Streaming Video Power Rankings #80

What a week, folks. What a week! Lot going on in my life and, more importantly, in streaming life. Do they still make Streaming Life magazine? Does Babe Winkelman show up on the cover every other month?

1) Netflix: That Seinfeld special was fun--about as close as we are gonna get to a revealing look at Jerry by Jerry--and I thought it was well conceived if unspectacular. I was not super impressed with 13 Reasons Why, but I am impressed with myself for finally finishing the season. And I am still loving the classic shows on Netflix. Yes, there still are some!

As for new material, there's a Bob Redford/Hanoi Jane movie, a few new seasons of returning original series, and--whoa, wait, they did another season of that Rob Schneider thing? Is there another streaming service out there that didn't just screw its customers with an unnecessary user interface change?

2) Hulu: It added hundreds of old TV episodes this week--granted, I have no interest in watching Full House or Home Improvement, but still, Hulu is at least trying. In addition to the old TGIF stuff, it added reruns of Mom and started debuting the new fall TV shows. It's still enjoying the afterglow of a big night at the Emmys. All this, AND it  has a free preview of HBO this weekend.

So why is it not number one? That interface on the Roku, man. It's terrible. I'll need at least another week or two before I can consider giving it the top spot again.

3) PlayStation Vue: Not really a channel or streaming outlet, but one of those cable alternative deals. I signed up for a free trial, so I am ranking it here as a notice that I will be exploring it soon. I am hoping this is my non-cable way to enjoy the MLB playoffs.

4) Days of Dumont: This hasn't added new material in months, but it's not like there is a ton of Dumont footage sitting around. I saw a Follow That Man and a Morey Amsterdam Show this week. Morey and sidekick Art Carney are worth a ranking, I'd say.

5) Warner Archive Instant: I saw a pretty entertaining (well, for Medical Center) episode of Medical Center this week, and they at least changed the front page on their website. I don't think they actually added content, but one step at a time, right?

6) MLB.TV: The regular season is winding down, so this may be the end for MLB. I love the service, but it was an ignominious last week for me personally, as I verified that it does not include the postseason. Worse, my team was blacked out in my area for the entire final week because of who it happened to be playing.

7) TubiTV: This week's "movie I never got around to seeing in the 1980s" on Tubi: Best Defense with Dudley Moore and "Strategic Guest Star" Eddie Murphy. After watching this one, I have newfound respect for myself in the 1980s.

8) Night Flight: I don't know anyone who gets this, but it has quietly amassed an interesting library of old episodes, segments, and psychotronic-type material, and it seems to add each month. If you're at all interested in the original Night Flight, you should check this out. One of these months, I'll do so myself.

9) HBO: They get a spot because of the return of Curb Your Enthusiasm, one of the few programs that makes me say, "Hey, I kinda wish I had HBO."

10) Nosey: I quite enjoyed an old episode of The Joan Rivers Show which featured Nancy Reagan in a total babyface appearance plus Steve Garvey trying to babyface himself in the wake of his illegitimate children scandal. Joan was an eager partner for both guests.

'Mooners Monday #27: Not quite ready yet...

'Mooners Monday should return next week with a look at "Young Man with a Horn." This shot of Ralph from the episode is pretty much me the last several weeks:

Streaming Video Power Rankings #78

Hey, everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts this week. The relocation of Cultureshark Tower is imminent and is taking much of my time. I don't dare miss a week of the rankings, though, so here we go...

1) Netflix: It looks like what's leaving in October is a lot more significant than some of the previous months' departures, but maybe we should just enjoy a week in which we got a new Jerry Seinfeld special, more Bojack Horseman, and Beauty and the Beast. Plus my kids enjoyed that new season of Project Mc2.

I *should* penalize Netflix for unleashing another season of Fuller House, but it's probably going to be the most popular thing on there all month. Me, I stuck with the Frasier reruns this week.

2) Acorn TV: The great Doc Martin quietly returned to Acorn this week, with the first episode of the new season debuting a mere day after its UK premiere. Bravo to Acorn, and though I don't have you, I will be signing up after you accumulate a few more episodes.

3) YouTube: Add E! True Hollywood Story to the list of shows that should be available "officially" but that you can find on YT.

4) Warner Archive Instant: Still no new updates, but Eight Is Enough kills it every time I fire it up.

5) Tubi TV: I might just make "Weekly 1980s or 1990s movie I never got around to seeing" Theatre a new thing with the help of TubiTV. This week, it was Glengarry Glen Ross. Yes, that was a big hole in my viewing. Two things stand out: 1) Wow, Alec Baldwin's screen time is much less than I expected 2) Remember what a big deal the profanity was? Well, I am so desensitized that I barely noticed it.

6) Shout! Factory TV: I tell you, this Starcade show is an absolute hoot.

7) Pub-D-Hub: The episode of My Hero I watched wasn't a classic, but it's good to see the lads back with new updates after the Labor Day break and a hurricane-induced week off.

8) Nosey: This lowbrow free service continues to add content. This week, it's a batch of The Joan Rivers Show.

9) CBS All Access: Well, I still wish CBS would just give this up and buy into Hulu, but this is the weekend of Star Trek Discovery's premiere, and that (plus the new fall season if you are a cordcutter) is pretty much All Access' whole reason for being right now.

10) Hulu: OK, I have to be honest. I think the main reason I am doing this post in a hectic time is because I feel the need to rip Hulu. It should be a banner week for the service what woth A Handmaid's Tale big Emmy win and the surprise arrival of season 1 of Atlanta.

Unfortunately, Hulu is the latest streaming video service to change its user interface by zero popular demand and frustrate its users with an inferior navigation experience. This new look on Roku is terrible. It's totally unasked for and unnecessary.

Streaming Video Power Rankings Week 77: Special "Gonna stop doing the Special... deal next week"

1) Hulu: I just redeemed a gift code, so I have 3 months of free Hulu ahead of me, baby! It makes it a lot easier to love Hulu, I will say that.

2) Netflix: Any other week, Netflix would be a runaway #1, and I am sure it will be next week after my kids discover the droppage of a new season of Project Mc2. American Vandal is generating some buzz, Pocahontas returned (insert standard comment about why the Disney movies have to leave in the first place), the epic George Harrison documentary that originally aired on HBO is here, and a well-regarded Angelina Jolie film premiered.

I didn't have access to my DVDs this week, and it was nice to remember that, hey, I can watch The Dick Van Dyke Show here. That said, I was a bit underwhelmed by the finale of Stranger Things (Hey, I said I'd get there eventually).

3) MLB.TV: The arrival of NFL Season reminds us how great baseball is. Yes, the local blackout restrictions stink, but other than that, you can watch every out-of-market game when you want on multiple devices. Sounds simple, but the NFL doesn't want us to do that. it was cool checking out the Indians' winning streak on MLB.

4) Shout! Factory TV: So this old Starcade is an incredible watch: A game show with people playing video games, and the prizes are video games, the questions are about video games, and host Geoff Edwards keeps making comments about how he loves to play Burger Time.

5) YouTube: My pod co-host got me on a David letterman kick. Current phase: watching old clips of Letterman guesting on old game shows.

6) Warner Archive Instant: I said it before, and I will say it again: I want to throw my shoe at the TV when Harry Nilsson starts singing in the middle of a Courtship of Eddie's Father episode. And often my shoes are all the way on the other side of the room!

7) Pluto TV: It's adding more channels, like the new Stadium TV, and if you're in the mood to just kind of browse a bunch of random live channels, this is a decent option. I find it amusing that 6 or so of the channels are now devoted to the Big Sky Conference and its member schools.

8) Tubi TV: I think I'm in the middle of a mini-John Hughes phase, and it was nice to see She's Having a Baby for the first time through Tubi, but, oh, that sinking feeling you get when it goes to a commercial break and you see "Ad 1 of 5" at the top of the screen...

9) HBO Now: Pretty much putting this here in anticipation of it winning a ton of Emmys this week. Plus Amazon Prime is saying it wants a Game of Thrones. Netflix is the streaming leader, but HBO continues to be a programming influencer and leader. Plus it's premiering La La Land!

10) Pub-D-Hub: No update this week due to the hurricane, and I would say that's a pretty good "excuse." Stay safe, Pub-D-Hubbers!

Today we consider another great Ernie Anderson ABC promo, but there is something about this one that overshadows even the great EA. Let's check out the fine programming waiting for us on Tuesday, January 26, 1982:

OK, I know you're all thinking, "What the hell is Fonzie doing 'doubling for Frankie Avalon'? I don't remember that episode, it looks terrible, and of course I want to watch it.

Over on Laverne & Shirley, sorry, Carmine, but I'm not too excited about watching you "get to play Rocky." The little fall he does after getting clocked does look pretty good, though.

How about the quick shot that implies everyone is at the Regal Beagle watching the State of the Union address over a pint or two. Incredibly, not even that is my favorite aspect of this promo, but I now long for a Three's Company in which the gang hangs out and talks about Reganomics...and Mr. Furley overhears out of context and thinks they're talking about sex.

Instead we settle for "Jack loses his sex appeal," with an odd shot of Jack and Larry panicking together.

The best thing about this is the lineup. After L&S, President Reagan gives his speech to an anxious nation. However, the obligatory opposition response does not come right afterwards. There isn't even "news and analysis" from the likes of David Brinkley. No, the president yields to the good brother from Santa Monica, Jack Tripper, for an entire episode of the show before the Democrats get their say.

I love this. It's like Three's Company is far too important to be interrupted by something as frivolous and farcical as politics. America, on Tuesday night, enjoy some long-running comedies, watch the big speech, but don't worry: Three's Company  will indeed be seen tonight, and you won't have to sit through Ted Kennedy or Tip O'Neill to enjoy it.

Eight Is Enough: A Photo Essay

"Photo essay" is so much classier than "bunch of screencaps," isn't it? Let's take a look at some shots from the Season2 episode of Eight Is Enough titled "Mortgage Burnin' Blues."

This one has it all--bar brawls, guest stars, and most importantly, Grant Goodeve and Willie Ames singing.

The episode begins with the Bradfords throwing a party to celebrate the paying off of the mortgage on the house. And what would a party be without David and Tommy singing? No party at all, that's what.

Their chemistry inspires Tommy to book the brothers at a local bar's amateur night, and he even creates some stage patter for the occasion.

Unfortunately, not everyone feels the Bradford boys' charms the way I do. Case in point: obnoxious heckler Gerald McRaney. I wonder what McRaney's  ratio of obnoxious to decent characters is?

Long story short, Gerald instigates a skirimish involving the Bradford daughters, a brawl breaks out, and--hey, it's that big guy from the weird Sanford continuation NBC tried in 1980:

You can see this episode on Warner Archive Instant, where the whole series streams. Not all episodes have as much action as this one, though!