Meet the Special family, a theater-loving, stoner couple and their three very different kids. It’s 1994, and Michael and Jennifer Special are just trying to help fund in the arts in their community, but their son Ricky is on the run from a school bully, and their daughter Zara is betting everything on a plan to start the school year as a popular girl. With a mix of '90s nostalgia, sitcom homages, and a healthy dose of humor, "Welcome, Freshmen" will teach you the joys of scented oxygen, the perils of Crystal Pepsi, and why you should never trust a math teacher to do "creative accounting" for the arts. Equal parts funny, smart, and a little messed up, just like Everly Heights itself.

SPONSOR

CAST LIST

Bill Meeks - Ricky Special/Infomercial Announcer/Mr. Matheson
Sean Seigler - Michael Special
Kristyna Zahrek - Abby Special
Laurin Skarr - Zara Special
Kaushal Patel - Phillip "Sinnimon Slush" Simonson
Helena Geraci - Jennifer Special
Dallis MaxKenzie - Beatrix Knapp
Mandy McCullough - Rebbeca/Veronica
Howard F. Hulin - Ron Linus/Mayor Brown
Richard Reynolds - Jock, Oxygen Bar Attendant
Claire Forbes - Brenda, Beach Babe, Carrie Tart
Dan Pavatich - Nosloo the Great
Sean Weiland - Jerome Bentley, Surfer Dude

"How Can You Be Sure?" and "Zara Special's Mini-Musical Suite" performed by Classic Tragic Hero, written by Bill Meeks

LINKS

Everly Heights
Join the EVERLY HEIGHTS ARTS BOARD and support the show
Buy Mr. Matheson's Arithme-TIPS Comic Collection
Subscribe on YouTube

This show’s about a robot who looks like a little girl. Ted Lawson stole her from his work since his bosses were such big jerks. He’s got some nosy neighbors. Now his family has a secret. Hide and lie to protect inventions. Secrecy increases tension. A family sci-fi sitcom by the numbers. She’s not like other girls… She’s a Small Wonder. 

TOPICS

Open 0:00
- My Dog Vicky 00:28
What The Hell is Small Wonder? 2:15
- Dramaturgy 2:21
-- "We've Got A Secret" Sitcoms 3:03
-- What Happened To Tiffany & Jerry? 6:00
- Inspirations 8:00
-- My Living Doll 8:03
- Intended Audience 9:18
- How It Was Received 9:50
How Well Was It Done? 11:56
- Is Ted Lawson A Moral Character? 12:12
- Too Hot For Syndicated TV 14:24
- Trapped In The Cabinet 16:07
- Too Old For His Age 17:23
- The Cover Story 18:36
- The Technology 19:45
Was It Worth Doing? 22:26
Bits and Baubles 24:55
- ARBITRARY SCALE 26:37
Listener Feedback 27:32

LINKS

Small Wonder Pilot
My Living Doll
'Small Wonder': The Strange True Story Behind the Weirdest Sitcom of the '80s
Karishma Kaa Karishma | Theme Song
Small Wonder on Fox 32 - 1986 Commercial
Tiffany Brissette SMALL WONDER 1980s PSA Commercial
VINTAGE 80'S SMALL WONDER PROMO AD WITH TIFFANY BRISSETTE
Tiffany Brissette - 1991 co-hosting 700 Club Part 1
(Jerry Supiran) Blames His Fall From Grace On A Stripper 

Suggest A Show

NEXT WEEK – Jane The Virgin (The Whole Series)

E-mail: weirdtvpodcast@gmail.com
Voicemail: ‪(424) 274-2352
Twitter: @WeirdTVPod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeirdTVPod
Site: billmeeks.com/weirdtv

Look, there’s this junkie mother. The cops grab her in a raid. No conviction. Baby comes back. Deep addiction isn’t a life hack. Weeks shoots a cop in broad daylight. The “thin blue line” in action. Civil rights? Who cares about those? Death helps the mayor build jails unopposed. Songs are brand new, characters are stock, in a social justice musical called Cop Rock.

TOPICS

Open 0:00
- West Side Story 00:30
What The Hell is Cop Rock? 1:49
- Dramaturgy 1:43
- Inspirations 2:24
-- Steven Bachcho on Cop Rock 2:37
-- Great TV Musicals 4:40
--- Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 5:57
--- Schmigadoon! 7:07
- How It Was Received 8:25
- Get Involved 8:54
How Well Was It Done? 11:52
- Ralph Ruskin, Invisible Man 12:00
- The Cops Are All Bad People 15:25
- Talking At The Urinal 16:39
- Patty The Junkie Mom 19:32
- Animatronic Target Practice 21:23
Was It Worth Doing? 22:30
Bits and Baubles 24:11
- ARBITRARY SCALE 25:49
Listener Feedback 26:48

LINKS

Cop Rock
Steven Bochco discusses Cop Rock
Buffy – I’ve Got A Theory
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
ABC Cancels Cop Rock
Mr. Cellophane
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend – The Buzzing From The Bathroom
"Til I Come Home" — Michael Chiklis Band (MCB) with the Boston Pops

Suggest A Show

NEXT WEEK – Small Wonder S01E01 – Vicki’s Homecoming

E-mail: weirdtvpodcast@gmail.com
Voicemail: ‪(424) 274-2352
Twitter: @WeirdTVPod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeirdTVPod
Site: billmeeks.com/weirdtv

Mr. T pities the kids. He’ll teach them to be better. His sketches, music, song, and dance help the children of the world advance. He’s building a kid army for reasons he’s not saying. They’ll be bold, hip, creative and respectful, running in the sand. The kids in this grew up to be cool. You're gonna  Be Somebody, Or Be Somebody’s Fool!

TOPICS

Open 0:00
- Get Involved 3:14
What The Hell is Be Somebody? 4:37
- Dramaturgy 4:47
- Inspirations 6:35
- How It Was Received 8:41
How Well Was It Done? 9:46
- Can Everybody Be A Leader? 10:08
- Try by Valerie Landsburg 12:01
- Visualization Exercises 14:42
- The Fashion Show 18:19
- The Typical Fat Kid 20:38
- Everybody's Got A Rap! 23:09
Was It Worth Doing? 25:17
Bits and Baubles 27:03
- ARBITRARY SCALE 28:48
Listener Feedback 29:45

LINKS

Mr. T’s Be Somebody or Be Somebody’s Fool
Key and Peele Parody
Mr. T Theme Song
Agony Booth Summary
Topper Carew
Jeff Margolis
Mr. T on Bloomberg
Coffee Achievers Commerical (1984)

NEXT WEEK - Cop Rock

E-mail: weirdtvpodcast@gmail.com
Voicemail: ‪(424) 274-2352
Twitter: @WeirdTVPod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeirdTVPod
Site: billmeeks.com/weirdtv

Cavemen as minorities, with all their modern problems. It’s played for laughs, which feels weird, right? Also weird, the actors are white. Joel thinks his date’s embarrassed by his caveman genetics. Sneak and stalk, confront his girlfriend. Stereotypes are bound to offend. GEICO buried this deep in their basement. Let's dive deep on long-form Cavemen, with special guest Anne Marie DeSimone

TOPICS

Open 0:00
What The Hell is Cavemen? 1:23
-Inspirations 2:12
-Mascots That Went Legit 4:23
-- Ernest 4:54
-- California Raisins 7:03
-- Ted Lasso 8:23
- How It Was Received 10:23
How Well Was It Done? 11:51
- Guest Intro 12:01
- Where Are Cavemen From? 12:21
- Crystal Clear Characters 14:21
- 2007-ish 17:39
- Nick, The Xenophobe 19:17
- Kate and Joel 21:50
Was It Worth Doing? 24:37
Bits and Baubles 27:11
- ARBITRARY SCALE 29:43
Listener Feedback 31:41

LINKS

Cavemen Episode 1
Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer - SNL
99% Invisible Interview
Esquire – The Evolution of the Postmodern Caveman
GEICO Cavemen ad compilation
Nick Kroll & John Mulaney Look Back On 'Cavemen' & 'Mulaney' | PeopleTV
Cavemen Unaired Pilot
TV Guide Network's "25 Biggest TV Blunders" Special
Ernest P. Worrell
Ernest Greatest Clips Volume 1
Jim Varney Does Shakespeare
The California Raisins
An American Coach In London (Ted Lasso)
Ted Lasso series trailer
Anne Marie DeSimone (Twitter | Instagram | Etsy)


NEXT WEEK - Mr. T's Be Somebody or Be Somebody's Fool

E-mail: weirdtvpodcast@gmail.com
Voicemail: ‪(424) 274-2352
Twitter: @WeirdTVPod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeirdTVPod
Site: billmeeks.com/weirdtv

Jack Austin was a spaceman who flew up way too high. Now he's smart when the sun's about, much dumber when the sun's blacked out. His roommate's a machine now who got hit by a laser. On the road, seeking adventure, fighting, fun, action, and lectures. It's an 80s show starring Jack Black. Let's dive deep on Heat Vision and Jack. 

TOPICS

Open 0:00
What The Hell is Heat Vision and Jack? 1:22
- Dramaturgy 1:26
- Inspirations 3:00
- Intended Audience 4:03
- How It Was Received 4:35
How Well Was It Done? 5:31
- Paragon The Incel 5:45
- I Can't See Clearly Now 7:39
- Low-Hi-Tech 9:24
- The Incredible Jack 11:06
- Exposition Dumps 12:47
- "SMART" 15:55
- Ron Silver 16:56
Was It Worth Doing? 18:50
Bits and Baubles 21:57
- ARBITRARY SCALE 23:29
Listener Feedback 24:35

LINKS

Heat Vision and Jack Pilot
Behind The Scenes
Northstar Pilot
Channel 101 Wiki
Rumored Animated Series
Fan Site
Script
TV Tropes – The Drifter
Vincent Schiavelli

NEXT WEEK - Cavemen

E-mail: weirdtvpodcast@gmail.com
Voicemail: ‪(424) 274-2352
Twitter: @WeirdTVPod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeirdTVPod
Site: billmeeks.com/weirdtv