A GLEEFUL COMMUNITY

JEFF:
"We always watched what she wanted to watch.
I hate 'Glee'."

PIERCE:
"I hate 'Glee' too."

JEFF:
"I hate it; I don't understand the appeal."
'Community'

On this, I have to agree with Jeff. I've seen two episodes, and I just don't get why the show has buzz. (I'll probably go back again, however, when Neil Patrick Harris guests on the show.)

Nevertheless, the show will probably gain more popularity and thus get referenced more often on other shows. This won't do, as they should all be sharing the same TV dimension.

So far, only 'Community' has made the reference to 'Glee', and that because they share the same production stages. For the time being then, we can claim that "Glee" can be just about any TV show except for the actual one seen in the real world. A comedy variety program. A sci-fi series about an alien named "Glee". An infomercial about a household cleaning product.

As time goes by and other shows make more specific references to 'Glee', then we'll have to work up a more detailed splainin to disable the Zonks. But until then, this will do.

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: NOEL COWARD

"Why", asked Coward, "am I always expected to wear a dressing-gown, smoke cigarettes in a long holder and say 'Darling, how wonderful'?"

NOEL COWARD

AS SEEN IN:
"Agatha Christie Marple: 4.50 From Paddington"
(also in "Ian Fleming: Bondmaker")

AS PLAYED BY:
Pip Torrens

From Wikipedia:
Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 1899 – 26 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Coward won an Academy Honorary Award in 1943 for his naval film drama, In Which We Serve, and was knighted in 1969. In the 1950s he achieved fresh success as a cabaret performer, performing his own songs, such as "Mad Dogs and Englishmen", "London Pride" and "I Went to a Marvellous Party".

His plays and songs achieved new popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, and his work and style continue to influence popular culture. Coward did not publicly acknowledge his homosexuality, but it was discussed candidly after his death by biographers including Graham Payn, his long-time partner, and in Coward's diaries and letters, published posthumously. The former Albery Theatre (originally the New Theatre) in London was renamed the Noël Coward Theatre in his honour in 2006.

This televersion of Noel Coward would have to be from an alternate TV dimension as Miss Jane Marple was played by Geraldine McEwan and not by the official Miss Marple of Toobworld, Joan Hickson. This works out perfectly as there was another TV production about the life of Ian Fleming, "Goldeneye", with its own televersions not only of Coward but also of Fleming.

But I think the Noel Coward of Earth Prime-Time may be portrayed by David Benson in six episodes of the time-traveling rom-com 'Goodnight, Sweetheart'.

Here are the televersions of Noel Coward:

Daphne (2007) Played by Malcolm Sinclair

Ian Fleming: Bondmaker (2005)

Agatha Christie Marple: 4.50 from Paddington (2004) Played by Pip Torrens

"Goodnight Sweetheart" (1998-99) Played by David Benson

Dieppe (1993) Played by John Mezon

"Red Dwarf" (1991) Played by Roger Blake

"You Rang, M'Lord?" (1990) Played by Guy Siner

Goldeneye (1989) Played by Julian Fellowes

"Ike" (1979) Played by Francis Matthews

"BBC2 Play of the Week"
- Exiles (1977) Played by Ned Sherrin

BCnU!

BROTHERLY LINKS

It was an unspoken fact in 'Gunsmoke' that Katherine Russell, AKA Miss Kitty, wasn't just running a saloon; she was running a brothel. And it was usually inferred that she and Marshall Matt Dillon had a VERY close relationship.

And yet, the family line of Matt Dillon was carried on by his daughter Beth, whom he fathered with Mike Yardner. This wasn't brought up in the regular TV series, not exactly. In a two-part episode in 1973 ("Matt's Love Story"), Marshall Dillon suffered amnesia after a head wound in Arizona. He was tended to by a woman named "Mike" Yardner, and they fell in love - only to part once he regained his memory and returned to Dodge City.

In the second 'Gunsmoke' TV movie in the 1990's, "The Last Apache", Matt discovered that Mike had given birth to a daughter Beth. Beth would take the name Dillon once she met her father (as seen in the third TV movie "To The Last Man", but in the next two films, "The Long Ride" and "One Man's Justice", she was married to Josh Reardon and bore his name.

In the last two days, since hearing of the death of Peter Graves, the idea came to me of adding one of his characters into the family tree of Matt Dillon. For those who don't know (and several of my Facebook friends were surprised by this), Mr. Graves and James Arness, who played Dillon, are brothers in real life. So one could say that there could be common DNA between characters that they played.

I'm thinking that horse rancher Jim Newton, the character played by Peter Graves in the kids' show 'Fury', was descended from Josh and Beth Reardon. His wife and son were killed in an auto accident by a drunk driver and he later raised a young boy named Joey at the Broken Wheel Ranch. (I'm not sure where the ranch is actually located out West, but it's near Capitol City - which is where the Martin Family, including Timmy and 'Lassie' lived.)

Just a theory, can't be proven nor disproved, but that goes for most of the theories here at Toobworld Central......

Behind the scenes in the real world, both shows debuted in 1955 - not that it should influence the connection.

And if you took the bloodline far enough, it could be that you might be able to add Noah Cooper into the family. He was a character played by Peter Graves in an episode of 'Buck Rogers In The 25th Century'!

BCnU!

JUST SAYIN', IS ALL.....

When writing up that ASOTV tribute to Casey Jones for his birthday on the 14th, there was one picture of Alan Hale in the role that made me think of another actor currently on TV - Brian Holt, who plays Bobby in 'Cougar Town'.

I think it's something to do with the smile/smirk: BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: GEORGE WASHINGTON

In his television career, Peter Graves played the televersions of three historical figures:

GEORGE WASHINGTON - "The Rebels"

DANIEL BOONE - 'The Great Adventure'
(two episodes: "The Siege of Boonesborough" & "Kentucky's Bloody Ground")

O. HENRY - "The Gift Of The Magi"

The official TV portrait of Daniel Boone is that by Fess Parker in the TV series, so those two episodes of 'The Great Adventure' can be placed into an alternate TV dimension. As far as I can tell, Mr. Graves was the only person to ever portray O. Henry on TV, so he could lay claim to be the official televersion of the short story writer.

As for the "Father Of Our Country".....

GEORGE WASHINGTON

AS SEEN IN:
"The Rebels"

AS PLAYED BY:
Peter Graves

I'm leaning toward Barry Bostwick as being the official representative of George Washington in Earth Prime-Time. But we can cobble together a theory in which the General had a series of stand-ins for security, to maintain the illusion that he was in various places at the same time (a gimmick used by Winston Churchill in "The Eagle Has Landed").

George Washington as played by Peter Graves would be one of those men - unless he was a quantum leaper......

It's an absurd idea from our perspective (although I'll bet there's an author out there who could make it work), but since when has Toobworld been concerned with reality? In an alternate universe in which cars can talk and billowing smoke can be a major character, the idea of a George Washington impersonator is rather tame.....

BCnU!

REALI-TV: SMOOCHIES!

Usually the "Two For Tuesday" theme is reserved for the "As Seen On TV" feature here at Inner Toob. But it works in this case as well.....





It's funny that Al mentioned 'Will & Grace', as that same situation happened to him with Jack and Will on the sitcom. I don't know which happened first - the actual kiss on the 'Today' show, or the 'Will & Grace' scene. So it's either Art imitates Life or vice versa.

BCnU!

PETER GRAVES: ONE LUCKY WOMAN

"Airplane" would not be the only time the late Peter Graves would spoof his own image. And this Geico blipvert can also count towards his inclusion in the TV Crossover Hall of Fame, along with 'Diagnosis Murder', 'Funny Face', and maybe even the Steve Martin special "Comedy Is Not Pretty"....




BCnU!

THE HAT SQUAD: PETER GRAVES

Peter Graves passed away this weekend at the age of 83. His most famous role may end up being that of Captain Clarence Oveur in 'Airplane', but for Toobworld it has to be that of Jim Phelps, leader of the IMF teams on 'Mission: Impossible'. He first made his mark as the star of 'Fury' (well, technically the horse was the star, but you know what I mean) and also starred in 'Whiplash'. He played a major role in the two mini-series 'The Winds Of War' and 'War & Remembrance' (which may have to be placed in two different TV dimensions because of significant recasting).

He had a recurring role as the grandfather on 'Seventh Heaven' and was the host for a lot of specials and the TV series 'Biography', which honed his serlinguistic ability. His last guest star role was in the Tooniverse, in an episode of 'American Dad'.

Peter Graves also played televersions of himself in two series, and perhaps even a third time in a Steve Martin TV special, which would then qualify him for membership in the League of Themselves wing of the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.

Here's a clip of Peter Graves as himself - playing the lead role of 'Dr. Danger', a TV show within a TV show, which of course means that it's the real deal in Toobworld. Reruns may still be playing in syndication over there.....



Peter Graves had a long career in television, and I expect there will be more posts to come about the various characters he contributed to its population. Good night, and may God bless.

BCnU......

ZONK: "PSYCH" vs "NIGHT COURT"

When Officer McNab suggested the modus operandi for the serial killer known as Mr. Yin, Mary Lightly responded: “I think that bailiff from Night Court is spot-on.”

This quote doesn't have to be seen with the air-quotes around "Night Court", making it a Zonk reference to the classic 80's sitcom. It could be that McNab moonlighted as a bailiff in the Santa Barbara night court. And since Lightly was living in Santa Barbara for at least the past year, perhaps their paths crossed at some point at the courthouse.

So that Zonk would be erased, leaving behind only a sweet pineapple scent.....

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: SIGMUND FREUD

We've already showcased Dr. Freud this year, but on February 2nd, Bernard Kates passed away.....

SIGMUND FREUD

AS SEEN IN:
'Star Trek: The Next Generation' - "Phantasms"

AS PLAYED BY:
Bernard Kates

The holographic image of Dr. Freud does not necessarily mean this is how he looked in the "real life" of Toobworld. It's more the projected image of him as conceived by the holographic programmer who installed the program. In the year 2370, Lt. Commander Data would visit the holographic projection in order to work out the dreams he was having about the Enterprise being attacked. Data stopped consulting with him when Dr. Freud diagnosed him as a "polymorphous perverse" with a desire to possess his own mother. Data realized that this treatment was of no help since, as an android, he had no mother.

SIGMUND FREUD

AS SEEN IN:
'Freud'

AS PLAYED BY:
David Suchet

Although I haven't given it much thought yet, the six episodes of this 1984 mini-series could be the definitive portrayal of Freud in the main Toobworld. Suchet carries the life of the psycho-analyst from a young man to his death.

Because Kates' portrayal was a hologram, there is no discrepancy in allowing both portrayals to remain in Earth Prime-Time.

Two for Tuesday!

BCnU!