1990 Christmas: The Adventures of Pete and Pete

Another guest blogger, Dominic Caruso, writes our 1990s Christmas piece today.  He is my editor at 1701 Press.  This episode is available for viewing on my Youtube channel TistheSeasonTV within the 1990s playlist.  'Pete & Pete' fans may be interested to know that there is also a New Year's episode which is available on DVD (Season 1, disc 2) and at Netflix.

When I was an undergrad, The Adventures of Pete and Pete was my favorite children’s show for college students. It was a kids show, yes, but it was undoubtedly aimed at “alternative-nation” suburban college students such as myself. The theme song—which I loved—was by Mark Mulcahy, frontman for one of my favorite 90s bands, Miracle Legion. The guest stars—who I loved—included rockers like Marshall Crenshaw, Iggy Pop, and Syd Straw. And, the show’s sensibility—which I loved—was ironic, wistful for childhood, gently surreal, and filled with familiar suburban adventures. I’m pretty sure it’s the only show featuring a character with a forearm tattoo cool enough to warrant its own place in the opening credits.

The Christmas episode “O’Christmas Pete,” fashions most of these idiosyncrasies into a traditional tale of Christmas Spirit emerging from the stench of a garbage strike. Little Pete wants to avoid the letdown in the level of Christmas goodwill and spirit that he feels the day after Christmas. In order to keep the Christmas joy going he convinces his family (with a concise flip chart) to celebrate Christmas Day every day. Soon the Wrigley’s are exchanging gifts, passing around the fruitcake, and caroling. Again. Their enthusiasm spreads to the other residents on the block. It’s great. Everyone spends something like 12 days celebrating like it’s Christmas Day, until… enter The Garbageman.

The Garbageman is a meaner villain than the show’s regular antagonists (bullies with Dick Tracy names like Endless Mike, Open Face, and Pit Stain). He arrives with his own spaghetti westernesque theme song, performed by David Johansen:

    “He grew up tough,
    Grew up mean,
    He became a Christmas killin’ machine.”

Garbageman--The Crusher of Dreams

Garbageman actually is kind of scary. He’s played by a cadaverous looking Joseph McKenna, who wouldn’t look out of place in Escape From New York with his yellow teeth and the braided rat-tail at the back of his bare skull. Garbageman has one goal: to take the Wrigley’s Christmas tree and bring Christmas to an unceremonious end. However, Little Pete enacts numerous ideas to keep the Christmas tree, and consequently the celebration going, including organizing a block-party-sized Christmas Mambo line. To crush Pete’s resistance, the Garbageman initiates a garbage strike, first targeting the Wrigley’s, then the whole block. Everyone’s trash piles sky high and the stink befouls Little Pete’s front yard reenactments of the arrival of the 3 wise men. When the Garbageman literally beats the kringle out of Santa Claus in a Little Pete-orchestrated boxing match, Little Pete is forced to concede that Christmas has to end, and that the sneering Garbageman will crush the Wrigley’s tree in the back of his truck.

What will Big Pete do as the garbage piles higher and the stench grows worse?

However, Big Pete is a good older brother. He doesn’t want to see his younger brother defeated by such an unrepentantly nasty character. What Big Pete does at the episode’s end brings the Christmas spirit to even the hardhearted Garbageman. I won’t give it away, except to say that the fastest way to the Garbageman’s heart is through a festive pile of trash. Little Pete gets to experience the goodwill of the Christmas season a little longer, and the best 1990s kids show for college students ends on a sweet, stinky note.

1990s Christmas: The Tick

To begin our Christmas in July celebration, let's welcome guest blogger Ken Reid. He is a Boston based stand up comedian.  Please check him out: www.ikenreid.com.

The Tick
“The Tick Loves Santa!” aka “The Tick Vs. Multiple Santa”
Original airdate: 11/25/95 Fox TV

The Holidays, and more specifically the Holiday special, often belong to those who are children at heart.  To paraphrase John Hughes, “When you grow up, your heart dies” and logic would dictate that with this inevitable age induced heart-death a big part of the magic of Christmas dies with it.  As the adult world’s emphasis on logic, what is “real” and financial worries encroach on the carefree magic of snow covered bliss it is left to the child-like sincerity of the heroic idiot to remind us all of the true spirit of the season. There is no bigger, more child-like, more sincere or more heroically idiotic character to remind us of this, than the big blue bastion of justice that is simply known as, The Tick. 
Created by a teenage Ben Edlund for the appropriately named (and my local comic shop growing up) New England comic book chain New England Comics’ newsletter in 1986, the Tick spun off into his own comic in 1988.  We can probably thank the success of the  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but strangely this bizarre, comics parody heavy, black and white indie comic spawned a 1994 animated Saturday Morning series on Fox during the death throes of Saturday Morning. 

The one and only holiday episode (a rare treat for a Saturday Morning show, especially airing during the normal run and not as a prime time special) is a true unheralded classic.  The episode opens with the Tick and Arthur (his Moth themed ex-accountant sidekick) doing some last minute shopping for their Christmas Party, wandering the snow covered streets of “The City” in which they protect.  They are deep in conversation as the Tick cannot quite comprehend exactly what a sugar plum is, despite the fact that they are presently dancing in his head (there seems to be plenty of room for them in there).  They are interrupted by an on the lam bank robber who has stolen a Salvation Army Santa’s costume and is currently being pursued by the police.  The Tick, convinced it’s the real Santa (I mentioned he was a sincerely lovable heroic idiot, right?) assumes there must be some mistake and attempts to intervene.  In the ensuing mayhem our criminal imposter is accidentally electrocuted on the neon “Mmmmm….” tagline of a beer billboard.   A distraught Tick goes home with Arthur, convinced he has been responsible for vaporizing Santa. 

However, that is not the end of our story.  Criminal imposter Santa was not vaporized, he rises from the snow bank, an “M” from the sign burned onto his chest. Things get more bizarre when the jolt of electricity seems to have granted him the power to copy himself and he multiplies before our eyes, we’ve witnessed the birth of a new villain, The Multiple Santa.

 Meanwhile as the Tick and his superhero pals sip egg nog back at their party, the Tick is convinced there will be no Christmas. His super friends all attempt to convince him that not only did they not vaporize Santa, there IS no Santa, and despite all that there will be a Christmas.  They don’t manage to do much convincing but decide to cut their losses and head out for some caroling, as superheroes are want to do.

While on their musical Christmas jaunt they encounter the now super powered Multiple Santa and in the ensuing battle accidentally throw him into the power transformer of the City’s giant Christmas Tree. The surge creates more Santas and the heroes retreat, the Tick still not convinced they have not been fighting the real Santa.   The Tick just couldn’t bring himself to hit Santa, much to the enragement of the other heroes. 

“Odds are it wasn’t the real Santa, but how can you ever be sure?” – The Tick
“If he jumps up and kicks you in the stomach its probably not Santa” – Die Fladermaus, fellow superhero.

It seems the only way to convince the Tick that the real Santa is not the multiple culprit would be a visit from the real Santa, and that’s exactly what happens.  After the Tick and Arthur’s apartment is swept by the elves that comprise “Santa’s Little Secret Service”  old Kris Kringle himself appears and informs the Tick, who Santa says has kept the faith his faith in Christmas longer than any sane adult could, that there is an imposter, he is dangerous and needs to be stopped.  Multiple Santa has hatched a plan to hijack the City’s Hydro-electric plant, and absorb all of the electricity, using the power to make an endless supply of copies and to take over the city.   With this newly revealed information thanks to the St. Nick, the Tick and Arthur head to the plan for a final battle.

 Once the Tick squares off with the newly energized Multiple Santa he still can’t quite bring himself to hit him, so he goes for the only logical option left to him, he dishes out a noogie, a noogie of justice. To everyone’s surprise the release of static electricity from the heroic noogie negate the Multiple Santas powers, destroying all the clones, and the city, and Christmas is saved.
The final scene is summed up by the Tick’s new lessons about Santa as he states:
“Santa is real. He is a compulsive gift giver, and merry all over”

As the audience is shows that now not only does the Tick have sugar plums dancing in his head, but Arthur does as well. All is right in the world again.

Back when network animated shows were falling into the so-overly-a commercial-for-a-mediocre-toy-it-borders-on-the-surreal or so-blandly-compliant-with-educational-content-guidelines-we-may-as-well-be-
reading-a-textbook categories, the Tick was a shining light of entertaining, well crafted, hilarious strangeness.   All of the hallmarks of a good Christmas special are here, the child-like belief in the beauty and magic of Christmas by a seven foot tall, 400lbs probably clinically insane man in a blue leotard, the attempts by the adult world to rid themselves of that belief, an appearance by the real Santa and that tired old cliché of a noogie that heralds the Christmas Miracle.

A genuine 90s Christmas classic.

Thanks Ken!  This fun holiday episode of The Tick can be watched on my Youtube channel, TistheSeasonTV, located under the 1990s playlist.

Christmas in July 2011

There are many things going on here through the month of July:  

--Blogfest giveaway July 15-17.  You'll have a chance to win a prizes from me here during that weekend.  So stop back and enter!
--All month I'll be featuring discussions about Christmas entertainments made in the 1990s.  We'll have guest bloggers as well as posts written by me.  This will be a lot of fun!
--My publisher 1701 Press is hosting a book sale.  Click here for the details.

I will also continue the daily updates on holiday programming throughout the month of July.  You can receive these updates if you follow me on Twitter (TistheSeasonTV) or join the Facebook group: Christmas TV History Blog.  Those links are along the right hand side of this blog.

So crank up the air conditioning and enjoy the season--Merry Christmas in July!!

***BOOK SALE***

For the entire month of July, my publisher is running a sale on both of my books:  Tis the Season TV (2010) and The Christmas TV Companion (2009).  Here's the deal you can get:

If you buy Tis the Season TV, you will also receive:

--free shipping
--both handouts, written by me, from my book tour last winter including Convoy Christmas which is a discussion of trucking-themed Christmas programs and Hollywood's Favorite Christmas Carols which discusses the classic films that introduced some of our most cherished holiday songs.
--AMC Movies Holiday Classics which is a brand new, factory-sealed 3 DVD set that includes 6 movies:
1.) A Christmas Without Snow, 2). The Nutcracker, 3). Beyond Tomorrow, 4). Scrooge: A Christmas Carol, 5). Santa Claus, and 6). Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.  All of these films (and more) are mentioned in the Tis the Season TV encyclopedia.

If you buy The Christmas TV Companion, you will receive:

--free shipping!
--both handouts, written by me, from my book tour last winter including Convoy Christmas which is a discussion of trucking-themed Christmas programs and Hollywood's Favorite Christmas Carols which discusses the classic films that introduced some of our most cherished holiday songs.
--a set of four drink coasters made from vintage Christmas music LPs.  
--your choice of ONE of the following brand new, factory-sealed DVDs:
1). The Munsters: Scary Little Christmas movie, starring Sam McMurray, Ann Magnuson, and Bug Hall.
2). the movie Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? starring Shelley Winters.  This DVD is a Midnight Movie Double Feature packaged with the movie What's the Matter with Helen?
3). The Hebrew Hammer--the Comedy Central TV movie spoof of Shaft and Christmas movies with a Hanukkah twist.  It stars Adam Goldberg and Andy Dick.
4).  Yule Log-a continuous play DVD of a cracling fire in a fireplace set to twenty-five holiday songs.

Set of 4 Drink Coasters made from vintage LPs (coasters vary per set)

This sale is only available through the publisher 1701 Press--along the right side of this blog.  It begins July 1st and ends July 31st.  If you have questions, please contact: Dominic (at) 1701Press dot com.

Remembering Clarence Clemons

Like many others, I've been touched by the recent passing of musician/actor Clarence Clemons.  The first image that comes to mind when I think of the tenor saxophonist, is that one with him and Bruce Springsteen from the Born to Run album cover.  My big sister had a Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert t-shirt that I used to "borrow" and wear during my high school years.

Ahhh...the 1980s.

But the Big Man did more than just provide the most amazing, rockin' sax accompaniment to back up The Boss.  What's on my mind today is Clemons' appearance on the Christmas episode of the TV police drama Nash Bridges.

Hunky Don Johnson as a police detective

The second season episode, "25 Hours of Christmas," has several different storylines.  Nash and his partner Joe, played by Don Johnson and Cheech Marin, are investigating a department store armed robbery that didn't go off as the robbers planned.  Joe has taken Nash's much-beloved vintage car to get it detailed for him as a present for Christmas but the 'Cuda is stolen in transit.  Nash accidentally switches the gifts he purchased for his ex-wife and his current girlfriend which causes some unexpected reactions from the women in his life.  And, Angel, a mentally unstable local citizen tells Nash that he is Nash's guardian angel this Christmas.  This is an unwelcome distraction to the police investigations and activity at the San Francisco station house.

Clemons as Big Barry, looking to get his sax from the police evidence locker.

But more relevantly, this episode also includes Clarence Clemons, near the end, as a local businessman and musician named Big Barry.  In this episode, he is here to give Nash the car tires he needs and to ask for help getting his property out of an evidence locker.  After this Big Barry attends the police department Christmas party.  Dressed in a Santa Claus suit,  Joe joins Barry to entertain the party guests, performing the holiday song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."  Clemons' role as Big Barry is brief here but the performance is a substantial one as the music extends into Clemons playing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" as well.

Cheech Marin and Clemons rockin' together on "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"

This Christmas episode of Nash Bridges is available for viewing on DVD.  It's on Season 2, disc 3 for Netflix users.  How lucky we are to have Clemons' musical work and his appearances in movies and films recorded.  In this way, he can live forever.

Hopefully, this 1996 episode has stimulated your appetite for more 1990s Christmas entertainments because throughout the whole month of July, I'll be featuring just that.  I'm hosting a dozen guest bloggers and I'll even jump in there to write about a few 1990s movies and programs myself.  So make sure you stop back during July to check out what others are saying about our favorite 1990s Christmas movies, specials and TV episodes.  It's still not too late to join in on the fun if you'd like to guest blog during July--email me ASAP with a title if you're interested.

Remembering Peter Falk

Peter Falk (1927-2011)

It is with sadness that we say our final goodbye to actor Peter Falk.  There are many tributes to Falk's long career, many focusing on his iconic TV detective Columbo, the Runyon-esque tough guys he played on the big screen, or even his much-beloved appearance in Wim Wenders' arthouse classic Wings of Desire.

But here, on my blog, I want to acknowledge his appearances in the trilogy of Christmas TV movies in which he plays Max, the underestimated angel that works to bring people together for the holiday.

The first film in the series is 2001's A Town Without Christmas which also stars Patricia Heaton. 

Heaton is currently starring on the hit sitcom 'The Middle.'

 Heaton plays a TV news reporter who's sent to cover a story where a letter to Santa is discovered at a small town post office that sparks attention all over the country--a letter written by a child whose life is in jeopardy!

The second in the series of three films is 2003's Finding John Christmas which stars Valerie Bertinelli.  In this story, a photojournalist snaps a photo of an anonymous man, down on his luck at the holiday, which runs in the local newspaper. 

Bertinelli is currently on TVLand's 'Hot in Cleveland.'

Kathleen, played by Bertinelli, recognizes the photo as her long lost brother and contacts the journalist.  The public is moved by the photo in the newspaper and there’s a movement to find the stranger in the photo labeled ‘John Christmas.'  Unfortunately, he doesn’t want to be found.

And the third TV movie is 2004's When Angels Come to Town which stars Katey Sagal.  This story centers on two people in a small town who both need help this Christmas.  The angel Max attempts to help each of them but another angel, Jo, played by Sagal, believes that Max's efforts are mistaken.

I LOVE Sagal on her current TV series 'Sons of Anarchy.'

 All three movies are uplifting Christmas stories that include the angel Max who usually takes on several guises to provide the main characters the support and encouragement they need to do the right thing.  There's usually a touch of magic and the feeling of fate's hand guiding people in the right direction.  Falk's Max is eccentric, all-knowing and persistent--not unlike Columbo.  It's a real treat to see his familiar face and his way of doing what he does best--in these feel-good holiday stories.

The cable network Universal HD will be airing all three Peter Falk Christmas TV movies starting this Thursday and repeating them each several times through Saturday.  If you don't get Universal HD network, don't worry.  These three movies still regularly air each December.

Circus Boy Christmas (1956)

Do you watch Antenna TV?  This is one of the growing number of national digital multicast television networks.  It can be picked up through rabbit ears or a TV antenna in certain areas with a local affiliate.  It can also be received through a cable system that picks up the local affiliate.  I happen to watch it through my Time/Warner cable subscription.

And I watch Antenna TV alot.  This network airs old, classic TV shows and mostly forgotten movies.  I like to watch Maude, Rin-Tin-Tin, Burns and Allen, the Partridge Family, Hazel, Dennis the Menace, Too Close for Comfort, Here Come the Brides, Gidget, the Flying Nun and more.  But what I'm excited about is happening next Sunday, July 3rd on Antenna TV.  They happen to be airing the Christmas episodes of Circus Boy and the Monkees, two TV shows that star Mickey Dolenz.

Cue the calliope music

Circus Boy is a half-hour, black-and-white adventure series from the mid-1950s about a traveling circus at the turn-of-the-century.  The show centers around Corky, the young orphan boy who takes care of the little elephant Bimbo.  The role of Corky is credited to actor Mickey Braddock but it's easy to recognize the boy to be a young, blonde Mickey Dolenz.  The 1956 Christmas episode of Circus Boy is entitled 'The Good Samaritans.'  The circus has been invited to perform in the small town of Hayfield at Christmas but finds its residents are prejudiced against circus people.

Of course, Braddock is a blonde Dolenz! duh.

Here we come, walking down the street...

The Monkees is the iconic 1960s absurd comedy about the four members of the band the Monkees.  It stars Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Davey Jones and Mickey Dolenz.  The 1967 Christmas episode finds the four men babysitting a wealthy little boy in order to earn money for Christmas presents.  Look closely and you may recognize the rich kid, Melvin, as actor Butch Patrick--also known for his role as Eddie Munster on The Munsters.  Mickey Dolenz has a special moment in this Christmas episode as he sings the lead in the performance of 'Riu Chiu.'  This Spanish song is a beautiful carol from the 16th century Renaissance period.  You didn't know the Monkees had it in them, did ya?

 This starts with the Monkees performance of 'Riu Chiu' beautifully harmonized.

Both of these vintage Christmas episodes air on Antenna TV Sunday July 3rd.  The Circus Boy episode is at 9:30 am (EST) and the Monkees Christmas episode airs at 3:30 pm (EST).  If you'd like more updates on daily Christmas episode and movie broadcasts, you can follow my Facebook group 'Christmas TV History blog or follow me on Twitter: TistheSeasonTV.  Both of those links are on along the right hand side of this blog.

Mickey and Butch Patrick in The Christmas Show

The Christmas episode of Circus Boy is also available for viewing on Youtube--just follow the link for my Youtube channel, TistheSeasonTV, on the right hand side of this blog.  The Monkees is also available for viewing on Youtube as well as DVD.