Friday Questions

And here are this week’s Friday Questions:

danny woodhead has a question all in lower case:

friday question: on the cheers anniversary show, why'd you guys go with john mclaughlin to host? and... was the seating arrangement a big discussion? i can't imagine shelley long was psyched about being seated next to robin colcord and a charles brother.

NBC asked them to a do a clip show (highlight clips from previous episodes) for November sweeps and the Charles Brothers were looking for a novel way to do that.  John McLaughlin was a popular PBS host so he provided a little culture to the event.  It was also an out-of-the-box choice.

I don’t know how the seating arrangements were set.  I was not there the night they shot this.  But I would be honored to be seated between Glen Charles and Roger Rees.   Plus, she's sitting near the center.  I don't see where that's a bad position in any way shape or form. 

JS asks:

My Friday Question -MeTV just runned the last episode of Henry Blake. Why is it considered funny that he forcibly kissed Hoolihan. That has always bugged me. It's not funny - at all. Different times, I don't know. And they had to make it like she love it.

You said it yourself — different times.  It’s supposed to be 1951.  To do a period piece and inject today’s woke sensibilities to behavior is not being authentic or real.   

And many people did find it funny. They still do.  Hot Lips, at the time, was a rather bawdy character.  I believe Henry assumed she wouldn’t mind.  

And it’s one joke.  

Kendall Rivers wonders:

Have you had the chance to check out Abbott Elementary yet? If not I highly recommend it! Definitely has the traditional classic sitcom feel yet still feels fresh. In my opinion it's the best comedy I've seen on television period since The Middle. It definitely has Middle quality vibes to me.

I have seen a number of episodes.  I admire it, I like the characters (especially Sheryl Lee Roth), it’s well constructed, it makes me smile, but it doesn’t make me laugh.  I’m still looking for that sitcom that makes me laugh.   

And finally, from Janet:

You mentioned sweeps in your answer about FRASIER.

My question is: Are sweeps still a "thing," and how have they changed over the years?

Yes… sorta.  But not really.  Ratings now are less important.  Time shifting, streaming, shows on multiple platforms make it hard to really determine just how many eyeballs will see your commercial.  

Networks no longer try to make a big splash for sweeps.  Personally, I think advertisers are happy about that.  Sweeps always inflated the ratings.  How many final episodes of MASH can you run?

What’s your Friday Question? 


from By Ken Levine

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