Sitcoms on the Brain
Jaime Weinman explains what makes a successful sitcom on his weblog for Macleans, TV Guidance. As on Something Old, Nothing New, the guy consistently wows me with his knowledge of TV, stage and screen. Is there anthing he can’t do?
I’m of two minds on those old sitcoms. There’s the good quality TV, and then there’s TV you remember and re-watch because it’s the visual equivalent of comfort food. In that category I present Dawn Wells, Tina Louise and Natalie Schafer performing “You Need Us” on Gilligan’s Island. This scene isn’t a great example of sitcom artistry or anything, just one of those indelible moments embedded in my brain. Along with The Brady Bunch, Gilligan constituted of the daily after school viewing ritual for a certain time. Seeing it again makes me wish that somebody put out a whole Honeybees album. That would’ve rocked.
October 9th, 2006 at 4:35 am
Hmm…Mary Anne, Ginger and Mr and Mrs Howell were on stage, Gilligan, Skipper and the Professor were in the audience….so who opened the curtains?
October 9th, 2006 at 4:48 am
Oh, and happy birthday!
October 10th, 2006 at 5:55 am
this makes me wish i could just flip on the tv and watch gilligan’s island reruns…:)
October 13th, 2006 at 5:59 pm
I hate to be gross, but if you look closely at the DVD version, Ginger has the most amazing sweat smudges in her armpit area(s) during this classic “Honeybees” scene (watch when she lifts them up to do the “jerk”)
I’m surprised the producer allowed the thing to be aired…or maybe it only shows up when viewed on DVD
still…a classic comedy series…and each scene was magnificently art directed…always a perfect saturated color balance…RGB-to-the-max!
thanks
KB
October 13th, 2006 at 7:06 pm
Well, it’s no Phil Silvers singing a musical verison of Hamlet, but it’ll do! =o)