Clockwise, from bottom right: Bea Benaderet and the girls of Petticoat Junction
Question: Okey dokey, my dad and I have a bet riding on this one. My father says that Petticoat Junction came before The Beverly Hillbillies and that Kate and Pearl, though both played by the late, great Bea Benaderet, were not related. I, on the other hand, say that the Hillbillies came before Petticoat — and I am pretty darn sure that there was something about Kate and Pearl being distant cousins or something of the sort. Who's right? Thanks!Answer: Looks like it's a draw on this one, Ashley. And since you broke the age-old Televisionary rule and didn't tell me what your bet was (and that's Mr. Okey Dokey to you, by the way), all I can say is it's either a wash and you owe each other nothing, or you should buy something nice for one another.
You're right on the first count: The Beverly Hillbillies
read more
Guy Williams and June Lockhart, Lost in Space
Question: I was a big Lost in Space fan as a kid. Watching reruns, I realized there was a big difference between the evil Dr. Smith from the first episodes and the funny Dr. Smith who came along later. What was the deal with that?
Answer: Elementary, you lugubrious lump... you pusillanimous pinhead! (Sorry, my inner Smith got the best of me there, Kevin.)
The simple answer is the one behind so many developments on your favorite shows, both old and new: ratings. As the story goes, actor Jonathan Harris, who played the no-good doctor, and the powers-that-be behind the show, one of many from legendary producer Irwin Allen, realized early on that the truly evil Dr. Smith would wear thin in no time. So although the character was merely sinister when the series launched on CBS in September 1965 — it was his sabotage that got
read more
Grey's AnatomyABC was very smart to give us a new episode tonight, since the SAGs ended at 10 pm. And what a great one it was. Hopefully people who never watched the show but were watching the awards and saw Sandra Oh win (yea, Sandra!) thought, "Hmm, this gal just won a Golden Globe and now a SAG award. Maybe I should check out her show tonight." Yes, Sandra was fabulous as she always is, but Katherine Heigl and Ellen Pompeo gave their best performances, by far. Maybe the creative staff wanted to spread the wealth and help the other actors join Sandra and Patrick Dempsey in the world of award nominations. So Izzie has an 11-year old daughter that she gave up. What a perfect way for us to find out, by having her give advice to that youn
read more
