M*A*S*H: The Yalu Brick Road

M*A*S*H: The Yalu Brick Road
CBS
November 19, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B-

Mike Farrell wrote this episode that has BJ and Hawkeye lost, with a North Korean soldier happily surrendering to and helping them, while back at the 4077th everyone but Winchester, Houlihan, and Klinger has salmonella from a Thanksgiving turkey.  The story is kind of meandering but I liked it.

G.W. Bailey makes his first of fourteen appearances as Sgt. Luther Rizzo.  Byron Chung (this time the North Korean Patrol Leader), Roy Goldman (as Roy Goldman), Jeff Maxwell (Straminsky), Kellye Nakahara (Yamato), Soon-Tek Oh (this time as "Ralph"), and Bob Okazaki (this time the Farmer) return.  Note that this is the 179th episode and it aired in 1979.  I don't know if any other of my shows will be able to reach a similar milestone, perhaps Who's the Boss?

Mork & Mindy: Mork vs. the Necrotons

Mork & Mindy: Mork vs. the Necrotons
ABC
November 18, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Alan Eisenstock and Larry Mintz had written eight What's Happening!! episodes (among other things) when they contributed this infamous one-hour special, their first of three Mork stories.  It's not as bad as its reputation, although the innuendo and cleavage do feel out of place for the show.  (The audience reacts less than you'd expect, including to a line early on where Mork hides in the sofa and then tells Mindy it's one thing for him to sit on his face, but another for her to.)  Raquel Welch isn't much of an actress (some of her line readings are odd, including how she pronounces, "Kama," "Sutra," and "Orkan"), but it turns out she's a fine dancer.  This is as good a place as any to note that there are a lot of Billy Carter jokes on this series.

Three's Company: Chrissy's Hospitality

Three's Company: Chrissy's Hospitality
ABC
November 13, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
B+

Mark Tuttle wrote this episode which is a favorite among cast and crew, as well as myself.  It's a very good blend of drama and farce, able to give us one of the best eavesdropping scenes-- Mr. Furley misinterpreting the shower curtain installation-- and also touching concern for Chrissy from her roommates.  And Somers has some of her best lines in the series, including an explanation of how she was named Christmas Snow by her father Luther although she wasn't born on Christmas Day.

The regular cast is ably supported by the guest stars at the hospital.  Keene Curtis, in his first of two 3'sC roles, is Dr. Todson, whose laughing-till-he-cries-at-Chrissy is misinterpreted by Jack and Janet.  Hope Clarke, who played a couple of the more serious roles on What's Happening!!, brings just the right level of gravitas to the role of Second Nurse, the one who tells Jack and Janet that the doctor wants to talk to them about Chrissy's condition, setting up the big misunderstanding.  Ruth Manning is the First Nurse ("Oh, she has a head injury!") and would return as Harriet Hadley.

M*A*S*H: Mr. and Mrs. Who?

M*A*S*H: Mr. and Mrs. Who?
CBS
November 12, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B-

In this Ronny Graham story, the doctors try to treat Korean Hemorrhagic Fever, while Charles seems to have drunkenly married Donna Marie Parker (Claudette Nevins, just as attractive, intelligent, and charming as she was on Three's Company as Barbara earlier that year).  The writing could be sharper but otherwise a pretty good episode.  Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) returns.

Mork & Mindy: Dial "N" for Nelson

Pam looks understandably dubious.

Mork & Mindy: Dial "N" for Nelson
ABC
November 11, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C+

In this Misch & Kelly story, Nelson is being threatened, apparently by someone who works at the local strip club.  Along with a "Lolita" joke earlier, there's some borderline tasteless and not particularly funny innuendo, with the exception of Mork's strip act, which made me smile.  Not a bad episode but the show continues to drift from what it does best.

Timothy Blake, who plays Madge, was Midge on The Bob Newhart Show.  Dick Yarmy has his middle of three Mork roles, as Ron.  David Wall, who does the Club Owner's voice, had played Julius.  John Miranda makes his first of two Mork appearances, as the Cop; he'd recently played Bill on Three's Company.

Soap: Episode 54

Soap: Episode 54
ABC
November 8, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B-

J.D. Lobue, who had directed one episode before, takes over from Sandrich and I think this contributes to the trend towards more obvious humor in Season Three and particularly Season Four.  It's still Harris and Silver writing, so we still get nice talking scenes, like the one between single parents Jodie and Corinne with their babies in the park.  As if they've realized they've written themselves into a corner, H & S have Millie simply leave Danny because his family's crazy.  And Mary thinks she's going crazy because of what the two Burts are putting her through.  Meanwhile, Leslie's ex-husband Charlie (Kip Gilman, who, much more clean-shaven, would be Jeffrey Michaelson on Who's the Boss?) shows up when she has Billy over.

Three's Company: A-Camping We Will Go

Three's Company: A-Camping We Will Go
ABC
November 6, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
B

This Baser & Weiskopf episode has some great visual humor, from Jack's struggles with the hammock to Mr. Furley's safari look, and some nice verbal humor, such as Chrissy's line "Our lift left" and the jingles.  It has the main cast of six playing off each other well, with the addition of Larry's actress girlfriend Laura (Louise Williams, who would return as Chloe Brown).  I would like to give it a B+ or an A-, but there is the whole thing that various characters are making unwanted advances to other characters.  Mr. Furley pursues Lana, who pursues Jack, who gropes the girls in the pup tent.  I know this is part of farce but it does make me uncomfortable, especially when the audience applauds Mr. Furley's trick to make Lana keep her promise to be his "snugglebunny."  So, yeah, a B feels right.

M*A*S*H: Private Finance

M*A*S*H: Private Finance
CBS
November 5, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
C+

This Dennis Koenig story has Klinger's offer of money to a young Korean woman misunderstood by her mother, and even Potter suspects Klinger since he's "swarthy."  Meanwhile Hawkeye is shocked that a "Norman Rockwell" young man was a black-marketeer.  I'm not sure if the episode is consciously about prejudice, since neither man is really called out for his assumptions.  And, yes, it's pretty obvious what will happen to part of the ill gotten $8000.

James Emery makes his first of two M*A*S*H appearances, as a Soldier.  Shizuko Hoshi (Mrs. Li, her last of four M*A*S*H roles) and Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) return.

Mork & Mindy: Mork's Health Hints

Mork & Mindy: Mork's Health Hints
ABC
November 4, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C-

This David Misch episode feels muddled.  Mindy checks into an incompetent hospital where, instead of having a tonsillectomy, she almost has brain surgery!  And yet both med student Jean and Mork, in his message to Orson, insist that most doctors and hospitals are good.  Furthermore, the episode just isn't that funny.  No one remembers episodes like this from the second season, but I'd argue that they are more shark-bait than the outrageous episodes, which sometimes at least have a curiosity value.

Barbara Cason may not be a household name but it was nagging at me why Nurse #2 seemed so familiar; it turns out she not only would be the neighbor Miss Fritzsinger on The Brady Girls Get Married, but she'd be Garry's mom on It's Garry Shandling's Show.  Anita Dangler has her first to two Mork roles, here as Virginia.  Wayne Morton, who plays the Doctor, would be an Enlisted Man on M*A*S*H.  And, yes, that's Kim Fields as Pattie, a few months into the run of Facts of Life.

Soap: Episode 53

Soap: Episode 53
ABC
November 1, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B-

The best scene in this Harris & Silver episode is Corinne and Tim reluctantly agreeing to divorce.(This is the first time Viscuso appears this season and it's his last time on the show.)  There's humor and drama, with Jessica adding to both.  Earlier, Corinne has lunch with Eunice, who confesses that Dutch now disgusts her and she was more in love with the situation of him being a criminal than with him as a man.  Corinne spots Chester at another table with a strange woman, but Eunice refuses to believe it.  Eunice and her date, Chester and another date, and Billy and Leslie all show up at the same out-of-the-way restaurant for dinner.  And Real Burt tries to get Mary to meet him at the local drugstore, but Alien Burt convinces her it was a prankster.

Waiter Martin Ferrero would be Wounded Man in Jeep on M*A*S*H and a Salesman on Mork & Mindy.  Jodie and the Major are absent.

Three's Company: Old Folks at Home

Three's Company: Old Folks at Home
ABC
October 30, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C

I'm not fond of the episodes where strangers impose on the trio, although this story by Baser & Weiskopf isn't as bad as some.  Seventy-five-year-old Leo Moran (O'Malley, who was in fact 75 at that point) stays in the apartment and does incredibly thoughtless things, like dig up Mr. Furley's roses and smoke in the cupboard and in Jack's bed.  I like the "why are you divorcing your roses" routine that Mr. Furley imagines Janet and Chrissy doing, Jack kicking out his girlfriend after she kicks out Leo (there'd be similar scenes where Jack would reject women who weren't as beautiful on the inside as out), and the girls confusing Jack in the tag by kissing him when he expects them to resist him like usual.

M*A*S*H: Nurse Doctor

M*A*S*H: Nurse Doctor
CBS
October 29, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B-

A nurse who wants to go to med school develops a crush on her tutor, Father Mulcahy, to Hawkeye's amusement.  It's an interesting story, written by Sy Rosen, Thad Mumford, and Dan Wilcox, but it seems like she's got too many issues going on to resolve in one episode, even if it does cover several weeks.

Jeff Maxwell (Straminsky) and Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) return.  It's at least the 100th episode for her, although she's not always credited, even at IMDB.

Mork & Mindy: A Morkville Horror

Mork & Mindy: A Morkville Horror
ABC
October 28, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Tenowich & Scharlach story asks us to believe that Mindy knows nothing of the history of the house that's been in her family for 80+ years, but if you can get past that, there's some good stuff here, particularly Mork's impressions of not only celebrities (he's got Jack Nicholson down already) but the ghosts.  The part with him channeling Mindy's mom is sweet.  Note that Mindy's mother's maiden name was LaFollette.

Three's Company: The Life Saver

Three's Company: The Life Saver
ABC
October 23, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Although Chrissy has some cute moments in this episode, like her synopsis of the book Concerto of Love, it's hard for me to get past the basic premise of a man lying to Jack and not getting his comeuppance for it.  Also, I don't like how Mr. Furley is relatively mean in his early episodes.  And if Lana's kisses get to Jack so much, why does he keep running away from her?  This is the first of two 3'sC scripts by George Atkins, who did write some of the Rocky & Bullwinkle episodes I reviewed long ago.

M*A*S*H: Period of Adjustment

M*A*S*H: Period of Adjustment
CBS
October 22, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B

This is the first of ten M*A*S*H scripts by John Rappaport, who did one for The Bob Newhart Show, and the first of three by Jim Mulligan, who did one for What's Happening!!  It shows a nice sense of the history of the series, although I think Father Mulcahy made up the story of Radar being initially incompetent (for several months!) and Colonel Blake nurturing him along.  (The reverse is more likely.)  I also like the bromantic scene (as pictured) where BJ talks to Hawkeye about what he's going through, and Hawkeye is very sympathetic, even though BJ recently punched him.

Gwen Farrell (this time Able), Jan Jorden (Baker), Jeff Maxwell (Straminsky), Kellye Nakahara (Yamato), and Eileen Saki (Rosie) return.

Mork & Mindy: Mork Gets Mindy-itis

Mork & Mindy: Mork Gets Mindy-itis
ABC
October 21, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Tom Tenowich story is about Mork seeming to have developed an allergy to Mindy, but this is different than, say, everyone on the island allergic to Gilligan or Jan allergic to Mike or Tiger.  As Mork reminds us we learned on the season-opener, when Orkans sneeze, it sounds like laughter, which is a problem when Mindy is going to be hosting a political affair for Nelson.  At Exidor's suggestion, Mork tries injecting some of Mindy's hairs into his arm, but the result is pre-Doubtfire cross-dressing, although he seems to be as much Margo Channing as Mindy McConnell.  The episode has more suggestiveness and innuendo than past episodes, but this was the season when ABC wanted the series "sexed up," as we'll see more of as we go on.

Lloyd Kino, who was a Houseboy on That Girl, the Japanese Delegate in Gidget Grows Up, and a Soldier on M*A*S*H, is Mr. Wang here.  (Mork offers, "Another wang, Mr. Eggroll?"  See what I mean?)  Bill Morey, who's Mr. Prendergast, would return as Mr. Simpson.

M*A*S*H: Good-bye Radar, Part 2

M*A*S*H: Good-bye Radar, Part 2
CBS
October 15, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B

Yes, Burghoff's final appearance on this show, although he'd appear as Radar on After MASH.  Levine & Isaacs give him a nice send-off, as well as show how Klinger will use his street smarts as he takes over the job of company clerk.  Radar gets some memorable kisses, a big one from "Hot Lips," and a couple cheek kisses that he's to pass on from BJ to Peg and Erin when they meet him in San Francisco (to change planes I assume).  Morgan's tears look genuine when he says goodbye.  And Hawkeye, who's the one that Radar's been closest to all this time, finds his own ways to say goodbye.  The episode is a bit too drawn out to be a B+ but overall satisfying.

David Dozer (this time the Dispatcher) and Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) return.  Whitney Rydbeck, who was a page on the Davy Jones episode of The Brady Bunch, is Sgt. Hondo McKee here and would be the voice of George the Robot in The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island.

Mork & Mindy: Mork vs. Mindy

Mork & Mindy: Mork vs. Mindy
ABC
October 14, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Jim Staahl makes his first of thirteen appearances as Mindy's cousin Nelson Flavor in this David Misch story.  (Oddly, Staahl is listed as a guest star in the closing credits, although he'd previously appeared in the opening credits, but maybe the episodes weren't running in their intended order.)  The character isn't particularly likable and he doesn't seem to work as a foil, since Mork and Mindy don't really interact with him in an interesting way.  I mean, I actually thought the scene in the deli, where Remo has culture shock about Boulder values (someone asks how stickball would help him grow as a person) was more entertaining.  Still, there are some mildly funny lines, and it is interesting to hear Mondale references (and more Nixon of course).

Jeff Harlan, who played Bill in the Pilot, is a Customer here.

Soap: Episode 52

Soap: Episode 52
ABC
October 11, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B-

In this Harris & Silver episode, Dutch is out of prison and living with the Tates, and he's the only person who can stomach Jessica's cooking.  Billy and his teacher agree to meet at her place to discuss their relationship.  Danny comes home, with Millie, and Burt returns soon after, running into his alien double.  (Mulligan does double reaction shots.)  Mrs. David goes back to Texas, leaving Wendy (apparently Jenna Kay Starr) with Jodie.  And we find out a little bit more about Bob's paternity case, mentioned in a previous episode.  It seems like this is the first episode in a long time to feature the entire family, although Tim hasn't been seen in awhile.

Three's Company: Jack the Ripper

Three's Company: Jack the Ripper
ABC
October 9, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
B-

In this Richmond & Perret story, both Jack and Mr. Furley are having trouble asserting themselves, including (in Jack's case) with Dean Travers (William Pierson).  So on Janet's advice, they both see Dr. Prescott, well played by 29-year-old Joel Brooks with unbuttoned shirt, chains, and a nifty parody of the more dubious therapy of the decade.  I prefer the other Dr. Prescott episode, since I never like to see Jack yelling at the girls for no reason, but this episode does have the two patients barking at each other, as well as Chrissy's dumb blonde act at least being funny (I cracked up at the running joke about the bill for paint in Mr. Furley's mailbox), and a nice little chat between the girls and Lana, including about Lana's three ex-husbands.  Also we find out Janet has a brother who seems to be close in age.

M*A*S*H: Good-Bye, Radar, Part 1

M*A*S*H: Good-Bye, Radar, Part 1
CBS
October 8, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B-

As the title suggests, this Levine & Isaacs story prepares us for the departure of Burghoff, after almost a decade in the role (counting the movie).  Radar is done with R & R in Tokyo, but while waiting for a plane back to Korea, he meets an attractive girl who's going back to her home, about 100 miles from his hometown.  When he returns to the 4077th, he unsuccessfully tries to get the generator replaced.  And then his Uncle Ed dies, so Potter offers to get him a release due to hardship.

Johnny Haymer (Zale), Richard Lee-Sung (this time the Driver), and Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) return.  This is Farrell's 100th episode.

Mork & Mindy: Dr. Morkenstein

Mork & Mindy: Dr. Morkenstein
ABC
October 7, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Bruce Kalish and Philip John Taylor, who'd co-written a What's Happening!! episode, contribute their first of three for Mork.  If the scenes in the deli weren't weak (no offense to Hecht or Thomas, but it's like all the writers don't know what to do with their characters), I'd give this a B because the main plot of security guard Mork giving a robot (body of Robby, voice of Roddy McDowell) emotions and then having to say goodbye is well done.  Also, some of the jokes are genuinely funny, unlike some of the humor in recent episodes.

Soap: Episode 51

Soap: Episode 51
ABC
October 4, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
C+

The shark licks its chops for much of this Harris & Silver episode, although another scene of the female characters in the kitchen discussing sex helps save it.  (Jennifer Salt's amusement at Helmond looks completely genuine.)  The episode starts with some unfunny and implausible time travel by Burt and Saul.  (Not only can they perfectly communicate with Romans and Mexicans, but their hands are bound simply because they show up in front of a firing squad.)  And Billy's romance with his divorced History teacher, Leslie Walker (25-year-old Marla Pennington in her first of seventeen Soap appearances), begins here.  Leslie is actually kind of sweet, if unethical, here, but knowing what would happen to her character, I'm not happy about the start of this thread.  And Chester starts cheating on Jessica not long after Donahue finally leaves "for good."  (He'd be back later in the season.)  At least we finally find out where Danny is, tied up in a barn by Mel but freed by a smitten Millie.

Jodie, the Major, Chuck, and Bob are absent.

Three's Company: Snow Job

Three's Company: Snow Job
ABC
October 2, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Chrissy again fails to get a raise at work, so this time she decides to sell cosmetics.  Meanwhile, Larry wants to have a poker game, which ends up as strip poker in Mr. Furley's tackily redecorated apartment.  Note that it's implied that Larry will score with both blondes he brings to the game and takes up, wrapped in just towels, to his apartment.  Also, I think this is the first episode where Janet imitates Chrissy's laugh-snort, although Jack has before.

Paul Avery, who plays Neil, would be Dr. Carlton on Soap.  John Miranda, who's Bill here, would have a couple roles on Mork & Mindy.  Melanie Vincz, who would soon play Kathy on M & M (but not the Kathy who pretended to be pregnant by Mork), here plays Sylvia for the first of two times, although I suspect that the Sylvia of '82 is not the same character.  And Taaffe O'Connell plays Lulu, her first of three 3'sC characters.

M*A*S*H: Guerilla My Dreams

M*A*S*H: Guerilla My Dreams
CBS
October 1, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
C+

I found this story about a Guerilla Woman (Hauani Minn, who had previously played Sung Lee) a little boring, although it is notable that Hawkeye calls someone a "son of a bitch."  Radar has now been in Tokyo a week and Klinger is a month behind in the office.

Connie Izay makes her first of three appearances as Nurse Connie, while George Cheung has his first of two roles, the 1st Korean Soldier.  Joshua Bryant (Scully), Mako (this time Lt. Hung Lee Park), and Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) return.  Marcus K. Mukai, who's the 2nd Korean Soldier, was a Hawaiian Man in Rescue from Gilligan's Island and would be a Ninja Guard on Soap.  Alda directed.  This is Morgan's 100th episode.

Mork & Mindy: Mork's Baby Blues

Mork & Mindy: Mork's Baby Blues
ABC
September 30, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Misch & Kelly story is an improvement over the last two episodes, with a gold-digger, Kathy Cumberland (Manoff), faking a pregnancy when she thinks Mork is rich.  He wants to do the honorable thing and marry her, not understanding that he couldn't get her pregnant just from sleeping on her couch.  Again, Mork and Mindy are sort of seen as a couple but not quite.  Note that although Mork is still making Nixon jokes (five years after Nixon's resignation), there is a reference to Reagan's hair in this episode.

Carl Gottlieb, who'd written one Bob Newhart Show episode and appeared in another, plays Justice Abbott.  Jim Staahl appears in the opening credits, although his character Nelson Flavor has not yet been introduced.

Soap: Episode 50

Soap: Episode 50
ABC
September 27, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B-

This Harris & Silver episode has some parts that aren't great, like the stuff with the Sunnies, and Burt and Saul on the spaceship, but it does have two moving scenes of best friends saying goodbye for good: Jodie and Alice, and Jessica and Benson.  Benson of course left for his own series, working for Jessica's cousin Governor Gatling, but Alice goes to Alaska, about as far away as she can get.  There's a mention of Danny being missing, but still no scene with him.

Three's Company: The New Landlord

Three's Company: The New Landlord
ABC
September 25, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Fifty-five-year-old Don Knotts joins the cast as the title character, Ralph Furley, whose brother Bart bought the apartment building from Mr. Roper.  On the one hand, it's nice to see Knotts, who at the time I probably knew as much for Disney movies as I did for Barney Fife, but on the other even at the time the Jack-Lana-Furley "triangle" bothered me.  She loathes Ralph, while Jack is very uncomfortable with her pursuing him.  Still, Furley does have some interesting outfits in his debut, and the scene in the pub of him hitting on the girls is kind of funny.

Note that the garage sale signs say that it's Sunday the 31st, and the girls' outfits suggest this is summer.  Bizarrely, there was no Sunday the 31st in 1979.  And since Mr. Furley confirms that tomorrow is the 1st, I'm going to guess Chrissy made the signs and it's actually Saturday, June 30th.

Paul Ainsley returns as Jim the Bartender and gets to react to Furley's drink order.  This is the first of thirteen 3'sC episodes written by Michael S. Baser and Kim Weiskopf (both male).  This episode has noticeably different credits and not just to include Knotts.  Lana is shown tripping Tripper, while Larry accidentally gets into a bumper car with a long-haired man.

M*A*S*H: Are You Now, Margaret?

M*A*S*H: Are You Now, Margaret?
CBS
September 24, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B

This is the first of seventeen M*A*S*H episodes written by Thad Mumford, who'd done a couple for What's Happening!!, while his co-writer Dan Wilcox didn't do any other of my shows.  Congressional Aide R. Theodore Williamson (Lawrence Pressman, who'd played Ed Hoffman on The Bob Newhart Show, and who would shortly be Judy's ex-husband in the movie Nine to Five) arrives at the 4077th to investigate a Com-symp, but surprise, it's not Hawkeye, but Margaret!  She dated a man in college who went on to found a suspicious organization.  What I like best about this episode is that it again gives Swit a range of emotions to play, and I like how her colleagues support her.  Note that Potter describes Klinger as his "temporary company clerk," but four seasons wouldn't exactly be temporary.

Jeff Maxwell (Straminsky), Leland Sun (this time a Chinese Patient), and Jennifer Davis Westmore (a nameless Nurse) return.

Mork & Mindy: Stark Raving Mork

Mork & Mindy: Stark Raving Mork
ABC
September 23, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This April-Kelly-written episode introduces Jay Thomas and Gina Hecht as Remo and Jean DaVinci, a brother and sister who have recently moved to Boulder from New York City to open a deli.  They're OK but I don't like that he says that he could give her a "pop" (punch) if they were still in New York.  And their fight inspires Mork to pick a fight with Mindy, with Mr. Bickley making the situation worse.  It is interesting that M & M are sort of perceived, including by themselves, as a couple, although they aren't boyfriend & girlfriend per se.  They do kiss and make up at the end.

Michael W. Schwartz had appeared, as Michael Schwartz (without the middle initial), on Soap playing an Intern, and as Michael Williams, on M*A*S*H as a Patient, while here he's the Deli Customer.

Soap: Episode 49

Soap: Episode 49
ABC
September 20, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B-

In this Harris & Silver episode, Mary enjoys alien-Burt's libido, to Bob's disgust.  Eunice convinces Dutch to not try to escape dressed as a woman but to turn state's evidence and get released in a couple weeks.  Billy is resisting brainwashing, while his rescue party gets sidetracked into a dance number.  And Mrs. David says that Carol ran off with a cowboy, and she (Mrs. David, not Carol) wants Jodie to raise the baby if he'll make Alice leave, since "two homos is one homo too many."

Jack Gilford makes his first of five appearances as Saul, Burt's fellow captive, a 4000-year-old Jew.  Corinne and Danny are both absent.  And, yes, that's a pre-Elm-Street Robert Englund in his first of two appearances as the Sunnie named Simon.

Three's Company: Love Thy Neighbor

Three's Company: Love Thy Neighbor
ABC
September 18, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C+

In Mark Tuttle's first of eleven 3'sC stories, 45-year-old Ann Wedgeworth, who immediately goes into the opening credits (Kline had finally achieved that the previous week), makes her debut as multiple divorcee Lana Shields, her first of nine appearances in the role.  Jack thinks the girls have bought him a present to celebrate the third anniversary of their living together.  (Does this mean Season One actually takes place in the Fall of '76?)  So he fills in for a couple nights at Larry's escort job to make some money, but Lana doesn't just want a dinner companion.  In the tag scene, sometimes left out in syndication, Lana turns out to have moved into the apartment building.  I'm going to assume that she signed the lease with Mr. Furley's brother, since Ralph hasn't yet shown up and it'll be clear later that he hasn't met Lana.

M*A*S*H: Too Many Cooks

M*A*S*H: Too Many Cooks
CBS
September 17, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B-

Well, I guess I will count this as the beginning of Phase Four, since, although Radar won't officially leave for another few weeks, things are getting set up for his departure, including Klinger taking on some of his office duties.  The title has to do with the gang's maneuvers to keep Private Paul Conway (Ed Begley, Jr., who turned 30 the day before this aired) around as cook.  Meanwhile, Potter gets an angry letter from Mildred, but Margaret helps explain what it's like for a woman to not see her man for a long time.

John Randolph, who I know best as Emily Hartley's father, plays Gen. Budd Haggerty.  Jeff Maxwell (Straminsky) and Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) return.  This is the first of seventeen M*A*S*H episodes written by Dennis Koenig, who did one for Three's Company.

Mork & Mindy: Mork in Wonderland

Mork & Mindy: Mork in Wonderland
ABC
September 16, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C

The hour-long second-season opener felt weird even at the time.  Not only were Fred and Cora written out, but Mr. Bickley's dog had changed breeds.  Oh yeah, and cold medicine made Mork shrink until he ended up in a parallel universe on a planet with the same name, Mearth, he'd later give his son.  Even watching it now, it's odd to see a show make such a radical change.  And yet, I sort of like the sci-fi elements.  The special effects aren't great, but there is some imagination put into the creation of the other world, from the Wizard of Oz touch of characters having equivalents, to cows wearing pants and hats.  And the thoughts on death have an added poignancy now of course, with Williams gone.  Where the story by McRaven & Johnson falls down is that it's just not funny, ironic considering one of the messages is the importance of laughter.  The timing is off in the first half of the episode and then we get pathetic celebrity imitations, with Bob Faith (Ronnie Schell), Danny St. Tommy (Johnny Haymer, best known at the time as M*A*S*H's Sgt. Zale), and Jerry Looney (impressionist Jeremy Krispien, who at least has a recognizable imitation).  (The Steve Martin by an uncredited performer isn't bad, but everyone from Chrissy Snow to Little Earl had been doing Steve Martin imitations for a couple years by this point.)


And the thing is, it's not like this episode has much to do with not only the previous season but the rest of this season.  It just remains as a confusing mis-step, and combined with the move to Sundays, I was not the only fan at the time trying to get my bearings.

Soap: Episode 48

And one to grow on

Soap: Episode 48
ABC
September 13, 1979
Dramedy
DVD
B-

Harris & Silver kick off Season Three by mostly picking up where they left off, although they can't get to every thread of course.  Jessica chooses Chester over Detective Donahue, who pretends to get dizzy every time he tries to leave the house, although it doesn't stop him from joining Chester, the Major, and a temporarily returned from the Governor's mansion Benson in the Major's plan to rescue Billy from the Sunnies.  (Three of them are in blackface as part of the disguise, leading to some racial jokes that haven't dated well.)  The aliens tell Burt they're going to keep him and send one of their own down to Earth in a duplicate of his body.  The alien is thrilled because he hasn't had sex in 2000 years.  And, on the day Jodie and Alice are celebrating their third month of living together, agreeing that relationships are so much better without sex, Carol's mother shows up with baby Wendy, who is adorable and definitely looks like Jodie.

(Hypothetically, depending when this was shot, that could be Crystal's daughter Lindsay, born in October of '77, but I think there'd be a mention of it in IMDB trivia or someplace if it were.  When Tony Danza's daughter Katherine would later appear on Who's the Boss?, there would be obvious clues that it was her.  In any case, Wendy, while not looking like a newborn, doesn't seem to be a toddler.)

As with Three's Company, there's a more cartoony feel than a couple years earlier, with the exception of the Wendy storyline.  It says something that the studio audience has accepted Jodie enough that they audibly express how cute they think the scenes are of him as a father.  Down the road, the home audience would root for Jodie in his custody battle, at a time when gay parents generally lost such battles.  I'll get back to this, but for all Soap's mistakes, this is an area where I think the show made a difference.

Billy isn't shown although he's of course mentioned a lot.  And Chuck, Bob, and Danny are all gone without being mentioned.

Three's Company: Jack on the Lam

Three's Company: Jack on the Lam
ABC
September 11, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This season-four opener, written by Neil Lebowitz, who'd done a couple Mork & Mindy scripts, shows how much the series had changed since Season One.  Not only is Chrissy getting dumber by the moment, with lots of lines about her stupidity, but the first incarnation of Jack wouldn't have dressed in drag to avoid FBI agents (or F-men as Chrissy calls them).  I don't have anything against drag of course (Juanita Epstein was enjoyable a few months earlier), but I feel like they didn't do anything particularly funny with it, except for tipsy Larry hitting on Jack.  Note that Janet debuts the Benatar look, with the short hair and tighter clothes, DeWitt having tired of her earth-mother, post-hippie look.

Jim the Bartender (Paul Ainsley) also has made a change in his appearance, having grown a thick beard.  James Staley, who's Special Agent Banning, would make two cameos on Mork & Mindy.  And Dick O'Neill, who's Walter Nessle, made three appearances on M*A*S*H.

Match Game

Match Game
CBS
September 8, 1979
Game Show
DVD
B-

Rita Moreno is the "new kid" and, as Brett points out, having spacy Bill Daily be the one to show her how to play is not the best idea.  If I haven't mentioned it before, this seems to be the year that the composites of faces really got going.

Journey: Just the Same Way

Journey: Just the Same Way
Date unclear (see below)
Music Video
DVD
C+

This doesn't seem to have been released as a single, but it's off the same album (Evolution) as "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'," and the album came out in the Spring of 1979, so even though the DVD package gives this a 1980 date, this is as good a point as any to review it.  I find the song forgettable, but the video does showcase the band's fashion, including some very tight trousers.

Journey: Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'

Journey: Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
Song released in September 1979
Music Video
DVD
B-

A song with a lot of hooks is played in front of a partially indifferent audience.  (Check out the guy in the front row with crossed arms.)

Match Game

Foster Brooks fits right into the tipsy action.

Match Game
CBS
August 26, 1979
Game Show
DVD
B-

This is another oddball episode, with "the man in the box" out of the box when it's time for the Super Match, and then an audience member coming up with the definitive answer, "Wella Balsam," causing all the celebs to momentarily walk out.

Match Game

The other celebrity, Robert
Walden from Lou Grant

Match Game
CBS
August 4, 1979
Game Show
DVD
C+

This episode feels off, as exemplified by "Hard Knocks" being the top match for "College of _____."  Even when Gene goes out into the audience, he gets answers like "Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh."  It's nice to see Bill Daily, telling us he doesn't need this show since he's got Bob Newhart Show residuals, so that helps balance out the still obnoxious Elaine Joyce.

Match Game

28-year-old Kirstie Alley

Match Game
CBS
July 21, 1979
Game Show
DVD
B-

More of the same, with Kirstie leaving after her two games.

Match Game

Match Game
CBS
July 21, 1979
Game Show
DVD
B-

We see more of Kirstie, Brett continues to seem plastered, and I start matching mostly Betty.