Ron Carlivati and Frank Valentini Join GH as the Head Writer and Executive Producer

I am among the millions of fans of One Life to Live who are absolutely devastated by the fact that the best of the currently airing daytime soap operas will not continue as an online series. With OLTL gone, General Hospital will be the only remaining ABC daytime drama. Because OLTL is not continuing online, head writer Ron Carlivati and executive producer Frank Valentini are now working in their respective roles on resuscitating a near death General Hospital. It should also be noted that they are bringing a few One Life To Live cast members with them. Roger Howarth, Kassie DePaiva, Kristen Alderson, and Michael Easton will all be playing their OLTL characters starting in February. Also, GH fan favorites Emma Samms, Tristan Rodgers, Finola Hughes, and Kirsten Storms are all going to be back in Port Charles. It may be too little too late. It would not be surprising to anyone if ABC announces the cancellation of GH in April. Putting Carlivati and Valentini in charge of GH is the best behind the scenes decision that the show has made in years, and I cannot wait to see their work on screen (less of Sonny eating the show, having Anthony Geary’s annual “summer vacation” exit explained without destroying all of the progress that the character of  Luke Spencer has made over the past few months, and please bring back Lynn Herring). Give the fans what they want (a good soap opera).

Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Veep and Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin

Veep is a new HBO series that will make i’s debut in April. It stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a senator-turned-vice president. It is a comedy, and Louis-Dreyfus insists that her character is not based on Sarah Palin. The idea of someone who is completely clueless being only a heartbeat away from the becoming the president was something that was talked about a lot once Palin was announced as Senator John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 election. Then again, the topic of an incompetent VP also came up a lot during the first George Bush’s  time in office.  VP Dan Quayle clearly demonstrated that he was incapable of being the president of anything.  Here is the preview trailer for Veep (which I first saw during the season finale of Boardwalk Empire):

Also coming to HBO in March 2012 is Julianne Moore actually playing Sarah Palin.  Game Change, which is based on the 2010 book by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, tells the story of Palin’s rise to national prominance during the 2008 presidential election. Ed Harris will be playing Senator John McCain. While I think that either Ryan Cutrona (Gene Hofstadt, Mad Men) or Michael Hogan (Colonel Saul Tigh, Battlestar Galactica) would have been better casting choices for McCain, I am sure that Harris will do a fine job. Let’s face it though, no one is going to outshine Moore’s Palin in Game Change.

Mad Men Returns in March

After a hiatus that felt like a lifetime, (but in actuality was only 17 months), Mad Men will return for its fifth season on March 25th. Mad Men is one of those shows that is and will continue to be dissected by every television critic and blogger extensively. So rather than going on and on about the obvious greatness of Mad Men, I will simply say that it is my favorite current show, and I desperately missed it this past fall.

Howard Stern Joins America’s Got Talent

When it was first announced that Howard Stern was replacing Piers Morgan on NBC’ s America’s Got Talent, I had mixed feeling about it. Part of my initial problem with Stern taking this gig was that his uniquely honest approach would be hindered by the confines of primetime network television. However, I quickly changed my viewpoint and realized that this is going to be wonderful for a number of reasons.  For those who did not follow Stern when he made his historic move from terrestrial to satellite radio in January of 2006, America’s Got Talent will remind them of how much they miss him. Also, for those who have never listened to Stern because of the preconceived notion that he is nothing but a “foul mouthed shock jock,” they will be pleasantly surprised by the fact that the man is highly intelligent and genuinely compassionate.

Dallas Reboot on TNT

The TNT reboot of the most infamous of the 1980′s primetime soap operas could go one of two ways. It could prove that the show’s time has passed and that viewers are better off watching the original Dallas on DVD.  More than likely though, it will introduce a new audience to the Ewings of South Fork and the chaos that is their lives. Especially during its first five seasons, Dallas was serialized television drama at its best. With this wonderful history to work with and some of the original cast members who made the original Dallas “must see TV” on Friday nights throughout the 1980′s,  it looks to be moving in the right direction.

BEST EPISODE (COMEDY): Community - “Remedial Chaos Theory”

If any episode of this past season should be taught in screenwriting classes the world over, this is the one. It’s essentially an exercise in utilizing the same established groups of characters in variations on the same situation and revealing their truths while crafting moments of comedy, romance, action, and horror (maybe its’s just me, but Pierce’s troll doll gift is the stuff of nightmares, and if I were Troy, I would also try to swallow it, thus destroying my larynx). Community is a unique show that operates on its own beautiful wavelength. The current hiatus is troubling, but I have to believe that a group of writers and actors who know their characters so well that they can tell an audience all that needs to be known in 3-minute vignettes when other shows can’t accomplish this feat in a season’s worth of work will, like the Phoenix, rise again.

BEST EPISODE (DRAMA): Mildred Pierce - “Part 5″

Okay. So lots of people thought it was slow moving (translation: boring), but I loved this mini-series. Kate Winslet’s Mildred met every challenge life put in her path, except for the terror that was her own ungrateful daughter. The final episode drove this point home. Mildred is successful as is the horrid Veda, now a classical singer. But Mildred, desperate to share in this importance and thus justify every choice she’s ever made, looks up and marries her wayward lover (Guy Pearce’s Monty), buys his house, and proceeds to shower Veda with gifts that even Mildred can’t afford. Losing her grasp on her hard-earned fortune, maybe Mildred can finally take comfort in Veda’s acceptance and gratitude. This hope is dashed when she finds her demon spawn naked in bed with Monty. Yes, Mildred reconnects with her ex, and there is the suggestion that she’ll start over baking the pies that first brought her prominence. But Veda is gone, and the sight of Mildred cursing her daughter and simultaneously chasing Veda’s departing car completes the tragedy of a woman whose mind for business is undercut by the misguided desires of her heart.

BEST SOAP OPERA: One Life to Live

Facing cancellation alongside sister soap All My Children, OLTL made every effort to go out with its head held high. If you missed this fantastic ensemble breathing life into romantic, gut-wrenching, and even humorous scripts, shame on you! But for those who watched, we saw the truth of Rex’s paternity finally revealed, a double wedding undone by an assortment of DNA tests, the reemergence of Tess (and her surprisingly exciting relationship with Ford), Shane’s bullying, Gigi’s “death” (which gave the ailing Clint a new heart), Destiny’s teenage pregnancy, and matriarch Viki finally coming to terms with her alters. But nothing tops the “Two Todds.” While some of the plastic surgery and brainwashing hi-jinks were a little zany (even for a soap), no performances matched those of Roger Howarth, Trevor St. John, Kassie DePaiva, Florencia Lozano, and Kristen Alderson. That these creative people and so many more will continue to work is a given. That it won’t always be together, playing these characters, is a crime.

WORST DECISION OF THE YEAR: The cancellations of All My Children and One Life to Live

Words more eloquent than mine have already described how the unceremonious dismissal of these two long-running classics in favor of two lifestyle shows equals the loss of beloved friends for so many. The hope for a new life online via Prospect Park is also seemingly dashed. In this day and age, there are always ways to go back and revisit favorite storylines and discover those one might have missed. But as of right now, the promise of new adventures in Pine Valley and Llanview is gone. And as the end of General Hospital doesn’t seem that far behind, it is simply a sad, sad state of affairs for the soap fan.

BEST DOCUMENTARY: There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane

This pick narrowly beats HBO’s Bobby Fischer doc, which was a compelling study of an obsessive, self-destructive genius. But this study of the tragic fate of mother Diane Schuler, her daughter, her nieces, and a car or strangers who were in the wrong place at the wrong time stayed with me for days after viewing. What happened? The evidence said that Aunt Diane was drunk, was high, and drove her vehicle into oncoming traffic the wrong way on the Taconic Parkway. But what led this devoted mother and aunt to such a fate? Schuler’s surviving sister-in-law and husband grasp at straws to explain the horror, but there is no absolving explanation. And the film tells us that such is life. Nightmares become real, and we will never understand. All that we have are the words of forensics’ expert Werner Spitz to Diane’s family: “I sincerely hope that you find peace with this.”

BEST SHOW TO SURVIVE THE LOSS OF A MAJOR CHARACTER: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

The departure of Christopher Meloni’s Stabler left a void that seemed impossible to fill (and after avoiding it for so long, now I guess I have to start watching True Blood). Danny Pino and Kelli Giddish, enjoyable as they are, do not have the same chemistry with Mariska Harigtay’s Olivia (although she and Pino have their moments). That being said, SVU has featured a host of compelling mysteries and powerful guest turns (the T.R. Knight episode was far-fetched, but Treat Williams was amazing in the show’s indictment of the long-term injuries suffered by NFL players). Dan Lauria’s turn as a sexually abusive coach might have aired before Jerry Sandusky was synonymous with Satan, but syndication will link the two events in viewers’ collective memories. And in the Russian mail-order bride episode, series regular Dann Florek arguably did his best work of the entire series. So while USA’s endless marathons cannot help but make one wistful for the days of “El and Liv,” the show is more than holding its own with its new cast members and consistently intriguing stories.

WORST SHOW TO SURVIVE THE LOSS OF A MAJOR CHARACTER: The Office

Steve Carell’s departure signaled a turning point in the world of Dunder Mifflin, but I was optimistic that the show would find a way to reinvent itself in the wake of Michael Scott’s goodbye. Many a sitcom has done it before. Sadly, The Office is floundering. James Spader’s Robert California adds little to the action. But the bigger problem is Ed Helms’ Andy as boss. Andy had carved out a niche as a lovable dork when simply one of the many desk jockeys. Now, as Michael’s successor, the character has been stuffed into the mold of the former manager. Several strong Jim subplots along with Darryl caught between the office proper and the warehouse are not enough to lift the series in the face of Andy’s loss of identity and the pointless sabotaging of his relationship with Erin. I’m still watching but rarely enjoying what was once appointment television.

WORST SERIES FINALE EVER: Entourage

I was never a diehard fan of this show (but then again, was anybody?). Still, I enjoyed the some of the early episodes (loved Drama and Turtle finding Nirvana – translation the kiddie table at a Bat Mitzvah to feed their munchies). But the series was long past what you might define as a prime (remember when it became the Jamie-Lynn Sigler half-hour during her real life romance with Jerry Ferrara?). So the show limped towards the finish line. But you know how it is; you’ve watched a show and its characters over the years, so you want to see how it all ends. But Vince’s sudden engagement? A reconciliation between Ari and his suddenly named wife that was supposed to read as some supreme sacrifice on his part? And Sloan in that red dress waiting to fly away with E? Stupid, stupid, and lame (let’s hope the movie gets lost in production limbo; probably won’t happen, but a girl can pray).

WORST COLLECTION OF SO MUCH TALENT IN ONE PLACE: I Hate My Teenage Daughter

Tony Award winner Katie Finneran? Emmy Award Winner Jamie Pressly? Chad Coleman from The Wire? And Eric Sheffer Stevens, one of the highlights of the last few months of As the World Turns? All on one of the lamest new shows of the season? Someone get these people a better creative team behind them and craft something worthy of our screens!

BEST WTF MOMENTS: Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire is an imperfect show with a too large cast. Now that cast has been trimmed. But damn! The murder of Angela Darmody and her female lover was shocking and tragic (there goes my hopes for Angela and Richard Harrow becoming the great love story of the series). The revelation that Jimmy’s twisted mother, Gillian, had her way with her son before he ran off to WWI? Makes sense given their relationship and something we all thought would happen. But that it already had puts their entire relationship in a light demanding a second viewing. But nothing topped Jimmy’s murder at Nucky’s hands, especially when it seemed like Jimmy was in a position to survive to Season Three. From a storytelling perspective, it makes sense. There was no other way out for Jimmy, and now Nucky is a complete gangster. But does the show rebound from the loss of arguably its most compelling character, arguably the true lead of the first two seasons? Time will tell.

BEST CHARACTER: Leslie Knope – Parks and Recreation

The figurative First Lady of Pawnee organized an amazing Harvest Festival, fought the flu, decided to run for City Council, and most importantly fell in love with Ben. But whatever Leslie is doing, she does it well. The ability to be right almost all of the time would not endear Leslie to the other characters and the audience in the hands of a lesser actress. But at the heart of Amy Poehler’s performance is  optimism, wisdom, and kindness. Always efficient and never aggravating, Leslie is currently the funniest and most likable woman on TV.

WORST COUPLE: Barney and Robin – How I Met Your Mother

Back in Season Five, they finally made if official, but the writers quickly lost interest in what was and could have continued to be a nice contrast to Ted’s romantic dreams and Marshall and Lily’s super sweet marriage. Last season’s finale hinted at a second exploration of the duo. But so far we’ve only seen either Robin or Barney wanting to reconnect when the other is not ready, new partners, a secret hookup, and a pregnancy scare. In other words, every rom-com cliche you can imagine when that’s never what the couple was. Robin is likely Barney’s mystery bride from the flash forward in the most recent series premiere, but let’s hope the getting there starts to show much, much more originality.

MOST AWKWARD MOMENT IN SPORTS: Joe Paterno is Fired

I am not about to equate the loss of a job with the horrific abuse inflicted by the afore-mentioned Sandusky. Still, all sports channels and most major news outlets devoting their air time to what once seemed inconceivable, the dismissal of a legend, made for riveting TV. There is no more classic and familiar and tragic story than a supposed hero who is revealed for the scared little man he always was. His blind eyes wrought pain on so many who are only now getting a voice. Yet, who cannot help but feel something at Paterno’s downfall whether it’s shock or schadenfreude or simply sorrow. And I stayed awake until well after midnight, as I’m sure many of you did, watching the fallout.

MOST AWESOME MOMENT IN SPORTS: The Cardinals Win It All

As a Mets’ fan, I have no business celebrating this victory (although I was gleeful when St. Louis sent the Phillies home earlier than anticipated). Not that I have some great love for the Rangers either, but I was behind them at the start of the World Series, which shaped up to be the competition that ratings are made of. Then, as it so often happens, we had Game Six. The Rangers seemed on their way to the title. Then the Cards took control of the game. Then Texas was back on top. Then St. Louis tied the thing up. After many an extra inning, St. Louis emerged victorious. Now I was far from the Russian fans turning on Drago in Rocky IV, but at the start of Game Seven, any fan worth their salt had to feel that the Cardinals and their fans deserved this win. And they got it. You won’t see me rooting for them when baseball resumes, but game respects game, and for one night Pujols, La Russa, and the rest earned my applause.

How many other subplots are in action? Well, there’s Jimmy’s longtime girlfriend and recent wife, Angela (the sorrowful Aleksa Palladino) wanting but not wanting to know about her husband’s illegal activities in between dealing with his manipulative mother, Gillian (the treacherous Gretchen Mol) and, possibly, a growing attraction to Jimmy’s disfigured partner in crime, Richard Harrow (the brilliant Jack Huston). For her part, Gillian finds a way to finally exact a kind of revenge on her rapist, the suddenly incapacitated Commodore. And Richard is battling his desire for a normal domestic life with his loyalty to Jimmy and the impulse to simply end it all (although an almost spiritual encounter with two hobos and a hungry dog seems to have curtailed the latter for the moment). All of this, plus a gorgeous production value unmatched on television, adds up to a rewarding viewing experience. So, you might ask, where’s the but…

Boardwalk Empire’s expansive sets are equally matched by an ever-growing cast of characters. And that’s not always a good thing. Don’t get me wrong. Sometimes an addition to the cast has unquestioned value to the show as a whole (Huston’s Harrow did not show up until late in Season One, and now it’s almost impossible to envision the show without him). But this season alone has seen the afore-mentioned Owen and Randolph, William Forsythe’s Philadelphia crime boss Manny Horvitz, and Dominic Chianese’s lawyer Leander Whitlock among many, many others. I have nothing against large canvases of characters; any self-respecting daytime drama fan will tell you that’s where half the fun and most of the magic lies. In the HBO universe alone, Boardwalk Empire’s most obvious parent, The Sopranos (Chianese’s old stomping ground), has its share of more mobsters than you can count. And The Wire (where Williams first came to the public’s attention) actually infiltrates every aspect of the Baltimore drug scene to paint a complete picture of that city and, by extension, the world. But there is a difference.

Let’s go back to The Sopranos for a moment. Take a character like Vito Spatafore. Whatever you thought about his eventual arc, and actor Joseph R. Gannascoli’s ability to play it convincingly, Vito is gradually integrated into the landscape. By the time he is involved with Johnny Cakes, the audience was invested. Returning to The Wire, I cite Bunny Colvin. His act of questioning how much good he’s doing as a cop in the second season leads to Season Three’s “Hamsterdam” experiment then a stint working with at-risk youths, and finally to a role as young Namond’s adopted father. In both instances, the shows took the time to let its audiences get to know these people before the drama hit. Now there are exceptions. As Ralphie and Tony B., Joe Pantoliano and Buscemi, respectively, appeared and dominated their Sopranos’ seasons. Seasons Two and Four of The Wire basically reset the stages with new casts of lead characters. But it those instances, there was no question where our focus belonged. I can’t always say that about Boardwalk Empire.

A few episodes back, Empire’s Owen encounters an old enemy from Ireland and promptly murders the man. And I was most relieved. For a moment, my thoughts were “oh God, now I have to get to know this guy, too.” It’s not that I have a problem with new faces appearing on the landscape, but every entrance on Boardwalk Empire is scripted and directed in such a way that you wonder if this man or woman is going to take center stage. And it comes at the expense of established characters. Last week, I could have done without Angela mixing it up on the beach with a liberated female novelist. Where are her scenes with Richard? The Commodore’s stroke gives Gillian an explosive moment of vengeance as she brutally stikes the now helpless man, but I’d rather see the Commodore as opposed to Leander advising Jimmy as he makes his move to take over Atlantic City. This is a show in need of some major balance.

Boardwalk Empire is still on my must-see list (and it’s currently filling the Sunday night void until my beloved Mad Men returns). I almost hesitate to judge this show, or for that matter any TV show, before its current season or the series as a whole is revealed. But this is a viewing experience of highs and lows, and while I welcome the debates after each episode airs, I’d rather discuss what will come next as opposed to what just transpired on my screen.

The miniseries competition featured its own set of surprises. I was pulling for Mildred Pierce, and Kate Winslet and Guy Pearce deservedly won. But it was Downton Abbey’s night all the way (wins for the series, the directing, the writing, and Maggie Smith). And I’m kind of okay with that. It’s always nice to see an underdog upset at an awards show, but I’m still Team Mildred.

Over in the world of comedy, Steve Carell will never win for his turn as Michael Scott. That seems all kinds of wrong, but I loved the funny ladies impromptu beauty pageant. Amy Poehler was my pick, yet I’m fine with Melissa McCarthy’s win. But it was really Modern Family’s night. The show is still new enough that the win for best comedy is not stale. And while I’d have rewarded the performances of Sofia Vergara and Ed O’Neill, I have no problems with the Julie Bowen/Ty Burrell wins. On the flip side, as much as I like Jon Stewart and The Daily Show, it’s time for some new winners in the Variety, Music, or Comedy Series categories.

Nice to see that, despite some omissions, the “In Memoriam” segment ended with a writer. RIP, Stephen J. Cannell.

Host Jane Lynch did her thing, leading an amusing opening number celebrating the world of television. That was topped by Lynch as the mastermind behind Jersey Shore (and give the cast props for playing along).

But the highlight of an entertaining night was The Lonely Island medley. If you didn’t catch it, here it is:

Hope you enjoyed, fellow Emmy viewers. Until next year (and probably Mad Men – 5, Actors – 0).

What I find most interesting about the whole “Crazy Eddie” saga is the drama that went on within the Antar family. It is the classic story of success, greed, jealousy, and betrayal. Eddie’s father was jealous of the fact that his son controlled more of the company’s shares than he did and had essentially replaced him as the family patriarch. That feeling of envy was shared by many members of the Antar family. Eddie’s father, two brothers, and brother-in-law were eventually thrown out of the company. This led them to indirectly contact the SEC about “Crazy Eddie’s” fraudulent practices. They had a third party make a claim that Eddie and those in the family who remained loyal to him were entirely responsible for the frauds (this was not true). One of the members of the Antar family who stayed loyal to Eddie was his cousin Sam E. Antar. That loyalty ended when Eddie fled the country leaving his cousin to fight the criminal charges on his own. Sammy turned on Eddie and the rest of the Antar clan. For his cooperation, Sammy spent spent no time in prison. Since then, Sam E. Antar has become an adviser to both the federal and state government on white-collar crimes. He has also appeared on various television news programs and has a website where he extensively details the history of “Crazy Eddie”. (It should be noted that Sammy takes full responsibility for his role in the “Crazy Eddie” fraud. He believes that his way of repaying society is by educating people through his own personal experiences in order to prevent similar criminal activities in the future). In the following video, Eddie and Sam Antar have a confrontational family reunion on the CNBC show “Business Week” in July of 2007.

Most classic family dramas usually include a lover or spouse who is unfaithful. In the real life “Crazy Eddie” soap opera, this type of betrayal did play a role in the ultimate demise of the company. Eddie Antar was the classic example of an unfaithful husband. On New Year’s Eve of 1983, his first wife Deborah Rosen Antar (aka “Debbie #1″) confronted him with his then mistress and eventual second wife Deborah Ehrlich Antar (aka “Debbie # 2″). The craziest thing about this event was that it was Eddie’s own father who informed “Debbie #1″ of his son’s infidelity. He even provided her with the location of Eddie’s New Years Eve tryst with “Debbie #2.” This was the beginning of the end for Eddie as far as family loyalty was concerned. As I previously detailed, the dissolution of the  Antar family played a major role in uncovering the “Crazy Eddie” scam.

Many of you reading this who are unfamiliar with the saga of “Crazy Eddie” may wonder why it has yet to be made into a full-length motion picture. It has all the elements of an Academy Award contending film (Think Paul Giamatti as Eddie Antar). Danny DeVito announced plans to direct and produce a “Crazy Eddie” film in March of 2009. Unfortunately, it looks like the planned film is not going to happen at any point in the foreseeable future. This is because DeVito made what is called a “life rights deal” with Eddie Antar. A lawyer representing many victims of the “Crazy Eddie” scam contacted DeVito and said that if Eddie Antar was involved with the project in any way, a lien would be put on the film’s profits. This meant that DeVito had to cut ties with Eddie Antar in order to keep the film project alive. This was easier said than done due to the “life rights deal”. While DeVito claimed in April of 2010 that the film would be made eventually, it has not been spoken of since.

The thing that most people remember about “Crazy Eddie” are its commercials, which were a staple of New York City area television and radio for over ten years. The person who was mostly responsible for this brilliant marketing campaign was Larry Weiss. Weiss served as the VP Advertising Director for “Crazy Eddie” from 1974 to 1983. He came up with the famous “His Prices are Insaannne!” catch phrase. He also wrote and produced over 3,500 TV and Radio spots for “Crazy Eddie.” While the commercials may seem tacky by the standards of the modern consumer, their impact at the time was incredible to say the least. The public face and voice of “Crazy Eddie” was a DJ for the now defunct New York radio station WPIX-FM named Jerry Carroll. Many people, including myself, believed that Carroll was “Crazy Eddie”. Here are some of the commercials that made “Crazy Eddie” a household name in the Northeast United States. Even if you don’t remember them when they originally aired, they are a lot fun to watch. Enjoy!

Curb’s initial NYC offering was hardly a classic, but it had guest star Ricky Gervais, like Larry David, playing a more obnoxious version of himself and sparring with Larry at every opportunity. This was followed by Larry and guest star Rosie O’Donnell competing for the affection of the same woman. Some nice baseball gags and a surprising cameo by All My Children vet David Canary did not add up to anything more than a slight amusement. This was followed by “Car Periscope,” which actually gets my vote for the best episode of the season. The titular invention cleverly figured into the plot, loved The Fugitive parody (but not as much as Larry’s disbelief that Jeff had seen The Sting II and not the original classic), and the whole thing was highlighted by strong guest turns from Aida Turturro and Grant Shaud. Sadly, next up to the plate was “Mister Softee,” one of the worst episodes in Curb history (45 final seconds of Bill Buckner getting to be a hero of a different kind to the entire city is not enough to redeem Larry’s trauma in the face of an out-of-nowhere childhood memory and the utter ridiculousness of his car transformed into some sort of a super vibrator). The season ended with Michael J. Fox once again proving that he possesses the best sense of humor ever in the face of a debilitating disease. Add to that the “fabulous” son of Larry’s new girlfriend, the best decorative use of a swastika, and Larry once again running away in the face of charity (this time to Paris), and you had a good finale. Not amazing or even great. Just good.

And with that, I’ll stand by my initial assessment of the season. The stinkers outweighed the gems, and while the show is still able to manage a few solid episodes and laughs here and there, shouldn’t David throw in the towel before the show becomes a total shadow of its former self? I vote yes, yes, and yes.

Got Futurama: Most Futurama fanatics have probably visited this extensively detailed site. In addition to including up to date news about the series, which aired for its first five seasons on Fox and now is in its seventh season on Comedy Central, there are many things on this site that could easily entertain a Futurama fan for hours. There are Futurama inspired fonts that can be easily installed for use in Microsoft Word, detailed lists of trivia,  fan created 3D Art work,  a fast and easy way to decode the various alien languages that are used on the show (Sort of like Babel Fish), and original Futurama inspired fan created games. It is worth mentioning that there are two other Futurama fan sites that I also like a lot: Futurama Madhouse (aka The Leela Zone) and Futurama Point (aka Slurmed.com). Nine times out of ten though, Got Futurama is where I go when I want the to immerse myself in 30th Century “New” New York City, famous people of the past and present who are now merely heads in jars, the Major League “Blernsball” franchise of the “New” New York Mets, the  TV shows  Everybody Loves Hypnotoad, All My Circuits, and The Scary Door, and of course, the on again/off again romance of  Phillip J. Fry and Turanga Leela.

KITHfan.org-A Whole Lot of Kids in the Hall: I have been visiting KITHfan.org for over ten years. Though it is not the most up-to-date site with current news about the members of the Canadian comedy troupe, (Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson) there are a lot of  worthwhile and timeless features. It includes a history of how The Kids in the Hall began, full episode transcripts that can be searched via sketch related keywords (i.e. “Girl Drink Drunk,” “Jim Morrison,” etc.), an archive of old articles from various publications, and trivia about individual episodes and the show’s many recurring and non-recurring characters.

Der-Denver Clan-Dynasty: Though this website is entirely in German, it has the most extensive collection of photos related to the 1980′s prime-time soap opera Dynasty. The photos are broken down into various categories that are easy to navigate. It also includes a whole section (with fan created photos in the style of the show’s opening credits) of who would play all of the characters on Dynasty if it were remade in 2005 or if it had been made as a movie in the 1950′s (Go and see it. It explains itself.). If you interested in Dynasty and would prefer a website that is in English, go to another amazing website called Ultimate Dynasty.

Dark Shadows Journal Online /Dark Shadows News Page: The reason that I include both of these pages as one entry is because they were created and are maintained by the same person. The Dark Shadows Journal Online includes tons information about the original series (which aired from 1966 to 1971) as well as in depth articles about the two movies (House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows) that were made with the show’s original cast members.   Dark Shadows News Page has all of the latest news about the stars of the show and also information on the upcoming Tim Burton Dark Shadows movie that is going to be released on May 11, 2012. (For more of my thoughts on Dark Shadows, please read my blog post Dark Shadows at 45).

The Simpsons Archive:  This website provides an extremely comprehensive look at one of the most popular series of all time. It includes detailed breakdowns of each of the shows main characters, pop culture references that have been used on the show, cuts that have been made to the episodes in their syndication run, detailed floor plans of 742 Evergreen Terrace and other buildings in Springfield, a history of Simpsons tribute sites on the internet, and rules for playing a Simpsons drinking game. It even has the pantone and RGB colors that are used for the show’s animation. A few other Simpsons fansites that are worth mentioning are Last Exit to Springfield (A.K.A. LardLad), Simpsons Crazy, and No Homers Clubs.

The Another World Homepage & The Edge of Night Homepage: Both Another World  (AW) and The Edge of Night (EON) were Proctor and Gamble soap operas. Though both shows are no longer on the air, their legacy has lived on throughout the years. These two websites are excellent sources to learn about the both of the show’s casts, story-lines, filming locations, opening and closing credit sequences, and interesting trivia about their histories. They are an absolute must for anyone who either was a fan of these shows during the time that they originally aired or for those who are interested in the history of the soap opera genre.

Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone were two of the originators of modern celebrity criticism. On his infamous blog, Perez Hilton is gushing over the news of Ab Fab returning. The reason that Patsy and Eddy are more acceptable and likeable than someone like Perez is because they are not real. What I am basically saying is that the women of Ab Fab are fictional bitches, and Perez is a real bitch (I am not saying that I am above looking at his blog, but I am above and against the outing of gay celebrities).

One of the things that I am most looking forward to about the new Ab Fab specials is the fact that we will get Patsy and Eddy’s take on Lady Gaga. From the moment that Gaga’s star began to rise, I always thought that Edina Monsoon would be a “Little Monster.” I cannot wait to see two of my lifelong favorite television characters brought back to life. In closing, here is a look back at some classic Ab Fab moments. Enjoy!