(Jack Klugman is) Quincy,M.E (season five)

       A coroner gone almost rogue as a crime scene investigator once again releases his inner detective in Quincy season five. A well acted and medically accurate depiction of crime solving at its best. With the help of his associates, Quincy manages to squeeze out the truth at the heart of any matter, and when he can’t he just squeezes harder. The police are at his side and often butt heads with his theories. But persistence pays off and the bad boys get caught. This season deals with marijuana laced with lethal poison causing the terrible deaths of several young people, an evangelist murdered in a most unholy fashion, a life taken at ones own hand accidentally labeled a murder, an abusive family going too far, drunk driving and it horrible hazards, and tainted food that may take the life of countless innocent people. Once again our favorite coroner won’t allow justice to remain quiet in the shadows. An amazing seventies classic!

(Shirley Booth as) “Hazel” (the complete fourth season)

       The most amazing thing about this classic show is that no matter how many times this all-knowing, all caring, well-meaning interfering lady of the Baxter kitchen and the world at large tries to set things straight, she throws herself into a an array of wacky situations, and still comes through it with a smile for everyone involved…well…maybe not always for Mr. Baxter.

       This never-ending tower of nostalgic family fun leaves us all with a great feeling, lessons to be learned, doing the right thing, and of course all under the watchful eye of our dear housekeeper who keeps everyone in line (and bakes a mean apple pie).

       Of course Hazel does get out of the kitchen a little more than she should in this season by getting mixed up in a protest while the governor comes a calling, playing matchmaker, not minding the mind your own business rule, and an unexpected stay at the big house.

       Another slew of adventures on the loose with that one of a kind maid, Hazel.

All in the Family (the complete series)

       This would be the part where I would say what a milestone of a show this has been, and the major impact it had on our society at large. The simple fact is that it was beyond entertaining, although it certainly was that, it projected the precise foresight Norman Lear dealt with as an open court to the world. We simply must laugh at ourselves. There have always been boundaries and the bounders who have made them, but if we could only step over these rabble rousers (who are really only out for their own agenda and gain) and see that we are different and applaud those differences as various spices and flavors, we could sample a little of everything and merely be content with their availability.

       The obvious ignorance of our very own Archie Bunker sets parameters on a stage in life that unfortunately are far less than accurate. Instead of a one way highway with thoughts of twisted bible verses and ancestoreal anecdotes, they do come back to haunt him. In a similar fashion, George Jefferson, armed with the same suitcase full of preconceived prejudice gets his share of bashing for being on the boneheaded barge as his compadre, Archie.

       The families involved don’t share in this narrow minded notion and the clashing gnashing of teeth create more than a decades span of laughter and crying. Through these tears and hilarity we have seen certain moments between Mike and Archie that spell out what their hearts truly harbored for each other, as well as tender times that bring the circle about in such an open ended television series, never phony, but always dealing with the issues at hand.

       Norman Lear’s vision stands, and stands some more in a comedic myopic fifty car pileup with tears and peals of laughter that stills commands the never ending truth that the human race is ridiculous and ridiculously funny. We merely must remember it.