THE TKTV NEWSLETTER
Season 2, Episode 18 aired May 3, 1999

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CONTENTS
1. Intro
2. Letters from the viewing audience
3. "Party of Five" May Change Your Life
     -by guest writer Laurel Fulcher
4. Don't miss
5. TV Trivia
6. Favorite quotes of the week
7. A totally unrelated link

1. Intro

May sweeps has started, and here are some fun crossovers to look forward to this week. CBS is going all out on Monday with Ted Danson ("Becker") guest starring on "Cosby," Ted Danson guest starring on "King of Queens," Ted Danson guest starring on "Everybody Loves Raymond," and then at the end of the night, Kevin James ("King of Queens"), Ray Romano ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), and Bill Cosby ("Cosby") guest starring on "Becker." On Saturday, NBC gives it a try when "The Pretender" and "Profiler" team up as Samantha Walker and Jarod team up to find the kidnapper of a 13-year-old genius, and CBS competes with Sammo Hung ("Martial Law") guest starring on "Early Edition."

Guest stars are in abundance as well. Jason Alexander is Catbert on "Dilbert." Randy "Macho Man" Savage is on "Mad About You." Steve Garvey is on "Just Shoot Me." Kathy Bates is on "3rd Rock from the Sun." Olivia d'Abo is on "Party of Five." Julia Roberts is on "Law & Order." Usher is on "Promised Land." Virginia Madsen is on "Frasier." Brandi is on "Diagnosis Murder." Martina McBride is on "Early Edition." Stephen Hawking is on "The Simpsons." Muhammed Ali is on "Touched by an Angel."

It's almost dizzying. Along the way, don't forget the lesbian kiss on "Party of Five," the season finale of "Sports Night," the build-up to the end of "Melrose Place," new episodes of "Buffy" (wow, it's been a long time since we've seen a new episode of "Buffy"), the feature film "The Rock," and a fabulous new show on UPN, "Home Movies." Yes, I said UPN.

I mentioned "Home Movies" briefly last week. It's created by Brendon Small and Loren Bouchard, and it's really a very different show. Paula Poundstone plays Paula Small, the mother of a wise-cracking eight-year-old boy, Brendon, who is an aspiring film maker, and a demanding baby girl. Everyone says what they mean, but they always say it with a stutter and maybe a little crack in their voice. To check out some great quotes from the premiere episode, check out TKTV's new little baby site dedicated to the show: http://homemovies.tktv.net . I sincerely suggest you give the show a chance. It's on Mondays at 8:30 ET on UPN (do you even know what channel UPN IS in your town?) after "Dilbert."

As for the newsletter, the whole trivia thing didn't really take off. I got one actual answer, and a couple people with some future questions. But I'm not giving up yet. I'll try to give this section a chance before I axe it, since so many new shows deserved so much more.

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2. Letters from the viewing audience

From Allan:
I couldn't agree more with Martha's comments. Homicide was once the best written and possibly finest acted show on TV. Even extreme network indifference (amounting to criminal neglect) could not hurt it. They showed episodes out of sequence (making a mess of a well developed storyline), preempted the show constantly, and delayed renewal until the last second. Actor after actor fled the show in despair. But it remained great. Until this season. I know these are good actors - I've seen them put in good performances in the past. I know this series still has some life in it. But the dismal writing has done what all the preemptions and quittings couldn't do. It has killed the best hour on television. Maybe finding the culprit should be Homicide's last case.
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. "Party of Five" May Change Your Life by Laurel Fulcher

I am a fairly new subscriber to the newsletter, but since I have been receiving it I haven't noticed anyone mention anything about Party of Five and its wonderful cast. If I may be so bold to say, I feel it is one of the best shows on television today.

I know a lot of people have said that it is a little depressing, but I feel the content of the show is so true to life that we can all connect with at least one if not more of the current storylines. May I mention Scott Wolf, AKA: Bailey Salinger? Without being biased (he is my favorite actor, not to mention I think he is pretty hot), I think he is doing an extraordinary job. With the emotional roller-coaster that Bailey (and all of the other characters) seems to be on, he can reach any plateau, whether it be anguish to sheer delight. No matter what emotion he is playing he always seems to make me cry. I never seem to be able to get away with a dry eye after the hour is over. This is not without the help of the other fine actors on this show.

I think Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, Lacey Chabert, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jeremy London, and Paula Devicq are all wonderful and they each have made this show the outstanding critically acclaimed show that it is. Each of these actors could not pull off the range of emotions they play each week without the support of each other. This is what I think makes them one of the best ensemble casts on television today. The truth and depth to all of the issues that they portray on this show hits so close to home sometimes that you feel like you are living with them through their problems and joys. Just to name a few of the more memorable: Bailey's alcoholism (including the intervention, the AA meetings, and his arrest for Sarah's car accident), Charlie's cancer, Griffin and Ned's fight, Charlie & Kirsten's almost wedding, Sarah and Bailey making love for the first time, baby Diana's birth, and finally, when they confronted the driver who killed their mother and father.

I could go on and on, but I won't. Instead, I'll leave on a few short words. Watching Party of Five may change your life, or least let you feel a little better about your own problems.

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. Don't miss

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

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5. TV Trivia

Well, as I mentioned in the intro, we only got one answer to last week's trivia question, and that was from our guest writer, Laurel. She wrote: "I hope I have her name right and that I am thinking of the right person: Leeann Hunley!!!"

Unfortunately, Laurel was wrong. But hey, at least she tried! Leann Hunley, although she has played Pacey's love interest on "Dawson's Creek," has never, to my knowledge, been on either "Providence" or "Cupid." The actor I was looking for was Joe Flanigan, who was most recently Dr. David Marcus on "Providence," and before that was Claire's writer boyfriend on "Cupid" and the fisherman that almost raped Jen on "Dawson's Creek."

This week's trivia question comes from Tanya. On "Friends," what is the name of the restaurant where Monica used to work before Moondance Diner?

Send answers to TK at tk@tktv.net with the subject of tvtrivia.

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6. Favorite Quotes of the Week

From "Star Trek: Voyager"
"How do you know when we're having intimate relations?" -B'elanna
"There is no one on deck 9, section twelve that doesn't know when you're having intimate relations." -Seven of Nine

or

"They say gossip travels faster than warp speed." -The Doctor

From "Home Movies"
"If you got a baby-sitter who... and they do a good job, and the kids like it, then I think it makes the mother look bad. I dunno if this is, like, the most self-centered way I could think of it, I'm not sure. Are there the same rules with the baby-sitter as there are when you go on a date? Are the baby-sitters supposed to call up the next day and say it was really great? Yeah. Yeah, no one called after that date. The waiter called. Apparently I forgot my hat. I did have a bad time but... not that's it, I did have a bad time. He's beefy. But I think I would feel better if he did want to, sure." -Paula

From "Family Guy"
"For the love of God, shake me! Shake me like a British nanny." -Stewie

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7. A totally unrelated link

NY Taxi

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Do you realize how many holes there could be if people would just take the time to take the dirt out of them?