So my flight got into Toronto at about 7:00 p.m. local time and it was a half hour later when the driver dropped me off at my new residence. I had just stepped out onto the sidewalk with my four pieces of luggage when some passing pedestrian stopped and pointed at me, eyes wide, mouth agape, like Donald Sutherland in that last scene from Invasion of the Body Snatchers. “Is that guy pointing at me?”I wondered and, since he obviously was, my next question was: “Who is that guy?”. It was dark and he was wearing a baseball cap but there was something familiar about him. And, as I stared back, the wheels turning, I realized: “Hey! That’s the star of Saving Hope!” And then: “And Stargate: SG-1!” And finally: “Michael Shanks! I KNOW him!”
What a surprise!
As it turns out, he was on his way back to his place and happened to spot me. What are the chances? Despite an early call tomorrow morning, he helped me roll my luggage over to my new (temporary) digs, then walked back with me to meet up with my writing partner, Paul, for a brief catch-up session before he called it a night.
Chances are we’ll be crossing paths a lot in the coming months.
It was great to see Michael, great to see he’s doing well, and even greater to know we have a prospective dog sitter for our next Japan trip. Maybe he can keep them busy by getting them guest spots on his show?
Hey, according to this article –
http://gizmodo.com/this-is-the-first-weekend-in-america-with-no-saturday-m-1642441646
This marked the first weekend in America with no network Saturday morning cartoons. Several reasons are cited, from the FCC’s politically correct strong-arm tactics to the fact that, nowadays, cartoons are accessible 24/7 through a variety of alternate sources.
But the sad fact remains: this is the end of an era.
I remember waking up early every Saturday morning and racing downstairs with my sister to mainline a septuple feature of animated programming.
At the risk of dating myself, these were my favorite cartoons growing up…
10. THE PINK PANTHER
I had a love-hate relationship with this show. I enjoyed it enough, but really hated that smug panther. I always thought he was an incredible jerk and tuned in every weekend in the hopes that he would finally get his comeuppance. No such luck. I much preferred The Ant & the Aardvark.
9. ROCKET ROBIN HOOD
There was something quaintly endearing about this cheap-as-hell production whose use and re-use of static images made Ralph Bakshi’s Spiderman look like an elaborate Disney movie by comparison.
8. THE JETSONS
Endless Saturday morning viewings prepared me for a career in science fiction.
7. JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS
I mainly checked it out for Melody.
6. THE ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE SHOW
To be perfectly honest, I came for the Sherman and Mr. Peabody but stayed for the squirrel and moose.
5. FAT ALBERT AND THE COSBY KIDS
I always enjoyed the show up to the point where the gang would play a song at Bill’s behest.
4. SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU?
Its comforting, paint-by-numbers plotting would pre-date shows like House by some forty years, yet prove even more durable.
3. SPIDER-MAN
Okay, full disclosure. If I was stranded on a deserted island and could have only one incarnation of Spiderman to watch, from his humble t.v. beginnings to his recent big screen forays, I’d pick this version who I always felt was closer to the original comic book representation of the nebbish Peter Parker/quippy Spiderman.
2. THE BUGS BUNNY SHOW
A cartoon for grown-ups that kids could enjoy as well. I own the entire Looney Tunes collection and I still find them equally hilarious today. It’s sad that, nowadays, kids can only watch censored versions of these brilliant animated shorts.
1. THE FLINTSTONES
Another clever animated series, written for an adult audience but enjoyed by children as well. Nothing takes me back to my youth like that theme song or those trademark sound effects.
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