John Schneider in odd new show
John Schneider could be back on our television screens soon, if someone will buy the show. The odd part about this one isn’t the content, but rather the production. Schneider is starring in twentysixmiles — a reference to Catalina Island, where the show is being shot — which is an independently funded production. Executive producer Rob Miller is spending some $5.5 million to shoot six episodes of the show that can serve as a launch to the series, or a trio of movies.
And he’s doing the whole thing with no deal in place for broadcast. Ballsy. Despite the lack of a studio deal, they have managed to land some pretty big names to join Schneider. George Segal (Just Shoot Me), Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development), and James Denton (Desperate Housewives) are all set to make cameos while Jessica Tuck (Judging Amy), Eric Lange, and Daniel Quinn will be part of the regular cast. Schneider’s character is a high powered executive who moves to Catalina Island after his wife divorces him in order to be closer to his children.
Smallville: Apocalypse
(S07E17) Most sci-fi or fantasy television series have used a “parallel universe” or “what if” storyline in which we see what life would be like if a different set of circumstances existed in the characters’ universe. As of tonight’s episode, Smallville is no exception to this rule. In fact, it’s kind of surprising the creators haven’t done it before now since they seem to rely on television clichés.
Somebody saaaaaavvvveeee meeeee….
Clark is shown through a simulation by his dead father what life would have been like on Earth if his rocket was never sent there. Lana is happily married with kids. Chloe is engaged. Luthor is President of the United States and about to launch a global thermonuclear war with Brainiac and Kara by his side. Naturally, Clark is in the middle of this parallel world determined to stop the worst from happening.
The first question on my mind was: if Kryptonians have time-travel technology, why did Krypton explode in the first place? That was answered near the end of the episode by Clark himself. But if they had this capability, why use a ship for Clark to escape in? Why not just teleport him out? Yes, I know. It’s Smallville. That’s the answer.
Not much information was given about the “alternate” Clark Kent. He was presumably adopted and younger than our familiar Clark since he was still wearing a high school jacket. I guess they didn’t have enough time in the episode to go through his back story.
I had heard there would be an old, familiar face in the episode and was hoping it was going to be John Schneider, back from the dead and being Pa Kent. It ended up being Sheriff Adams, who was really unnecessary as a cameo. It made me wonder if they tried to get back Bo Duke and couldn’t. It was still nice to see Jonathan and Martha again, even if it was just a photo.
This was really an episode for references to other versions of Superman. From the 1950’s series, Jimmy was wearing a bow-tie. There was a mention of the Reeves Dam, which is likely a tribute to George Reeves, the actor who played Superman in that series. From the comics, there was the Ace of Clubs and Supergirl’s comic book alter ego of Linda Danvers. From the Superman: the Animated Series, there was Lois’ address of Clark as “Smallville” (more on that later).
It’s somewhat ironic that Lois develops Clark’s famous nerdy reporter look. I admit I got a slight thrill when I saw him in the suit and glasses. Now he just needs the tights and cape to hide underneath and they can end the series on a high note.
Lex is kind of young to be President, isn’t he? It’s a requirement of the position to be 35 years old and Lex is at most 28 at this stage. I guess Brainiac had to use his special powers to make that happen. Or Lex just lied about his age.
This episode could easily have been a two-parter, with the first part dealing with the alternate timeline and the second part being Clark’s attempt to stop Brainiac from changing history on Krypton. What story logic could they have used for Jor-El and Lara not being at the launch of Kal-El’s ship? Did Brainiac kill them already?
It’s nice to see the origin on the other side. A few episodes ago, we saw the events that led the Lex to Smallville. Now we’ve seen the events that took Clark there. There’s symmetry in that.
Clark had a hell of a choice at the end of the episode. Either save Lana or reveal his secrets to Luthor. Given what he’d seen in the alternate timeline as well as his knowledge of Lex, he chose the lesser of two evils. And what was happening to Kara at the end? Was Brainiac’s programming to kill Clark (mentioned in the parallel world) kicking in?
Finally, there is the foreshadowing of affection being shown between Clark and Lois. If Lana is saved, given the fact that she’s only a part-timer for next season, it’s likely the Clark/Lana relationship will be done and the Clark/Lois relationship will start. They’ve even given themselves an “out” by having Lois refer to Clark as “Smallville”. In doing so, the series becomes about Clark rather than the town he grew up in. If the creators wanted, they could move him to Metropolis next season and still keep the name.
While it was predictable, this was a good episode. It showed a lot of progression and the pacing felt correct for the most part. That is one of the benefits of parallel world stories. They can make the characters move forward without anything actually happening.
Nine recordings by TV stars that should have never happened
In this business we call show, there are those people who never let us forget that they are involved to make money. Luckily, those people often occupy the off camera part of the business and let the performers worry about making art. Meanwhile, the business types sit back and try to think up ways they can make more money off of the performers. One of the most insidious ways is to appeal to the star’s ego and convince them to make a recording. What follows are some of the best — and by “best,” I mean “WTF?”
Phyllis Diller
“You’re Different“
Most people today recognize he name Phyllis Diller but have no idea why she was famous, however if they watch this clip, they can be sure that it isn’t for singing.
David Hasselhoff
“Hooked on a Feeling”
There is a certain euphoric feeling you only get after watching The Hoff sing this song about twenty or thirty times. It’s a feeling that makes you think, “Gee, he clearly doesn’t care that he looks completely idiotic, so I guess I shouldn’t be so worried out my own shortcomings.
Scott Baio
“Wanted for Love“
Even as a young man, I was able to discern that Baio had no vocal talent whatsoever. How else could he make Erin Moran sound like a musical prodigy? To this day, I am convinced that the reason Joanie Loves Chachi failed was because people couldn’t sit through the theme song every week.
John Schneider
“I’ve Been Around Enough to Know”
The problem with this song isn’t that Schneider has a bad voice, it’s actually pretty good. However, I have to ask myself “Does the world really need another lame country song?” I will give Schneider credit for doing a country song and not trying something different, like showtunes.
Lorne Greene
“Ringo”
After his version of the Bonanza theme song became a hit, Greene decided he would try his hand at another countrified classic. This song is perfect if you have trouble falling asleep at night.
Jack Webb
“Try a Little Tenderness“
This is on of my all-time favorites. It’s a credit to the ego of Webb that he thought people were so in love with his voice that they would actually listen to him recite the lyrics. The no-nonsense, matter-of-fact way he instructs men to pay attention to their women definitley sends mixed signals.
Telly Savalas
“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”
Hard as it is to believe, there were once people on this planet who considered Savalas a sex symbol. Luckily, most of them are dead now. The good news is that wherever they are, Savalas is right there, serenading them with this classic.
Leonard Nimoy
“Ballad of Bilbo Baggins”
This song is actually quite famous in the annals of celebrity songs. The great part is that on Nimoy’s album, “The Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy,” he was forced to do a bunch of corny novelty songs as Spock. This song, however, is one that he CHOSE to do.
Don Johnson
“Heartbeat”
What can be said about Johnson’s ill-advised musical venture that hadn’t been said about Philip Michael Thomas’ crappy record that was released only a few years earlier? I guess we should feel lucky that Zito and Switek never put out a record.
Catherine Bach Biography
This curvaceous brunette is best-known for her role as the feisty sister of “good ol’ boys” John Schneider and Tom Wopat on the popular CBS comedy-drama “The Dukes of Hazzard” (1979-85). Bach moved to California at 16 to study acting (at USC, and with coaches Milton Katselas and Anna Strasberg). She first came to the notice of TV viewers in the telefilms “Strange New World” and the “Matt Helm” pilot (both ABC, 1975). Her roles were small, and even smaller was her next billed part in “Murder in Peyton Place” (NBC, 1977).
But “The Dukes of Hazzard” came to her rescue, and from 1979-1985, Bach cavorted in cutoffs and tank-tops, the idol of male viewers in this mindless and popular rural comedy. The athletic and outgoing Bach also graced such ongoing TV specials as “The Battle of the Network Stars”, “Celebrity Challenge of the Sexes”, “Circus of the Stars” and “World’s Greatest Stunts”, as well as one-time shots on “The Nashville Palace” (ABC, 1980), “The Magic of David Copperfield” (CBS, 1981), and “Willie Nelson’s Picnic” (syndicated, 1987). She also provided the voice of Daisy in an animated version of the series, “The Dukes” (CBS, 1983).
Buoyed by her popularity but tied to the backwoods image, Bach appeared in two TV-movies: as a photojournalist up against “White Water Rebels” (CBS, 1983), and as “the other woman” in the PBS comedy “Drive, She Said” (1987). From 1992-1994, Bach returned to series TV as a businesswoman who moves to Africa with her teenaged son in “African Skies” (Family Channel). She agreed to reprise Daisy in “Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion” (CBS, 1997).
Bach’s forays into theatrical releases have not been as high-profile. She had small roles in Michael Cimino’s action comedy “Thunderbolt and Lightfoot” and the drama “The Midnight Man” (both 1974) as well as Robert Aldrich’s thriller “Hustle” (1975), co-starring Burt Reynolds. She reteamed with Reynolds for “Cannonball Run II” (1983) and had her first starring role in the low-budget actioner “Driving Force” (1989). Since then it’s been large roles in small films: another actioner, “Street Justice” and the horror flick “Criminal Act” (both 1989); the biker road comedy “Masters of Menace” (1991); and the martial arts film “Rage & Honor” (1992). Former co-star Burt Reynolds gave Bach a theatrical showcase in the drama “Extremities” (1986), at his Florida dinner theater.
- Also Credited As:
Catherine Bachman - Born:
on 03/01/54 in Faith, South Dakota - Job Titles:
Actor
Family
- Brother: Phillip Bachman. born 1955
- Daughter: Sophia Isa-Bella Lopez. born c. January 1996
- Father: Bernard Bachman. divorced from Bach’s mother in 1960
- Mother: Norma Kucera. divorced from Bach’s father in 1960
Significant Others
- Husband: David Shaw. steps-n of Angela Lansbury; divorced 1982
- Husband: Peter Lopez. married in 1990
Milestones
- 1970 Moved to California to take drama courses
- 1974 Feature acting debut, “The Midnight Man”
- 1975 TV-movie acting debut, “Matt Helm”
- 1979 Starred as Daisy Duke on the popular CBS action series, “The Dukes of Hazzard”
- 1983 Provided voice of Daisy in the animated series “The Dukes”
- 1986 Starred onstage in “Extremities” (Jupiter, FL)
- 1989 First starring film role, in “Driving Force”
- 1994 Testified before Congress on behalf of the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act
- 1997 Reprised role of Daisy Duke in “Dukes of Hazard: Reunion”
- Raised in South Dakota
- Starred in series “African Skies” (Family Channel)