The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series by Jessica Radloff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m savoring this gem!
First, I love the extras you could get on DVDs that told behind the scenes stories about the main feature.
Second, I’ve had the pleasure of spending time on some TV and motion picture stages and the experiences were not only fun, but educational.
Third, I came to The Big Bang Theory late, but when I discovered it, I dove in with both feet.
Put all this together and you will understand why reading this book is such a pleasure. If you like learning about how TV shows are made, curious about actor’s method and process, and want to know some of the behind the scenes events that added and aided the creation of a great series, this is your book.
There is a lot of detail here. The tidbits you will discover could make you sit back and shake your head.
Even if you aren’t one of us extras-on-the-DVD people, you might find this an interesting read.
View all my reviews
Category: Classic TV
Discovering Classics
One of the unexpected surprises of cord-cutting and streaming is the ability to dig out classic TV or movies and discover just how good (or not) they are. PlutoTV has been updating its service and some of the updates have been quite surprising. And enjoyable.
While I’m astounded that it took so long to get a 24/7 I Love Lucy channel – considering how many other similar channels are available – I found myself with a bit of a grin and a touch of anticipation when I heard about this new addition to the service. If you are a fan, you understand, if not it won’t matter.
This evening, over on the Classic TV channel (still part of Pluto TV) I was surprised to find a stack of episodes from The Avengers and I took the time to indulge in a couple. I’ve heard of the show my entire life but never took the time, or had the opportunity, to actually watch. I’m glad to say I understand the furor over the show (my episodes were pre-Diana Rigg) and enjoyed them very much.
I’ve spent time recently looking over the several free platforms that are on my Roku Channel Guide – even the Roku Channel itself. There is a lot of material out there and some of it is worth getting out the popcorn, etc. and diving in.
You don’t need a Roku, if you have a Smart TV, you’ll probably already have apps on it, or you can use your Amazon Fire TV Stick. My point is that there is a huge variety of material if you are willing to do a bit of digging. 😉
What’s next? I have no idea. That is the fun of the hunt. Enjoy!
Why I Won’t Give Up My Library
I have a rather interesting collection of books, DVDs, LPs, CDs, and even VHS tapes. I have no plans to get rid of them, either. Why? Simple, not everything moves to another format or platform and, as we have seen with some of the streaming platforms, some material has been removed.
I’ve had a hard and fast rule in my house regarding the DVDs and VHS tapes that I purchase. They have to be shows or films I want to watch more than once or it doesn’t come home with me. I simply do not have the space. That being said, I haven’t ventured to purchase TV shows or films that remain in the cloud until I choose to watch it. You never know when access to that particular service might end.
Hey, things happen.
The simple truth is that the only way to maintain such a collection is to actually make choices. I am looking to find an adapter that will allow me to use my DVD and VHS players with my TV. In the meantime, I still have an old hybrid (analog/digital) TV that I can use with those machines.
The issue with any type of collection is storage and maintenance. If you are able and willing, you can accumulate all sorts of things. For me the most important question is what I mentioned above, how much I might want to watch.
While it might seem silly, I do have things that I have yet to find on any streaming service and are no longer available for home use. Not even on YouTube. Yeah, amazing, I know. LOL!
While there have been times when some folks would have just dumped the collection and moved on, I’ve been thankful and grateful that I still had my library. For me it has been worth the price.
Sometimes you really just need to spend some time with old favorites, right?
The End of My Summer Binge
It came as a bit of a surprise.
I have come to enjoy that rerun period between May and September by engaging in a binge of something. One year, it was Agents of SHIELD, which led to Agent Carter and so on. Another it was Once Upon A Time. And, again, one year it was Only Murders In The Building.
As you can imagine, all these binges led me to watch the full series, something that I really enjoyed. This year, however, the options for new(ish) series that I’d not seen just wasn’t all that captivating. Until…
This year, MeTV brought back Perry Mason Mysteries and I eagerly dove in. I’d seen many, if not all, of them when they were first broadcast. All that being said, I enjoyed each of them for pretty much the same reasons, and a couple in spite of some weak writing. <shrug> 😉
Well, the last of the series aired on October 30th. In the credits was a tribute to Raymond Burr, who passed away after the episode was filmed. Knowing that he was ill during the production of these movies was always in the back of my mind.
All that being said, watching these films is watching a who’s who of the era. The guest cast is astounding. But it is really Perry and Della who steal the show, each and every time. That story is one for the fans.
I’m pretty sure MeTV will continue to air the films and they are worth watching. But for me it was a wonderful Summer Binge that is much appreciated.
Scooby-Doo – Who Knew?
I have been indulging in some nostalgia while sort of binge watching some of my favorite cartoons.
I was a kid when the Flintstones and Jetsons first appeared on prime time. Long, long before they ever dared visit Saturday morning. I was around when the very first Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? arrived. And, odd as it might seem, I’ve been around for all of the incarnations.
For some of us, cartoons were windows into possibilities, trips through an odd fun-land experience, a ray of sunshine when the world wasn’t really all that sunny. And, that never changed.
A Saturday morning without Bugs Bunny is pretty much a waste. There is something missing that can’t easily be described. That rascally rabbit shaped so much about my outlook on life that he is like my shadow. Toss in Daffy and Elmer and you have the makings for a great day.
These were the premier Looney Tunes cartoons that inspired so many kids and adults. Personally, I preferred Bugs and Daffy to Mickey and Donald any day. Still do.
But back to Scooby and the Gang. They have been such a constant presence over the years that I honestly hadn’t realized just how many incarnations there are. I love the Laff-A-Lympics even though they weren’t Hanna-Barbera’s best. Having all the iconic HB characters in one spot was great!
The original Scooby Gang managed to solve some pretty darn interesting mysteries, too. True, some were a bit, um, lame, but often there were some engaging story lines. This was a kids’ show, right?
A couple of years back I came across Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated and thoroughly enjoyed it. A more grown up version of the gang with some engaging story lines, the series is definitely binge worthy.
You can check out more about Scooby and the Gang by clicking HERE.
If you want an easy half hour (or more depending upon your indulgence quotient) find Scooby and the Gang and sit back and relax. Enjoy the humor, groan at the bad jokes, cheer Fred’s always iffy but complicated traps.
Don’t be surprised if you find yourself smiling a bit. 🙂
MeTV Viewing Update
This popped up in my feed today. Lots of interesting information that might be of benefit.
Update: MeTV & Free2View
I discovered a sad change to this great Roku channel last week and found the following:
https://streamfree.tv/article/watch-metv-free
Needless to say, I’m bummed about this, but am still watching the Free2View channels on Roku.
How To Watch MeTV and other Nostalgia Channels on Roku
I love TV channels that carry classic TV shows! These are usually the ‘extra’ channels that came along after the shift of over-the-air signals to digital from analog. You might know them as Antenna TV or MeTV. There are loads of others, too.
For those of us who use an antenna, however, watching these channels can be a bit of an issue if you don’t get a clear signal, if the weather is impeding the signal, or if you aren’t in an area where a local affiliate is available. In my case, weather has a huge impact on accessibility.
The other day I came across an article titled: ‘How to Watch MeTV on Roku‘. I checked it out and was thrilled to discover that I could get not only MeTV but quite a few other channels – many I had no idea existed. And, best of all, it was an easy load on my Roku device. The article explains it all.
This discovery was quite timely as we are in the middle of May Showers which in my case means heavy rains, wind, and thunderstorms. All of which impede over the air signals. I had the pleasure of being able to watch Decades TV’s Weekend Binge – which just happened to be ‘The Flintstones’! FWIW, we don’t get Decades TV in our area. 🙂
It also means that I can now watch COZI TV anytime I want without having to deal with signal drift. Lots more ‘Frasier’! 🙂
Check it out and see what other tidbits of information might be handy for you even if you aren’t a Roku user.
Is this article helpful? If so, give it a ‘Like’ to let me know.
Appointment TV: Perry Mason
One of my earliest memories is curling up in the daybed at my Grandmother’s home listening to (or occasionally watching) Perry Mason. The bed was in the dining room right next to the living room where the TV had pride of place. Perry Mason was a regular visitor to that home, my parent’s home, and as I left my parent’s home, my own home.
I can’t recall how many times I watched the original series with Raymond Burr, let alone the remake with Monte Markham, but I do know that I’ve seen all the original show’s episodes and when the Perry Mason Movies debuted, that was a cause for celebration.
Recently MeTV added the Perry Mason Movies to its Sunday lineup and, once again, it is appointment TV.
Check out THIS for more information about the original Raymond Burr series along with information about the subsequent series and the films.
Mason originated via books written by Earle Stanley Gardner. There was a radio series, too. The radio series was serialized, think soap opera, which portrayed Mason and company quite differently than the TV series. HBO Max has also created a prequel series, if you will that takes place prior to the time period in the 1957 series.
Perry Mason is intelligent TV. It is well written, well performed, and provides a high quality experience. It set the bar for the type of legal drama I watched over the decades.
I will be honest, I’ve never read the books and have limited knowledge of the radio series, so I don’t know how well they do, or don’t, hold up over the years. The Burr version of the series, including the movies, might be a tad dated, but they are a true reflection of the time they were produced.
Frankly, I’m just happy to have something to look forward to each week that is engaging, familiar, and a pleasant thing to watch that is family friendly.
Enjoy!
Rediscovering Old Favorites
Are you a fan of classic TV? It could be dramas, mysteries, comedies or any combination in addition to other shows that don’t quite fit those categories.
I have a fondness for quite a few classic TV shows. Some going back quite a few decades. 🙂
While I understand TVLand was one of the pioneers in what I call the formal rerun network programming, since I don’t have cable, it was never a possibility for me to watch. However, thanks to MeTV, Antenna TV, COZI TV, and various other networks, it is now possible to revisit old favorites without the expense of cable or streaming.
In my neck of the woods, and not having cable, over the air programming tends to be at the mercy of weather. In other words, when weather is bad, signal is bad. This is where streaming platforms come in to play and are very helpful.
I recently rediscovered ‘Murder, She Wrote’ along with several other favorite shows on COZI TV. They have a great line up with lots of great programing. The problems arise when weather isn’t great. After being caught in the middle of a two-parter, I found myself searching to find the second half of the two hour season finale. Turned out that I was able to not only find the episode guide (IMDB.com) but also find the series for free – and all the seasons – over on the Roku Channel.
Now I know that not everyone has a Roku box in their home. But this does not mean that they won’t be able to take advantage of free streaming services. It just means that there might be a bit more research involved.
For the record, I do wish that all the classic (rerun) networks/channels would have a streaming platform for those who can’t or don’t have access, but <shrug> …
In the meantime, I’m checking out all my options to determine what I can find and the best way to access it.
FYI: If you subscribe to streaming services like Paramount+, AcornTV, or any other service, be sure to check all their programming options. And do it regularly. Why? Because these services add movies and shows often and you never know what you might find that you already have access to.
But don’t limit the check to just those subscription services. Check all your platforms to see what is available. IMDB.com adds a lot of programming (new and old) quite often. You might score the entire series of a classic show that you can binge to your heart’s desire. You might also find shows or films that you forgot you wanted to watch.
I’m on the lookout for my Summer Binge. This is the series I want to deep dive into during the summer months when the rest of TV is up to its collective ears in reruns.
So far, I’ve found ‘Julia’ over on HBO Max, which has quite an array of other programming that I haven’t seen yet. I also have a lot to catch up on over on Disney+.
I do spend a lot of time over on PlutoTV where I can binge on some old favorites and discover new shows, too. And, it is free!
So, what are you looking to curl up with? Let me know!