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Retro Television:
Michelle's televised trip down memory lane...
Television was one of the mediums that helped shape my persona. When I was a kid, I had a lot of friends and I played for hours on end, but for some reason I found myself glued to the tube. I wish that I could say that it stopped in my teenage years, buy hey, I was a TV addict.Here are a few shows that helped create the Michelle you know and love.
"Good Times" (1974 - 1979)
Starring: John Amos, Esther Rolle, Jimmie Walker
Network: CBS
Juicy Tidbits: A young Janet Jackson played Penny, an abused kid that was adopted by the neighbour, Willona.
Where Are They Now?: John Amos is set to appear in the horror Voodoo Moon, while Jimmie Walker seems to have halted his acting projects. Esther Rolle passed away in 1998.
Michelle Remembers: How could anyone make light of a struggling family living in the projects of Chicago in the mid 1970's? Well, producer Norman Lear did. As a child, I guess I wasn't aware of the social and political implications of the theme of the show. I just thought that it was cool to see black people on my TV set. Also, I was a little too young to understand what was really going on. Mind you, I did find it a little sad to watch my favourite sitcom family struggle to make ends meet on a weekly basis, plus deal with the racism that was very much prevalent. Weirdly enough, there were plenty of comedic overtones in "Good Times" to satisfy my funny bone. The ultimate character was James Evans (Amos), who played the father. I have yet to see a character on TV who has such a short temper. Say the wrong thing and you will feel his wrath. I liked this show because it portrayed a strong man and woman in charge of the household.
"The Cosby Show" (1984 - 1992) Starring: Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashad, Lisa Bonet, Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Network: NBC
Juicy Tidbits: A 21-year-old Whitney Houston was up for the role of Sonda, the eldest Huxtable sibling. The role ultimately went to Sabrina Le Beuf.
Where Are They Now?: Bill Cosby doesn't need to do anything ever again, as his numerous television shows have amassed truckloads of money for the comedian (with the exception of "Cosby," an ill-fated attempt at recapturing the appeal of "The Cosby Show"). Malcolm-Jamal Warner similarly had little luck with the sitcom "Listen Up," which was cancelled after one season.
Michelle Remembers: Even though I liked watching "Good Times," I also enjoyed "The Cosby Show" because the content was more uplifting. I was able to see a wealthy black family handle life's little and not-so-little problems. True, towards the end this show became unrealistic and boring, but for a child whose only memories of a black TV family was watching them worry about money, "The Cosby Show" displayed a different reality, not just a negative one."In Living Color" (1990 - 1994)
Starring: Keenan Ivory Wayans, Jim Carrey, Tommy Davidson, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Jamie Foxx
Network: FOX
Juicy Tidbits: Jennifer Lopez was a Fly Girl (one of the dancers who danced between sketches). Homey D. Clown (portrayed by Damon Wayans) had the infamous catchphrase: "Homey don't play that!," which was ranked #20 in TV Guide's list of "TV's 20 Top Catchphrases." Homey might also be turned into a film.
Where Are They Now?: All doing well, especially Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx, in case you haven't heard.
Michelle Remembers: You know that I seriously wish that this show was still on TV. When this program first aired, I would talk about the skits long after the show aired. "In Living Color" was a sketch comedy show similar to "Saturday Night Live" - the only difference was that "In Living Color" consisted of a primarily black cast. It was so funny that everyone that I knew would tape each episode and watch it again and again. It goes down in television history as being risqué, controversial and groundbreaking. It indisputably showcased the talents of Jim Carrey, Damon Wayans and Jamie Foxx. Some unforgettable characters: Homey the Clown, Wanda - Ugly Girl, The Homeboy Shopping Network, and of course, Men on Film."South Central" (1994)
Starring: Lamont Bentley, Maia Campbell, Larenz Tate, Jennifer Lopez
Network: FOX
Juicy Tidbits: FOX cancelled the gritty series after one season.
Where Are They Now?: Larenz Tate, after surviving a spotty résumé, can be seen in the ensemble drama Crash and has a minor role in the Oscar-winning film, Ray. Jennifer Lopez continues to suck. Lamont Bentley passed away in 2005 from a car accident.
Michelle Remembers: I'm sure that my friend Shane and I are the only two people on this earth to ever watch "South Central." This was a show about a poor family living in Los Angeles after the Rodney King riots. Their main goal was to just survive day to day. It was dark, depressing and real. It wasn't similar to my life at all, and that's what intrigued me. It actually educated me in what was going on in another part of the world, as well as in my own backyard. Yes, I was naïve. One of the best episodes was when Andre (a young Larenz Tate played the lead role) was being chased and harassed for his brand new running shoes, and he had to jump out of a bus to get away from the gangbangers. I liked that episode because it was such a slice out of life situation. It was dealt with in a very real way and did not talk down to the viewers. And yes, there was no happy ending. This was probably one of the best programs to have ever been produced. ¤ MichelleHere a few other shows that I never missed:
- "Three's Company" (1977 - 1984)
- "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979 - 1985)
- "A Different World" (1987 - 1993)
- "Martin" (1992 - 1997)
- "Living Single" (1993 - 1998)
[ Find out who what Christine used to watch back in the day. Part III of the article. ]