Thursdays at 10

For nearly 30 years, from 1981 to 2009, NBC defined quality television programming in the 10:00 p.m. time slot.  Hill Street Blues debuted in 1981 and changed the production of television drama. Story lines became story arcs, lasting several episodes.  Moving cameras...

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Pelham

Hollywood’s 2009 remake of the 1970s classic movie The Taking of Pelham 123 starred three actors who got their big breaks on the small screen. Denzel Washington played Walter Garber, a New York City civil servant suddenly elevated to be the liaison to hostage...

The Life and Times of Vincent Terranova

Wiseguy aired on CBS for four seasons, from 1987 to 1990.  Ken Wahl starred as Vincent “Vinnie” Terranova, a federal government agent in the Organized Crime Bureau.  Terranova went deep undercover to establish viable criminal credentials. In the beginning,...

Bicycles and Comedy

Double Rush was a short-lived situation comedy that aired on CBS in 1995.  Stephen Nathan and Diane English created Double Rush, using the setting of a bike messenger service in New York City for comedic effect.  The service, appropriately, was called Double Rush....

Ad Men

Prime time television offers a plethora of advertising agencies.  Bewitched boasts McMahon & Tate with Darrin Stephens, a good-natured, smart, creative advertising executive with a wife who’s a bit bewitching.  Some sources use McMann as the spelling of the...