DDRisney's HSM3

Seems like Disney thought of every way to market High School Musical 2 to get your children to watch the show again and again and again.

Next weekend — September 8 at 8PM to be exact — your teens and tweens will probably watch HSM2 one more time. Why? Zac and the rest of the cast will teach viewers the dance steps to the opening and closing dance numbers.

For HSM3 Disney should go one step further. Make it into a game.

What if your kids could connect Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) beat pads directly to the set top box or download a file and play along in real-time on a Wii, PS3 or XBox gaming system? Disney should make sure the choreographers for HSM3 develop a few dance numbers that are compatible with using two DDR pads simultaneously.

Just think of the ways this idea can be used for other shows. About a year ago I talked about the concept of TV music Guitar Hero. When Harmonix releases Rock Band, can you imagine your kids watching "The Naked Brothers Band" and playing along? I can.

With the continued convergence of TV and gaming, I expect in two years that we'll be able to download TV episodes that will have some gaming aspect to them.

The Fish Whisperers on Cable/Satellite

Looks like The Fish Whisperers will be coming to your TV via cable or satellite, but only if you get the Outdoor Channel.

On August 22, 2007 The Outdoor Channel filed a trademark application to protect The Fish Whisperers for "entertainment services, namely, an on-going series featuring expert fishermen providing through cable and satellite television and the internet."

Kitchen Rock

The Cartoon Network filed a trademark application on August 21, 2007 to protect Kitchen Rock for an animated series. Unfortunately, the description is the usual all-inclusive one that CN uses for all of its shows; so that doesn't help. More unfortunately, kitchenrock.tv is not active but Turner Broadcasting did register the domain on August 9. Even more unfortunately, I can't find anything about the show online. And most unfortunately, TBS and CN did not respond to requests for additional information.

Nearly two years ago I discussed how somebody needed to create an animated cooking show. Did somebody come through and develop that show?

Netflix Set Top Boxes: Moving Forward?

You probably heard the rumors last year about Netflix working on a set top box, but nothing ever materialized. And then two months ago engadget reported on a focus group that tested set top boxes.

Looks like Netflix is moving forward like they mean it this time.

On August 21, 2007 Netflix filed a trademark application (SN 77260383) with the US Patent & Trademark Office to protect Netflix for new goods and services, specifically for "computer hardware, set top boxes and computer software, namely audio and video receivers and transmitters and computer software programs enabling receipt, download, playing, viewing, and rental of audio and video programming through the use of internet connections to computer hardware and receiver and transmitter apparatuses that connect to a television set or monitor." Sure sounds like Internet TV to me.

Just in case you were wondering: Netflix didn't apply for any similar trademarks in the past, and the vast majority of Netflix apps do end up as real products.

The Old Man and the Ep Title

"The Old Man and the Sea" first appeared in print nearly 55 years ago. I know that today is not the 55th anniversary — it's Saturday — but this title is just too good to pass up.

• My Old Man and the Sea (''Doogie Howser, M.D.,'' 11/15/1989)
• The Old Caveman and the Sea (''Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels,'' 6/14/1980)
• The Old Man and the 'C' (''Civil Wars,'' 12/9/1992)
• The Old Man and the 'C' Student (''The Simpsons,'' 4/25/1999)
• The Old Man and the Key (''The Simpsons,'' 3/10/2002)
• The Old Man and the Lighthouse (''Care Bears,'' 1/17/1987)
• The Old Man and the Lisa (''The Simpsons,'' 4/20/1997)
• The Old Man and the Sea Monster (''Medabots,'' 9/22/2001)
• The Old Man and the She (''He & She,'' 9/6/1967)
• The Old Man and the Sledge (''Sledge Hammer!,'' 1/3/1987)
• The Old Men and the Sea (''Big Wave Dave's,'' 9/13/1993)
• The Old Pacman and the Sea (''The Pac-Man Show'')

I think it's safe to say that writers for "The Simpsons" tend to be Hemingway fans.

Awards Update

It's been a loooong time since I've updated the Awards database. Here's the latest and greatest noms, finalists & winners from:

• ALMA Award: 2007 winners
• Amy Award: 2007 noms & winners
• Artios Award: 2007 noms
• Banff World Television Award: 2007 winners
• Broadcasting & Cable Critics Poll: 2007 summer results
• Cable Positive’s POP Award: 2007 winners
• Daytime Emmy Awards: 2007 winners
• Deadline Club Award: 2007 winners
• Emmy Award: 2007 noms
• Freddie Award: 2007 finalists
• Gabriel Award: 2007 winners
• GLAAD Media Award: 2007 winners
• Golden Tater Award: 2007 noms
• Guy's Choice Awards: 2007 winners
• Home Entertainment Award: 2007 noms & winners
• Humanitas Prize: 2007 finalists & winners
• Imagen Award: 2007 noms & winners
• RATTY Award: 2007 noms & winners
• Silver Gavel Award: 2007 winners & honorable mentions
• Spacey Award: 2007 winners
• SyFy Genre Award: 2007 noms
• Teen Choice Award: 2007 noms & winners
• Television Critics Association Award: 2007 winners
• TelevisionWeek’s Critics Poll: 2007 summer results
• Urban Music Awards USA: 2007 best show winner

New Eps Online: August, Week 4

New series and seasons (full eps only) released online since 21 August 2007:

• ''Birdman and the Galaxy Trio'' (NBC; Unbox, iTunes): complete series
• ''The Dana Carvey Show'' (ABC; AOL Video): complete series
• ''Frisky Dingo'' (adult swim; iTunes): current season (2)
• ''Great Scott'' (Fox; AOL Video): complete series
• ''Hex'' (Sky One; AOL Video): season 1
• ''Jeremiah'' (Showtime/unaired; iTunes): season 2
• ''K-ville'' (Fox): series premiere
• ''MoonPhase'' (iTunes): complete series
• ''The Partridge Family'' (ABC; AOL Video): season 1
• ''Picket Fences'' (CBS; Unbox): season 1
• ''Roswell'' (WB; Unbox): season 1
• ''Space Ghost & Dino Boy'' (CBS; Unbox, iTunes): complete series
• ''The Tick'' (Fox; AOL Video): complete series
• ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' (CBS; Unbox): season 1

We Have a Oner

You probably already read about "Anchorwoman" being pulled from the airwaves after only one airing. Granted, Fox showed two eps back-to-back, but the show will appear in the Nielsen ratings as a single presentation.

For those of you keeping track at home, here is the current list of TV series that were meant to air more than three times but only appeared once:

• ''Anchorwoman'' (Fox, 2007)
• ''Co-ed Fever'' (CBS, 1979)
• ''Dot Comedy'' (ABC, 2000)
• ''Emily's Reasons Why Not'' (ABC, 2006)
• ''Lawless'' (Fox, 1997)
• ''Public Morals'' (CBS, 1996)
• ''The Rich Li$t'' (Fox, 2006)
• ''South of Sunset'' (CBS, 1993)
• ''Turn On'' (ABC, 1969)
• ''A Walk Through the 20th Century with Bill Moyers'' (CBS Cable, 1982)
• ''Who's Whose'' (CBS, 1951)
• ''The Will'' (CBS, 2005)
• ''You're in the Picture'' (CBS, 1961)

Get More. Make More. Live More.

Any guesses as to which organization recently trademarked that tagline?

Give up?

I guessed the new Fox Business channel, but that's probably because I switched the words around and read it as "Make More. Get More. Live More." Both readings make sense in their own way. I kind of like mine better, but I'm a little biased.

The answer? Fox News Network filed the trademark application on August 17, 2007. Wonder if Fox News will be sharing intellectual property with Fox Biz?

Captain Cook's Extraordinary Atlas

Warner Bros. filed applications on August 16, 2007 to protect the following word marks:

• Captain Cook's Extraordinary Atlas
• The Cooler Kings

I've found no other info about these shows and the descriptions in the applications are the same catch-all boilerplate on all its trademark apps. Plus, Warner Bros. did not respond to my requests for info.

Most of the WB trademark apps actually make it to the airwaves — usually 6-12 months after the filing date; so I'd imagine that WB is pretty confident in these shows. But I have no clue where they might air since WB shows are broadcast pretty much everywhere. NBC. ABC. CBS. Lifetime. Court TV. That doesn't help.

The only other piece of info? On that same day WB also protected Studio Image @ 28 for "creation, production and playback of visual displays in the nature of video, computer and high definition images for use in film, television and commercial productions."

Some Fresh Hare

Sixty-five years ago today WB released one of its now-controversial Bugs Bunny cartoons — "Fresh Hare". The title is a classic WB pun and the subject of this week's fun with ep titles.

Some of the more obvious puns use hare in place of hair:

• Bad Hare Day (''Goosebumps,'' 9/14/1996)
• Bad Hare Day (''Ace Ventura,'' 12/13/1996)
• Bad Hare Day (''Brandy & Mr. Whiskers,'' 2/4/2005)
• Hare Raising Night (''Tiny Toon Adventures,'' 10/1/1990)
• Hare Replacement (''Garfield,'' 11/3/1990)
• Loopy's Hare Do (''Loopy de Loop'')

But writers have replaced many other words with hare:

• Ben Hare (''Beany and Cecil'')
• From Hare to Eternity (''NYPD Blue,'' 12/14/1993)
• Hare Mail (''Oswald the Rabbit'')
• Hare We Go! (''WildFiles'')
• Vanity Hare (''Adventures in Wonderland'')

Plus the standard variation of "here today, gone tomorrow":

• Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow (''Adventures in Wonderland'')
• Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow (''Beany and Cecil'')
• Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow (''Gomer Pyle, USMC,'' 4/4/1969)
• Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow (''Tiny Toon Adventures,'' 10/9/1990)
• Hare Today… (''The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,'' 4/8/1996)

TV scribes didn't stop with hare though. They pulled another hair out of their hats.

• From Hair to Eternity (''Head of the Class,'' 2/7/1990)
• Hair Apparent (''Hill Street Blues,'' 5/3/1984)
• Hair Jordan (''The Bernie Mac Show,'' 1/4/2004)
• Hair to Stay (''ChalkZone,'' 5/31/2002)
• Hair to the Throne (''King of Cars,'' 4/10/2007)
• Love Is in the Hair ... Net (''Class of 3000,'' 2/9/2007)
• My Hair Lady (''King of the Hill,'' 2/15/2004)
• The Hair Witch Project (''The Worst Witch,'' 12/14/2000)

I won't bore you with all the eps that put a spin on "here today, gone tomorrow"; so here are a couple of the more interesting variations:

• Hair Today, Gone Merlot (''The Bonnie Hunt Show,'' 3/24/1996)
• Hair Today, Gone to Maui (''Byrds of Paradise,'' 6/16/1994)

New Eps Online: August, Week 3

New series and seasons (full eps only) released online since 14 August 2007:

• ''Drake & Josh'' (Nick; iTunes): seasons 2 & 3
• ''The Hills'' (MTV; Unbox, iTunes): current season (3)
• ''I Wanna Be a Soap Star'' (SoapNet; iTunes): current season (4)
• ''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'' (FX; MySpace): season 3 preem
• ''Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit'' (BBC2; Akimbo): complete series
• ''Popeye the Sailor'' (theaters; Unbox)
• ''Slacker Cats'' (ABC Family; iTunes): current season (1)

Temporary TV

One of the challenges of content providers is how to provide free, but temporary access, to a TV show or movie for promotional purposes.

The studios want people to see the show but not be able to keep the show forever — if you can keep the show you're less likely to buy the DVD or a digital download. During this designated period the studios would also like you to share the show with others, but, again, they don't want your friends to have a permanent copy.

Showtime does a pretty good job of this online. It most recently had the 3rd season preem ep of "Weeds" and the series debut of "Californication" streaming on its website with password protection. Viewers could share the show with friends simply by providing the password. Showtime maintained as much control as they could, but that required viewers to use a computer or web-enabled phone to watch. (And I didn't try using a web-enabled phone; so I can't tell you if it actually worked well on an iPhone.)

Well, that's a software solution to the problem. What if you wanted a hardware solution instead? What if you wanted to distribute inexpensive, disposable, hand-held video screens to advertise your show instead? With a hardware solution, you can pass the device to the next person and they can watch whenever and wherever they want. It won't happen this year since the costs are still prohibitive, but don't be surprised if it happens in five years or so.

But the question still remains: How can you distribute media on hardware so that the media has a limited lifetime? The studios don't want the show to last forever on the device.

The answer? A flash drive with a stability curve that has a huge and steep degradation profile at some pre-determined time in the future. That's right. A flash drive with a physical expiration date based on time. At some point it just self-destructs. Just make the hand-held device with no data exchange ports so people can't easily move the content somewhere else. And implement a destroy-flash mode if the person tries opening the case to remove the flash memory.

Karaocasting

Sounds a lot like podcasting for karaoke, doesn't it?

We'll find out soon enough.

On August 10, 2007 Comcast filed a trademark application for Karaocasting. There's really no other info in the app since Comcast uses the same description for goods and services for almost all of its word marks.

We do know it's not a new karaoke-on-demand service since Comcast has offered that option for a while. We also know it's not karaoke-in-a-restaurant-streamed-online-and-then-possibly-shown-on-VOD since Comcast unveiled that site (Ziddio) and Times Square restaurant (Spotlight Live) on April 6, 2007.

Could be one of two things.

• Maybe Comcast will offer iPod-compatible downloads from Ziddio.
• More interestingly, maybe future Comcast set-top boxes will have an audio input port so that you can sing at home, mix your own tape, and make a podcast to share with the world.

It could also just be a marketing campaign. On the same day Comcast filed documents for five other word marks that sound more like marketspeak than a new product or service:

• Triple Slanguage
• Tomphonery
• Televisiphonernet
• Phoruption
• Quiz-Jacking

All I Know Is What I Read on the Internet

I never met a blog I didn't like.

Yep. You guessed it. Today we're paying homage to Will Rogers, who died 72 years ago today.

Suprisingly, his quotes aren't immortalized in TV ep titles. Maybe they just have too many words.

What about his filmography? Well, I chose two of his flicks — Boys Will Be Boys (1921) and Life Begins At Forty (1935). Why these two? I wish I could say something significant. Historical. Maybe even amusing. But I can't. I chose them only because TV ep titles are likely to have multiple variations of these two phrases. Maybe not even homages, but at least they'll be similar.

Some say Life Begins At Forty, but when else does life start? And what about death?

• Death Begins at Forty (''Home Improvement,'' 10/4/1994)
• Death Begins at Seventy (''Adam Adamant Lives,'' 2/18/1967)
• Life Begins at 65 (''Bridget Loves Bernie,'' 1/13/1973)
• Life Begins at Dinner (''Nurse,'' 4/23/1981)
• Life Begins at Thirty (''The Stockard Channing Show,'' 4/28/1980)

So if Boys Will Be Boys, what else will be?

• Bots Will Be Bots (''Daigunder,'' 10/4/2003)
• Bots Will Be Boys (''Rolie Polie Olie'')
• Boy Bands Will Be Boy Bands (''Totally Spies!,'' 8/21/2003)
• Boys Will Be Boys
• ''Any Day Now'' (2/17/2002)
• ''Babar'' (5/28/1990)
• ''Baywatch'' (2/6/1999)
• ''The Donna Reed Show'' (3/4/1959)
• ''Just William'' (11/19/1995)
• ''Kraft Television Theater'' (1/26/1955)
• ''Law & Order: Trial by Jury'' (5/6/2005)
• ''Meerkat Manor'' (7/7/2006)
• ''The Real World'' (9/21/2004)
• ''Road to Avonlea'' (1/31/1993)
• ''Room by Room''
• ''Safe Harbor'' (11/28/1999)
• ''Save Us from Our House''
• ''Silver Spoons'' (10/2/1982)
• ''Step by Step'' (12/11/1992)
• Boys Will Be Eds (''Ed, Edd 'n Eddy'')
• Boys Will Be Girls (''Wings,'' 4/7/1994)
• Boys Will Be Girls (''Chicago Hope,'' 2/3/2000)
• Boys Will Be Men (''Fireside Theatre,'' 4/25/1950)
• Boys Will Be Men (''Matinee Theatre,'' 7/30/1957)
• Boys Will Be Playboys (''The Smothers Brothers Show,'' 11/26/1965)
• Girls Will Be Boys
• ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' (3/3/1965)
• ''Full House'' (4/28/1992)
• ''The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis'' (2/13/1962)
• ''Punky Brewster'' (1/12/1986)
• ''Zoey 101'' (1/29/2006)
• Girls Will Be Ghouls (''The Girls Next Door,'' 10/15/2006)
• Guise Will Be Guise (''Angel,'' 11/7/2000)
• Men Will Be Boys
  • ''The Bad News Bears''
  • ''Jack & Jill'' (11/21/1999)
  • ''Little House on the Prairie'' (11/13/1978)
• Men Will Be Men (''Christina Cooks'')
• Toys Will Be Toys
  • ''Fantastic Max''
  • ''The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy''
  • ''Grim & Evil'' (11/12/2004)
  • ''The New Three Stooges''
  • ''Tom and Jerry Kids''

New Eps Online: August, Week 2

Well, I waited to see if Unbox would release "Family Guy" videos. Nothing yet. And I couldn't wait any longer.

If you go to the Unbox site and sort all TV titles by most recently added, you'll see a number of entries with a "Family Guy" pic but the link is not recognized. Maybe soon.

New series and seasons (full eps only) released online since 7 August 2007:

• Crusade (TNT; iTunes): complete series
• Flash Gordon (SciFi; Unbox, iTunes): current season (1)
• Meet Mr. Mom (NBC; Akimbo): complete series
• Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County (MTV; Unbox, iTunes): current season (1)
• Robot Chicken (adult swim; iTunes): current season (3)
• South of Nowhere (The N; iTunes): current season (3)

Database Update

If you've been keeping track at home, you know it's been about two months since I updated the TV Schedule Finder and about three months since I updated the scoreboard and Total Tube Time features near the bottom of the right sidebar.

I added info to the TV Schedule Finder for the most recent nine weeks (ending 29 July 2007). That's 1,206 new records. Every time you enter a date you now search ~130,000 shows.

During the past three months I also added 4,038 new series to the database and confirmed the preem dates of 2,646 of these series. Whenever I search the trivialTV database for ep titles, I'm now searching eps for 20,608 series. Plus, the 'On This Date' feature includes 11,496 series preem dates — that's an average of 31 shows for every date.

Finally, I updated the results for Total Tube Time. There were just a few changes. "CSI" moved into 9th place overall when it passed "Unsolved Mysteries." On the list of dramas, "Law & Order: SVU" just passed "NYPD Blue" for 8th place and will pass "Dallas" next time.

Keep Your Nose to the Pheromone

You know how NBC and Fox have a history of developing similar ideas for game shows at the same time? This year it's "The Singing Bee" and "Don't Forget the Lyrics." Five years ago it was "The Chair" and "The Chamber." Both sides claim the concept was their's. Each net claims the other one is a thief. Who really knows the truth?

Well, somebody decided to patent an idea for a game show. That'll show 'em.

But this isn't your average, run-of-the-mill game show idea.

Yesterday the USPTO published a patent application (20070184885) entitled "Game show with non-interpersonal subliminal prompt." Sounds intriguing doesn't it? It's OK. You can admit it. Anytime you see the word subliminal, it kind of catches your eye.

When you think subliminal prompt, your first thought is probably hypnosis. But that definitely requires a personal interaction, and the title specifically states non-interpersonal. Plus, people are skeptical of hypnotherapists anyways. This quote from the patent app says it all: "For example, participants who volunteer as subjects for stage hypnotism are often self-selecting, willing to lose their inhibitions, and enjoy being the center of attention, whether or not they are actually in a state of hypnosis."

OK. What's left? The contestant can watch a video with subliminal messages. The surroundings can be scented to affect behavior, similar to what some casinos in Vegas are trying in their attempt to more easily separate you from your money.

But those ideas are already out there. Think outside the box a little bit.

What about pheromones?

The inventor, Walter Parsadayan, would most like to use a mammalian steroid pheromones to affect contestant behavior. Think about "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" on steroids? Well, steroid pheromones to be exact. Or maybe "Blind Date: Pheromone Makeover"?

I don't think you'll be seeing any of these game shows soon. Even though the app was published yesterday, Mr. Parsadayan filed it way back in February 2006 and we haven't heard of any network developing this type of game show.

America's Doctors

Coming to a TV (or radio) near you. Fresh off their 2007 US Tour. It's "America's Doctors"!

From July 7 - August 18, 2007 Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael F. Roizen headlined a a multi-city, coast-to-coast tour, It's All About YOU: Be The World Expert on Your Body. Midway through that tour — on August 3, 2007 to be exact — Drs. Oz and Roizen filed some paperwork with the USPTO. That filing protects America's Doctors for "entertainment services in the nature of radio programs and television programs in the field of health, diet, and nutrition."

MGM HD

Could The MGM Channel finally be coming to the States?

If you take a look at the The MGM Channel homepage, you'll see a pull-down list with a long list of countries. A few countries are conspicuously absent, including the US.

Why'd I even look?

On July 30, 2007 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Lion Corp. filed a trademark app with the USPTO to protect MGM HD for use in the States for the first time. The paperwork protects MGM HD for "cable television broadcasting services and high definition cable television broadcasting services."

Maybe we'll finally get to watch some of MGM's vast library, "comprising approximately 4,000 titles and over 10,400 episodes of television programming." (MGM Networks)

anytime, anywhere, anyscreen

Maybe Sony gets its.

Sony Pictures Television filed a trademark app (SN: 77246516) on August 3, 2007 to protect the phrase Anytime Anywhere Anyscreen for "advertising and marketing of television programming."

'nuff said.

Ben 10: Alien Force

I know "Ben 10" fans are psyched about this weekend's premiere of the animated movie (Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix), the upcoming live-action flick (Ben 10: Race Against Time), and the sequel series.

So far the sequel series has been called "Ben 10: Hero Generation" (wikipedia), but is that only a working title? Apparently everybody associated with the production is pretty tight-lipped about the whole thing and it's difficult to get a straight answer.

Why do I bring this up? Well, maybe the sequel series will be called "Ben 10: Alien Force" instead.

On June 28, 2007 the Cartoon Network filed a trademark app to protect "Ben 10: Hero Generation" for "an animated program series provided through cable television." Looks like all is well with the world.

But then — only one month later — on July 26, 2007 the Cartoon Network filed another trademark app. This time CN protected "Ben 10: Alien Force" for "an animated program series provided through cable television." Hmmm.... Does that description sound familiar?

We haven't heard anything about another animated flick. Nor any rumors about another spin-off series. Doesn't leave many options, does it?

A Hoffman Is As Old As He Feels...

Dustin Hoffman turns 70 today.

In honor of his birthday, I put together an homage of ep title references for three of his more famous older flicks.

The Graduate (1967)

• The Almost Graduate (''6teen'')
• The Girl Graduate (''Family Affair,'' 1/1/1970)
• The Graduate
• ''Movies That Shook the World''
• ''Love for Sal''
• ''Family Ties'' (3/15/1984)
• ''Who's the Boss?'' (12/10/1985)
• ''It's Garry Shandling's Show'' (10/8/1986)
• ''Perfect Strangers'' (4/29/1988)
• ''Roc'' (11/2/1993)
• ''Northern Exposure'' (3/8/1995)
• ''Dawson's Creek'' (5/16/2001)
• ''Felicity'' (4/24/2002)
• ''Life with Bonnie'' (2/11/2003)
• ''Family Bonds'' (10/3/2004)
• ''Growing Up Gotti'' (8/22/2005)
• ''The War at Home'' (4/22/2007)
• The Oldest Living Graduate (''The Facts of Life,'' 11/3/1982)
• The Post Graduate (''Everything's Relative,'' 10/17/1987)
• The Undergraduate
• ''Julia'' (9/30/1969)
• ''The Brady Bunch'' (1/23/1970)
• ''The Partridge Family'' (10/8/1971)
• ''Charles in Charge'' (10/31/1987)
• ''The Fanelli Boys'' (2/2/1991)
• ''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' (9/15/1991)
• ''Dream On'' (11/7/1992)
• ''Married…with Children'' (5/21/1995)
• The UnGraduate
• ''Gilmore Girls'' (9/27/2005)
• ''Hope & Faith'' (10/10/2003)

All the President's Men (1976)

• All the President's Women (''Gun,'' 5/10/1997)
• All the President's Women (''Panorama,'' 2/2/1998)
• All the Vice President's Men (''Eight Is Enough,'' 11/22/1978)

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

• Harper vs. Harper (''Mama's Family,'' 3/10/1984)
• Klinger vs. Klinger (''AfterMASH,'' 10/3/1983)
• Monster vs. Mobster (''Milton the Monster'')
• Rohner vs. Gradinger (''L.A. Law,'' 12/3/1987)
• Saver vs. Spender (''Miami Ink'')
• Skyler vs. Skyler (''Sky Dancers'')
• Tanner vs. Gibbler (''Full House,'' 10/21/1988)

New Eps Online: August, Week 1

New series and seasons (full eps only) released online since 31 July 2007:

• Californication (Showtime): pilot (password: MONDAYS)
• Cribs (MTV; iTunes, Unbox): current season (15)
• Dr. 90210 (E!; iTunes): current season (5)
• Eden's Bowy (Anime Network; Akimbo): complete series
• Fallen (ABC Family; iTunes): 2007 eps
• Hart to Hart (NBC; AOL Video): seasons 1 & 2
• Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane (style; iTunes): current season (1)
• Lost Worlds (History; iTunes, Unbox): current season (2)
• Neo Ranga (Anime Network; Akimbo): complete series
• The Pick-Up Artist (VH1; iTunes, Unbox): current season (1)
• The Real World (MTV; iTunes, Unbox): current season (Sydney)
• Rescue Me (FX; iTunes, Unbox): current season (4)
• Rune Soldier (Anime Network; Akimbo): complete series
• Solitary (Fox Reality; iTunes, Unbox): current season (2)
• The Two Coreys (A&E; Unbox): current season (1)
• Wild Arms (Anime Network; Akimbo): first-half of series

Ep Vid Finder Update

It's been three months since I last updated the entire trivialTV directory of online videos. Hopefully, you'll find it was worth the wait. I added new services. I removed two video portals since they no longer provide video. I upgraded some links so that you go directly to the ep instead of just the series page. I removed some links since quite a bit of content was recently removed or just moved.

For those of you keeping track at home, the trivialTV Ep Vid Finder now has 45,854 links to 27,260 episodes for 1,426 series. I reckon it's still the most complete and updated list out there.

I updated content from these sites:

• Previously in database
  • ABC
  • ABC Family
  • Adult Swim Fix
  • ADV Universe
  • AOL
  • CBS (innertube)
  • CinemaNow
  • The CW
  • Disney
  • Fox (MySpace)
  • Google Video: ~1650 links removed
  • GUBA
  • Hanna-Barbera
  • iFilm
  • in2tv
  • iTunes
  • iWatchNow: ~150 links removed
  • Movielink
  • MSNtv
  • NBC (Rewind)
  • Outdoor Action: ~320 links removed
  • OutZone
  • ReelTime: content dramatically changed
  • tbs
  • toonami jetstream
  • TVLand
  • Unbox
  • Vongo
  • WalMart
• New to database:
  • Akimbo
  • Azureus Vuze
  • Joost
  • LifetimeTV
  • MoboVivo
  • MovieFlix

Enjoy!

You've Been TMZ'd

I really hope that isn't one of the catch phrases for the upcoming "TMZ TV." But you can hear it already, can't you?

I can visualize the whole sequence. During one segment "TMZ TV" will air a montage of exclusive TMZ content showing celebs in not-so-flattering form. The segment ends, fancy graphics come on screen, and the hostess gleefully yells "You've been TMZ'd!"

I have no clue if that's what will happen. It's just my best guess.

All I can tell you for certain is that Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. filed a trademark application on July 27, 2007 to protect the phrase You've Been TMZ'd. That much is true. The wording for goods and services in the app is the standard WB boiler plate and offers no additional insight.

Disney's Pictureland

I wonder if Disney wants to develop its own version of TV Land?

On July 26, 2007 Disney Enterprises, Inc. filed a trademark application to protect Pictureland for:

• Entertainment services in the nature of production, storage, hosting, downloading and distribution of wireless data and pictures (digital photograph), audio and video transmission services.
• Entertainment services, namely, computer on-line services offered over a worldwide communication network featuring information and entertainment relating to motion picture films, television show programs, contests and family entertainment via a global communications network.

Disney basically listed all aspects of a full user experience. Audio, video, pics, and data. Film and TV. Info, contests, and games.

So now we have to ask a simple question: How is this new venture different from Disney's current online property? You know, the redesigned site it unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Jan. 8, 2007. The current site already offers this full experience.

Well two things jump out at me.

First, the current site focuses mostly on content for today's generation of tweens. If you're in your 30s you watched Disney shows and movies growing up, but you can't watch them online now. Plus, the site doesn't appeal to you but you probably send your kids there. There's obviously an untapped market niche and Disney has been charged with creating new business ventures.

Second, take a look at the proposed logo from the trademark application.

Look familiar? If you're under 30, probably not.

For the over-30 crowd, you might recognize the font from an older sign at Disneyland.

According to Yesterland, the sign was at the park entrance from 1958-1989.

Sounds reasonable doesn't it? But it's just my analysis with no insider info. I received no reply to my requests for additional information.

Fox Biz Channel TV Segments

We really haven't heard much about the upcoming Fox Business Network yet. Surprisingly. Sure, the net won't go live for another two-and-a-half months, but I thought we'd hear a little buzz by now.

Fortunately for those who are interested, Fox Biz is planning. And you know what that means. Trademark applications.

From July 20 to July 26, 2007, the Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation filed applications to protect six different, but very related, word marks:

• Fox Business HD Wing
• Fox Business Hot Data Wing
• Fox Business Hard Data Wing
• Fox Business HD Bank
• Fox Business Hot Data Bank
• Fox Business Hard Data Bank

I can only tell you that Fox Biz wants to use one or more of these phrases for "entertainment services in the nature of a series of television segments featuring business information."

Update (15:01 PDT, 2 Aug 2007): Changed "Fox Business Channel" to "Fox Business Network" in lead paragraph. Kept title as-is since I didn't want it to appear as another entry in the feed.

As Honest as the Day Is Song

Today is the anniversary of the first broadcast for multiple TV music channels:

• 1998: First broadcast by VH-1 Soul, VH-1 Country
• 1996: First broadcast by MTV2 as M2.
• 1981: First broadcast by MTV.

In honor of these anniversaries, I thought I'd stick with the musical theme for this week's fun with ep titles.

Forty years ago, The Doors' Light My Fire was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. A ton of shows used the exact words, Light My Fire, for ep titles, but a few writers played with the title a little:

• Firefly, Light My Fire (''The Bugaloos,'' 9/12/1970)
• Kumamon Baby, Light My Fire (''Digimon: Digital Monsters,'' 9/23/2002)
• Light My Firebush (''Son of the Beach,'' 4/17/2001)
• Right My Fire (''To Have & To Hold,'' 11/11/1998)

And 35 years ago, the Eagles released the single, Witchy Woman. Everytime I heard that song I immediately think about Desperado. Thanks, Elaine ("Seinfeld"). Well, writers also paid homage to Witchy Woman through ep titles:

• Ooh, Ooh Itchy Woman (''Hannah Montana,'' 6/10/2006)
• Witch-ay Woman (''Johnny Bravo,'' 3/12/2004)
• Witchy Grrrls (''Sabrina, the Animated Series,'' 9/20/1999)