UM says, "Paralegal, Maria Jimenez-Rodriguez (29) fails to show up for work after dropping off her daughter at daycare. Her co-workers receive texts from Maria, but later question if she actually wrote them. Maria is never seen again. After police question her trainer, Erik Arceneaux, he flees the area and remains a fugitive from the law."
"Forty years after the release of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller,’ the best-selling album of all-time. Director Nelson George takes fans back in time to the making of a pop masterpiece, featuring never-before-seen footage and candid interviews. Thriller 40 - is streaming December 2 with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan."
48 HOURS on CBS. Last night's episode was called, "Murder by Clown" (10-28-2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It grabbed 1.60 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.1 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
Click the CBS photo for 48 HOURS.
TOP BOX OFFICE / WEEK-ENDING / OCT. 29, 2023 /ESTIMATED
$78.0M - Five Nights at Freddy's
$14.7M - Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
$9.0M - Killers of the Flower Moon
$5.1M - After Death
$3.1M - The Exorcist: Believer
It's Halloween 2023 and the day falls on Tuesday of next week. This weekend theater box office begins Friday Oct. 27, 2023. Blumhouse productions is already counting on their latest horror film to grab an audience. "Five Night's at Freddy's."
Pre-sale tickets are selling like "hot" cakes. Despite movie critics already giving it a low score. Blumhouse estimates $50 million over the weekend.
THE KARATE KID from COLUMBIA PICTURES (1984). The production budget climbed to $8 million. It grabbed $130 million at the worldwide box office. It would become one of the highest grossing films of the year. It made a "star" of Ralph Macchio (Daniel) and revived the career of 1970's comedian Pat Morita (Mr. Miyagi).
At the time - Critics said it was a rip-off of "Rocky" (1976) about an underdog who goes the distance in athletic competition.
Daniel is bullied at high school by several male students. He wants to defend himself and is mentored by Mr. Miyagi who knows Martial Arts "Karate." Daniel faces his bullies in a local Karate tournament. He reaches the championship title fight in a crowd pleasing moment.
"The Karate Kid" still stands up as an entertaining movie after nearly 40 years (1984/2024). Casting was very important and the chemistry between Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita is very good. Morita received an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor. (He claimed that producers thought he was just a comedian and didn't want to cast him in a serious role).
It spawned 2 more sequels and both Macchio and Morita returned to their roles (1986 & 1989). "The Next Karate Kid" (1994) starred Hilary Swank but only Morita returned as Miyagi. Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith starred in a remake of "The Karate Kid" (2010).
The online streaming TV series "Cobra Kai" is a sequel to the original 1984 version. It has been renewed for a 6th season, but stopped production because of the Writers Guild Strike 2023. Ralph Macchio returned as the adult Daniel.
TOP BOX OFFICE / WEEK-ENDING / OCT. 22, 2023 / ESTIMATED
$31.0M - Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
$23.0M - Killers of the Flower Moon
$5.6M - The Exorcist: Believer
$4.5M - PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie
$4.1M - The Nightmare Before Christmas (30th Anniversary)
48 HOURS on CBS. Last night's episode was called, "Unmasking the Zombie Hunter" (10-21-2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It grabbed 2.24 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.2 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49.
Click the photo below for CBS.
THE AMERICAN BUFFALO from KEN BURNS (2023). You can download the "PBS App" to watch the 4-hour series. You will not be disappointed.
10 million Bison roamed North America before the 19th Century. With the Westward expansion of white settlers in the 1800's. The Bison was nearly obliterated along with Native/Indigenous tribes. There were only 1,000 Bison that survived by the year 1900.
Those that wanted to conserve wildlife had partnered with Native Peoples. They brought back the Bison from near extinction. 350,000 Bison now live within national parks, reserves and on Indian Reservation lands.
There are a lot of sub-stories in this wonderful documentary. What I enjoyed most was the North American "Horse" that rose up among Native Tribes across the west. They intertwined with the hunting of the Bison. The horse and Tribes would be an excellent documentary.
Thank You - Ken Burns for spotlighting the Bison/Buffalo and the connection to Native Tribes. Check this out if you can.
Click photos below for THE AMERICAN BUFFALO on PBS.
ASSOCIATED PRESS interview with SAG-AFTRA President FRAN DRESCHER. After the Producers walked away from the negotiating table on Oct. 11, 2023.
THE AMERICAN BUFFALO from PBS. Check your local listings for the 2-night and 4-hour series. Beginning Oct. 16-17, 2023. A Ken Burns documentary.
THREE'S COMPANY on ABC (1977-1984). The comedy show became a TV sensation about two girls living with one guy. Suzanne Somers played the sexy, ditzy-blonde, Chrissy Snow. She became a sex symbol and was ranked as one of the most popular women on 1970's television. Because of that popularity. Somers renegotiated her TV contract after 5 seasons with the show. She wanted $150,000 an episode plus a back-end deal. It was the same amount as the popular male TV stars at that time. The creators of the show said "no." Somers was quickly replaced by a new actress.
The comedy was at "one" time the number #1 TV show in the U.S. The chemistry between its' three top stars was incredible and unstoppable. A famous TV director was also brought over from the "Carol Burnett" show. Slapstick comedy was the name of the game.
The Somers contract dispute was big news at the time. The "Three's Company" TV-Set had spun out of control and lost huge amounts of money. Somers missed several episodes at the beginning of the Fall TV season.
Back then - There were only 3 major TV networks (ABC-CBS-NBC). "Three's Company" grabbed huge TV Ratings which you never see today... Somers as Chrissy Snow was so funny, ditzy and crazy. She was a laugh riot.
Somers went onto the family TV comedy, "Step by Step" (1991-1998 ABC/CBS). But, it never reached the height of "Three's Company" in regards to TV ratings and exposure.
If you want a great laugh. Check out the first 5 TV seasons of "Three's Company" with John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers (RIP).
TOP BOX OFFICE / WEEK-ENDING / OCT. 15, 2023 / ESTIMATED
$96.0M - Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
$11.0M - The Exorcist: Believer
$7.0M - PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie
$5.7M - Saw X
$4.3M - The Creator
48 HOURS on CBS. Last night's episode was called, "Jade Janks and the Secret Photos" (10-13-2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It grabbed 2.40 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.2 million viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
Click the logo below for Online Streaming Episode at CBS.
DATELINE on NBC. Last night's episode was called, "The Foot Print At The Lake" (10-13-2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It grabbed 3.10 million TV viewers overall. It had reached 0.3 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
You have to Sign-Up to Sigh-In to watch the latest episode.
Click logo below for DATELINE.
DATELINE on NBC. Last night's episode was called, "Secrets in Pleasant Prairie" (10-12-2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It grabbed 2.79 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.3 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
You have to Sign-Up to Sign-In to watch the latest episode.
Click the logo below for DATELINE.
NBC says, "As a bonus for you, we’re sharing the trailer for "Morrison Mysteries" An all-new original podcast from Dateline...."
"Keith Morrison takes you on a captivating ride through some of the most suspenseful and chilling works of fiction you’ll ever hear. Get ready for haunting stories of ghosts, love triangles, jealousy and rage."
"And since it’s almost Halloween, we’re starting with Washington Irving’s '- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Travel with us to a haunted town in New York, where some say the Headless Horseman rides to this day..."
48 HOURS on CBS. Thank you for posting classic episodes as "podcasts." I actually missed this episode from decades ago. Listen to the very end because of an interesting development.
CBS says, "This classic episode of - 48 Hours - explores a report on 25-year-old Toni Dykstra of Los Angeles, who met and married Carlo Ventre, a successful 46-year-old Italian businessman, in 1994. After Toni gave birth to their child, Santina, the couple’s relationship soured. "
"Despite a court custody order, Carlo fled to Italy with Santina in January 1998. Toni went to Italy where an Italian court ordered the baby returned to the U.S., but the day before she was to return home, Toni was found dead of head injuries in Carlo’s apartment."
“48 Hours - correspondent Bill Lagattuta reports. This episode last aired on 7/27/19."
48 HOURS on CBS. The next episode is called, "Jade Janks and the Secret Photos" that will air this Saturday at 10/9 p.m.
CBS says, "A woman discovers explicit photos of herself on her stepfather’s computer. Soon after, he’s found dead. Jade is a likely suspect, but did she do it? 48 Hours - correspondent Tracy Smith reports."
DATELINE on NBC. Friday's episode is called, "The Footprint at the Lake" that will air at 9/8 p.m.
NBC says, "After a teacher vanishes from her home and police make a gruesome discovery at a lake, investigators in a small Texas town are left with more questions than answers. Andrea Canning reports."
DATELINE on NBC. The next episode is called, "Secrets in Pleasant Prairie" that will air this Thursday at 10/9 p.m.
NBC says, "The investigation into the poisoning death of a Wisconsin mother takes a surprising turn when detectives learn she wrote a letter just days before her death pointing to a possible suspect. Andrea Canning reports."
TUESDAY OCTOBER 9, 2023 - "The WGA membership ratified its contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, bringing to a final end to the strike that lasted for nearly five months."
"After a week of voting, a vast majority of the WGA membership cast their ballot in favor of ratifying the three-year Minimum Basic Agreement. Some 8,525 valid votes, or “99% of WGA members,” as the guild termed it just now, were cast by members of the 11,000-strong Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America East."
“There were 8,435 ‘yes’ votes and 90 ‘no’ votes,” the guild announced in an email sent to members."
"With major strides for scribes in terms of A.I. guardrails, residuals, writers room staffing, and data transparency, as well as pay hikes, the now sealed deal runs from September 25, 2023 to May 31, 2026."
$27.2M - The Exorcist: Believer
$11.8M - PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie
$8.2M - Saw X
$6.1M - The Creator
$4.0M - The Blind
DATELINE on NBC. Last night's episode was called, "The Clearing" (10/9/2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It grabbed 2.68 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.3 million TV viewers with the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
You Sign-Up to Sign-In to watch the latest episode.
Click the photo below for NBC.
Dateline says, "Nona Dirksmeyer is a young beauty queen. Smart and talented, her future is bright. But just days before her 20th birthday, Nona is murdered in her apartment. Police quickly decide their primary suspect is the young man who found her – her boyfriend, Kevin. After all, his bloody palm print is at the crime scene."
"Case closed? Not by a long shot. In Dateline’s latest original podcast series, Keith Morrison tells the story of three trials, two suspects, and one small town where things are not always what they seem."
Deadline Hollywood says, "As the Hollywood strikes stretched to Week 23, optimism is high that a deal between signatories and SAG-AFTRA is close and the town can go back to work. That enthusiasm could be felt with all the deal stories that Deadline broke this week, a clear signal of hope."
"Not so fast, says Deadline Strike Talk host Billy Ray. Citing examples that range from director Ted Kotcheff changing the death of John Rambo in First Blood to Jackie Robinson retiring rather than the lifelong Dodger accepting a deal to play for the Giants and all that Jimmy Carter accomplished post-White House, Ray implores SAG-AFTRA to remember it isn’t who drew first blood but who sticks the landing. And for actors, that means safeguards against AI."
48 HOURS on CBS. The next episode is called, "Who Wanted Nicki Lenway Dead?" that will air on Saturday night at 10/9 p.m.
CBS says, "A crime scene investigator is gunned down in broad daylight. The harrowing scene is captured on surveillance video. Who pulled the trigger? 48 Hours - correspondent Erin Moriarty reports."
DATELINE on NBC. The next episode is called, "The Note" that will air Thursday night at 10/9 p.m.
Below is the NBC Press Release information.
THE STORY: When high school student Megan Nichols vanishes from her Illinois home overnight, her mother finds a note from Megan saying that she ran away. But a grisly discovery made three years later changes the course of the investigation. Thursday’s all-new Dateline features exclusive interviews with Megan’s mother, investigators, and the college student who helped uncover the truth.
REPORTED BY: Andrea Canning
INTERVIEWS WITH: Megan’s mother, Kathy Jo Hutchcraft, Police Chief Keith Colclasure, FBI Agent Ray Hart, Megan’s friends and others.
WHERE: Fairfield, Illinois
Dateline says, "Nona Dirksmeyer is a young beauty queen. Smart and talented, her future is bright. But just days before her 20th birthday, Nona is murdered in her apartment. Police quickly decide their primary suspect is the young man who found her – her boyfriend, Kevin. After all, his bloody palm print is at the crime scene."
"Case closed? Not by a long shot. In Dateline’s latest original podcast series, Keith Morrison tells the story of three trials, two suspects, and one small town where things are not always what they seem."
20/20 on ABC. The Fall TV Season Premiere was called, "Happily Never After" (9/29/2023). Sometimes, I don't watch because there are too many narrators. But - The focus in this segment was on the murder and the cover up. Well done.
DATELINE on NBC. Josh Mankieiwcz reported and narrated the same story called, "Losing Faith."
FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH from UNIVERSAL (1982). The production budget climbed to $5 million. It grabbed $27.1 million at the US box office. (movie ticket price $2.94).
Universal Pictures had no interest in the movie after negative preview screenings. It was given a limited release in 498 theaters. (August 1982). It quickly gained "Word-Of-Mouth" status and became a box office hit. It's ranked 29th for that year among major US releases. It also became one of only a few "teen" comedies to be broadcast on network television. Plus, it nabbed a huge audience when released on VHS home video. It has become a classic.
The Motion Picture Association Of America (MPAA) gave the film an X-Rating. The naked male full frontal scene was cut so the movie could receive an R-Rating. That scene was put back in on the DVD/Blu-Ray "Criterion Collection" release (2021).
There were many teen sex comedies released during the 1980's. "Fast Times" was based on real life experiences at a high school in Southern California.
It's a coming-of-age story with several high school teens who work at the local shopping "Mall." We follow these students as they begin to experience life through education and sex. It gets complicated, awkward and several are forced to grow up real fast. It's all packed into one year too. There are touching and funny moments throughout which teens can relate to.
The movie soundtrack is absolutely fantastic and the songs capture 1982. It is a time capsule for those of us who grew up during that time. Sadly - Big Shopping Malls like this are no longer in existence.
This 1980's teen sex-comedy stands out from so many of this era. (Check out the Criterion Collection DVD/BluRay).
Below is the 1982 Theatrical Movie Trailer.
48 HOURS on CBS. Last night's episode was called, "The Game show and the Murder" (9-30-2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It grabbed 2.25 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.2 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
Click the logo below for CBS.
TOP BOX OFFICE / WEEK-ENDING / OCT. 1, 2023 / ESTIMATED
$23.0M - PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie
$18.0M - Saw X
$14.0M - The Creator
$4.7M - The Nun II
$4.1M - The Blind