This isn't a Grudge Match (tm), though raising this question may provoke more violence than the average Grudge Match (tm). What is the most horrific Pointer Sisters rendition in the history of '90s television?
Was it Jessie, Kelly and Lisa on "Saved By the Bell?"
Or Suzanne Somers and the three Step By Step girls? (You think Ginger and Mary Ann arguments are something; have you ever listened in on '90s guys arguing over the relative merits of Danaburger, Karen and "Al?")
On the merits, the Step By Step quartet is probably worse than the SBTB trio, but on the other hand, the Step By Step rendition didn't drive anyone to drug addiction, whereas...
Final questions:
1. Was there ever a sleazier "family" show than Step By Step?
2. What is it about "I'm So Excited" that attracts such tragic TV renditions? Apart from, I suppose, being cheap to license.
Isn't just about every network family show from this decade sleazier than Step by Step? Grounded for Life was full of penis jokes, but that time, it was so commonplace that no one noticed.
ReplyDeleteGrounded For Life started in 2001, so I wasn't really counting it as part of the same era. (TGIF was already gone by then and there were no more shows that were really intended for kids to watch with their parents, at least on the networks.) But Step By Step was ostensibly a kid-friendly show, yet every time I watched it in the '90s, there would be some kind of really sleazy sexual innuendo (sometimes not even disguised enough to be innuendo) going on. I'd give examples, but this comment is getting too long.
ReplyDeleteI understand what you mean. But by "this decade", I mean the current one, where family sitcoms are all over the place that make Step by Step look like the Brady Bunch.
ReplyDeleteNice topic. "Saved by The Bell"..... jesus *cringe*. I actually thought I would see the appeal of that show when I got older and thankfully I never did.
ReplyDelete"I'm So Excited" can't be that cheap to license...National Lampoon's Vacation cuts it from the DVD. In English, at least. I'm told the French version (same DVD, mind you) still has the song.
ReplyDeleteWell, I distinctly remember a Step by Step that revolved around the prospect of Patrick Duffy in a thong. I remain scarred.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I also distinctly remember an episode of The Hughleys that revolved around D.L. buying his wife some sort of enormous sex toy for Valentine's Day. Which might be a sleazier storyline than anything Step by Step ever did. If I recall correctly, that would have been at the very tail end of TGIF.
Jamie:
ReplyDeleteThis OT but watching a recent superbowl commerical reminded me of an old post you made about the 90's. The commerical was basically about theifs ripping off the popular cars of the decades from the 70's,80's, and 90's. From the first two decades we clearly saw what the era was but when they got to the 90's, all we saw was a car next to a movie theatre playing TOMMY BOY. This adds to your point about the 90's being just nothing except being an extention of the 80's. Notice from like 90-96 it was like nothing then from 97 a fetish about the end of the millenium started. Just wanted to throw that out there. ;)