Comments on: DVD Tuesday: The Pat Paulsen Half A Comedy Hour http://www.tvobscurities.com/2009/10/dvd-tuesday-the-pat-paulsen-half-a-comedy-hour/ Keeping Obscure TV From Fading Away Forever Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:15:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Barry I. Grauman http://www.tvobscurities.com/2009/10/dvd-tuesday-the-pat-paulsen-half-a-comedy-hour/comment-page-1/#comment-16633 Barry I. Grauman Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:26:41 +0000 http://www.tvobscurities.com/?p=4590#comment-16633 I certainly remember Pat's "HALF A COMEDY HOUR"- it aired on Thursdays at 7:30pm(et), and produced by the same people behind "THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS COMEDY HOUR". Why ABC thought Paulsen would be a success as a comedy/variety show host on his own is still a mystery: he worked best as a "supporting player" (and contributing writer) on the Smothers' series. I remember one sketch he did where he parodied a local newscast ["Dinnertime News"]- interesting, but it had no "ending", it went on and on...I'm happy that the original videotapes were preserved, though. Still, what appeal this forgotten variety show will have on "modern audiences" is uncertain, but MPI knows what it's doing... "LAND OF THE LOST" certainly has its fans (the kids who watched it over 30 years ago still have great affection for it), but, unfortunately, I'm not one of them. If I had been an executive, I would have vetoed the idea of Will Ferrell's feature film "burlesque" of the show BEFORE it was filmed. I KNEW what the results would be! Just because something appeals to "baby-boomers" doesn't necessarily mean those same people will flock to a movie that has very little to do with the original TV series. Hollywood executives NEVER seem to learn that ironic little lesson..... I certainly remember Pat’s “HALF A COMEDY HOUR”- it aired on Thursdays at 7:30pm(et), and produced by the same people behind “THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS COMEDY HOUR”. Why ABC thought Paulsen would be a success as a comedy/variety show host on his own is still a mystery: he worked best as a “supporting player” (and contributing writer) on the Smothers’ series. I remember one sketch he did where he parodied a local newscast ["Dinnertime News"]- interesting, but it had no “ending”, it went on and on…I’m happy that the original videotapes were preserved, though. Still, what appeal this forgotten variety show will have on “modern audiences” is uncertain, but MPI knows what it’s doing…

“LAND OF THE LOST” certainly has its fans (the kids who watched it over 30 years ago still have great affection for it), but, unfortunately, I’m not one of them. If I had been an executive, I would have vetoed the idea of Will Ferrell’s feature film “burlesque” of the show BEFORE it was filmed. I KNEW what the results would be! Just because something appeals to “baby-boomers” doesn’t necessarily mean those same people will flock to a movie that has very little to do with the original TV series. Hollywood executives NEVER seem to learn that ironic little lesson…..

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