Thank you all for your very gracious replies to my latest update! As much fun as these many digressions have been, it's great to see some on-topic discussion taking place on this thread for a change That said, I am of course obliged to respond to those posts which were left hanging by this update first, so without further delay...
"I'll be your long-haired lover from Liverpool, and I will do anything you say..."
...except for that. The answer is "no", sorry (Also: I will not be your long-haired lover from Liverpool. And you're welcome, for getting that song stuck in your head!)
And in hopes of keeping this momentum going, I hope to have the next update ready for you in just two more days! So, until then!
I was just teasing, I always appreciate any concerns or constructive criticisms. And I hope you enjoyed the update!Sorry about being too demanding. I can wait for Wednesday.
Yes it was! Something to bear in mind for future updates. Her Majesty is just coming off a remarkably successful Canadian tour as well; sometimes it's good to be the Queen.The year of the Queen's Silver Jubilee
Which many people would use as a knock against the show, but I can't say I'm surprised that you're going against the grain.Once you get pat the Superboy vibe, & the changes from the canon I knew, it was pretty good. And it had Kristen Kreuk.
You are aware that Spock isn't dead ITTL, right?phx1138 said:No, I just think he should stay dead. Unlike some people (not to mention this guy), who just don't know when to quit...
Thanks for helping to elucidate the concept for me, Thande. It's the challenge that comes with writing thematically instead of straight chronologically.I sympathise. People sometimes don't get this when they read my TL as well: you can't just cover a short specific period, you have to establish the setting first and potentially call forward to later events as well. And more fallow periods with fewer events tend to be put on hold until they can be summarised in the lead-up to a more interesting period.
I don't blame you for finding over 2,000 posts to be somewhat daunting. I think Asharella developed a winning strategy, in reading my posts exclusively (since I always quote the posts to which I am replying, you can follow the chains of conversation if need be) - which is "only" 273 posts, including this oneOh man, now I have to REMEMBER things? This thread is becoming complicated!
I've bolded what you have exactly right - the miniseries seems to have moved to cable, which isn't as tightly restricted in terms of content, but is usually able to maintain a similar budget to comparable network productions (at least in recent years, as viewers have migrated over in droves). Cable was pretty scarce in the late 1970s.Also randomly... The miniseries is an underused format these days, at least on broadcast TV. It allows for such great book adaptations with so much less lost than movies... Winds of War and War and Remembrance would not have been as good were they just movies.
Thank you, Thande, and very well said - though I must say that Canadians have far more right to make that complaint than those living across the PondGlad to see you continuing. As I've said before, I don't have a lot to say about these kinds of updates because I'm not familiar with the OTL counterparts you're changing in the first place...for the most part. Actually what is interesting is to see all these shows I've never heard of, or only know as a name, and then suddenly one leaps out in the same breath that is a well-known US cultural institution over here. It shows you how some things travelled better than others, not necessarily because of intrinsic worth or relevance but just maybe because their networks were better at selling them. It also puts things into perspective--we're used to the complaint that 'American cultural imperialism means their programmes all get shown over here regardless of quality' but if there is some truth to this complaint, it started up much more recently than people think, and the USA's cultural dominance does not actually correlate as well with its temporal/military etc dominance as people think.
Glad you're still reading, Richter10, and we'll just have to see what else is on the way!Still in suspense for the fate of "Connections", "Cosmos" and "The Mechanical Universe and Beyond"
I know, right? Richard Pryor and Robin Williams, on the same stage, in the late 1970s, and it wasn't a hit? Sometimes OTL can seem downright ASB...I never knew The Richard Pryor Show existed until now! I guess I shouldn't give myself too hard a time, considering it only had four episodes in real-life. And doing the cursory Wikipedia check reveals that one of the main cast members was... Robin Williams?
Thank you, Steve!Interesting update and seeing more of the butterflies work through.
We will be hearing more about this as we cover the facets of New Hollywood - possibly as early as this cycle!stevep said:I'm curious to see what happened to Taxi Driver, to prevent the film. Hope its not something that prevents Jodie Foster doing much of her work?
Well, the law of averages says it was bound to happen eventually!Now this is an update. Shows I actually watched. And ones I wish I could have.
Edie Grant basically existed to separate from and later divorce Lou. On the other hand, Lou Grant ITTL would be similar to the early seasons of Barney Miller, balancing between the central character's home and work lives. There would certainly be tension, as Edie left everything she ever knew behind to move to LA with Lou.phx1138 said:I honestly don't recall a wife at all... Divorce at his departure from WJM I vaguely recall...
I've never seen the show, so I couldn't say for sure either way, but perhaps it was just subtle for its time - that was an exceptionally preachy era.phx1138 said:Disguised as excellent stories. Unlike "Quincy", they never got on a soapbox.
Butterflies are free to fly!phx1138 said:I do wonder why they didn't use the OTL title, or go with "Cabbie", or something.
It's interesting, because I've seen an in-depth interview with Bob Mackie (whom I omitted from the update only because it was not entirely dedicated to The Carol Burnett Show), and he seems somewhat bemused about that dress being his most famous creation. Granted, I probably would be too, if I had designed all of those other dresses.phx1138 said:With some inspired work by the costumer, too. I will never forget that.
Just once a week! And he does have writers to help him with it.phx1138 said:Did he do this OTL? That sounds like a lot of work every day...
It's going to leave a very big impression ITTL, I can tell you that much.phx1138 said:Tho I was never a particular fan of Richard Pryor's, this sounds like a show I'd have liked a lot. (Like Vultan, I never even heard of it before, AFAIR.)
The aforementioned "home life" angle swings it in favour of Lou Grant over Rockford. Emmy voters seem to love that kind of thing.phx1138 said:How close was it OTL, do you know? I'm wondering why it doesn't go to "Rockford", unless you just butterflied it.
There's only one way to find out!phx1138 said:Thinking of Richard Pryor, does the "black 'Odd Couple'" get butterflied? IIRC, it would debut around '80.
Also, with a shortening of the Quagmire, do you foresee impact on the creation of *"Magnum", or of the character? Or of the character of Rick Simon (presuming "Simon & Simon" isn't butterflied away...)?
Thank you again for your kind words, Andrew, and please don't feel any need to apologizeAnyway, I apologize for what is essentially a long +1 post, but this was just brilliant.
I believe the answer to your question can best be expressed in song:I know that you're not writing a utopia, but is there any chance you can prevent Jimmy Osmond from releasing any singles ?
"I'll be your long-haired lover from Liverpool, and I will do anything you say..."
...except for that. The answer is "no", sorry (Also: I will not be your long-haired lover from Liverpool. And you're welcome, for getting that song stuck in your head!)
The sketches would be pre-taped (and definitely videotaped, because it was the 1970s), for obvious reasons, but the show would be structured in such a way so as to appear to be a live variety show (much like The Carol Burnett Show, actually, which was also pre-taped). Bloopers from the series would probably be the stuff of legend.NCW8 said:Interesting. The format sounds a little like that used on Dave Allen at Large, with Dave Allen performing monologues and introducing filmed sketches. It could also be controversial, but not as much as his later ITV series.
Very, very true - which is why I'm glad to have found this alternate route for him. He'll probably come out of this stint as a bigger star than even Pryor (the obvious OTL comparison is Jim Carrey on In Living Color - though Richard Pryor has a more evenly distributed cast in terms of race).NCW8 said:Love him or hate him, Williams was bound to become a star even without Mork and Mindy.
Well, Blazing Saddles went off largely as IOTL - except, of course, for Harvey Korman receiving his predicted Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor - and then he won the award, too. Over Robert De Niro. (Come to think of it, he isn't doing so well ITTL, is he?) Silver Streak, or a rough equivalent, will also exist ITTL, as it predates the premiere of The Richard Pryor Show. As for their later OTL collaborations, obviously I cannot reveal that information at this juncture.The talk about the variety series made me wonder about Sonny and Cher. Of course that reminded me of Sonny's attempt at his own series afterwards and how Terri Garr was in it. That leads me to wonder about Young Frankenstein. Which then leads me to wonder about Gene & Richard's team up, will his series being successful affect those films? Speaking of team ups, what about the Apple Dumpling Gang and the Conway-Knotts team ups?
Thank you, Unknown! And I have not forgotten your previous request, though I make no promises, of coursePlease keep Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing if Dallas goes ahead in TTL.
Nice update.
I told you all that I would find a replacement for Saturday Night Live! I just had to move it from NYC to LA. Even the drug dealers are fleeing that sinking ship ITTL!Late 1970s Robin Williams and Richard Pryor on the same hit comedy show, eh...?
Well, you've just bought all of LA's cocaine dealers new sports cars.
And in hopes of keeping this momentum going, I hope to have the next update ready for you in just two more days! So, until then!