Well, here we are, three months into 2025, and I’ve managed to stay (mostly) on schedule.
Although I have to admit I was really pushed for time in February. So, a brief update. This month: Podcasts!
The Made for TV Mayhem Show has an episode in the can, but I’ve spent some time editing it because, honestly, I just haven’t been able to get to it. And, of course, there’s sound issues (as usual). I’m hoping it’ll drop in late March / early April. Then, we can follow that up with a new Trap-Cast.
For those of you new to me or what I do, I have three podcasts, all of which are sporadic. The main show is The Made for TV Mayhem Show, which is focused on the made for TV movie (if you couldn’t guess by the title). I have two co-hosts for that show: Dan Budnik and Nathan Johnson. We love talking TV movies, but it’s hard to gets us all together, and lately, it’s difficult for me to even schedule time for myself. I’m hoping to get back to it later in the Spring. Please stick with us.
The second show is a solo-cast dedicated to the TV series Trapper John M.D., which I’ve lovingly titled The Trap-Cast. It’s very sporadic, but I love doing it. I am finally on the last three episodes of Season 1 and really want to get that online as soon as I can.
And, finally, I have a third podcast, which shouldn’t be as hard to put together as it is, but it is somehow hard to put together. It’s called the One By One Slashcast, and my co-host is Ewan Cant from Vinegar Syndrome. We’ve recorded something so fingers crossed we get it out to you soon.
I’m kind of a workaholic, and I tend to take on a lot of freelance projects when and where I can. My podcasts suffer because of it. This makes me so sad, because it’s something I truly enjoy. However, by taking my time and letting them fall by the wayside here and there, I’m able to keep them free for everyone, which is the goal for any kind of personal project I do (it’s the archivist in me). So, a big thank you to everyone who sticks by and tunes in when things go live. You’re the best!
For next months watch-along party over at BlueSky, I’ll be celebrating Women’s History Month with a screening The Cloning of Clifford Swimmer (YouTube link here). We’re meeting up March 22nd at 1 pm CST and we can connect by using #TVMParty when posting. Come find me at @madefortvmayhem.bsky.social. Hope to see you there!
Announcements
Dark Night of the Scarecrow (88 Films)
Coming soon from 88 Films is the small screen classic, Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981). I have done TWO commentaries for this amazing telefilm, both of which are featured on this release (the first commentary originally appeared on VCI’s wonderful double release of this with its sequel). For the 88 Films track I’m joined by the wonderful guys at The Hysteria Continues (or rather I joined them, since they invited me). I had a blast on both recordings and hopefully brought something a little different to each one. 88 Films is unleashing Bubba in the UK on March 24th.
Lipstick (Imprint Films)
Imprint Films ported over the commentary I did with Justin Kerswell for Shout Factory, and this release also includes a new track by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. Working on Lipstick would become a labor of love, and I absolutely fell in love with Margaux Hemingway while working on it. She was such a wonderful, smart, thoughtful person, and I hope we did her justice. This release is limited to 1500 copies, so grab one (if so inclined).
Small Screen Musings: Why Middle of the Road is OK
I wanted to follow up last’s months post about why Nielsen’s matter with just a brief look at the television business term Broadcasting.
The word Broadcasting is so important. Probably a little obvious, its definition is clearly laid out in the word itself, and is meant to define what it means to ‘cast’ out a project in an effort to attract the ‘broadest’ audience possible. When there were only three major networks and not much else, the game for these channels was to find programming that everyone would be interested in and then mold those premises into projects that kept that audience tuning in.
However, while the term Narrowcasting was created much later, it is a much better description of how programming is structured today. Like Broadcasting, the word has quite a history too, first being used in the late 1960s. TV is now much more in line with Narrowcasting, following the idea that programming should be catered to drawing in smaller audiences with more niche interests. Basically, it’s like comparing CBS to the SyFy Channel. CBS will air sci-fi programs, but they fall into a list of many other types of shows. Conversely, SyFy, for example, only shows science fiction projects and it is tailor made for people who love that stuff.
I’ve always been more curious about the art of broadcasting. The big question for me is how did networks create programming that interests so many different people with such diverse backgrounds?
However, perhaps the more profound question might be:
How do filmmakers inject social commentary into them without alienating or upsetting half of their audience?
I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it here: Made for TV movies are subversive. Not all of them, of course, but a ridiculous amount of telefilms have some kind of fascinating / thought provoking subtext layered underneath modest and conventional premises. Ultimately, TV movies offer a kind of yin-yang relationship with its audience. These are popcorn films to be certain, but they also gives us a window into who we were at the time. And, if we can understand what that reflection is saying to us, then we can understand ourselves and our world just a little better.
This is just a brief way of saying that while ratings and the business of television matter, so does our experience with these films. In so many ways, the made for TV movie is telling our story too.
TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray release: February’s Selections
Day 32: The Astronaut, 1972
Day 33: A Case of Rape, 1974
Day 34: For My Daughter’s Honor, 1996
Day 35: Savages, 1974
Day 36: Drive Hard, Drive Fast, 1973
Day 37: This House Possessed, 1981
Day 38: Policewoman Centerfold, 1983
Day 39: The Face of Fear, 1990
Day 40: Seven in Darkness, 1969
Day 41: Obsessive Love, 1984
Day 42: In Love with an Older Woman, 1982
Day 43: The Other Man, 1970
Day 44: Help Wanted: Male, 1982
Day 45: Griffin and Phoenix, 1976
Day 46: Night of Terror, 1972
Day 47: Obsessed, 1992
Day 48: Three on a Date, 1978
Day 49: Dark Victory, 1976
Day 50: Along Came a Spider, 1970
Day 51: The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver, 1977
Day 52: Young Love First Love, 1979
Day 53: The Secret Life of Kathy McCormick, 1988
Day 54: Cover Girls, 1977
Day 55: Hitchhike!, 1974
Day 56: Conspiracy of Terror, 1975
Day 57: I Saw What You Did, 1988
Day 58: Amber Waves, 1980
Day 59: A Step Toward Tomorrow, 1996