THE TKTV NEWSLETTER
Season 3, Episode 24 aired July 25, 2000

CONTENTS
1. Intro
2. Letters from the viewing audience
3. Kim's Commercial Comments
4. Don't miss
5. TV Trivia
6. Favorite quotes of the week
7. A totally unrelated link

1. Intro

Wait, is it Monday? No, it's Tuesday. So why is there a TKTV newsletter in your inbox? Because it's summer, and everything TV-related gets screwed up in the summer. I was at a wedding in South Jersey this past weekend, and due to the fact that I was seeing a dear friend from college marry the love of her life, getting eaten alive by mosquitos, and having a bouquet bounced off my head, I didn't get a chance to work on the newsletter. I figure better late than never, since I really really wanted to write about the Emmys, and waiting a week until next Monday just wouldn't have been the same. Enjoy!

Yay, it's my favorite awards ceremony of the year! The Emmys are coming, the Emmys are coming! Okay, so they won't actually air until September 10th, but the nominations were announced last Thursday, and oh what nominations they were. There were lots of fun surprises, my favorites being three nominations for "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," five nominations for the cancelled "Sports Night," two nominations for the cancelled "Freaks and Geeks," and total domination by "The West Wing" with eighteen nominations.

Other nominations that make me incredibly happy are Jane Kaczmarek's ("Malcolm in the Middle") nomination for best actress in a comedy, Sela Ward's ("Once and Again") nomination for best actress in a drama, Tyne Daly's ("Judging Amy") nomination for best supporting actress in a drama, and Bruce Willis's ("Friends") nomination for best guest actor in a comedy. Not only did "Will & Grace" get eleven nominations, more than any other comedy, but its entire fabulous cast was also nominated for acting awards. Seth MacFarlane, the genius behind "Family Guy," can celebrate his two Emmy nominations along with the fact that "Family Guy" has finally been renewed for 13 episodes by Fox.

I'm so glad that network television is finally putting up a fight against cable (mainly HBO). Although I can't deny that HBO has some great shows right now, I like my TV free and on the airwaves, not on some premium channel that I have to pay a monthly fee for. Although HBO's "Sopranos" and "Sex in the City" garnered their usual huge number of nominations, they were both overshadowed by "The West Wing" and "Will & Grace" in their respective categories.

Of course, no good awards news would be complete without a little scandal. Originally, Henry Winkler (yeah, the Fonz) was nominated not only for his guest appearance on "The Practice," but for his guest appearance on "Battery Park" as well (a short-lived NBC show that I sincerely hope everyone has forgotten by now). When I first read that nomination I was a bit confused, because I never remembered that episode airing. Now I know why. It didn't. It was scheduled to air in April, but NBC pulled the show off the air so quickly that it never did. So someone over at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences finally realized that they couldn't nominate someone for something that didn't air, so they pulled that nomination and replaced it with one for William H. Macy's guest appearance on "Sports Night." I'm rooting for Winkler to win in the category he's still in, though, because it must have been hard to play a jailed dentist with a thing for watching women squish bugs.

All of the nominations can be found on the badly designed Emmys site, at http://www.emmys.org. Feel free to drop me a line and tell me whom you think was properly lauded or egregiously snubbed.

top
2. Letters from the viewing audience

From David, regarding Krelboynes:
The impression I got from the pilot episode, where Malcolm was transferred to the gifted class, is that Krelboyne is the teacher's surname, but I was never very sure. Perhaps someone has the pilot on videotape and can review it.
From Scott:
I was a big fan of the TV series Werewolf which was on in the late 80's. It was about a man who was bitten by a werewolf and his search to find the head of his bloodline, kill that werewolf and end his curse. It was a great show with werewolf effects by Rick Baker. There's a website called Werewolftv.com trying to start a petition to get the show replayed (most likely on the sci-fi channel). I just wanted to let everyone know, so other fans of this show would know where to show their support.
From Caroline:
I'd like to announce the formation of a new Egroups discussion list. The "Quality Television Preservation Society" was created in the hopes of supporting quality network shows. We welcome any and all discussion of any shows on the four major networks. We are working to expand our efforts, and a website is in the works along with possible awards by all of our members.
Letters from the viewing audience are always welcome. Please email any opinions, questions, comments, or random thoughts to TK at tk@tktv.net with the subject of "letters." Letters may be edited for length or content.

top
3. Kim's Commercial Comments

Okay, guys, this week I'm looking for some feedback. I'd like to know what you think about the commercial I reviewed last week for burymeright.com. Did you see the spot? Do you think it should have been "banned" from TV? Was it interesting enough to get you to go to the website? Email me at kim@tktv.net. I'd like to know how everyone else feels about the spot, so get those emails in and I'll update you in the next TKTV newsletter.

What spot has me laughing? Century 21: If Selling Your House Was This Easy...

This is actually an entire campaign using the phrase "If selling (or buying) your house was this easy, you wouldn't need us." The company has released these spots for television and radio and they are fantastic.

For example, the latest one I've seen features a family who appears to be just moving in to a new house. They are strolling through the kitchen and who is there but Emeril, the famous chef. He says something like, "I hope you don't mind, but I thought you might be hungry." One of the family members says, "Oh! There's a pool," and the agent quickly responds with "If you don't like it we can take it out." Then, the son turns around to find Mark McGwire standing in the kitchen asking if he wants to play catch.

Then the announcer comes up with that strong tag line, "If buying a house was this easy, you wouldn't need us." It's very clever, because, as anybody who has ever bought a house knows, it's pretty much a nightmare... one crisis after another until everything is finally resolved. The perfection of the house in this commercial is so outrageous that it reminds people of how awful the experience can be if they don't have someone on their side.

The best spot in the series is a radio spot, but if TK will let it slide, I'm going to throw it in here, just to prove my point about the campaign. A woman testifies, in this completely matter-of-fact tone: When we decided to sell our house, we just walked out the front door and started yelling. I'd say within a couple of hours eight to ten people showed up with duffle bags full of money. And the guy who bought the house is helping us move... I think that's nice...

So, kudos, to the agency who created this campaign. I couldn't find these spots online anywhere, so I guess you'll just have to keep your eyes peeled and watch them the old fashioned way.

If there's a commercial or a campaign you love or hate, email me at kim@tktv.net!

TKTV is always looking for new guest writers. Do you have an idea for an article? Write to TK with the subject of "guestwriter."

top
4. Don't miss

For details and lots more fun TV to look forward to, see
http://www.tktv.net/index.html?/upcoming.html

top
5. TV Trivia

Last week's question was: Alyson Hannigan and Seth Green from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" have worked together before in what movie?

First prize goes to Brandi. Congratulations!

Honorable mentions (sorry, without prizes, but keep trying) go to David A. and Jennifer L.

The correct answer was the fabulously campy movie "My Stepmother is an Alien."

This week's question is: what other motherly role has Jane Kaczmarek played on TV in the last year other than her Emmy-nominated role on "Malcolm in the Middle?"

Don't forget, this trivia quiz is sponsored by myTVshop, where you can get all your favorite TV merchandise.
http://www.mytvshop.com

Send answers to TK at tk@tktv.net with the subject of tvtrivia. Winners will be chosen at random from all the correct answers.

top
6. Favorite quotes of the week

From a recent rerun of "Spin City"
Mike insults Nikki's sweater
Nikki: "When we were dating you told me this sweater was sexy."
Mike: "Yeah, well, it was balled up on my bedroom floor."

top
7. A totally unrelated link

NetDonut

top
"A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history... with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila." -Mitch Ratcliffe