24th anniversary of China Beach

Today marks the 24th anniversary of the premiere of "China Beach" on ABC.


China Beach told the story of those at the "5 & Dime" - the 510th Evacuation Hospital and R&R facility at Da Nang, Vietnam during the war. It highlighted the women, military personnel and civilians, who were present during the conflict.




Those featured during the series included nurse Colleen McMurphy (Dana Delany), Karen Charlene "K.C." Koloski, who was a prostitute/business woman (Marg Helgenberger), surgeon Dick Richard (Robert Picardo), Major Lila Garreau (Concetta Tomei), Corporal Boonie Lanier, lifeguard and manager of the Jet Set Club (Brian Wimmer), Samuel Beckett, who worked in the GRU [morgue] (Michael Boatman), soldier Evan "Dodger" Winslow (Jeff Kober), Private Frankie Bunsen who worked in the motor pool (Nancy Giles), Master Sergeant Bob Pepper who was in charge of the motor pool (Troy Evans)

Carol, Vicki, Tim & Lyle coming to dvd

Got an email today stating that the ever-wonderful and always goofy Carol Burnett Show will be coming to dvd, via Time-Life on September 25th.



However, there is a slight catch. (isn't there always?)

It won't be released season by season like most tv shows. You'll have your choice of four different options.

1 - THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW—CAROL’S FAVORITES:, which features a 6-DVD set with 18 complete, unedited episodes featuring the most popular and funniest sketches and characters from the series. Included sketches are: Starlet O’Hara in “Went with the Wind”, The Family, Tudball & Wiggins, The Oldest Man and additional movie parodies. Also featured in this jam-packed set are guest appearances by Carl Reiner, Steve Martin, Betty White, George Carlin, Shirley MacLaine, The Jackson 5, and many more.

2- THE BEST OF THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW: this is a 2-DVD set with 6 all-time classic episodes chosen by Carol herself.

3- THE BEST OF THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW: a Single-DVD with “Went with the Wind,” classic sketches of The Family, Tudball & Wiggins, and others.



4- THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW ULTIMATE COLLECTION: This package is a 20-DVD boxed set with 50 episodes and more than ten hours of new, never-before-seen bonus features. The collection comes in a creatively-designed collector’s box.

All four choices will feature detailed and plentiful bonus features, specially produced for this release, including:

* A roundtable discussion with Carol, Tim, Vicki and Lyle, reminiscing about 11 years of fun and entertainment they created.

* A personal tribute from the cast honoring fellow cast member Harvey Korman.

* Multiple featurettes on the history of the show, the genesis of key characters and sketches, Carol’s fans, and the influence Carol and the show have had on several generations of comedians and television hosts.

* New and exclusive interviews with fellow entertainers and guests on the show, including Carl Reiner, Ken Berry, Betty White, Florence Henderson and others.


THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW debuted on CBS in 1967 and ran for 11 years, receiving 25 Emmy Awards and five Golden Globes.

CSI 12x19 Split Decisions

No, I'm not back to doing CSI reviews again. If I did, you'd be seeing me doing my best Jane Rizzoli impression far too often.



I just needed to make a few comments about tonight's episode, and give a little love to who was probably my first female cop hero - Dee Dee McCall.



Yeah, sure. There were Cagney & Lacey, but that was more my mother's show. Hunter was MY show. How many other cop shows had a female lead who would go undercover in seedy bars, have her sing (yes, she sure can sing. Check out Stepfanie's "One Dream" album), and even have her be raped as well? Yes, I know. Nowadays, that's fairly common on tv. But that's because there were characters like Dee Dee to pave the way.

Stepfanie Kramer was a guest on tonight's episode of CSI. It was great to see her on screen again, although it would have been nice if they'd had her carrying a gun at some point. Really, CSI? You couldn't have given me that little tidbit to harken back to the good old days of Hunter? Then again, it's CSI so why do I even bother? After all these years, I should know by now.


But she does look great as the Lady in Red. And Brass' snark about her being Ma Barker? Classic Brass. That was refreshing.


I should also know that plot lines really aren't the strong point for this show, as evidenced by the fact that as soon as I saw Brass & Sara come into the hotel suite & see the son, who started asking about his dad, I knew somehow he would end up on the wrong side of the law. So why fuss with the other twins/triplets /quadruplets/quintuplets/sextuplets ...whatever it ended up being.


Okay, who cares about plot lines anyway, really? It's all about screen time for your favorite characters, right? Considering the fact that Eric Szmanda wasn't in this episode, that means the focus needed to be on my girls. Okay, I mean the re-vamped version of my girls. I still think Sara & Finn are wearing their black leathers to give us reminders that Miss Cath still isn't forgotten.



And then there's the maternal side of Sara Sidle. For some reason, that kind of creeps me out.

It seems that the writers are still writing the same scripts as the past 11 seasons but just putting Sara's name where Catherine would have been. It's kind of like they split up Cath's personalities and gave Finn the brash & outgoing part, while they gave the quiet, maternal, thinker part to Sara. Like I said, scary. oh yeah, and Sara getting duped by a kid yet again? Come on, writers. Enough already. If you're gonna make her Mama Bear, you can't be doing that anymore.

I really do like Finn however.




I had to laugh at the beginning where Nick told Sara to "sit tight and wait for backup". Haha, yeah right. She listens to him just as much as she listened to both Gil & Catherine throughout the years.



and how cute are Mandy & Henry?


On the down side - did we really have to hear DB on the phone again with the wife and discussing his in-laws? Really? Enough already.

Did y'all notice as well - they were actually PROCESSING evidence in the lab. Wow. What a novel concept. It was actually enjoyable to watch. After all, that's how this series started, right?



oh, and there's nothing like recycling locations. Same hotel, different room?


There's just one question I have for the CSI Powers That Be - is there EVER going to be an episode where there's not a dead body? What I wouldn't give for a good "trick roll" these days. Remember those? Yeah, this show used to have them. Ah, the good old days.


a few more caps:




Guest cast:
Archie Kao as Archie Johnson
Sheeri Rappaport as Mandy Webster
Jon Wellner as Henry Andrews
Larry Mitchell as Officer Mitchell
Christopher Maxwell as Jordan Brentson
Joshua Desroches as Xavier Marx
Joshua Desroches as Kevin Chance
Jackson Pace as Avery Keil
Vaugh Armstrong as Dr. Dennis Keil
Sonia Rockwell as Shelley Jackman
Andrew Keegan as Lee Jacobs
Cheryl Hawker as Gladys
Stepfanie Kramer as Vivian Brentson
Megan Adams as Hot Girl's Twin
Kirsten Adams as Hot Girl