THE TKTV NEWSLETTER
Season 3, Episode 34 aired December 4, 2000

CONTENTS
1. Intro
2. Letters from the viewing audience
3. Kim's Commercial Comments
4. Don't miss
5. The X-Files
     -by guest writer Jason Gordon
6. TV Trivia
7. Wild Will's Weekly Writings
     -by guest writer William Noetling
8. Favorite quotes of the week
9. A totally unrelated link

1. Intro

It's amazing how a week's vacation will have you catching up on work for two weeks afterwards. You may go on vacation, but your life is still there waiting for you when you get back, and the world has decided to keep on spinning without you no matter how nicely you asked it to stop. I now need a vacation to recover from the week after getting back from a vacation.

Other than the repercussions, however, my Thanksgiving was lovely. Eating turkey on a remote island in Indonesia was an experience never to be forgotten. In addition, I made the formal announcement to many friends that I recently got engaged, so I thought I would finally announce it here as well. I'm engaged! If the newsletter is still going strong next October, get ready for it to get very discombobulated (spelling?) when I throw a huge wedding and then run away on a honeymoon.

And now, on to TV!

Since when is "ER" letterboxed?

Did you hear that when Charlie Sheen ("Spin City") was on celebrity "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" his call-a-friend lifeline was ex-Spin star Michael J. Fox? Charlie Sheen is growing on me in his new role as the deputy mayor of New York, but no matter how good he gets he'll never compare to the sitcom genius of Michael J. Fox.

Another show that's been growing on me lately is CBS's freshman family sitcom "Yes, Dear." Much like watching ABC's "Two Guys and a Girl" I often find myself laughing aloud and then make sure no one is around because I'm sort of embarrassed by it.

Is anyone out there interested in writing show summaries for any of the show sites? In particular, we just lost our summary writer for "Ally McBeal," but we could also use summary writers for any number of other shows, so if you're interested feel free to drop me a line.

That's it for now. We not only have Kim's Commercial Comments this week, but we have a guest article by my good friend Jason on his favorite show, "The X-Files," as well as a guest article from our newest writer, William Noetling.

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2. Letters from the viewing audience

From Kelly:
"Angel" just keeps improving. I'm beginning to think there are characteristics of the show which are starting to surpass "Buffy." Character development, story line, the Hepburn/Tracy banter between Cordy and Wes, the modern film noir quality of cinematography, art direction...I could go on. Last night's episode was great. Drusilla is wonderful...I'm so glad she's back!
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 laughing? March of Dimes: The Stork

I saw this spot a couple of times in a short period of time Sunday night. As it came on, my mind was racing while I tried to figure out what they were advertising. It had my complete attention from the very first second.

The commercial opens with a stork strolling into an office building. The receptionist is the first to see it. She is on the phone and seems afraid as she tells the person she's speaking to that "a stork just walked in the office."

He passes the receptionist and makes his way further into the office. Each woman he passes has a unique reaction to him. An older woman shakes her head and makes a snide remark... she's sure he's not coming to see her.

A third woman tries calling the big bird to her. "It's my turn..." she chants. He passes her by.

Finally, the stork approaches a woman who has not yet even noticed he's in the building. She is completely caught off guard.

Throughout the commercial, between the interactions with each woman, the screen goes black. Some text comes up with various tips about having healthy babies, i.e. taking folic acid, etc.

It turns out that the spot is for the March of Dimes. And the point is for women to be careful and take care of themselves because you can never be too sure about when the stork might be coming to visit.

The sight of the big, awkward, bird at the beginning of this commercial more than makes up for the fact that I had to figure out what the spot was for. And, since the folks at the March of Dimes aren't trying to sell anything, but rather, are trying to make a point, this commercial is a perfect match. It makes the viewer watch, then think.

And it made me laugh. Keep your eyes peeled. This one is original.

Kim wants to hear YOUR comments! Do you agree with her? Disagree? Do you want to point out a great (or horrible) commercial that she should review? Write to Kim at kim@tktv.net.

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4. Don't miss

As holiday specials begin...
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. The X-Files by Jason Gordon

Once again, The X-Files will manage to keep me glued to the tube on Sunday nights. With rumors that David Duchovny would only appear on a few episodes this season, I was relieved that The X-Files would be one thing I wouldn't mind giving up this fall in favor of the new addition to my family.

However, I will be a prisoner once again because of the way this new turn is being presented by Mr. Carter. After the second episode, it was clear that Mulder was going to be scarce, and that Agent Doggett would be the new partner to Scully. Ordinarily, this would have been it for me. I remember when the Profiler lost Samantha in favor for some blonde. The show went from top of my list to forgotten about.

I should have known better than to expect this from The X-Files. As reluctant as I am to accept the T-2 villain as the new co-star of X-files, I will feel obligated to watch if for no other reason than the brief glimpses of Mulder being tortured in the alien spaceship. I fully understand that no new info on Mulder will be revealed in these scenes until the final few episodes, but what if? I would be devastated if I chose not to watch the one episode where we find out even a spec of news about what the Aliens are doing to Fox.

I guess this is the same premise that has kept The X-Files up and running for this long. We watch episode after episode of silly monsters and confusing sub-plots just to find out if Mulder's sister is still alive, or if the Cigarette Smoking Man will ultimately be the savior or the demise of the alien threatened earth. It should be no surprise that when the show is threatened by the loss of its star, they simply make him the X-File to string the viewers along until maybe they are used to the changes that the show has made.

Well done!!! I hate them for wasting my time and killing my brain, but well done. I suppose I will be a prisoner to The X-Files forever.

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

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6. TV Trivia

Last week's question was: what current child-star on an ABC sitcom also starred in NBC's short-lived "Freaks and Geeks" last season?

First prize goes to Edward T. Congratulations!

Honorable mentions go to Celia V. and Michael O.

The correct answer was John Francis Daley who played Sam Weir on "Freaks and Geeks" and currently plays Carter Ryan on "The Geena Davis Show" on ABC (yes, he has also made appearances on "Boston Public" this season).

This week's question is: Jessalyn Gilsig was supposed to appear on another David E. Kelley show before she was on "Boston Public," but she never did. What show was it and why did she never appear? Bonus if you can tell me which actress she was supposed to replace on the show.

Send answers to TK at tk@tktv.net with the subject of tvtrivia. Winners will be chosen at random from all the correct answers.

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7. Wild Will's Weekly Writings by William Noetling

I'd like to take a few minutes and look at one of the most anticipated shows of the new season, Jim Cameron's Dark Angel. I had the idea for this column even before TV Guide decided to slap our erstwhile 19-year old heroine's mug on this week's cover. So there.

While Cameron has his name as creator and executive producer on this show, his signature really is on it. Of course then again, what is the James Cameron's signature? Overlong productions that cost WAY more than they should? Psychedelic drugs being dropped into drinks on the set? I don't know. I'm not sure Cameron has a signature really, unless it's terrific special effects, which, for a TV show, Dark Angel sometimes has.

Seven broadcast hours into this show, I can tell that the show has some definite good points, and a whole lot of definite bad points. I will detail:

Good Point #1 - Jessica Alba as Max is nice on the eyes. So is Jennifer Blanc (the blonde friend. She played Bailey's first girlfriend in Party of Five, season 1).

Bad Point #1 - Valerie Rae Miller (Original Cindy) is neither attractive, nor can she act. Unfortunately she seems to be featured in every episode to date. Dump her. For that matter, dump all of Max's buddies, except her boss at the bike-messenger service. I like him. He's sleazy. In fact, make the main cast just Max and Logan Cale...that'd be cool.

Good Point #2 - I'm actually interested in the back-story and why Max is being chased. It's good set-up, with a wide road ahead of it. However, they have left an opening for an ending recently, with Max discovering from her "daddy" Lydecker (John Shea) that she and her genetic brethren are "flawed."

Bad Point #2 - Jessica Alba can't act either. When words come out of her mouth, they are usually hard to believe. Fortunately, I think the producers have figured this out and are giving her less dialogue.

Good Point #3 - Art and set decoration isn't bad, it doesn't look like the year 2020, but it doesn't look like tomorrow either. I like the fact that the future isn't rosy, but it isn't Blade Runner bleak either. Of course, it's post-pulse (or apocalypse, or whatever), but it seems like just because there was social and economic upheaval doesn't mean there has to be a technological one too. Interesting stuff to explore. I really liked the last episode that dealt with a geneticist trying to cure the ills of the human species through genetics. That was cool, and showed that technology goes on, and isn't blasted back to the stone age.

Bad Point #3 - Sometimes it's hard to remember that they're 20 years in the future. Look back at videos from 1980, you'll see a HUGE difference in everyday life. I don't mind when futuristic TV shows get it wrong, I do mind when they don't try.

Well TK asked for a shorter column this week, so this one is shorter. I've got more to say about Dark Angel, having watched each and every episode so far, and finding that I'm actually enjoying it more and more.

As always you can find more interesting commentary on my web site: http://www.geocities.com/wmnoe

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

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8. Favorite quotes of the week

From That's Life
Jackie: The opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of love is "I don't give a rat's ass."

From Ally McBeal
Ally: I was disappointed that you didn't kiss me last night. Okay? There, I said it.
Larry: I did kiss you.
Ally: On the forehead. You can't even catch anything from that.

From The Geena Davis Show
Hillary: Tweaking a man is like trimming a moustache. You know you're never going to get it even so you might as well shave the whole thing off.

From That '70s Show
Eric: Golly, Laurie, a baby. And just in time for your black mass.
Red: What did I tell you about calling your sister the devil?
Eric: It's offensive to the devil?

From 3rd Rock from the Sun
Dick: Grandchildren are vessels of youth, optimism and hope. And the wonderful thing is by the time they screw up their lives you're either dead or completely out of it.

From Drew Carey
Mr. Wick: Marry me in Vermont, the state that makes New Hampshire nervous.

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9. A totally unrelated link

Hats of Meat

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Never has there been a more accurate word than "Politics."
Poly means many, and tics are blood-sucking things.