Welcome to a new Wildcard Wednesday! This week marks the end of my eighth year here on That’s Entertainment! Since June 17, 2013, I’ve published 1,339 posts, and as we’ve done for every anniversary, I want to reflect on this past “season” and share a few of my favorite entries. As always, many thanks should go to you, my wonderful readers, subscribers, and friends — I’m so grateful for your support and kindness over these past eight years. I say it every time, but that’s because it’s true: this wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun without you. So, let’s take a look back at 2020-2021, where we talked about sitcom seasons that aired between 1960-1980, along with a rich assortment of Wildcard and Musical rarities…

Musical Theatre Monday – January 18, 2021

“MERMAN TALKS”

My favorite Musical Theatre Monday entry of the past year was our annual tribute to Ethel Merman, which offered subscribers the opportunity to hear a live private concert given by La Merm at a party, along with a rare 1966 interview conducted by Shirley Eder.

Situation Comedy Tuesday – September 15, 2020

  “The Ten Best THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES Episodes of Season One”

The Beverly Hillbillies was one of the seminal ’60s sitcoms that I’d been promising to cover here ever since our start in 2013, so it was a treat to finally dig into the series and, in this opening essay, consider it alongside the other classics in Paul Henning’s rural trilogy.

Situation Comedy Tuesday – May 11, 2021

   “The Five Best BARNEY MILLER Episodes of Season One”

What I like best about covering Barney Miller, which is currently running on Sitcom Tuesdays, is that it’s given me the chance to briefly revisit some of my other favorite sitcoms from the decade (like MTM’s and Norman Lear’s efforts) as I put this series in a contextual study.

Wildcard Wednesday – October 14, 2020 

“Debunking a GILLIGAN’S ISLAND Myth”

This post was born completely out of my own skeptical curiosity about an internet rumor surrounding Tina Louise’s fate on Gilligan’s Island in 1967. After laying out my case, I was thrilled to get a generous response from Louise herself, corroborating my findings.

Wildcard Wednesday – December 08, 2020 

“Get Back in Your Bottle:

Comparing I DREAM OF JEANNIE to BEWITCHED”

Of all the pieces published this past year, this is the one about which I’m most proud (airing on a Tuesday, even though it’s a Wildcard), for I was finally able to put on record a comprehensive analysis that argues Bewitched’s superiority, particularly in comparison to I Dream Of Jeannie. 

Thanks again to everyone who’s made these last eight years possible!

Come back next week for another Wildcard! And stay tuned Monday for a musical rarity!