Sabrina the Teenage Witch: Season by Season

In 1996, a made for TV movie based on the comic book (related to Archie) inspired the TV show. Even though Melissa Joan Hart played the main character, the TV movie differed very much from the show. The number one difference was Hilda and Zelda were played by different actresses and had different personalities. Harvey was nerdy and Ryan Reynolds played the hot guy--but was a jerk.

Season One

The best season I believe, this why I love the show. It was colorful, fun, inventive, and different. One crazy Entertainment Weekly writer said Sabrina living with her aunts could be a metaphor for lesbians and coming out of the closet---the Other Realm portal in their closet, maybe? In fact, in season one Zelda says, "We are not an alternative couple." Highlight episodes would be where they make 'dream dates' out of 'man-dough' and two of them are Brian Austin Green and Eddie Cibrian! Good: The flan episode, the episode where they visit Mars and meet up with David Chokachi, Salem's cat show, Harvey turning into a frog at Sabrina's first kiss, Aunt Vesta (played by Raquel Welch), Sabrina meets her dad's new girlfriend, Sabrina and class in Salem's witch trial reenactment and Sabrina's life turns to a soap opera---best episode ever!!! Not so Hot: Jenny turning into a grasshopper, Christmas episode where a boy takes Salem, and babysitting ep. where the baby became an adult.

Season Two

Season 2 not only introduced Varlie, Sabrina's new best friend --- dumping her old friend Jenny (with no explanation) and Vice-Principal Willard Kraft, Season 2 also had an arc! The arc was Sabrina getting her witch's license and had the Quiz Master, who was exclusively for this season. But not everything was seriousness, there were some episodes that stood alone and did not feature the Quiz Master. Cool episodes included Sabrina becoming a boy (with Walter Jones--the original Black Power Ranger), Sabrina telling Harvey and Varlie her secret on Friday the 13th, Sabrina and Libby switching personalities, and a rock band with soda pop of talent. The finale featured her choosing between Harvey and Dashiell (Donald Faison from "Scrubs") and asking for her mom's help. Not so Hot: Candy corn river, Sabrina becomes a doll, hillbilly cousins, Sabrina's aunts having identical houses and the lame Disneyworld episode.

Season Three

The plot of this season was Sabrina trying to figure out the Spellman family secret, so she got visited by various paternal family members. One episode I loved related to this where she tried to get her teacher Ms. Quick to guess the answer for her. Sabrina's aunts also dated Mr. Kraft. Good episodes included: Sabrina gets the embarrassment out of Varlie, Pancake Madness!, when hungry for praise she makes people praise her, unattractive cousin episode, Zelda finds out Mr. Kraft was once married to a witch, Sabrina's thief pen pal, and the finale (Hawaii).
Not So Hot: Varlie's mom makes Varlie into a Sabrina clone, Sabrina's life becomes a reality show, Molly Dolly, and silent movie episode.
Note: The episode "Sabrina, the Matchmaker" was a backdoor pilot for a sitcom featuring Melissa Joan Hart's little sisters as her cousins living with mortals because their mom fell in love with a mortal.

Season Four

This new season kicked out Varlie and Libby (with explanation) and introduced Josh, the coffee house, Harvey's friend Brad, and the bumbling witch Dreama. This was the second year of Senior year, which is common in TV (Sabrina started sophomore year in season 1). A new opening sequence was made. Brad took the place of Libby as Sabrina's antagonist (he was also a witch hunter decedent), neat idea but he was way too annoying. Dream, an apprentice witch that Sabrina was to train was a neat idea but it didn't have a good execution. The actress who played Dreama was boring and way too spaced-out. I think Sabrina being a mentor would had been better for a later season (6 maybe?). Zelda and Hilda even owned a clock shop in this season, which was interesting but quickly abandoned. Dreama was also abandoned by the next season. The finale found Harvey and Josh pitting each other in a duel to be Sabrina's love. But, a big surprise Duex es Machina was a never-before-mentioned 'wish quota' with Harvey, he would no longer get amnesia and knew Sabrina was a witch.

Season Five

Sabrina moved to the WB and to college, got a new opening and new set--her dorm room. New characters included Roxie, Morgan and Miles. Mr. Kraft was never seen again and was not explained where he went. Harvey dumped Sabrina and the first episode felt rushed to explain it, it was irritating. This season just felt weird, Sabrina's new friends were not engaging (Way too 2-dimensional!) and the magic was awkward. It suffered from TV-college-itis, where family members needed excuses to appear in her life. What was an interesting concept was Zelda as a teacher at the college and Miles having a crush on her, also Zelda dating Sabrina's teacher. Hilda also bought the coffee house, which made sense. Hilda was a comedian in real life and was to perform stand-up in the show, but didn't really work out. I also liked the episode where Sabrina dated a warlock who didn't like mortals.
Note: The episode "Witchright Hall" was a backdoor pilot for Sabrina's cousin Amanda to join a witch school. A backdoor pilot is "a pilot episode filmed as a standalone episode so it can be broadcast if not picked up as a series."

Season Six

Melissa Joan Hart dyes her hair brown and the show felt more 'down to reality'--which was not a good thing, was so boring. Sabrina starts a relationship with Josh. One bright spot was that Harvey returns! But dating Morgan... A cool episode was when Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeannie) guest starred and tortured Harvey, thinking Sabrina and he were still together and wanted to make sure a mortal could keep her secret.

Season Seven

Josh, Miles and Zelda were phased out. Miles was given no reason why he disappeared. Sabrina's aunts moved back to the Other Realm but Hilda did appear from time to time. Sabrina's friends Morgan and Roxie moved in to her house but it was really strange that whenever Salem talked, they were not in the room or not noticing. Magic was used sparingly. Sabrina also joined a newspaper and all the characters were annoying and boring. Not a great season. Sabrina evens started a relationship with a hot but bland guy and was even to marry him by the last episode... but she ended up with Harvey, which was great.

Sabrina Goes to Rome (1998)
It aired during the summer and it was not in canon in the show. It could be argued that it was canon with the original TV movie. This movie introduced the character Gwen (Tara Strong), who has her own talking rat and appear in the next movie. The only characters from the show to appear in this movie were Sabrina and Salem.

Sabrina Down Under (1999)
This movie had Gwen once again and was the sequel to the last one. When it aired. I liked that we got to see Gwen again. Lidnsey Sloane (Valerie) guest-starred in the movie as a mermaid, and not as Valerie. It was not even referenced that she looked like Valerie. The only characters from the show to appear in this movie were Sabrina and Salem. So that is why I think these movies had their own continuity.

Project Runway: Here We Go Again

Season Six Episode One and Two

New channel (Lifetime) and new city (Los Angeles), but the show hasn't changed, it is still good. It is still fun to watch. And the judges are not playing this time, they already got rid of two of the crazy 'avant grade' designers Ari and Malvin. Ari was interesting and maybe if it was an earlier season she would have lasted longer. So far the designers seem to get along and are tolerable. They aren't as annoying as last season's, but that is not saying they isn't annoying one. #1 annoying is Mitchell, who sent a practically naked model down the runway in the first episode. Nicolas (the redhead) is just a bobble of irritation, he states the obvious, he steps on other people and just unbearable to watch.

Who I think will be sent away early on are Nicolas, Irina (the forgettable one), Mitchell, Gordana (the one with the heavy accent), Johnny (the ex-addict) and unfortunately Carol. Carol is awesome, she is Southern and blonde and smart and a cool person but you know how these things work. Ra'mon (the black guy) reminds me of last season's Jerell, either he will be sent home early on or go far into it (top 5 or something). At first I thought Qristal was going to be bitchy but she is kinda nice and understanding, but I am sure she will clash with someone. Who does have potential is Louise (the one who sent a red lingerie-like dress down the runway in the second challenge, Shirin (who won the second challenge and looks like Elaine Benes), Althea (who pretty blond, who can get confused with the models!), and Christopher (who won the first challenge). I am not sure about Althea and Eppresson, they could either last all the way or I don't know, they have potential. Eppresson is awesome, he gives inspiration to all people over 40 that you can still goes for your dreams and you can be straight and a fashion designer.

Who is really hot is Logan. On the show The Models of the Runway, his model Fatma for the last two episodes, she has a crush on him and understandably so. She went off on a rant like a teenage girl with a crush. And when Mitchell picked her as his model for the third challenge, things screwed up. She went off on a hissy fit, upsetting Vanessa (who I like her look) and it will go on off for the next episode. I originally thought The Models of the Runway was not going to be interesting, but it draws you in. The girls are watchable and charismatic. It was sad to see Valerie sent home, she is awesome, like a 'mother hen.' (pun intended!) It is good that is a half-hour and it gives you a window to the next episode of the original show. With everything models say about the designers, I wonder what the models of the past seasons said about the past designers?

Also, why is Bravo still running reruns of Project Runway? Poor Kathy Griffin, her show doesn't get encored on Bravo.

Pre-Saved by the Bell: Good Morning Miss Bliss

Many "Saved By the Bell" fans know that the show started out as "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" with Hayley Mills. But the majority of the public doesn't know this. What "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" fans didn't know about the pilot that starred Brian Austin Green, Jael White, and Jonathan Brandis. The original idea for the series "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" was apparently inspired by NBC President Brandon Tartifoff's strong desire to do a positive show about an "inspiring" school teacher, like the teacher (apparently, the real "Miss Bliss") he'd had as a boy. Tartikoff commissioned Peter Engel to do such a show. (This is according to the E! True Hollywood Story about Saved by the Bell.)

The pilot episode of "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" did not have the same cast as in the rest of the "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" series, except for Hayley Mills as Miss Bliss and Maria O' Brien as her best friend Tina Paladrino (but blonde and with more an accent). In the pilot, there were different characters. Actors who later became famous were Brian Austin Green ("Beverly Hills, 90210"), who played a student who always wore business suits. Another student character was played by Jaleel White ("Family Matters") and Jonathan Brandis (Neverending Story 2 and "SeaQuest DSV")--who girls swoon over. Richard Belding was Gerald Belding and played by Oliver Clark (Joe in Ernest Saves Christmas). Ms. Bliss even had an abrupt husband, who she married suddenly before the pilot---but dropped from the pilot.

The pilot of "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" aired only once (pilots were commonly aired on TV in that time) on NBC on Saturday, July 11th, 1987 (during "The Facts of Life" timeslot) at 8:00PM. However NBC didn't buy it, instead the The Disney Channel, licensed it under NBC. After 13 episodes aired (They originally had a different opening sequence), The Disney Channel opted to drop it, and returned it to Peter Engel. Engel retooled it, taking in Zack, Lisa, Screech and Belding and transplanted them to California with new characters and retitling it "Saved by the Bell." This then allowed him to successfully sell the show to NBC. The 13 "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" episodes were aired under the "Saved by the Bell" title during the summer after the first season, with "Saved by the Bell" styled-opening and music cues and Zack introducing the beginning.

For people who don't know about "Good Morning, Miss Bliss," Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins), Zack, Lisa and Samuel "Screech" (yes he was called that even then).

King of the Hill Proper Finale

King of the Hill was canceled twice by FOX, and it has finally be canceled for good (to make space for The Cleveland Show), but didn't have a proper series finale. On April 30, 2009 it was announced that Fox ordered at least two more episodes to give the show a proper finale. The show's fourteenth season was supposed to air sometime in the 2009-2010 season, but FOX later announced that they would not air the episodes, instead the episodes would go into the syndicated run. Another statement announced on August 10, 2009, that the network will air a one hour series finale on September 13, 2009. The two episodes are called "The Boy Can't Help It" and "The Honeymooners" and are being promoted as the Texas-Sized Series Finale. It is unlikely these episodes will be repeated on FOX again, but thank god we have Adult Swim and DVD.

The last episode aired was about Canadians trading houses with Boomhower for the summer. Now, it is said 20th Century Fox Television initially ordered 13 production episodes, but decided to keep the show in production for four additional episodes. The FOX network, however, confirmed it will not air these episodes in primetime opting instead for syndication. There is a possibility that the episodes may air first on Adult Swim. I love this show and it is a great show.

The Neverending Story of the Neverending Story

The Kennedy/Marshall Co. (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Leonardo DiCaprio's company Appian Way are in discussions with Warner Bros. about reviving the 25-year-old franchise with a modern spin. The studio recently acquired rights to the property, clearing the way for a potential remake. The new film--which original producer Dieter Geissler--will examine the more nuanced details of the book that were glossed over in the first film, that was directed by Wolfgang Petersen. -Coming Soon.net

I personally would like it for a remake to be closer to the book. I as a child, first saw the movie and fell in love with it. I felt a lot in common with the main character Bastian. And I had a crush on Noah Hathaway who played the Ateryu. I read the book later as a teenager and fell more in trance. The book goes more indepth into the story. The sequel movie wasn't as great, it tried to pick up on some parts later in the book but felt empty and without heart. The third movie went off on a tangent and had no creativity at all, it had the imaginary characters traveling to the real world, it was done in the mid-90's but looked like something out of a bad 80's movie. It was straight to VHS and thank god it was. There was a Neverending Story cartoon and Neverending Story series that went completely off tangent and was no way near the spirit of the original book. The cartoon was bland and not creative, the series added new characters and looked like a different animal.

The book was written by Michael Ende, a German author and he didn't like the first movie. Imagine if he ever saw the third one, he would have rolled in his grave.--well the third one came out in 1994 and he died in 1995 so maybe it had something to do with it. The book dealt with a young boy who loved books and had no friends and stole this book from a book store owner and he started being incorporated into the plot. He found out he was part of the story. Where the movie left out, at Bastian giving the Childlike Empress a name, but before he did so, she had to go to the man who was writing everything that was happening and everything she said, he wrote and it was a really interesting metaphysical scene. Bastian makes himself an avatar of sorts, changes his image and makes wishes that come true in Fantasica, everytime he makes a wish, he looses a memory and finds out there are more like him, that all have forgotten their memories. In the end, Bastian becomes himself again, a chubby little boy, faces his fears and befriends the book store keeper who also went through a similar experience. Great book.

Peculiar behavior in All About Steve

The upcoming comedy starring Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper and Thomas Haden Church is to premiere September 4th. Now, here are some curious things about this movie. First off, the commercials promoting this movie has it as Sandra Bullock's character as a crazy woman stereotype stalker--clearly seen in the poster. But in Entertainment Weekly interview, Bullock and her director Phil Traill boast the movie as a role reversal--a woman in the role of the sexually frustrated goofball (usually written only for men). But the trailers and previews are not portraying the movie as such. I think this is done because most movie-going audiences go for stereotypes and a woman in a male role would not attract them supposedly. I mean, look at Smiley Face, the Anna Faris drug movie where the woman is the hophead, and this movie never got to be in theaters--it went straight to DVD. Some people report this movie was supposed to premiere March 6, 2009. And another person says that in the Boston Legal Season Five DVD, there was a preview for the movie saying it was going straight to DVD, 'look for it soon on DVD.' I saw this preview at a Sears store. I think what happened was that the movie was meant to come out in theaters, then the powers-that-be gave up on it and planned to release it on DVD. Then since The Hangover came out in July, and Bradley did this movie before The Hangover, the powers-that-be decided to give it another chance (because The Hangover was a success).