Saturtainment: Flames of Doom (Return to The Planet of The Apes, 1975)

 "Flames of Doom" was the series opener of Return to The Planet of The Apes, a short-lived adaptation of Pierre Boulle's original novel that hewed closer to the novel than the movies and the previous season's live-action series had.

Worth noting is that Austin Stoker (Jeff) was the only cast member with any previous experience in the franchise, having appeared in "Battle For The Planet of The Apes". 

Whereas in the movies and the CBS series, this version has three astronauts, including one female, Judy (Claudette Nevins, ex-Headmaster). Henry Corden steps in for Mark Lenard as General Urko.

The character designs were done by associate producer Doug Wildey, the creator of Jonny Quest.

Considering this was the first straight dramatic series for DFE, this deserved a better fate. Unfortunately, it aired opposite a pair of Krofft sci-fi entries, Lost Saucer (ABC) & Far Out Space Nuts (CBS), and viewers, it seems, were more enamored with the pairing of Jim Nabors & Ruth Buzzi....!

Rating: A.

From Comics to Toons: The television debut of the Punisher (Spider-Man, 1995)

 Inspired by Don Pendleton's The Executioner novels, writer Gerry Conway introduced the Punisher in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man in the 70's. More than 20 years later, the vigilante made his TV debut in Fox's Spider-Man series.

I realize we're in the middle of a season-long story arc, with Punisher (John Beck, ex-Dallas) making his debut in chapter 7, but there's a reason for this.

In memory of Ed Asner (J. Jonah Jameson), who passed away today at 91.

Toons After Dark: Tooning Out The News (2020)

 Stephen Colbert's other animated spin-off from The Late Show figures to be around a while.

Tooning Out The News bowed last year, both as a featurette on The Late Show, and as an ongoing series on Paramount+. Colbert serves as executive producer, but is not yet a voice actor on the show. Like, say for example, South Park, Tooning focuses on current events, and the development of interviews recalls Space Ghost Coast-to-Coast or even Weird Al Yankovic's mock-up interviews.

With Our Cartoon President having ended, that doesn't mean that Donald Trump and his sycophants, such as MyPillow CEO-founder Mike Lindell, aren't targets. That's what Tooning is for.

Episode length varies between 5 and 45 minutes. If you've got Paramount+, check it out. You'll be glad you did. Unless you're a Republican.

Rating: A.

Toon Rock: I'm Still Standing (2016)

 Three years before his breakthrough performance as Elton John in "Rocketman", Taron Egerton covered one of the legend's 80's hits in "Sing".

As Johnny, the teenage son of a mobster, Egerton nails a faithful cover of John's 1983 hit, "I'm Still Standing", which inspires pops to bust out of jail for a family reunion. The balance of the clip includes a portion of Queen & David Bowie's 1982 hit, "Under Pressure":

I really have to rent the movie before the sequel comes out around Christmas.

Game Time: Meet the youngest qualifier for a black belt (To Tell The Truth, 1974)

 Kicking off this post-holiday episode of To Tell The Truth is a game involving Philip Paley, who, at 9, was the youngest to qualify for a black belt. Future icon Chuck Norris is the special guest opening the show with host Garry Moore.

Edit, 10/25/24: Had to change the video, as this is just the opening game.

For all we know, this might've been Chuck's TV debut, too.

Toon Legends: Popeye Snags The Sea Hag (1979)

 From season 1 of The All-New Popeye Hour:

Popeye (Jack Mercer) is a private detective in this short, sent after old foe the Sea Hag (Marilyn Schreffler), aka Madame No-No, who has become more of a pirate. For some reason, Sea Hag's black dress has been replaced with a red one for this adventure, which I think is her Hanna-Barbera debut (she'd return in "Sweethearts at Sea", Popeye's 1st primetime special).

I think Allan Melvin voices her henchman.

Pedestrian.

Rating: B.

Saturday Morning's Greatest Hits: The Good Eleven (1973)

I'll bet anything at all that this next Multiplication Rock entry has been used in Sunday School. And, yeah, the angel used in Bob Dorough's "The Good Eleven" is a reason why it would.

Come to think of it, this would work in Vacation Bible School for preschoolers, wouldn't it now?