of the show 'The Pretender' want to bring it back "in a whole new form, in a digital form and in a digital platform." So says Steven Long Mitchell, who was partnered with Craig Van Sickle in the show's creation. (Am I assuming "digital form in a digital platform" means the internet and iPhones etc. or is there something else on the horizon I'm unaware of?)

Van Sickle also said that it may come back with Michael T. Weiss, but I guess if that falls through they'll be ready to go in a new direction. If so, I'm hoping they do NOT recast the role of Jarod, but instead create a new character with the same abilities and who is working with the legacy of what Jarod had done previously. Otherwise, as far as Toobworld is concerned (not that they'd ever worry about that!), the new version of 'The Pretender' would have to be shipped off to that TV dimension of remakes.

BCnU!
Toby OB

NEW @ TOOBWORLD CENTRAL - YES, AGAIN!

Got another delivery last night, from Amazon.com:

"Amahl And The Night Visitors"
This is the 1955 telecast of Gian Carlo Menotti's operetta. It's TV history, it's appropriate to the season, and it was first broadcast the year I was born - all reasons I knew I had to have a copy. I only have vague memories of it in one of its last re-broadcasts, but it could be I'm thinking of the 1963 remake (when the original was thought to be lost).

This operetta was before all Christmas specials had to be animation or yet another reworking of "Christmas Carol" or "It's A Wonderful Life". It was commissioned for Television, and served as the debut production for 'Hallmark Hall of Fame'.

This was back when there was still some hope on the East Coast that TV might be more than just Murrow's prediction of "wires in a box", back in the days of 'Studio One', 'Playhouse 90', and 'Omnibus'. I doubt it could be made today; remade, maybe.....

I better get off the soapbox. I'm getting a nosebleed.......

BCnU!
Toby OB

THE CINEVERSE: "THE DAY OF THE JACKAL"

While watching "The Day Of The Jackal" yesterday, I noticed the license plate on the Jackal's Alpha Romeo:
GE-161741

D'oh!

So close to a trifecta in getting a proper sequence of numbers from 'Lost'! If only it had been "GE-151642"!

Oh, well. It's in a movie world, anyway. Still and all, it's one of my favorite police procedurals of all time and I wish I could claim it for the TV Universe; Michel Lonsdale and Derek Jacobi made an excellent team for what could have been the earliest equivalent to a French 'Law & Order' series.
BCnU!
Toby OB

STRIKE UPDATE & REMINDER

Here's where everything stands as of Wednesday evening (December 5th):

The WGA Negotiating Committee, on behalf of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), today issued the following statement regarding Contract 2007 negotiations:

“The Writers Guilds met today with the AMPTP and discussed issues of jurisdiction for original content for the Internet, Reality TV, Animation, and Basic Cable. The talks also were focused on contract enforcement. For the last two days, we have had substantive discussions of the issues important to writers, the first time this has occurred in this negotiation. However, we are still waiting for the AMPTP to respond to all of our proposals, including Internet streaming of theatrical and television product and digital downloads. Bargaining resumes tomorrow at 10 a.m.”

If you want to help the witches - er, the writers, - click on the picture above. This will lead you to the site where you can make a donation to their pencil blitz campaign.

BCnU!

Toby OB

TUBULAR KNELLS: ANTON RODGERS

This morning I read of the death of British actor Anton Rodgers at the age of 74. Perhaps he's better known in the UK for the sitcoms 'Fresh Fields' and 'May To December', but for me there are two roles which always come to mind when I think of him.

Of course - to anyone who knows me - the first would be that of Number Two of "The Village" in "Schizoid Man", one of my favorite episodes of 'The Prisoner'. There's that veneer of urbanity, civility, in his ever so polite line readings that unnerves me. And it could be said that he was one of the few Number Twos who was able to defeat Number Six based on his own intelligence and not on dumb luck.

The other role is that of Jule Bernard in the original version of "The Day Of The Jackal". His is a pivotal role in that last forty minutes of the movie, one of the many people used by the Jackal in his quest to assassinate Charles DeGaulle.

And in one of those quirks of TV-related chance which I call "serendipiteevee", "The Day Of The Jackal" played on the Sundance Channel tonight. Mr. Rodgers is only in the film at best for ten minutes, but it served for the chance to say goodbye to the actor.

BCnU.....
Toby OB

SANTA GETS THE BENZ

I have no idea in which TV dimension he resides, but there's a Santa Claus out there in the TV Universe who has committed a felony this year!

As seen in the holiday blipvert for Mercedes Benz, the jolly old elf has built himself a new Mercedes Benz 4matic Sedan. There are counterfeit product squads in police departments across the country who have probably never seen a case like this on such a scale.

I'd suggest that maybe he's the Santa Claus of the Evil Mirror Universe made popular in the various 'Star Trek' series, but it's more likely that Santa is our recent inductee into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame. As played by Art Carney, it seems that every time we saw his Kris Kringle, the darkest of human nature was seen at work.

BCnU!
Toby OB

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER NEW @ T.C.

Mr. McFeely or Postman Pat (Well, he may as well be one of them in my world!) just dropped off yet another package:

"The Best Of The Broadway Musicals" (Original Cast Performances from 'The Ed Sullivan Show')

I got another package yesterday, but because I know of some folks who visit here on a regular basis, mum's the word!

BCnU!
Toby OB

CRUISING FOR ZONKS

In the latest episode of 'Chuck' ("Chuck vs. The Crown Vic"), the Nerd Herd were sent out to service the entertainment/computer equipment on board a yacht. Lester remarked that it reminded him of the Pacific Princess. However, the guy who represented the yacht's owner didn't understand the reference, so Chuck had to point out that Lester was talking about 'The Love Boat', much to Lester's chagrin.

Later at the Buy More, Big Mike saw Morgan in his jaunty yachter's cap and derisively called him "Captain Stubing".

So that made three employees of the Buy More who made references to 'The Love Boat' in the same episode; references to a TV show that should exist as "reality" in the world of 'Chuck'.

My theory is this (hearing the voice of Jim Dale saying that!):

A few years back, the employees of the Buy More somehow earned a cruise - weekend, day trip, not sure - on board the actual Pacific Princess, which is widely known by its nickname of "The Love Boat". And while on that cruise, something must have happened to Lester - probably a failed attempt to make a pass at someone else on board - about which the other Nerd Herders have incessantly ridiculed him. So just the mention of the phrase "The Love Boat" is anathema to Lester and he was hoping Chuck wouldn't mention it at all.

Now, by that time Captain Stubing had retired from active service as Captain of the Pacific Princess. But as was seen in the sequel series, 'The Love Boat: The Next Wave', he was still working for the corporation and every so often he would take a cruise on the Princess just to make sure everything was going smoothly.

Since the TV Universe is inundated with coincidence, it could be that Merrill Stubing was on board the Pacific Princess at the same time as the Buy More employees group. And probably because of whatever Lester did, Big Mike was called on the carpet before Stubing. Morgan Grimes probably was involved as well, which is how he understood the reference to "Captain Stubing" by his boss.

It's a theory that could serve as a reasonable splainin.

And if so, those Zonks are sunk.

BCnU!
Toby OB

NEW! NEW! NEW! @ TOOBWORLD CENTRAL

As I left Toobworld Central to go to the quatloo-paying job last night, I nearly tripped over three neatly stacked packages on my doorstep. Stuff arriving all the time here at TC and loving it!

Here's what's new for the vaults:

'The Adventures of Robin Hood' Volume One
I don't know why I thought this would be a full season, but it's only four episodes. Oh well. At least I have a taste for the series that represents the legend in the main Toobworld.

'Private Secretary' - Volume One
This also has only four episodes, but I was expecting that. All I've ever seen of Suzie MacNamara is her appearance on the first episode of 'The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour', so I wanted to see her in her own element - pay tribute to a character involved in the first TV crossover (so far as I can tell....)

'The Lone Ranger' - "The Legend Begins"
This is more like it! 32 episodes in all.

All of them I'll save up for the bad days ahead during the strike!

And I also got the trilogy package of the three Shrek films for my nephew's b'day or Christmas - whichever is closer to when I go back to visit around Christmas.

BCnU!
Toby OB

ROCASTLES ON THE AIR

While looking into the actors of the upcoming mini-series "Flood" to be seen on ION December 16th, I discovered that one of its actors - Pip Torrens (great name!) - played two different characters with the same last name......

"The Bill" (1999-2007)

- 273 (2004) TV Episode .... DI Rocastle

"Doctor Who" (2 episodes, 2007)

- The Family of Blood (2007) TV Episode .... Rocastle

- Human Nature (2007) TV Episode .... Rocastle

I've often stated in the past that the new production of 'Doctor Who' is located in a different TV dimension than its predecessor. However, the stories it's been telling have been happening in the main Toobworld anyway - but with slight adjustments.

And my usual examples are the deaths of Tony Blair, Harriet Jones as the Prime Minister, and the black US President in "Sound of Drums". (Since the black US President in the Cybermen two-parter from the previous season was already in an alternate TV dimension, there's no need to point out it wasn't Earth Prime-Time.)

So here in the main Toobworld, the Doctor and Martha Jones did indeed hide themselves from "The Family of Blood" in 1913. And that's where they met the tragic character of Rocastle.
We didn't really learn much about the man, but it's likely he had a family, a son to carry on the family name. And from that family bloodline in "Family of Blood", it's probable that DI Rocastle was a member of that family - especially considering the fact that both men genetically look so much alike.

BCnU!
Toby OB

By the way:
I've seen "Flood", and I will have a Toobworld-centric story about it soon......

SPOOKY JOURNEYMAN

Alan Sepinwall of the Star-Ledger said this about last week's 'Journeyman' in his blog:

Speaking of the FBI agent, how chilling was the moment where he starts ignoring Jack to mutter to himself about how "they" always need currency, implying -- as tachyon expert Dr. Langley suggested a few weeks ago -- there are always powerful men trying to track down and exploit time travelers?

That an FBI agent went rogue to investigate - perhaps at the behest of somebody more powerful - made me think of the private agenda for FBI agent Fox Mulder on 'The X-Files'. It was interesting to see it from the opposite point of view, and see how dangerous it could be. What if that had been Mulder? Would we have changed our allegiances within 'Journeyman'?
And speaking as a televisiologist who believes in Television without borders, and as a fan of TV crossovers... yeah. Wouldn't it be great to see David Duchovny guest star on this show as Fox Mulder? Some "Back To The Future" blending of Dan Vasser into the scenery from an episode of 'The X-Files' set in San Francisco would be needed so that we could see how Mulder has changed in looks from then to now. (I'm thinking of that "Hell Money" episode which guest starred B.D. Wong and Lucy Liu.)

Sadly, this will probably be a moot point too soon, but I'm sure the fanficcers out there will have a field day with the concept.

Toby OB

By the way, you can find the link to Alan's blog to the left, of course!

IF IT'S TYRA'S DAY, THIS MUST BE....

I got a note from Joe B., a telebloggin' buddy at I Am A TV Junkie with an important message. So I figured I'd spread the word about what to expect on Tuesday:

"It's Tyra Banks' birthday, and at IAmATVJunkie.com, we are celebrating with an entire day of Tyra-themed posts.

And why are we doing that? Because in the spirit of Tyra's two current TV properties, it's all about her."

So check out the "I Am A TV Junkie" blog tomorrow, Tuesday. As Joe says:

"It should be interesting. It may not be what Tyra expects (or wants for that matter) but it will be fun (for us)."

TUBULAR KNELLS: EVEL KNIEVEL

Evel Knievel was probably the Television inspiration for the type of performers you'd see on 'Jackass' and for extreme sports enthusiasts. Within the framework of the Toobworld timeline, maybe the tele-version of Evel was inspired by the Fonz when he skied over the shark!

Knievel passed away the other day at the age of 69, just days after working out a deal with Kanye West about the rapper's use of his image and style in music videos.

As a fictionalized version of himself, Evel Knievel could have fit into the format of any Glen Larson project. I could see him in some plotline for 'Knight Rider', 'The A-Team', even 'BJ And The Bear'.

But the show in which he did appear as himself was 'Bionic Woman', in which he was able to save Jamie Sommers behind the Iron Curtain in East Germany. One major difference between the True Evel and the Tele-Evel: the Evel on TV could speak "fluent" German.

At least, that's what we were shown and which we are supposed to believe. But those who can actually speak German were appalled by his use of the language (probably all of it spoken phonetically) and you can find examples of his linguistic butchering at several sites around the internet.

Still, we're also supposed to accept that back in the 1970s it was possible to have a bionic arm like Jamie - Hell! We're supposed to believe it can happen now with the new version of 'The Bionic Woman'! So why not believe that Evel could successfully pull off an impersonation of a native-speaking German?

BCnU!
Toby OB

TVXOHOF CLASS OF 2007

Now that the final member for the class of 2007 has been inducted into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame here at Toobworld Central, let's review the honorees:

JANUARY
Johnny Carson
'Here's Lucy'
'The Mary Tyler Moore Show'
'Cheers'

FEBRUARY
Florence Johnston
'The Jeffersons'
'Checking In'
'The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air'

MARCH
Lou Grant
'The Mary Tyler Moore Show'
'Lou Grant'
'Rhoda'

APRIL
The Doctor
'Doctor Who'
'Children In Need'
'Chelmsford 123'

MAY
Sarah Jane Smith
'Doctor Who'
'The Sarah Jane Adventures'
'K-9 And Company'


JUNE
Charlie Pace & Oceanic Airways
For Charlie: For Oceanic Airways:
'Lost'
'The Office' 'The War At Home'
'Alias' 'Chuck'

BIRTHDAY HONORS
Brigadier Alister Lethbridge-Stewart
'Doctor Who'
'Downtime'
'The Sarah Jane Adventures' (photograph only)

JULY
Bret Maverick
'Maverick'
'Bret Maverick'
'Young Maverick'

AUGUST
K9 & TARDIS
For K9: For the TARDIS:
'Doctor Who'
'The Sarah Jane Adventures' 'Red Dwarf'
'K9 And Company' 'Chelmsford 123'

SEPTEMBER
Russell T. Davies
'Doctor Who'
'Torchwood'
'The Sarah Jane Adventures'

OCTOBER
Frank Barone
'Everybody Loves Raymond'
Alka Seltzer Commercial
'Becker'

NOVEMBER
Gerald R. Ford & Betty Ford
'Dynasty'
'The Mary Tyler Moore Show'
"The Betty Ford Story"
'Dark Skies'
'That 70s Show'

DECEMBER
Alt. Santa
'The Twilight Zone'
"The Great Santa Claus Switch"
"The Night They Saved Christmas"

BCnU!
Toby OB

TVXOHOF, DEC. 2007: SANTA REDUX

Henry Corwin was a meek man who was down on his luck when some Higher Power chose him to be the new Santa Claus for his TV dimension back in the early 1960s. His new circumstances led to a mild altercation with the Law, but it was all soon straightened out. Soon after, he was led away by a team of magical reindeer to begin a new and more glorious chapter of his life - as Santa.

Apparently, Henry couldn't totally leave his past life as a human behind him. With his heart so full of the Christmas spirit, it looks like he offered his identical twin brother a place to live at - or rather, beneath - the North Pole. And of course, his brother hated him for it.

His twin brother was a failure in life as well, but especially as a magician. His stage name was "Cosmo Scam" and it looks as though he preferred to be known by this rather than by his given name in the Corwin family. He took his brother's offer, but for the next several years he fed his disgruntled hatred for everything that his brother now had as Santa Claus. Over time he made alliances with the creatures who lived underground who were known as Frackles (not to be confused with Fraggles), and with their help plotted against his brother.

In 1970, Cosmo Scam made his move and kidnapped Santa Claus. He left his twin brother down below in the caverns and then disguised himself so that he now looked like the real Santa. One by one he replaced the elves with Frackles but his plan was finally undone not only by the courage of the elves but by the overwhelming power of the Christmas Spirit. (The voggish monsters left to guard over Santa Claus were won over by the magic of Christmas. I guess their hearts grew two sizes that day as well.)

It would be more than another ten years before the Santa Claus of this TV dimension would face trouble again there at the North Pole. This time the threat came from land developers, intent on destroying the home of Christmas magic in their greedy quest for oil. But with the help of those who truly understood the meaning of Christmas, Santa Claus was able to save not only the North Pole but the actual holiday.

Despite the worst thrown against him by those anti-environmentalists (who probably had ties to Haliburton), Santa Claus made sure that Christmas came. It came just the same.

It's unlikely we'll ever see the Santa Claus of that TV dimension ever again, as the man who played him in our world has passed away. But Santa is one of those TV characters destined to live forever, so we can be sure he's still at his workshop at the North Pole in his particular dimension.

And there he'll stay, always looking like Ed Norton of the main Toobworld,and like Art Carney in our world.....
So that's why this TV dimension's Santa Claus has been singled out for the dubious honor of being inducted into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame for December, 2007.

Ho ho ho!

SHOWS CITED:
'The Twilight Zone' - "The Night Of The Meek"
'The Ed Sullivan Show' - "The Great Santa Claus Switch"
"The Night They Saved Christmas"

Merry Christmas to all and to all, a BCnU!
Toby OB

12/2007 TVXOHOF PREAMBLE

In 1999, the year in which the TV Crossover Hall of Fame was established, Santa Claus was inducted as December's member.

Back then, "The Tubeworld Dynamic" considered Toobworld to be just the one dimension, and that all TV shows belonged in it - even the cartoons and the remakes. Since then, because of shows like 'The West Wing' and 'Lois And Clark', and thanks to the concept behind 'Sliders', the wealth of TV shows have been distributed to alternate dimensions.

And the same holds true for Old Saint Nick.

There have been many portrayals of the "real" Santa Claus on TV over the years and the fact that there is more than one TV dimension helps splain away why most of them look so different from each other.

This is how we figure it:

If the real Santa Claus appears in a stand-alone production, that version can be considered the official Santa in some alternate dimension. Santa Claus as seen in comedy sketches are all lumped together in Skitlandia, where everybody's physiognomy can be radically altered from sketch to sketch. And all cartoon portrayals of Santa would be the same Jolly Old Elf living in the Tooniverse. (As for the puppetish Santa from the Rankin-Bass productions, he'd live in that stop-motion dimension that's needed for claymation characters and those action figures of 'Robot Chicken'.)

As for Santa's appearance in established TV shows, like 'Bewitched' and 'I Love Lucy', for the most part they are all the same Kris Kringle. Because he is a magical spirit being, he can appear as whomever the person looking at him imagines him to be. And that's why even within one show like 'Bewitched', Santa Claus can look like two different men.

But it's the general concept of Santa Claus that was inducted back in 1999. And in 2003 it was determined that the Santa Claus played by Charles Durning in five different TV productions would be the official portrait of Santa Claus in the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.

Still, there is one Santa Claus in an alternate TV dimension who has fulfilled the Hall's requirements of appearing in three different TV productions. He also has the distinction of being different from the other Santas in that originally he was a human known by another name. And besides using that gimmick from "The Santa Claus", he had the movie "Fred Claus" beat by decades by having a brother as well.

And that's the Santa Claus who will be inducted into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame this month!

HoHoHo!
Toby OB