News

Steve Pepoon, who received an Emmy for writing an episode of The Simpsons as a freelancer, worked on other TV comedies like It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, Alf and Roseanne and co-created The Wild Thornberrys, has died. He was 68.

Pepoon has been in treatment for a heart condition called cardiac amyloidosis for the past two years and died unexpectedly May 3 outside his home in Paola, Kansas, his wife, Mary Stephenson, told The Hollywood Reporter.

After moving from his native Kansas to Los Angeles in 1979, Pepoon in late 1985 finally sold his first script, which became an episode of Silver Spoons that aired in January 1986. Fifteen months later, he was hired as a staff writer on Alf, another NBC comedy, and wrote for its final three seasons through 1990.

He kept writing on spec, and one script he did for Fox’s The Simpsons, “Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment,” won him his Emmy,...

ABC’s Tgif programming block had viewers hoping for Friday nights to watch their favorite sitcom.

Over the years, many people believed the acronym stood for “Thank God It’s Friday.” However, in a new interview, Jim Janicek, who help create the programming block, clarified that the letters stood for “Thank Goodness It’s Funny.”

“We were talking about things like the ‘Friday Fun Club,'” Janicek said on Pod Meets World about the names they considered before Tgif. “There’s a whole list somewhere I probably could dig up, but I remember that one. You know, ‘It’s Friday Night.’ Lots of little short-isms.”

Janicek recalled that the network’s executives were initially worried that using Tgif would cause problems with a chain of restaurants.

“We did our first animation, which kinda was more childlike, with a little mouse called Friday the Mouse. We were animating that with a guy...

Ken Page was best known as a stage actor, with Deadline referring to him as one of Broadway’s most familiar character actors, but he did earn several film credits over the decades as well, appearing in films like Torch Song Trilogy, The Kid Who Loved Christmas, I’ll Do Anything, and Dreamgirls, as well as TV shows like Gimme a Break!, Family Matters, Touched by an Angel, and more. Page also did a good amount of voice acting work – with his most popular credit coming when he provided the voice of Oogie Boogie in the Henry Selick / Tim Burton stop-motion classic The Nightmare Before Christmas. Page would go on to voice Oogie Boogie again for the Kingdom Hearts video games, the video game The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge, and the ride walk-through short Haunted Mansion Holiday. Sadly, it’s being reported that Page passed away in his sleep...

Tgif may have stood for "Thank God It's Friday," but ABC put its spin on 1980s and 1990s TV shows with a block of family-friendly sitcom programming known as "Thank Goodness It's Funny," with some of the most iconic Tgif shows. Tgif quickly became one of the popular TV blocks of the week and gave birth to some of the most beloved comedy shows of all time. Tgif scored several hits while struggling to find a place for others. Tgif shows continue to live on in the hearts and minds of children who grew up in the '80s and '90s.

This programming block was responsible for some of the most wholesome, fun, and uplifting family-friendly sitcoms ever to grace television. The characters in these memorable shows continue to stand the test of time, but not all the shows on the block enjoyed the same success. Some of them...

In recent years there’s been a great deal of ink spilled on the topic of declining attention spans among America’s youth.

It’s tough to quantify or verify such a phenomenon, but if this trend is as real as its loudest alarmists say it is, then there are many possible causes:

Most folks with even a shred of self-awareness would concede that the constant siren song of social media and other smartphone-related diversions has at least somewhat diminished their ability to focus on a single task for an extended period of time.

(Photo by Files/Afp via Getty Images)

And while these temptations have (allegedly) had a negative impact on productivity in schools and offices, they’ve also impacted the entertainment industry in ways both subtle and obvious.

Yes, we’ve spoken before about the decline of family hour in front of the TV and the ways in...

“Screamin’ Scott” Simon, who played piano in the early-rock revival group Sha Na Na for more than a half-century and co-wrote the song “Sandy” that John Travolta crooned in Grease, died September 5 of sinus cancer in Ojai, CA. He was 75.

His daughter Nina Simon announced the news.

“Screamin’ Scott” Simon in an undated family photo

The elder Simon joined Sha Na Na in 1970, the year after its founding as a 1950s/early-’60s rock ‘n’ roll and doo-wop revivalist act and its appearance at Woodstock. He remained with the group, along with original members Donny York and Jocko Marcellino, until it disbanded in 2022. He played piano — banging out energetic covers of “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “At the Hop” and others — and was known for his signature shirt whose sleeves bore piano keys, which he often pretended to play.

The group basked in the ’50s and early-’60s nostalgia craze...

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is set four years before the story it's based on, but breaks musical rules that make its story even better. Grease opened on Broadway in 1972 and was turned into the highest-grossing movie musical in 1978, though the story is set in 1959, with music by Jim Jacobs, Warren Casey, and John Farrar to match. The Rise of the Pink Ladies series is set in the mid-1950s and takes a different approach to the music, but it’s this specific rule-breaking from the source material that improves its story.

As successful as the Grease film was, its soundtrack was just as, if not more, successful. It expanded on the score from the Broadway show, adding four huge songs, “Grease,” "Sandy," "You're the One That I Want," and the Academy Award- and Grammy-nominated “Hopelessly Devoted to You.” Grease was such a success that it even spawned a sequel,...

Writer-producer Saladin K. Patterson has signed a new multi-year, overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. Under the pact, Patterson, who currently is an executive producer on FX comedy Untitled Lil Dickey, will develop, write and produce comedy series for network, cable and streaming platforms. Untitled Lil Dicky, based on the life of comedian and rapper Lil Dicky, received a series order at FX earlier this year.

“The studio’s history with Saladin began more than sixteen years ago, and we’re so happy to welcome him back,” said Carolyn Cassidy, 20th Century Fox TV President of Creative Affairs. “His writing is as smart as it is hilarious, two adjectives that pretty well sum up Saladin himself. He’s also as versatile a writer as there is, having worked in single cam and multicam, live action and animation. He can pretty much do anything, and we’re very glad that...

Saladin Patterson has signed an overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. Under the multi-year deal, Patterson will develop, write and produce comedy series for network, cable and streaming platforms. He was previously under a development deal at the studio earlier in his career.

Patterson is currently an executive producer on the upcoming FX series based on the career of rapper Lil Dicky. Prior to that, he was the showrunner on Season 2 of the TBS comedy “The Last Og.”

“The studio’s history with Saladin began more than sixteen years ago, and we’re so happy to welcome him back,” said Carolyn Cassidy, president of creative affairs for 20th TV. “His writing is as smart as it is hilarious, two adjectives that pretty well sum up Saladin himself. He’s also as versatile a writer as there is, having worked in single cam and multicam, live action and animation. He can pretty much do anything,...

Billy Porter is a sartorial idol, Broadway legend, Lgbtq+ trailblazer, and very nearly a member of the Egot club. Of course, he dazzled in more ways than one at the 2019 Emmys. Donning an oversize, asymmetrical hat and a stunning pinstripe suit, the star made a historic Emmy win for his work on Pose as the character Pray Tell. His victory marked the first honor for an openly gay black man in a lead actor role in a drama series, or the category of love, as he so charmingly calls it. After breaking this ceiling on his first Emmy triumph, just how close is Porter to an Egot? As it turns out, he's pretty damn close to joining the ranks of Rita Moreno and John Legend.

The 50-year-old actor knocked out the "G" and "T" in Egot for his musical theater work. His work on stage has truly been stacked, including...

Fresh off last week’s embarrassing six-way lip sync battle, the ladies of RuPaul’s Drag Race decided on Thursday that they were really going to start trying from now on. No more tucking around!

Unfortunately, not everyone was able to keep that promise, as seen in this week’s disastrous mini challenge Why You Maddow Tho? The assignment was simple: dress up like MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow (cheap jacket and all!) and read a series of breaking news reports from a teleprompter. Yet “simple” proved too much for some queens, like poor Silky Nutmeg Ganache, who struggled with the...

On most red carpets, it's the ladies who get all the buzz and attention, but at Sunday night's Oscars, one of the biggest red carpet showstoppers was actor Billy Porter. The Pose actor arrived on the red carpet alongside husband Adam Smith wearing a stylized tuxedo gown that was classic tux on the top and massive velvet ballgown from the waist down. His look is fantastic - and so is his career.

Porter is already halfway to an Egot, with a Grammy and a Tony to his name. Both of those awards came for the same role: his 2013 turn in the Broadway adaptation of Kinky Boots. The musical, adapted from a 2005 British comedy, tells the story of Charlie, a strait-laced and somewhat hapless young man who inherits a shoe factory from his father. Porter played Lola, a deeply fabulous drag performer who teams up with Charlie to produce a line...

“American Idol” Season 5 runner-up Katharine McPhee has a message for fans: elections have consequences.

To prove her point, McPhee tweeted a photo of herself and “Idol” winner Taylor Hicks on the night she lost to the strong voting bloc of the Soul Patrol.

“Voting matters. Register here,” McPhee wrote as a caption with the hashtag “#midterms2018.”

Hicks shot right back on Twitter, writing, “You’re right, voting Does matter! But you’re a little late to the party, Kat.” His tweet included a link to a pro-voter registration PSA video in which he appears, that was posted five months ago on Facebook.

voting matters register here: https://t.co/1QdiNXD9Rk #midterms2018 pic.twitter.com/5VrozgR8ab

— Kat McPhee (@katharinemcphee) August 28, 2018

Since the two competed on “Idol” in 2006, both Hicks and McPhee have transitioned to areas of entertainment beyond music.

McPhee has had acting roles on NBC’s “Smash,” the CBS show “Scorpion,...

Exclusive: For its first content acceleration program, Imagine Impact has set a diverse roster of established talent to mentor the first round of aspirants. The mentors will be the Oscar-winning Milk scribe Dustin Lance Black, sitcom vet and black-ish exec producer Stacy Traub, Burn Notice exec producer Ben Watkins, The Last O.G. showrunner Saladin K. Patterson, Gaz Alazraki, whose Nosotros los Nobles was a monster hit in Mexico, and Kate Purdy, co-creator of the upcoming Amazon series Undone. They will be the six “Shapers” who will mentor the first group of “Creators,” meeting with their charges twice per week to create a saleable script, teleplay or presentation. After opening the admissions applications process online recently, Imagine Impact received over 37,000 website views from 102 countries, with over 4,000 Creator applications submitted during the two-week window.

Said Tyler Mitchell, the vet exec recently named head of the Imagine Impact initiative: “We are extremely fortunate...

Grease is Still the Word as the Iconic Movie Musical Returns to Big Screens Nationwide This April for its 40th Anniversary. It's a high school reunion unlike any other as Grease, the timeless cultural phenomenon starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, returns to U.S. movie theaters this April to celebrate its 40th anniversary in a special presentation from Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and Paramount Pictures.

For two days only, Sunday, April 8, and Wednesday, April 11, Grease will be presented as part of the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics series. TCM Primetime Host Ben Mankiewicz will join in the fun by offering special commentary both before and after the film, which will play at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (local time) each day.

Tickets for Grease can be purchased online at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be...

Alec Bojalad Jan 22, 2019

Everyone knows the classics and the trending new shows, but take a look at some deep cut TV shows you could enjoy on Amazon Prime.

Editor's Note: This post is updated monthly. Bookmark this page and come back to see what other little-seen classics get added to Amazon Prime.

Updated for February 2019.

You can see a complete list of Amazon new releases here.

Streaming services like Amazon Prime have changed how we watch television forever. Thanks to Amazon and its peers we now have access to whatever shows we want, when we want.

That's fantastic news for the TV fan but it also jeopardizes that some perfectly fine-to-great TV shows might get lost in the shuffle among all the new quality.

With that in mind we've compiled a list of the best TV Amazon has to offer...that you didn't know were on Amazon. There is plenty...

Ron Glass, who played stylish and sassy NYPD detective/aspiring author Ron Harris on ABC’s long-running sitcom Barney Miller, died on Friday of respiratory failure, a spokesperson for the veteran actor has confirmed for TVLine. He was 71.

In addition to his role on the Emmy-winning workplace comedy, Glass portrayed the spiritual Shepherd Book on Fox’s short-lived sci-fi drama Firefly (as well as its big-screen follow-up, Serenity). His lengthy resume also included fellow one-and-done programs including The New Odd Couple (in the Felix Unger role), Rhythm & Blues, Mr. Rhodes and Teen Angel, as well as guest appearances on All in the Family,...

Where's M. Night Shyamalan when we need him? Gus Van Sant's spiritual journey through a death forest is pretty to look at, nicely acted... and Trite with a capital T. Matthew McConaughey and Naomi Watts are prominent on the marquee, but co-star Ken Watanabe gets shunted aside. The Sea of Trees Blu-ray Lionsgate 2015 / Color / 2:40 widescreen / 110 min. / Street Date November 1, 2016 / 24.99 Starring Matthew McConaughey, Ken Watanabe, Naomi Watts, James Saito. Cinematography Kasper Tuxen Film Editor Pietro Scalia Original Music Mason Bates Written by Chris Sparling Produced by F. Gary Gray, Kevin Halloran, Ken Kao, Gil Netter, Thomas Patrick Smith Directed by Gus Van Sant

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Reviewers pretty much stomped on Gus Van Sant's The Sea of Trees from last year. Although I didn't see a single notice with the title "Can't See the Forest for the Trees," that's not an inapt description. Writer Chris Sparling has...

Fox's Grease: Live production was as flashy and fun as one would hope the adaptation to be. Fusing the Broadway show with the familiarity of the film, the three-hour television event was a fun, entertaining event packed with strong performances, gorgeous costumes and massive sets. While the show overall was one of the strongest televised musicals from the recent influx of them (and only beat by The Wiz), here are 10 of our favorite moments, performances and aspects of the TV spectacle.

1. The Live Audience

Unlike the other televised live musical...

Perhaps hard to fathom now, but in the 1970's, Henry Winkler's Happy Days character Fonzie was just as big, or maybe even bigger than superstar John Travolta. And it was Henry Winkler who was initially sought for the role of Danny Zuko in the big screen adaption of Grease. But he eventually turned down the role for one very personal reason.

As Fox prepares to unleash Grease: Live later this month, Vanity Fair has an expose on how the original 1978 movie made it's way to the big screen from the stage. And it's one musical that has certainly stood the test of time in various different formats and mediums. But would the movie be remembered as the classic it is had Henry Winkler decided to stay on board?

Henry Winkler isn't the only big name that decided against appearing in the movie at the last minute. A number of...

Class

BBC America has announced a 2016 air date for "Class," an upcoming eight episode "Doctor Who" spinoff which was confirmed on Friday at the Television Critics Association press tour.

Young-adult author Patrick Ness is behind the series which will be executive produced by Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin. BBC America and BBC Cymru Wales will co-produce the Cardiff-shot series. [Source: Variety]

Grease Live

Legendary R&B group Boyz II Men will make a cameo appearance as a group version of the Teen Angel character to perform the iconic song "Beauty School Dropout" as part of the "Grease: Live" event airing January 31st on Fox. Frankie Avalon played the singular version of the role in the classic 1970s musical. There's also a new featurette for the production which you can see below:

TNT

TNT is making an unprecedent move - planning to cut the number of advertisements during three new 2016 drama series by 50% - roughly 8-9 minutes.

We're so excited to announce we're joining #GreaseLive! Catch us all play Teen Angel Jan 31 on Fox. #threeangels pic.twitter.com/W2wMBF70C4 — Boyz II Men (@BoyzIIMen) January 6, 2016 Yes, as you can see in the above tweet, R&B group Boyz II Men will be playing the part of Teen Angel(s) in the Jan. 31 production of "Grease: Live" which will be broadcast on Fox. The network confirmed the announcement yesterday. For the uninitiated, the character of Teen Angel appears in a vision to Frenchy (to be by Carly Rae Jepsen in the "Live" production on Fox), who needs a little cheering up after deciding to drop out of beauty school, and who performs the...

In a dream scenario only Carly Rae Jepsen could've written, Boyz II Men will soon descend from that malt shop in the sky: Fox's Grease: Live has tapped the R&B group to play the Teen Angel opposite Jepsen's Frenchy in their upcoming musical. The cameo role was famously played by Frankie Avalon but will apparently now expand to a trio of angels — Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, and Shawn Stockman — who'll serenade Frenchy with the timeless "Beauty School Dropout" — slow-jam-style. Just watch what they do to "Grease Is the Word," and try to keep your panties on:...

Meet your new Teen Angel(s): Boyz II Men.

The '90s R&B boy band has joined the cast of Fox's "Grease: Live" to perform the classic song "Beauty School Dropout."

The silky-voiced trio — Shawn Stockman, Nathan Morris, and Wanya Morris — will step into the shoes of Frankie Avalon, who played Teen Angel in the 1978 movie. They'll appear to sing to Frenchy (Carly Rae Jepsen) after a mishap in beauty school leaves her downcast.

Boyz II Men previewed their "Grease" role with a short video on Twitter:

We're so excited to announce we're joining #GreaseLive! Catch us all play Teen Angel Jan 31 on Fox. #threeangels pic.twitter.com/W2wMBF70C4

— Boyz II Men (@BoyzIIMen) January 6, 2016 Julianne Hough stars as the sweet, innocent Sandy, with Aaron Tveit as tough, golden-hearted Danny. The three-hour musical event also features Vanessa Hudgens as Rizzo, Carlos PenaVega as Kenickie, Keke Palmer as Marty,...

Fox’s Grease: Live has found its Teen Angel. R&B group Boyz II Men will make a cameo appearance as Teen Angel and perform the iconic song "Beauty School Dropout" on Grease: Live airing January 31 on Fox. The trio just announced the news on Twitter. We're so excited to announce we're joining #GreaseLive! Catch us all play Teen Angel Jan 31 on Fox. #threeangels pic.twitter.com/W2wMBF70C4 — Boyz II Men (@BoyzIIMen) January 6, 2016 In the live television adaptation of…...

R&B trio Boyz II Men have been cast in Fox’s upcoming “Grease: Live,” the network announced Wednesday. The group will appear as “Teen Angel” and sing the song “Beauty School Dropout,” which was performed in the 1978 film version of “Grease” by Frankie Avalon. Boyz II Men remains one of the most iconic R&B groups in music history. The threesome’s four Grammy Awards are just the tip of the iceberg: throughout its 25-year career, Boyz II Men has also won nine American Music Awards, nine Soul Train Awards, three Billboard Awards, a 2011 Mobo Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music and a star.

Why settle for one angel when you can have an entire heavenly flock?

That’s clearly Grease: Live‘s philosophy, as Fox announced on Wednesday that R&B group Boyz II Men will be playing the part of Teen Angel in the Jan. 31 (7/6c) production.

PhotosTVLine Turns 5: Our Most Covered Shows and Stars Revealed!

For those who don’t speak fluent Grease, the character of Teen Angel appears in a vision to Frenchy (played here by Carly Rae Jepsen), who needs a little cheering up after deciding to drop out of beauty school — hence the song he performs, “Beauty School Dropout.

NBC's "Peter Pan Live!" may not have been a smash, but Fox's previously announced "Grease: Live" is still moving forward with both a premiere date and pair of female leads. Fox announced on Saturday (January 17) that Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens will take key roles in "Grease: Live," which will be based on both the original musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, but also the 1978 feature adaptation. "Grease: Live" will air on Fox on Sunday, January 31, 2016. So yes, that's a long time for Hough, Hudgens and the yet-to-be-announced castmembers to get prepared. Blurbs executive producer Marc Platt, "'Grease' is one of the most treasured and favored pop culture phenomenons of our time. It's fun, it's endearing and we are so excited to reimagine this iconic story with a shared entertainment event suited for today's audience." Hough will play the lead role of Sandy, virginal new girl at Rydell High.

If you were a child or a parent during the early '90s, there's a good chance that ABC's Tgif lineup graced your TV set. Remember Tgif? A two-hour block of family-friendly comedies that tried to make it seem fun staying in on Friday nights?

It officially debuted 25 years ago this month – on Sept. 22, 1989, with a lineup that included Perfect Strangers, Family Matters, Full House and Just the Ten of Us. And notably, it debuted four years before that other landmark '90s TV block, Must See TV.

The early promos are a trip, as they're both introducing the concept...

If you were a child or a parent during the early '90s, there's a good chance that ABC's Tgif lineup graced your TV set. Remember Tgif? A two-hour block of family-friendly comedies that tried to make it seem fun staying in on Friday nights? It officially debuted 25 years ago this month - on Sept. 22, 1989, with a lineup that included Perfect Strangers, Family Matters, Full House and Just the Ten of Us. And notably, it debuted four years before that other landmark '90s TV block, Must See TV. The early promos are a trip, as they're both introducing the...

Stars: Sharon Thorpe, John Leslie, Lesllie Bovee, John Holmes, Annette Haven, Desiree West | Written and Directed by Alan Colberg

Sharon Thorpe (Sexworld, Candy Stripers) plays as the beautiful and mysterious Black Widow who has a habit of murdering unsuspecting customers in the comfort of her own nicely decorated S&M club (I appreciate my sadists having good taste) with poison, just like a Black Widow spider. When poor old nymphomaniac Tom, played by John Leslie (Exposed, Vista Valley PTA) falls foul to Black Widow’s hobby, his sister Jean, played by the lovely Lesllie Bovee (Eruption, Maraschino Cherry) turns to the only man for the job… The one and only Johnny Wadd who is of course played by the big man himself, John Holmes (Aunt Peg, Marina Vice).

On his investigations he meets Tom’s wife Pat who is played by Annette Haven (Barbara Broadcast, Lady Freaks) and the wife of another victim Cindy Benton,...

NBC is no longer the only player when it comes to live network TV productions of classic musicals. Fox announced on Monday (April 28) morning that the network is moving forward with "Grease Live," an entirely self-explanatory live production of "Grease," which will premiere in 2015. After "The Sound of Music Live!" premiered to a whopping 5.6 rating among adults 18-49 and 22 million viewers (in Live+7 figures) for NBC last December, "Grease" was considered a possible contender to be the network's second live musical. Instead, NBC went with "Peter Pan," which will air live on December 4, 2014 with a yet-to-be-announced cast. That left "Grease" for Fox and the network is mighty excited. “From Broadway to film, and across generations, ‘Grease’ is one of the most beloved musical stories ever told -- and we can't wait to bring it to our air in a spectacular live event," blurbs Shana C. Waterman, Senior Vice President of Event Series for Fox.

Jennifer Holliday is undeniably one of RampB and Broadway's greatest voices. Endowed with a commanding and irresistible voice, immeasurable range and artistry that few can rival, Holliday has long stood in a class by herself. The dynamic songstress' now legendary show-stopping, heart-wrenching performance of the torch ballad And I'm Telling You, I'm Not Going in the smash hit Broadway musical, Dreamgirls, made her a household name and introduced her big soulful voice to the world. Her portrayal of Effie Melody White, a role she co-created, not only brought theatergoers to their feet for eight performances a week, but also garnered her a Tony-Award for Best Actress in a Musical and her first Grammy-Award for Best RampB Female Vocalist. From Broadway to major TV appearances including Ellen, Ally McBeal and Touched By An Angel and half-a-dozen soundtrack credits, Jennifer Holliday is one of the most distinctive, enviable and revered voices in modern music.

It's been more than a decade since the 1990s ended, yet the Internet can't seem to go a day without a reminder of the neon slap bracelets that may have been banned from your school.

Yes, we get it. Times are tough and there's comfort in reflection, but enough is enough.

Below, a final goodbye to the 90s to end the nostalgia once and for all. (We're not kidding. There are 1990 items below.)

1. Scrunchies

2. "The Wild Thornberries"

3. Dawson and Joey

4. "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"

5. Mr. Feeny

7. MTV playing music videos

8. Snick

9. The premiere of "Freaks and Geeks"

10. Levar Burton

11. "Daria"

12. "Arthur"

13. "The Powerpuff Girls"

14. "Smart Guy"

15. Comedy Central globe logo with buildings

16. "The X-Files"

17. Rosie O'Donnell

18. Bill Nye

19. "Dawson's Creek"

20. The Mighty Ducks"

21. "Are You Afraid of the Dark"

22. Cornholio

23. Rachel Green

24. Tim Allen

25. "All That"

26. "Beverly Hills 90210"

27. "Step by Step"

28. "The Ren & Stimpy Show"

29. "The Famous Jett Jackson"

30. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer...

Bruno Mars, "Unorthodox Jukebox" (Atlantic Records)

Bruno Mars likes to mix it up. Almost every song on his second album dabbles in a different genre

The 27-year-old singer-songwriter-producer shows growing sophistication, musically and lyrically, on "Unorthodox Jukebox," a retro-pop collection of 10 tracks with elements of rock, funk, country and reggae. There's even a heartbreaking piano ballad.

Mars hinted at his versatility on his 2010 debut, "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," a set of love songs that yielded the hit singles "Grenade" and "Just the Way You Are," which won a Grammy Award.

He draws from a broader range of musical influences here, recalling Michael Jackson, Parliament and even The Police. And there's still love, but also lots of sex.

He channels Prince on "Gorilla," all prowess and desire. "You got your legs up in the sky," Mars sings. "You know what I like. You're a dirty little lover."

He proclaims "your sex takes me...

We hand jived. We flashed back. Some of us had our hearts broken again. All in an hour's work for Glee, right?

Join the Glee panel of experts - Leigh Raines, Suzanne Davis, Gui Omena from Gleek Daily, and Miranda Wicker - as we break down "Glease." Then, sound off in the comments with your answers to this week's questions...

--------------------------------

What was your favorite scene from "Glease"?

Leigh: Damn, I really missed Kate Hudson!! When she was giving Rachel the verbal smackdown over the phone, all I could think of was Regina George in Mean Girls: "She's fabulous but she's evil."

Suzanne: All the New York stuff! I missed New York, although I got whip lash from Kate Hudson's abrupt change from "nice, concerned mentor" to "love interest stealing floozie."

Gui: There were many great moments in this episode. Marley and her mother were really sweet, and...

You can't go back.

Unless you're on "Glee"... In that case, you can go back as often as you want, as long as you are a major character from the original cast. That's what we saw in "Glease" anyway. That's not to say that there weren't good parts of "Glease." There was good, there was bad and there was ugly.

The Good

Understated references: When Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) stormed out of Principal Figgins' office, it was to the uber-dramatic strains of "Carmina Burana." That music should always play when Sue leaves a room. There was also a sly "Silence of the Lambs" comment from Kitty (Becca Tobin). Serial-killer movie jokes are always good.

Perfect "stupid" dialogue: For example, Finn's (Cory Monteith) winning analysis: "What is 'Grease' about? It's about fixing cars!"

"Beauty School Dropout": No one could have played the Teen Angel better than Blaine (Darren Criss). Honestly,...

Glee's much anticipated Grease episode airs this week, featuring Blaine in the role he was truly born to play, and Santana as a ... Pink Lady? And we return to NYC for more of Rachel and Kurt, who looks ... distracted. Is he thinking about his once and future Teen Angel?

You can see "Glease" at 9 Pm Thursday on Fox.

Tags: GleeChris ColferDarren CrissIMDbTeaser Photo: ...

Gleeks, if you simply can’t wait for this Thursday’s episode (Fox, 9/8c), we’ve got a new batch of photos from the Grease spectacle — and beyond!

Related | Glee Exclusive: The Talk‘s Aisha Tyler to Guest Star as [Spoiler]‘s Mother!

First up, New Directions channels Danny, Sandy, Frenchy, Teen Angel and more as the school musical gets underway.

The following week, Marley’s suitors Ryder and Jacob team up for a performance in “Dynamic Duets” — and what looks like a partnership might actually be a sing-off for her affections.

Finally, “Thanksgiving,” airing on Nov. 29, finds Kurt celebrating in his new home,...

Tags: GLEEGlee recapsHeather MorrisWAPIMDb

Previously on Glee, Rachel broke up with Finn, Kurt broke up with Blaine, Santana broke up with Brittany, Emma broke up with Will. Blaine cried, we cried. Brittany cried, we cried. Rachel cried, we cried. Kurt cried, we cried. Santana cried, we cried. Finn cried, we were like, "Shut up, Finn."

Finn is working at Burt's garage and feeling pretty crappy about life in general. He blew it with Rachel when he blew it with the Army when he nearly blew his face off his head with his gun. But Artie doesn't suffer self-pitying sad-sacks so he asks Finn to help him direct the school musical. It was his uncommon idea to perform that little known off-Broadway show called Grease, after all. Finn is like, "Do I get to make decisions for other people and call it heroism, because in terms of getting my life back on track,...

When Glee first revealed that this year's big year-end musical would be based on the hit movie Grease, I literally cringed. After all, haven't we done Grease to death?! Especially on Glee?! I would have been happier to hear that they were covering Grease 2 simply so we could see someone do a really cool rendition of Michelle Pfeiffer's 'Cool Rider.' But that all changed the moment I heard Blaine start to sing 'Hopelessly Devoted To You.' Maybe this could work after all.

I love that Glee -- being a primetime show on a major network -- isn't afraid to tread where other shows are. Seeing Blaine pine for the loss of his boyfriend Kurt, albeit in his own way ('I don't even gel on weekends') and sing a song that has forever been associated with Olivia Newton John's Sandy as she wore her poodle skirt...

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!Today, Maureen McCormick, the woman who played Marcia Brady, celebrates her 56th birthday ... and she still looks great!Since the original show went off the air in 1974, Maureen went on to appear on "Fantasy Island" and "Teen Angel," as well as many Brady TV movies. More recently, she's done a number of reality TV shows -- including "Gone Country," "Outsiders Inn" and "Celebrity Fit Club," which she won.She married Michael Cummings in 1985 and they have one child together.Of course Maureen's real life wasn't as sunny as Marcia Brady's. In her autobiography, "Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice," Maureen wrote about her struggles with substance abuse and stints in rehab -- and even described hitting rock bottom by trading sex for drugs.Despite her troubles, McCormick looks better than ever these days.Check out what she and the rest of the...

The thing about the fairy tales we’re told and the Disney movies we watch as children is that while they may start off with a tragedy, there’s always a happy ending. Over the weekend, the 1991 movie The Man in the Moon was on cable, and I was reminded how much it scarred me as a teen. If you don’t remember it, Reese Witherspoon stars as a 14-year-old who replaces her crush on Elvis with a crush on the teen farmer next door, Court (Jason London). Just as he finally accepts their age difference, he meets her older sister and falls for her.

’90s purists, get out your pitchforks: Sabrina the Teenage Witch is the latest Bush I/Clinton-era pop culture figure to get an “edgy” reboot. What’s next, a reworking of Teen Angel that stars Josh Hutcherson as a buff, moody cherub? (Wait, who am I kidding — I’d totally watch that.)

The good news: At least Michael Bay has nothing to do with it. According to a Deadline report, this new Sabrina will be a magical superhero who spends the movie “coming to terms with her remarkable powers.” The tone of the reboot, which will be produced by the team behind Real Steel,...

Madrid, March 27 (Ians/Efe) Singer Julio Iglesias Jr. regards as a "challenge" his role in the Spanish stage version of "Grease" because this is the first time he will appear in a musical inspired by a movie he has seen many times since he was a youngster.

"Grease" is hard work, Iglesias told Efe, because every day he has to act, sing and take the stage, but above all, it is a "perfect" work because it combines two of his passions, music and acting.

Starting Tuesday, Iglesias will play Teen Angel "for eight minutes in the third scene of the second act of the musical, which lasts 2 1/2 hours", the artistic director.

"Smash" star Katharine McPhee has finally found success after finishing as a runner-up on "American Idol," and the winner of her season has nothing but praise. Taylor Hicks, "Idol's" Season 5 champ, talked to toofab exclusively about McPhee's success. "It was great to see Kat in 'Smash!' I have always had respect for Kat, she has paid her dues. I officially have McPhever!""Smash started out slow but I think the show definitely has staying power," Hicks added. "Having the Superbowl on NBC didn't hurt the shows ratings either. The advertising blitz will pay off and the cast is great."Taylor has had modest success following his win, but nowhere on the level as other champions like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. He released two albums and starred as "Teen Angel" on the national tour of "Grease."Members of the Soul Patrol will be happy to hear that...

Mary Byrne has admitted that she was ‘sad’ when she heard Cheryl Cole had been sacked from The X Factor, but has urged the star to try and put the whole experience behind her.

The Dublin born singer competed on the ITV show last year – finishing in fifth place in the December final – and commenting on Cole’s departure from the UK show, only to be axed from the Us version, the crooner told Rte ten:

It was quite sad, but do you know what, I think the best thing Cheryl could now is get out, hold her head up high, and if she wants to go back to The X Factor well and good, but if not just forget about what happened.

She added:

What happened didn’t damage her that much.

Mary also gave her opinion on the new UK judging panel, which consists of Take That’s Gary Barlow,...

Mary Byrne performed in her first professional stage show last night and admitted that she ‘loved’ every minute of it.

The 51 year old singer – who shot to fame when she finished in fifth place on last year’s X Factor series – took on the role of ‘Teen Angel’ in ‘Grease’ which opened last night at Dublin’s Grand Canal Theatre.

Speaking about her theatre debut to The Irish Times, the Dublin born mum of one admitted that the whole experience was “very exciting”. She added:

“ I just loved it, it’s a great buzz and a beautiful theatre.”

Byrne also revealed that she has never properly acted before and certainly received no former training, she explained:

“Well, I’ve probably been acting all my life but I’ve never had to get out on stage and act.”

She went on to confess that she was incredibly nervous because of this...

Last week, after the throat punch that was the "Dauber Noooo!" episode of How I Met Your Mother, Rowles spoke of the saddest episodes in sitcom history. The other day, while watching Full House at 5am (I don't need to explain what I do in my free time to you people), I realized the entire series hinges on the plot of "dead mom." That's the entire basis for the show. "Your mom's life is over, but the laughter is just beginning!" Three little girls lost their mother, a man lost his wife, but it's totally fine because Dave Coulier can do a passable Bullwinkle impression.

We all have certain episodes of various television shows that melt our faces into teary redness. But, when you really stop and think about it, what about entire series predicated on incredibly depressing notions?

6. Grace Under Fire

One of those infamous shows where, not unlike with Diff'rent Strokes,...

Nearly two decades after starring in the film, Whoopi Goldberg is set to return in the stage version of Sister Act. Will she be any good?

Sister Act: The Musical is in no way like Sister Act: the movie. At least, that's what the production team were at pains to tell us when it opened last summer. It had a brand-new book, by the writers of Cheers, and brand-new music, by the award-winning Alan Menken. On film, the heroine is an averagely-talented Vegas singer who's the wrong side of 30, and has a gangster boyfriend who won't leave his wife; on stage, she is pouting, gifted young thing in her twenties, singing in a club straight out of a blaxploitation movie under the controlling gaze of her smooth-talking, sex-fuelled boyfriend. On screen, the choir nuns can't sing at all; in the theatre they've been forced into singing quietly and...