THE TKTV NEWSLETTER
Season 2, Episode 3 aired January 19, 1999

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CONTENTS
1. Intro
2. Letters from the viewing audience
3. Why I Love (Hate) Love (Love to Hate?) Ally McBeal
     -by guest writer Rebecca Howland
4. TV Ramblings
5. Don't miss
6. Favorite quotes of the week
7. A totally unrelated link

1. Intro

Wow, so many new shows. And so many new sites. First of all, "Providence." Melina Kanakaredes is just a little too pretty, and whenever I see her last name written I try to pronounce it in my head and trip over a syllable or two. However, I really did enjoy the series premiere. It has a sense of humor, it's relatively realistic, the acting is great (it's so nice to see Mike Farrell of "M.A.S.H." fame back on TV), and so far, it's not too preachy (although I fear preachiness in future episodes). (I missed last Friday's episode 'cause my VCR screwed up. *sigh*) I think it's great that they've made Farrell's character a veterinarian... it makes for lots of great scenes with puppies. As "TV Guide" said, "warm fuzzies and fuzzy animals." The show also debuted as the 11th top watched show for its week with 19.4 million viewers. Very impressive. All those "Touched by an Angel" devotees that I don't understand must have tuned in.

Perhaps my expectations were too high for "The PJs." I guess I just expected to be rolling laughing like I was during "Delirious" or the early years of "The Simpsons." It had its funny moments, but I never guffawed. For a sitcom, it would have been fine (although the toilet tornado would have been harder to film), but for a new FOX animated series headlined by Eddie Murphy, it just wasn't all that. The animation quality is wonderful though. It's similar to the clay-mation we all know and love, except slightly different. It's called foamation, and its done by Will Vinton, the same guy who did the beloved California raisins. Again, the debut was impressive numbers-wise: "The PJs" was the 6th top watched show of its week with 22 million viewers. I wonder if it will hang onto them.

"Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane" premiered last Sunday. I was really not impressed. The writing is uninteresting, the filming looks like something your average college film student could do, and even the casting seems wrong. Azura Skye, as Jane, looks like the funky teenage New Yorker that has it all together and exudes self-confidence like Mike Tyson exudes anger. And yet somehow she's the insecure one, the one who doesn't know the first thing about attracting men. All wrong. None of the teenagers really seem like teenagers, they just seem like really insecure people who really want to be on "Friends." The WB is trying to build off their younger drama audience, but this show is just not of the same quality as any of their dramas, even "Charmed." In great contrast to "Providence" and "The PJs," this debut was not nearly as well-received. "Zoe" et al. had only 3.3 million viewers.

Keep an eye out for other premieres this week. "Turks" is coming to CBS this Thursday at 9pm. It doesn't seem very original, but I would say it has an equal chance of being bad as being good. It's the story of family and cops in Chicago. That's about all I know right now, but keep an eye out for a TKTV site soon.

Also, Dilbert debuts on UPN next Monday at 8pm. Give it a chance. It might be the only thing that saves UPN. I'm hoping it will at least debut higher than "Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane." Again, site coming soon.

Two more new sites you should check out. "Passions" is the new soap opera debuting on NBC this summer. Not a whole lot of info yet, but there will be more and more as we approach July. Also, "Charmed" finally has a home at TKTV, and it's a pretty good one if I do say so myself.

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2. Letters from the viewing audience

From Coni:
I watched "The PJs" on Sunday. I didn't find it that funny. I think I laughed out loud once. Now I can't even remember what I laughed at. Other than that, I didn't really smirk or smile or anything else. I had read good reviews about it, and I like Eddie Murphy (well the old SNL Eddie Murphy, but still). I guess I'll give it another chance on Tuesday since it is after King of the Hill, which I normally watch, but if it doesn't get funnier soon, I'll just change the channel waiting for Felicity to come on.
From Rachel:
I thought "Providence" was very good. I have enjoyed Melina Kanakaredes in everything she has been in. I may grow weary of seeing Concetta Tomei in that same outfit every show, but I loved her in China Beach and am glad to see her on the small screen again. The premise really didn't seem that hokey to me. My biggest beef would be Sydney's continual confirmation of her patients' names. It makes for witty dialogue, but no doctor would admit who they had worked on, it's unethical. This definitely fills a hole in my Friday night viewing.
From Tanya:
Before you see Chasing Amy, watch Mall Rats, which I think is the funniest of the trio.
(Note from TK: I already saw "Mall Rats." I didn't know it was part of the trio. Cool.)
From Shane:
I LOVE LING!

I love the whole wicked witch of the west theme when she comes into the office. I love the clothes and the SHOES. I love that "there must be someone who I could be suing." I love that she makes Fish squirm at the end of her line. I love the fact that she fights with Nell and Nell fights back. Did you see that sauna scene!?

(Note from TK: for anyone who doesn't know, Ling is character on "Ally McBeal.")

I can't say that I saw the PJ's on Sunday. I was balancing my checkbook so I was listening to it. My feeling is that it was lost on me becasue I had watched SNL the night before and they had done VH1 Behind the music about Fat Albert and the gang. It made me miss my childhood with it's true saturday morning cartoon shows not the saturday morning news we have now. Eddie Murphy is going to have a hard act to follow even through it has been twenty years since Cosby walked down that road. And I know it supposed to be "real life" claymation but it's going to take more than a "Joe's Apartment" spin off first REAL premiere to get me to tune in again.

I never really knew that was the name for fan-fic. Could you explain to me which Star Wars books are the real ones and which are the fan-fic?

(Note from TK: help! I have no idea. Do any viewers know? Rachel?)
From Cristobel:
Ooooh, oooh, I read it on time, AND I have a comment!!! It's a quick one, in response to Rachel's assertion that there are so few stories that continue on after "happily ever after." I don't disagree, but I have a favorite:

I saw and loved the movie "Forget Paris," with Billy Crystal and Debra Winger. It's a believable feel-good movie with a unique narrative style. However, I loved it even more after I read an interview with Billy Crystal; he said he took the role not only because the movie was funny, but because it didn't end with "happily ever after," but rather, began with that. The beginning of the movie is about how they met and fell in love in Paris, but the rest of the movie is about how they have to forget Paris, deal with the nitty gritty, and keep a sense of humor about it all (who moves in with who, whose job is sacrificed to whose, whether to have children or not, which city to live in, in-laws, etc etc).

That's all; I've always been fascinated with the "what happens after the happily ever after" concept, too, so Rachel's writing was interesting. As soon as my internet connection is up again, which it hasn't been all day, I'll be investigating some of the sites mentioned.
From Storm:
I thought Chasing Amy, particularly the ending, totally sucked.
Letters from the viewing audience are always welcome. Please email any opinions, questions, comments, or random thoughts to TK at tk@tktv.net with the subject of "letters." Letters may be edited for length or content.

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3. Why I Love (Hate) Love (Love to Hate?) Ally McBeal by Rebecca Howland

It's bad enough that she's seeped into the New York singles scene. In the age of Fox ascendance with queen Calista, I've been blessed (cursed?) with straight, brown hair and a penchant for mini skirts.

"Has anyone told you, you look just like Ally McBeal?" About a dozen times, thank you. And I don't.

And yet, I hunker down every Monday night at 9 pm in front of channel five, as religiously as I can muster in my hectic budding professional life. No, it's not for the gimmicks... not for the dancing babies, kick-boxing roommates, long slurping tongues or midget attorneys. It's for her. For Ally. Because, dammitt all to hell, I relate.

Why? I'm still trying to figure that one out.

Perhaps it's because Ally screws up. Constantly. And doesn't always learn from her mistakes. While every show may be filled with more than its fair share of platitudes, (people should be allowed to dream, don't give up on true love, unicorns do exist) they are certainly not of the sitcom, or even standard dramedy variety. Ally is steadily sticking her foot in it, pissing off the entire office, and making other bad decisions. Over and over. Kind of like life.

And then, there's the fact that she's nuts. Loopy. Not that I'm in therapy. Not that I have delusions about frolicking with unicorns or swimming through my office. But I do have my share of neuroses - workable neuroses. Not the full-blown affairs of other TV dramas (the alcoholic, abused-as-a-child, recovering from a rape, homicidal, suicidal, fratricidal types) or the fix-em in a half-hour sit-com variety. They are standard, daily kinds of neurosis... ones I probably share with most of the men and women in my demographic.

As a young, professional, single, urban woman (read: yuppie. sigh.) what do I care about? Work. Of course work. And relationships. And relationships. And work. Sometimes I worry that I obsess. Sometimes I worry that everybody obsesses too, and there's no chance of having any normal relationships. Then I turn that right around and worry that nobody else ever obsesses, and that I'm destined to spend the rest of my life unsuccessful and alone because everyone would think I was too obsessive. Then I'm obsessing about obsessing. A logical progression Ally would be proud of.

So, she's crazy and screws up. Like life. Like me. She makes my personal eccentricities the subject of prime time. And, in a way, it's comforting. Affirming. Addicting.

But there's a reason for the hate, too. A reason that at least once an episode I have to forcibly resist the urge to hurl something at the screen.

The show just goes too far. It's making a mockery of its own eccentricity. What began clever has now become predictable. Ling will sue. Nell will let her hair down. Elaine will wear a bra on her head. John's bowl will beckon. (And Billy? Milktoast. Only more bland. An aside, I know, but it had to be said.)

The plots do equal damage to the show's credibility. After all, unicorns? Dream sequences with ballroom dancing the likes of which the Love Boat has never seen? Yech.

So, I suppose I'll just have to go on loving, hating, loving, and hating Ally McBeal. After all, such ambivalence seems a fitting reaction, given the subject matter.

And I bet if Ally had to watch Ally McBeal, she'd think about it pretty much the same way.

TKTV is always looking for new guest writers. Do you have an idea for an article? Write to TK at tk@tktv.net with the subject of "guestwriter."

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4. TV Ramblings

My big guffaw of the week (okay, so the episode aired last week, but I didn't watch it until recently) was during "Becker." Something about the constantly grumpy Becker (Ted Danson) whining at Reggie to put him down and put him on the couch when his back went out just tickled me.

"Friends" has been one of the most consistently funny shows for seasons now. The opening scene of their New Year's episode proved it once again, when Joey found a way for Monica and Chandler to kiss for the New Year by pairing up the other friends for kisses.

I am so glad that Diane is finally dealing with her grief and extreme sense of loss on "NYPD Blue." As far as I can tell, not being a long-time "Blue" watcher, Diane has never been an incredibly strong person, and when she came back to work and only lashed out at Sorenson a little, I felt a little cheated. It turns out she was just taking her time. As soon as she started to settle back into her life, she realized that she was settling into a life with Bobby. I hate to seem repetitive, but Kim Delaney really does deserve that Golden Globe Award. Hey, where is their precinct anyway?

"Charlie's Angels" is coming back in the '90's, but it's not like the returns of "Fantasy Island" or "The Love Boat." It's in Spanish, and will begin airing in a week or so on Telemundo. They're using the exact same characters with the exact same scripts, almost word for word, translated into Spanish. Jill is now Elena, Kelly (who was always my favorite) is Adriana, and Sabrina is Gina. Wow, watching this might be a really good way for me to touch up on my Spanish skills.

Ahhhh! I just saw Mark Feuerstein ("Conrad Bloom") on a late-night ad for the Night Exchange, a "safe and fun way for adults to connect at night through voice-mail." He was younger and his hair was puffier, but it was definitely him. Wow, I bet he never thought THAT would come back to haunt him.

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5. Don't miss

For details and lots more fun TV to look forward to, see
http://www.tktv.net/upcoming.html

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6. Favorite Quotes of the Week

From "Friends"
"Y'know what? I'm gonna go out on a limb and say, 'No divorces in '99!'". -Ross
"But your divorce isn't even final yet." -Rachel
"Just the one divorce in '99!" -Ross.

From "Veronica's Closet"
"Alec, have you healed emotionally? Huh? Have you learned to love yourself for what you really are? Have you gotten your life back together and just moved on?" -Veronica
"I have a Porsche." -Alec

From "The Practice"
"Donald, Young, Dole and Slut... I mean Frutt." -Lucy

and

"My mother told me two things before she died. One was 'Never let somebody push you around just because they're bigger or richer.'" -Lucy
"What's the other thing she told you?" -Ellenor
"If you're ever in an argument you can always trump with a dead mother." -Lucy

From "NYPD Blue"
"You remind me of Donnie Osmond with your partner's personality." -Agent Francis
"Agent Francis, I'm proud to tell you I got all of Donnie's albums, including 'Mormon Hymns to Federal Agents Who Steal Their Weekly Paychecks." -Sorenson

From "Becker"
"Did you notice it smells like cabbage out there?" -Margaret
"Yeah, it's the old couple down the hallway. Either they cook sauerkraut every night or they've been dead since Tuesday." -Becker

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7. A totally unrelated link

Starr Wars

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Snakes are cool.