The Terrible Catsafterme

SEASON 1 – CBS

Theme song composed by Roy Ingraham, Charles Koff, and Edward Paul

NOTE: This series was based on the 1937 film of the same title, as well as its two sequels “Topper Takes a Trip” (1938) and “Topper Returns” (1941). The original film was based on the 1926 novel “Topper” and its 1932 sequel “Topper Takes a Trip,” both written by Thorne Smith. The 1945 radio series “The Adventures of Topper” also pre-dates the television series.

• 001. Topper Meets the Ghosts – 10/9/1953
  • As he is returning from a business trip, stuffy banker Cosmo Topper (Leo G. Carroll) and his wife Henrietta (Lee Patrick) bump into socialite couple George (Robert Sterling) and Marion Kerby (Anne Jeffreys) at the airport. The Kerbys are heading out for their fifth anniversary weekend at a ski resort. While there, they encounter an alcoholic St. Bernard that they name Neil (Buck). All three are killed by an avalanche but have the ability to materialize as ghosts at will. Meanwhile, Topper and Marion consider buying the Kerbys’ old house, which they are shown by realtor Mr. Moulton (Lyle Talbot). The Kerbys make themselves visible to Topper only and give him background info on the house, as well as sabotage the deal so that Topper can get the house at a low price. 5/31/14

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SEASON 1 – NBC

Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur

Theme song written by Gaby Moreno and Vincent Jones

• 001. Pilot – 4/9/2009
  • Presented as a mockumentary, the show follows Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), who works at the Parks and Recreation department in the town of Pawnee, Indiana. She is over zealous and has grandiose dreams for her future. Her co-workers include anti-government boss Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), Mark Brendanawicz (Paul Schneider), a level-headed guy with whom she once slept, the unenthusiastic Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari), and even less interested intern April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza). Leslie hosts a community outreach forum that is typically only attended by nuts, but at this particular one, concerned citizen and nurse Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones) brings up a giant gaping hole that has been left on a property across from her house into which her lazy boyfriend Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt) fell when he was drunk, breaking both of his legs. Leslie pledges to get the hole filled and to build a park on the property. Swanson has no intention of letting her do this, but with pressure from Mark, who owes him a favor, he lets her start her own exploratory sub-committee. During a visit to the hole, she also falls in, which is captured on camera…but despite everyone making fun of her, Leslie remains optimistic about getting the park built. Loudon Wainwright III plays Barry, Retta is Donna Meagle, Jim O’Heir is Jerry Gergich. Ian Roberts appears as Ian Winston. 5/30/14

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SEASON 1 – Fox

Created by Loren Bouchard

Theme song: “Bob’s Burger’s Theme” by Loren Bouchard

• 001. Human Flesh – 1/9/2011
  • After having to close down his burger shop Bob’s Burgers numerous times for fires and infestation, Bob Belcher (H. Jon Benjamin) prepares for the re-re-re-opening at its location in the seaside town of Seymour’s Bay just down the street from an amusement park featuring the famous Wonder Wharf amusement park. His wife Linda (John Roberts) and their children Tina (Dan Mintz), Gene (Eugene Mirman), and Louise (Kristen Schaal) assist – but mostly hinder – at the restaurant. The date is September 3, and Bob has forgotten his and Linda’s anniversary, but she naively thinks that a surprise is coming. They are also visited by health inspectors Hugo (Sam Seder) and Ron (Ron Lynch), who find a list of violations while observing the kitchen. However the real reason they have come is because Louise brought in a hamburger and told the class it was made from human flesh. Hugo happens to have once been engaged to Linda and was then left by her to marry Bob. He is bitter and still in love with her, so he shuts down the restaurant for their big opening weekend while the burgers are inspected, which causes a picketing mob to form outside the restaurant. Ron reminds Hugo that they have the ability to test the meat in their van laboratory and talks him out of trying get revenge. Mort (Andy Kindler), the proprietor of the It’s Your Funeral crematorium next door, where they supposedly get their meat from, helps Bob address the crowd. A bus comes by with an Adventurous Eaters club that are willing to pay $50 a burger for the human flesh, so Bob tries to keep Ron quiet that the meat test as 100% beef. The restaurant has a lucrative weekend after all, and they all go for a ride on the Ferris Wheel. 5/30/21

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SEASON 1 – ABC

Theme song: “Angela” by Bob James

• 001. Like Father, Like Daughter – 9/12/1978
  • At Manhattan’s Sunshine Cab Company’s fleet garage in Manhattan, we meet taxi drivers Alex Reiger (Judd Hirsch), Tony Banta (Tony Danza), an aspiring prizefighter, Bobby Wheeler (Jeff Conaway), an aspiring actor, Elaine Nardo (Marilu Henner), mechanic Latka Gravas (Andy Kaufman), and cranky dispatcher Louie De Palma (Danny DeVito). Alex’s fare John Burns (Randall Carver) accompanies him back to the garage to make change for his fare and discovers that the payphone returns any money put into it, so everyone takes advantage to make free calls. Alex decides to call his daughter Cathy (Talia Balsam) whom he hasn’t seen in fifteen years after being asked by his ex-wife Phyllis to let her new step-father raise her. When he finds out that Cathy will be flying from Rio to Portugal, stopping in Miami along the way, he and his friends drive down to greet her. Although they only get five minutes together, they are able to connect and promise to keep in touch. John ends up getting a job as a driver. 5/29/14

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SEASON 1 – ABC

Theme music: “Rock Around the Clock” written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers (as Jimmy DeKnight) and performed by Bill Haley & The Comets (new version recorded in 1973). Closing theme was “Happy Days Theme” written by Norman Gimbel with Charles Fox, performed by Jim Haas.

NOTE: This series is based on an segment entitled “Love and the Television Set” – later re-titled for syndication as “Love and the Happy Days” – on episode #70 of “Love, American Style”

• 000. Unaired Pilot – 1973
  • Potsie sets up Richie with a girl named Mary Lou Milligan who is said to be easy. Richie has a lot of questions on how to score with this girl, but when he joins her on one of her babysitting jobs, they end up just kissing a couple of times and playing chess. When the other guys assume that he has gone all the way with her, he lets them believe it – but later feels guilty and asks his father for advice. He ends up telling his friends that he had an innocent evening with her, and she tells him that the rumors about her being loose are untrue. Fonzie forgives Richie for the lie, but is a little disturbed that he had set up a date with her based on Richie’s testimony. NOTE: This pilot is nearly identical to the premiere episode All the Way, with some minor changes. The biggest difference is that Joanie is portrayed by Louise “Wish” Foley. 4/19/21

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