Tuesday, November 14, 2006
The silly season
SciFi was running yet another Quantum Leap marathon today, probably in honor of Season 5 being released on DVD. I use the word "honor" fairly loosely, because honestly, by the end of Season 5 everyone I knew who had loved the show was just begging for it to die. In one of the episodes SciFi showed today, Sam leaps into Dr. Ruth (yes! Dr. Ruth Westheimer!) and singlehandedly--as Dr. Ruth, remember--runs over the roofs of a bunch of cars stuck in Manhattan traffic, karate-chops a bad guy, plays matchmaker, saves a young woman's life, and oh, incidentally, gives Anita Hill the idea of speaking up about sexual harassment. As if all of that wasn't silly enough, Dr. Ruth is back in the future, analyzing Al's womanizing.
In other Season 5 episodes, Sam leaps into a guy who drives around a bad Marilyn Monroe impersonator (it was supposed to be Marilyn herself, but hey, I calls 'em as I sees 'em); Elvis; and Lee Harvey Oswald. He also inexplicably leaps into the Civil War, which they try to explain, but come on: it says RIGHT THERE IN THE INTRO that Sam finds himself leaping WITHIN HIS OWN LIFETIME. I actually remember talking to my friend Julie about this the day after the episode aired. The phrase "jump the shark" hadn't been coined yet, but we agreed that the show was basically over for us at that point. Once they start violating the basic precepts of the show, that's it, man.
By Season 5 there were too many repeat leaps, too many coincidences, and way too many famous people played by people who didn't look much like the people they were supposed to be. The earlier random leaps, with no rhyme or reason, were much more fun. After all, with thirty-somewhat years and all the U.S. to leap into, there was no reason for Sam to go leaping around from celebrity to celebrity just to make sure that The Misfits was made. There were so many stories that could have been told, and instead they chose Lee Harvey Oswald. We know about Lee Harvey Oswald; how about Mary Lee Gormley, whose strict God-fearin' parents sent her to a home for unwed mothers in 1960s Idaho? Or Bill Earnest, who drove down to Texas in 1977 to strike it rich in the oil fields and ended up getting blown to bits on an offshore rig, leaving his wife and three kids without any life insurance? Put that one right, Sam!
Five seasons is a good long time for a show like Quantum Leap, but there were still stories to be told when it ended. It's just too bad they spent most of the last season hashing over old plot lines and celebrity head-hopping.
In other Season 5 episodes, Sam leaps into a guy who drives around a bad Marilyn Monroe impersonator (it was supposed to be Marilyn herself, but hey, I calls 'em as I sees 'em); Elvis; and Lee Harvey Oswald. He also inexplicably leaps into the Civil War, which they try to explain, but come on: it says RIGHT THERE IN THE INTRO that Sam finds himself leaping WITHIN HIS OWN LIFETIME. I actually remember talking to my friend Julie about this the day after the episode aired. The phrase "jump the shark" hadn't been coined yet, but we agreed that the show was basically over for us at that point. Once they start violating the basic precepts of the show, that's it, man.
By Season 5 there were too many repeat leaps, too many coincidences, and way too many famous people played by people who didn't look much like the people they were supposed to be. The earlier random leaps, with no rhyme or reason, were much more fun. After all, with thirty-somewhat years and all the U.S. to leap into, there was no reason for Sam to go leaping around from celebrity to celebrity just to make sure that The Misfits was made. There were so many stories that could have been told, and instead they chose Lee Harvey Oswald. We know about Lee Harvey Oswald; how about Mary Lee Gormley, whose strict God-fearin' parents sent her to a home for unwed mothers in 1960s Idaho? Or Bill Earnest, who drove down to Texas in 1977 to strike it rich in the oil fields and ended up getting blown to bits on an offshore rig, leaving his wife and three kids without any life insurance? Put that one right, Sam!
Five seasons is a good long time for a show like Quantum Leap, but there were still stories to be told when it ended. It's just too bad they spent most of the last season hashing over old plot lines and celebrity head-hopping.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Billiken along
Isn't cable television fascinating? This morning I was watching Waterloo Bridge on TCM, and noticed that Vivien Leigh's "good luck charm" was a familiar-looking little pointy-eared, pointy-headed Kewpie-like figure. I knew that I knew what he was called, but couldn't quite remember at first. Finally the name came to me: he was a Billiken (although the only reason I know that is that I lived in St. Louis for a while). I followed some links from the Wikipedia article and found a comprehensive history of the Billiken, and realized that the item I found in my grandfather's things and have always thought was a pipe-holder with a Buddha figure on it is probably actually a Billiken incense burner.
The things you learn from watching cable TV at ungodly hours of the morning.
The things you learn from watching cable TV at ungodly hours of the morning.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
IT LIVES!
The Vintage Reader is back up and running. Redesign soon.
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