A VERY SPECIAL SITCOM MONTAGE: If phrases like "Uncle Ned," "pedophile Gordon Jump," and "the Punky Brewster refrigerator episode" activate a deep well of nostalgia for you, then you will be so excited, so excited, or so scared to view a few clips with us:
HT: Our Friend Dan Fienberg, even if there's no "A, My Name Is Alex."
Man, that Punky Brewster episode. I was obsessed with it.
ReplyDeleteMe too!!!! It did, however, have the adverse effect of making me really curious about what it's like inside a refrigerator, which I don't think I would have ever wondered about without that episode.
ReplyDeleteWhere were the very special episodes of The Facts of Life? You know, like the one where Natalie had pre marital intercourse.
ReplyDeleteSeeing even just that tiny clip of it now, as a parent, made my heart jump into my throat. Although I'm pretty sure I remember Cherry pulling through.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to say I'm too old to have watched any of those shows, except maybe Family Ties.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered how that conversation went between Gordon Jump, coming off a nice long run on WKRP, and his agent. "Great news, Gordon! I've got you a spot on Diff'rent Strokes!"
ReplyDeleteCaptain Planet had very special episodes? It's Captain Planet!
ReplyDeleteMr. Belvidere!! I can't see him without getting that theme song in my head.
ReplyDeleteIt's a little sad how many of those very special episodes I remember. In fact, I just referenced the Different Strokes episode in conversation and had to explain to my (younger) coworker that the creepy bike shop owner (it was a bike shop, right?) was also the grandfather on Growing Pains and the Maytag repairman. And he has always creeped me out b/c of that one very special episode.
I would have included the drunk driving/Matthew Perry "Sandy" episode of "Growing Pains."
ReplyDeleteThe Emmy for Guest Actor in a Comedy Series did not debut until 1986. (It was Guest Performer for three years, then gender-split in 1989.)
ReplyDeleteAll five nominees from the 1985-86 guested on The Cosby Show. Name 'em.
Sammy Davis, Jr., Lena Horne, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonia Braga and....I don't know. It wasn't whoever played Cockroah, but it should have been. I loved Cockroach. Maybe Wallace Shawn?
ReplyDeleteI remember watching all of the ones from the 80s in there except, oddly, Punky Brewster. No memory of that at all.
ReplyDeleteAnd special though they may be, the Uncle Ned episodes are awesome. Hanks was great in that part.
that Punky Brewster episode haunts me. Saved By the Bell's Jesse on caffeine pils makes me laugh--then and now
ReplyDeleteDifferent season. Answer is Cliff's parents, Roscoe Lee Browne, Danny Kaye, and Stevie Wonder (jamming on the one.)<span> </span>
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