Jessalyn Matthews 🏳️‍⚧️

I feel like I should post this - here's the infamous Home Improvement promo from the Dana Carvey Show documentary, as it was actually broadcast (so no cutaways to Colbert or Carell.) You'll notice a few differences as far as graphics go. 🧵

As a Philly 57 fangirl, I love old independent television stations. "Ask The Manager," WSBK's weekly staple where viewers could, well, ask the station's GM questions, is one reason why. (Apologies for the shitty stereotypes in this promo) Original by comma commercials: youtu.be/_JeGeZPQjBk?...

Legit one of my favorite news bloopers ever - from the 1980s, WPVI 6ABC's Car Three meets its untimely demise. You probably won't expect where this leads. Original by WPVI 6ABC: 6abc.com/videoClip/62...

A lot of people bring up Tom Kane for his performances in Powerpuff Girls and Foster's, but I first discovered him as part of the incredible voice cast of Iron Man S2. Kane was HOMER, the AI companion Stark was closer to than his human friends. His robotic naivete was a highlight of the show.

Angela Morley arranged the magnificent score for ATV's "Zoom 2" ident, widely considered the single greatest piece of identification used on British television. It's fucking brilliant. Original by Nostalgia's Television Bits: youtu.be/dGfgOt-ycgI?...

Starz, arguably the flagship channel for all of the Encore networks, got the most polished presentation including handsomely rendered CGI idents and bumpers. *All* of these heavily featured "Encore 8" references. Original by Cory's Nerdcave: youtu.be/7yUMwn1k_sk?...

So I've been dealing with health issues for a month and I wanted to elaborate. This started as a viral infection that went to my stomach and became a wicked acid reflux problem, which turned into a wet cough, and now a persistent, frequently debilitating dry cough. This is what I sound like:

On June 29, 1981, WTBS began to air shows at :05 and :35 so they could have their own logline in TV Guide. "Turner Time," as it became known, defined the channel for years - many lovingly remember WCW's Saturday 6:05pm timeslot. Original by Steve Griggs - youtu.be/1t1p5swE4Yk?...

Alright I'm on a movie theatre policy trailer kick again Let's start with the GOAT - the Regal roller coaster. Not the wimpy one they do now where they keep shoving Sonic or the minions into it, I mean the REAL version - or at least this one from 2010. Original from Regal: youtu.be/-6gon66jF8s?...

For some levity before I go to bed, because this is one of the days we need it: Here is the magnificent news close from Frank Gari's "Turn To" package, used on dozens of stations nationwide and at Philly's KYW-TV from 1985 to 1991. Love how this goes from serious to soaring melody in 60 seconds.

Before Brad Holbrook went insane and adopted the name "Jim Haggerty," he was a legit news anchor. Here he is anchoring the WPIX "Independent News" from Thanksgiving Day 1984. Original by ewxjn (support them!): youtu.be/QRh6yeqOwic?...

This joke went to an unexpectedly dark place

Nobody brings this up nearly enough about Garfield and Friends, but Ed Bogas' music was *on point* As seen here during the magic-themed "Odie The Amazing" short where Odie is tormented by a magic rabbit... while what is very clearly a Legally Distinct version of the Looney Tunes theme plays.

Thom Huge might be the most talented voice actor who did one property, only doing the Garfield shows and specials of the 90s and 2000s. It was, at best, a side gig - he worked for Jim Davis in Muncie and they had to fly him in for recording sessions. And yet he was talented as fuck, as seen here:

I adore this 1985 American Express ad. It's just a very charming commercial, and Jim Davis' complete lack of screen presence makes it utterly adorable.

Anyway - the production values for this special are insane. This is from "Lab Animal." This story was in both the book and the special, and it's creepy in both, but the show junks the "realistic" visuals for something more Don Bluth-y. Somehow this makes it SCARIER.

Philly is known for WPVI's famous Action News Theme, but we had some other great news opens: This is the KYW Eyewitness News open from 1991 with Jack Jones, Ukee Washington, and Tom Lamaine. Ukee and Tom fistbump in the open, and I ADORE that. Original by Casey Roberson: youtu.be/b6xpdfw9d8s?...

I redid the branding for the most recent Pick of the Week video to reflect this, dropping the explicit references to Fox Kids in favor of something that directly references the wonderful Primal Screen Powerhouse look for Cartoon Network.

This gag aired at 9am on the #2 kids show on Saturday Morning kid TV

Here is a minute and 15 seconds of "Mistakes Will Happen," the best segment of Garfield and Friends. Dedicated to fake "animation errors," this episode went way over budget (the overseas studio kept animating it too correctly) but it's so densely packed with jokes, it's insane.

This episode has just a beautiful example of smash cutting. 10/10 no notes.

That music wasn't made for the show - it was actual, honest to god production music that you heard EVERYWHERE on TV, like this news open. According to the News Music Search Archive (yes that is a thing), it's a FirstCom track named "The Leader". Original by Dave Walls - youtu.be/AoKFy6TJbTo?...

Garfield and Friends, especially in its later seasons, delighted in high-concept episodes. This one, "Dread Giveaway," is a pitch perfect parody of 90s infomercials, complete with cheesy music and graphics. It's great.

Some mood music for today's blizzard