THE TKTV NEWSLETTER
Season 2, Episode 26 aired August 13, 1999
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CONTENTS
1. Intro
2. Letters from the viewing audience
3. Kim's Commercial Comments
4. Don't miss
5. TV Trivia
6. Favorite quotes of the week
7. A totally unrelated link
1. Intro
Well, I watched CBS's new show, "Thanks." I thought it was going to be a weird sitcom set during the time of the pilgrims in New England, and then I thought maybe I was just having weird flashbacks to that other period bomb, "The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer," that made a short appearance on UPN last fall. Entertainment Weekly even said that it was surprisingly good. Entertainment Weekly must be going through some serious summer TV withdrawal, or maybe they're smoking crack. It was terrible.
First of all, why is the father, James, the only one with a British accent, while everyone else sounds like they just stepped out 1999 United States? What is up with the annoying daughter who predicts the future, is ridiculously verbose, and can't act her way out of a paper bag? Why is the Reverend Goodacre wearing a yamakah? (spelling?)
It made me groan more than I laughed. The only decent character is the randy grandmother played by Cloris Leachman, and yet I mainly just feel sorry for Leachman for getting saddled with such an awful show. If this is what CBS has to show for its fall season, it's going to be (as my friend Devon would say) a long cold fall.
Ah well, I tried to get the newsletter back on track, but that's hard to do when you're busy tacking on another year to your life. I turned twenty-five last Sunday, and I was a little too busy celebrating to actually get a newsletter out on Monday, so I figured Friday was a good alternative. I hope everyone is having a lovely summer. Now, in the blazing heat of August, would be a good time to write a guest article for the TKTV Newsletter. You may have noticed that we haven't had one in awhile.
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2. Letters from the viewing audience
From Mimi-bot:
Here's a good website that has info on when BeastWars started and the other television series: http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~cjs69930/tf.html
My brother and I used to watch all the time. I still have a few episodes on tape as well as the MOVIE!!! (sorry to say, it is only my second favorite movie because the best movie ever is "The Last Dragon.") My favorites are the Dinobots and Starscream/Cobra Commander.
From Cindy:
I would like to mention a commercial that I am especially annoyed by!
Lady driving home, hits the automatic garage door opener, meanwhile, the cat awaits her arival in the garage and immediately hits the button to close the door.... Confused, she clicks it again and the door starts to open, but of course the cat is anticipating this, and again, closes the garage door on her.... Next, she is bent over on the driveway and quickly slides the "good" kitty litter under the door before it closes again while telling her cat something like, "Here, I got the good stuff!" Next we see the kitty blissfully burrying his poo in the "good" litter.... So annoying!!
A series of commercials I have been enjoying is for a Health site on the internet (health.com or something like that). Guy in the middle of the night, standing at the refrigerator, grabs two alphabet magnets and places one on each temple and with an interesting dumb look on his face. He waits.... Then we see something about the power of magnets at the website.
Another in the series - an elderly gentleman egging a passing car with a group of teens....then has to make a run for it when the driver stops to retaliate, so the elderly man must jump the fence to make a clean get away.... Then we see something about longevity on the website. There are so entertaining! There are more new ones each day and I'm lovin' it!
From Bunny Queen:
BeastWars is the Third Generation of American televised Transformers. The first is the one you mentioned with the Autobots and Decepticons. The second is actually still the first, but was re-released with these strange segues. The second was an attempt to get new viewers(since it was being played about 10 years later), and release the same old toys, but in new colors.
BeastWars story is as follows:
After the Great War, which the Autobots won, a truce was settled upon. Of course the Decepticons are not happy about this...they are just waiting for the day that they will conquer Cybertron. The new race of robots are the Maximals (good guys) and the Predacons (bad guys). Some Predacons stole some disks from the Maximals and fled Cybertron. The closest vessel to try to capture them was a ship filled with explorers. Well the chase started and they hit some type of break in the time continum and end up on pre-historic earth. And so the Beast Wars begin...to make a long story short. More info at www.beastwars.com.
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. Kim's Commercial Comments
What spot has me lauging? Intel: Email Postcard
As strange as it still seems to me to see computer ads all over the television, I'm sending out some major kudos to Intel for their latest spot. A college-age looking guy in his pj's drags into his kitchen. He can barely keep his eyes open as he prowls around for a pot. Once he finds one, he fills it with water and puts it on the stove. Then he stands there, staring at the pot, waiting for it to boil. It looks like he falls asleep standing up just as I start to wonder what this is all about. He snaps a picture of the now-boiling water.
The scene changes abruptly to a well-dressed woman leaning toward her computer. The announcer chimes in to let us know this is a commercial for Intel Email Postcards and the Photo CD just as Mom checks her email. The camera zooms in to give us a better view of the message. It's a crystal-clear shot of the boiling water with this message: Dear Mom, Wish food was here --> (pointing to the empty pot). Send money.
How clever is that? I love a good play on words. Unfortunately, I couldn't find this spot anywhere on the web, so I guess you'll just have to keep your eyes open and your finger off the remote if you want to see it.
What spot has me cringing? Personal Hygeine Products in general
In last week's newsletter, Angie wrote in to comment on a commercial that's been driving her crazy. Here's a snip: " [It's] the tackiest commercial ever! ...A man and his date/wife are at the movies. The man is squirming in obvious pain. He leaves his seat, almost running, and we cut away to the sales pitch. When we see the man again, he is returning to his seat. He plops down, smiling at his date, as she blissfully eats popcorn. Every time I see this spot, I EXPECT to see this guy either grab his girl's free hand, or worse yet, stick his hand in the popcorn!! Am I alone on this one? Maybe bad potty-training memories? Anyway, does anyone agree with me?"
I'll agree with her on this one. I personally think we could do without all commercials for personal hygeine products. Another viewer wrote in about those strong Valtrex spots: "Isn't there something slightly odd/obscene/sad in the sidelong looks those people all make before they discuss their battle with herpes?"
Or how about ads for tampons? or that Bob Dole commercial for Viagra? It's not like we need to see a television commercial for this stuff before we'll buy any of it. If we have hemmorhoids, chances are we'll buy some Preparation H. You get my drift? Of course you do. My guess is most of you guys see this the same way I do. It's just almost impossible for these kinds of commercials to be done tastefully.
And yes, I know they have the right to advertise their products. So does every other company with a product that winds up in the latter portion of my column. I'm just expressing my prefernce NOT to see them. This is just something I can live without.
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
A great childhood favorite, The Adventures of Pinocchio.
More new episodes of the WB's Movie Stars.
Stephen King's short story, The Langoliers, in a two-part miniseries.
The series premiere of ABC's new primetime game show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
More new episodes of the WB's Katie Joplin.
The Bridges of Madison County.
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
Last week's question was: "On 'Friends,' with whom was Chandler stuck in an ATM vestibule?"
First prize goes to MikeyJake, who correctly answered that Chandler was stuck with Victoria's Secret model Jill Goodacre.
Second place prizes go to ckstern, Patricia A., Tom K., luvpacey, jenoy, Chris H., Allan J., Josie, Kimberly E., and Rachel C. - the next ten people to answer correctly.
This week's question is a hard one from Heather. What "X-Files" star was in an episode of "Space: Above and Beyond"? Bonus points if you know what that character did.
Send answers to TK at tk@tktv.net with the subject of tvtrivia.
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6. Favorite Quotes of the Week
From "Becker"
"We already have the perfect relationship. She cooks my food, cleans up after me, neither of us listens to a thing the other says...it's like marriage without the heavy lifting." -Becker
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7. A totally unrelated link
Talk Magazine Spoof
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How come "abbreviated" is such a long word?