That Girl: Sixty-Five on the Aisle

That Girl: Sixty-Five on the Aisle
ABC
January 18, 1968
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Don Penny returns as Ann's agent Seymour Schwimmer, with no explanation of how.  (My guess, the producers saw how good he was.)  Norman Fell appears as director Bernard Paperny, with facial hair!  The episode is pretty good, but I keep thinking (about halfway through the second season) that Ann really isn't that great an actress yet.  And getting stuck in the elevator is a bit cliche, as Donald notes.

Buddy Lester's role as Barney is his first of four on TG.

That Girl: The Rivals

That Girl: The Rivals
ABC
January 11, 1968
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Richard Baer script is mostly about how competitive Lew feels towards Donald, since he feels like he's been replaced in his daughter's life.  My sympathy was much more towards Donald through most of the episode, although I do like how Helen tries to balance and explain everyone's feelings.  And I like that Lew actually prefers to have Donald stand up to him.  Note that Donald was in kindergarten in '47, so he was likely born in '42.  Ben Cooper, who plays Officer Ben Cooper, had earlier been Mr. Corcoran.

That Girl: Fur All We Know

That Girl: Fur All We Know
ABC
January 4, 1968
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Ann goes to a party where she "mingle mingles" in a chinchilla and gets hit on by a man, Buzzy Cavanaugh (Quinn Redeker, who'd later appear on The Bob Newhart Show among others), who turns out to be a gold-digger, or "gigolo" as they put it here.  Fur was starting to be controversial at this point, but less than it would be in the '70s, although that's not really the focus here.  This is the first episode where I noticed Don's sideburns starting to grow out.

Benny Rubin, who's Mr. Mellinger, Ann's boss, had recently appeared as Dr. Ferguson.  Judy Cassmore makes her first of three TG appearances, here as Girl.  This is Peggy Elliott's penultimate TG script, but Ed Scharlach had two more to go.

George of the Jungle: Episode 17

George of the Jungle: Episode 17
ABC
December 30, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
B-

GJ: "Kings Back-to-Back"-- B-, George wins the election for King of the Jungle through dumb luck and the hippie vote;
SC: "The Wild Hair"-- B-, a living toupee runs amuck;
TS: "Mack Buster Trophy"-- C+, continuing the long-hair theme, one of Tom's competitors is Beatle-ish Lenny Johns.

Perhaps not surprisingly, "Tom Slick" segments average out to a C and "George of the Jungle" to C+, but "Super Chicken" also averages out to C+, although a higher C+.  I'm still fond of the theme songs, but I don't think the show is otherwise superior to Rocky & Bullwinkle.

Be prepared for a lot of nothing but That Girl for awhile....

That Girl: A Friend in Need

That Girl: A Friend in Need
ABC
December 28, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Richard Baer's third TG script has Donald "challenging Ann's femininity" by cooking and cleaning for her when she has a sprained ankle.  If this seems odd, considering it's not that long since he himself had a maid, it turns out he's a slob at home but likes taking care of Ann.  In a nice change, Ann's mother but not father appears.

Danny Arnold makes an uncredited appearance as the Producer.  Benny Rubin plays Dr. Ferguson and would be Mr. Mellinger later on TG.

Magical Mystery Tour

Magical Mystery Tour
BBC
December 26, 1967
TV-Movie, Musical, Fantasy
VHS
C+

It's easy to see why critics blasted this 48 years ago, and why many fans have said, "It's not that bad."  It's always tricky to be objective about the Beatles, and gosh knows I've seen this multiple times, although not recently.  I think it remains an incoherent mess with some good songs in it, including a show-stopper by the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.  In evaluating it now, I tried to just simply grade how entertaining it is, and I must admit that even the best songs are not filmed terribly well, and there's more filler in the film (including dream sequences) than I remembered.  I still would rather watch this than Help, and not just because it's shorter.

The genre labels are the best I can do: it's definitely a musical, the wizards make it fantasy, and it is a movie made for television.  It has been shown theatrically, but not till much later, unlike the situation with, for instance, Enchanted April, which was made for TV but got a big-screen release.

George of the Jungle: Episode 16

George of the Jungle: Episode 16
ABC
December 23, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C+

GJ: "The Forest's Prime Evil"-- C+, an evil land developer is defeated by himself;
SC: "Dr. Gizmo"-- B-, the title character and Super Chicken outsmart each other;
TS: "Swamp Buggy Race"-- C, everyone is fooled, as usual, this time by the Baron in drag.

That Girl: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, You're Under Arrest

That Girl: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, You're Under Arrest
ABC
December 21, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Although by no means a classic episode, this is definitely an improvement over the first season's Christmas episode.  And I will admit I wasn't quite sure what the final twist of the twisting plot would be.

William Bramley plays Tim here and would later be Bert Weevle on TG.  The role of Eppie is the middle of three TG roles for Paul Bryar.  Ed Peck's role of Bart is his second of five on TG.  Herbie Faye, who plays the scalper Milton, would later be a Waiter on the show.

George of the Jungle: Episode 15

That's supposed to be a portrait of Lawrence Welk.

George of the Jungle: Episode 15
ABC
December 16, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C+

I'd give every segment a C+ this time-- nothing really stands out in terms of quality-- although I will note that TS has Gertie in hippie boots and trying to kill Marigold with a bow and arrow at the shooting gallery and "love-in," while Clutcher flies the blimp and the Baron tries to scheme from ground level.

That Girl: It's a Mod, Mod World, Part 2

That Girl: It's a Mod, Mod World, Part 2
ABC
December 14, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Well, there are some mod fashions, but not much is shown of L.A., odd considering the series actually was filmed in L.A. (like most TV series of the '60s and beyond) and such footage would've been easy to obtain.  (I think they go to Grauman's Chinese Theatre though.)  The love triangle aspect doesn't really work, since we never see Ann as that interested in Noel, just amused by him at most.  Still, it's not a bad end to the two-parter.

Sidney Clute, who plays the Policeman here, would be a Desk Sergeant on a later episode.

George of the Jungle: Episode 14

The Chi Chi Dog

George of the Jungle: Episode 14
ABC
December 9, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C+

The main notable things about this episode (with C+s for GJ and SC, C for TS) are that it references Muncie twice and Gertie has the line, "It isn't George of the Jungle."

That Girl: It's a Mod, Mod World, Part 1

That Girl: It's a Mod, Mod World, Part 1
ABC
December 7, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Gary Marshal (with that spelling) makes his first of three appearances as British fashion photographer Noel Prince.  Donald isn't worried at first but Lew is.  Then Lew decides not to worry since Donald isn't.  But then Noel tells Donald he's after Ann.  The "tune in next week," with narration by Donald is cute, but I feel like more could've been done in this episode, including with the "mod" fashions.  I will note that I think the photographer is one of the inspirations for Austin Powers.  The next week's episode will be set in L.A., so that should be interesting.

James Milhollin again plays a Hotel Clerk.  Laurie Main, who'd recently been a Maitre D' on the show, plays Grimsley, as he would on Part 2.  Lea Marmer, who plays the Woman in Automat, would appear twice more on TG.  Richard Ramos, one of the Men in Automat, would later make an uncredited appearance on M*A*S*H.  This two-parter would be the last writing Tom and Helen August would do for TG, although they'd go on to write for The Brady Bunch among other shows.

George of the Jungle: Episode 13

George of the Jungle: Episode 13
ABC
December 2, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C+

GJ: "Big Flop at the Big Top"-- C+, why anyone would want to hire a man as prone to crashing into things as George is beyond me, but we do get some bad puns, including umpire/empire;
SC: "Salvador Rag Dolly"-- C+, the title character is an artist with the right kind of mustache, but his voice sounds like Baron Otto Matic's minion Clutcher;
TS: "Sneaky Sheik"-- C, well, at least the Arab stereotypes aren't too bad, and this time the character who sounds like Phil Silvers looks like him.

That Girl: The Mailman Cometh

That Girl: The Mailman Cometh
ABC
November 30, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B

The title is a bit of a misnomer, since Ann's new agent is a former mailboy, Don Penny as Seymour Schwimmer, a role he'd reprise.  He comes up with a scheme involving stage comedian 43-year-old Dick Shawn, shortly before his scene-stealing role as LSD in the movie The Producers.  The teaming up of writers Danny Arnold and Ruth Brooks Flippen works, with one of the better, funnier episodes about Ann's career.  Both Penny and Shawn are good, as is Buzzi of course, although given less to do here.

George Neise did a couple Gilligan's Island episodes and plays Norman Kramer here, his first of two TG roles.

George of the Jungle: Episode 12

George of the Jungle: Episode 12
ABC
November 25, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C

GJ: "Rescue Is My Business"-- C+, George gets an agent who wants him to charge for rescues, rather than doing it for "freesies";
SC: "Merlin Brando"-- C+, despite the title, no actual Brando imitation here, although "The Isle of Lucy" is probably the best pun ever on the show;
TS: "The Apple-Less Indian 500"-- C-, the title is one of the better puns for this segment, but the race is one of the duller ones, and of course there are Native American stereotypes.

That Girl: Thanksgiving Comes But Once a Year, Hopefully

That Girl: Thanksgiving Comes But Once a Year, Hopefully
ABC
November 23, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B+

Considering that Peggy Elliott's preceding TG script was for "Kimono My House," the quality of this one is particularly impressive, although she did other episodes as well.  This one is hilarious, but with some sweet moments, as Ann, Donald, and both sets of parents celebrate the holiday at her house.  It's great fun to see the characters play off each other, and the editing with the phone calls is especially sharp.  Add in a Mailman (Joe Perry in his first of four TG appearances) who's suspicious about the herb being mailed for Ann's "pot," and some very memorable outfits for Ann, and the episode comes close to being classic.  I could point out that this is not Ann's first Thanksgiving in NYC, and I don't think it was Summer when she met the Hollingers, but those are just quibbles.

George of the Jungle: Episode 11

George of the Jungle: Episode 11
ABC
November 18, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
B-

GJ: "Dr. Schpritzer, I Presume"-- B-, nice twist with George trying to rescue someone who doesn't want to be found, with a happy ending for all;
SC: "Fat Man"-- B, Maltese Falcon satire that includes adorable voodoo dolls;
TS: "Double Cross Country Race"-- C+, yes, even this segment steps up its game a bit, with anti-California jokes and a hippie visual gag.

George of the Jungle: Episode 10

George of the Jungle: Episode 10
ABC
November 11, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C+

GJ: "The Trouble I've Seed"-- C+, the return of Dr. Chicago;
SC:  "The Noodle"-- B-, some nice role reversal for Fred and SC when the latter loses his memory, thanks to the title villain, and yes, they go there for a pun on "chicken noodle soup";
TS:  "Overstocked"-- C+, better than usual for this feature, thanks to the announcer's struggles with "rubber baby buggy bumpers."

That Girl: When in Rome

That Girl: When in Rome
ABC
November 9, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B

This is the second of many TG episodes that Saul Turteltaub and Bernie Orenstein would co-write and it displays a nice balance of points of view, as Ann is offered a starring role in a movie by an acclaimed director, but she'd have to appear nude.  I like how Donald tries to be fair, while still expressing his feelings, and how Ann stands up for herself, even if she's on the verge of tears.  The moment where she scoffs at the idea of being insecure about her body is great.  Note, the opening is a teaser in more than one way, as it looks like Ann is nude, but she isn't.

Renata Vanni plays Mama but would usually play Mrs. Rose Brentano on the show.  Frank Puglia plays her husband, the Restaurant Owner, and would later be Mr. Brentano.

George of the Jungle: Episode 9

George of the Jungle: Episode 9
ABC
November 4, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C

GJ: "Treasure of Sarah Madre"-- C+, more wordplay than usual, and not just with the title;
SC: "The Laundry Man"-- C, inevitable Chinese stereotypes;
TS: "Irish Cheapstakes"-- C, inevitable Irish stereotypes, including from "Ott O'Matic."

That Girl: The Collaborators

That Girl: The Collaborators
ABC
November 2, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B

Another good script by Ruth Brooks Flippen, this has Ann and Donald falling out after trying to co-write a play about her life.  Some actual episodes, such as the bowling ball one, are referenced, a nice touch.  I also like how Don and Ann are both wrong, and both right.  It is annoying to see people crumpling up sheets of paper, some of them with hardly anything typed on them, but I accept that as one of the cliches about writing, up until some point in the '90s.  Bruce Bilson directed three Gidget episodes, but this is his only time for TG.

George of the Jungle: Episode 8

George of the Jungle: Episode 8
ABC
October 28, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C+

GJ: "The Desperate Showers"--C+, again the natives are white, and we hear (I think for the first time) that Ursula is George's wife, even if he sometimes thinks she's a man;
TS: "The Cupp Cup Race"--I actually almost went with a C+ on this, since Gertie Growler wears "hippie boots" and knows Karate (suggesting she's a prototype of the old lady Sara on Wait Till Your Father Gets Home), but I was annoyed when the "sissy" competitor's girlfriend is charmed by him telling her to shut up, so the usual C;
SC: "Rotten Hood"--C+, the title character goes from robbing squirrels to robbing the rich, and we find out that no one watches TV in Kansas City.

That Girl: There's Nothing to Be Afreud of But Freud Himself

That Girl: There's Nothing to Be Afreud of But Freud Himself
ABC
October 26, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This is Milton Pascal's next to last TG script and has ink blots causing trouble for the two couples of Donald & Ann, Jerry & Ruthie.  The latter supposedly have been married for about a year.  Note, when Jerry says he's going to get "stoned, loaded, and plastered," you have to interpret the first two terms in a pre-psychedelic sense.

Amzie Strickland, who's Mrs. Chatsworth here, would be Ella Tansy on another TG episode.  Renzo Cesana, who plays Dr. Enrico Cesana, would be a Headwaiter later.

George of the Jungle: Episode 7

George of the Jungle: Episode 7
ABC
October 21, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C

All three segments (GJ: "Next Time, Take the Train," SC: "The Geezer," TS: "Dranko the Dragster") are pretty forgettable.  OK, I did hear of Dr. Chicago before Dr. Zhivago, but other than that, shrug.

Two's Company: Pilot

Two's Company: Pilot
ABC
1965
Sitcom
DVD
C+

OK, from this point on I'm just going to have to accept that I can't remember all the DVD extras for my TV shows, and if something shows up from earlier, just put it next.  (So this is sort of the 200th entry for the '60s and sort of not.)  We have a failed pilot that brought Marlo Thomas enough attention that she was able to do That Girl.  I can see both why she was appealing, and why this premise, with her married to a man (Ron Husman) who doesn't want her to work, wasn't as appealing.  Paul Lynde appears as an easily infatuated photographer.

That Girl: The Philadelphia Story

That Girl: The Philadelphia Story
ABC
October 19, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-

I still don't think this merited a two-parter, this time padded by Philadelphia sight-seeing, but I do like how Ann has to deal with her first big failure in show biz.  Lew has mellowed in the year or so his daughter has been in New York, and he gently urges her to go back.  Also, Donald has to figure out how to review the play without hurting her feelings.  Pete, who turns out to be an actress, has both comedic and serious moments, a nice showcase for Ruth Buzzi.

Jim Connell, who was almost 22 at this point, had played high school student Norman Crowley on Gidget a couple years earlier and is Harvey Miller here.

George of the Jungle: Episode 6

George of the Jungle: Episode 6
ABC
October 14, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
C+

GJ: "Monkey Business"-- B-, for a change this segment is easily the best part of the episode, actually laugh out loud (if Tom Slick is ever the best part, I'll worry);
TS:  "I Was Railroaded"-- C, a train race this time;
SC:  "The Elephant Spreader"-- C, nonsensical, and not in a good way, with the villain failing to consider that having snow in India might be a bad thing.

That Girl: Absence Makes the Heart Grow Nervous

That Girl: Absence Makes the Heart Grow Nervous
ABC
October 12, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Arnold Margolin and Jim Parker co-wrote both this and the second part of the two-parter.  Not much happens in this part, which seems to be mostly shot to promote New York tourism.  It's cute and sweet, especially when Donald and Ann say how much they'll miss each other while she's away touring with a show, but it doesn't seem like enough for a whole episode.

George of the Jungle: Episode 5

George of the Jungle: Episode 5
ABC
October 7, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C+

GJ: "Little Scissors"-- C+, no one points out that the District Commissioner is himself a small man, and note that the Pygmies are clearly white (and all able to imitate Edward G. Robinson);
TS:  "The Great Balloon Race"-- C, two sets of villains this time, although one eliminates himself early on;
SC:  "The Easter Bunny"-- B-, now even the cops are breaking the fourth wall.

That Girl: The Apartment

That Girl: The Apartment
ABC
October 5, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B

As she did with Gidget, Ruth Brooks Flippen delivers a fun script, her first of thirteen for TG.  This is still a world that's a decade away from Three's Company, but for this show it does get relatively farcical and suggestive.  In fact, Bill Bixby's line to Ann, "I'm going to nail you in the bedroom," comes across as a lot more suggestive than I assume they intended.  He's playing Donald's old fraternity brother, Harry Banner (yes, with the Hulk's last name), who has a standing invitation to stay at Don's place when he's in town.  Don himself is out of town, so he invites Ann to stay over while her apartment is being fumigated for termites.  Ann does not want to stay in the same apartment with this strange man, so he makes that suggestion, although he ends up nailing himself into Don's bedroom.  As when Lew found out that Ann and Donald were snowbound in a hotel, Lew shows up in the middle of the night, without Helen this time.  The laugh track is heavy on the gasps and "uh oh's" throughout.

Leon Colker makes his first of four TG appearances, here as an Agent.  Florence Halop plays a Clerk and sounds much like she would on Night Court in the '80s, but less raspy.

George of the Jungle: Episode 4

George of the Jungle: Episode 4
ABC
September 30, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C

GJ: "Ungawa the Gorilla God"-- C, Slight racism, light King Kong parody;
TS: "Snow What"-- C, Baron Otto Matic's second race, here in the snow, with one rival looking suspiciously like Dudley Do-Right;
SC:  "The Oyster"-- C+, some fourth-wall breaking but otherwise forgettable.

This is, unless I've left off tags, the 100th program of mine to air on ABC.

That Girl: To Each Her Own

That Girl: To Each Her Own
ABC
September 28, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This, the first of seven TG episodes James Sheldon directed, has an interesting concept, then very timely, where Donald and Ann both try computer dating, he for an article, she to see if she'll end up with someone like him but flawless, as he seems to have with his computer date who's somewhat like her.  The episode itself has two flaws that bring it down from a B or higher.  One is that Donald's date has been distractingly dubbed, and since she's not that remarkable-looking by modern standards, I don't see why they couldn't have found an equally pretty actress with a better voice.  The other is that Ruth Buzzi makes her first of five appearances as neighbor Pete Peterson (which I think was the name of a minor character, also female, on Gidget) and since we've never seen her before, it seems like she's just there to make Ann's date be temporarily disappointed.  Considering that Rich Little (of course doing impressions) is really not that much better looking than Buzzi, this seems unnecessary.  Note, Ann's white dress for her date looks like the sort of late '60s wedding minidress that would not be handed on to the next generation.

George of the Jungle: Episode 3

George of the Jungle: Episode 3
ABC
September 23, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C+

GJ:  "Oo-oo Birds of a Feather"-- C+, references movie stars Liz, Debbie, and Zsa Zsa, as well as has George call Ursula "Fella" for the first time outside the theme song;
TS:  "Send in a Sub"-- C+, better than usual, partly because of the Natasha-sounding villainess Sonia Nar and her Aquanuts;
SC:  "Wild Bill Hiccup"-- B-, a villain who looks and sounds like John Wayne, and the first reference outside the theme song to Fred knowing the job was dangerous when he took it.

That Girl: Black, White and Read All Over

That Girl: Black, White and Read All Over
ABC
September 21, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B

Donald's novel, which got misplaced in the previous season, is again the center of an episode, a quite good one that contrasts Lew's old-fashioned sensibilities with Donald's modernness, although Don is shown to have integrity when a publisher (Henry Jones, looking much as he did in '50s movies like Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?) wants him to spice the novel up.  It's interesting to see how much is unsaid and, well, read between the lines here.  I also like how Helen Marie has a more balanced view than Lew.  Ann chooses Donald over her father, but peace is made in the end.  And Ann has some very mod outfits, particularly the checked dress above.

This is Richard Baer's second of eleven TG scripts and Jeff Hayden's second of two times directing TG.

George of the Jungle: Episode 2

George of the Jungle: Episode 2
ABC
September 16, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C+

Each of the segments improves, GJ with, for instance, a Medicare joke ("The Malady Lingers On," C+), Tom Slick by having an actually not terrible joke (shown in the picture above, for "Monster Rally," C), and Super Chicken getting some cute humor at the expense of Rhode Island and other states ("One of Our States Is Missing," B-).

That Girl: The Good Skate

That Girl: The Good Skate
ABC
September 14, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Tom and Helen's fourth TG script never seems to jell, although some of that may be due to Jeff Hayden's direction (his first of two for TG).  I can see they're trying to derive humor from both Ann's skating mishaps and Don's failure as an actor, but the bowling episode was better and the one about him writing for her clicked more.  Also, the whole time I was watching, I kept thinking Why is your soft drink named after a snack cake? (A snack cake that had been around for over 35 years at that point.)  Still it is kind of fun to hear someone as square as Donald keep talking about "the groove."

Rob Reiner makes his final appearance on TG, as a Hairdresser.  Richard Jury is a Businessman here and would be an Airman later.

George of the Jungle: Episode 1

George of the Jungle: Episode 1
ABC
September 9, 1967
Cartoon
DVD
C

This inauspicious debut includes the GJ segment "The Sultan's Pearl" (C), the Super Chicken feature "The Zipper" (C+), and the Tom Slick story "The Bigg Race" (C-).  While the writing generally isn't as good as it would get, SC at least tries to be a little naughty about zippers and it features two passing hippies, while the jokes in TS are as weak as they always are.  Both GJ and TS resort to racial stereotypes, and TS is further weakened by the fact that no one recognizes that Tom only wins the race because another driver tows him along.

This is the 200th program I've reviewed, almost half of that Gilligan's Island.

That Girl: Pass the Potatoes, Ethel Merman

That Girl: Pass the Potatoes, Ethel Merman
ABC
September 7, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
C+

As you'll guess from the title, Ethel Merman makes her first of two TG appearances playing herself.  Unfortunately the script by James L. Brooks needed a rewrite.  Why is there a scene of Ann calling everyone in Brewster about her role in a show with Merman and then a later scene where her father seems to have no awareness of the identity of Ann's dinner guest?  Why does Donald gently throw all the neighbors out and then later Ann's living room is packed to the gills?  The episode is basically a showcase for Merman, with Ann very starstruck, and as such it's not terrible, but it's never as great as it thinks it is.

Joy Harmon had been on Gidget twice and is Miss Bridges here.  Sandy Kenyon had also been on Gidget, and his role as Ed Burns is his first of two on TG.  Renata Vanni makes her first of five TG appearances, playing Mrs. Rose Brentano like usual.  Carolan Daniels takes over as Jerry's wife (and now Ann's neighbor) Ruth Bauman.  This is the first of five TG episodes directed by James Frawley.

George of the Jungle: Pilot

George of the Jungle: Pilot
ABC
1967
Cartoon
DVD
C+

This is actually my review of the "never before seen" separate pilots for George and Super Chicken on the DVD.  While I usually preferred SC to GJ, I have to admit that that segment is the stronger one here, containing as it does a Bogart & Hepburn parody.  Neither show is as good without its memorable theme song.  But it is nice to hear the Jay Ward gang again.

The Dating Game: John Ritter clip

Happy tears

The Dating Game: John Ritter clip
ABC
1967 (exact date unknown)
Game Show
DVD
B-

This is just a one-minute edited down clip of nineteen-year-old Ritter's appearance on the show (and only accessible on my Three's Company Season Two DVD if you first play a trivia game), but it does show his silliness and cuteness in embryonic form.  The girl seems charmed by John and picks him.

Match Game: Pilot

Match Game: Pilot
NBC
December 1962
Game Show
DVD
B-

My apologies, I forgot I had this until I was getting ready to watch John Ritter on The Dating Game (more about that in a bit).  This is the very early, pre-smutty Match Game, where it was more of a traditional, somewhat clunky '50s format.  It's not without its own charm though, and I did find myself drawn in enough to play along with the two teams headed by Peggy Cass and Peter Lind Hayes.  Anyway, now NBC has another entry in my collection, and some of the stats are a bit thrown off by traveling back four and a half years, but oh well.  It's harder to do TV chronologically than it is books or even movies.

Gilligan's Island: Gilligan, the Goddess

Gilligan's Island: Gilligan, the Goddess
CBS
April 17, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This, Bob Rodgers's second GI script (he also did "The Little Dictator"), is very third-season, with cross-dressing and natives who arbitrarily speak English.  It ends with the Skipper hitting Gilligan with his cap.  No one knew that this would be the last of the regular series, not until it was cancelled to make way for Gunsmoke.  Definitely no one could've predicted that this show, hated by the critics, would become so entrenched in American culture, and indeed become famous worldwide.  I grew up with it in syndication, like so many Gen-X kids did.  It was always there, and I took it for granted.  In fact, I only bought it on DVD because the complete series for $30 was such a bargain.  (I'd originally planned to just review the handful of episodes I have on VHS.)  I've forgotten much about the show but I am pleased that it holds up as well as it does.  This season, like the first two, averages out to B-.  And this won't be the last we'll see of the cast in my TV collection....

Gilligan's Island: Bang! Bang! Bang!

Gilligan's Island: Bang! Bang! Bang!
CBS
April 10, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-


This episode is a bit de va ju--wasn't there another episode where Gilligan's little monkey friend was throwing explosives around or have these all blurred together?-- but still enjoyable.  My favorite aspect is actually the inventions they come up with for the plastic.  And we again have scenes off the island, involving the government.

That Girl: The Mating Game

Note the "That Girl" daisies substituted
for the "Dating Game" five-petaled flowers.

That Girl: The Mating Game
ABC
April 6, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-

As you might guess from the title, this episode lightly satirizes ABC's own The Dating Game, which had started in '65.  I was not happy with Donald's behavior in this episode, particularly when Ann chooses another bachelor over him, Alejandro Rey as Eduardo Guzman.  The worst part is when he not only calls Ann a Jezebel but compares her to the main character (a prostitute) in Never on a Sunday.  He does redeem himself somewhat, especially after she deservedly plays a trick on him.  All is forgiven, as always.

Bobo Lewis makes her first of seven TG guest shots, this time as Louise.  This is Peter Meyerson's only TG episode but he'd go on to write for Welcome Back, Kotter in particular.

This ends the first season of That Girl, averaging out to a B-, a good start.  Some of the familiar elements, like the opening with the kite etc., aren't yet in place, but the program is already a nice blend of different kinds of comedy with mostly heart-warming drama.

Gilligan's Island: The Pigeon

Gilligan's Island: The Pigeon
CBS
April 3, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-

I remember being frustrated by this episode as a child, that Burt (Sterling Holloway) thought that the castaways' messages--even the $1000 bill!--were fake.  And speaking of fake, the ridiculous yet still creepy spider boosts this episode from a C+ to a B-.  That the women almost rescue the men is a nice touch, although I could've done without Mrs. Howell describing them as helpless.  Note this must be the episode with the most miniskirts, not just on Mary Ann but also Ginger, who seems to have kept the Mary-Ann-shortened dresses from "The Second Ginger Grant."

This is the second of two GI episodes for Jack Raymond (story) and the last one for Brad Radnitz (teleplay).  Michael Kane would also direct a Brady Bunch episode.  It's the 100th show of mine to air on CBS, the Burns & Allen episodes giving that total a little boost.

That Girl: Author, Author

That Girl: Author, Author
ABC
March 30, 1967
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Ann has to have an original comedy piece for an audition, so after the disappointment of Jerry's cousin Ernie Bernie, she recruits Donald, who wrote for a show back in college.  It almost wrecks their relationship but they come through OK.  I actually thought that Ann's rambling explanation would end up getting her a role, but it doesn't go in that direction.

J.B. Larson, who plays the Assistant Producer, was the Studio Usher earlier.  Jack Good, who's Mr. Handley, was Mr. Rudolph previously.  Snag Werris, who plays the Waiter, would have four guest shots on The Brady Bunch.  This is Howard Harris's only TG episode (co-written with Ronald Axe), although he wrote a couple for Gilligan.  It's the first of six TG Danny Arnold (best known for Barney Miller) would direct, although he'd write some, too.