The Cosby Show

Long before “The Cos” became a controversial international figure, he played Dr. Cliff Huxtable- a cheery father, loyal hubby, and successful OB/GYN (who just happened to be black).  He was also a wacky dresser!  Remember those baggy, patterned, and colorful sweaters?  Some folks didn’t like the fact that race wasn’t a BIG ‘ole deal in the (very affluent and assimilated) Cosby household.  But that’s how it is for MANY people I know- they don’t go around discussing race, culture, etc. ALL the livelong day!       

 

Isn’t this kitchen a BIT large for NYC?  LOL… 

 

Did you know that the Cosby family house (the outside) was a brownstone in Brooklyn Heights?  This is one of the priciest, prettiest, and family-oriented ‘hoods in NYC.

 

I liked the fact that Claire (a corporate lawyer) knew what Cliff was up to, what he was thinking, and was NEVER a pushover.  She was also (naturally) cool, elegant, and pretty!

 

Wasn’t Rudy adorable?  The most positive aspect of the show- Cliff was a VERY involved father.  He listened to his kids, teased them (sometimes a bit TOO much), and worked at problem-solving. 

 

Family Ties 

 

 

What other teen (besides Alex P. Keaton) had a poster of Reagan on his bedroom wall!?  Alex was NEVER afraid to show his smarts (rare for sitcom kids these days).  He knew what he wanted and went for it, BUT he was a likeable fellow!  Michael J. Fox brought a kind of physicality to his role that was VERY humorous, especially when contrasted with the slow, deliberate movements of his (much taller) father, played by Michael Gross.  The fact that Steven and Elise were ex-hippies made Alex’s Republicanism funny, too. 

 

Remember how Alex used to leap up onto the kitchen counter to answer the phone?  LOL…

 

  

Michael met his wife of many years, Tracy Pollan, while working on this comedy!  In recent years, BOTH Tracy and Michael Gross made (very memorable) guest appearances on the Law & Order shows.

 

 

MacGyver

 

Wow, can you believe Richard Dean Anderson (RDA) is over 50 now!?  With his blonde hair (making the mullet look COOL), blue eyes, and youthful face/form, RDA was a big audience draw for the ladies in the TV audience.  Who says girls don’t like science (even far-fetched stuff)?  

Okay, the big question- why didn’t Mac ever have a gf?  After all, who doesn’t like a hottie who’s unassuming (he’s from Minnesota after all), lives on a houseboat (in SoCal), and never drinks?  Because many female fans would NOT have it; they wrote letters against such a relationship.  LOL!          

 

Did you know that MacGyver  was a big international hit?  Some friends (who grew up in Bangladesh) said they watched this show regularly.  Back then the main baddies were Russians, unlike today.  Hmmm… what would Mac think of religious fundies? 

This was the kind of action show ALL ages could watch.  Mac was against guns, so he never used them- a good msg for young’uns!     

 

My HS Economics teacher, Mr. Reff, once played against Richard Dean Anderson in a charity hockey tournament in Tucson.  This was back when RDA had a role on General Hospital.  Mr. Reff commented that RDA wasn’t as good a player as he was! 

 

Star Trek: The Next Generation

 

This is one of my MOST fave TV shows of all time!!!  This show had a GREAT cast, intelligent writing, subtle humor, and said a LOT about our time (though it was set in a fictional future).  My dad said he didn’t understand it upon first glance- he called it “weird.”  We kids insisted that he watch it more closely.   You had to pay attention to discover the important issues ST:TNG explored.  Remember the #1 rule of Star Fleet?  “The Prime Directive” said that there can be no interference with the internal affairs of other civilizations.  I guess W. and his crew weren’t watching- LOL!

 

It’s VERY tough to decide, but my fave characters were Capt. Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Data (Brent Spiner).  Because Patrick was mature, confidant, and theatrically trained, the role of authority suited him to a tee.  And who doesn’t LOVE his voice? 

I kind of liked that fact that Picard and Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) didn’t hook up, even though they had GREAT respect for each other and FAB chemistry together!  That’s how REAL life goes sometimes…

 

 

Data, under his odd contacts and golden make-up, sought to be more like the humans.  He was an android (the first of his kind), so he was always an outsider.  As a teen, it was EASY to relate to him!  I liked the easy friendship between Data and Geordi.  And remember when a pretty blonde engineer fell in love with Data?  Fun stuff!   

 

 

Remember when Data wanted to learn to dance so he’d be prepared for O’Brien’s wedding?  He didn’t explain to Dr. Crusher that he wanted to learn social dancing, hence the tap dancing!

From Wikipedia: In response to a fan’s question at the 2008 Fan Expo in Toronto, Brent said when he was first auditioning for the role of Data on Star Trek The Next Generation, he was told he might have to read for the role of Riker. Brent’s response was he only wanted to read for the character of Lt. Cmdr. Data. He said he would not have been interested in doing the show if he had been cast as Riker.

 

Another cool thing about TNG– talented guest stars and recurring characters (like Q, played by John de Lancie).  Q was one of the FEW guys who could unsettle, annoy, and (often) totally piss off the cool, professional Capt. Picard.  Q even went on to other ST shows, b/c the fans LOVED him so much!  He gave Data the gift of laughter in one memorable ep.