Love My TV

What Was The Longest Running Police Drama

admin — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The longest running police drama is Law & Order. Law & Order first aired on September 13, 1990, on NBC. The show lasted 20 seasons with the last episode airing on May 24, 2010. It tied with Gunsmoke as the longest running American drama. The producer, Dick Wolf, had so much success with Law & Order that there have been several spin-offs such as Law & Order: SVU, Special Victims Unit. The show had two parts, the law and the order. The first part of the episode went to investigating and catching the bad guy and the last half was about convicting the bad guy. The show has seen a its share of castmembers come and go and guest stars, such as Julia Roberts and Samuel L. Jackson. Mr. Wolf initially thought of the name Day and Night, but Law & Order became the perfect fit. The show was quickly replaced with Law & Order: Los Angeles, or LOLA as some refer to it. LOLA first aired September 29, 2010 and its last episode will air July 11, 2011, as it has been cancelled, apparently not holding up to Law & Order. Law & Order has been the stepping stone for many careers and has led the way for great shows like Law & Order: SVU.

Who Were the Stars Of Gilligan’s Island

admin — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Gilligan’s Island is one of the most beloved American television shows. These seven castaways gave us many laughs through the years even if the premise was outlandish. We all have our favorite character, but I bet you can name them all without giving it a second thought.

The Skipper was of course the leader despite the fact that it was his boat that landed them on the island. Gilligan, who is now a cultural icon, was the blundering first mate that somehow repeatedly got in trouble on a deserted island. The Professor was the requisite brain on the island and seemed to have the uncanny knack of being able to fashion anything out of a coconut except a patch for the boat’s hull.

Next come the Howells. Thurston and “Lovey” wouldn’t have chosen the Island as their first option for beach front property, but they somehow made a rattan hut seem luxurious. Lastly, we have the question asked of every male since the show aired. Would you pick Ginger or Mary Ann. I was always partial to the girl next door style of Mary Ann, but the Hollywood starlet named Ginger never makes the choice easy.

Gilligan’s Island is filled with characters that have long outlived the show, and they hold up as all time classics.

How Many Presidents Appeared On Variety Shows

admin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Without a doubt one of the most recognizable faces and one of the most important people in the world is none other than the President of the United States. While they are always recognized for the stuff that they do to protect the country, they also are criticized for their stern and hard demeanor, one that is meant to let people know that the United States is nothing to mess with.

One way that the President has been able to show his true self is by making appearances on television talk shows. For the last twenty years, all of the living presidents have made stops on shows like Oprah and ABC’s 20/20 with Barbara Walters. The first time that a President made an appearance on such a television show was in 1968 when Richard Nixon was a guest on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In. Variety shows were the thing of the day back then and Nixon took the opportunity to appear on the show as sort of a political advertisement right before the ’68 election that he would win. President Nixon was the only President to ever appear on such a show.

While there have been plenty of Presidents who have been on major talk shows, Richard Nixon is the only President to be a part of a variety television program during his appearance on Laugh In back during the late 1960′s.The hits keep comin’: 18 1/2 minutes of Watergate history remain a mystery

HBO: Please Bring Back Rome!

admin — Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

One of the best television shows (arguably) in the last decade is HBO’s long lamented “Rome,” an extremely historically detailed account of the day to day lives of Cesarian Rome. Here are a few of our biggest arguments for why HBO, whether people were watching it from www.direct.tv or renting the DVDs, should BRING ROME BACK!
Historical Accuracy – One of the biggest reasons HBO says Rome had to be cancelled after only two 10-episode seasons was the extreme expense the network put into making the show as historically accurate as possible. They hired several full-time researchers and paid trade professionals to play bit parts on the show.
The Drama – There have been few shows in recent memory with so much drama, much of it true! From the death of various politicians to recounts of Roman wars and victories, the drama of Rome was what made the show so imminently awesome.
Costumes – Along with the historical accuracy came the costumes, and what costumes they were! From the plebs to the patriarchs of Roman society, the costumes actors on the series wore were awe-inspiring.
HBO, if you’re reading this, BRING ROME BACK!

How many episodes did Laugh In Run For

admin — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

For five years and 140 wacky episodes, “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In” touched on the taboo and the topical in a quick-paced, vaudeville-like format. The action centered on comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin who portrayed the classic smart-guy/dumb guy duo, guiding each program through zany skits, one-liners and musical numbers. Many regular cast members gained fame though the show, including Goldie Hawn, Arte Johnson and Lily Tomlin. Together with Ruth Buzzi, Jo Ann Worley, Alan Seuss and Henry Gibson, they created some of the most memorable characters in the medium.

A true reflection of its times, “Laugh-In” attracted the biggest names in show business and tackled the controversial subjects of the day. Guests included stars like Frank Sinatra, Johnny Carson and even Richard Nixon, who famously did several takes of one of the show’s catch-phrases, “Sock it to me!”during the 1968 presidential campaign. If you were anyone you made it to “Laugh-In” to poke fun at yourself and the establishment.

A perennial ratings hit, it seemed everyone wanted to be associated with this hip, hilarious take on the world. “Laugh-In” bridged the gap between the socially-conscious 60s and the sleepy 70s. It was truly a mirror held up to the changing times.

How Long Did the Honeymooners Run

admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Classic TV sitcoms live on through syndication and cable TV programming but many had relatively short original runs. Though TV Guide ranks it as the second greatest all-time television show I Love Lucy ran just six years from 1951 through 1957 with a total of 194 episodes. The third show on TV Guide’s list of greatest shows aired only one season and produced a measly 39 episodes. This show, The Honeymooners, aired October 1955 through September 1966.

The Honeymooners offered a glimpse into the life of working class Brooklyn resident Ralph Kramden, a role played brilliantly by legendary comedian Jackie Gleason. Art Carney played Ralph’s friend and neighbor Ed Norton. Though The Honeymooners was a top rated show in the CBS lineup Gleason elected to end rather than “cheapen” its short run. After the sitcom ended the characters of Ralph and Ed were continued through sketches on Gleason’s variety show until Carney left The Jackie Gleason Show in 1967.

Later what is reported to be a cartoon version of the sitcom was introduced. The cartoon featured working class caveman Fred Flintstone and his buddy Barney Rubble. The Flintstones enjoyed a six-year run from September 1960 through April 1966 with over 160 episodes having aired.

What Sitcom ran the longest on Television

admin — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The situation comedy has been staple programming practically since televisions became a common household item. I was having a discussion with a colleague about which sitcoms have run the longest- we couldn’t agree, they claimed it was MASH while I insisted that it was Cheers. It got me to thinking, so I popped the question in to Google and was delivered to ANCHOR TEXT, http://www.itthing.com/10-longest-running-tv-sitcoms-of-all-time, where I was quite surprised with the result.

One thing that is usually the death knell for a sitcom is children- they tend to grow up. Unless there is a very strong set of adult characters, most shows that center around a precocious child have a limited shelf life. The Wonder Years and Diff’rent Strokes comes to mind. Some shows try to keep plugging away by bringing in another child late in its run (apologies to Robbie Rist, but remember Oliver?), which always signals that the sitcom is in its final season.

Cartoons don’t seem to have this problem. A child in a cartoon never has to grow up. South Park (14 seasons and counting) and the Simpsons (21 seasons and counting) are the two longest-running sitcoms to date, which undoubtedly irks those with an inflated sense of self-morality. As irreverent as these cartoons are, they are still hugely popular. Why? Because they are funny. Also, these cartoons poke fun at practically every element of society without playing favorites.

So, if this subject comes up in one of your discussions, you now know the answer and can move on without wasting anymore time with amusing banalities.

The League Extended for 3rd season

www.lovemytv.com — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

If, for some reason, you find the urge to go sleep or immediately change the channel following It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia‘s Thursday broadcast, FX is giving viewers a 3^rd chance to right their wrongs and stay tuned for arguably the most entertaining newcomer over the past 2 football seasons. No, football season and TV seasons are not one in the same, but for the FX-original series The League, the two walk hand in hand. Recently renewed for a 3^rd season, much to the delight of yours truly, The League is to legions of cleverer-than-thou Fantasy Football nerds what Sex and the City was to desperate middle-aged women. In fact, the two shows draw further parallels in that The League is only partially about fantasy football just as SITC centered around men on only a primarily superficial level. Instead, what The League represents is a realistic (assuming every fantasy football league could score NFL cameos and finance/execute quality music videos) depiction of male friendship, treating each other and talking to one another like guys really do and addressing topics guys actually talk about.Whether it’s better for female counterparts to be let in on the full breadth of discourse at-hand is an entirely different matter of personal opinion. Fortunately, show creators helped to mitigate this potential problem by centering the show around fantasy sports, a subject as apathetic among much of the female population as the male interest in Carrie Bradshaw’s endless line of designer shoes and handbags. In short, it’s a crude, demeaning, wildly inappropriate, yet endearing, hilarious and bitingly accurate. The League remains a must see, particularly for male sports fans under 40, and if you’re already watching Always Sunny with regularity, the guess here is, regardless of gender, you’re right in the show’s target wheelhouse.

Our premium programming picks

www.lovemytv.com — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 11:44:27 +0000

Entourage (HBO) Just when we thought the show was about lose some of its luster, a lot like Vinny Chase post Medellin, writers amped it up a notch and returned the show to glory. Delving into more substance, even substance abuse, the show once again managed to capture waning viewer interested even among longtime followers. After all, you can only spend so much money and sleep with so many babes, right?
Californication (Showtime) From the first scene of the first episode we were hooked, though truth be told it may have been the most sacrilegiously irreverent 5 minutes in TV history. Now in its 4^th season Californication has done little to disappoint. Follow Hank Moody on his life as a writer, not the pent up English teacher with arthritis in his typing fingers you might expect from unmistakably drab connotations regarding the writing discipline, but a womanizing wannabe family man, caught between his writer’s block, misguided self-identity and his own commercial success.
East Bound & Down (HBO) After a brief 6 episode season 1, Kenny Powers jerseys have already been flying off the figurative shelves. Eerily reminiscent in tolerance for minorities, women and others to former Atlanta Braves closing pitcher John Rocker, Powers a fellow former MLB closer (also starting with the Braves) struggles get back into the majors without changing his hard partying attitude or reputation. After a stint spent teaching P.E. in his hometown of Shelby, North Carolina, season 2 opens with Powers cock-fighting in Mexico before finally making his way to the field for the local Mexican league team. The fictional powers has also already branded a line of training shoes, K-Swiss Tubes, and can seen working out alongside fellow athletes in clever commercials than augment the series.

Top 3 network sitcoms entering season 2

www.lovemytv.com — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:24:45 +0000

Modern Family (ABC) If season 2 comes anywhere close to season 1, there is no disputing the newly crowned kings of comedy. Starring Ed O’Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Sofia Vergara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family introduces us to the new look of suburbia. Comprised of a grandfather who remarried younger and latina, his brother and sister children, both of whom married men, and an onslaught of hilariously quirky grandkids, top notch writing and great performance make the show something the entire family will appreciate.
Community (NBC) With Chevy Chase now doing a steady diet of even non-Super Bowl commercials it’s not as surprising he got roped into a sitcom, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get to reap the benefit of comedic genius. Whether or not you think Joel McHale is the coolest dude around or painfully whiny, the supporting cast of characters makes Community a must see. The plot centers around a unlikely group of friends stemming from a ragtag Spanish study group, formed in order to pass a surprisingly difficult community college class. Ken Jeong plays a recurring role as Spanish teacher Senor Chang, like Chase proving equally competent on the small screen after stints in big hit comedies like The Hangover and Role Models. At least tune in for the final few minutes to watch Danny Pudi and Donald Glover show off truly remarkable improvisational skills.
Cougar Town (NBC) Admittedly, it probably only gained a following by literally following Community, prime real estate for lost remotes and “why not?” apathy. Well, that and Courtney Cox’s ageless appeal and remarkable ability to hold up over time. At first it seemed the whole “cougar” catch phrase might pass before the show gained ground, but after a few viewings its obvious they are definitely on to something. A very likable cast surrounds Cox as she engages in an entertaining quest for love and companionship as a 40 parent living in Florida.