WAY BACK GWEN

Gwen Stefani and her band No Doubt will be playing a different set of rockers, and in a different time period, on the May 11th episode of 'Gossip Girl'.

The episode is a flashback to the 1980s and will focus on the younger versions of Lily and Carol. And they'll be seen checking out a band called Snowed Out.

Snowed Out. No Doubt. Haha.

Still and all, another bit of trivia to add to Toobworld, under the fictional rock 'n' roll label.....

BCnU!
Toby O'B

AS SEEN ON TV: SENATOR JOE McCARTHY

SENATOR JOSEPH McCARTHY

AS SEEN IN:
"Citizen Cohn"

AS PLAYED BY:
Joe Don Baker

From Wikipedia:

Joseph Raymond McCarthy (November 14, 1908 – May 2, 1957) was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957. Beginning in 1950, McCarthy became the most visible public face of a period in which Cold War tensions fueled fears of widespread Communist subversion. He was noted for making claims that there were large numbers of Communists and Soviet spies and sympathizers inside the federal government and elsewhere. Ultimately, McCarthy's tactics and his inability to substantiate his claims led him to be discredited and censured by the United States Senate.

The term "McCarthyism," coined in 1950 in reference to McCarthy's practices, was soon applied to similar anti-communist pursuits. Today the term is used more generally to describe demagogic, reckless, and unsubstantiated accusations, as well as public attacks on the character or patriotism of political opponents.

BCnU!
Toby O'B

MAIL CALL: TECH TALK

I got an interesting e-mail from MediumRob, my blog-buddy from Britain (the link to "The Medium Is Not Enough" is to the left, dear reader!):

I think 'CSI: Miami' needs explaining in Toobworld. Although it's supposed to be set at the same time as 'CSI' and 'CSI: NY', the technology in it doesn't actually exist yet (the producers actually go to Microsoft's think tank for inspiration about what will be used in years to come). So I think you should see if there's a way some evil villain's special computing resources have ended up in use in the Miami PD but hasn't entered into usage in 'CSI' or 'CSI: NY'.
It was Rob who clued me in to the idea that Cylon technology (from the original 'Battlestar Galactica') has been incorporated into the original KITT on 'Knight Rider'. But I think in this case, it's just another example of the differences between Toobworld and the real world.

As I told Rob, Toobworld is far more advanced than the real world. Back in the early seventies, there as a secret CONTROL base on the Moon (as seen in 'Get Smart'). This was the site that suffered the nuclear waste dump explosion in one of the last moments of reality for 'Space: 1999'. (Most of the show took place in Commander Koenig's coma dream-world who survived the detonation - which was caused by some jerk using a laser cannon to write "7-Up" into the lunar surface.) And there have been androids living among the human population of Toobworld for the last forty-plus years. So I don't think there's any need to splain away the advanced technology on 'CSI: Miami'; it's just something that they have that the Miami PD would not.

As to why they have it and not their sister shows set in Las Vegas and New York City? For some reason, the Miami Police Department has a bigger budget. (They probably figure they need it, considering they have a serial killer preying on other serial killers at work in the area.....)

BCnU!
Toby O'B

BOOK 'EM, BOKONON

Kurt Vonnegut has his own televersion in Toobworld, thanks to his appearances in blipverts for Discover credit card, the Nissan Murano, and for TIAA-CREF. And as a writer, he shares something in common with Agatha Christie, Mark Twain, Shakespeare, and Stephen King, among others: he exists in the same world as his literary creations - at least the ones adapted for television.

Back in 1972, PBS presented "Between Time And Timbuktu" which combined many of Vonnegut's stories into one dramatic storyline. Jingle contest winner Stony Stephenson was blasted into the Chrono-Synclastic Infundibulum and wound up in all realities, past and present, at the same time.

At one point, he met the prophet Bokonon, author of "The Books Of Bokonon", on the island of San Lorenzo. Bokonon was a character in the novel "Cat's Cradle", and it was from that book which Detective Eric Delahoy of 'The Unusuals' (episode: "Crime Slut") read several passages, all of them excerpts from "The Books Of Bokonon".

In the real world, Kurt Vonnegut created Bokonon and his spiritual musings for the novel "Cat's Cradle". In Toobworld, Vonnegut recounted the true events of Ice Nine and Bokonon - even if they may have existed in an alternate TV dimension.

So even though Delahoy was reading a novel, the passages from "The Books of Bokonon" were real.

BCnU!
Toby O'B

AS SEEN ON TV: STALIN

JOSEPH STALIN

AS SEEN IN:
"Stalin"

AS PLAYED BY:
Robert Duvall

Today we're showcasing Joseph Stalin since today is May Day.

And we're showcasing him; definitely not honoring him.

Others who have portrayed the Soviet dictator on television include Jose Ferrer, Michael Caine, Brian Cox, Colin Blakely, Al Ruscio, David Burke, and Melvyn Douglas.

BCnU!
Toby O'B

TVXOHOF, O5/2009-A: LA LIZ

Traditionally, the TV Crossover Hall of Fame celebrates this month with a Queen of the May inductee, and this year will be no different even though we have a new member each week.

This week, from the League of Themselves, we have Elizabeth Taylor. She's not only a movie queen but also the Queen of Diamonds - White Diamonds, to be exact. In fact, an entire evening's line-up on CBS was once given over to being a plug for her White Diamonds fragrance with her appearance on four succeeding sitcoms.

Although he disapproved of the stunt, my Crossover comrade Thom Holbrook has all the details at his Crossovers & Spinoffs site.

As for my take? Meh. All's fair in love and Toobworld.

Here are the shows in which she played a fictional version of herself: Murphy Brown Feb 1996

Can't Hurry Love Feb 1996

High Society
The Family Jewels Feb 1996

The Nanny
Where's the Pearls? Feb 1996

Roseanne 1996

The Simpsons
Krusty Gets Kancelled May 1993

Here's Lucy
Lucy Meets The Burtons Sept 1970
Of course, 'The Simpsons' would be of her Tooniverse avatar.

And here are two others of interest:

The Sammy Davis, Jr. Show Jan 1966

What's My Line Nov 1954
Being connected to four series in one night puts her on a par with Luther Van Dam, Jerry Van Dyke's character from 'Coach'. But in his case, he actually made the appearance on all four shows in ABC's Vegas night. Still, even if she phoned in one appearance and used a stunt hand in another, for all intents and purposes it was La Liz connecting all four shows. Coupled with her other appearances, Elizabeth Taylor deserves to be the Queen of the May.

BCnU!
Toby O'B

AS SEEN ON TV: HENRY L. STIMSON

HENRY L. STIMSON

AS SEEN IN:
"Backstairs At The White House"

AS PLAYED BY:
Unknown

From Wikipedia:

Henry Lewis Stimson (September 21, 1867 – October 20, 1950) was an American statesman, who served as Secretary of War, Governor-General of the Philippines, and Secretary of State. He was a conservative Republican, and a leading lawyer in New York City. He is best known as the civilian Secretary of War during World War II, chosen for his aggressive stance against Nazi Germany, with responsibility for the Army and Air Force. He managed the conscription and training of 12 million soldiers and airmen, the purchase and transportation to battlefields of 30 percent of the nation's industrial output, the building of the atomic bomb and the decision to use it.

He served in the administrations of Taft, Wilson, Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, and Truman.

The actor who played Stimson in the mini-series had only one line and received no credit.

BCnU!
Toby O'B

ANY MAJOR TOOB WILL TELL YOU III

Hey hey, it's your deejay Run-TOB3 and we're taking requests!

This is going out for my blog-buddy Ivan, who wanted to hear Steely Dan performing "Peg".

"Peg" was the kick-off for their appearance on 'Today' in Rockefeller Center, May, 2000. Katie Couric interviews them before the song:



And as a bonus, here's another song from that 'Today' set, "Black Friday", with an introduction by Florence Henderson!



BCnU!
Toby O'B

ANY MAJOR TOOB WILL TELL YOU II

Here are a couple more Steely Dan appearances from TV. Going back even farther to 1973, when they appeared on 'The Midnight Special'.

Even though this song closes out the show, I thought I'd start with "Reelin In The Years":



And here, they "Do It Again":



I think David Palmer got that shirt from the Sixth Doctor!

BCnU!
Toby O'B

ANY MAJOR TOOB WILL TELL YOU

No splainin why, but I'm on a bit of a Steely Dan kick via YouTube this morning. So I thought I'd share a few of their songs as performed on Television - of course!

First up - Becker & Fagen and Co. close out 'Today' in Rockefeller Center with "Kid Charlemagne":



And then we have Steely Dan on David Letterman's 'Late Show', with a song from their first recording in 20 years, 'Cousin Dupree':



Steely Dan - my all-time favorite band. And although I already liked them back in the day, it was "Cousin Joel" Fontanella who really got me hooked into them.

BCnU!
Toby O'B

INTRODUCING: ZACH NICHOLS

Sunday night saw the introduction of a new character into Dick Wolf's corner of Toobworld. Jeff Goldblum joined the cast of 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent' as Detective Megan Wheeler's new partner, Zach Nichols.

So far, we don't know much about Nichols. He used to be Captain Danny Ross' partner, but he's been on "sabbatical" for the last seven years. (Captain Ross would say only of those intervening years that he got a postcard from Nichols, sent from Cleveland.)

I'm sure as time goes on, we'll learn more about why Nichols left the force, and where he went, what he did during those seven years.

But it is tempting to speculate.....

First off, Cleveland. I know this would NEVER be suggested on the show, but maybe he got involved with Buffy Summers and her Scooby gang while there. (It was suggested by Giles in the final episode of 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' that they might go to Cleveland, where there was another Hellmouth.)

I'd like to think he also went out to Los Angeles, where he learned from Lt. Columbo; gained skills in figuring out who the suspect was right away. (In the early years of the show, we'd see the process 'Columbo' went through in determining the guilty party, but by the end - most notably in "Murder With Too Many Notes" - the Lieutenant seemed to just zero in on the killer for no other reason than he was the biggest guest star.)

Like I said, we'll probably learn more as Jeff Goldblum settles into the role, so these two ideas are probably moot.

But then again, seven years is a long time to account for.....

BCnU!
Toby O'B

Z TRAIN, BOSS, Z TRAIN!

"The Third Man"
"West Side Story"
"Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins"

Do you know what those movies have in common?

They were all filmed at locations that technically no longer exist.

"The Third Man" takes place in Vienna right after WWII, when it was a bombed-out ruin. "West Side Story" was set in the slums that were later razed; Lincoln Center stands now in their place. And "Remo Williams" engaged in a big fight sequence on the scaffolding that surrounded the Statue of Liberty during its renovation twenty years ago.

I always like checking the establishing shots from shows like 'Naked City', 'Kojak', and 'The Odd Couple' because they serve as historical archives of a New York that no longer exists. Even more (relatively) recent shows like 'The Equalizer', 'Wiseguy', 'NYPD Blue', and 'Law & Order' already have scenes of places that are lost to history - most notably the World Trade Center.

A new cop procedural on ABC, 'The Unusuals', has provided such a shot, of something that will soon be extinct.

In last week's episode, Detective Allison Beaumont chased after the "Crime Slut" who had robbed the Brooklyn pawn shop where Beaumont was trying to pawn her jewelry. Beaumont turned the corner and peered down into the entrance of a Z train subway stop, but she lost the perp. Although that site may still serve as a subway station, it won't be for the Z train for very much longer. The MTA has announced draconian cuts to service to begin this summer if Albany doesn't come through with a bailout. One of those cost-cutting measures will be the elimination of the Z line, which runs from Brooklyn to Fulton St. in lower Manhattan.

You can find just about everything in Wikipedia:

The J Nassau Street Express and Z Nassau Street Express (earlier Jamaica Express) are two rapid transit services of the B Division of the New York City Subway. They are colored brown, since they use the BMT Nassau Street Line in Lower Manhattan. The J runs at all times, while the Z only operates during rush hours in the peak direction; both services use the entire BMT Archer Avenue Line and BMT Jamaica Line from Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer over the Williamsburg Bridge to Lower Manhattan.

Rush hour service in the peak direction is express west of Myrtle Avenue, and the J and Z form a skip-stop pair east of Myrtle Avenue. During weekdays, the J and Z run to the southernmost station on the Nassau Street Line, Broad Street, but the J is cut back on weekends to Chambers Street. Broad Street and Fulton Street are thus the only two stations that are not served full-time.

BCnU!
Toby O'B

PUFF PIECE

After Jack Donaghy mentioned that he put his wedding announcement into "Cigar Afficionado" on last week's '30 Rock', the magazine was quick to post a story online that they do NOT publish wedding announcements. I guess they were afraid that people here in the real world would want to do the same thing.

They can protest it as much as they like, but the truth is that in the TV Universe, they DO publish wedding announcements. Just another trivial example of how Toobworld differs from the real world....

BCnU!
Toby O'B

AS SEEN ON TV: SENATOR EVERETT DIRKSEN

SENATOR EVERETT DIRKSEN

AS SEEN IN:
"Citizen Cohn"

AS PLAYED BY:
Fritz Weaver

From Wikipedia:

Everett McKinley Dirksen (January 4, 1896 – September 7, 1969) was a Republican U.S. Congressman and Senator from Pekin, Illinois. As Republican Senate leader he played a highly visible and key role in the politics of the 1960s, including helping to write and pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Open Housing Act of 1968, both landmarks of Civil Rights legislation. He was one of the Senate's strongest supporters of the Vietnam War.

BCnU!
Toby O'B

BEA GIRL: IT DOES NOT FEMPUTE!

RED SHIRT TALES

Since 'Star Trek' is known as a TV show in Toobworld, everybody is familiar with the concept of the red shirts. Boone brought it up in an episode of 'Lost' - that the person wearing the red shirt on the sci-fi series was bound to die.

Boone:

"Ever watch Star Trek?"

Locke:

"Nah, not really."

Boone:

"The crew guys that would go down to the planet with the main guys,

the captain and the guy with the pointy ears,

they always wore red shirts.

And they always got killed."

And 'Astro-Quest', the series that ripped off 'Star Trek' (as seen on 'CSI'), always had a red-shirt killed off in the first five minutes of an episode.

So how was it possible that Gilligan lasted as long as he did on the island?

Captain Franklin Howe, Rebecca's father, visited her at the bar 'Cheers', and he quickly grasped this situation:

"As a man who has thirty years of naval experience, I can say with all confidence that if that crew got together and shot Gilligan, they'd have been off that island in a week. Problem solved."

And yet Gilligan survived to finally escape the island (not "The Island") with the other six castaways.

He's probably dead now, however. The actor who played him, Bob Denver, passed away when he was 70 years old, and I think this is one case where it would be fitting if both of them left the world stage together.

And it would probably be safer for the world as well.....

BCnU!
Toby O'B

WISH-CRAFT: "MURDER, BEA WROTE"

Angela Lansbury on Bea Arthur:
"Bea Arthur and I first met when we did 'Mame' together in 1965. She became and has remained 'My Bosom Buddy' ever since. I am deeply saddened by her passing, but also relieved that she is released from the pain. I spoke to Matt, her son, yesterday and I was aware that her time was imminent. She was a rare and unique performer and a dear, dear friend."

Bea Arthur on Angela Lansbury:
"She was a class act and a real joy to work with. When I first met her I thought I was meeting this patrician, classically trained actor, but she has a mouth like a longshoreman. No kidding. She loved telling dirty limericks. She started in British music hall and taught me 'What Can You Get A Nudist For Her Birthday' and it's really saucy."

Many of Angela Lansbury's friends appeared on 'Murder, She Wrote' over the years, but never Bea Arthur. It could be that 'The Golden Girls' kept her too busy for her to ever get the chance. (And NBC may have put the kibosh on one of their stars making an appearance on a rival network, in much the same way CBS supposedly is keeping Kaley Cuoco from appearing on 'Grey's Anatomy'.)

But wouldn't it have been great to see them together on that long-running mystery series? And this being Toobworld, how could I resist suggesting that Bea Arthur appear in the series as Maude Findlay.

Perhaps she could have been suspected of Walter's death! Too many people over-heard her saying "God'll get you for that, Walter" and figured that she had to be the one to kill him.

And Jessica Fletcher just happened to be in Tuckahoe for a book signing and comes to the rescue....

Then again, I wouldn't want to have Bill Macy's character killed off in such a fashion. So why not invoke the "evil twin" cliche; have everyone think it was Walter who died, but instead it was somebody who looked like him. Then Maude, Walter, and - why not! - Carol - could all be suspects. (Although Jessica might remark that she once met someone who looked like Carol in a women's correctional facility....)

Just sayin', is all.....

BCnU!
Toby O'B

AS SEEN ON TV: CLYDE TOLSON

AS SEEN IN:
"Citizen Cohn"

AS PLAYED BY:
Daniel Von Bargen

From Wikipedia:

Clyde Anderson Tolson (22 May 1900 – 14 April 1975) was Associate Director of the FBI, primarily responsible for personnel and discipline, not front-line crime-fighting. He is best known as the protégé of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover.

It has been reported that Mr. Tolson once said of United States Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy: "I hope that someone shoots and kills the son of a bitch."

When Director Hoover died on 2 May 1972, Tolson was briefly the acting head of the FBI, but one day later he was replaced by acting director L. Patrick Gray, appointed by President Richard M. Nixon. Tolson left the FBI two weeks later, leaving W. Mark Felt in operational charge of the FBI.

Personally, J. Edgar Hoover described Clyde Tolson as his alter ego: they worked closely in day time, ate their meals together, and socialized in night clubs and went on holiday together. Their close relationship is cited as evidence of homosexuality, though FBI employees who knew them, such as Felt, claim that the relationship was merely fraternal.

When J. Edgar Hoover died, Clyde Tolson inherited his estate of some USD $551,000 and moved into his house; he accepted the U.S. flag draped on Hoover's coffin. Tolson's grave is a few yards from Hoover's grave in the Congressional Cemetery.

BCnU!
Toby O'B

SUNDAY NIGHT LINE-UP

I was a little worried on Sunday night that I'd get home in the morning to find my DVR a smoking ruin. This particular Sunday was the busiest night of the week I've seen in a long time for the shows I'm taping.

In no particular order:

The 250th episode of 'King Of The Hill'
'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency'
'In Plain Sight'
'Law & Order: Criminal Intent' (Jeff Goldblum joins the cast!)
'Masterpiece Theater: Little Dorrit'
Two Futurama movies
'Brothers & Sisters'
'Robot Chicken'
'Krod Mandoon'

And there was still the TV Land awards, which I wanted to record but my DVR balked. So I'll get that on one of the repeats.

BCnU!

Toby O'B

BEA GIRL: MAUDE'S DILEMMA

One last video tribute to Bea Arthur as 'Maude'.....

BEA GIRL: SEX AND THE CITY

Bea Arthur appeared on several variety programs; she even hosted 'Saturday Night Live' once (as well as make a cameo appearance in the episode hosted by Norman Lear). But this may have been her greatest contribution to the TV dimension of "Skitlandia":



Thanks, Tavie P!

BEA GIRL: AMANDA'S BY THE SEA

This was the only clip I could find that showed Bea Arthur as Amanda Cartwright, the American distaff version of Basil Fawlty, in "Amanda's".......

BEA GIRL: DOROTHY SINGS "WHAT'LL I DO?"

This is a 'Golden Girls' excerpt from a foreign telecast, in which the pianist is dubbed. Luckily they let Bea Arthur's voice remain for the song.....

BEA GIRL: THE MAN IN THE MOON

BEA GIRL: ACMENA'S CANTINA

BEA GIRL: A ROSIE VIEW

BEA GIRL: MAUDE'S FIRST APPEARANCE

"Maudie" doesn't show up until the second part, but the set-up and lead-in need to be seen for the proper introduction.....

THE HAT SQUAD: BEA ARTHUR

Bea Arthur has died, just a few weeks shy of her 87th birthday. She had been making a nice career for herself in theater when she finally burst into the biig-time of the national consciousness with the spin-off from 'All In The Family', 'Maude'.

Because she had spent all that time on Broadway, I had no conception of her while growing up in Connecticut. So when she first showed up in an episode of 'All In The Family' as Edith's cousin Maude Findlay, she was an overwhelming revelation to me. And she remained so in everything I saw her do.

For me, it'll always be Maude Findlay who'll be THE Bea Arthur role, although I know for many it's as Dorothy Zbornak on 'The Golden Girls'. I think that perception is helped greatly by its presence in syndication. Since 'Maude' was so topical, it probably hasn't aged very well.

With such a distinctive voice, I'm surprised Bea Arthur didn't appear more often in animated productions. As far as I can tell, her appearance as the Femputer in 'Futurama' was her only foray into the Tooniverse. (But I could be wrong about that.) A Pixar role would have been so cool! (I'm thinking 'Cars'.....)

Sometimes the material was obviously beneath her, (for example, the 'Star Wars Holiday Special'), but Bea Arthur's commanding presence always carried her through it.

As to her membership in Toobworld's League of Themselves, Bea Arthur made several interesting appearances on fictionalized talk shows like 'Sean's Show' and 'Dame Edna's Hollywood'.

Eventually, Ms. Arthur will be inducted into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame for Dorothy Zbornak. And I think the case could be made for Maude Findlay as well, since her show launched 'Good Times'.

She'll be missed......

Here are the characters she has given Toobworld:

STARRING ROLES
"The Golden Girls" .... Dorothy Petrillo Zbornak "Amanda's" .... Amanda Cartwright "Maude" .... Maude Findlay "The Sid Caesar Show" (1963) TV series .... Regular

GUEST STAR ROLES
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" .... Larry's Mother
- The End (2005)

"Malcolm in the Middle" .... Mrs. White
- Water Park (2000)

"Dave's World" .... Mel Bloom
- Bad News Barry's (1997)
- Touched by an Agent (1997)
- Dave Barry, Call Your Agent (1997)

"The Golden Palace" .... Dorothy Zbornak Hollingsworth
- Seems Like Old Times: Part 2 (1992)
- Seems Like Old Times: Part 1 (1992)

"Empty Nest" .... Dorothy Petrillo Zbornak
- Dumped (1989)

"a.k.a. Pablo"
- My Son, the Gringo

"Soap" .... Angel
- Jessica's Wonderful Life (1980)

The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) (TV) .... Ackmena

"Laugh-In"
- Episode dated 25 October 1977

"All in the Family" .... Maude Findlay
- Maude (1972)
- Cousin Maude's Visit (1971)

"Omnibus" .... Ugly Witch
- Mrs. McThing (1958)

"Kraft Television Theatre"
- Material Witness (1958)
- The Discoverers (1957)
- The Just and the Unjust (1956)
- Patterns (1955)
- Her Father's Butler (1953)
- Zone Four (1951)
- Paper Moon (1951)

"The Seven Lively Arts" .... Hostess
- Gold Rush (1958)

"Washington Square" (1956)

"Caesar's Hour" (1954)

"Studio One"
- Flowers from a Stranger (1953)
- They Came to Bagdad (1952)
- The Guinea Pig (1951)

TV MOVIES
My First Love (1988) .... Jean Miller
P.O.P. (1984) .... Rosalyn Gordon
The Gift of the Magi (1958) (TV) .... Mrs. Abercrombie

THE TOONIVERSE
"Futurama" .... Femputer
- Amazon Women in the Mood (2001)

THE LEAGUE OF THEMSELVES
"Ellen"
- Ellen: A Hollywood Tribute: Part 1 (1998)

"Sean's Show"
- Episode #2.1 (1993)

"Dame Edna's Hollywood"
- Episode #1.1 (1991)

The Beatrice Arthur Special (1980)

"The Mary Tyler Moore Hour"
- Episode #1.2 (1979)

Max Liebman Presents: Kaleidoscope (1955) .... Guest

"Once Upon a Tune" (1951) Good night and may God bless.....

BCnU.....
Toby O'B

AS SEEN ON TV: ETHEL & JULIUS ROSENBERG

From the New York Times this weekend:

Walter Schneir, whose fascination with the Rosenberg espionage case began with a hotly debated 1965 book arguing that the couple had been framed, and ended with his grim acceptance that Julius, if not Ethel, Rosenberg was indeed a Soviet spy, died April 11 at his home in Pleasantville, N.Y. He was 81.

The Rosenbergs appeared in the opening moments of "Citizen Cohn" as they were found guilty of espionage and sentenced to die for giving away America's nuclear secrets. AS SEEN IN:
"Citizen Cohn"

AS PLAYED BY:
Karen Ludwig as Ethel Rosenberg
The actor playing Julius is unknown.

BCnU!
Toby O'B

BAD DREAMS ABOUT "17 AGAIN"

When production of 'Fringe' moves from New York City to Vancouver for next season, Toobworld willl be gaining new location shots to represent areas around Boston. Since it was never actually Boston to begin with, there won't be much lost by way of authenticity.

But should they need to do any NYC rooftop scenes again, as they did this past week in "Bad Dreams", they won't be able to simulate that particular skyline without heavy use of CGI and back-screen.

It was an authentic vista only marred by product placement.

As Nick and his emotional virus victims were lined up on the roof down in the Union Square area, a poster could be seen for the new movie "17 Again". It stars Zac Efron (who was pictured) and Matthew Perry as his older self. (Can't see any similarity between them, m'self.)

Because of the gripping nature of those final moments of the episode, I don't think such product placement was very intrusive. However, I think it may also have had an unintended side effect......

To me, I think it may be subliminally saying "This movie is so bad, I want to kill myself".....

Just sayin', is all.....

BCnU!
Toby O'B

(I'm also getting the vibe that the utility worker is taking a leak on the poster....)

A LOST DOSE OF NO-DOZE?

'Fringe' is a JJ Abrams production, as is 'Lost', and we've seen a connection between the two earlier this season, with Olivia holding Oceanic tickets.

In this past week's episode ("Bad Dreams"), Agent Olivia Dunham stopped into a shop to buy a box of "No-Sleep", the Toobworld equivalent to "No-Doze". I grabbed the image, flipped it, reversed it, enlarged it, enhanced and clarified it, but just couldn't make out the small print on the side of the box. But it damned well looked like one of the main words began with a "W".

So it made me wonder if perhaps, maybe, just maybe, No-Sleep could be a product of Widmore Laboratories?

Just sayin', is all......

BCnU!
Toby O'B

AS SEEN ON TV: DAME LAURENTIA MacLACLAN

DAME LAURENTIA MacLACLAN

AS SEEN ON:
"Best Of Friends"

AS PLAYED BY:
Dame Wendy Hiller

From Wikipedia:

Dame Laurentia McLachlan was born Margaret McLachlan in 1866 in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland. In 1884 she joined the Benedictine Abbey at Stanbrook Abbey.

In 1931 she was elected Abbess of Stanbrook.

She was a pioneer in the restoration of the Gregorian chant in England and a leading authority on music and medieval manuscripts.

She died in 1953 having spent seventy of her 87 years within the strictly enclosed monastery.

BCnU!
Toby O'B

THE CROSSOVER CAMEO CAVEAT

'The Best Week Ever' has chosen its list of "Top Ten Sitcom Cameos Made By Other Sitcom Characters".

To be sure, it's a flawed list; they don't even like half the choices they made. But at least they provide videos to go with their choices, some of which might be considered rare.

In their comments section, I clued them in to the "Las Vegas" themed night of ABC programming, in which characters from 'Coach', 'Ellen', 'Grace Under Fire' and 'The Drew Carey Show' all ran into each other while in Vegas. (My blog-buddy Thom Holbrook has the details on that.) And the big star of that night was Luther Van Dam (Jerry Van Dyke) of 'Coach', who was the only one to appear on all four shows.

He was inducted into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame for making four appearances in one night....

(Pictured above: Spence Novak and Paige Clarke of 'Ellen', the eponymous star of 'The Drew Carey Show', and Luther Van Dam of 'Coach'.)

BCnU!
Toby O'B