What's To Watch? - March 3-9

 

  This past week included a few anniversaries of note.

     On Tuesday, February 28th, it was the 40th anniversary of the broadcast of the final episode of M*A*S*H.
     The series ran 11 seasons, 9 of which were in the ratings top 10. 256 episodes. That its first season was so poorly-rated (coming in at #46) that it nearly wasn't renewed, largely buried on Sunday night, and so would have become a tv footnote, remains another of those important media lessons. Among them was that the show's second season, when it first became a top ten program, was when CBS moved it into a prime Saturday night spot after All In the Family, a spot vacated by the previous season's #5 ratings-getter, Bridget Loves Bernie, which had been canceled purely because of controversy and pressure from groups that objected to the premise of a Jew and a Catholic marrying.
     M*A*S*H's final episode, "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" reportedly drew in 125 million viewers for the broadcast, and remains the single most-watched episode broadcast of a scripted tv series. In the U.S., everything that drew higher ratings than it over the years has either been a Superbowl (most of the years from 2010

on) or a huge news event, such as the manned Moon landing in 1969, or Nixon's resignation in 1974.
     Given the plot angle for "Hawkeye" Pierce in that final episode, my long-running, black humor  reference is to imagine that in his post-war years he would melt down at wedding receptions if the band played The Chicken Dance. DJs and Bands were cautioned, or he was cut from invitation lists.
     Here in the states, aside from still being syndicated, the complete run of the series is available on Hulu. Outside the U.S. it's on Disney+.

     The previous Sunday, February 26th, was the 30th anniversary of the U.S. release of the drama Falling Down (1993 R 1h 53m)

     Starring Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall, and directed by Joel Schumacher, it's a film that is arguably at least as culturally relevant 30 years later as it was then. To even watch the trailer is to see the foundation of the ongoing culture wars that divide so much of the U.S.
     Screenwriter Ebbe Roe Smith commented: "To me, even though the movie deals with complicated urban issues, it really is just about one basic thing: The main character represents the old power structure of the U.S. that has now become archaic, and hopelessly lost. For both of them, it's adjust-or-die time ..."
     Unfortunately, no one seems to be streaming this as something covered by general pay access, though it's available to rent or buy across the usual spread of platforms. If you go that route, though, shop around because the prices vary substantially for both options.

     Yesterday, March 2, was the 90th anniversary of the release of the original King Kong (1933 100-104m, the longer version with an overture.)

     At the moment it's not streaming anywhere as part of a subscription package, but it's available to rent or buy, I saw a chopped-down, 76 minute version sitting on YouTube, but why bother with that?
   

     On the Not Much To Be Done About It anniversary front, thirty eight years ago today - March 3, 1985, ABC aired the first episode of the Bruce Willis/Cybill Shepherd private detective romantic dramedy Moonlighting. The "not much to be done about it" angle is that to the best of my knowledge, no one's streaming it, Disney effectively owns the rights to it, but among the parties who would be due royalties were it to be rerun are many, many in the music industry, because this very '80s show is thick with music from across multiple decades, including some that essentially premiered on the show. Music licensing has been a contentious issue for years, since the first box sets of some series were being released, and has unfortunately only become more complicated in the streaming era. The business of carefully indexing and then trying to deal with each of the people involved, and then having to make the call on what either gets replacement music or is simply cut from the run, is a grueling, and expensive all on its own, process.

     I long ago lost all patience with those who, upon hearing M. Night Shyamalan has written and directed a new movie, immediately rush to identify "the twist." Worse, if they do so with a chip on their shoulder, intent on making sure the world knows that They Weren't Fooled. Certainly, no one's going to name me Life of the Party, but these people raise tedium and irritation to a low art.
     Instead, what I've long found to be the interesting thread among his movies is his philosophical, religious, really, worldview that everything has a purpose. While I understand it being comforting, and that it immediately lends a value to each and every thing, it's not necessarily a view I share. I would like to - love to, really - and perhaps will eventually find myself embracing it as an uplifting worldview. Then again, I also don't share his notion of a Creator.
     On some level I've enjoyed pretty much every one of his films, even ones that people seemed to love to hate, like The Happening.
     Now, especially when he starts to lean in harder on a clearer cut religious angle, I'm reminded that much as with Stephen King's universe Shyamalan's isn't one I'd want to live in. I'm not much of a fan of God as a concept in the first place, and the more Old Testament He leans in the decisions He demands, the less palatable I find him. Such is the case with his latest release, A Knock at the Cabin (2023 R 100m)

     That isn't to say it's not an entertaining movie. It is, and in the fashion of one that draws the viewer in, pressing them to decide what they would do in the same situation. Moreover, Shyamalan throws in some key elements to keep the viewer guessing as to whether or not things are quite as they're being presented. By the end, though, most of the ambiguity is gone.
     Intense situations gave the cast many opportunities, and happily most of those were taken. It's violent, though not gory -- bloody, yes, but not gory, though it readily leads the imagination there -- and has the home invasion theme.
     The movie appears to have just finished its theatrical run, and is now available through the usual streaming platforms (Amazon, Apple, Roku, etc.) for rental or digital purchase. I watched it this past weekend thanks to a friend.

     While I've missed nearly all of the build-up to it, I see that this Saturday Netflix will be premiering, as a live-streaming event, a new Chris Rock standup special, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage. That's set for 10pm Eastern (7 Pacific) this Saturday night. They've been playing it cagey -- and in their favor, it is going to be a live event, so it isn't as if they have something to pull clips from -- so we don't have a real trailer. I'm sure this is an expensive affair, so they're going to be hoping it'll draw a strong audience of people who will want to be first in on it.

    How immediately gets to the Will Smith slapping incident, and how prolonged it'll be, is likely what most of the audience is going to be watching for.

     With the Oscars coming up soon, one of the Best Picture nominees is arriving on Hulu today: Triangle of Sadness (2022  R  2h 27m)

     Next Monday (March 6) on Hulu they'll begin a "four night comedy event", History of the World: Part II, sequel to the 1981 Mel Brooks film.

     A sketch comedy affair with such a long list of performers involved that there almost has to be part of it you'll enjoy.

    The new, second season of Perry Mason arrives on HBO Max next Monday, too.

     I'm definitely not threatening anyone's lead in a competition for productivity. Work, and taking care of meals, and some problems that have popped up left me with a low energy level. Some reading, but otherwise watching, and much of that of a borderline obsessive, vaguely narcotic variety, as I pressed on through that re-watch of Grimm (2011-2017  6 seasons, 123 episodes), which I'd mentioned beginning a couple weeks back. I'm down to the final episode.
     It's been oddly telling to me, as while it was a series I watched week to week as it rolled out, one I enjoyed, it's been interesting to see how much of the rewatch bordered on being a first time through. There were multiple times I'd pause it to do a quick date search for an episode, then a reach-back in memory to recall what was going on in my life at the time. Times that left me distracted, but in need of the refuge of a group fictional characters, ultimately working together mostly as friends, solving fictional problems involving hidden, animal-human hybrid races of beings, and magical threats. Weird comfort viewing. If you just want to see an alphabetical display of Wesen woges, you can look over here for this fan wiki. (As with any of the links I post here, it'll open as a new window, not close this one.)
     Either way, I've run out of time for another week - a situation made worse by some computer issues. I hope you're heading into a restorative weekend (I know I'm hoping I am!) and that we'll be back here again next Friday, when I'll be trying to lean in on new and recent items. - Mike