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The Book of Daniel (2006)
Cautionary Tale: Write What you know!
The Book of Daniel was the small screen's attempt to capitalize on the success of Mel Gibson's independent hit movie "The Passion of the Christ". It's a trend in entertainment for competitors to give people more of what works. The problem with this formula is that you can't make a cookie-cutter clone of something and people will watch. Obviously the network and creative forces behind "The Book of Daniel" said, "People want religion. Just make any show with religion and everyone who went to see "The Passion" will watch us. Wrong. You need to write quality material and engaging stories, and know what you're writing about. The pastor in "The Book of Daniel" talks to a version of Christ who really doesn't speak the way Christ would. "Life is hard", says Pastor Daniel. "That's why it's so rewarding at the end." Not for everyone! Maybe the writers could familiarize themselves with the Christian faith, instead impose their new age philosophy on everything. There are other ways of looking at the world. The pastor talks flippantly about a per-marital couple's sex life, without concern for their souls, or offer some advice and guidance, which a priest would do, especially during marriage counseling. The program's lazy writing was an insult to anyone who took their faith seriously. So, having failed to capture the market, and amid well-deserved dismal ratings, this program was shelved, and Hollywood gave up on trying to use faith as a means to attract viewers, never knowing why they failed in the first place.
Duel (1971)
Dullsville.
Close Encounters of The Third Kind this is not. Loud and fast, yet somehow boring as heck. Just a 2-hour long chase scene with a very predictable ending, broken up by encounters with people who are range from unhelpful and dismissive to apathetic. We don't even know why the antagonist hates the main character so much to waste all his energy on trying to kill him. The one moment I was waiting for was the end we all expected 20 minutes into the movie: the truck with the word Flammable plastered on it, which we read dozens of times, to explode in a blaze of glory when it makes an impact at the bottom of a cliff, and then it never does. At least it's more watchable than his soulless remake of War of the Worlds, but don't go out of your way to watch it.
Mad Men: The Chrysanthemum and the Sword (2010)
Supposed to be 1965.
Wait a minute! If this is supposed to be 1965, then why are the Draper kids watching Top Cat in Prime Time, which was taken off Prime Time in 1962. This is so fakey. Other than that, this episode deals with prejudice on several different occasions. In one such instance, Roger Sterling does not want to deal with a Japanese client, because he is angry about what Pearl Harbor and WWII. Historically, many Americans held hostilities against the Japanese long after the war ended. (Other examples in this episode include Selma, and discussion of and television viewing of Civil Rights marches during this hectic decade.)
Mad Men: The Gypsy and the Hobo (2009)
Who are you supposed to be?
This episode is one of the most pivotal in terms of plot and revelation. Betty confronts her husband on his past, and Don reveals everything. Betty has no idea who is the man she married.
This point is driven home dramatically at the final scene, where Don and Betty Draper take their children out for Halloween night. As they visit Carlton's house for trick or treating, he addresses the children's costumes: Gypsy and Hobo (Hence the title). Then he looks at Don,and asks, "Who are you supposed to be?" The question is a reflection of everything that occurred in the episode, and leaves the viewer to ponder the significance of this question.
Crusader Rabbit (1950)
Some of these reviews are out of line.
HI there. I love and collect classic animation. Somehow, in my entire lifetime, Crusader Rabbit eluded me. I discovered it only a day ago, when Richard mentioned the series on Leave It To Beaver (season 5 episode "Beaver's Jacket"). This review is mainly about a few reviewers earlier in this review timeline, complaining about voice actresses portraying male characters.
This has nothing to do with gender confusion. It's not uncommon for females to voice male characters in a cartoon. Bart Simpson is voiced by a woman. Bobby Hill is voiced by a woman. Lots of classic animal cartoon characters have a woman's talent behind them. This kind of casting decision is not a political or social statement. Females have a particular voice quality that often makes them best to portray a young boy or an animal. The lovely June Foray was perfect as Rocket J. Squirrel in "The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle". To dismiss a series because a girl voices a guy is folly. It's also upsetting to see someone use the name, "Bimbo" substituted in every instance for "female". TV is not real life. Escape the real world and enjoy the show.
I managed to watch the first episode of Crusader Rabbit, "Crusader Rabbit vs Texas." It's filled with the fun, adult, irreverent humor via which I immediately identified it as a Jay Ward series. And, as such, the animation is cheerful, imaginative, and very static. TV animation, especially early animation, was on a budget and was very limited. Fortunately, the drawings are stylized and expressive and compensate for such limitations. Crusader Rabbit is whimsical for children, but written on an adult level, so the entire family can watch it and not get bored. It may seem dated to today's "sophisticated" audience, but Crusader Rabbit is a forgotten series that deserves more recognition for its significance in TV history.
Leave It to Beaver: The All-Night Party (1963)
Wally Confronts an Overprotective Father
Wally attends an upcoming all-night graduation party, and he wants to bring a relatively new girl in his class, Kathy Gregory. Mr. And Mrs. Cleaver had reservations about attending an all-night party, but it pales in comparison to Kathy's strict parents. Wally has to convince Kathy's father that he's an upstanding person, and after doing so, he must prove his reputation.
Despite Wally's best efforts, a mishap occurs, and Kathy's father blames Wally and grounds Kathy. Wally must once more confront him, and regain his trust. Would you have Wally's courage?
This episode realistically depicts situations that teenagers face, even today. This is an example of how the themes in the program are still relevant over half a century later. It also demonstrates how fresh the writing was, even into its final season.
Leave It to Beaver: The Book Report (1963)
Hilarious Scene
This episode deals with the dangers of procrastination. Beaver put off reading a book for a report, and his friend Gilbert suggests he watch the movie to cut corners. By season 6, Beaver should know that Gilbert's advice is trouble, but he watches the movie, a comedic take, and writes his review on that.
This is one of the funniest episodes in season six. The scene where he reads his report to the class takes the cake!
Still the Beaver (1983)
A pleasant update
You can't reproduce the charm of the original 1950s/1960s series, Leave it To Beaver, but why would you want to? It was a product of its times, and Still The Beaver is just as well. With the exception of the late Ward Cleaver, the entire cast is there, and except for Whitey, are portrayed by their original actors.
Theodore Cleaver is an adult version of his child self... and it's led his wife to divorce him. Beaver wants to be a good father to his two sons, but he can't channel the stern but warm guidance that his father provided. After advice from his brother, Wally, now a lawyer married to this high school sweetheart, Mary Ellen, he decides that he wants custody.
Everyone in the cast is there, and most of them are adult reflections of their childhood selves... except a surprising comedic twist with Beaver's friend Larry, which I shall not spoil here. June Cleaver continues to provide the family the nurturing warmth required to keep them going. It's a reunion updated for the theme of the new era, covering topics as divorce, relationships, dealing with children with behavioral issues, and more. Plus, it's nice to see what has changed in the Cleaver residence, and in their lives, and what hasn't.
Still The Beaver is not expected to be able to compete with its own series, now with classic status. It's also not expected to be an award-winning piece of filmmaking with deep symbolism and subtle character traits. But as a new installment of a beloved series, seeing Beaver still struggling with confidence issues decades later, the movie should find a heartwarming sweet spot in the audience's heart. And seeing Eddie Haskell, character unchanged, is worth the time to watch!