Four things and another thing

[capri0mni]

Television things:

1. The Wikipedia article on the TV series Chuck explains one reason why I love it so much, and am distressed at the thought of it going away: It's up against shows that make my skin crawl -- "Dancing with the Stars"/"Bachelor" on ABC (depending on the season; the latter is downright, unapolgetically ableist in pursuit of "humor") "Rules of Engagement" on CBS (for the second half of the hour -- full of mean cynicism) and "House" on FOX (All about how Medical Technology is the best thing evah!). And Chuck is an antidote to all that, primarily because it takes "Not taking itself seriously" seriously. It's funny and romantic and funny and actiony, and light-hearted and warm-hearted and geeky and... You can watch full eps online.
   
   
2. American culture has gone off the edge of the cliff, "Civility tone-wise," I think, ever since the Federal Communications Commission did away with regulations requiring that every single station provide a minimum number of hours a week to kids' programming. Up until the mid-1990s, every morning at the get-ready-for-school hour, and every afternoon between get-home and eat-supper-hours, there were kids's shows like (YouTube clips of opening themes -- varied by year and station, but just a sampling of shows I remember [and miss -- some of them]):
   
   • Gargoyles (action/fantasy)
     
   • TailSpin (A spin-off of Disney's Jungle Book with vintage airplanes... no, I don't get it either. It was soppy and moralistic, but at least fun)
     
   • Eskaflowne (American butchering of Japanese Anime of a story that reminded me of Shakespeare's King Lear on an alien/parallel universe planet with tarot cards and robots and dragons)
     
   • Bugs Bunny
     And finally (and most-missed-of-all)
     
   • Animaniacs
   
   Those shows went away, with all their variety and color, and, since broadcasters have to fill air time with something, what has taken their place? "Courtroom" shows where neighbors and family members sue each other, act like two-year olds, and "talk shows" with themes like "My brother slept with my wife and she's pregnant with his baby!". When the kids were given entertainment time, the grown-ups were given a break from anger.
   
   It makes me sad and lonesome-like.
   
   
3. Hm... I think this one was going to be all about how I miss the Animaniacs, but I covered that one, above... so... Never mind. That show had catch phrases that I wish were still recognized, but I fear are obsolete: "Faboo!" for "Fabulous!" for example (Wakko), and "Hello, Mr. Man!" (Mindy from "Mindy and Buttons")
   
   
4. On the darker, far less fun, side, here's a short film (< 4 mins) that shows exactly why wheelchair-accessible parking spots are designed the way they are -- extra wide, and the closest ones to the store: Just 2 minutes (French, w/English subtitles). I know that no one reading this would dare park in a wheelchair accessible spot without a placard or tag (Right?). But this vid might give you tools for persuading other people, who can be jerks.
   
   
5. For some reason, LJ periodically logs me out when I try to read my f'list page. (But I'm still logged in on my "recent Entries" page... or if I link to an individual journal -- this only happens with my friends page, and only sometimes). So if I keep missing your f'locked entries, you know why, now.

Comments

[meloukhia]

Thank you for the video rec! It was awesome and there are a few people I will be sending it to...

[capri0mni]

Bwa-ha-ha! (ha!) and so my plan unfurls... >;-)

Actually, I didn't find this on my own, someone I subscribe to on YouTube SeekGeo favorited it.

[chronographia]

I miss Animaniacs too.

Sniffle.

Their songs of geography and American history used to echo around the halls of my high school, taunting all passers-by that they were not in the cool class. I never did figure out which class that was, but it must have been awesome.

[capri0mni]

Animaniacs -- and its spin-off stand-alone series, Pinky and the Brain is up there with the very best of things that Steven Spielberg ever got kudos for in the More Grown-Up realms of entertainment.

[chronographia]

Also, Freakazoid, though admittedly an acquired taste. The Warner bros & sister made a cameo in the opening credits, and I believe there were enough crossreferences to assume a shared universe between the three shows.

[capri0mni]

Freakazoid! I knew there was another show Dad and I watched together (I want to say: "At dinner hour, Saturday," but that I can't remember, still) and laughed to, that I'd forgotten.

I think another trawl of YouTube is in order..