Favorite TV Stuff

This page is dedicated to the everlasting hope that such shows like Big Bad BeetleBorgs and Barney (along with horrible TV-movies) get cancelled in the near future. ;)

Monday

NBC

• The Tonight Show
  Jay Leno has hosted the show since 1992, when funnyman Johnny Carson retired. Great lead-in, taking the show into new levels that can be more appreciated in the 90s. Funny humor, great sidekick (Kevin Eubanks) and great segments. Way better than David Letterman. Airs weeknights at 11:35p on NBC.

Tuesday

NBC

• Frasier
  Based on the character from another one of my favorite TV shows, Cheers, the series surrounds Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), who takes his practice to a radio show in Seattle. He is joined by his annoying radio technician Roz (Peri Gilpin), timid brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), his lecturing father, retired cop Martin (John Mahoney) and his caretaker Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves). Excellent, high-rated series that airs on NBC every Tuesday night. The show is currently in its 4th season.
• Caroline in the City
  Being a fan of Lea Thompson, her show is just as good as she is. It is currently in its second season and started in 1995 on NBC. Thompson is Caroline Duffy, creator of comic strip "Caroline in the City," colored by her assistant Richard (Malcolm Gets). Other characters include Charlie (Andy Lauer)--hyper deliveryman, Del (Eric Lutes), Caroline's ex-fiancee and Annie (Amy Pietz), Caroline's friend. The show airs on NBC every Tuesday at 9:30pm, 8:30pm Central. Simple comedy, but good.

Wednesday

NBC

• Newsradio
  Sitcom about chaos in a New York news radio station, headed by shy Wisconisnite Dave Nelson (David Foley) and business honcho Jimmy James (Stephen Root), anchored by Bill McNeal (played by Phil Hartman), with other crazy co-workers (Andy Dick, Maura Tierney, Vicki Lewis, Khandi Alexander, Joe Rogan). Catch it Wednesdays at 9 on NBC.

Fox

• Party of Five
  Only recently have I become interested. Actually, I like cast member Jennifer Love Hewitt, of whom I heard about after hearing a song from her on the radio, so I figured I'd check out her show to see her acting. The others actors and actresses are pretty good, and the series may not get good ratings, but its critical acclaim is defiantely deserved. The premise: five siblings lose their parents to a car crash and have to raise themselves. Fortunately the eldest brother Charlie (Matthew Fox) is an adult. The focus of course is on the siblings' individual lives moreover than the loss of the parental units in its third season. Bailey: Scott Wolf. Julia: Neve Campbell Claudia: Lacey Chabert. Callie: Alexondra Lee.

Thursday

NBC

• Friends
  Buddy sitcom about 3 males and 3 females, most whom are just friends who hang out in coffee shop Central Perk. Pretty funny show, though over-hyped and probably hated by many. I like it all the same. An episode guide is available through this link.
• Suddenly Susan
  A woman leaves her self-involved husband at the altar and re-explores life as a single and gains a job at a San Francisco magazine, The Gate, writing a column called Suddenly Susan. Susan is Brooke Shields, who's good as a good girl. Mediocre comedy, but worth watching from time to time.
• Seinfeld
  Hilarious series about nothing, starring four friends, self-centered Jerry, his off-the-wall neighbor Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards), hapless and nervous George Costanza (Jason Alexander) and perky Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Entering its 8th season on NBC, Thursday nights at 9.

Friday

Fox

• Sliders
  Narrowly renewed sci-fi series about a college student (Jerry O'Connell), a college professor (John Rhys-Davies), a washed-up singer (Cleavant Derricks) and a young woman (Sabrina Lloyd) sliding through a cosmic vortex leading to different versions of the same city, San Francisco, in the neverending attempt to return to the exact same Earth they started from. It is currently in its 3rd season on Fox.

Sunday

Fox

• The Simpsons
  Based on minute-long installments in Fox's "The Tracey Ullman Show," the series follows the yellow-skinned exploits of Homer Simpson, baboonish loveably stupid nuclear power plant worker, and his family that loves each other but drives each other insane. The show is highlighted by satire of all levels with the appropriate blend of feeling, depth and comedy. In particular, check out the first four seasons. If you want to laugh, check out seasons 5, 6 and 7. If you want to scream, check out season 8. Homer: Dan Castellaneta. Marge: Julie Kavner. Bart: Nancy Cartwright. Lisa: Yeardley Smith. Additional characters: Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer.

• King of the Hill
  After a previous booboo with Beavis and Butthead, one of the more idiotic animated creations, Mike Judge comes out with a series that as it's advertised is "just plain funny." The series is about propane seller Hank Hill and his generally functional family in the fictional Texas suburb of Arlen. The humor can especially come from Hank's friends, Boomhauer (one who you have trouble keeping up with, he has such a fast Southern draw!), Dale (the guy in sunglasses) and Bill (the portly bald guy). There isn't anything incredibly eyegrabbing about the series, but it's simple comedy that at times is better than The Simpsons this year. Hank: Mike Judge. Peggy: Kathy Najimy. Bobby: Pamela Segall. LuAnne: Brittany Murphy. Boomhauer, Dale: Johnny Hardwick. Bill: Stephen Root. John Redcorn: Victor Aaron.

Syndicated

• Sailor Moon
  The series, which bids ado in Japan in Spring after five years, returns to select syndicated stations in June. During this time, there will be negotiations made to get Sailor Moon onto a network for new episodes. I've only been able to see 65 episodes produced by DIC which are edited dubs of the first 72 episodes of Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon R. Sailor Moon dealing with whining, always-late, boy-crazy, irresponsible, underacheiving teenager Serena gaining magic powers from her talking cat Luna to fight the Negaverse, headed by Queen Beryl. She's joined by four more responsible girls who have generally the same powers and same short-skirted, Sailor-suit super costumes as she does.
  

  Sailor Moon R, after Queen Beryl is destroyed, first deals with two aliens who steal energy from Earth to preserve the Doom Tree which supplies them with enough energy to survive. Once that story is done, Sailor Moon R becomes extremely complicated once a girl named Reeny falls out the sky looking for a crystal belonging to Sailor Moon to save her parents in the future. This is where the story stopped when Sailor Moon was cancelled. The show is very detailed, like most animes, and has emotional content, humor and other elements that give it more of a special feel that goes beyond a neverending struggle for domination of Earth.

Weekday Afternoons and Saturday Mornings

WB

• Steven Speilberg Presents "Animaniacs!"
  If you haven't seen this cartoon, watch. It's one of the best cartoons on the air, actually. It can be enjoyed be kids and adults as well. Since 1993, Animaniacs has brought us the hilarious, witty gags and exploits of Yakko, Wakko, and Dot, the silly Warner Siblings who escaped from the Warner Bros. studio watertower after being imprisoned there for 64 years. Oh yah, and they're also joined by other wacky toons like Pinky and the Brain, Slappy & Skippy, Rita and Runt, Mindy and Buttons, Chicken Boo, Minerva Mink, the Goodfeathers and Katie KaBoom. "Animaniacs" airs weekdays and Saturdays on Kids WB.
• Bugs Bunny
  Of course, I'm also a huge fan of Warner Bros. classic Looney Toons cartoons starring Bugs Bunny, along with other characters like Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Yosimite Sam, Elmer Fudd, Tweety Bird, Sylvester, Foghorn Leghorn, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, Speedy Gonzales and the Tasmanian Devil, voiced by the late, great Mel Blanc. Bugs can be found in (often edited) TV series like Bugs 'n' Daffy on Kids WB, Bugs Bunny and Tweety on ABC Saturday Mornings, or Nickelodeon.
• Tiny Toon Adventures
  Tiny Toon Adventures stars teenage versions of classic Looney Toons characters, with extra added characters like zany Babs Bunny, animal-loving Elmyra and rich miser Montana Max. The series returns to network television this fall on Kids WB. (NOTE: Above links are to the Tiny Toons FAQ, and my 3-part episode guide for the series.) For links to interesting Tiny Toons fanfics, see the HKUriah's Tiny Toon Adventures Fanfic page.

Other programs

• Muppet Babies
  Since 1986, I've enjoyed this delectable, well-animated cartoon featuring the exploits of the cute toddler versions of the popular muppets, like Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Scooter, Animal, Rowlf, Bunsen and Beeker along with additional characters, Skeeter (Scooter's sister) and Nanny, caretaker of the babies. It's a shame I don't have cable, which is where the series ended up and has been in reruns on Nickelodeon since 1992, when CBS cancelled it after an 8 year run on the air.
• Muppets Tonight
  The Muppets are back in a new series created from Jim Henson's productions reuniting Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo and other muppet favorites together. The muppets are now running a television station, KMUP, instead of a theater. The station's variety show is hosted by catfish Clifford. Other new characters include Andy and Randy, Piggy's dumb and dumber nephews, Frank Sinatra-type singer Johnny Fiamma and his monkey lackey Sal and Spamela Anderson, Bay of Pigs Watch star. It's had approximately 12 episodes aired, and is returning to ABC's schedule in Spring.