Topic: Tom's TV Pilots marathon

[goodguy]

Compared to all the other series, this one is quite different. Atkinson's Blackadder is more like a talking Mr. Bean.

Argh. That made me hope for a moment that Atkinson appeared only in S1 and I had dismissed Blackadder without reason (well, apart from being a sitcom).

[Najemikon]

Certainly if you don't like Atkinson, your chances of liking any Blackadder are severely reduced! That said, if you ever get the opportunity to watch the final episode of Blackadder Goes Forth, you should. It's a fascinating example of the power of television, regardless -in fact, considering- the genre it's in.

[Tom]

Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-Chan (2005/Japan) IMDb | Wikipedia (United States) Length: 169 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English

Plot:
Imagine a future where the secret to immortality has been discovered, causing women to stop aging by the time they turn twelve. Not quite right, is it? That's why the Big Man Upstairs sends Dokuro-chan, an angelic assassin, into the past to "deal" with the sicko who messed with nature. But she decides instead to move in with her target to keep him too occupied to find eternal life. The path of nonviolence leads to a fountain of blood, as she constantly kills him by accident, only to resurrect him with a magical chant moments later.

Bokusatsu tenshi Dokuro-chan
1.01 It's a Bludgeoning Angel! Dokuro-chan!
Writer: Masaki Okayu (Original Material By), Tsutomu Mizushima (Screenwriter)
Director: Tsutomu Mizushima
Cast: Saeko Chiba (Dokuro-chan (voice)), Reiko Takagi (Sakura Kusakabe (voice)), Rie Kugimiya (Sabato-chan (voice)), Ayako Kawasumi (Shizuki Minakami (voice)), Nobuo Tobita (Zansu (voice)), Masakazu Morita (Yamazaki Sensei (voice)), Makoto Yasumura (Miyamoto (voice)), Shinnosuke Tachibana (Matsunaga (voice)), Keijin Okuda (Sasaki (voice)), Kenichi Mochizuki (Hosaka (voice)), Atsushi Imaruoka (Umezawa (voice)), Nobuyuki Tanaka (Ludwick (voice))

A fun episode. Though I never got past watching the second episode. I have enjoyed the episodes, but it already showed that its a one-joke series. Dokuro-chan's habit to bloodily kill off the main character, just to revive him again.

Rating:

[Tom]

Skipping the great mini-series "Das Boot". Even if I would include watching the first episode of mini-series, I would have a problem with this one. The DVD release has all episode cut together as one big movie.

You can find my review of the movie version here.

[Tom]

Bottle Fairy: Volume 1: Spring and Summer (2003/Japan) IMDb | Wikipedia (United States) Length: 77 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English

Plot:
"To make a wish come true, send your letter of wishes off in a bottle." So began the education of four young fairies wishing to become human. Join them in learning all about "Golden Week", school, love, and much more as they eagerly learn about humans in their quest to become human.

Binzume Yosei
1.01 April (2003-10-03)
Writer: Yuiko Tokumi (Original Material By), Hideki Shirane (Screenwriter)
Director: Yoshiaki Iwasaki
Cast: Japanese Cast), Nana Mizuki (Kururu (voice)), Kaori Nazuka (Chiriri (voice)), Yui Horie (Sarara (voice)), Ai Nonaka (Hororo (voice)), Kisyo Taniyama (Sensei San (voice)), Haruko Momoi (Tama Chan (voice)), English Cast), Mia Bradly (Chiriri (voice)), Jennifer Sekiguchi (Hororo (voice)), Mari Daniel (Kururu (voice)), Vicky Green (Sarara (voice)), Yuri Lowenthal (Sensei-san (voice)), Riva West (Tama-chan (voice))

For some reason I really enjoyed this strange series. The first episode is a weaker one though. Each episode is only about ten minutes long. There are thirteen episodes, one for each months plus an extra one. Each episode tells how the fairies learn about a Japanese custom associated with that months. Most of the episode is about the fairies imagining how they think the custom goes after first hearing about it.

Rating:

[Tom]

The Best of BraveStarr (1987/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia (United States) Length: 195 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles:

Plot:
All legends have a beginning...Having escaped the destruction of his home world by the villain Stampede, Marshall Bravestarr is now one of the toughest lawmen in the universe. On the planet of New Texas, Bravestarr faces his destiny, aided by his famous sidekick Thirty-Thirty, the beautiful Judge J.B., the Shaman, and the Prairie People, in a battle to protect the world and its people from the evil Tex Hex and his gang!

This two-disc deluxe DVD set includes the feature film Bravestarr: The Legend - the theatrical release that led to the popular syndicated action series - and the top five stories from Bravestarr: The Series, as voted by fans of this action-filled 65-episode program! For the first time ever on DVD, you can experience the strenght of a bear, the speed of a puma, and the power of Bravestarrr!

BraveStarr
1.00 BraveStarr: The Legend (1988-03-18)
Writer: Bob Forward (Writer), Steve Hayes (Writer)
Director: Tom Tataranowicz
Cast: Charlie Adler ( (voice)), Susan Blu ( (voice)), Pat Fraley ( (voice)), Ed Gilbert ( (voice)), Alan Oppenheimer ( (voice))

I don't actually have the first episode of this series. I only own the "Best of" boxset, which includes the BraveStarr movie, which was released after the series. But it is a prequel and tells how the characters all came together. So I am counting it as a pilot.
I have watched BraveStarr as a kid. I liked it, but never as much as I did like He-Man. This movie just doesn't bring up the nostalgia as when I watch an episode of He-Man.

Rating:

[Tom]

The Brittas Empire: Series One (1991/United Kingdom) IMDb | Wikipedia (United Kingdom) Length: 171 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 1 Subtitles:

Plot:
In this classic TV sitcom, Gordon Brittas (Chris Barrie) is the manager of Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre. He means well, wants to do well and wants to be a good manager. Unfortunatly his best talent is to continually create recipes for total disaster.

Deep down Brittas cares about his staff, but all he ever seems to do is to make their lives more difficult. Trying to rise above this, and to keep the Leisure Centre running smoothly, is his assistant Laura (Julia St John).

Behind every good man, so the saying goes, is a good woman, and behind every maniac, is a good woman losing her sanity! Helen Brittas (Philippa Haywood) is no different as she struggles to cope with the mania of her husband.

The Brittas Empire
1.01 Laying the Foundations
Cast: Pippa Haywood (Helen), Chris Barrie (Brittas), Zander Ward (Pam's Son), Frances Low (Pam), Harriet Thorpe (Carole), Jill Greenacre (Linda), Andrée Bernard (Angie), Julia St. John (Laura), Michael Burns (Colin), Jo Kendall (Mrs Dapping), Gary Whitaker (Neil), Russell Porter (Tim), Tim Marriott (Gavin), Rory Murray (Damien), Ruth Silvestre (Mrs Delgardo), Ian Bleasdale (Foreman)

I had stumbled across this series because I am a fan of Chris Barrie's Rimmer on Red Dwarf. I wouldn't call Brittas Empire a must see, but I did enjoy watching the series.

Rating:

[Tom]

As I am currently still in my Buffy marathon, I will skip watching the pilot. You can find my review for it here.

This finishes off my B's.

[Tom]

Caroline in the City: Season One (1995/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia (United States) Length: 534 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Subtitles:

Plot:
A successful syndicated cartoonist, Caroline Duffy (Lea Thompson) is a neurotic New Yorker who draws upon lifes experiences for comic inspiration. Aiding her in her quest for love and material are a zany trio of co-workers and friends, including her commitment-shy hunk of a boyfriend, Del (Eric Lutes); her sarcastic but secretly smitten assistant, Richard (Malcolm Gets); and her man-hungry neighbor and best pal, Annie (Amy Pietz). Featuring the People's Choice Award-winning series' first 24 episodes, 'Caroline in the City: The First Season' is a smart and funny three-disc DVD collection jam-packed with witty banter, caustic comebacks and wicked one-line zingers.

Caroline in the City
1.01 Pilot (1995-09-21)
Writer: Fred Barron (Created By), Marco Pennette (Created By), Dottie Dartland (Created By), Fred Barron (Writer), Marco Pennette (Writer), Dottie Dartland (Writer)
Director: James Burrows
Cast: Lea Thompson (Caroline), Eric Lutes (Del), Malcolm Gets (Richard), Amy Pietz (Annie), Andy Lauer (Charlie), Tom La Grua (Remo), Jason Workman (Jeff), Cathy Ladman (Ultimate Fan), John Mariano (Maitre D'), Sean Gregory Sullivan (Monroe), Christine Taylor (Debby)

Richard, a struggling and cynic artist, starts to work for Caroline, a cartoonist, as a colorist to make ends meet.
This pilot has a little of a cheap sitcom effect to it with some awkward acting. But beginning with the introduction of Richard I was reminded again, what I liked about this series. Richard's try humor when dealing with the motor-mouth Caroline.
Also Charlie as far as I remember was a character I liked. When I remember correctly, he will be constantly on roller-skates later on in the series.
The slut neighbor Annie will also be a good source of humor with the rivalry between her and Richard (if memory serves correctly).

Rating:


This review is a repost. You can find my first season marathon here

[Tom]

Cheers: Season One (1982/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Paramount Home Entertainment (United States) Length: 539 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles:

Plot:
It's the cozy Boston bar where everybody knows your name ... welcome to Cheers -- the Emmy® Award-winning smash hit television series that kept the laughs uncorked for 11 years. In Cheers: The Complete First Season, you'll find all 22 complete, uncut episodes of the show's premiere season and see how this milestone TV comedy series began. Former pro baseball player Sam "Mayday" Malone (Ted Danson) enjoys a playboy lifestyle as the proprietor of the neighborhood hangout, assisted by his befuddled bartender, Coach (Nicholas Colasanto), and his surly waitress, Carla (Rhea Perlman). Cheers also has Norm (George Wendt) and Cliff (John Ratzenberger) - two of the funniest barflies you'll ever encounter. And completing the show's ensemble cast is Shelley Long as Diane Chambers, a teaching assistant who suddenly finds herself jilted, jobless - and hired as Sam's newest waitress! A hearty round of laughs is served up in each episode of TV's classic comedy hit...Cheers!

Cheers
1.01 Give Me a Ring Sometime (Pilot)
Writer: Glen Charles (Created By), Les Charles (Created By), James Burrows (Created By), Glen Charles (Writer), Les Charles (Writer)
Director: James Burrows
Cast: Ted Danson (Sam 'Mayday' Malone), Shelley Long (Diane Chambers), Nicholas Colasanto (Ernie 'Coach' Pantusso), Rhea Perlman (Carla Tortelli), George Wendt (Norman 'Norm' Peterson), Michael McGuire), John P. Navin Jr.), Erik Holland), Ron Frazier), John Ratzenberger (Cliff)

I always enjoyed Cheers. It ran on German TV around 1996 weekdays at half past midnight and I made a point to record it every night to watch it after school.
My favourite characters are Norm and Cliff.

Rating:

[Tom]

Chobits: Complete Collection (2002/Japan) IMDb | Wikipedia (Germany) Director: Morio Asaka Writing: Clamp (Original Characters By) Length: 600 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85 Audio: German: Dolby Digital 5.1, Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: German

Plot:
Hideki Motosuwa is a poor country guy who just moved to the city to further his study. One day on his way home from work, he discovers a 'Persocom', a maiden-shaped robot laying in the dumpster, discarded and wrapped up in bandages.

Chobits
1.01 Chii erwacht
In the world of Chobits, PCs are now computers which are looking like people. When I first saw this series, I expected the premise to be more interesting. Even though it is a good anime.

Rating:

[Tom]

Chuck: Season One (2007/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Warner Home Video (Germany) Length: 555 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78 Audio: German: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Hungarian: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: Croatian, English, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Romanian, Serbian, Slovenian, Turkish

Plot:
When a twenty-something computer geek inadvertently downloads critical government secrets into his brain, CIA and NSA assign two agents to protect him and exploit such knowledge, turning his life upside down.

Chuck
1.01 Pilot
Writer: Josh Schwartz (Created By), Chris Fedak (Created By), Josh Schwartz (Writer), Chris Fedak (Writer)
Director: McG
Cast: Zachary Levi (Chuck Bartowski), Yvonne Strahovski (Sarah Walker), Joshua Gomez (Morgan Grimes), Sarah Lancaster (Ellie Bartowski), Adam Baldwin (John Casey), Wendy Makkena (National Intelligence Director), Tony Todd (Graham), C. S. Lee (Harry Tang), Jim Pirri (Father), Dale Dye (General Stanfield), Matthew Bomer (Bryce Larkin), Ryan McPartlin (Captain Awesome), Vik Sahay (Lester), Julia Ling (Anna), Scott Krinsky (Jeff), Mark Christopher Lawrence (Big Mike), Tasha Campbell (Daughter), Lyn Alicia Henderson (Large Mart Associate), Mieko Hillman (Young Woman #1), Diana Gitelman (Young Woman #2), Odessa Rae (Young Woman #3), Kristine Blackport (Young Woman #4), Nicolas Pajon (Ominous Customer), Mel Fair (News Anchor), Bruno Amato (Security Agent), Jordan Potter (Stoner)

This is a series where I first thought the premise was run boring pretty fast. Until now I have seen the first three seasons which I enjoyed from beginning to end. This pilot is a good introduction to the series.

Rating:

[Tom]

Clarissa Explains It All: Season One (1991/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Paramount Home Entertainment (United States) Length: 328 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles:

Plot:
Clarissa brought clarity to murky teenage waters for five seasons on Nick. Now enjoy all 13 episodes from the first season, featuring Clarissa, her annoying little brother Ferguson, health-nut mom Janet, architect dad Marshall, and welcome next-door neighbor, Sam.

Clarissa Explains It All
1.01 Clarissa's Revenge
Director: Kenneth Frankel
Cast: Melissa Joan Hart (Clarissa Marie Darling), Jason Zimbler (Ferguson Darling), Elizabeth Hess (Janet Darling), Joe O'Connor (Marshall Darling), Sean O'Neal (Sam Anders)

A teen series which surprisingly is still fun to watch. It stars Melissa Joan Hart before she went on to play Sabrine the Teenage Witch. Mostly because of her constantly breaking the fourth wall, I enjoy watching it. The pilot introduces the characters perfectly.

Rating:

[Tom]

Clerks: Uncensored (2000/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Miramax Home Entertainment (United States) Length: 130 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English

Plot:
Based on Kevin Smith's cult comedy classic, this outrageous anthology brings together every hilarious episodes of Clerks: Uncensored - including 4 never before seen anywhere! It's the continuing adventures of clerks Dante and Randal, two guys just trying to make the best of menial labor! With constant interference from the outlandish Jay and Silent Bob - follow the clerks' wildly improbable antics from one riotous episode to the next! Filled with big laughs and hysterical jabs at popular culture - anyone who enjoys fun, irreverent comedy won't want to miss it!

Clerks
1.01 Episode 1
Writer: Kevin Smith (Original Characters By), David Mandel (Writer), Kevin Smith (Writer)
Director: Chris Bailey
Cast: Jeff Anderson (Randal (voice)), Jason Mewes (Jay (voice)), Brian O'Halloran (Dante (voice)), Kevin Smith (Silent Bob (voice)), Alec Baldwin (Leonardo Leonardo (voice)), Charles Barkley (Himself (voice)), Jeff Bennett (Various (voice)), Diane Devlin (Nicole Corwin (voice)), Dan Etheridge (Mr. Plug (voice)), Walt Flanagan (Walt the Fanboy (voice)), Sam Gifaldi (Various (voice)), Elon Gold (Various (voice)), Dana Gould (Various (voice)), Nakita Hopkins (Various (voice)), Bryan Johnson (Steve-Dave (voice)), Kerri Kinney (Various (voice)), Matt Maher (Various (voice)), Brian Posehn (Mooby-Shirted Fan (voice)), Kevin M. Richardson (Announcer/Desmond Pfeiffer (voice)), Lauren Tom (Various (voice)), April Winchell (Various (voice))

A fun short-lived series based on the movie Clerks. It was cancelled after two of the six produced episodes were aired. Probably because the network wanted a show for kids, but this one is more directed to adult Smith fans.
Even though this episode is one of the weaker ones, I still enjoyed it. Especially the beginning.

Rating:

[Rogmeister]

I like Caroline In The City and seeing your reviews of the show's episodes (they pop up often in the Random Reviews) made me finally order the first 2 seasons (the only ones available in the U.S.) and I quickly went through them.  You're right about Charlie being on skates a lot.  Too bad the end of the second season left us hanging a bit.  I have caught a few minutes here and there of Clarissa Explains It All.  I don't know if it still airs around here.  It was a series that ran on the Nickelodeon channel.