Tag Archives: Top of the Heap

Leaving Through the Backdoor

Backdoor pilots have always been a  common way to launch new television series. Sometimes they work, most of the time they don’t. Which was the case with The Farm, NBC’s failed attempt to spin-off The Office into a new Dwight-centric, cubicle-free series (they might have been better served spinning-off The Office’s faux-documentary style, as they did with Parks and Recreation to phenomenal results). In honor of The Farm’s brief existence airing as a regular Office episode last nightwe thought we’d take a minute to acknowledge our favorite backdoor pilot, Top of the Heap, which aired during Married with Children’s fifth season and starred a young, pre-Joey Matt LeBlanc (and, of course, the immortal Joseph Bologna). However, unlike The Farm, Top of the Heap was actually picked up, but only for a very brief, six-episode season. A failure still, but a more modest one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FRFUQv4kb8

RIP
The Farm
2013-2013
Gone, But Soon Forgotten

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Filed under Count Bleh

SNL Sketches Basically Just Mad Libs

Another ho-hum effort from SNL this past weekend.  Beyond the fact that Drew Barrymore has now hosted the show more times (6) than any other female (breaking her tie with Candice Bergen.  However, unlike the recent trading back and forth of the all-time host crown between Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, I don’t think Ms. Bergen will attempt to regain a share of the female lead anytime soon, especially as she hasn’t hosted in 19 years), there wasn’t much of import from this outing.  Over at EW, Ken Tucker has a pretty spot on assessment of the show, noting the best moments were Bill Hader’s guest spot on Weekend Update as the ragin’ cajun James Carville, and an ESPN Classic broadcast of a billiards tournament.  This sketch found Barrymore and Kristen Wiig in the authentic attire of the early 90s billiard world, loud shirts and well-coiffed pompadours, with Barrymore looking more like a black jack dealer than a billiards star.  However, the sketch was focused on the overeager commentators, Jason Sudeikis and Will Forte, and Sudeikis’ frequent plugs for the event sponsor, Tampax.  Maybe not great on a paper, but Sudeikis has a way to elevate the thinnest of material (not a Tampax pun).

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Filed under Good Humor, Must See TV, Saturday Night Live, Tex Wasabi's