SOME SOOTY SERENDIPITEEVEE

Last week I received the Disney Treasures collection of the first five episodes of 'The Mickey Mouse Club', in their entirety, and decided to take them along with me on this week's vacation. That's because the first episode aired on Oct. 3rd, 1955. I thought it might be fun to watch an episode a day, on the 52nd anniversary of its first broadcast.

In the second episode, from October 4th, the American audience was introduced to a small, hand-puppet bear named Sooty. Sooty and his "friend" Harry Corbett. As this aired when I was just a few months old, I have no memories of it and so watching it yesterday was my first exposure to Sooty. (Pictured at right, Sooty and Harry with Sooty's new TV, a gift from Mickey Mouse.)

And so today, thanks to UK Rob of "The Medium Is Not Enough" TV blog (link to the left!), I find out that Sooty has made the news!

BCnU!
Toby OB

JERRY-RIGGED

'30 Rock', basically fresh from their victory at the 59th Emmy Awards as the Best Comedy Series of the year, kicked off the new season tonight. And they came out with guns blazing by having Jerry Seinfeld as the guest star.

Seinfeld is one of the ultimate League of Themselves members. He's been on other TV shows as other characters (like 'Benson'), but like George Burns, Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Milton Berle, and Johnny Carson, his best character is himself. And his televersion connects a lot of shows to his base of operations, his show about nothing - 'Seinfeld'.

Here's the basic rundown:

"Seinfeld" .... Jerry Seinfeld / ... (175 episodes, 1989-1998)
"30 Rock"
- SeinfeldVision (2007)
"Curb Your Enthusiasm"
- Opening Night (2004)
"Primetime Glick"
- Dennis Miller/Jerry Seinfeld (2001)
"Mad About You"
- Season Opener (1998)
"The Larry Sanders Show"
- Flip (1998)
- The Grand Opening (1993)
"NewsRadio"
- The Real Deal (1997)
"The New WKRP in Cincinnati"
- Johnny Goes Hollywood (1993)

Most of those shows could probably be linked in other ways, but having a League of Themselves mega-star sure makes it easier.

BCnU!
Toby OB

3:10 TO YOUTUBE

I've mentioned in the past that I've got a kind of serendipiteevee, a knack for tuning into something on TV just in time for me to find something of value in my televisiology research.

When I was on vacation this past summer, I caught an episode of 'Bat Masterson' which featured a character named Soda Smith. It was apparent from the episode that Bat knew Soda Smith from an earlier encounter.

I'm back this week at the same place where I can get the Western Channel, and wouldn't you know it? They showed that earlier episode which featured Soda Smith.

They're also showing "3:10 To Yuma", a week after I saw the remake with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. For over thirty years, I've been meaning to see the film since my screenwriting teacher at UConn produced the original movie, David Heilweil. And this happens to be the day they're showing it!

Serendipiteevee!

BCnU!
Toby OB

ADDENDUM:
Here are the episodes of 'Bat Masterson' in which Soda Smith appeared:

Hank Patterson (Soda Smith)
. . . "Bat Masterson" (1958) {Deadly Diamonds (#2.18)}
Hank Patterson (Soda Smith)
. . . "Bat Masterson" (1958) {Tempest at Tioga Pass (#3.14)}

JUSTIN TIME

Justin Timberlake was name-checked last night in the second episode of 'Dirty Sexy Money'. Apparently Jeremy Darling wrote a song with him and wanted Nick George, the Darling Family lawyer, to help him in getting it copyrighted. Later, he used Timberlake as an excuse to his twin sister Juliet to cover for a phone call from a girl he lusted after - who just happened to be Juliet's "frienemy".

References to famous people count when it comes to the League of Themselves. If a fictional character relates an anecdote about their interaction with a famous person, then that adds to that celebrity's televersion credentials.

But Justin Timberlake's existence in Toobworld doesn't hang by a reference on 'Dirty Sexy Money'. He appeared as himself in two different sitcoms, 'Clueless' and 'Sabrina The Teenage Witch'.

In 1999, Timberlake appeared with 'NSync at Cher Horowitz' birthday party which ended with Sean, Murry, and Adam in the hospital. That same year, 'NSync played a club in Massachusetts and Sabrina used her magic to whip up a fake ID card so that she and Valerie could get inside to see them.

All of those other appearances on TV by Justin Timberlake over the years - concerts, talk shows, variety programs, award presentations, - don't really count towards League of Themselves membership, but they do add flavoring to the life of his televersion.

Especially that Super Bowl appearance with Janet Jackson!

BCnU!
Toby OB

PUSHING A "DAISIES" CHAIN LINK

I've already seen the pilot for 'Pushing Daisies' at the ABC Preview Party held at the Paley Center for Media, about a month ago. But I intend to watch it again tonight because I enjoyed it that much.

Within the context of Toobworld, just the look of the show alone seems to set it apart from the rest of the TV Universe. Its rich colors and surreal tone make it more of a fairy tale than part of the tele-reality we've come to expect from our TV shows. But live productions with their stage-bound atmosphere and dated shows in black and white from the early days of Television seem equally out of place and yet they are all embraced into the same universe.

I think there's a theoretical link that can be made for 'Pushing Daisies' already, even though everything about it seems to bar any chance for crossovers with other ABC shows. Part of the reasoning for my link idea stems from the fact that Bryan Fuller created the show - he also created 'Heroes', in which ordinary people discovered that they had extraordinary talents.

I think it's possible that Ned's ability to bring the dead back to life may be one of those powers. I wouldn't be surprised if some day Dr. Mohinder Suresh showed up at the Pie Hole restaurant to examine Ned. As he is the one character in 'Heroes' who moves about the world freely, he'd be the most likely candidate anyway. I don't think we're ever meant to find out exactly what big city is the location for the Pie Hole.

Bryan Fuller also created 'Wonderfalls', and should Ned and his untouchable love Chuck ever make it to Niagara Falls, perhaps they might make a stop in that magical emporium.

And he also was the guiding force behind 'Dead Like Me', which is where the idea for 'Pushing Daisies' was originally meant to flower. (Sorry about that, Chief.) There was supposed to be a sub-plot in which George would find out that one of the souls she reaped was put back into a dead body come back to life. Instead, the premise for that one episode has instead become an entire series of its own.

Like I said, I don't expect to see any crossovers with current ABC shows, but the appearance of a reaper, or a talking tchochke, would not be that odd to me.

BCnU!
Toby OB

SIMMSVILLE

On Monday, Phil Simms, now an NFL analyst for CBS, will be visiting Toobworld. He'll be showing up in the WOAK TV station in Oakdale on 'As The World Turns'.

This appearance on the soap opera will mark his fourth turn as his own tele-version - a fictional representation of one's own life.

Simms was also seen as himself in episodes of 'Buddy Faro', 'Criminal Minds', and 'Yes, Dear'. So as a member of the League of Themselves, the former quarterback links all four of those shows together.

SHOWS CITED:
"Criminal Minds"
- The Big Game (2007) .... Himself
"Yes, Dear"
- Jimmy's Jimmy (2001) .... Himself
"Buddy Faro"
- Ain't That a Kick in the Head (1998) .... Himself
"As The World Turns"
- Oct. 08, 2007 episode (2007) .... Himself

BCnU!
Toby OB

NO "CANE" DO

'Cane' returns tonight for its second episode, but I won't be. I'm not going back to Playa Azul, Florida, until such time - if any! - one of the Sweeps periods comes along and 'Cane' has a crossover with 'CSI: Miami'.

And I'm thinking they may have to do that before the season is through. Since network executives (May they be nibbled to death by ducks!) have itchy trigger fingers when it comes to the kill-switch for TV shows, I bet CBS may try to pull a crossover off for the November Sweeps.

And considering the events at the end of last week's episode of 'Cane' and what's promised for tonight, I think this is one crossover that would be a perfect fit. But until then, I'm outta town.

BCnU!
Toby OB

HISTORY, CHANNELED: CHUCKING 5/5/1979

Back on May 5th of 1979, President Jimmy Carter was scheduled to speak to a Cinco de Mayo celebratory crowd in the civic center mall of Los Angeles. But less than fifteen minutes before the speech was about to begin, the Secret Service noticed and detained a suspicious man who then confessed to being part of a four-man plot to assassinate the President. The man's name was Raymond Lee Harvey and he claimed that he and another man named Osvaldo Espinosa-Ortiz were supposed to create a diversion so that two other men would have clear access to shoot Jimmy Carter from a different angle.

And yet even though he confessed to this plot, and incriminating evidence was discovered at the motel where the other two men were staying, Raymond Lee Harvey was released when the charges were dismissed.

Forget about the fact that his name was "Lee Harvey" and the other guy was named Osvaldo - Osvaldo/Oswald...... The fact that somebody confessed to being part of an assassination conspiracy substantiated by hard evidence.... Well, there must have been a conspiracy behind all of that.

And at least in Toobworld, apparently there was.

A lot of buzz will probably be generated over Monday night's episode of 'Chuck' when he started spouting some of the secrets he had downloaded into his brain. That's because he started talking about who shot down Oceanic Flight 815, the infamous flight of the TV series 'Lost'.

But he also mentioned an assassination attempt against Jimmy Carter. I had never heard about Raymond Lee Harvey and the events of May 5, 1979, so I thought I might look around TV programming which ran during the Carter administration. I thought I might find something that could be spun into a connection to an assassination attempt against Carter.

However, now it looks like the secret file in Chuck Bartowski's brain may have been referring to the real-world events from May 5, 1979, and that there was probably more to the story than the general populace will ever know.

The general populace in Toobworld, that is. The same is probably true for the real world as well, but that's not of concern here at Toobworld Central. I try to steer clear of that place!

BCnU!
Toby OB

TVXOHOF, OCT. 2007 - FRANKLY MONSTROUS

There are many candidates for membership in the TV Crossover Hall of Fame, quite a list that's backing up since on average there is only one new inclusion each month. (In June, there are also the inductees of the Birthday Honors List.) Many of them are kept on hold until a time that is fitting and appropriate to salute them.

Or, as is the case this month, to honor their memory.....
On December 12th of last year, Peter Boyle passed away. His best-known contribution to the pantheon of Toobworld characters will be Frank Barone, whom he portrayed in over 200 episodes of 'Everybody Loves Raymond'. But he also played Frank Barone in episodes of 'Cosby' and 'The King Of Queens'. So having fulfilled the requirements of playing the same role in three different TV series (or TV movies or commercials), Frank Barone could have been installed at any time in the Hall of Fame.

I chose this month, however, because October is the traditional month in which TV characters with a connection to horror are inducted. And within the context of the Barone family, Frank was something of a monster.

Ken Levine, a writer, producer, and director, worked with Boyle on 'Everybody Loves Raymond'. And he had this to say about the actor: "Depending on the project, truly one of the funniest or scariest actors on the planet."

And let's face it, it may be the TV Universe that's of concern around these parts, but who can forget Peter Boyle's monstrous performances in 'Young Frankenstein' and 'Joe'.

It's a small honor, but 'twill serve. For the month of October, 2007, Frank Barone has been granted entry into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.

As Frank would say, "Holy crap!"

SHOWS CITED:
'Everybody Loves Raymond'
'Cosby' - "Lucas Raymondicus"
'The King Of Queens' - "Road Rayge"

And as the year draws closer to its end, here is the list of other inductees for the year of 2007:

January - Johnny Carson `
February - Florence Johnston
March - Lou Grant
April - The Doctor
May - Sarah Jane Smith
June - Charlie Pace & Oceanic Airways
B'Day - Brigadier Alister Lethbridge-Stewart
July - Bret Maverick
August - K9 & TARDIS
September - Russell T. Davies

BCnU!
Toby OB

STANFORD REP

That should be a slightly obscure Toobworld reference.....

Stanford University got quite a spotlight for itself during the first (official) week of the new TV season with mentions in two series debuts and a season premiere, but I'm not sure any of it was good for the school's reputation.

'Boston Legal' - For the returning series, Shirley Schmidt rescinded her hefty donation to the school once she found out that one of the major oil companies was making a similar donation which could have tainted the results of the school's exploration into alternative fuel resources. And so Stanford ended up taking Shirley to court to force her to make the donation.

'Reaper' - An application to Stanford made by Sam Oliver's brother was rejected by the school. They had their chance to get the brother of the Devil's Reaper as an undergrad and they blew it. (I wonder if the Devil might intervene to get him in so that Sam will remain a happy "employee"?)

'Chuck' - Chuck Bartowski had been a student at Stanford, but his roommate Bryce Larkin did something to get Chuck expelled. Plus he stole Chuck's college girl-friend. And I think of the two, Chuck was more upset about the latter.

Over the years I've collected fictional references to Yale University, just because it's a Connecticut school. But it does seem like Harvard and Yale have had more than their fair share of alumni from Toobworld. So maybe it's time schools like Stanford get a piece of the action.

And where's the love for my alma mater, UConn? The only Toobworld character I know of who attended the school would be Rebecca Howe of 'Cheers'.

BCnU!
Toby OB
Class of '77