John Ritter, with Suzanne Summers and Joyce DeWitt, on THREE'S COMPANY
© ABC
Goodbye, Mr. Ritter
By: Andrew HershbergerDate: Monday, September 15, 2003
Based on Actual Television Shows
Greetings Cinescapers! It's a sad week here in the Wasteland. Now, what I'm about to say is in no way intended to be brutal sarcasm, but alas, I'm aware that most of what I say is brutal sarcasm. So when I tell you that I am sorry to see the loss of a fine talent, taken from us in his prime, I do not want you to feel I'm attacking John Ritter when I do so.
Now I know John Ritter is best know for THREE'S COMPANY, which in and of itself was a wretched television experience, but in no way was that due to Mr. Ritter. While every week I cringed watching the "comedic" antics of Suzanne Summers or Joyce DeWitt, I never felt such feelings toward Mr. Ritter. When HERO AT LARGE hit the big screen I was there front and center opening weekend and three weekends later, then at the discount cinema a few weeks after that, then during the ABC movie of the week a few weeks after that, and now I own it on VHS. When PROBLEM CHILD hit the cinemas, who was there? That's right, me. Same with PROBLEM CHILD 2, REAL MEN, SKIN DEEP, AMERICATHON, THE STONE KILLER, and yes, the good films like SLING BLADE, TADPOLE, MAN OF THE YEAR, TERROR TRACT, and BRIDE OF CHUCKY, amongst a myriad of commendable television films.
John Ritter may not have been in a lot of good productions, but what he was in he always offered his own unique charm and was seldom dull. When I was growing up, John Ritter was one of the few actors I paid attention to and I always felt that in a different time or with better luck he may have gone on to bigger and better things. A true loss, Mr. Ritter you will be missed in Wasteland.
Elsewhere in TV this week, JAKE 2.0 continues as the first UPN sci-fi show to receive critical accolades, and the summer doldrums start to fade.
Got mail? Send it to TVWasteland@cinescape.com.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS (8 pm, NIK) Timmy wished for infinite knowledge. Once received, he discovers that all is vanity and sinks into an irreversible BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES © 2000 Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES / ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES (8 pm, AMC) The two immediate sequels to PLANET OF THE APES. One of which, ESCAPE, is a worthy sequel, and one that sadly lives up to its title - that is it's BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES.
POKEMON (9 pm, TOON) A whirlpool takes ash to the land of pink Pokemon, otherwise known as heaven. (Repeat)
CSI: MIAMI (9:45 pm, CBS) Horatio sees a prison break and then discovers that one of the escapees was a child molester/murderer that he helped convict. Focus shifts from the other prisoners who don't have as dramatic case histories. (Repeat)
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
FOUR DOGS PLAYING POKER (7:20 pm, TMC) Insurance fraud at its most simpleminded as a group of people take out life insurance policies and then decide who will die so the rest can collect. Notable as having one godawful title.
FLASHDANCE (8 pm, AMC) A young woman dreams one day of having her life copied by J Lo.
MI-5 (9 pm, A&E) A hacker breaks into MI-5's computer, creating the loss of both files and lives and leaving behind an obnoxious dancing baby screen saver.
SOUTH PARK (9:30 pm, COM) When the boys are faced with the prospect of eternal damnation they seek religion. (Repeat)
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
ENTERPRISE (8 pm, UPN) While searching for the Xindi the Enterprise is crippled by destructive anomalies, prompting Archer to say, "Is there ever a time this damn ship isn't crippled by something?"
JAKE 2.0 (9 pm, UPN) When the Capitol is threatened with an electromagnetic bomb, Jake sees a key career opportunity.
SMALLVILLE (8 pm, WB) 1) Chloe discovers that all there is to Clark's nice guy image is image when she discover that he and Lana are together. 2) Chloe, quite the grudge holder, considers investigating Clark. (Repeat)
SOLDIER (10 pm, TBS) Some pesky genetically engineered killers are thwarted by a career soldier. Kurt Russell's darkest hour.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
BLADE (9 pm, TNT) John Ritter, with Suzanne Summers and Joyce DeWitt, on THREE'S COMPANY © ABC
JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES (9 pm, SCI-FI) If you're only going to miss one Carpenter film, seriously consider this one!
ANACONDA (9 pm, USA) J Lo fights a giant snake.
CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (9:30 pm, CBS) Two murdered escorts are connected to a dominatrix... no, not literally. (Repeat)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
EARTHQUAKE (8 pm, AMC) When Atlas shrugs Charlton Heston comes to the rescue.
TREMORS: THE SERIES (8 pm, SCI-FI) Mix-Master creates a monster that is half vegetation/half animal and super-funk-a-licious. (Repeat)
STARGATE SG-1 (9 pm, SCI-FI) O'Neill becomes infantile. (Repeat)
DEAD LIKE ME (10 pm, SHOW) Death goes on vacation, but the reapers are stuck doing office work.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
ROCKY II (8 pm, WB) Because Apollo Creed has nothing better to do, Rocky gets a second chance.
TEEN TITANS (9 pm, TOON) Slade's identity becomes the Robin's obsession.
SOUTH PARK (10 pm, COM) Satan finds himself locked in dual relationships of opposite extremes. (Repeat)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
THE TIME MACHINE (6:15 pm, HBO) Wesley Snipes as Blade © 2001 New Line Cinema
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 (8:30 pm, CBS) Ethan Hunt saves the world but fails to make a good movie in the process.
LETHAL WEAPON (9 pm, ABC) Mad Gibson and Dangerous Glover are back in repeat form. Relive all the magic from their very first film together.
And that's a wrap. So until next week feel free to drop a line and let me know of any shows you'd like to plug at Tvwasteland@Cinescape.com.
TV Wasteland is our weekly Television column.
