Welcome to a new Wildcard Wednesday! This week marks the end of my eleventh year here on That’s Entertainment! Since June 17, 2013, I’ve published 1,687 original posts, and like 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 goes to you, my wonderful readers, subscribers, and friends — I’m so grateful for your support and kindness. I say it every year, but that’s because it’s true: this wouldn’t have been much fun without you. So, let’s take a look back at the best of 2023-2024…
Musical Theatre Monday — March 18, 2024
“Elementary, My Dear Inga. . .”
The thing I liked most about my trilogy of Musical Theatre Monday posts on underperformed shows from the 1960s, such as Baker Street, is that I not only got to share rare material with subscribers, I also got to voice more of my personal opinions about these works, just like in the old days of this blog when musicals were a weekly fixture. I want to do this more.
Situation Comedy Tuesday — September 12, 2023
“The Ten Best MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE Episodes of Season Two”
After Curb Your Enthusiasm, Malcolm In The Middle is easily the second-best sitcom we’ve officially looked at during the past 12 months, and the best season of Malcolm is its sophomore collection, when the show was best able to project its identity inside memorable comic stories. If you missed these posts, check them out — this is among the finest comedies of the early 2000s.
Situation Comedy Tuesday — May 15, 2024
“The Four Best CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM Episodes of Season One”
The strongest piece I’ve written in the last year is my opening for Curb Your Enthusiasm, another one of the best sitcoms from the 2000s. Beyond merely putting the series in the context of its era and on the spectrum of my personal enjoyment, I used this introductory essay to give an overview of my thoughts on how the genre has evolved over the past 25 years, setting the scene for everything else that’s to come on Sitcom Tuesdays in the near future…
Wildcard Wednesday — October 18, 2023
“The Literary Society of Broadway (V) – Arlene Francis Edition”
A true highlight of this season has been my new monthly Wildcard feature examining mid-20th century plays (so far, 1920s-1960s), which has helpfully expanded my awareness of other comedic entertainments from that era, outside of TV and movies. The Arlene Francis post — which aired fifth — was written first, inspiring this whole series that I am glad to celebrate.
Wildcard Wednesday — November 22, 2023
“November 22, 1963: A Quiet Sitcom Morning”
Although I considered using this last spot to mention my Wildcard coverage of the underrated Titus, I have to include one of the entries I most enjoyed preparing: a special rundown of the individual sitcom episodes that aired in New York City on the fateful morning of November 22, 1963 — a moment in history that I uniquely explored through this blog’s primary focus.
Thanks again to everyone who’s made these last eleven years possible!
Come back next week for a new Wildcard! And stay tuned Monday for another musical rarity!