That Wacky Redhead

[Andrew T]

Woo hoo! Forget trick-or-treating, a new TWR is always the better Halloween treat.

[12] I’m paraphrasing. Those of you familiar with Carlin’s language can probably guess what he really said.

I have to say, this is the only thing that struck me as perhaps a tiny bit off. By 1981 IOTL, Carlin was transitioning from his "Hippy dippy weatherman" days to the observational comedy for which he's largely remembered today; we got the (very funny) A Place For My Stuff album that's half absurdist ("And now... a message from the National Apple Council") and half topical ("Ever notice how the men who are against abortion....?"). Carlin was also a perfectionist who rehearsed his bits down to the way he breathed during each one.

So it's sort of difficult to picture Carlin kind of riffing on current events, and it's also difficult to picture Carlin (who deeply admired Pryor IOTL) being quite so bitter in this particular instance -- although, obviously, Carlin's bitterness in general is the stuff of legends.

[13] Yes, an obvious reference to Pryor having appeared in 1983’s Superman III IOTL, though he did not play Superman but his wacky (and sadly, not Wacky) sidekick; this kickstarted his film career, for better and (mostly) for worse.

I positively adore Pryor as Gus Gorman in Superman III, which I realize places me as a member of one of the world's tiniest minorities. But seriously, Superman III has so much to give the world: Pryor, yes, but also Robert Vaughn channeling his inner Snidely Whiplash as a Lex Luthor knock-off! And to top it all off: 1983's conception of the world's mightiest supercomputer! And I haven't even gotten to drunken Superman....

[14] Cronkite was forced into retirement IOTL, and was replaced by Dan Rather, whose rise to prominence has been butterflied ITTL; the ratings and prestige once held by the CBS Evening News steadily declined throughout the quarter-century that Rather occupied the anchor desk – to this day the newscast remains in third place.

Since it postdates the end of this TL, this butterflies away 1986's "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" incident, as well as (obviously) the R.E.M. song of the same name -- that is, if R.E.M. even exist in this universe (they probably don't).

 

[The Professor]

Ah an update.

Hill Avenue Beat doesnt have the same ring as Hill Street Blues - think it's the extra syllables. Perhaps Hill Avenue or The Hill Avenue Beat?

 

[Orville_third]

I hope we still have REM.
I have a strange idea- will Gene Roddenberry try writing for a cop show? He started out writing some police roles and he was an ex-cop.

 

[vultan]

Great Halloween present! The thought of Belushi being turned into a Scrappy... is very frightening indeed!

Keep it coming, Brainbin!

I hope we still have REM.
I have a strange idea- will Gene Roddenberry try writing for a cop show? He started out writing some police roles and he was an ex-cop.

Since Roddenberry seems committed to writing genre shows here, maybe he teams up with a young Edward Neumeier and pitches *RoboCop as a TV show.

 

[Clorox23]

At this, Channing nodded knowingly. “Do you ever miss playing her?”

“Sometimes. But I think that time in my life has passed. Only trouble is I’m not sure when this time in my life will pass.”

“Well, honey, you just let me know when you find out.”

“Don’t worry, I plan on letting everybody know.”

OK, this kinda adds more credence to my recent theory that the September 20, 1986 interview that's book-ending the timeline has Lucy announcing her retirement.

Again, just a theory, but that “Don’t worry, I plan on letting everybody know.” line though...

 

[NCW8]

Tartikoff was becoming increasingly convinced that the way to bring Desilu out of its rut was to reinvent the wheel – or, rather, a moribund genre. The venerable old police procedural seemed as good a choice as any – Hawaii Five-O had ended in 1980, after a twelve-season run, which made it the longest-running crime drama in television history. The previous threshold of sophistication could not be further refined, in his mind, so it was time to break the mould.

It's interesting to see TTL's version of Hill Street Blues. Having it based on the West coast is going to give it a different feel to OTL.

Speaking of mould-breaking Police procedurals, I hope that TTL's Police Squad gets treated better than OTL. I doubt that the quality of the show could have been maintained for much more than a season, but it deserved to have more than six episodes.

Cheers,
Nigel.

 

[Thande]

As always with the U.S. TV focused updates, don't have a lot I can comment on, but keep it up!

I'm wondering if the whole Star Trek cop show connection thing will turn out to be a convoluted allohistorical reference to how William Shatner played T. J. Hooker.

 

[Brainbin]

Thank you all, as always, for your responses to my latest update, which set the scene for a lot what's to come this cycle. It's good to be back in the saddle after so long a pause, and I hope to bring you further updates at a steady trot from here on out! And now, as always, for my responses to your replies...

Very well deserved. Sometimes just being good pays off

Thank you very much for your kind words

Hill Avenue Blues. The title doesn't feel the same.

Hill Avenue Beat is the title - the one instance of Hill Avenue Blues in the update was a typo and has been corrected.

Wonder what you plan to do in regards to Dynasty?

The obligatory Texas ripoff (named Blue Bloods) is already on the air ITTL, but (just as IOTL) it was not an instant hit, and therefore did not merit coverage.

One more thing, how did Dallas (ITTL Texas) end up on ABC?

Butterflies, pure and simple. That's also how Grant Tinker ended up at CBS.

I can only hope that the OTL Theme Tune somehow managed to find its way through.

Don't worry, Mike Post (who worked with Cannell even more than he worked with Bochco) composed the theme song ITTL. So it'll be similar - a wistful, cool-jazz-meets-soft-rock theme - if not exactly the same. I imagine that Post would be tickled creating a theme to a show that sounds nothing like the other theme for which the show is named.

Intriguing as ever, if tinged with sadness that we're nearing the end of this exemplary TL.

And I'm glad you're still reading, Falkenburg, especially since you've been a part of this journey going all the way back to Page One

Very interesting, as always, Brainbin.

Thank you, Dan.

Woo hoo! Forget trick-or-treating, a new TWR is always the better Halloween treat.

Thank you, Andrew! I figured that my readers were well deserving of a treat

I have to say, this is the only thing that struck me as perhaps a tiny bit off. By 1981 IOTL, Carlin was transitioning from his "Hippy dippy weatherman" days to the observational comedy for which he's largely remembered today; we got the (very funny) A Place For My Stuff album that's half absurdist ("And now... a message from the National Apple Council") and half topical ("Ever notice how the men who are against abortion....?"). Carlin was also a perfectionist who rehearsed his bits down to the way he breathed during each one.

So it's sort of difficult to picture Carlin kind of riffing on current events, and it's also difficult to picture Carlin (who deeply admired Pryor IOTL) being quite so bitter in this particular instance -- although, obviously, Carlin's bitterness in general is the stuff of legends.

So noted, and thank you for your advice. I've decided to re-frame Carlin's conversation as more of a warning to Pryor - to make it more clear that he was lamenting the inevitability of a man he held in such high regard making the same elementary mistake that he did - and with a lot more to lose, at that.

I positively adore Pryor as Gus Gorman in Superman III, which I realize places me as a member of one of the world's tiniest minorities. But seriously, Superman III has so much to give the world: Pryor, yes, but also Robert Vaughn channeling his inner Snidely Whiplash as a Lex Luthor knock-off! And to top it all off: 1983's conception of the world's mightiest supercomputer! And I haven't even gotten to drunken Superman....

You tear Back to the Future Part II (surely, surely, a superior film to this) apart, and yet you're an apologist for Superman III? Now I've seen everything

Since it postdates the end of this TL, this butterflies away 1986's "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" incident, as well as (obviously) the R.E.M. song of the same name -- that is, if R.E.M. even exist in this universe (they probably don't).

Indeed, that is one of a great many curious incidents taking place during the... colourful career of Dan Rather which have been butterflied ITTL. Most of R.E.M. were, of course, very young at the POD and may or may not have decided to pursue careers in music - at the very least, I can guarantee they won't become prominent before September 20, 1986 (as they largely did not even IOTL). I should note for the record that they are not my favourite band to come out of Athens, GA - these people are

Ah an update.

Indeed it is, Professor!

Hill Avenue Beat doesnt have the same ring as Hill Street Blues - think it's the extra syllables. Perhaps Hill Avenue or The Hill Avenue Beat?

Hill Avenue (or Hill Street, for that matter) on its own is too vague. Beat isn't a clever pun like Blues, but at least it's fairly clear about what kind of show you'll be watching. And adding the article to the beginning of the title... if this were the 1950s, then absolutely I would, but that style is generally too antiquated for this era.

I have a strange idea- will Gene Roddenberry try writing for a cop show? He started out writing some police roles and he was an ex-cop.

An intriguing question, Orville - I've often considered that one for myself. We'll have to see how the saga of Deep Space plays out first.

Great Halloween present! The thought of Belushi being turned into a Scrappy... is very frightening indeed!

Thank you, vultan! I'm glad you enjoyed it. And yes, your observation is spot-on - an unfortunate but inevitable fate for anyone in his position.

Keep it coming, Brainbin!

I'll see what I can do

Since Roddenberry seems committed to writing genre shows here, maybe he teams up with a young Edward Neumeier and pitches *RoboCop as a TV show.

I'd buy that for a dollar!

OK, this kinda adds more credence to my recent theory that the September 20, 1986 interview that's book-ending the timeline has Lucy announcing her retirement.

Again, just a theory, but that “Don’t worry, I plan on letting everybody know.” line though...

Allow me to prove your theory!

WAWA: Even if her only talent is in making decisions, she has made some of the best of them. And they have brought Desilu Productions - the studio she co-founded with her late ex-husband, Desi Arnaz, in 1950 - to the forefront of the entertainment industry. Her decision earlier this year to retire, to leave show business behind once and for all, has surprised a great many people. But tonight, in our exclusive interview, we're going to look at the woman behind the empire: the First Lady of Television, Miss Lucille Ball.

Yes, That Wacky Redhead is indeed retiring from Desilu as of 1986. Her reasoning, however (beyond the obvious - her advanced age - which I remind you did not stop her from producing and starring in a sitcom in this era IOTL) remains a mystery, and figuring out the answer to that question is going to be a major theme of this part of the timeline.

It's interesting to see TTL's version of Hill Street Blues. Having it based on the West coast is going to give it a different feel to OTL.

An excellent point. And a feel more suited to that of Stephen J. Cannell (whose most famous early-1980s production was The A-Team).

Speaking of mould-breaking Police procedurals, I hope that TTL's Police Squad gets treated better than OTL. I doubt that the quality of the show could have been maintained for much more than a season, but it deserved to have more than six episodes.

I knew that someone would be asking after Police Squad! as we approach its OTL airdate. I've deliberately avoided mentioning any ZAZ productions so far ITTL, as that series came at the conclusion of a rather precise chain. One which, of course, included the casting of Leslie Nielsen in Airplane!... what if it were someone else?

As always with the U.S. TV focused updates, don't have a lot I can comment on, but keep it up!

Thank you, Thande. I always appreciate your kind words.

I'm wondering if the whole Star Trek cop show connection thing will turn out to be a convoluted allohistorical reference to how William Shatner played T. J. Hooker.

A clever idea, but no... and Shatner playing Hooker has been butterflied ITTL, alas. The greater success of Star Trek means that the effect of typecasting is even stronger - since Nimoy transitioned into directing, Doohan into presenting, and Takei into politics (with Kelley largely retiring altogether), the only person who is so strongly affected is the one with no other ambitions: Captain Kirk himself. IOTL, Shatner was a strong enough personality to partly escape the shadow of Kirk, but ITTL he's not as lucky.

 

[Clorox23]

Allow me to prove your theory!

WAWA: Even if her only talent is in making decisions, she has made some of the best of them. And they have brought Desilu Productions - the studio she co-founded with her late ex-husband, Desi Arnaz, in 1950 - to the forefront of the entertainment industry. Her decision earlier this year to retire, to leave show business behind once and for all, has surprised a great many people. But tonight, in our exclusive interview, we're going to look at the woman behind the empire: the First Lady of Television, Miss Lucille Ball.

...and the reason I forgot about that part is because... ... ... (facepalm)

 

[THE OBSERVER]

The obligatory Texas ripoff (named Blue Bloods) is already on the air ITTL, but (just as IOTL) it was not an instant hit, and therefore did not merit coverage.

If you can have Larry Hagman involved in Texas, surely you can have Joan Collins involved in Blue Bloods. Hope the show is covered in a future update.

 

[The Walkman]

Very nice update. The TTL-version of Hill Street Blues sounds quite interesting, though I'll admit the title doesn't sound quite as catchy.

Also nice to see John Belushi survive (for now, anyway; drug abuse can always come back to haunt a person), although it's a bit of a shame to think that some uninformed people would pin the blame of The Richard Pryor Show's cancellation upon him.

Okay, I hinted at some questions in my last post, and here they are:

1) I'm willing to bet John Wayne is as big ITTL as he was IOTL, but does his cancer still develop like it did? Also, is he still outspoken in political manners? I could see him backing Reagan quite heavily ITTL.

2) I realize this may be an odd question, but does professional wrestling still become a big thing ITTL? I recall you mentioning it in an earlier update (about it airing on a Turner-owned network, just like it did IOTL). Around the time of your POD, Bruno Sammartino was in the middle of his seven-year-plus reign with the WWF Championship, but the sport was pretty much a niche market until the 1980s. Does Hulk Hogan still become a wrestler? He may or may not be as popular depending on whether the film Rocky III exists as OTL or not.

3) What are the fates of Welcome Back Kotter, CHiPs, Fantasy Island, Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life ITTL? Do any of them (or at least some form of them) still exist?

Once again, thanks for listening, and keep up the great work!

 

[NCW8]

Hill Avenue (or Hill Street, for that matter) on its own is too vague. Beat isn't a clever pun like Blues, but at least it's fairly clear about what kind of show you'll be watching.

It's not that bad - you do have the double meaning of a musical beat/a policeman on the beat. In the UK, there was a police procedural set in Liverpool that uses that as a pun on Merseybeat music genre.

I knew that someone would be asking after Police Squad! as we approach its OTL airdate.

Captain Obvious, that's me ! Next time I'll ask you how Dennis Potter's career has gone ITTL.

I've deliberately avoided mentioning any ZAZ productions so far ITTL, as that series came at the conclusion of a rather precise chain. One which, of course, included the casting of Leslie Nielsen in Airplane!... what if it were someone else?

Surely you can't be Serious ! Airplane without Leslie Nielsen is as unthinkable as Doctor Who without Tom Baker


Cheers,
Nigel.


Edit: For those who might have missed it, William Shatner was a special guest star on one episode of Police Squad. John Belushi would also have been a special guest star except that he died shortly after his scene was filmed.

 

[Orville_third]

As always with the U.S. TV focused updates, don't have a lot I can comment on, but keep it up!

I'm wondering if the whole Star Trek cop show connection thing will turn out to be a convoluted allohistorical reference to how William Shatner played T. J. Hooker.

Actually, that wasn't on my mind...

 

[NCW8]

I'm wondering if the whole Star Trek cop show connection thing will turn out to be a convoluted allohistorical reference to how William Shatner played T. J. Hooker.

Actually, that wasn't on my mind...

Or maybe something like Star Cops.


Cheers,
Nigel.

 

[Brainbin]

...and the reason I forgot about that part is because... ... ... (facepalm)

Don't worry, it's been almost two years since I posted that

If you can have Larry Hagman involved in Texas, surely you can have Joan Collins involved in Blue Bloods. Hope the show is covered in a future update.

Recall that, IOTL, Joan Collins was introduced later in a (successful) attempt to boost ratings. (Spelling turned the same trick years later with Heather Locklear in Melrose Place.) Therefore, depending on how the show is initially received, there may never be a need for such casting ITTL - or they may go in a whole other direction.

Very nice update. The TTL-version of Hill Street Blues sounds quite interesting, though I'll admit the title doesn't sound quite as catchy.

Thank you, Walkman! And yes, alas, sometimes playing the title game doesn't result in an improvement over OTL.

Also nice to see John Belushi survive (for now, anyway; drug abuse can always come back to haunt a person), although it's a bit of a shame to think that some uninformed people would pin the blame of The Richard Pryor Show's cancellation upon him.

It's very unfortunate that Belushi has to deal with such hostility, and (at least in-universe) I doubt he'd take consolation in the knowledge that literally anyone in his position would have met with the same response. And speaking of his drug abuse, I can't imagine this situation being good for it in any way...

I'm willing to bet John Wayne is as big ITTL as he was IOTL, but does his cancer still develop like it did? Also, is he still outspoken in political manners? I could see him backing Reagan quite heavily ITTL.

Between his involvement with The Conqueror (which should really be renamed The Carcinogen at this point) and his heavy smoking, I'm afraid I couldn't possibly find a way to prevent his death from debilitating cancer. He did win his Oscar for True Grit ITTL, just as he did IOTL, and quit acting by the mid-1970s. No doubt he endorsed his close friend Governor Reagan in 1976 and campaigned with him to the best of his ability - and would not live to see his defeat in 1980.

I realize this may be an odd question, but does professional wrestling still become a big thing ITTL? I recall you mentioning it in an earlier update (about it airing on a Turner-owned network, just like it did IOTL). Around the time of your POD, Bruno Sammartino was in the middle of his seven-year-plus reign with the WWF Championship, but the sport was pretty much a niche market until the 1980s. Does Hulk Hogan still become a wrestler? He may or may not be as popular depending on whether the film Rocky III exists as OTL or not.

I can't say I didn't expect this question from you I've largely avoided talking about wrestling because I haven't really studied much of its early history before its rise to mainstream popularity in the mid-1980s. Given that my POD is in 1966, for all I know some other company than the WWWF might emerge as the preeminent promotion. (I'm sure our "friend" Turner would just love that.) One thing worth noting is that there is no Rocky III ITTL, in any form - as the first movie was never made either.

What are the fates of Welcome Back Kotter, CHiPs, Fantasy Island, Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life ITTL? Do any of them (or at least some form of them) still exist?

Welcome Back, Kotter has been mentioned in a few previous updates. ITTL it's based more heavily on The Blackboard Jungle, with a young Denzel Washington in the Sidney Poitier (and John Travolta) role. It ended after five seasons, in order for Washington to pursue a film career. CHiPs is largely the same show as IOTL, though only a minor hit for NBC during its run (as opposed to one of the tentpole series for the network during its era). *Diff'rent Strokes aired with a race reversal from OTL (affluent black man raises troubled, inner-city white - though ethnic - kids) and despite the intriguing and topical premise, didn't last long (so no *Facts of Life spinoff).

Once again, thanks for listening, and keep up the great work!

It's my pleasure! Thank you so much for reading and for your lovely comments!

It's not that bad - you do have the double meaning of a musical beat/a policeman on the beat. In the UK, there was a police procedural set in Liverpool that uses that as a pun on Merseybeat music genre.

A British television series with a pun in its name? Inconceivable! And yes, "beat" does still allow for punning, but it's not as elegant as "blues". So it goes...

Surely you can't be Serious ! Airplane without Leslie Nielsen is as unthinkable as Doctor Who without Tom Baker

Ooooh, I see what you did there

...and don't call me Shirley.

 

[Dan1988]

...and don't call me Shirley.

Of course not, Miss Brahms.

 

[NCW8]

Surely you can't be Serious ! Airplane without Leslie Nielsen is as unthinkable as Doctor Who without Tom Baker

Ooooh, I see what you did there

...and don't call me Shirley.

OK, a bit more seriously, Leslie Nielsen was far from the only actor in the film who'd made his reputation in dramatic roles - most of the main cast consisted of such actors, e.g. Lloyd Bridges and Peter Graves. So if Nielsen doesn't take part, maybe another dramatic actor could play a role instead.

One possibility is William Shatner. In the early Seventies OTL he was mainly known for dramatic roles and with Star Trek having a longer run ITTL that's likely to be even more the case. Like OTL, he might try and escape from typecasting by moving to more comedic roles - indeed his appearance on The Muppet Show would count as an example of that (and IOTL he did appear in Airplane II).

So if Shatner were to appear in Airplane, I can't really see him playing Dr. Rumack. However, it might work if Peter Graves played the doctor and Shatner were cast as Captain Oveur.

Of course, it would also be interesting if Airplane weren't made at all. Airplane has been credited with killing off the disaster movie genre, so if it weren't made then there might be more disaster movies made in the Eighties.


Cheers,
Nigel.

 

[The Walkman]

I can't say I didn't expect this question from you I've largely avoided talking about wrestling because I haven't really studied much of its early history before its rise to mainstream popularity in the mid-1980s. Given that my POD is in 1966, for all I know some other company than the WWWF might emerge as the preeminent promotion. (I'm sure our "friend" Turner would just love that.) One thing worth noting is that there is no Rocky III ITTL, in any form - as the first movie was never made either.

As long as Vince McMahon Jr. has a breath left in him, I'd venture to say he'd at least try to go national with the WWF (that is, if he inherits the company from his father in the first place after the elder McMahon dies). Whether or not he would succeed under some different circumstances is...well, an intriguing speculation.

Also, the lack of the Rocky franchise is not going to bode well for Sylvester Stallone's career. He'd mostly been in B-movies and softcore porn (seriously) before getting his big break in 1976. But then again, you've erased Harrison Ford's career, too, so Sly may be yet another casualty of this TL...

Welcome Back, Kotter has been mentioned in a few previous updates. ITTL it's based more heavily on The Blackboard Jungle, with a young Denzel Washington in the Sidney Poitier (and John Travolta) role. It ended after five seasons, in order for Washington to pursue a film career. CHiPs is largely the same show as IOTL, though only a minor hit for NBC during its run (as opposed to one of the tentpole series for the network during its era). *Diff'rent Strokes aired with a race reversal from OTL (affluent black man raises troubled, inner-city white - though ethnic - kids) and despite the intriguing and topical premise, didn't last long (so no *Facts of Life spinoff).

I remember reading about the Denzel Washington version of Kotter now. Thanks for jogging my memory.

Oh, and one question I forgot: is MTV still going to happen? It'll probably be called something different if it does, of course...

 

[Clorox23]

Don't worry, it's been almost two years since I posted that

It's not good enough; I've failed you all! (cries into pillow)

 

[Brainbin]

Of course not, Miss Brahms.

Not that Shirley, Dan (Though imagine the sales staff of the Grace Bros. Ladies and Menswear Departments taking the various roles of the Airplane! cast )

One possibility is William Shatner. In the early Seventies OTL he was mainly known for dramatic roles and with Star Trek having a longer run ITTL that's likely to be even more the case. Like OTL, he might try and escape from typecasting by moving to more comedic roles - indeed his appearance on The Muppet Show would count as an example of that (and IOTL he did appear in Airplane II).

Shatner actually appeared in a comedic parody film called Monkey World in the mid-1970s ITTL, lampooning the success of the Planet of the Apes franchise; his role is best described as Charlton Heston by way of Captain Kirk. Shatner wouldn't have the element of surprise enjoyed by a Nielsen or a Bridges in this instance.

So if Shatner were to appear in Airplane, I can't really see him playing Dr. Rumack. However, it might work if Peter Graves played the doctor and Shatner were cast as Captain Oveur.

I actually rather like the idea of Shatner and Graves - the faces of the "House that Paladin Built" era of Desilu, acting together onscreen; IOTL, they did so three times, in two separate episodes of Mission: Impossible (with Shatner playing different characters in each) - sadly, both after Leonard Nimoy had already left the cast - and, of course, in Airplane II. All three are butterflied ITTL - although Shatner's first appearance, which aired in September of 1971 and likely filmed just a few months after "These Were the Voyages" would have been ITTL, gives you a good idea of how he would have looked at the conclusion of Star Trek (well, square sideburns aside ).

Of course, it would also be interesting if Airplane weren't made at all. Airplane has been credited with killing off the disaster movie genre, so if it weren't made then there might be more disaster movies made in the Eighties.

You'll get an answer either way - although note that, IOTL, the final Airport sequel (called The Concorde, no less!) did horrendously and was apparently marketed as a campy, unintentional comedy (much like Mommie Dearest would be a couple of years later). I would say that Airplane! was more the finishing blow of a devastatingly effective one-two punch than the sole catalyst. Not that I wouldn't miss it if it were gone - that movie gets right what so many imitators have utterly failed to grasp.

As long as Vince McMahon Jr. has a breath left in him, I'd venture to say he'd at least try to go national with the WWF (that is, if he inherits the company from his father in the first place after the elder McMahon dies). Whether or not he would succeed under some different circumstances is...well, an intriguing speculation.

Interestingly, McMahon the Younger is himself quoted that his father would never have sold the company to his son had he been made aware of his plans...

Also, the lack of the Rocky franchise is not going to bode well for Sylvester Stallone's career. He'd mostly been in B-movies and softcore porn (seriously) before getting his big break in 1976. But then again, you've erased Harrison Ford's career, too, so Sly may be yet another casualty of this TL...

I wasn't going to mention Party at Kitty and Stud's out of respect for common decency, but let's just say that sort of thing won't be a one-off for him ITTL.

Oh, and one question I forgot: is MTV still going to happen? It'll probably be called something different if it does, of course...

Pay-TV in general is going to be the subject of many updates in the coming cycles. Some of those will focus on the specialized programming being offered by certain providers

It's not good enough; I've failed you all! (cries into pillow)

Now, now, keep your chin up. I'm still working on the next update and I don't want your eyes to be clouded with tears when it's finally ready