TV Anthology Series #TMP, #T2Q, & last week’s #WritersWorkshop prompt
Welcome back, Kittens & Dawgs! Last week, I missed joining Wandering Through The Shelves THURSDAY MOVIE PICKS and while I’m totally MIA in Blogosphere today (routine colonoscopy) I thought I’d share my theme selections for Television Edition: Anthology.
I’m gonna be honest with you, my mind came up blank with this week’s TMP, so I turned to Google for ideas. Yeah, I’m a cheater like that sometimes…ahhh, quite often if you must know the truth. Stop wagging your finger and please no browbeating. I can’t think first thing in the morning (okay, all day) without my coffee.
I grew up watching mostly reruns of the popular anthology series The Twilight Zone (available for streaming on Netflix), The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and Chiller. What kid doesn’t love to be scared?
In recent years, I found streaming TV series, ones I think DH wouldn’t like, gave my mind a place to escape while enduring the gruel torment on the elliptical. I picked up viewing Medium and Ghost Whisperer (currently watching). I think these fall into the category. I’ve watched a few episodes of RL Stine’s The Haunting Hour mostly for the fun of it because it reminds me of our daughters, especially DD#2 love for Stine’s books as a kid. Also, I tried the American Horror Story series, even managed to watch two seasons but it was a bit too weird for me. I’m not writing it off my list entirely. I may resume watching it again.
A few anthology series I’d like to watch but haven’t yet because we either haven’t gotten around to it or not yet available for streaming on Netflix or AmazonPrime are Supernatural (13-seasons on Netflix), Fargo, and American Crime (3-seasons on Netflix).
Geez, I didn’t realize so many of my picks are based on the paranormal! I’m not sure if all of these TV shows fall into today’s movie prompt and for those who are more in the know of this topic, please correct me.
Instead of movie clips, I thought I’d share theme mewsic from these programs. What can I say, I’m a rule breaker!
I don’t know about you but these TV theme songs put me in the mood to watch these series. Thanks to TMP lineup, I’m inspired with today’s questions on T2Q.
- What is your all-time TV anthology program regardless of genre?
- What’s your favorite creepy, spooky TV anthology series? Please, I’d love some suggestions!
Bringing up the rear today, I’m using Mama’s Losin’ It Writer’s Workshop prompts from last week (#4) because frankly, I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to even look at today’s since my mind is elsewhere, so is my entire body (see the first paragraph).
Write about a time you were sent to the principle’s office.
Let me go on record by saying, I was basically a good kid. I knew Smoking in the girls’ Boys’ Room or playing hooky from school went against the rules and the surest way to land oneself in the principle’s office. I still had the misfortune of finding myself in the clutches of death a few times in my early school years.
The first time I recall I was in grade 5 or 6. It’s been too long ago to remember with any degree of accuracy but anyhow, there I was standing in the principal’s office looking confused.
I had no clue what was going on and how I got stuck in the mess but apparently one day while hanging with some friends they were making fun of another friend’s mother who was rather large. That’s being kind. I’m sure the offending word being FAT. I don’t think I was party to it but guilty by association. Anywho, the little girl was crushed because of this and naturally what does any mother do but to bring it to the proper school authority’s attention. I was horrified and embarrassed that I was cast in the lot but that’s just part of the growing up experience; sometimes you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. It turned out the mother was prego. Talk about more embarrassment heaped on my little shoulders. I felt doubly horrible about the whole thing. Our punishment was to apologize to the mother and maybe the little girl. It certainly taught me to be careful about what I say about other; unkind words hurt and serve no good purpose.
The last time I got sent the office I was in grades 7 or 8. My school was out for the day. The hallway was buzzing with kids slamming locker doors and filing in line to catch the appropriate bus to whisk them home. My bus was not only the first to arrive at school each day but was also the last one to pick up. That made no sense to me ever but that’s not the point, the point is getting in trouble. My best friend and I were goofing off. I haven’t the foggiest what we were up but we went tearing through the hallway and out the door when we ran smack dab into the Vice-Principal.
Running in the hall was a capital offense at my junior high school and we definitely knew better but being a bit rambunctious that day, we threw caution to the wind. Coming face-to-face with Mr. H like that is one the scariest things I’d ever witness. My eyes almost popped out of my head and my heart leaped out of my chest. At least it felt like it did. He sternly marched us to the principal’s office. There was no arguing our way out of this mess. We knew we were guilty and took what was coming to us, a couple of swift licks with the proverbial rod. In this case, a wooden paddle. Yep, we were abused horribly in those days. It’s a wonder I wasn’t scared for the rest of my life. We were warned to not do it again before slinking out the door all red-faced and full of silly giggling. After I got home, I immediately told my mom for fear someone else would tell her first. I knew the rule at home which was if I didn’t report my crimes ahead of another then I’d get it again. As luck would have it, Mom didn’t do anything. I’m sure in her wisdom knew that I been properly punished through the humiliation of my peers’ stares when I left the principal’s office that afternoon.
It seems years ago Kat had her weekly prompts listed for those who like to prepare their posts ahead. Am I overlooking these prompts on her site? If so, kindly point me in the right direction!
I wasn’t sure that I would have time to include one of today’s writing prompts but it looks like I am able to work it in after all. I’m going with one of the simplest choices (Kat’s #5) for me and that’s to tell 10 Reason Why I Love My Job!
- I can sleep late.
- Do tasks around my schedule.
- I don’t have to answer to anyone but myself.
- I have no limits on my breaks or lunch time.
- I have an unlimited source of freshly brewed coffee.
- I get to listen to mewsic all day.
- I never get in trouble for reading emails, sending texts, or talking on the phone.
- I can take a nap if I’m tired.
- I can exercise at any point that I want throughout the day.
- And finally, what I love MOST about my job is I’m a SAHW!
Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your day and I apologize for making this such an incredibly long-winded post. I will do returns ASAP. Have a blessed day. You’re invited to join me tomorrow over a cup of coffee and some giggles with Friday Fun Stuff! 😉
X💋X💋, Cathy
19 Comments
Kim
I live for the day when I can work from home! I don’t know if it will ever happen, but it needs to. I love my commute (and my job!), but would love to not put miles on the car, not have to maintain it as often, and to save on gas!
See you again next week at all my usual hangouts!
Cathy Kennedy
Kim,
I hope someday you can work from home or at the very least find a job that’s closer to home. I know how old the long commutes, additional gas expense, and continual upkeep on your vehicle. It’s hard, very hard! Thanks for visiting. I’ll see you around Blogosphere, my friend.
-Eugenia
I was never paddled at school but made to sit in a corner a few times. In Jr. High, I was included with several other girls that couldn’t complete my sit-ups during PE in a rather harsh punishment. We were outside in Orlando, FL in 100 degree weather and I was on my menstral cycle. Our gym teacher had us carry bails of hay (used for archery) to their storage area, which was uphill. I came home a scratched up bloody mess. My mother was at the school the next day, which was the last day of the gym teacher’s job. That was a gleeful day for me!
Cathy Kennedy
Eugenia,
I’m not sure what goes on in some people heads. That’s just craziness to punish girls for not being able to complete their sit ups. Y’all weren’t in boot camp. smack forehead Hooray for mom for bringing it to the Principal’s attention
-Eugenia
Yeah! I was proud of my mom.
messymimi's meanderings
Well, i won’t be much help with picking shows to watch, most of the great ones are covered by you or your other commenters.
When i was in second grade, i got called into the principal’s office, and to this day i have no clue what i did that got me threated with a spanking “the next time it happened.” No clue what “it” was, but since i was terrified of breaking rules, whatever it was never cropped up again.
Cathy Kennedy
Mimi,
I don’t know that I was called into the principal’s office that young but I know I was terrified by the thought. Sometimes you could hear the disciplinary paddle echo throughout the school’s corridor. Talk about making a kid shiver with fright?! While I question paddling in schools today, I know kids from yesteryear were more respectful and tried to avoid getting in trouble, even the trouble-makers didn’t want to get punished for their mischief. But, as DH & I have discussed often it’s what is in the heart. People had different hearts from 30, 40, 50, … years ago than they do now. These individuals need a real connection with Christ, not the artificial one they hide behind.
Comedy Plus
I watched those too. I think a couple of them are still in my to watch list in Netflix. We are currently watching Black List. Love that show and season 5 is now available.
Have a fabulous day and rest of the week, Cathy. Big hug. ♥
Cathy Kennedy
Sandee,
We watched season one of The Black List and begin season two but then we moved to something else. We have yet to return. That’s a really good TV show, though.
John Holton
The best of all of them was “Perry Mason.” A local station has been running the shows from the first season over and over, and we watch them no matter how many times they’ve aired. Those shows were really well-written, many by Erle Stanley Gardner, Perry’s creator. Another was “Dragnet.” Mary and I were talking about why it was so good, and decided it was because it showed detectives doing the legwork, conducting interviews, following up on leads, and finally arresting someone when they’ve built a good case. “Law & Order” is like that, and so was the original “Hawaii Five-O”: No gunfights, no car chases, no explosions, just cops doing what they do best. Medical shows like “Marcus Welby, MD,” “Medical Center,” “Emergency!” “Ben Casey,” “Dr. Kildare,” etc. were in the same vein, because each show was different, and all the stories stood alone.
Shows that were more in the vein of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “The Twilight Zone” were “Thriller” (hosted by Boris Karloff), “Science Fiction Theater,” “The Outer Limits,” and “Tales of the Unexpected.” Back in the ’50’s you had all kinds of shows like “The Westinghouse Hour,” “Loretta Young,” “The Chrysler Bob Hope Theater,” and “Playhouse 90,” where each show was a short play. For that matter, “Doctor Who,” at least the way it was aired in the US (In the UK, they were half-hour shows; when they came to the US, the half-hour shows were combined so that each story was complete).
I could go all day like this…
Cathy Kennedy
John,
You touched on some really great ones and many I’ve watched over the years. We started watching the “Doctor Who” series then got sidelined with something else. We need to get back to it! What’s really cool about all of the shows that you mentioned is they were not only good programs but the theme songs were fabulous! Thanks for sharing!
Kat
Mama Kat bringing up the rear! Sounds like most of your offenses at school were pretty minor, at least you didn’t get busted for doing drugs in the bathroom or something! 😉
I published a post called “Fall Writing Prompts” and have been using those prompts every week!
Cathy Kennedy
Kat,
I couldn’t resist saying ‘bringing up the rear’ giving everything that I went through this morning. lol Yeah, I was a purrrty good kid. My infractions pale in comparison to the real trouble-makers back in the day – class dodgers, smoking in the bathroom, necking in the gym and heaven forbid these wild kids on the loose today! Whew, I was practically a saint in my youth! lol I will have to check out your “Fall Writing Prompts” post. 🙂
Birgit
We match! The Twilight Zone is excellent and I would say that is my favourite anthology series. I cheat like you and google things to bring my memory banks up and ready:) I almost went with Alfred and his series is excellent. I especially love the one with Billy Mumy who grabs his dad’s gun and goes all around town pointing it at unsuspecting people. It gives a great message without beating you over the head with it. I have not seen Chiller but would love to! I love Boris Karloff who is the narrator?? The spookiest, for me, is One Step Beyond. It’s a bit strange and it is supposed to be based on facts. I never got the ruler thankfully but my hubby did and he would pull a hair out and place it on his hand. With one swat, his hand would bleed due to the hair and they couldn’t go any further. this was a trick he used. Yesterday was the worst day but today will be a breeze once you wake up and go home and can finally eat something like toast
Cathy Kennedy
Birgit,
Boris Karloff had a fabulous creepy voice and he’s a bit creepy looking, too. 🙂 By the time I entered school rulers to the hands was out the door. However, I do recall my evil first-grade teacher using a paddle on a boy’s palm. That same teacher gave me a few swift whacks to the bottom for marking on my desk. I was definitely wrong for doing that but to pull a little girl out of her chair by the arm and hitting her across the bottom a zillion times (okay it probably wasn’t that many) was a bit uncalled for plus I had to stay in during recess to wash every desk in the room. The reason I wrote on my desk was out of frustration and embarrassment. She humiliated me in front of the class because I had trouble with my reading skills. What I didn’t know is my hearing loss was to blame. I don’t know why no thought of this, instead I was shamed and labeled. I don’t object to spankings but sometimes it was an overkill in punishment.
Thomas Anderson
Hi, Cathy!
Like you I watched The Twilight Zone, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour aka Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and Chiller with horror host Boris Karloff, only I saw all three series when they were first broadcast, not as reruns. A couple of months ago I watched a few episodes of Chiller just for a hoot. What was considered scary in the early 60s is a far cry from what audiences expect today – no blood and gore. Mrs. Shady and I watched every episode of Medium first run and recently watched it again on Hulu. If you liked Ghost Whisperer you might be interested in season 2 of the first responder series 9-1-1 with Jennifer Love Hewitt joining the main cast. Mrs. S refuses to watch American Horror Story with me, but I wouldn’t dare miss a season. It’s that good. She and I both love every season of Fargo offered thus far. I tried watching Supernatural but bailed out on it for reasons I am still trying to understand.
Gosh, dear friend, I am sorry to learn that you endured a paddling in the principal’s office. Paddling was used as a form of discipline at my school also, and kids were made to do humiliating things like eat chalk, lick blackboard erasers, wear a dance cap and sit in the waste basket. One teacher even instructed every student in the class to approach and punch a boy who was accused of punching another kid. I was never called to the principal’s office, but I remember being called in by the high school guidance counselor when my grades plummeted as a result of my hanging out at the Shady Dell every night instead of doing my homework. My buddy and I used to take our homework along with us to the Dell and try to work on it there, but the music and girls proved too much of a distraction. 🙂 My freshman year of college I got caught carrying a fifth of liquor into my dorm and was placed on probation. It took me until age 42 to finally get my act together and quit my self-destructive behavior.
I hope your routine exploratory procedure goes well today and yields reassuring results. I am thinking about you, dear friend Cathy!
Cathy Kennedy
Tom.
Horror shows from yesteryears were far from scary compared to what we see today. Thanks for the tip on 9-1-1. I will check it out. I’m with Mrs. S on “American Horror Story”. It’s a bit too creepy for me but as I said, I’m not ruling it out. I think I’ll just want to share this with DH. Punishment for years ago was a bit harsh. I’m not opposed to paddling a kid if he needs it but I think more consideration in the appropriateness of each case. Of course, I’m not sure how I’d feel if I had kids in school today. I never thought about it being the wrong thing when I was in school. I just accepted it and knew to stay out of trouble. If nothing else, it kept my nose clean. 🙂 Sometimes, it takes some longer than others to realize the path they are own is the wrong one. The important thing is realizing it like you did and getting off at the first exit fast. I’m glad that you did. It’s never too late to improve the quality of one’s life. My procedure this morning went well, actually, it went very well. The doctor said everything looked normal and no change from my last colonoscopy in 2015, so I was very happy to hear this mews. He did a biopsy and the results will be back in 10-days. I’m confident that’ll come back negative. I’m glad to have this out of the way. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by this morning, my friend. Have a good afternoon.
Brian Frum
HA, the Dad remembers all of those went they were first runs!
Cathy Kennedy
Brian,
I know many people who watched these the first time aired. 🙂 lol