Can you believe it – go home the other night to find the Pop Doctor  clan transfixed by of all things – Felix The Cat – which somehow managed to find its way onto the tube.

Without thinking – Felix’s hypnotic presence was enough to plant me in my seat for the next 10 mins – as I regailed in the classic slapstick comedy which made this cat so originally cool.

It got me to pondering about all those subsequent pretenders to the title of TV’s coolest cat.

From Sylvester to Leonardo Lion, Snagglepuss to Kimba, there’s been more than a few.

So, just who is the world’s coolest cat?

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What was it about the sitcom – Happy Days – that made it sooooo ‘cool’.

Let’s face it – when you look at the sum of its parts, the show had little going for it.

Imagine going to television executives (in an era when Mannix, The Streets of San Francisco, Kojak and Kung Fu were rating their collective scripts off) – with a handful of hotch potch ideas, a single pilot episode (featuring a middle class American family set in the 50’s, a dysfunctional local thug and Japanese diner proprietor) and trying bravely to keep a poker face when looking to sell the concept.

Well – apparently it worked and Milwaukee, Wisconsin was never the same again.

If there were a Sitcom Hall of Fame, “Happy Days” would surely have a cherished spot there.

For 10 years, we followed The Fonz, Richie, Ralph Malph, Potsie and the Cunninghams through an idealised version of American life in the late 50’s and early 60’s.

From some fairly lightweight scripts came some heavyweight ratings – and for the period 1975-1977 – it consistently featured in the Top 10 programs in the US and Australia.

As twee as its formulated characterisations and improvised situational comedy was – audiences loved it.

From The Fonz’s famous ‘Heeeeeyyyy’ to the familiar ‘Sit on It’ catchcry – the program (was at worst) – inoffensive cultural cringe – (at best) – wholesome family humour.

Then it happened . . . .

Having already spawn spinoff’s including Laverne and Shirley as well as Mork and Mindy – the Happy Days lustre began to tarnish.

Having already conceived the modern colloqualism “Nerd” – the program was about to add another (less fortunate – but still enduring term) – ‘Jumping The Shark’.

With ratings falling and producers looking for answers, a plot involving Fonzie performing a water ski jump over a shark in an episode during the show’s fifth season is often cited as the point where the series had passed its peak of quality and popularity.

The phrase ‘jumping the shark’ was later applied to popular culture phenomena in general.

Of course – the series continued – but as cast members gradually drifted the program and spin-offs including Joanie Loves Chachi – became increasingly tragic – the beauty and intent of those early seasons was lost.

If there was ever a case of getting too much of a good thing – unfortunately Happy Days was it.

 Heeeyyyyyyy!

Click Here To View the Opening Sequence to Happy Days

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Nerds!

As much as we probably all admit to being way too cool to ever be considered one – we all have a soft side for them.

But who are your favourite nerds?

While in real life – Bill Gates would probably rank right up there – on the small screen at least I’ve compiled my own list of personal favourites. . . . so without fanfare (and in no particular order) my Top 10 nerds from TV are:

Gilligan (from Gillgans Island)

Milhouse (from The Simpsons)

Fez (from The 70’s Show)

Monk (from Monk)

Pottsie (from Happy Days)

Cliff Claven (from Cheers)

Arnold Horshack (from Welcome Back Kotter)

Gomer Pile (from Gomer Pile USMC)

Brains (from The Thunderbirds)

Hiro (from Heroes)

Would love to hear yours.

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60’s and 70’s television culture – does it get any better?

Let’s face it – cheese sells. How else do you account for season after season of The Munsters – or Lost in Space.

How in today’s currency could you even contemplate running series after series of The Brady Bunch or put up with the escapades of McHales Navy or Hogan’s Heroes?

No – we’re talking classic television with a capital C. From The Addams Family to the Partridge Family – there’s little doubt that we’re smitten with a heady mix of both pop culture and nostalgia. Who could forget (or forgive Sally Field for her exuburence in) Gidget or The Flying Nun.

Will we ever get over such truly memorable television series as My Three Sons, Leave It to Beaver or Pettycoat Junction? And don’t forget the 70’s – CHiP’s with Ponch and John, Happy Days with Richie, Fonzie and the Gang, Laverne and Shirley or that stomping ground of the stars – Welcome Back Kotter, complete with one – John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino.

Perhaps Julia or Room 222 was more your go or perhaps you’ve a soft spot for young Buffy and Jody or their sibling “Sissy” in the highly inappropriate and politically incorrectly titled – A Family Affair.

Long and short of it is that these days you can go to almost any video store and hire the boxed set of Dukes of Hazard, I Dream of Jeanie or Lost In Space and not feel the worse for taking it home and indulging in a little ME time

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Remember the Huxtables  from The Cosby show – and how cool they were?

Or how about the Brady’s?

Perhaps The Taylors from Home Improvement or better still maybe The Cunningham’s from Happy Days.

Just about all of us had a favourite TV Family – that we longed to be a part of – for whatever reason.

Ok, so may some weren’t quite up the scatch but even the weirder one scuh as The Beverly Hillbillies, The Munsters or The Addams Family had some redeeming qualities.

Maybe Al and Peg Bundy cracked your top five or Charles and Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie. Perhaps we have to go even further back to the Cleavers or dare I say it – The Waltons?

Of course we can’t discount Homer and Marge’s impact on our lives let alone other classic cartoon families such as The Flintstones or The Jetsons.

So folks – it’s family’s a ten paces . . . choose yours wisely . . .

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From time to time – as you do – I dragged out a copy of the old Happy Days TV series the other day – complete with Richie, The Fonz, Ralph Malph, Potsie and the gang – just to lighten the mood around the palatial Pop Doctor estate.

The sugary sweet, ‘twee’ nature of the whole series had almost been lost on me when one of my kids (who was watching the episodes for the first time) and referring to the quaint timber facade of the Cummingham residence quipped:

“Wouldn’t it be sooooo cool to live in their house.”

Well – come to think of it – I guess (given we only ever saw the lounge, kitchen and two bedrooms) that perhaps it might just be cool to take up digs with Marion and Howard – heyyyyyyyy!

So if you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be?

Perhaps The Addams Family or The Brady Bunch environs were more to your taste – or The Munsters offered your kind of real estate. Perhaps life with a bunch of Desperate Housewives is more your cuppa tea or a weekend with Mr Rourke and Tattoo on Fantasy Island?

Love to hear from you.

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Meet George Jetson! His son Elroy . . .

The celluloid and cartoon world is filled with characters from the future.

Marvin The Martian, George Jetson, Luke Skywalker, James T.Kirk, Mork from Ork, Buck Rogers, The Great Kazoo – the list goes on and on and well, on . . .

Throw in your pseudo time travllers from hits such as Back to The Future or The Time Tunnel and there’s a feast of characters – from which I’m sure there’s one you could nominate as an all time fav.

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With no offence to his owner – Charlie Brown – it’s a fair bet that amidst the multitude of Peanuts characters created by Charles Schultz – Snoopy is probably the legendary comic strip’s most famous and beloved.

The ubiquitous beagle – who despite being able to walk on two legs can only communicate his thoughts through thought speech balloons not only encapsulates the essence of the late 60’s but also spawned his own sub-genre family.

With Joe Cool (aka Snoopy’s sunglass wearing alter ego), the WWI Flying Ace –(another alter ego of the pretentious pooch), plus his brothers Andy, Marbles, Spike, Olaf and sister Belle and of course the ever present Woodstock.

Most of us would be well aware of Snoopy’s signature tune – and his presence in many of the television specials signalled almost a story-line within a story-line as we found temporary escapism in his escapism – either atop his kennel battling his nemesis the Red Baron or otherwise engaged in other heroic or grandiose feats.

Constantly trying to read (be it one word at a time) the novel War and Peace – Snoopy Trivia is almost a business in itself with gems such as:

Which alter ego duelled Lucy at wrist wrestling ?

How do most of Snoopy’s novels start?

What plane does Snoopy fly in pursuit of the Red Baron?

            So how did our hero manage to find not only fame but favour?

What was it that endeared him to millions?

Why is it that to this day, sales of Snoopy merchandise outstrip all the Peanuts characters combined?

            Sometimes I guess it’s not what you do – but how you do it – and doesn’t he do it well.

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“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations — to boldly go where no man has gone before.”

This is where it all began. The Original Star Trek Series running roughly from 1966 through 1969, for a total of three seasons and 78 episodes – but my how we’ve grown.

The show was only a minor hit and was threatened with cancellation after its second year, but a strong letter-writing campaign from fans convinced the network to keep the show.

But with even less spectacular ratings Star Trek was terminated with little hope of any future. 

Or so they thought!

Fortunately, after three years enough episodes were produced that the show could enter syndication, and it was in the after-school market during the early 1970’s that the show found its audience.

Fan conventions sprang up, merchandising blossomed, an animated series with the original cast was produced, and it became apparent that Star Trek was a force that would refuse to die.

Today, the franchise first conceived by Gene Roddenberry over 40 years ago has spawned four more television series, 10 theatrical movies, hundreds of books and magazines, and innumerable Internet fan sites.

So – open the pandora’s box  . . . who is your favourite Star Trek character?

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Last night, while getting my daily dose the Simpson’s – I found my mind wandering at right angles to the rest of the family – before proudly announcing that despite his bumbling nature – Homer was right up there with other TV dads as far as affording us advice about life.

From Mike Brady with his groovy clothes and fortune cookie advice to Howard Cunningham of Happy Days fame – everybody loves TV dads.

After all don’t we all wish we could solve our kids’ problems in 30 minutes or less?

A prerequisite of course is wisdom and sage advice.

From Don Porter who played Sally Field’s father in Gidget to Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster, Brian Keith in “A Family Affair” to Fred McMurray in “My 3 Sons” – TV dads (in the most part) have taught us that with a positive attitude anything is possible.

It wasn’t until I started to think about just how many TV dads there were – that the notion of a “Best Of” almost became too much.

Enter – Charles Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie, Tony Soprano from “The Soprano’s”  Andy Taylor from The Andy Griffith Show, Ward Cleaver from “Leave It to Beaver”, Jed Clampett from “The Beverly Hillbillies”, Ben Cartwright (Bonanza), Tim Taylor (Home Improvement), Gomez Addams (The Addams Family), George Jetson (The Jetsons) – the list goes on and on and on.

So just who is the best TV dad of all time?

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Go on – face it – the 80s was a scary place to be, especially as far as kids TV was concerned.

It probably didn’t occur to you then – but sit back now and check it out and the cringeworthiness of what was on offer is Oscar winning.

From ALF to Greatest American Hero, Mork and Mindy to The Wonder Years – the delicacies served up to those dining at the all you can eat TV bar – were a bit like cold pizza – you either loved it or couldn’t bare the thought of having to digest it.

Care Bears, Danger Mouse, He Man and Masters of the Universe, Smurfs, Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Pony, Transformers – not to mention Webster, The Love Boat – or dare I say it – Punky Brewster  . . . ouch!

So – are you a cold pizza addict – was there a program you couldn’t get enough of?

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While the 50’s and 60’s saw the birth of sitcoms such as I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners and Mr Ed – the 70’s certainly took television comedy to new highs (and lows).

From programmes as diverse as Laugh-In and Love American Style right through to more traditional shows such as Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple and M.A.S.H – they all went into making 70’s television what was either classic or cringeworthy viewing.

Of course the potpourie of programmes goes on like a class roll call – The Jeffersons, Mork and Mindy, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Partridge Family, Bob Newhart, Rhoda.

But what are your favs?

Does The Mary Tyler Moore show work for you – or perhaps was it Happy Days?

WRKP or Good Times?

Welcome Back Kotter or . . . . 

So many to choose from – so short is our memory – so let’s take a stroll!

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