Must See TV: Hollywood Game Night

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I love celebrities. I love game nights. Put both of those together??? Hollywood Game Night!!

Join Jane Lynch as she hosts a hilarious hour of party games with two teams full of celebrities - plus 2 "normal" people as team captains. The teams compete for the most points, then the team captain has a chance to win $25,000 and one of the celebs can win $10,000 for their favorite charity.

I can't even express how delightful it is! It feels like a throwback to those great game shows of yore with celebrity panels (not celebrity judges on over-saturated talent shows. blech!) like To Tell The Truth. It's so fun to see their personalities shine through, to see them triumph, and to see them stumped!

Watch the first three episodes on Hulu now! (My favorite is episode 3 with Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Jason Sudeikis, Fred Armisen, Sean P. Hayes, and Dax Shepherd!)

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Are you watching Mad Men this season?

If so, you know what I'm thinking--WOWZERS, right? This season started off painfully slow but it has really ramped up! It's getting so intense and I am LOVING it!



This season, I discovered the genius of TomAndLorenzo.com. These guys write the most incredible Mad Men recaps every Monday and every Wednesday they publish an academic breakdown of what the characters are wearing and how it relates to the themes of the season. They have really cracked the code and it's fascinating to read.

If you haven't checked them out, head over here to read their Mad Men recaps and Mad Style posts! They even did an amazing analysis of Bob Benson (my new favorite!) last week!

Tom and Lorenzo have been referring to this season as a Muppet Babies version of Mad Men, and they couldn't be more right. From Roger declaring "This is MY funeral!" when his mother's funeral didn't go the way he wanted to Ted whining "I want MY juice" to... Don Draper whining like a baby.


And I leave you with that! One of the funniest moments of the season.

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Call The Midwife

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Call The Midwife has won me over. Back when I wrote about Lark Rise To Candleford, a few people mentioned Call The Midwife. I had seen the first episode but found it really intense and it didn't hold my attention completely.

BUT, I gave it another chance and oh my goodness. I had a major marathon over the weekend while I cleaned and did stuff around the house and then this week I managed to finish Season 2. SO, SO GOOD.

Season 1 is available on Netflix and Season 2 just aired on PBS so you can watch it on PBS.org and on the PBS app. (If you don't have the PBS app, I recommend it! There are so many shows available on it that look REALLY interesting!)

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Did You Know The Dick Van Dyke Show Theme Has Lyrics?

We all know I'm totally obsessed with the Dick Van Dyke show and so of course I follow the show page (run by TV Land) on Facebook. This week, they shared an old clip of Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore on the Rachael Ray show. He is so incredibly charming and wonderful that this clip almost made me cry! I so wish there was a way to see him (or better yet, them!) in person somehow before it's too late. (Sorry for the slightly morbid sentiment - I would just love to see them somehow!)

The Rachael Ray video player won't let me embed the video, so click below to see him sing the lyrics to the theme song and to hear who he and Mary Tyler Moore would cast to play Rob and Laura if they could cast from actors today. I like Mary's answer for Rob!

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The Dick Van Dyke Show--Buddy Sorrell: Man & Boy

Confession: I fall asleep to The Dick Van Dyke Show on my iPhone every night. I love it so much.

Several weeks ago, I was surprised by an episode in Season 5 called Buddy Sorrell: Man and Boy. In this episode, Buddy begins acting very strangely and Rob and Sally suspect him of cheating on his wife! What!!!!

So, I won't spoil it for you, but Buddy isn't being shady. He has a very good and heartfelt reason for his suspicious behavior and I've read that this episode actually marks the first bar mitzvah ever shown on TV! I'm not Jewish, but I think that's really cool.

If you haven't given The Dick Van Dyke Show a chance, you should! Check out this groundbreaking episode (click here!) or browse other episodes here!

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Lark Rise To Candleford

If the season finale of Downton Abbey has left a hole in your heart, check out Lark Rise to Candleford!


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Lark Rise to Candleford is based on semi-autobiographical novels written by Flora Thompson. The show follows Laura Timmins, a young teenager from a very small village called Lark Rise, as she moves to Candleford to work for her cousin the Postmistress in 1894. Similar to Downton Abbey, you get to watch families, friends, and co-workers from two different socioeconomic statuses interact and navigate the differences between them.

The series aired beginning in 2008 and it must have been shot in HD because the scenes are so beautiful. (Have you ever turned on an older BBC show and been completely turned off by the poor quality? You won't be disappointed with this show!) There are 4 seasons for a total of 40 episodes.

The show is DELIGHTFUL! I love the relationships among the neighbors and how community-focused everyone is. There is some drama but nothing too crazy (no Turkish diplomats, if you know what I mean!) and everything always works out in the end. The ONLY problem I had was that in Season 1, the story lines relied heavily on characters that were introduced for one episode. Their stories were told and then we never saw them again. I prefer storylines that thread through a season rather than everything getting tied up neatly in the course of 50 minutes. 

It took me a few episodes to sort all the characters out, so here's a run down in case you begin the series!

Lark Rise's main inhabitants:


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Laura's parents: Robert and Emma Timmins. Robert is played by (drumroll please!) Brendan Coyle, none other than Mr. Bates from Downton Abbey. If you like Mr. Bates, you will love Robert Timmins. He and Emma are SO in love and even though he has a bad temper sometimes, they always work their problems out. Emma is a wonderful neighbor to everyone in Lark Rise.


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Queenie and Twister Turrell: Queenie is the "matriarch" of Lark Rise. Everyone turns to her for advice and help - she always has a natural (or supernatural) remedy for anything that ails them. Twister is loveable but struggles with the drink and goes a little overboard in everything he does.


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The Arlesses: Caroline Arless is the liveliest resident of Lark Rise. She is jovial and full of life but struggles to raise her children while her husband is away at sea. Her oldest son is Alf, Laura's best friend.

Candleford features:


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Dorcas Lane, Postmistress. She is single and the ultimate independent woman. She inherited the post office and the forge from her father and has run them successfully on her own. She cares greatly for her neighbors and would do anything for them. She is sometimes sharp-tongued but always has other people's best interest at heart.



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Sir Timothy, the squire, owns all the land from Lark Rise to Candleford. He is Dorcas' former love and there is still a LOT of tension there. He's pretty dreamy even though he makes a lot of mistakes.




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The Pratt sisters, Ruby and Pearl, own a dress shop across the street from the post office. They are incredibly nosy and judgmental. They get a few redeeming moments throughout the series, but mostly they are the snarksters of Candleford.



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Thomas Brown works in the post office and he is a ridiculous caricature of a very self-righteous Christian. I never really understand what his deal is. He is hard on himself and everyone else, but ultimately does have a good heart.



If I name any more characters, I might give something away! SO, that's all for now... please let me know if you start watching it! It's available for streaming on Amazon Prime but is probably also available on DVD at your local library! There's a great review here!

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Friday Fun: Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby, bless his heart, was on Jimmy Fallon last week and it was... bizarre! Funny, but bizarre. He tried to start a fight with The Roots! :)

You can watch his appearance below:


They also booked Tempestt Bledsoe on the same show and it was cool to see them together. Watch those segments now:


So fun! Love them!

Great news - the Cosby show is now available on Hulu!

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Friday Fun: Huxtable Hotness

Thanks everyone for your sweet comments about Ollie and being an aunt! Sadly, we didn't get to see him because Staci went back to the hospital to have her foot checked out because it's still swollen. I haven't heard the verdict yet so I'm keeping her in my prayers. It must be stressful to be a new mom and have to deal with medical issues!

Today's Friday Fun post takes us back in time and features one of my favorite TV shows ever. I just discovered a highly entertaining website called Huxtable Hotness, in which the author watches every episode of The Cosby Show and dissects each character's wardrobe.

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The members of the Huxtable family made pretty distinct clothing choices and it's fun to look back at them and think about the impact they had on the series. You knew you could always expect to see Cliff's sweaters and college sweatshirts, Clair's classy lawyer outfits, Denise's funky, artistic ensembles, and Theo's trendy teenager look. (Sorry Rudy and Vanessa, your clothes don't really stand out!)

It's also fun to see if any of the 80s clothes could be worn today. Interestingly enough, some of them could. :)

Check out Huxtable Hotness if you're looking to waste a LOT of time and be entertained. :)

P.S. Happy Birthday to Andy!!! I love you and I'm so excited to celebrate with you today!

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Friday Fun: The Mary Tyler Moore Show

How did I just figure this out?? The Mary Tyler Moore Show is on Hulu! I got hooked a few weekends ago when they showed the very first episode on the Hallmark channel. Unfortunately I couldn't sit and watch the marathon all day, but I happened across the series on Hulu and was delighted!

It's not as amazing as the Dick Van Dyke Show (my FAVORITE), but it is fun to watch! Hope you enjoy!

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Friday Fun: Lennon's Apartment

NBC premiered a new show last week called Best Friends Forever about two best friends (Lennon and Jess) who lived in an amazing apartment in New York until Jess got married and moved cross country. When her husband files for divorce three years later, she treks back to New York and moves back into the old apartment. The only hitch in the plan is that 11 months earlier, Lennon's boyfriend had moved in with her.

The trio are now learning to navigate how to live together in this amazing apartment. Did I mention the apartment is amazing? Because it is.

Let's start with the outside. How perfect is this row of brownstones (are these considered brownstones?)?

By day:



And by night:


Do you suppose they live in Brooklyn??? (Actually, looking at the 2 photos, those look like different apartments!)

When the show returned from the opening credits, we saw establishing shots of the interior of Lennon's apartment and I was instantly in love.

Click the photo to see it larger.

This reminds me a little of Amelie's decor - maybe it's just the slight green tint that reminds me of that but also I think the sconce and the whimsical prints. I love the collage and the wallpaper and the plants peeking out!

Click the photo to see it larger.

Little red (or pink?) fawns! Do you suppose they're salt and pepper shakers? So adorable! And I love the potholders and the cubby shelf!

Then we see Lennon and Jess pow-wowing on the couch while the awkward (but loveable) boyfriend meddles.


Here are some more shots of the living room, by day:


Love the wooden file drawer piece and those 2 teal trunks!

Click this one to see it larger!

A globe on an industrial stool?? Love it.

Plants!!! Love them. Do you really think this many plants would survive in an apartment away from windows? I want plants everywhere after seeing her place.

Now let's peek into the dining room and kitchen.



This point of view skews a little country for me, but check out the rest:



Love the wallpaper, curtains, and the silhouettes!


Love the hutch - want to see it better - it looks like it might be midcentury modern!!


More plants! Click this one to see it larger too! Really like the light fixture peeking out from the ceiling.

And then we got a quick scene in Lennon and Joe's bedroom:



Both actresses/show creators were part of the improv comedy group Upright Citizens Brigade and use their own names in the show. It almost wouldn't surprise me if this was REALLY Lennon's apartment and they were filming on location! Do shows ever do that? Probably not!

I've only seen the first episode so far, but I found the story and characters really entertaining and of course I loved the decorating eye candy!

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Vintage TV: What's My Line? Men's Edition

Last week, we took a look at some leading ladies on What's My Line. Now it's time for the men!



Any Woody Allen fans out there? :)



How about the dashing Sean Connery?



One of my favorites... Desi Arnaz!



A legend... Walt Disney! (with Jerry Lewis as a panelist!)



And let's end on a very handsome note... Paul Newman!



I hope you enjoy these clips! I love looking back at old TV shows and movies!

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Vintage TV: What's My Line? Leading Ladies

I love game shows - it's always been a secret dream of mine to be on one. At the TN State Fair several years ago, I entered my name in a Wheel of Fortune raffle and my friend got chosen to go up on stage and play a short round that could qualify her to be on the show. She unfortunately didn't make it through that round, so maybe someday someone I know will get to be on a game show! (Well, I did go to high school with a Teen Jeopardy contestant and I do know a few people who have been on reality TV, but I'm still holding out for an honest-to-goodness cheesy game show!)

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I started thinking about vintage game shows and how amazing they were. Growing up, I loved watching re-runs of What's My Line and similar panel-type game shows. If you're not familiar with the show, the panelists each ask questions to reveal a secret about their guest and they even had celebrity guests. The panelists can only get 10 questions wrong but they almost always discover who the guest is!

I dug up a few clips of my favorite leading ladies as mystery guests on What's My Line - enjoy!


Debbie Reynolds is brilliant and so beautiful - although this clip does show her at the beginning of her romance with Eddie Fisher and it's sad to see how happy she was, knowing how it would end.



Doris Day is absolutely charming in her very first TV appearance:




Lucille Ball invents her own hilarious language in this clip:



Carol Burnett is hilarious as always:



See Julie Andrews nearly stump the panel:




Aren't those so fun? I love vintage game shows! What's your favorite?

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Friday Fun: Chevrolet: 1965 Impala and Bewitched Commercials

We recently saw this Chevy commercial in which a son tracks down his father's 1965 Chevy that he was forced to sell decades ago. I am not a car person, but I'm definitely sentimental, so this made me cry!

When I was trying to find it on YouTube, I found a wealth of vintage Chevy commercials that I just had to share!

Watching Mad Men has piqued my interest in vintage advertising, especially TV commercials. It's so interesting to see how the advertising industry had to change and develop in order to keep up with the new technology. I have always been interested in clever commercials and marketing ideas and I find these cross-promotions between Bewitched and Chevy so interesting!

Here's the first season opener - they announce that the show is sponsored by Chevrolet and Samantha's broom turns into a Chevy logo!



Here's a compilation of 3 different commercials featuring Bewitched castmembers- the last 2 are adorable!


I love vintage shows. I recently watched almost every episode of the Dick Van Dyke Show on Netflix (they recently took it off instant streaming, unfortunately!) and I've also always liked Bewitched. (Fun fact: the owner of my company is the son of Bewitched's executive producer!)

I hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane with me. :) Sometimes, it's hard to believe that I was born in 1982 and that I didn't grow up in the 60s! I feel so connected to them!

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Vintage TV: Pan Am

Have you been watching Pan Am? It's a fun glimpse into life in the 60s and Pan Am's glamorous flight crew. It actually has some intrigue which I was surprised to find. One of the flight attendants has been tasked with some governmental intelligence work, which makes each trip quite an adventure for her.

If you have missed the first 2 episodes, you can watch online at ABC.com!

Have a vintage TV weekend!

Rob plucks a gray hair from Laura's head!

I haven't browsed around on Hulu lately but I recently discovered that I am missing out! Did you know that you can watch episodes of old TV shows, including one of my favorites, the Dick Van Dyke show! All 159 episodes!!

As a recently married, semi-dramatic woman, I can so appreciate Laura Petrie in a way I never could before! I love her! And don't get me started on Dick Van Dyke - I LOVE him!

You can also watch shows like the Donna Reed Show, Bewitched, the Mary Tyler Moore Show, I Dream of Jeannie, and more!

Check it out and relax this weekend with some vintage tv. :) This is way better than TV Land!