Saturday, December 24, 2005

Dungeons on DVD

Our friends over at TV Shows on DVD are announcing (on this page) that we are soon to see an American DVD release of Dungeons & Dragons, a Saturday morning cartoon show that I developed back in 1983. As far as I know, this is true...although I do not know this because anyone involved with the release has called me.

One brief correction to their report: The show was on CBS, not ABC. And I hope when anyone talks about the writers involved in the show, they'll mention Dennis Marks, who created it, and Hank Saroyan, who story-edited and voice-directed and had so much to do with whatever that was any good that got on the air.

I'm pleased there will finally be a "real" release of the series because I've gotten tired of seeing bootlegs all over the place...including the set that was advertised as being "prepared to the highest, most exacting standards" but which has my name on the box as "Mike Evanier." People are always e-mailing me, asking where they can get the complete collection on video and I'm never sure what to tell them. The bootlegs violate copyright and don't pay royalties to anyone who did the show under a royalty deal...which I think includes me.

At one point, I sent an e-mail to someone who had produced a set and was brazenly selling them online. I wrote — politely, I thought — that since he was depriving me of income, perhaps he'd like to send me a couple of DVDs, gratis, especially since his ad/webpage quoted large chunks of this article I wrote without my permission. The fellow wrote back to inform me that since he didn't hire me, he had no "legal or moral obligation" and that if I continued to harass him — as I apparently did by sending one message — he would have me prosecuted as an Internet stalker. It was kind of like, "If you interfere with my right to rob you, I'm going to call the police!"

Anyway, it was a fun show and I'm looking forward to it coming out on DVD. As soon as I find out which company is issuing it, I'll post that info here. I'll also contact them and see if I can get a couple of free copies. I hope they don't try to have me arrested.

P.S. If you're thinking of writing me to ask about the rumor that there was a "last" episode produced in which the kids in the show got home, read this first. Then don't ask.

• Posted at 8:54 PM · LINK

From a Dave Schwartz

TV writer-producer Dave Schwartz, who is one of at least three David Schwartzes I know, writes about the Christmas animation I linked to earlier this morning — the one with Santa and three reindeer warbling a mellow version of "White Christmas." The Dave Schwartz in question reminds me to mention that the record involved was done in 1954 by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters. McPhatter, sez Dave, is the high voice and the bass singer is a man named Bill Pinkney who, it turns out, is now the sole (soul?) survivor of the original Drifters. He recently turned eighty and is still performing. You can read all about him at this website and even see another video presentation done to the Xmas recording.

Thanks to this particular Dave Schwartz for the reminder...and Happy Holidays to all the David Schwartzes I've ever met.

• Posted at 8:02 PM · LINK

Good Deal

I received e-mail from Yoi Tanabe, who is one of the models on Deal or No Deal. I think she was the one wearing the magenta dress on the show tonight.

Anyway, she says she had a great time doing the show, that they treat all the ladies very well, and that she hopes there will be more episodes. And Yoi's about to get her wish. As predicted here a few days ago, NBC has ordered more. In fact, they ordered more as soon as they saw the Wednesday ratings...though there's no word yet on how many or when they'll begin airing.

If you missed the show this week and want to see what got me hooked, CNBC is rerunning episodes on Monday and Tuesday next week. And if you want to look for Yoi, she's the one holding the big case with the number "20" on it.

The show more or less held my interest through Friday, which I wasn't expecting. The last two nights weren't as interesting as the first three but I think that's because the way the game goes, sometimes it's just not as interesting as other times.

It's obvious that the way the game plays out, it will be very rare for any contestant to hold out for the full million...or even for whatever case they choose at the outset. I think only one player this week didn't take a buy-out and in that case, the top dollar amounts were long since out of play. Even if you pick the case with the million clams in it, you get down to the moment when you either have that or a lesser amount, which is probably quite a bit lesser, and you're being offered a figure in-between as a sure thing. Suppose it's either $100 or $1,000,000 and the Banker is waving a little more than half a million, which is I guess what the offer would be. How many people would pass that up and risk going home with almost bupkis? As Howie Mandel mentioned a few times this week, this is "life-changing money." You'd probably hold out for the possible million if the other amounts remaining on the board were very high ones...which gets me to wondering what the odds would be that you'd get down to the last four or five and they'd all be six-figure amounts. (Paging Tom Galloway...)

One other thing I like about the show is that it's a real game. As I understand it, the numbers are placed into the cases by a third party and no one knows what's where. Howie doesn't know and the models don't know...but most and best of all, the producers don't know. Whoever is figuring out what to offer the contestant is, in effect, playing against them and is just as much in the dark. I'm assuming this person has a computer that totals the remaining dollar amounts and calculates an average...but then there's some leeway to go over or under a bit, depending on how they read the contestant. They did a good job this week of coming up with numbers that kept things interesting.

What would I change about the show? Less editing and less dubbed-in-later dialogue. I assume that as Howie gets more familiar with the dynamics, he'll be saying all those things live on the set and it won't be necessary to loop them in later. I'd speed up the early rounds a bit. Just as it's highly unlikely anyone will hold out for the full million, it's highly unlikely anyone will take one of the first three or four banker offers. I'd let Howie talk more with the contestants about what they'd do with the money and how it feels to be taking what is probably the biggest gamble any of them will ever take in their lives. I'd get rid of all the superimposed titles that tell what the odds are but I'd have someone — Howie or the models or an announcer — read each dollar amount aloud as a case is opened. People with poor vision or small screens might have had trouble following the play at times.

Lastly, I'd put a sink and some Neutrogena on the set and have all the contestants and their friends wash real good in the hope that maybe the host will risk death by shaking hands with them. I think it's weird that NBC has one reality show where the contestants are expected to eat rat testicles but they also have two — this and Mr. Trump's Apprentice — where the stars are terrified of germs. You know, Howie and Donald, touching other people is a great way to maintain good, healthy hair. Look at the difference between the scalps of Leno and Letterman.

• Posted at 3:50 AM · LINK

Online 'n' Animated

The acclaimed diva, Christine Pedi, sent me this link to a fun online Christmas cartoon. (Ms. Pedi is currently appearing in A Broadway Diva Christmas in New York and will be so doing through New Year's Eve. Go here for more details.)

My favorite online bit of animated holiday cheer each season comes on a site called icq.com where we get an annual performance by Santa and his musical reindeer. Here's a link to the 2002 offering, which is still my favorite. Here's a link to the 2003 installment and to the 2004 chapter. And finally, here's a link to this year's. None of them seem to have any credits but whoever does them is very good.

• Posted at 2:54 AM · LINK