By Kathryn Ware

Trivia gleaned from Comcast’s Sounds of the Season Music Choice Channel. Better than watching a burning log.
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1. In Poland, the gift bringer is Star Man. (Not to be confused with Starman.)
2. In “Prancer Returns” Charlie finds a baby reindeer in the woods and immediately believes it to be Prancer.
3. On New Year’s Day 1876, in honor of the centennial, the first Mummers’ parade was held in Philadelphia, PA.
4. Christmas Island is located in the Pacific Ocean.

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Posted on December 26, 2007

By Kathryn Ware

Our tribute to the 35th anniversary of the debut of Maude continues.
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Season 1, Episode 13
Episode Title: The Slum Lord
Original airdate: 19 December 1972
Plot: For this episode, the Findlay living room has been nearly transformed into a greenhouse, with houseplants everywhere. Maude has followed the advice of every book and magazine, talking to her plants for weeks and she’s scolding them now for not responding more favorably. (I’m guessing any benefit of talking to the plants was outweighed by all the yelling in this household.)
Carol rushes through the front door to tell Maude that a black man is picketing their front yard with a sign that says, “A slum lord lives here.” Maude can’t believe what she’s hearing. “Don’t be ridiculous Carol! Do you know what a slum lord is?” She then gives a lengthy definition of “slumlord,” prompting me to wonder if the writers’ felt it was necessary to define slumlord for the viewing audience.

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Posted on December 20, 2007

By Julia Gray

Recently I finished my master’s in journalism and now that I’m even more unemployable than ever before, I spend my days keeping the couch down and giving my remote the best workout ever. During my travels up and down the TV channels, here’s what I’ve discovered: the writer’s strike has sucked the life out of my television viewing so much so that I actually look forward to the commercials and, gasp, reality TV.
Join me on my little journey.
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Flipping Out
This little gem airs on the same channel as my ultimate guilty pleasure and is about another set of Southern Californians working their 15 minutes of fame to the very last second. Meet Jeff Lewis, the main house-flipper, drama queen and star of the show. He acts more like a movie studio head honcho than one of the thousands of house-flippers in the nation. His ego alone is bigger than the LA basin and while he’s monumentally obnoxious, he’s also mesmerizing. He’s very good at his job and turns some of the ugliest homes into hip abodes. He lives in his “flips,” is constantly moving and strongly relies on the power of house blessings/psychics when buying and selling a property.

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Posted on December 19, 2007

By Kathryn Ware

Our tribute to the 35th anniversary of the debut of Maude continues.
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Season 1, Episode 12
Episode Title: The Grass Story
Original airdate: 5 December 1972
Plot: The drug references fly fast and furious in this episode. Pay close attention kiddies and you just may learn a pill-popping thing or two.
The episode kicks off with a slam-bang argument between Maude and Walter that’s been raging since Wednesday. No, since Tuesday. No, it was Wednesday. No . . . you get the idea. When the doorbell rings mid-yell, a panicked Maude shouts, “Maybe that’s Jeff with the marijuana!”

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Posted on December 14, 2007

By Kathryn Ware

Our tribute to the 35th anniversary of the debut of Maude continues.
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Season 1, Episode 11
Episode Title: Maude’s Reunion
Original airdate: 28 November 1972
Plot: Following the controversial “Abortion Episode,” Bea Arthur and company lob a softball with an episode about Maude reuniting with an old friend she hasn’t seen in 25 years. In preparation for the visit, Maude has pulled out boxes of ancient history from the attic. Carol and Walter entertain themselves going through old yearbooks – “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Maude with the baby carriage.” Or in Maude’s case, “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes love and another marriage, then comes love and another marriage, then comes love and another marriage . . . ”

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Posted on December 4, 2007