retro squad

In case you've missed it -- perhaps you were watching the World Cup -- here are some highlights from the last week at TV Squad:



Breaking News

• Is FOX News working on its own version of The Daily Show?
• Changes in Emmy voting procedure may make fans happier.
• Character actor Richard Stahl dead at 74.
• Son of Anna Nicole Smith's late husband dies.
• Legendary producer Aaron Spelling dies at 83.
• America's Got Talent is scoring high ratings.
• Showtime cancels Huff.
• Katharine McPhee talks about her struggle with bulimia.
• Creator of Rescue Me defends rape scene.
• New episodes of Futurama coming to Comedy Central.
• Here's some free TV shows available on iTunes.
• The next Comedy Central Roast will be of William Shatner.
• FOX announces fall premiere dates.
• Corey Haim and Corey Feldman are getting their own "reality-esque" show.
• Shatner, Brokaw, and Philbin named to TV Hall of Fame.
• Jon Hein sells Jump The Shark to TV Guide.
• Rejected network pilot now playing on YouTube.
• Gordon Ramsay wins libel lawsuit.
• Dan Rather leaves CBS after 44 years.
• David Blaine to hang from Brooklyn Bridge.
  

Discussions

• Do Connie Chung's antics make her less of a newsperson?
• Is Matt Damon too old to play the young James T. Kirk?
• More Lost puzzle-clue-conspiracy thingies.
• Watch Connie Chung's farewell song.
• How much would you pay for every DirectTV channel?

The Five

• Game shows Annie would rock.
• Great Simpsons guest stars.
• Best spaceships on TV.

Opinions

• Anna's loving Hasselhoff on America's Got Talent.
• Rich and I do a "chat review" of Game Show Marathon: Match Game.
• Anna shops the NBC clearance sale.
• Adam talks about Family Dog.
• TV Squad previews NBC's new shows.
• Listen to APB podcast #14: Pilot Screeners Edition.

Retro Squad

• NewsRadio: "Smoking"
• Firefly: "Shindig"
• Strangers with Candy: "Who Wants Cake?"
• Sports Night: "Intellectual Property"
• The Simpsons: "Itchy and Scratchy Land"
• Seinfeld: "The Dog"
• The Prisoner: "Checkmate"
• The Office (BBC): Episode 4
• Angel: "In the Dark"
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "Tearcher's Pet"
• NYPD Blue: "True Confessions"
• Futurama: "I, Roommate"

Episode Reviews

• Dog Bites Man: "Assignment: Spring Break"
• Last Comic Standing: The finalists move in
• Rescue Me: "Sparks"
• The Closer: "Mom Duty"
• Hell's Kitchen: Episode 3
• Entourage: "One Day in the Valley"
• Deadwood: "I am Not the Fine Man You Take Me For"
• Huff: "Black Shadows"
• Treasure Hunters: Premiere

In case you've missed it -- perhaps you were busy trying to find a Father's Day gift -- here are some highlights from the last week at TV Squad:



Breaking News

• Sandra Bernhard sparks catfight on The View.
• Someone organized all the Lost theories.
• Dan Rather set to leave CBS.
• Is he going to work for Mark Cuban's HDNet?
• Anderson Cooper gets first post-baby interview with Jolie.
• Ad sales pay back Katie Couric's salary.
• President Bush signs law increasing indecency fines.
• Billie Piper quits Doctor Who.
• Robert Donner dies at 75.
• Suspect in Josh Holloway's robbery case is arrested.
• Bob Woodruff visits ABC newsroom.
• McKellan and Gervais to share on-screen kiss.
• Jason Bateman and his wife expecting first child.
• Lisa Kudrow signs development deal with NBC.
• CBS says complaints about Without A Trace are not from viewers.
• A&E airs the Rock Paper Scissors Championships.
• Firefly's Baccarin joins Stargate SG-1.
• Jerry Lewis has a mild heart attack.
• Maury and Connie are gone from MSNBC.
• The NY Times reports on the line to get into The Price is Right.
• John Cleese to retire from sitcoms.
• Dan Abrams named head of MSNBC.
  

Discussions

• I talk to Billy West about Futurama, Ren & Stimpy and Howard Stern.
• So... what are you watching on Father's Day?
• Is that Mac from Night Court asking, "Who's agitiating my dots?"
• Are Idol fans old enough to buy the cars Taylor Hicks is selling?
• The Cinglular umbrella girl was a guest on 24.
• 355 readers tell Dustin Diamond where he can stick his t-shirts.
  

The Five

• Worst TV dads.
• Best TV dads.
• Best vehicles on TV.
• Best fake bands.
• Best real TV bands.
  

Opinions

• Bob details the many ways that Letterman is better than Leno.
• Mike chimes in on the Carlin-Coulter non-event on Tonight.
• Anna wonders about Folgers' potency after seeing ad.
• She also extolls the virtues of Comcast On-Demand... Karaoke.
• Adam's schocked at seeing drowned kittens on a Tom & Jerry cartoon.
• Bob wishes more TV characters would say goodbye on the phone.
• Annie hates when TPiR bidders one-up other people's bids.
  

Retro Squad

• The X-Files: "Squeeze"
• NewsRadio: "Inappropriate"
• Firefly: "Bushwacked"
• Strangers with Candy: "Dreams on the Rocks"
• Sports Night: "The Hungry and the Hunted"
• The Simpsons: "Another Simpsons Clip Show"
• Seinfeld: "The Pen"
• The Prisoner: "Dance of the Dead"
• The Office (BBC): Episode 3
• Angel: "Lonely Hearts"
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "Witch"
• NYPD Blue: "Brown Appetit"
• Futurama: "The Series Has Landed"
  

Episode Reviews

• Game Show Marathon: Card Sharks
• Rescue Me: "Torture"
• Last Comic Standing: The final seven finalists are chosen
• The 4400: "The New World"
• Hell's Kitchen: Episodes 1 and 2
• Saved: "A Day in the Life"
• The Closer: "Blue Blood"
• Huff: "Tapping the Squid"
• Deadwood: "Tell Your God to Ready for Blood"
• Entourage: "Aquamom"

In case you've missed it -- perhaps you were busy watching the World Cup -- here are some highlights from the last week at TV Squad:



Breaking News

• George Kashdan dead at 88.
• Cybill Shepherd joining The L Word.
• Rick Kaplan out as president of MSNBC.
• TiVo launches TiVo Cast.
• Kelly Osbourne to host a British version of Project Runway.
• Charlie Rose returns to his show on Monday after heart surgery.
• Stephen King's IT to be adapted for TV again.
• Adam Carolla and his wife have twins.
• Oprah crashes weddings for an upcoming show.
• Alex Toth dies at 77.
• Bernard Loomis dies at 82.
• Vargas insists she wasn't pushed out of WNT anchor job.
• South Park gets its Peabody.
• Hallmark Channel gets rights to March of the Penguins.
• Leno's monologues on iTunes.
• Sixth season of The Shield is a go.
• Pee-Wee's Playhouse coming to Adult Swim.
• Ratings for the National Spelling Bee s-u-c-k.
• Deadwood deal is struck; story will conclude with two movies.
• We get to see another reality show with Donald Trump. Woohoo.
• John O'Hurley and his wife are expecting a baby.
• Demitri Martin signs deals with Microsoft and Comedy Central.
  

Discussions

• What happened to Ray Sharkey?
• Who are TV's most unpopular characters?
• What the hell is the ECW doing on the SciFi Channel?
• Adam schmoozes with Satan on 6/6/06.
• Listen to our 13th APB podcast.
  

The Five

• Bugs and Daffy's greatest moments.
• Less famous Muppets.
• Forgotten Looney Tunes characters.
  

Opinions

• I have problems with the 8-man YES Network broadcast booth.
• Rich wants local weather from The Weather Channel. Imagine that.
• Rich has problems with the new NBC fall schedule.
• Here's a great Perfect Strangers montage!
  

Retro Squad

• NewsRadio: "Pilot"
• The X-Files: "Deep Throat"
• Firefly: "The Train Job"
• Strangers with Candy: "A Burden's Burden"
• Sports Night: "The Apology"
• The Simpsons: "Lisa's Rival"
• Seinfeld: "The Truth"
• The Prisoner: "Free for All"
• The Office (UK): Episode 2
• Angel: "City of"
• NYPD Blue: "4B or Not 4B"
• Buffy: "The Harvest"
• The X-Files: "Pilot"
• Futurama: "Space Pilot 3000"

Episode Reviews

• Doctor Who (series one): "The Parting of the Ways"
• Tom Goes to the Mayor: "Bass Fest"
• Game Show Marathon: Press Your Luck
• Dog Bites Man: "Assignment: Bodybuilders"
• Last Comic Standing: First five finalists are chosen
• Rescue Me: "Discovery"
• The Apprentice: Finale
• The Sopranos: "Kaisha"

In case you've missed it -- perhaps you were busy planning your summer vacation -- here are some highlights from the last week at TV Squad:



Breaking News

• Critic Tom Shales leaves The Washington Post.
• Jaleel White is NOT dead, despite the rumors.
• eBay backs out of ABC reality show.
• Michael Bolton wants to do his own talk show.
• Odd message on YouTube site was just a joke, not a hack.
• Couric reveals some of her CBS Evening News plans.
• The Jolie-Pitt baby already has her own VH1 special.
• Jenna Elfman signs a new deveopment deal with CBS.
• Charlie Gibson becomes WNT anchor, sticks his foot in his mouth.
• Is Ricky Gervais bringing back the UK Office?
• Roger Ebert to have cancer surgery again.
• USA to create two series under "Characters Welcome" banner.
• Anna Nicole Smith is pregnant.
• Comic Relief returns to help Katrina victims.
• Chris Knight and Adrianne Curry get married.
• CBS gets a huge fine for Janet Jackson incident.
• Taylor Hicks signs his Idol-winner's record deal
• Martha Stewart puts her Connecticut home up for sale.
• Robert Sterling of Topper dead at 88.
• TCA award nominations announced.
• Watch the Katie Couric Today goodbye online.
• ABC offers a preview of its fall schedule.
• Dennis Farina to leave Law & Order.
• Character actor Paul Gleason dead at 67.
  

Discussions

• Everwood is gone for good, people!
• Adam likes this ad for Wilkins coffee with some of the first Muppets.
• How does Matt Leblanc on Law & Order sound?
• Anyone remember Snippets?
• Bob remembers Buddy Faro.
• Is there really a big difference between Gibson and Couric?
  

The Five

• Daffy Duck's greatest moments.
• Bugs Bunny's greatest moments.
• Instrumental theme songs that haunt my dreams.
• Talk show guests Bob doesn't want to watch.
• Show's Bob's sister has never watched.
• Recastings that actually worked.
  

Opinions

• TV Land's Benson marathon is sucking away my weekend.
• Dateline goes off the deep end with Letourneau/Fualaau profile.
• Adam can't wait to openly mock Tuesday Night Book Club.
• Bob's examination of awkward hand-offs and segues.
• I remember the disaster that was AfterMASH.
• Sally Field's Boniva commercial makes me feel old.

Retro Squad

• Strangers with Candy: "Old Habits, New Beginnings"
• Firefly: "Serenity (Parts 1 and 2)"
• Sports Night: "Pilot"
• The Simpsons: "Bart of Darkness"
• Seinfeld: "The Note"
• The Prisoner: "Arrival"
• The Office (UK): Episode 1
• NYPD Blue: "Pilot"
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "Welcome to the Hellmouth"

Episode Reviews

• Doctor Who (Series one): "Bad Wolf"
• Game Show Marathon: Let's Make a Deal
• Game Show Marathon: The Price is Right
• Rescue Me: "Devil"

The big finales are finally over. Though we have a few cool premieres starting in the coming weeks, from Rescue Me (5/30) to Deadwood (6/11), let's face it -- TV isn't the same after May sweeps. The question that's floated around the TV Squad headquarters in the past couple of months has been, "what else can we review for the readers?" Enter "Retro Squad."

Starting this coming Sunday, we're going to take you back in time just a little bit. Remember all of those great shows that are no longer airing, either from being cancelled or ending long runs and taking a bow? Or maybe you remember the first seasons of shows still on the air? Of course you do; it's what makes you one of the millions of fans of these cult-classic shows. Well, we're going to bring them back to you, one episode at a time, every week. Read on for the exciting details.