Ellen: The Christmas Show

Ellen: The Christmas Show
ABC
December 14, 1994
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Suzanne Martin wrote this story where Ellen is unable to break up with her clingy boyfriend and things drag on, even to their wedding day in the tag.

Dick Clark's voice is heard briefly in the New Year's Eve scene.  Cookie Man Jeffrey Allan Chandler had played Dwayne on Who's the Boss?  Sweet Old Woman Molly David was Woman in Coffee Shop on Roseanne, while Lucky Customer Jonathan Emerson would be a Yoga Instructor on Roseanne.  Kate Hodge makes her first of three appearances as Ellen's employee Stephanie, here in a comically tempestuous relationship with Joe.  And, yes, that's Joely Fisher's real-life mother providing the offscreen voice for Paige's mother.

Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: "Back to the Beach" review

I miss you guys!

Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: "Back to the Beach" review
Syndicated
Early August 1987
Movie Review
VHS
B

I started grinning as soon as I saw the credits.  Siskel & Ebert (usually ampersanded, sometimes abbreviated to Sisbert) were a wonderful team and some of their reviews have stayed with me for years.  (A few minutes ago, I watched the 1985 review of Red Sonja on Youtube, and it's just as I remembered it, "Buddha going to the bathroom" and all.)  I was tempted to go B+ just out of affection for Gene and Roger, and for that matter for Frankie & Annette.  But I'll just say that, fun as it is to see S & E argue, or both bash a flick, it's also fun to see their surprise and delight over a sweet, likable movie like BttB.

Steve Kmetko: "Back to the Beach" review

Kmetko around that time

Steve Kmetko: "Back to the Beach" review
CBS
Early August 1987
Movie Review
VHS
B-

The local LA news (KCBS) movie critic gives the new Frankie & Annette movie three out of four stars, which sounds fair.  (I gave it a B- a couple years ago, http://reviewingeverymovieiown.blogspot.com/2014/12/back-to-beach.html.)  Preceded on this clip by news that Donna Rice is going to promote "No Excuses" jeans.