MISSING LINKS: "THE DESPERATE ZONE"

Submitted for your approval.....

When I was running the Tubeworld Dynamic website, I had a monthly feature in which I linked an episode of 'The Twilight Zone' to another TV series.

Some examples:

"Where Is Everybody" - 'Columbo'
"Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up?" - 'Farscape'
"You Drive" - 'My Mother The Car'
and
"A Hundred Yards Over The Rim" - 'Quantum Leap'/'Time Tunnel'

There was one I never got around to - I wanted to link "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" with 'Leave It To Beaver'. My premise was that since both were shot on the same backlot street (as were the old "Andy Hardy" movies"), and thus their layout looked similar, than Maple Street had to be in Mayfield as was the Cleaver house.

Well, I'm glad I held off, because now I have an even better link; and this time, I've got proof right off the TV screen!

There's a new regional commercial here in the NYC area for WPLJ radio starring Scott Shannon and Todd Pettengill. The scene opens with them exhorting their troop of volunteers to persuade people to join their listener recruitment drive.

And we can clearly see from a lovingly scripted street sign that they are on Wisteria Lane, the street in Fairview where the 'Desperate Housewives' all live! It's the same backlot street as seen in the show, and not looking too different from its incarnation in both 'Leave It To Beaver' and "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street".

The volunteers are instructed to canvass the neighborhood of Maple while Scott and Todd work Wisteria.

Thus we have the link to that episode of 'The Twilight Zone'. Had we been able to see a block over from Maple Street when the riots began, we might have seen the homes where Edie, Lynne, Gabriella, and Bree would one day live.

The commercial is definitely making the link to 'Desperate Housewives' at least. Scott and Todd are greeted at one door by a buxom blonde who is clearly meant to be Edie. (We only see her from the back - obviously they weren't going to shell out the big bucks to get Nicolette Sheridan to do the cameo!)

After Scott is forcibly yanked into the house for a little afternoon delight, Todd practices a bit of serlinguism (which would be appropriate, considering we're using this blipvert as a bridge between 'Housewives' and 'Zone').

"Wow!" he exclaims to the camera. "She really is desperate!"

Now, the discerning televisiologist might question this premise based on one simple fact: why are these dorks trying to drum up business in Fairview, California, when their radio show is broadcast in the tri-state region on the East Coast?

Fair question. It's because they're probably doing this campaign all across the country, in order to get more listeners for the live stream of the radio show online!

http://www.plj.com/default.asp

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

THE LEAGUE OF THEMSELVES - THE STONES

The Rolling Stones made an unusual contribution to their membership in the League of Themselves back in November, and you'll be able to see it unfold in Toobworld in about two weeks.

Continuing its partnership with the Rolling Stones, NBC's popular daytime drama 'Days of our Lives' taped scenes featuring four of its core characters as they attended the November 4 Rolling Stones concert in Anaheim, California.

The 'DOOL' characters were prominently featured in the audience at the concert and shown on the big screen behind stage as The Stones performed.

Said an NBC Veep: "Fan reaction to the Rolling Stones video premiere and the reception that the 'Days' actors received at the concert illustrate the show's continued relevance in pop culture in this, its fortieth year."

('Days Of Our Lives' premiered on NBC as a half-hour soap opera on November 8, 1965. But it probably went unnoticed in my family - My Dad celebrated his 36th birthday as well that day.)

Footage of the 'DOOL' characters at the Stones concert will air December 16, 19 and 20.

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

12/01/05 - WHEN HELL FROZE OVER

Congratulations to Dave Letterman, for snagging his rightful share of the ratings Thursday night. It was the largest estimated audience 'Late Show' has had since he reunited Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan at the Olympics, apparently. And it only took a force of nature to be captured and brought into the studio....
Oprah.

After 16 years, Ms. Winfrey finally agreed to come back and visit Letterman on his turf. She had not occupied the guest chair since he was hosting 'Late Night' over at NBC back in 1989. It had been an uncomfortable experience for her and she figured she never had to go through that again.

And she was right. I mean, she is Oprah.

And when she finally did deign to come back, it was on her terms, because she was the one who wanted the summit meeting more. After all, she was producing the brand new musical version of 'The Color Purple' right across the street from the Ed Sullivan Theater, so why not gain it some exceptional publicity? (Especially since the critics were not going to be too kind to the production!)

It was an incredible night of TV before and after the interview. Daves' jokes were spot-on about what a shmuck he had been in all the years leading up to this moment; and his seemingly genuine shock at the use of timpani to herald her entrance ("You scared the crap out of me!") was hysterical.

They had Tony Danza in the wings, waiting to go on in case Dave could not complete his duties as host, the night was that important to CBS. And the Top Ten list (phone messages left on Oprah's answering machine) was great. (It would have been even better if they had been fake recording of the actual people leaving the messages.)

Best of all was the faux promo for the show, which would be broadcast right after the CBS Special Report: "Hell Freezes Over".

And after the interview, Dave personally escorted Oprah through the theater and then outside to get her across the street in time for the night's opening performance of 'The Color Purple'; one of those special moments that make it fun to be in New York City - even if you weren't in that exact vicinity.

It's just a shame that the interview didn't have that same oomph. It's not like I was looking for Dave to "rip her one" as some jerk in the audience shouted out 16 years before. I'm just surprised he found time to have on Bonnie Raitt as a guest when he could have used that time to fully kiss Oprah's ass. (That baby's got back, ya dig?)

Still, Oprah was cool, calm, and collected, and an expert in spinning the legend of their "feud" her way. ("Feud? What feud?") And the interview's highlight was the autographed photo she gave Dave, which showed Oprah and Uma - I mean, Uma and Oprah, - in order to rub Dave's nose in the biggest gaffed of his entertainment career. (His appearance in "Cabin Boy" pales in comparison.)

Has he ever been on her show? I'm not sure if there'll be any tit for tat, but Dave better bring plenty of tat if he has any hope of balancing off what she brings to the game with the latter.......

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

DOCTOR NOAH RISES AGAIN

Even after acknowledging that soap opera time is far slower than real time, it's still been 22 years since Dr. Noah Drake has been at General Hospital in Port Charles, NY. (I can't speak for the entire town, merely for his absence from the hospital.) That's because I used the fact that they still celebrate Christmas each year on 7West to mark the passage of Time.

He finally did show up this past Friday in a much heralded return well publicized by the press. But in true soap opera style, for he didn't appear in the episode until the last five minutes. Sweeps may be over, but the weekend cliff-hanger is a tradition soaps can't ignore.

But even though it's been over two decades since we last saw Dr. Drake, (not to be confused with Dr. Drake Ramoray), that doesn't mean he's just been packed in ice and put on hold until he was thawed out for future use. Even though we couldn't see what was happening, Noah Drake's life continued, with all of the misadventures and mishaps, joys and sorrows one could imagine might happen to someone usually caught up in a soap opera lifestyle.

And no one knows that better when it comes to Dr. Noah Drake than Rick Springfield, who, by an AMAZING coincidence, bears a striking resemblance to Drake.

Noah Drake "would have gone through a lot of [bleep]," revealed the actor/singer. "I certainly have in my life, and I can't imagine anyone hasn't gone through some pretty major things in those years. I'm sure [Noah Drake] won't have just had a nice, even career. He was transferred to Atlanta, but certain things can hit the fan during your 30s and 40s."

Weeeell, doggies! I'll say! When Dr. Robin Scorpio finally tracks Drake down, she finds a haggard drunk sleeping it off in the corner of some dive bar.

If there's any justice and respect for the tradition of in-jokes, let's all hope that it was the girl-friend of some guy named Jesse who led to Noah Drake's downfall.....

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

TVXOHOF'05

For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, the TV Crossover Hall of Fame was established in 1999 to honor those TV characters (as well as locations and objects) which unify the TV Universe. This includes real-life people who have fictionalized tele-versions of themselves, as well as the Creators who make the crossovers possible.

The original requirements have become easier to achieve in recent years (appearances in three different TV shows, TV movies, cartoons or commercials). But that's mostly due to the fact that those who make the TV shows nowadays grew up watching TV and love the self-referential nature of the medium. But it has reached the point where some might argue that just about anybody can get into the Hall of Fame.

And this year, that was just about true....

In 2005, I reached the half century mark. Like fellow bloggers Brent McKee and Tony Figueroa, I am a child of Television. And every year on my birthday, I celebrate in my blog (or the old Tubeworld Dynamic website before this) by announcing a Birthday Honors List; inducting someone special into the ranks of the Hall of Fame who might have just missed the requirements but who is nonetheless deserving of recognition for their contributions to the TV Universe.

My mantra for the choices made on my birthday is: "What I say, goes."

The first such honoree was Suzy MacNamara, Ann Sothern's character in 'Private Secretary'. She was honored because she was involved in the first TV crossover, on the premiere episode of 'The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour'.

This year, since I turned fifty, I applied that dictum of "What I Say, Goes" all year long. Now that we've completed the list for 2005, let's re-run those who have been inducted over the last twelve months:

2005
JANUARY - Lt. Columbo
FEBRUARY - Barney Collier aka Mr. Peters
MARCH - John Drake/Number "6"
APRIL - Ted Baxter
MAY - Detective Kay Howard
JUNE - Arnold Ziffel
BIRTHDAY HONORS - Toby O'Brien
JULY - Paladin/Hec Ramsey
AUGUST - Samantha Crawford
SEPTEMBER - UBS Network
OCTOBER - Sweet The Demon
NOVEMBER - Adam West, live action & cartoon
DECEMBER - The Penguin, live action & cartoon

I've been running the TV Crossover Hall of Fame since 1999, and one day I will devote the time necessary to create a permanent home for it on the web.

If you're interested in seeing the full list (There are over 100 members so far!), then drop me a note at:
Tubeworld@aol.com

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

A FINNY FINI FOR '05 HALL OF FAME

When the total box office grosses are tallied up at the end of the year, I'm pretty sure "March Of The Penguins" will be right up there as one of the biggest moneymakers for 2005. The documentary proved to be so popular, it's working its way into pop culture references - like the upcoming Crossover of the Week. A future inductee into the Crossover Hall of Fame suggested that he and his crossover companion should go see "the penguin movie".

So in a way, I'm taking "March Of The Penguins" as my inspiration for this month's inductee into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame. (Also, the latest Coke CGI ad featuring the polar bears and the penguins as well an upcoming movie "Happy Feet".)

But in truth, I've wanted to tip my top hat to this finny fellow for years. And since I'm wrapping up my yearlong mantra of "What I Say, Goes" in celebration of my half-century mark, I figured now was as good a time as any.

So this December, instead of looking to the North Pole for inspiration, I turned to the South Pole. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you......

THE PENGUIN

Waaaak waaaaak waaaak!

The Penguin was one of the premiere quartet of villains who terrorized Gotham City during the 1960s. And from a Real World perspective, he was one of only two in that quartet to be played by that same actor throughout the run of the series. (Burgess Meredith played The Penguin; Cesar Romero was always the Joker. The Riddler and Catwoman had different actors during the course of the show. But have no fear, Toob Believers! I have splainins for both!)

There are plenty of theatrically released movies that actually belong in the TV Universe, and the 1966 "Batman" is one of them. It opened between the first and second season of the show and featured that same quartet of villains.

Once again, Burgess Meredith returned as the Penguin and Romero was the Joker. Frank Gorshin, the one true Riddler, was in it as well. (Gomez Addams once briefly assumed the identity.) But Catwoman was actually a crook named Betty who would later go straight and marry a cop. Her husband was the son of a private eye named Barnaby Jones. (This Catwoman was played by Lee Merriweather.)

So even though it was a feature film, "Batman" does count as a credit in the TV Universe for The Penguin.
The Penguin was more of a mobster-styled criminal rather than a costumed super-villain. He apparently came from a wealthy background but was rejected by his family for his... "proclivities".

The Penguin harkened back to the more idealized view of high society criminals, as might have been found in films from the thirties and forties like "Lady For A Day". In keeping with his family's tradition of wealth, the Penguin lived a life of crime executed with his own self-proclaimed class and style.

In keeping with his high society ways, The Penguin would frequent nightclubs, of the supper club style much like the legendary Stork Club. (Of course, of course.) And it was at one of those supper clubs where he delighted in a most unusual act. It was a stupid human trick in which an evil hypnotist subjected a rock group known as 'The Monkees' to cruel treatment on stage while they were under his mind control.

But with his Cyrano beak of a nose and potbelly and some unknown hip condition that caused him to waddle, The Penguin distorted that image of the Gentleman Thief probably first made popular by AJ Raffles. In his top hat, tails, cummerbund, spats, and a monocle, he was a contradiction between looks and style and circumstance not too far removed from the Kings of the Road, - those haughty hobos who put on airs while wearing threadbare tuxedos as they ate beans from a can.

It was probably due to his odd looks and build that The Penguin decided to adopt the flightless avian for his image as a costumed criminal. Born Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, the Penguin was an outcast in his rich, debutante family. Their rejection drove him to become a violent criminal - at least according to the comic books and the Tim Burton movie "Batman Returns" from the early 1990s.

As far as Toobworld was concerned, the origin of The Penguin was never fully splained. In fact, only a few of the secondary villains had their beginnings detailed, like the Bookworm, Mr. Freeze, and one of my faves, King Tut.

But I suppose we have to go along with the comic book assertion that his name was Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot. This is a shame, because aside from it being a stupid moniker, it does prevent us from making the claim that one of Burgess Meredith's guest roles in which he played a villain could be considered The Penguin before his transformation.

I was especially tempted by a backwoodsman he played in "The Great Silence", an episode of 'Tales Of Tomorrow'. This mountain-dweller, who single-handedly thwarted an alien threat, might have used that UFO technology to jump-start his self-improvement.

Or maybe he could have been Luther Dingle, aka "Mr. Dingle The Strong". Mr. Dingle was subjected by various aliens to a battery of experiments which expanded his mind and increased his strength in 'The Twilight Zone'.

But no. I guest we're stuck with Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, one of the worst names ever created for a fictional character.

Unlike most Batman villains, The Penguin never centered his crimes around a psychotic obsession; he was in control of his own actions and was considered sane. But he did possess a few eccentricities. For instance, he is known for his love of birds and his umbrellas, which allow him to glide through the air, double as firearms or have some other specialized function.

Because of those umbrellas, The Penguin might have been an inventor or a scientist during the thirties before turning to a life of crime. And he may have called upon that knowledge to create his many trick umbrellas which he used in the execution of his crimes. Or maybe he was just a guy who created novelty gag gifts gone wrong.

At any rate, he created umbrellas for all sorts of uses in crime. But he may also have fashioned one as a gift to his Gotham City partner in crime, the Riddler. It served no other purpose, like spraying knockout gas or having a hypnotic design that could mesmerize his victims when spun quickly. It was just that the hand-crafted handle made the bumbershoot special for the Riddler - shaped like a question mark, which was the Riddler's personal symbol.

That umbrella, along with plenty of dress shirts with question marks on the collar tabs, were somehow purloined by a time-traveling Gallifreyan. Known only as "The Doctor", he most probably appropriated the items during his banishment on Earth imposed by his fellow Time Lords.

This would have been the Doctor's third incarnation, but it would have been an incident unrecorded for viewing by the Real World. (Surprise, surprise!) It's unknown if the Doctor was in league with the Riddler or with Batman, but we do know the Third Doctor was aware of the Caped Crusader's existence.

"What did you expect?

Some kind of space rocket with Batman at the controls?"

THE DOCTOR

'Doctor Who' - "Inferno"

In any event, I'm declaring that the umbrella carried by the Seventh Doctor was created by The Penguin.

Burgess Meredith played The Penguin in the series, appearing in 10 episodes of the series. Because he was so popular with the audience, the producers always had a script waiting for Meredith if he happened to come into town.

In an interview about why he decided to do 'Batman', Burgess Meredith said, "I did Batman for two reasons, one of which was salary. The other was that, after its first few episodes, Batman became the in-thing to do.

"Actually, we didn't get as much money from the show as you might think, although we were paid decent money for the feature film version. The main impetus to continue appearing on 'Batman' - beyond the desire to get some TV work - was that it was fashionable."

I remember hearing a radio interview with him many years ago in which he said that if it had not been for his appearance as The Penguin, he never would have had such a resurgence in his career to the point where he got two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor. Meredith just about worked right up until his death in 1997; had it not been for The Penguin, he might have retired to just the Skippy peanut butter voice-overs to tide him over.

The Penguin also made his mark in the Tooniverse as well (voiced by Ted Knight, Paul Williams, and Lennie Weinrib). His animated version qualifies him for entry into the Hall as well, having appeared in not only 'Batman - The Animated Series' and in 'Super-Friends', but also in an episode of 'Scooby-Doo'! (I suppose it could be argued that the "animated" opening credits for the 1960s live-action series were a window into the Tooniverse.

So like Adam West last month, - and that's a coincidence, honest! - The Penguin has two versions inducted this month. But we're drawing the line there. Danny Devito's depiction of the dastardly do-badder in 'Batman Returns' and the comic book character don't count. But they do illustrate how the character does span the creative universes of Mankind's Imagination.

THE PENGUIN - EARTH PRIME TIME
'Batman'
"Batman"
'The Monkees'
'Doctor Who'

THE PENGUIN - IN THE TOONIVERSE
'The Adventures Of Batman'
'The New Scooby-Doo Movies'
'The New Adventures Of Batman'
'Batman And Robin' [part of Tarzan And The Super 7'
'Batman - The Animated Series'

And here's one last reason why The Penguin is perfect for this end of the year honor - he's suited up for New Year's Eve!

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

TRIVIAL TIDBITS

In hopes that some producer might think of using fictional products from other shows (and thus help create new links between shows), here are some recent items I've culled from various TV series in the last few weeks:

'CSI: MIAMI'
"Urban Hellraisers" - a video game
'CSI: NY'
Manhattan Minx
& } Roller Derby teams
Brooklyn Clobbers
"Wabi Sabi" - a sexual thriller by Griffin Holden
Palmay Muscle Cream
'CLOSE TO HOME'
Ambrose Pharmaceuticals
'HOUSE'
Stoia-Tucker Pharmaceuticals
'LAS VEGAS'
"Mothwoman" - comic book character
'SOUTH OF NOWHERE'
King High School
The King Cobras basketball team
'THRESHOLD'
Broxton, Rhode Island
"CERBERUS"
The Van Buren Museum of Art, New York City
Breastplate of Attila
The Sword of Mars
Strajerul, Romania

It's not inclusive, but I've only got the two eyes....

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: "KIETH" BELLI

It's December 1st - the Day Without Art.

I don't kid myself that what I do here is art. In fact, the medium I celebrate hardly ever gets considered as art. I've got a sweater here somewhere that reads: "Theater is Real Life. Film is Art. Television is Furniture."

Nevertheless, I'm taking the day "off" to mark my small observance of World Aids Day. (That late night posting doesn't count - I was still in end of November mode.) I'll be back tomorrow with the December Crossover Hall of Fame and the usual blathering.......

Today, I just wanted to tip my hat to a friend I lost to this killer: Keith Belli.

Keith and I met at UConn, although his family did have its homebase in my hometown. We worked together at the Thomaston Opera House for a summer, and then I moved to NYC and he went off to make his mark in regional theatre with stage design.

Keith was one of those friends you got to see only once a year sometimes, but that yawning space between visits never existed.

It always pissed him off that I would write his name "Kieth" rather than "Keith".

I just wish I could still piss him off today.

And if he knows that I'm writing this, I've probably succeeded.

I miss you, Kieth.

BCnU.....
Toby

SKILLS: BUSINESS, MANY; FLYING, NONE

Leading up to the last two episodes of 'Las Vegas', the show's creator (Gary Scott Thompson) said there would be a death which would be a "Rosalind Shays elevator" moment. He was referring to the death of a powerful shark of a lawyer who fell down an elevator shaft on 'L.A. Law' back in 1991.

And he was right! As already mentioned here in the Inner Toob, Monica Mancuso was up on the roof of the Montecito, gesturing wildly in her billowing dress as she argued with Danny. Suddenly a gust of wind "filled her sails" and scooped her up. For mroe than a mile she "flew" over Sin City until she finally plummeted to her death.

(Ironically, the Montecito was hosting a comic book convention where a couple of nerds thought Ms. Mancuso resembled a superhero named Mothwoman. Wearing that voluminous caftan and being such a physical light-weight, it's almost as if she was pre-destined to bring that image to life... so to speak.)

It was certainly one of the best death scenes in the history of Toobworld, worthy of the comparison to the macabre imaginations of Alfred Hitchcock as well as David E. Kelley (who came up with the elevator execution of Rosalind Shays in that 'L.A. Law' episode, "Good To The Last Drop".)

Maybe it lacked something in the technical details - the rear projection on the green screen, or the position of Lara Flynn Boyle's twiggish limbs due to the use of wires. But the actual premise can't be faulted for believability, because this is Toobworld; where all TV shows are connected, even if many of those links can't be proven just yet.

And this fantasy world established nearly forty years ago that a woman of a certain build and weight could be aerodynamically capable of flight, depending on clothing particulars.

If you don't believe me, ask Sister Bertrille at the Convent of San Tanco down in Puerto Rico. If she's still there, of course. She may have returned to California to be closer to her identical cousin, Gidget Lawrence.

('Las Vegas', 'The Flying Nun', 'Gidget')

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

THE END OF "MARS" - UPN OR AOL?

There's going to be an alternate ending to tonight's episode of 'Veronica Mars' available on AOL.com immediately following the show's broadcast on UPN. In a way, it's similar to last week's episode of 'CSI: Miami' which had an extended ending scene show up at the CBS.com site.

But this won't qualify for Crossover of the Week honors next week, because it's more of a showcase for one of the many alternate dimensions in the TV Universe. Depending on what happens in the online version of the ending, it could fit in nicely over in the evil mirror dimension.

The alternate ending, and the actual ending will both be available online for one week, where viewers can vote on which ending they liked best.

BCnU!
Tele-Toby