For commercial television, 1985 was a year in which grossly inflated network miniseries, most notably ABC's $25 million costume romp North and South, were overshadowed by more humble weekly forms. The situation comedy, reinvigorated by the success of The Cosby Show on NBC, squelched premature reports of its demise with at least two new lively entries: NBC's Golden Girls and CBS' Mary. At the same time, demonstrating that the private-detective genre could still work up a touch of class, ABC came forth with Moonlighting. Over on public television, budget juggling continued to place a heavy accent on imported programs, primarily British, but American Playhouse, the single domestic jewel in PBS' drama crown, managed to put together an impressive package of quality presentations, including the best American television film of the year: Go Tell It on the Mountain. And on cable, a commercially sponsored service like the Arts & Entertainment Network focused on bringing even more British fare to viewers, while pay cable set about expanding its special niche in offbeat comedy with shows such as The Last Polka and The Max Headroom Show.
CBS, to its credit, did make a grand gesture toward unmistakable quality with its presentation, just before the official opening of the fall season, of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Adapted sensitively for the television screen, this was essentially the Broadway version of the play that starred Dustin Hoffman, Kate Reid and John Malkovich. If anything, the production worked better on television, its carefully calculated details -- especially in Hoffman's technically fussy performance -- well-suited to the television close-up. But the very isolation of the effort, its aura of being a decidedly one-shot special offering, ironically underscored the limitations of commercial TV's progamming visions.
The networks' record may be weighed far more accurately on the vast plain of ordinary programming, where old formulas can suddenly come to life through the magic of talented performers and/or scripts that manage to transcend the cliches. The Golden Girls has Bea Arthur, Betty White and Rue McClanahan lending unfailing sparkle to wisecracks that can often be pedestrian. Mary, of course, has Mary Tyler Moore, back in a situation that just might recapture the special charm of the classic Mary Tyler Moore Show. And Moonlighting, in addition to giving Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis an opportunity to show how well they play off each other, is proving that polished, even rather witty scripts may be coming into style in television land, complementing the sophisticated visual pyrotechnics associated with series like Miami Vice.
The TV movie ran into another glut of phony inspiration in 1985, trying the patience of even the most Pollyanna viewers. But, once again, intelligent productions proved capable of dealing effectively and movingly with some of life's more unpleasant facts: Alzheimer's disease in CBS' Do You Remember Love?, with a tough, glowing performance from Joanne Woodward as the victim, and AIDS in NBC's An Early Frost, starring Aidan Quinn, Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazzara. ABC managed to revive the lost art of live television drama with a fine version of The Execution of Raymond Graham, covering the final two hours in the life of a man sentenced to death for murder. And some TV movies were noteworthy primarily for their star turns: Ellen Burstyn as a mother looking for her son who has vanished in Into Thin Air, and Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Alexander having great fun as two nasty Hollywood gossip columnists in Malice in Wonderland.
The plight of public television, and producers of serious TV, was nowhere more distressingly reflected than in the scenario that eventually got Go Tell It on the Mountain completed for broadcast. The project began as a miniseries proposal around 1977, with Robert Geller as producer. After years of trying to devise the right script and find possible financing, it finally wound up -- thanks largely to the dedication of Calvin L. Skaggs, now an independent producer himself -- as a two-hour film on American Playhouse. Capped with an unforgettable explosion of gospel music in a storefront church, the film offers a powerful portrait of black American life, realized by a wonderful cast that includes Paul Winfield, Olivia Cole, Rosalind Cash, Ruby Dee and young John Grimes.
The fact that such enormous difficulties must be surmounted to get a work of such obvious distinction onto the television screen speaks volumes about the state of the medium in this country. American Playhouse, using its limited production resources, deserves generous credit for its support of this project and a string of other "difficult" dramas, including Noon Wine, Nightsongs, Paper Angels and, with the luminous Vanessa Redgrave, Three Sovereigns for Sarah.
Pay-cable also had trouble making its own movies, although Showtime did a fairly distinguished co-production of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night with the BBC, and acquired from Channel 4 the totally absorbing re- creation of The Biko Inquest, starring Albert Finney as the lawyer trying to get the truth behind the death of the black South African leader Steve Biko.
But pay-cable made some of its more lasting impressions with the kind of comedy that the networks would generally shy away from. New comedians were given uncensored showcases for their standup routines: Steven Wright on HBO, Emo Philips on Cinemax, Richard Lewis and Martin Short on Showtime. It almost seems that pay-cable, still strugging to come up with original programming of substance, is taking refuge in the old show-business adage: always leave 'em laughing. In a year of massive natural disasters, terrorist nightmares and nuclear anxieties, that same approach may account for fact that on a recent Thursday at 8 p.m., more than half the nation's television viewers were watching The Cosby Show.
To the Times of Ti: As the sole survivor in an accident near Crown Point on Sept. 25 I failed to get the name of the young man who stopped to help in a pick-up truck. He not only stopped as soon as he saw me waving frantically, but summoned help immediately by cell phone, and also was very kind helping me into a seat in his truck when I mentioned a strained neck and shoulders. I wish to thank him so much, as well as the rescue workers who were quick and efficient to get my husband and friend out of the wrecked SUV. The rescue efforts as well as the support of Schroon Lakers makes me glad we settled in the Adirondacks. Doris D. Cohen
Wearside League football between Harton & Westoe CW (blue) and Sunderland West End, played at Harton & Westoe CW Ground, South Shields.
After going 14 league games unbeaten Sunderland West End lost for the second time inside seven days with a defeat at Harton and Westoe CW.
Anthony Nelson’s side fell to their first league defeat of the campaign at Hartlepool FC last weekend and failed to bounce back on Saturday as they were condemned to a 3-0 loss on South Tyneside.
First-half goals from Adam Bell and Aaron Coulson put Harton in control of the game and a second-half strike from Kyle Oxley ended any thoughts of a West End comeback.
West End dominated possession during the game, but Harton and Westoe manager David Crumbie believes that his game-plan was the reason why his side took all three points and ensured that they continue to impress in this season’s Wearside League.
“They had the majority of the ball, but never really looked like hurting us, so we just tried to soak up the pressure and hit them on the counter-attack.
“The lads’ work-rate has been exceptional and it’s always nice to beat teams that are challenging around us.
Silksworth CW coach Michael Curtis was left to rue missed chances in both halves as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Boldon CA.
Harry Munday continued his fine goalscoring form with a brace but his goals were cancelled out twice by equalisers from Boldon duo Dom Solman and John Murray.
“We played really well for the majority of the second-half but it was the same scenario as the first-half with the goals.
“But ultimately we missed chances in both halves and we know that we could and should have put the game to bed.”
Wolviston lie in second-place in the table after the put nine goals past basement club Coxhoe Athletic.
An own-goal and braces from Mikey McGee, Phil Otele, Ryan Hebb and Stewart Bath eased Wolviston to a 9-0 win at Beechfield Park.
Richmond Town moved up to sixth after a second-half goal from Adam Walker gave them all three points at Hartlepool FC.
Windscale were another side that only needed one goal to win on Saturday as Matt Pilkington’s first-half strike helped them see off Darlington Town.
Hebburn Town Reserves progressed into the semi-finals of the Total Sport Alan Hood Charity Cup with a 3-0 win over West Auckland Tunns.
Robbie Renwick scored a hat-trick to put Horden CW on their way to a 6-1 win against Durham and Wearside Development League side Farringdon Detached.
Adam Elliott, Peter Crawford and and Callum Hodgson were also on the score-sheet as Horden progressed into Round Two of the TWR Shipowners Charity Cup.
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