The Great 2020 All Time Television Draft: The Simpsons is judged the greatest show of all time (1 Viewer)

[rick6668]

The Greatest TV Holiday Specials of all time - Part 4

13 - Jack Frost (4 pts) 
"It's just what I've always wanted, it's perfectly right, It's just what I've always wanted, a Christmas delight!"

I ranked this a 5, and most above it are better.
I really like this special, Buddy Hacket doing the narration was surprisingly good.  This had a good Villain in Kubla-Kraus and his Army of Keh-Kinghts.  Pardon-Me-Pete, Jack Snip, Father Winter, Holly and who could forget Dommy.  The Holiday of Groundhogs Day it not really fit for a Holiday special, but this fits well.
The animation is very good, but due to it being made in 1979.  One of the few specials where the Hero loses out in the end.  I can still hear Jack Frost's whistle.

Jack Frost is a 1979 Christmas stop motion animated television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. It was directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr., written by Romeo Muller, narrated by Buddy Hackett, and starring Robert Morse, Debra Clinger, and Paul Frees. The special premiered on NBC on December 13, 1979, and tells the tale of Jack Frost and his adventures as a human. It airs annually on AMC as part of its Best Christmas Ever programming block.

Fun Facts:
Debra Clinger who voiced Elisa, Jack Frost's love interest, was on the Krofft Supershow and was a main character in the movie Midnight Madness.
Cossacks are members of an ethnic group found in southern Russia and Ukraine. They are known for their horsemanship and fighting skills.

(Individual rankings - 5/2/4)

 

[Zegras11]

1971-1990 Leading Man Comedy

Thanks to @wikkidpissah @Yo Mama and @Corporation for quickly getting me their rankings.

I'll just post the total score.  My score broke any ties.  
64 points max.  4 points min possible.


1 pt - Chester Tate.   (7pts-1.75 avg)

2 pts - Richie Cunningham   (12 pts - 3.0avg)

3pts - Gabe Kotter.    (17pts - 4.25 avg)

4pts - **** Loudon.   (18 pts - 4.5 avg)

5pts - Chico Rodriguez.   (21pts - 5.25avg)

6 pts - Basil Fawirt.    (22 pts - 5.5 avg)

7 pts - Alex P Keaton.   (32pts - 8.0avg)

8 pts - Mork.     (32 pts - 8.0avg)

9pts - Jack Tripper   (34 pts - 8.5 avg)

10pts - George Jefferson ( 38 pts - 9.5avg)

11pts - Oscar Madison    (41 pts - 10.25avg)

12pts - Robert Hartlet.    (44 pts - 11.0avg)

13pts - Fred G Sanford.   (51 pts - 12.75avg)

14pts - Hawkeye Pierce.   (57 pts - 14.25avg)

15 pts - Archie Bunker.    (58 pts - 14.5avg)

16 pts - Sam Malone.   (59 pts - 14.75avg)

 

[Zow]

8 pts isn’t bad for my last pick of the draft!

 

[Zegras11]

@Zow with the value last pick of Mork.   LOL @Gally   I gave Tripper 13 points. The other three gave him a total of 21.  

 

[Gally]

@Zow with the value last pick of Mork.   LOL @Gally   I gave Tripper 13 points. The other three gave him a total of 21.  

I thought Tripper should have been around 3rd or 4th but if you aren't a fan of slapstick comedy he gets hurt some.  He was the best of the group for that style so it just hinges on if that's your style.

I also didn't think Sam Malone should have been first.  He gets the Cheers bump but was way down the list of comedy characters on that show even though he was the lead.  I get putting him first but I wouldn't have done it.

 

[rick6668]

The Greatest TV Holiday Specials of all time - Part 5

12 - Olive The Other Reindeer (5 pts)
"By the way, where's Rudolph?  There's no Rudolph. It's just one of those urban legends."

I ranked this a 4, I have seen this but it is not something i would make sure to watch each year.  It has a following by some die hard Simpson's fans.  I didn't thinks the songs were that great, this is not something I would have drafted.  It has quite a few stars doing voices like Drew Barrymore, Edward Asner and Tim Meadows.

Olive, the Other Reindeer is a 1999 American 2D computer-animated Christmas comedy musical film written by Steve Young, based on the children's book by J. Otto Seibold, and directed by Academy Award-nominated animator Steve Moore (credited as Oscar Moore). The feature was produced by Matt Groening's The Curiosity Company and animated by DNA Productions. It first aired on December 17, 1999.  It's about a dog who thinks she’s a reindeer and travels to the North Pole to save Christmas. Based on the book of the same name, the movie was produced by Matt Groening

Fun Facts:
Martini the penguin, after being kidnapped by the postman, says he is "shaken, but not stirred" - a reference to the way James Bond orders his martinis.
The reference "You sir, are no reindeer" is a reference to the 1988 Presidential debate comment made by Loyld Bentsen to Dan Quayle. "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy".
In the diner, during the bus layover, you can briefly but clearly see Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Spock and Scotty from Star Trek all sitting at the table in the upper left of the shot.

(Individual rankings - 4/7/6)

 

[wikkidpissah]

The Greatest TV Holiday Specials of all time - Part 5

12 - Olive The Other Reindeer (5 pts)
"By the way, where's Rudolph?  There's no Rudolph. It's just one of those urban legends."

I ranked this a 4, I have seen this but it is not something i would make sure to watch each year.  It has a following by some die hard Simpson's fans.  I didn't thinks the songs were that great, this is not something I would have drafted.  It has quite a few stars doing voices like Drew Barrymore, Edward Asner and Tim Meadows.

Olive, the Other Reindeer is a 1999 American 2D computer-animated Christmas comedy musical film written by Steve Young, based on the children's book by J. Otto Seibold, and directed by Academy Award-nominated animator Steve Moore (credited as Oscar Moore). The feature was produced by Matt Groening's The Curiosity Company and animated by DNA Productions. It first aired on December 17, 1999.  It's about a dog who thinks she’s a reindeer and travels to the North Pole to save Christmas. Based on the book of the same name, the movie was produced by Matt Groening

Fun Facts:
Martini the penguin, after being kidnapped by the postman, says he is "shaken, but not stirred" - a reference to the way James Bond orders his martinis.
The reference "You sir, are no reindeer" is a reference to the 1988 Presidential debate comment made by Loyld Bentsen to Dan Quayle. "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy".
In the diner, during the bus layover, you can briefly but clearly see Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Spock and Scotty from Star Trek all sitting at the table in the upper left of the shot.

(Individual rankings - 4/7/6)

so, was Rudolph's red nose ever Olive's pimento?

 

[Yo Mama]

so, was Rudolph's red nose ever Olive's pimento?

No, she was a bit too Frosty for those kinds of reindeer games

 

[rick6668]

The Greatest TV Holiday Specials of all time - Part 6

11 - Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas (6 pts)
"Golly, you got mashed potatoes"

It pains me to put this at 6, I had this ranked as a 10, but with a high, medium and low score this is where it falls.  I watch this multiple times a year.
So many great songs, "Barbecue"

The Mash up with the 2 songs at the end just gets to me.  "Brothers - In our world".  It's something special.

"The Bathing Suit That Grandma Otter Wore", "When the River Meets the Sea",  "Ain’t No Hole in the Washtub" and who could forget, 
The Riverbottom Nightmare Band

What great characters, Emmet and Ma, Wendell, Gretchen Fox (Ma would appreciate it if you fell off the dock) and Even the Villains were likable.  Wendell trying to calculate half of fifty cents still makes me laugh today.

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas is a 1977 TV special based on the children's book of the same name by Russell Hoban. Directed by Jim Henson, it features a cast of Muppet characters. It was produced by The Jim Henson Company and premiered on CBC Television.

Fun Facts
The story was itself an adaptation of the illustrated storybook, Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas, written by Russell and illustrated by Lillian in 1971.
Emmet was created to have a strong musical spine, so Jim needed original songs and music to underlay the entire special. One of the most successful songwriters of the time was Paul Williams, who was already writing hits for Three Dog Night, The Carpenters, and Barbra Streisand.
There's even outtakes!

If you haven't watched this, please give it a chance.

(Individual rankings - 10/6/3)
 

 

[Zow]

Damn. Thought I nailed some great value when I picked Emmet Otter's. Great write-up though and I wish you didn't have help in the judging.  

 

[rick6668]

Damn. Thought I nailed some great value when I icked Emmet Otter's. Great write-up though and I wish you didn't have help in the judging.  

So did I.   I was going to take this when you sniped it.  I was upset cause I though it was a great value.  

 

[rick6668]

The Greatest TV Holiday Specials of all time - Part 7

10 -Bob Hope Christmas Special (7 pts)
"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Forever"

I was the low ranker on this one.  It's just not something I think of when I think of a holiday special, but I understand how meaningful and impactful it has been to others through the years.

Legendary entertainer Bob Hope appeared on dozens of Christmas specials (and hundreds of non-Christmas specials) over his half-century career. Starting with 1962's The Bob Hope Christmas Show and continuing every year until 1994, Hope starred in a holiday song-and-dance show to keep the spirits of the nation high. One of the most committed USO entertainers, Hope never forgot that for troops abroad and their families at home, Christmas could be especially trying: He even brought his show to American soldiers in Vietnam, Beirut, the Persian Gulf, and Saudi Arabia over the years. If there's a definitive American Christmas special, Bob Hope is responsible for it.

Facts:
He spent 48 Christmases with American troops overseas.
From 1941-1990, Hope spent most of his Christmases with U.S. troops rather than at his home in Toluca Lake, California. His daughter Linda described Christmas at the Hope house:  Dad was gone. Holidays for the Hope kids took on a new meaning.  “I remember saying, ‘Why does Dad always have to be away? All these other families have their dads home for Christmas,” Linda said. But she is quick to add that Mom would put it in proper perspective for her.  “She said, ‘No, not all have them are home for Christmas. Think of boys and girls who don’t have their dads for years and years because they are serving overseas. Remember the boys and girls whose fathers may never come back.'”

(Individual rankings - 3/10/7)

 

[Gally]

The Greatest TV Holiday Specials of all time - Part 7

10 -Bob Hope Christmas Special (7 pts)
"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Forever"

I was the low ranker on this one.  It's just not something I think of when I think of a holiday special, but I understand how meaningful and impactful it has been to others through the years.

Legendary entertainer Bob Hope appeared on dozens of Christmas specials (and hundreds of non-Christmas specials) over his half-century career. Starting with 1962's The Bob Hope Christmas Show and continuing every year until 1994, Hope starred in a holiday song-and-dance show to keep the spirits of the nation high. One of the most committed USO entertainers, Hope never forgot that for troops abroad and their families at home, Christmas could be especially trying: He even brought his show to American soldiers in Vietnam, Beirut, the Persian Gulf, and Saudi Arabia over the years. If there's a definitive American Christmas special, Bob Hope is responsible for it.

Facts:
He spent 48 Christmases with American troops overseas.
From 1941-1990, Hope spent most of his Christmases with U.S. troops rather than at his home in Toluca Lake, California. His daughter Linda described Christmas at the Hope house:  Dad was gone. Holidays for the Hope kids took on a new meaning.  “I remember saying, ‘Why does Dad always have to be away? All these other families have their dads home for Christmas,” Linda said. But she is quick to add that Mom would put it in proper perspective for her.  “She said, ‘No, not all have them are home for Christmas. Think of boys and girls who don’t have their dads for years and years because they are serving overseas. Remember the boys and girls whose fathers may never come back.'”

(Individual rankings - 3/10/7)

I wasn't expecting much once it was revealed that 1/3 of the judges were looking for rewatchability and nostalgia in watching the exact same story every year as a key component to a Holiday special.  It actually scored better than I thought it would with those parameters.  

ETA:  I understand the idea of tradition and watching the same movie but there is also a tradition in watching a Christmas special like this every year.  To see what current top entertainers would join in.  It was a spectacle and must see programming in the days of limited channels and Bob Hope was one of the biggest.......not to mention the good work he did for the military moral over the holidays.  

 

[rick6668]

I wasn't expecting much once it was revealed that 1/3 of the judges were looking for rewatchability and nostalgia in watching the exact same story every year as a key component to a Holiday special.  It actually scored better than I thought it would with those parameters.  

Those were my parameters not the others , it scored well, even if I had ranked it a 7, it would not have moved up due to the strength of the upper half.

Be glad your second round pick didn't score a 3.

 

[Gally]

Those were my parameters not the others , it scored well, even if I had ranked it a 7, it would not have moved up due to the strength of the upper half.

I agree.  I was pleasantly surprised by the score once you put out your parameters.  

 

[rick6668]

I agree.  I was pleasantly surprised by the score once you put out your parameters.  

It is a great selection and worthy to get drafted 

 

[Doug B]

ETA:  I understand the idea of tradition and watching the same movie but there is also a tradition in watching a Christmas special like this every year.  To see what current top entertainers would join in.  It was a spectacle and must see programming in the days of limited channels and Bob Hope was one of the biggest.......not to mention the good work he did for the military moral over the holidays.  

Still have great memories of Bob Hope introducing the college football All-Americans every year during his Xmas specials.

 

[wikkidpissah]

I wasn't expecting much once it was revealed that 1/3 of the judges were looking for rewatchability and nostalgia in watching the exact same story every year as a key component to a Holiday special.  It actually scored better than I thought it would with those parameters.  

ETA:  I understand the idea of tradition and watching the same movie but there is also a tradition in watching a Christmas special like this every year.  To see what current top entertainers would join in.  It was a spectacle and must see programming in the days of limited channels and Bob Hope was one of the biggest.......not to mention the good work he did for the military moral over the holidays.  

agreeski.

rick is doing a wunnerful job on this - to the point i too am disappointed he brought in others - category, but "It's just not something I think of when I think of a holiday special" is trumped (i HATE not getting to use that word freely anymore) by America having thought of little else when they thought of Xmas specials for 50 years. back to our countdown - hope there's a long-distance dedication.....

 

[KarmaPolice]

Emmet otter got robbed!

 

[Zow]

Emmet otter got robbed!

Hello exactly 

 

[Doug B]

Emmet otter got robbed!

This might differ in other locales ... but around here, Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas kind of disappeared for about 30 years.

When I was a little kid, it was shown only on HBO on then-new cable service -- never on network television. I remembered Emmet Otter, but never really had a way to watch it again until I saw the DVD for sale about 15 years ago. Of course, now with streaming services and all, it's likely a lot easier to track down these days.

 

[Gally]

Emmet otter got robbed!

This might differ in other locales ... but around here, Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas kind of disappeared for about 30 years.

When I was a little kid, it was shown only on HBO on then-new cable service -- never on network television. I remembered Emmet Otter, but never really had a way to watch it again until I saw the DVD for sale about 15 years ago. Of course, now with streaming services and all, it's likely a lot easier to track down these days.

To Doug's point, I had never even heard of it until this draft.   That is not to say I never saw it (when it premiered I was 5), but that I have no recollection of it at all.  

 

[Yo Mama]

This might differ in other locales ... but around here, Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas kind of disappeared for about 30 years.

When I was a little kid, it was shown only on HBO on then-new cable service -- never on network television. I remembered Emmet Otter, but never really had a way to watch it again until I saw the DVD for sale about 15 years ago. Of course, now with streaming services and all, it's likely a lot easier to track down these days.

That’s why I had it rated lower. It just didn’t have the exposure that some of the other classics have/had.
 

I think this category was a tough one that could have a lot of disagreements because it seems like most of us have stronger connections to certain holiday specials based on what we grew up with. 

 

[rick6668]

Wow, what a difference of opinions in Emmet Otter.  I had hoped most had seen this, but I can understand why.

If you haven't seen it, it's on Amazon Prime and you can likely find it in it's entirety in one of my links.  Please watch it.

On to our countdown....

 

[krista4]

Emmet otter got robbed!

It’s my all-time favorite, but it’s time we all admitted that The Riverbottom Nightmare really were the better band.

 

[rick6668]

The Greatest TV Holiday Specials of all time - Part 8

9 - A Muppet Family Christmas (8 pts)
"Careful of the icy patch!"

This was my selection for #9.  This is an amazing special, I had this recorded on an old VHS.  I had Emmet rated higher, but the other judges were kinder to this one.  This is another special that some people just have not seen.  Wish it would have gotten more airplay.

A Muppet Family Christmas is a Christmas television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets. It first aired on December 16, 1987, on the ABC television network in the United States. n the special, the Muppets surprise Fozzie Bear's mother Emily with a Christmas visit to her farm, not knowing that she had already rented out the place to Doc for the holidays so she could spend a winter vacation in Malibu.

Adored by those who’ve seen it, it’s been mostly keep out of circulation due to a copyright mess. A mess that results mostly from it’s greatest selling point – that is the one big, non-cameo, crossover of The Muppets, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and The Muppet Babies.

TV Guide ranked the special at number eight on its '10 Best Family Holiday Specials' list.

Fun Facts:
A Muppet Family Christmas was the final full-length Muppet production completed before Jim Henson’s death in 1990. The last ten minutes or so of special consists of an extended singalong from the entire cast. Right at the end, Henson himself (along with Sprocket) peers out from the kitchen, and says “Well, they certainly seem to be having good time out there… I like it when they have a good time.” He then laments that he and Sprocket are going to have clean everything up. Of course, no one knew that this would be the last Muppet film that Henson would oversee, but in retrospective, it’s the perfect epilogue. We can obviously talk about how innovative The Muppet Show was, or how much great work Sesame Street has done, but at the end of the day Jim Henson just provided us with so many good times – and he was happy to see us have a good time.

(Individual rankings - 9/5/10)

 

[rick6668]

It’s my all-time favorite, but it’s time we all admitted that The Riverbottom Nightmare really were the better band.

They won the contest!  

We shoulda won...

 

[tuffnutt]

Emmet otter got robbed!

never saw it

 

[krista4]

They won the contest!  

We shoulda won...

I’m aware of the plot.

 

[Charlie Steiner]

Be glad your second round pick didn't score a 3.

Am I to entertain your ballad of dissatisfaction, or has something actually happened?

 

[Doug B]

Be glad your second round pick didn't score a 3.

Am I to entertain your ballad of dissatisfaction, or has something actually happened?

Yes, higgins picked Jack Bauer as his second-rounder. Bauer scored a 3 in the Hero category.

Rick6668 took over higgins's team mid-draft.

 

[rick6668]

Am I to entertain your ballad of dissatisfaction, or has something actually happened?

Jack Bauer drafted by higgins who I took over for.

 

[AcerFC]

I have the exact recollection of Emmet Otter as Doug. Only watched it on HBO and then it disappeared. loved it though

 

[Doug B]

I have the exact recollection of Emmet Otter as Doug. Only watched it on HBO and then it disappeared. loved it though

I was kind of wondering: How long did it stay on HBO? I don't remember seeing it aired on HBO again after maybe 1982-83.

 

[Charlie Steiner]

Jack Bauer drafted by higgins who I took over for.

I guess we both would have been salty if Mad Men had only gotten 3 points. I didn't like what was being said so I tried to change the conversation.

 

[Zow]

So can we all just agree to give the drafter who took Emmet Otter like 5 bonus points bc it’s so awesome and move on?

 

[rick6668]

I was kind of wondering: How long did it stay on HBO? I don't remember seeing it aired on HBO again after maybe 1982-83.

I'm not sure.  

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas is a one-hour Christmas special which first aired on the CBC on December 4, 1977 and on HBO the next year on December 17, 1978 with later broadcasts on HBO, and ABC in 1980. 

Lots of info here

 

[rick6668]

The Greatest TV Holiday Specials of all time -  Midway Point

Here's the bottom half of the draft so far, nothing below belongs in the top half drafted or undrafted (except Emmet)

9 - A Muppet Family Christmas (8 pts) (9/5/10)

10 - Bob Hope Christmas Special (7 pts) (3/10/7)

11 - Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas (6 pts) (10/6/3)

12 - Olive The Other Reindeer (5 pts) (4/7/6)

13 - Jack Frost (4 pts) (5/2/4)

14- 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (3 pts) (6/3/1)

15 - **** Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve (2 pts) (I2/1/5)

16 - Perry Como's Christmas (1 pt)(1/4/2)
 

I'll list my honorable mentions here at the halfway point.  Here are some other specials I have enjoyed over the years, a few would have ranked above those selected.

Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976, Red Skelton)

I love Red Skeleton, His voice and Baby Bear was great.  The concept os the "Archipelago of Last Years" was a cool idea.  Eon the Terrible is a great villain and is pretty scary for kids.
I would have ranked this at least a 7.

The Easter Bunny is Comin' to Town

This follows the same script as Santa Claus is Coming to Town, but it is really well done.  I still watch this one with my kids every Easter.  
The special includes original songs, including two sung by Astaire: "The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town" and "All You Have to Do is Think 'Can Do'"
I would have ranked this above the bottom 4 on my list.

The Little Drummer Boy (1968, Greer Garson)

My sister's favorite.  When the lamb gets run over, it's so sad.

Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976, Andy Griffith)

Sequels are never better, but I always like that Frosty got a wife name Crystal.  

Nestor, the Long–Eared Christmas Donkey

When Nestor's mother dies, you don't have a heart if a tear doesn't well up.

The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow (1975, Angela Lansbury)

Another enjoyable special by Rankin/Bass

Although my kids like Shrek The Halls and Disney's Prep and Landing, I am glad no one drafted these.  As for the Star Wars Holiday Special which I did see on it's original airing and thought what the hell did I just watch, thank you to all for not drafting this.

 

[Mr. Mojo]

Westerns

Thanks to tuffnutt for helping me out in this category! The following scores are combined results for both of us.

#16 Little House On The Prarie (1 point) - A cute show with a likable cast.

#15 Wagon Train (2 points) - A classic TV western. It was poked fun of in Stand By Me.

#14 The Lone Ranger (3 points) - Who is that masked man and why wasn't his score higher?

#13 Godless (4 points) - I have never watched it and really need to, after all Michelle Dockery is in it.

#12 - Rawhide (5 points) - A good show with a great theme song.

#11 The Wild, Wild, West (6 points) - Silly but very entertaining.

#10 Have Gun Will Travel (7 points) - Another classic

#9 Justified (8 points) - I have never watched it and relied on my co-rater.

#8 Maverick (9 points) - Another entertaining show with lots of charisma from the leads.

#7 The Mandalorian (10 points) - Another one I haven't watched but it looks great from the clips I've seen.

#6 Firefly (11 points) - I had never even heard of it and relied on my co-rater for the ranking.

#5 Deadwood (12 points) - We disagreed the most on it. tuffnutt had it 2nd, but I watched it a few times and thought the language was ridiculous among other things.

#4 Kung Fu (13 points) - I had this one much higher than tuffnutt because it's one of my favorites. Carradine was perfect in the role.

#3 Bonanza (14 points) - A timeless classic with a great cast.

#2 Lonesome Dove (15 points) - An epic, sprawling classic miniseries. Great cast led perfectly by Duvall and Jones.

#1 Gunsmoke (16 points) - A great show that was good for 20 years. Well acted, with excellent writing.

 

[wikkidpissah]

I'll list my honorable mentions here at the halfway point.  Here are some other specials I have enjoyed over the years, a few would have ranked above those selected.

Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976, Red Skelton)

I love Red Skeleton, His voice and Baby Bear was great.  The concept os the "Archipelago of Last Years" was a cool idea.  Eon the Terrible is a great villain and is pretty scary for kids.
I would have ranked this at least a 7.

If you love Skelton, you might like this. The owner of my home-base casino when i decided to gamble for a living in the mid-80 adored Red Skelton. He outbid larger Reno casinos to have him headline his showroom and was heartbroken when the MGMGrand outbid him to host a gallery of his paintings.

Nonetheless the great, tho elderly, clown had a lot of down time & carte blanche to do whatever he wanted at the Nugget. His great pleasure was tormenting slot-machine lurkers. Skelton would grab rack-after-rack of comped $1 tokens, put them in machines and use a sort of sleight-of-hand to make it sound like he had a hot machine every time he sensed an ol' biddy tracking his action. Lurkers would hop on every machine he left and receive naught but standard casino chill from his "hot" machine, only to hear "clangclangclang" and Red's trademark delighted giggle from his nearby next stop. He'd do this for hours - sometimes leaving a trail of bemused disappointment a dozen lurkers long - and enjoyed it as much as he enjoyed everything in his long, memorable career.

 

[Zow]

Westerns

Thanks to tuffnutt for helping me out in this category! The following scores are combined results for both of us.

#16 Little House On The Prarie (1 point) - A cute show with a likable cast.

#15 Wagon Train (2 points) - A classic TV western. It was poked fun of in Stand By Me.

#14 The Lone Ranger (3 points) - Who is that masked man and why wasn't his score higher?

#13 Godless (4 points) - I have never watched it and really need to, after all Michelle Dockery is in it.

#12 - Rawhide (5 points) - A good show with a great theme song.

#11 The Wild, Wild, West (6 points) - Silly but very entertaining.

#10 Have Gun Will Travel (7 points) - Another classic

#9 Justified (8 points) - I have never watched it and relied on my co-rater.

#8 Maverick (9 points) - Another entertaining show with lots of charisma from the leads.

#7 The Mandalorian (10 points) - Another one I haven't watched but it looks great from the clips I've seen.

#6 Firefly (11 points) - I had never even heard of it and relied on my co-rater for the ranking.

#5 Deadwood (12 points) - We disagreed the most on it. tuffnutt had it 2nd, but I watched it a few times and thought the language was ridiculous among other things.

#4 Kung Fu (13 points) - I had this one much higher than tuffnutt because it's one of my favorites. Carradine was perfect in the role.

#3 Bonanza (14 points) - A timeless classic with a great cast.

#2 Lonesome Dove (15 points) - An epic, sprawling classic miniseries. Great cast led perfectly by Duvall and Jones.

#1 Gunsmoke (16 points) - A great show that was good for 20 years. Well acted, with excellent writing.

Oh you gotta watch it then. It's amazing. If it were actually a western it should be rated second. 

 

[Yo Mama]

Westerns

Thanks to tuffnutt for helping me out in this category! The following scores are combined results for both of us.

#16 Little House On The Prarie (1 point) - A cute show with a likable cast.

#15 Wagon Train (2 points) - A classic TV western. It was poked fun of in Stand By Me.

#14 The Lone Ranger (3 points) - Who is that masked man and why wasn't his score higher?

#13 Godless (4 points) - I have never watched it and really need to, after all Michelle Dockery is in it.

#12 - Rawhide (5 points) - A good show with a great theme song.

#11 The Wild, Wild, West (6 points) - Silly but very entertaining.

#10 Have Gun Will Travel (7 points) - Another classic

#9 Justified (8 points) - I have never watched it and relied on my co-rater.

#8 Maverick (9 points) - Another entertaining show with lots of charisma from the leads.

#7 The Mandalorian (10 points) - Another one I haven't watched but it looks great from the clips I've seen.

#6 Firefly (11 points) - I had never even heard of it and relied on my co-rater for the ranking.

#5 Deadwood (12 points) - We disagreed the most on it. tuffnutt had it 2nd, but I watched it a few times and thought the language was ridiculous among other things.

#4 Kung Fu (13 points) - I had this one much higher than tuffnutt because it's one of my favorites. Carradine was perfect in the role.

#3 Bonanza (14 points) - A timeless classic with a great cast.

#2 Lonesome Dove (15 points) - An epic, sprawling classic miniseries. Great cast led perfectly by Duvall and Jones.

#1 Gunsmoke (16 points) - A great show that was good for 20 years. Well acted, with excellent writing.

Nice job. I don’t know how you were able to judge some of these shows against each other. Probably the most diverse category. 

 

[Yo Mama]

I could use a couple more co-judges for the 91-20 Leading Woman Comedy category. Send them my way and I’ll get those rankings out later this week. 

 

[rick6668]

The Greatest TV Holiday Specials of all time - Part 9

8 - A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (9pts)
"What kind of Thanksgiving dinner is this? Where's the turkey, Chuck? Don't you know anything about Thanksgiving dinners? Where's the mashed potatoes? Where's the cranberry sauce? Where's the pumpkin pie?"

The only special I can think of on Thanksgiving and this is one of my favorites.  I had this ranked at 7 and really felt it should be higher, but I like a few others more.  The other judges compensated and I feel fine with this being #9.
The Zinger ads from Dolly Madison bring back memories.  I always begged my mom to buy these.

"Little Birdie", still has me singing along today. 

Love the dinner on the ping-pong table; toast, popcorn, jelly beans and pretzels with Snoopy slinging the food around.
 

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is the tenth prime-time animated television special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network on November 20, 1973, and won an Emmy Award the following year.  It was the third holiday special after A Charlie Brown Christmas in 1965 and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown in 1966.

Fun Facts:
Linus introduces kids to figures like Wampanoag chief Massasoit, Governor William Bradford, and Captain Miles Standish, and the spirit that brought them together. That’s an important first step to learning a lot more about the holiday and our past.
We all know the trombone “wah wah wah” sound that Charlie Brown’s teacher makes when speaking in a Peanuts special. But A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, which was released in 1973, made history as the first Peanuts special to feature a real, live, human adult voice. But it’s not a speaking voice—it’s heard in the song “Little Birdie.”
As is often the case in a Peanuts special, Linus gets to play the role of philosopher in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and remind his friends (and the viewers) about the history and true meaning of the holiday. His speech about the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving eventually led to This is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers, a kind of spinoff adapted from that Thanksgiving Day prayer, which sees the Peanuts gang becoming a part of history.
In writing for HuffPo for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’s 40th anniversary, Mendelson admitted that one particular scene in the special led to “a rare, minor dispute during the creation of the show. Mr. Schulz insisted that Woodstock join Snoopy in carving and eating a turkey. For some reason I was bothered that Woodstock would eat a turkey. I voiced my concern, which was immediately overruled.”

(Individual rankings - 7/9/11)

 

[Mr. Mojo]

I could use a couple more co-judges for the 91-20 Leading Woman Comedy category. Send them my way and I’ll get those rankings out later this week. 

I looked it over and found that I'm completely clueless in that category. 

Sorry I couldn't help.

 

[Gally]

I looked it over and found that I'm completely clueless in that category. 

Sorry I couldn't help.

Me too.  There are only a few names I recognize.  I think I only recognized two of the first 5 names drafted

 

[Zegras11]

Someone got Bonanzed in the butt, Bob.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Mandalorian? 

:X

 

[rick6668]

The Greatest TV Holiday Specials of all time - Part 9

7 - Frosty The Snowman (10pts)
"Happy birthday! Hey, I said my first words. But... But snowmen can't talk. Ha ha ha, come on now, what's the joke? Could I really be alive?"

I had this 2 spots lower, but it fits in fine here.  Frosty and Santa, Professor Hinkle as a great villain and who could forget the adorable Karen not to mention Hocus Pocus. 

Frosty the Snowman is a 1969 American animated Christmas television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. It is the first television special featuring the character Frosty the Snowman. The special first aired on December 7, 1969, on the CBS television network in the United States.  it has aired annually for the network's Christmas and holiday season every year since. The special was based on the Walter E. Rollins and Steve Nelson song of the same name. It featured the voices of comedians Jimmy Durante as the film's narrator (in what would be Durante's final performance in a film), Billy De Wolfe as Professor Hinkle, and Jackie Vernon as Frosty.

Fun Facts:
To capitalize on the success of Gene Autry's classic 1949 Christmas tune, songwriters Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson wrote "Frosty the Snowman" the following year. Autry also lent his vocals to the new song, although it never matched the success of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."
Deadpan comic Jackie Vernon was known for his “slideshow” routines, where he’d narrate slides (unseen by the audience) and “change” them with a handheld clicker. Quite often his routines ended with a graphic description of some sexual perversion that he’d innocently stumbled onto via the recommendation of some stranger, about whom he’d always comment “… and I thought, ‘Gee, what a neat guy!’”
The original film featured June Foray performing the voices of both the schoolteacher and young Karen, who accompanied Frosty to the North Pole. Paul Frees was the Traffic Cop and Santa Claus, and the two combined to voice the remaining schoolchildren. For reasons unknown (even to Foray herself), nearly all the children’s voices—including Karen’s—were re-dubbed by unidentified child actors for the 1970 airing. All subsequent TV appearances and video releases contain this new soundtrack. The original is only available on the 1970 soundtrack LP and a 2002 CD release by Rhino.    

(Individual rankings - 8/12/9)

 

[AcerFC]

Mandalorian? 

:X

Are you out of your mind. Best new show on by a mile.