When I was a kid, I watched a lot of Saturday morning television — Hong Kong Phooey, Underdog, Krofft Superstars, etc. But even though I've outgrown (most) children's TV, I never fully broke the weekend morning TV habit. My guilty pleasure of late has been watching Beverly Hills 90210 on SOAPnet on weekend mornings.

(Right now they're in the college years, and I keep enjoying little nuggets inspired by the year that Darren Star and I overlapped at UCLA.)

So you'd think I'd be excited about the news I heard the other day — a spin-off of 90210 is reportedly in the works. But, you know, I wasn't so much. In fact, I thought it sounded like a pretty stupid idea. (As Dlisted.com said, “9021-NOOOOOO!!!!”) The show ended eight years ago. (And it should have ended at least 10 years ago.) There's no word yet on which cast members will return, and Darren Starr isn't even attached to the project. Additionally, the original audience is all grown up, and I don't know that they would really be interested in much more than a reunion show. So, I don't really get it. But apparently, it's not for me; it's for the Gossip Girl crowd, and is intended to be essentially a West Coast companion piece. Which still doesn't explain to me why it's going to be a spin-off of a long-dead show.

Of course, 90210 has already spawned one uber-successful spin-off, Melrose Place.

Melrose was one of those crazily successful spin-offs that has probably spawned all sorts of spin-off envy in development executives. It wasn't a particular favorite of mine, but I did like it in the relatively tame first season, before Michael Mancini became Dr. Evil and when the main drama was the will-they-or-won't-they tension between Billy and Allison.

But rather than just puzzle over the 90210 spin-off, I'd rather reminisce about spin-offs I recall fondly. Here are a few of my favorites:

Rhoda (1974 — The Mary Tyler Moore Show) … continue reading

I was pretty much of a square peg in high school. I wasn't cool enough to be in the popular clique, but I didn't really fit in with the geeks, either. So, I was a die-hard fan of Square Pegs before the first opening credits were over.

The show was a gem, even though it lasted only one season. But if you missed it, take heart. On May 20 — finally — Square Pegs will be released on DVD.

The show had a simple enough premise. Two freshmen girls, Lauren and Patty, wanted to be popular. Desperately.

Oh, did I mention that Sarah Jessica Parker played Patty? That's why Sony is releasing Square Pegs now — to coincide with Sex and the City: the Movie. This is one case in which crass commercialism makes the world a better place. … continue reading

Despite the fact that my father refers to them as “chewing-gum for the eyes,” I admit I love watching music videos. A good video can make me like a song I wasn’t that keen on when I heard it on the radio; a really bad one can put me off a song I thought I liked. But they have to be bad indeed in order to get me to switch off altogether.

Despite all that, I’m aware of a pervasive lack in the majority of music videos. Where — amidst all the heterosexual bumping and grinding and declarations of love — are the lesbians? It’s not like there is a lack of successful out lesbian singers. Melissa and k.d. and Tegan and Sara — they’re all out there. But when it comes to being “out there” in their videos — not so much. Possibly under pressure from their record companies, these singers tend to compensate for their openly gay status in life by keeping their songs and videos carefully gender neutral. In the video for their song "Speak Slow," Tegan and Sara even appear in bed with men — although to be fair, it’s made pretty clear that they are friends rather than love interests.

So where does that leave lesbian visibility in music videos? Every so often, a lesbian couple or two will appear briefly in the video of a (presumably) straight singer who wants to demonstrate his or her gay-friendliness. Vanessa Carlton has them in her video for "Hands on Me." Katie Melua has them in her video for "Call Off the Search." Ex-Spice Girl Emma Bunton has one in her video for "I’ll Be There." British singer Tom Baxter has one in his video for "Better." If you’ve ever seen the video for the Nicole Kidman/Robbie Williams duet "Somethin’ Stupid," you’ll know that Nicole has a split-second moment where she looks like she might switch teams. But by and large, that’s what these appearances are: split-second.

Of course, you can always find the occasional straight male singer who uses “lesbian” imagery or suggestiveness in his videos in a clearly voyeuristic way. Fifty Cent’s video for "Candy Shop" springs to mind. As does Robbie Williams’ threesome in "Come Undone." The video for U.K. dance band Ultrabeat’s "Pretty Green Eyes" basically consists of three exotic dancers “performing” lesbianism for the benefit of the fat, ugly male singer who sits and watches them. Justin Timberlake’s video for "What Goes Around ... Comes Around" has guest star Scarlett Johansson exclaiming — with boring predictability as well as without much conviction — “I like girls.”

In the past 25 years, though, there have been a few music videos that not only feature lesbianish relationships prominently, but also do so in a way that makes it feel like they’re not designed (exclusively) for the benefit of straight male viewers. Here are six of my favorites:

1. Prince, "1999" (1983)

What saves the two ambiguously gay women in this video from being just the usual straight male window-dressing is that a) the camera cuts to them repeatedly, b) they are actually involved in the song, with the brunette apparently playing the keyboard and both women singing, and c) neither of them gets involved with men at any point in the video. The fact that Prince is such a sexually ambiguous creature himself helps — I’m willing to believe that he put them in the video as a nod to sexual diversity, and not just to build up his own reputation as a stud. And I’ll admit it — I can’t resist a blonde in a military cap. … continue reading

What is rock 'n' roll? Wait, that question probably requires too much thought for a Monday. Instead, ponder this: is Madonna a rocker?

My first response to the question is, "does it matter?" But since the announcement of Madonna's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the blogosphere has been rife with complaints that the pop star does not deserve the honor. The controversy is not about her contributions to musical culture, but whether her music actually is rock 'n' roll.

You know, my response still is "does it matter?" Return with me, if you will, to Madonna: The Early Years — 1984, to be exact.

I know much of AfterEllen.com's readership is too young to remember 1984. But trust me, "Like a Virgin" was scandalous. As was Madonna. … continue reading

So last night was '80s night on American Idol, and I got to hear some of my favorite songs. (What's wrong with Simon — how can he not recognize the awesomeness of "I Drove All Night"?! And I do mean the Cyndi Lauper version, of course.)

I think Amanda Overmyer totally redeemed herself, after a very weak performance last week.

It helped that she sang one of my favorite songs ever, Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself for Loving You." Here it is:

I love myself for loving the way Amanda's so unimpressed by the whole Idol experience!

And Ramiele Malubay did a great job with a song I thought I never needed to hear again, Phil Collins' "Against All Odds."

  … continue reading

Last Saturday night, while I was forgetting to record Tina Fey on SNL, a friend of mine excitedly told me that she's finally going to see the movie Personal Best when it airs on Logo (AfterEllen.com's parent company) Wednesday morning.

My friend has seen plenty of lesbian movies — we've seen about a zillion together — but this one is rarely on TV and was only recently released on DVD, so she's never managed to see it. And there are a number of reasons to see Personal Best. It's Mariel Hemingway's first lesbian role — and, for a straight woman, she's played a lot of lesbian roles.

It's also a great sports movie, and provides an interesting glimpse back at the Olympic Trials gearing up to the 1980 Summer Olympics. But most important, it was a watershed lesbian/bisexual movie. For many of us who were first struggling to come out in the '80s, it was the only mainstream lesbian or bisexual movie on our radar. … continue reading

One of the more tiresome trends in musical theater these days is the reinvention of '80s movies as stage musicals. (The other tiresome trends are jukebox musicals — which seem to be waning — and musicals that mock musical theater.) I've seen a few of the '80s movie musicals. Xanadu was fun, but a little too self-aware for my taste. Urban Cowboy was, um, kind of watchable, I guess — and I did see Rosie O'Donnell in the audience. Footloose managed to lose whatever depth and heart the movie possessed. Ergo, I'm ready for this trend to play out soon.

I am, however, cautiously optimistic about the upcoming 9 to 5 musical — especially as long as Dolly Parton and Allison Janney stay attached to the project. And I just read about another one that maybe, possibly could be good. A musical version of Mask, the 1985 Cher and Eric Stolz movie about Rocky Dennis, a teenager with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, will open at the Pasadena Playhouse on March 21.

Although Cher won an Oscar for Moonstruck, I believe that Rusty Dennis, in Mask, was her best role. She was this incredibly flawed, drug-abusing, loving, devoted mom. Who was incredibly hot.

You can get a pretty good sense of her in this extended music video filled with scenes from the movie. … continue reading

I think I remember the first time I really, really wanted to look like somebody on TV. It was the late 1980s; the show was Saved by the Bell; the actress was Tiffani-Amber Thiessen; and the relevant monstrosity was this:

Now, you might be saying, that isn’t really so bad. I mean yes, the top is mauve, the jeans are floral, the hair is big and static ... but that Tiffani-Amber Thiessen is a pretty girl, right? No wonder at eight years old you wanted to look like her.

Well — yes. I mean, I’m sure the fact that Tiffani-Amber Thiessen is pretty had an impact on it — but I’m afraid I can’t excuse myself so easily. It wasn’t just that when I watched Saved by the Bell, I wanted to have Kelly Kapowski’s hair, or Kelly Kapowski’s smile. No, I wanted to have Kelly Kapowski’s look, her whole gloriously '80s pastel-and-neon wardrobe — complete with a pale orange T-shirt with rolled up sleeves that I remember particularly coveting. And — since it was the '80s — I think I more or less got it.

Fast-forward five years, to the premiere of a show called My So-Called Life in 1994. Jordan wore plaid flannel. Danielle wore plaid flannel. Rayanne had a plaid flannel shirt that reached the ground. And Angela ... well, Angela had red plaid flannel shorts that she wore with black tights. To quote a poster on TelevisionWithoutPity.com, “I can’t believe how normal I used to think these outfits were [...] Today, it looks to me like she’s wearing cutoff pajama pants over leggings.”

Did I run from this sea of flannel? Did I say “no plaid for me?” No. I had a pair of plaid green shorts that I hoped would make me look like Angela (they didn’t).

Plaid got a different, less grungy and more preppie twist the next year, when Clueless hit the movie theaters: … continue reading

Ever wondered what people with really high IQs do in their spare time? Neither have I. Well, OK, I have wondered what some of them do. To the point of distraction, in fact.

But whether you wanted to know or not, Fancast reports that MENSA chairman Jim Werdell watches about 10 hours of television every day. (The average American watches four and a half hours.) And apparently, the combination of high IQ and television addiction makes Werdell qualified to list the 10 smartest TV shows of all time.

I won't argue with No. 1, simply because my daddy's favorite television show was M*A*S*H and he was smart. That's good enough for me.

I'll also concede that Frasier, All in the Family and West Wing deserve spots on the list. (Dang, how much do you miss C.J.?) … continue reading

Comparing siblings is never fair, is it? But here goes. When it comes to the Jacksons, I'd have to say I prefer Janet.

But that's a recent phenomenon. Back in the more innocent days of 1983, long before the freakish media obsession and allegations of child abuse, it was Michael all the way. That's the year Thriller hit the record stores, bringing a slew of hit tunes to the radio and red pleather jackets to the retail market. I didn't own the jacket, but Mary J. Blige and Beyonce did, or so they confess over at Amazon.com. Amazon is promoting the 25th anniversary re-release of the Thriller album, which includes special collaborations with current artists.

I'm pretty sure I have the dusty vinyl tucked away somewhere in storage, but I'm seriously tempted to get this album. Not for Michael, but because of the collaborations. Truthfully, if you could imagine Michael Jackson collaborating with any current artist, would this woman be the one?

Fergie. That's just weird enough that I might spend money to hear it. She's on the track for “Beat It,” and reviews I've read online suggest that if you are a Michael purist, you'll hate it, but if not, it's kind of fun. … continue reading

A couple of months ago, I blogged about some '80s videos that made me gay. At the end of that post, I said that Les Rita Mitsuoko made me feel weird. I've come to realize that '80s videos are probably largely responsible for my weirdness. Here are some examples of musical abnormality that helped me shun conventionality and further embrace my lady-loving ways.

1. Laurie Anderson, "O Superman" (1982)

It doesn't get better or weirder than this. Laurie Anderson has always freaked me out and turned me on at the same time. The lit-up mouth! Eeek! And the jacket and tie. Mmm.

2. Grace Jones, "Slave to the Rhythm" (1985)

So bizarre and so butch. And Jones is so very talented. Awesome.

3. Parachute Club, "Rise Up" (1983) … continue reading

J.J. Abrams recently announced the cast of his upcoming sci-fi pilot, Fringe. To most fans, I suppose the big news is that Mr. “I Discovered Keri Russell and Jennifer Garner” has chosen the beautiful-but-unknown-in-the-States actress Anna Torv to play the lead.

But the casting bit that caught my eye was the news that one of my most beloved ’80s TV stars, Blair Brown, will play “the brilliant Nina Cord, a 16-year veteran at Prometheus Corp., a cutting-edge research facility.”

Cutting-edge, indeed. The Divine Ms. B was, of course, the star of The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, a laugh-track-less dramedy that ran, starting in 1987, for two years on NBC before being picked up for another three seasons on then-nascent Lifetime. A year before Murphy Brown began its epic run redefining what it was to be a complicated woman in the 1980s, Blair Brown’s Molly Dodd was a quick-witted, complex, vaguely employed, literate libertine who captured the essence of New York womanhood at the time. She was a charmingly neurotic cross between Mary Richards and Annie Hall. And along with Woody Allen’s 1989 Crimes and Misdemeanors, 1988’s Crossing Delancey and the following year’s When Harry Met Sally, it informed my opinion of New York as a cultural, multiethnic, funny, intelligent place that I someday wanted to live. … continue reading

On February 13, the Berlin Film Festival will premiere Filth & Wisdom, the feature-length directorial debut of the inimitable Madonna. The “low-budget music-based comedy” concerns a young musician (Eugene Hutz of the punk band Gogol Bordello) who moves to London to follow his dreams, only to become swept up in the sexy sexy world of S/M. Perhaps. No one really knows what the film’s about for sure. No matter the plot, here’s hoping she’s better at telling people how to act than she is at ... you know ... doing the acting herself.

OK, so maybe that’s a little harsh. She put in decent performances in both Desperately Seeking Susan (basically playing herself) and A League of Their Own (basically playing herself as a 1940s baseball player). But for every wonderful comic turn she’s done on Saturday Night Live, there’s an is she really pouring candle wax on a bare-chested Willem Dafoe agggh I need to go bleach my eyes turn in something like 1993’s Body of Evidence.

Don’t get me wrong — I loves me some Madonna. No, really — I loves me some Madonna, and I only care a little bit that admitting it might make me uncool. She’s been around so long that I can barely remember life before Madonna; it just so happens that I feel the same way about Darth Vader— make of that what you will.

I distinctly remember the first time I ever saw Madonna. I was spending the night at my grandma’s, and she let me watch the very first MTV Video Music Awards — yes, this was way back in 1984. Madonna performed “Like A Virgin” — and of course, by “performing,” I mean “she rolled around on the stage in a trashy bridal dress,” but to my young, impressionable eyes she was a revelation. Girls weren’t supposed to act like that, after all, and I was instantly hooked. … continue reading

How about a little reader participation? First, slide your feet up the street. Now bend your back. Next, shift your arm. Then you pull it back. That’s right, my friend, you’re walking like an Egyptian. And you know who else is right there with you? KT Tunstall.

The British songstress has covered the Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian” for Yahoo! Music’s Cover Art series (you may remember Mandy Moore’s impassioned take on "Umbrella" for the series last summer). Let’s give KT’s take a listen, complete with kick-ass whistle solo.

KT’s reason for picking the ’80s smash couldn’t be cooler: “That song made me think it was probably cooler to be a girl than a boy because the Bangles were so cool.” Amen to that. … continue reading

I sometimes think back to the summer before my freshman year of high school. My very Catholic school gave us a booklist to read, and as a result of the imposed summer homework (Oh, no! Would all of high school be like this?), I was introduced to the four sisters March. Yes, the booklist included Louisa May Alcott's Little Women.

Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy found their way into my heart that summer of ’65. As I sat out on Mastic Beach in Long Island at the home of one of my cousins, I was transported back to the Civil War and the lives of those four girls. Balmy winds and beach sand under my feet were no match for Southern hospitality, adventurous escapades, plays, balls and the tears shed at the many sad moments in the book. I immediately fell in love with Jo and wished she could hold me in her arms as she did her dear sister Beth. Little did I know that was a portent of my future!

As I grew up and enjoyed different shows on TV, I came to recognize a pattern. Certain shows resonated with me in a way that was so familiar. You know these shows: The Facts of Life, Golden Girls, Designing Women. What was it, I asked myself, that connects all of these shows? And then one day, it came to me. The characters on these shows reflect the attributes of the characters in Little Women. … continue reading