FRIDAY HALL OF FAMERS, 11/13/2020 - JULIE CHEN

 
So we kicked off the month with a US President and then inducted the next First Lady.  Now we’re going to add a newscaster/television personality to the mix….

JULIE CHEN

From Wikipedia:
Julie Suzanne Chen Moonves (born January 6, 1970) is an American television personality, news anchor, and producer for CBS. She has been the host of the American version of the CBS reality-television program ‘Big Brother’ since its debut in July 2000 and is the longest-serving host of any country's version of the show. Chen Moonves was a co-host and the moderator of the CBS Daytime talk show, ‘The Talk’, for eight seasons. Previously, she was a co-anchor of ‘The Early Show’ on CBS.

There are three reasons why Julie Chen got so many credits as a member of the League of Themselves:

1) Her affiliations with ‘Big Brother’ and ‘The Talk’

2) Most of the shows involved had CBS connections

3) She is married to Les Moonves, who was the CBS head honcho at the time.

Here are the credits which gained her entry into TVXOHOF:

Yes, Dear

- Big Brother-in-Law
(2003)

DEFINITE connection to ‘Big Brother’

Veronica Mars

- Normal Is the Watchword
(2005)

From the Veronica Mars wiki:
Julie Chen is an American television presenter for CBS. She appears in her own role in the first episode of the second season, as she interviews Keith Mars about the murder of Lilly Kane and his newly released book.

Possible reference to ‘CBS Early Morning’

The Millers
 - Internet Dating
(2013)
- Give Metta World Peace a Chance
(2014)

The Comeback

- Valerie Faces the Critics

From a fan site:
Valerie Cherish explicitly stated to the ladies of ‘The Talk’ that ‘Seeing Red’ is a dark comedy. ‘The Talk’ also brings up the topic of Val’s marriage, breaking out Valerie and Mark’s ski slope wedding photos.

Crossover with ‘The Talk’
(2014)

The Young and the Restless

 - Episode #1.10419
(2014)
- Episode #1.11178
(2017)

Life In Pieces

- Bunny Single Nightmare Drinking
(2017)

Jane the Virgin

- Chapter Seventy-Four

From a fan site:
Rogelio goes on ‘The Talk’ – and how fun is it that we have the whole cast! Julie Chen, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood, and Sara Gilbert! Fields denies that Male Post-Partum depression does not exist. Rogelio gains ground by dissolving into tears. Rogelio is ready to accept it as a draw, but Fields and Rogelio are also in the next segment… on wild animals.

Crossover with ‘The Talk’
(2018)

She has doppelgangers in other TV dimensions as well:

ALTERNATE TOOBWORLDS

The Unit

- Hero
(2009)

Her connection to ‘CBS Early Morning’ may have referenced.

Madam Secretary

- Pilot (2014)

O’Bservation – This is probably from Tea Leoni’s appearance on ‘The Talk’ as herself and not as Elizabeth McCord.

Beauty and the Beast

- Ancestors

Crossover with 'The Talk'
(2014)

Supergirl

- Falling

Crossover with ‘The Talk’
(2016)

Welcome to the Hall, Julie Chen!  You’ll find your husband Les already here….

FRIDAY HALL OF FAMERS, 11/06/2020 - DR. JILL BIDEN

I was so fixated on the election results through the week, and then on Saturday I was celebrating the projection of Joe Biden’s win, that I never launched this latest entry into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame.  That’s a good thing, because I could go back in and change some of the “wishy-washy will she be or won’t she be?” text.  Beginning with this:

Ladies and gentlemen, as the first Friday Hall of Famer for this November, I’m proud to present….
 

DR. JILL BIDEN

From Wikipedia:
Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (née Jacobs, formerly Stevenson; born June 3, 1951) is an American educator who was second lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She is married to Joe Biden, the 47th vice president of the United States and the nominee for the president of the United States in the 2020 election.

O’Bservation – What you just read was the Wikipedia article as of November 02, 2020.  It has been rewritten to reflect that she is now the First Lady Designate and that her husband is the President Elect and will be the 46th President of the United States January 20, 2021.

Some of you familiar with the TVXOHOF may have noticed that Joe Biden is not currently in the Hall.  Even though he has more credits than his wife, there are no plans to induct him… this year.  This man has prevented a second term for the current POTUS – who was inducted into the Hall as the April Fool nominee in 2009 – and so deserves the monthly showcase, which he will get next November.

Here are the credits which have landed the televersion of Dr. Biden into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame:

Army Wives- Mud, Sweat & Tears (2010)

As part of Dr. Biden’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the service and sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and their families, she will appear as herself in the episode entitled “Mud, Sweat, and Tears.”  Dr. Biden visits Fort Marshall to kick off the post’s annual “Fun Run,” a road race and obstacle course for the local community and post families, in support of a summer camp for children of military families.  While on post, Dr. Biden also visits with military spouses to discuss some of the challenges their families face on a daily basis while their loved ones are deployed.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT I

Dr. Biden, who along with First Lady Michelle Obama is helping to forge an enduring national commitment to support military families, also filmed a public service announcement (PSA) encouraging all Americans to take part.

Parks and Recreation

- One Last Ride (2015)
As the team gathers one final time before they go their separate ways, we look 10 years into the future for each team member.

Leslie Knope, the onetime Pawnee parks director turned city councilwoman who's now working in D.C. for the Department of the Interior, and her husband, now-Indiana Rep. Ben Wyatt, are dining at the Bidens' home. Jill Biden warns dinner guests that there will be "no shop talk" at dinner.

Dr. Biden:
"If you want to discuss politics, you're going to have to wait until after dinner - I'm looking at you, Leslie."

President Joe Biden:
"The last time we played charades, [Leslie] spent three and a half hours here."
Dr. Biden:
"You're just mad because you lost."

The Night Shift

- Moving On (2015)
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden were part of the Joining Forces Initiative, which promotes health resources for veterans.  The JFI aims to “illustrate the healing, resilience and sense of purpose that veterans, such as San Antonio Memorial’s own TC Callahan (played by Eoin Macken), have found when they get the support they need.” [Press release]

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT II

The televersions of Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden called upon their serlinguistic skills to filmed a PSA about veterans’ mental health with ‘Night Shift’ stars Jill Flint, Robert Bailey Jr. and Macken.

Jeopardy!

 Clue Giver
- Teachers Tournament Semifinal Game 1 (2016)
- Episode #33.11 (2016)
- Episode #33.67 (2016)

Welcome to the Hall, Dr. Biden.  Thank you for your service so far.  All the best for these next four years.   

NOVEMBER 2020 TVXOHOF - PRESIDENT ULYSSES GRANT

 

November is the month in which the Television Crossover Hall of Fame celebrates the newsmakers and the newscasters.  And for the last few years it has been the multidimensional depictions of American Presidents which grab the monthly showcase.  And for this bleepshow of a  year, that hold constant.

The President who has that honor for 2020 is……

ULYSSES S. GRANT

From Wikipedia:
Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was an American soldier and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. Before his presidency, Grant led the Union Army as Commanding General of the United States Army in winning the American Civil War. As president, Grant worked with the Radical Republicans during Reconstruction to protect blacks and reestablish the public credit, while rebuilding the U.S. Navy.

Lincoln was assassinated, and was succeeded by President Andrew Johnson, who promoted Grant to General of the Army in 1866. Later Grant openly broke with Johnson over Reconstruction policies; Grant used the Reconstruction Acts, which had been passed over Johnson's veto, to enforce civil rights for recently freed African Americans.

A war hero but a reluctant politician, Grant was unanimously nominated by the Republican Party and was elected president in 1868.

On March 4, 1869, Grant was sworn in as the eighteenth President of the United States by Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase. In his inaugural address, Grant urged the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, while large numbers of African Americans attended his inauguration. He also urged that bonds issued during the Civil War should be paid in gold and called for "proper treatment" of Native Americans and encouraged their "civilization and ultimate citizenship".

As president, Grant stabilized the post-war national economy, created the Department of Justice, and prosecuted the Ku Klux Klan. He appointed African Americans and Jewish Americans to prominent federal offices. In 1871, he created the first Civil Service Commission. The Liberal Republicans and Democrats united behind Grant's opponent in the presidential election of 1872, but Grant was handily re-elected. Grant's Native American policy had both successes and failures. In foreign affairs, the Grant administration peacefully resolved the Alabama claims against Great Britain, but the Senate rejected Grant's prized Caribbean Dominican Republic annexation. Corruption in federal departments was rampant; four of Grant's appointed cabinet members resigned under scandal, while many Grant appointees were fired.

The Panic of 1873 plunged the nation into a severe economic depression, that allowed the Democrats to win the House majority. In the intensely disputed presidential election of 1876, Grant facilitated the approval by Congress of a peaceful compromise.
In his retirement, Grant was the first president to circumnavigate the world on his tour, meeting with many foreign leaders. In 1880, Grant was unsuccessful in obtaining the Republican presidential nomination for a third term. In the final year of his life, facing severe financial reversals and dying of throat cancer, he wrote his memoirs, which proved to be a major critical and financial success. At the time of his death, he was memorialized as a symbol of national unity.

Historical assessments of Grant's presidency have improved over time. Grant was ranked 38th in 1994 and 1996, but ranked 21st in 2018. Several modern historians have emphasized Grant's presidential accomplishments including the Alabama Claims settlement, protection of African Americans and Indians, and the first Civil Service Commission. In 1872, Grant created Yellowstone, the world's first national park.

Grant was sympathetic to women's rights; including support of female suffrage, saying he wanted "equal rights to all citizens."

Grant appointed more than fifty Jewish people to federal office, including consuls, district attorneys, and deputy postmasters. Grant was sympathetic to the plight of persecuted Jewish people.

In 1875, Grant proposed a constitutional amendment that limited religious indoctrination in public schools. Instruction of "religious, atheistic, or pagan tenets," would be banned, while funding "for the benefit or in aid, directly or indirectly, of any religious sect or denomination," would be prohibited. Schools would be for all children "irrespective of sex, color, birthplace, or religions."

In the greater tele-mosaic, Grant is a multidimensional.  Those stand-alone portrayals of Grant in miniseries, TV movies, and documentaries are each put into separate Toobworlds from other TV dimensions.  Those found in established TV series should all be considered the Ulysses Grant from Earth Prime-Time, the main Toobworld.  The fact that he was portrayed by different actors in those episodes is not a Zonk; the Trueniverse audience is seeing Grant from the perspective of a regular character in that series.

Here are the portrayals of Ulysses S. Grant in the greater TV Universe.

EARTH PRIME-TIME

The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams

"The Stranger"
1978
portrayed by Mark Slade as a young Captain Grant

Wagon Train

"The Colter Craven Story"
November 23, 1960
portrayed by Paul Birch

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin

“Rin Tin Tin Meets Mister President”
October 21, 1955

“Presidential Citation”
November 16, 1956
portrayed by Paul Birch in both

Cheyenne

“The Iron Trail”
January 1, 1957
portrayed by
Joseph Crehan

Black Saddle

“Mr. Simpson”
January 22, 1960
portrayed by Paul Birch 

The Wild, Wild West

1965–1969
portrayed by Roy Engel in six episodes

O’Bservation – As is often the case, the casting from the pilot for ‘The Wild Wild West’ did not transfer unchanged to the series.  President Grant only appeared in six episodes of the series but he was played by Engel in those while James Gregory played Grant in the pilot.  This could have been splained away in the past by an alternate dimension for prequels or really outlandish theories about alien impersonators, androids, plastic surgery. But nowadays I go with points of view.  

Grant looked like James Gregory via James West’s perspective while all of the other appearances were due to him being seen from the points of view of Artemus Gordon and Frank Harper.  And so was more akin to the reality of his appearance.

Branded  

"The Assassins: Part One"
March 27, 1966

"The Assassins: Part Two"
April 3, 1966
portrayed by William Bryant in both (Seen during the War in the first; as the President in the second)

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

“The Washington Affair, Parts 1&2”
November 5, 1994
portrayed by Denis Lipscomb in both

Hell on Wheels

2013-2016
portrayed by Victor Slezak in six episodes

EARTH PRIME-TIME PLUS

O'Bservation - This is the dimension that began conjoined with Earth Prime-Time but which became its own realm because of permanent alterations caused by time travel which clash with established historical facts in Earth Prime.

Timeless

"The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln"
October 10, 2016
portrayed by Terry Lewis

COMIX TOOBWORLD DC

Legends of Tomorrow

"Abominations"
November 3, 2016
portrayed by John Churchill

ALTERNATE TOOBWORLDS

Lincoln, 1974

portrayed by Norman Burton

The Blue and the Gray, 1982

portrayed by Rip Torn

North and South, 1985-1986/1994

portrayed by Mark Moses, Anthony Zerbe and Rutherford Cravens

O'Bservation - The Recastaway Discrepancy from Moses to Zerbe can be splained away with aging.  But as for the change in appearance to Cravens from Zerbe?  O'Bviously, that was a quantum leap "tourist" from the future of the current timeline inhabiting Grant's space. 

Lincoln, 1988

portrayed by James Gammon

The Civil War, 1990
voiced by Jason Robards

Lincoln, 1992
portrayed by Rod Steiger

The Day Lincoln Was Shot, 1998
portrayed by John Ashton.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, 2007

portrayed by Senator Fred Thompson

Sherman's March, 2007

portrayed by Harry Bulkeley

Grant  

May 25, 2020 to May 27, 2020
portrayed by Justin Salinger.

Welcome to the Hall, Mr. President.  Salute!

You’ll find the smoking lounge down the corridor.

 

    

FRIDAY HALL OF FAMERS 10/30/2020 - "THE MUNSTERS"

 
We inducted the televersion of ‘The Twilight Zone' last month into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame, so what Toobworld TV show could we showcase now which would be perfect for the end of October?

THE MUNSTERS

With the induction this month of Eddie Munster, every member of that family is now also a member of the TVXOHOF, so this only makes sense for the Halloween season.

From Wikipedia:

‘The Munsters’ is an American sitcom depicting the home life of a family of benign monsters starring Fred Gwynne as Frankenstein's monster-type head-of-the-household Herman Munster; Yvonne De Carlo as his vampire wife, Lily Munster; Al Lewis as Grandpa, the over-the-hill vampire who relishes talking about the "good old days"; Beverley Owen (later replaced by Pat Priest) as their teenage niece Marilyn Munster, whose non-monster persona made her the family outcast; and Butch Patrick as their half-vampire, half-werewolf son Eddie Munster. 

The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and the wholesome family fare of the era, and was produced by the creators of ‘Leave It to Beaver’. It ran concurrently with the similarly macabre themed ‘The Addams Family’ (which aired on ABC) and achieved higher figures in the Nielsen ratings.

In 1965, ‘The Munsters’ was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series, but lost to ‘The Rogues’. In the 21st century it received several TV Land Award nominations, including one for Most Uninsurable Driver (Herman Munster).

The series originally aired on Thursday at 7:30 pm on CBS from September 24, 1964, to May 12, 1966; 70 episodes were produced. It was cancelled after ratings dropped to a series low, due to the premiere of ABC's ‘Batman’, which was in color. Though ratings declined by the end of its initial two-year run, ‘The Munsters’ found a large audience in syndication. This popularity warranted a spin-off series, as well as several films, including one with a theatrical release.

On October 26, 2012, NBC aired a modern reimagining of ‘The Munsters’ called “Mockingbird Lane” as a pilot. The series failed to be picked up by NBC due to disagreements on the dark nature and inconsistent tone.

As a TV series within Toobworld, it was a natural about the family who lives in Toobworld.  It can’t be a documentary series like the groundbreaking one about the Loud Family, as we know from two of the listed references below in which the actors are mentioned.

Of the many references in other TV shows about ‘The Munsters’, I’m only using those which could be definitely linked to the televersion of the TV show and not to the actual family living in Earth Prime-Time.  (And if it’s a toss-up, I’m going to assume they are talking about the actual Munsters.)

Here are the references which qualify the Toobworld TV show about the Munsters to become a member of the Television Crossover Hall of Fame.

We’ll begin with the strongest verifications that it exists in Toobworld as a TV series:

The Wonder Years:

Buster (1991)
The Arnolds watch an episode of "The Munsters."

Everybody Hates Chris:

Everybody Hates the English Teacher (2008)
Mr. Omar watches the show along with Drew and Tonya.

Caroline in the City:

Caroline and the Desperate Cat (1997)
Richard and Charlie watch and discuss "The Munsters".

That '70s Show:

Down the Road Apiece (2005)
Kelso, Red and Kitty watches TV. Kelso tries to explain the show, Red hates it.

Dirty John:

Lord High Executioner (2018)
Teenage John and Teenage Denise watch an episode of this show.

The Twilight Zone:
Six Degrees of Freedom (2019)
The Bradbury mission picks up an audio transmission of an episode of ‘The Munsters’ (1964) en route to Mars.

Scrubs:
My Point of No Return (2007)
the Janitor says he's old because he's the only to have seen this show.

Newhart:
Newsstruck (1988)
Michael recalls an episode.

George Lopez:
Leave It to Lopez (2004)
One of George's dreams.

O’Bservation – Michael was a figment of Dr. Bob Hartley’s imagination.  So if Dr. Hartley and George Lopez dreamed of ‘The Munsters’ in their respective sitcoms, then it was a sitcom for them.

Full House:
Joey Gets Tough (1988)
Jesse mentions the show while explaining that no family is perfect.

Gilmore Girls:
The Road Trip to Harvard (2001)
Lorelai mentions that Fred Gwynne went to Harvard and references Herman Munster.

Happily Divorced:
The Back-Up Fran (2012)
Peter mentions that Yvonne De Carlo played Lily Munster.

American Dreams:
R-E-S-P-E-C-T (2003)
Jack refers to the series.

The Kids Are Alright:
Low Expectations (2019)
Joey says The Brady Bunch vs The Patridge Family debates is like this show vs. The Addams Family.

Monk:
Mr. Monk and Little Monk (2005)
Lily refers to Young Adrian Monk as "the real life Eddie Munster".

'Til Death:
The Ex-Factor (2009)
Eddie imitates Herman Munster

Psych:
Lassie Jerky (2013)
Shawn enrolls Gus in a class on hermeneutics, which he believes is the "study of ‘The Munsters’."

Red Dwarf:
Legion (1993)
Kryten's line "Just because I look like Herman Munster's stuntman doesn't mean to say I can't appreciate art."

Psych:
He Dead (2009)
Gus says that a street address mentioned by Shawn is actually that of the Munsters.

The Nanny:
Franny and the Professor (1995)
Fran mentions the show by name.

Millennium:
...Thirteen Years Later (1998)
Lily Munster costume

EastEnders:
Episode dated 19 October 2015
Elaine and Linda are talking about Halloween. Linda says, "You know we like to dress up as The Munsters every year". Elaine replies, "That was old-fashioned 20 years ago!"

The following references could go either way, but I can’t be sure:

Rhoda:
Five for the Road: Part 1 (1978)
Brenda mentions the title characters.

Happy Days:
The Other Guy (1981)
Referenced by Marion Cunningham

Cheers:
How to Win Friends and Electrocute People (1988)
Mentioned by name.

It's Garry Shandling's Show.:
Home Sweet Home (1988)
title mentioned

One Foot in the Grave:
Secret of the Seven Sorcerers (1993)
Mentioned by Patrick.

Tales from the Crypt:
People Who Live in Brass Hearses (1993)
Mentioned in dialogue

The Nanny:
A Kiss Is Just a Kiss (1995)
Fran mentions the characters, Lily and Herman, by name.

The Nanny:
Dope Diamond (1995)
Fran likens the grey streak in Maxwell's hair to Lily Munster.

The Sopranos:
Rat Pack (2004)
Tony B makes a "Grandpa Munster" comment about Paulie's hair.

Extras:
Ben Stiller (2005)
Maggie says a man's orthopedic shoe reminds her of Herman Munster from this show.

The Nanny:
The Yummy Mummy (1999)
Fran mentions the character, Herman Munster.

Supernatural:
Bugs (2005)
mentioned by Dean

The Goldbergs:
The Beverly Goldberg Cookbook: Part 2 (2019)
Mentioned by Barry.

A word of warning to visitors to the TVXOHOF:

Every Toobworld TV series which has been inducted has their own soundproof viewing room.  There you can watch non-stop episodes of those shows.  BUT!  The episodes which make up the Toobworld versions of the shows we know might not be episodes which were available to the Trueniverse audience.

And the actors who played the roles in Toobworld might not look exactly like the actual “people” being portrayed.  At least we know that in the case of ‘The Munsters’, Herman and Lily were portrayed by the televersions of Fred Gwynne and Yvonne DeCarlo....