From the Couch Hole: When I Was Young, It Seemed That Life Was So Wonderful

Previously on FTCH, thrice upon a time the green ripper straight up said there was no other choice about the BTS Oreos and the damage done. This week was the last week of summer for most of the school-age and college students around here. You can feel that, even with the oppressive heat, that football is right around the corner (I can hear marching band practice in the distance). This week the witchfinders obsession with buttered corn chips was not a logical song. The band on the run had a brand new day with strawberry ginger ale. Remember, at FTCH, it’s a pretty good crowd for a Saturday.

Pop Culture Ephemera

• Paul McCartney – Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run (2025) (Published by Liveright): “What you do is you don’t worry about having it all together” – Paul. It’s called “an oral history”, which is odd for a printed book. The book covers Paul’s career from roughly 28-40 years old. The book starts with his first two solo albums, the nine Wings albums, and his McCartney II (1980) album. The story has some very surface narration to guide the reader with the chronology, but its main purpose is pulling together first-person quotes (both from the period and looking back from today) from participants and observers.
  
  The history is mostly taken from recollections of Paul, Linda, and their children, plus Denny Laine. It’s inevitably a “sunny side of the street” view of the band and their legacy. I’m totally okay with that. I have watched dozens of Beatles’ documentaries, and read half as many books on the band. This is an era that I’ve got a blind spot for the behind-the-scenes stories, so it was an excellent primer. I’d suggest that you have your albums or streaming service pulled up as you read to listen to the songs they talk about. This was the first time that I associated the number of changing drummers over the years as part of the in-joke in This Is Spinal Tap (1984). I hope that there’s a sequel that covers the excellent McCartney solo albums and projects of the ’80s and ’90s.

Buy Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run

• Doctor Who – “The Witchfinders” (V.2 S.11 E.8) (ABC) (2018): “In the Old Testament. There’s a twist in the sequel: “Love thy neighbour” – The Doctor. I’m almost through the first season of the Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whitaker). This episode drops the crew of the Doctor, Graham, Ryan, and Yasmin into 1612 Lancashire and the witch trials. It’s got all of the elements that have made this season good and frustrating. The witch story can’t decide if it wants to be a moral story about treatment of women or a straight horror story. It ends up in a weird spot where it’s neither. Alan Cumming is great as King James, but his clearly gay portrayal of the character is out of place. This is the first episode of the season where the Doctor being a woman makes a difference to the plot. The season has moved away from science fiction into telling more moralistic stories, which feels like a waste for such an engaging foursome.

Buy Doctor Who: The Complete Eleventh Series

• Supertramp – “The Logical Song” (from Breakfast in America) (1979): “But at night, when all the world’s asleep / The questions run so deep.” This was Supertramp’s biggest hit in the United States. I put this on the fringes of Yacht Rock because of that awesome sax solo in the middle of the song. Roger Hodgson’s lyrics are always a favorite of mine. This loss of innocence meets the rigors of school as a youth themes are well thought out. I think I like “Goodbye Stranger” a little better, but the fact that Paul McCartney once proclaimed this to be one of his favorite songs is juice enough for me to take another listen to this song.

• Obsession (2026) (Directed by Curry Barker): “A love only the branch of a willow tree could conjure” – Nikki. The Monkey Paw update flips the tropes in ways that were needed for 2026. The preview featured what I think were the weakest parts of the film. It has a compelling momentum until the moments it leans into typical horror tropes. Inde Navarrette is wonderful as the “victim” Nikki. Michael Johnston as the Bear doesn’t have the same acting depth, but he has the look needed to believe the twist that one making the wish is the actual villain. The year has been a strong one on the fringes of the horror genre. The way this film continues to get more dark and cruel and weird as it progresses puts it in the same category as Backrooms (2026). This film fails to get all of my stars for lacking better cultural closure to Nikki’s story. It’s well directed, and I’m excited to see what Director Barker can do with Texas Chainsaw Massacre for A24.

Buy Obsession

• Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) (Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton): “And sometimes Spider-Man has to do the hard thing, even if it breaks Peter Parker’s heart.” – Peter Parker’s letter to MJ. You could forgive the filmgoer who only attends blockbusters to be confused that two weeks ago he saw this film with the actors playing Telemachus, Athena, and Menelaus. Both films revolve around the theme of “You can’t go home again.” As Marvel also explores the themes of every Batman film, namely that it’s sad and lonely to be a superhero, I worry that they made a good movie that forgot to be fun.
  
  Tom Holland benefits from being able to stretch out his acting chops with more Peter Parker scenes than Spider-Man scenes. Jon Bernthal expands his Punisher role, which will be confusing for folks who haven’t seen the television series. Mark Ruffalo phones in his Hulk cameo, and it’s easily the worst part of the film. The fight scenes seemed timed out by AI to engage the younger crowd every 17 minutes on the dot. The film ends at least three times before the lights finally come up. I think the (I’m not going to spoil it here) ending is just a reminder that this isn’t Part Four in the Spider-Man story, but it’s somewhere between a bridge to another trilogy and a Part One. It’s a film that might have worked better as Greek Mythology instead of Marvel Cinematic Universe. I enjoyed the experience, but I don’t know that I’ll have much to remember about it by December when the Avengers rolls into town.

Buy Spider-Man: Brand New Day – The Art Of The Movie

Best of the Rest

• There is something so 2023 about this interpolation of the Supertramp “The Logical Song.” It leans into the loss of innocence with objects of nostalgia without capturing any really link to the past. Take that away and you are left with an overly produced dance tune that only makes Hodgson’s original look that much better.

• I’m listening to the Scooter version of “The Logical Song” from 2002. I don’t know if I just didn’t “get” the original. First of all, why does everyone want to pitch up the vocals and speed up the beat like it’s Crazy Frog? This German band has been on my radar. At least I was generally aware of them. This song seems to be an MC hype man just screaming random words like “Siberia” and for some reason, the “good old days” look to be at a low budget Fast and the Furious set.

• Coyote vs. ACME (2026) hits theaters later this month. It’s been a long journey to the screen. I wanted to just dismiss this as over-hype by fans who want to be contrary. But Will Forte is great casting as the lawyer, and the jokes in this trailer are actually pretty funny. My wall has been broken down, and I’m more than likely to go see this in theaters. I’m sure the physical media of this will finally tell the Odyssey-like journey this film took to get to the screen.

Sunday Morning Tuneage Flashback

• Sunday Morning Tuneage from 8/15/2010, the previous two days of working Graduation (25 hours of work on the two days) are what I know don’t miss with what I do. School was starting the next day. Christian had made starting wide receiver on the Freshman team and Caleb was starting tight end on his team. Christian and I had just picked Arsenal as our Premier League team to cheer for to keep the World-Cup momentum going. He and I still cheer for the team. The list of the week is one that I have probably reconsidered over and over each year as I do my deep dives. I gotta look at it again.
  
  My #53 Top TV Show of All-Time was Batman: The Animated Series (Fox) (1992-1995): Bruce Timm’s dark noir take on Batman was perfect for 1992. It’s amazing to watch this now and remember that it aired on weekday afternoons. Because of this, the team had to be creative with shadows and the depiction of violence. It’s a far cry from the current direct-to-streaming films in the DC Universe that are not shy to show sex and violence. It is still the blueprint for how to do Batman in an animated universe. I have watched it since this ranking, and I feel like it’s definitely a Top Fifty show.
  
• BEST TV GUIDE COVERS ALL-TIME (2010)
  • 10. The Simpsons (October 1998)
  • 9. The Munsters (July 10, 1965)
  • 8. The Simpsons (December 1998)
  • 7. The Incredible Hulk (July 28, 1978)
  • 6. The Love Boat (December 24, 1983)
  • 5. Football Dudes (January 23, 1982)
  • 4. The Six Million Dollar Man (May 18, 1974)
  • 3. Wonder Woman (January 29, 1977)
  • 2. Charlie Brown (October 28, 1972)
  • 1. Fall Preview (September 18, 1976)
    
• BEST TV GUIDE COVERS OF ALL-TIME (2026)
  • 10. Seinfeld finale (May 9, 1998): Al Hirschfeld gives the series the proper TV Guide send off.
  • 9. Get Smart (March 5, 1966): Barbara Feldon as seen by Andy Warhol.
  • 8. The Tonight Show (August 15, 1970): It’s a Norman Rockwell portrait of Johnny Carson from the era when this little magazine could get some of the most popular artists for the covers.
  • 7. The X-Files (December 21, 1996): The multi-cover gimmick was a cheap way to increase sales. This issue had two covers – the eXtremely hot and eXtremely cool – put together made a single face portrait of David Duchovny. These are in a box somewhere around here.
  • 6. Elvis Presley (April 9, 1983): An iconic portrait of Elvis by Richard Amsel. He would get four covers for an issue in 2005, and none of them would come close to this one.
  • 5. Sesame Street (July 10, 1971): Jack Davis draws Cookie Monster. This should be a poster.
  • 4. The Super Bowl (January 14, 1978): Charles Addams lends his particular spooky style to an illustration of the first nighttime Super Bowl.
  • 3. Alfred Hitchcock (November 30, 1957): Al Hirschfeld could have his own Top Ten list in this category, but if I have to pick my favorite, it’s this portrait of Alfred Hitchcock from an era where I have never had one of the magazines.
  • 2. Fall Preview (September 9, 1978): The Fall Preview issue was my most cherished issue every year from about 1972 through 2002. Before the internet, it was the encyclopedia to what was coming, staying, and leaving. These were constant reference for years. The covers in the ’70s were exercises in design and typography more than art or photography. Any of about five could fill this spot. The 1978 issue was designed by George Giusti (who also did the 1974 Fall Preview and the 1976 Bicentennial issue)
  • 1. Peanuts (October 28, 1972): The You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown (CBS) special would air just nine days before Nixon would win the 1972 election and soon politics would never be the same again. This iconic cover is my favorite for so many reasons, and I’ve yet to get a mint condition copy of it.

Buy TV Guide: Fifty Years of Television

1976 in Review

• August – The Avengers #150 (Marvel Comics): “It seems like old times, doesn’t it?” – Jarvis. Cover by George Perez. Written by Steve Englehart. Art by George Perez. I don’t think I owned this in 1976, but I’ve had it a few times since then. It marks the end of the incredible run by Steve Englehart, and Gerry Conway would start next issue. The issue is a tribute/flashback to The Avengers #16 and the first time they had a lineup swap. Thor might be leaving after this issue, but the good times are still rolling with Perez doing the art.
• August 8 – The Chicago White Sox played the first of three games that they would play wearing Bermuda shorts. Owner Bill Veeck had some crazy promotional ideas, but this team would still finish a pathetic 64-98.
• August 23 – Sports Illustrated. The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers led by Steve Spurrier at quarterback, debuted as the 27th team in the NFL. They would become a consistent leader for Worst Initial Season Ever. They went 0-14 and finished last in the AFC West (before moving next season to the NFC Central). The didn’t score their first touchdown until Week Four and would be shutout five times during this initial season.

What the Hell Did I Put in My Mouth?

“There are times when all the world’s asleep
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man
Won’t you please, please tell me what we’ve learned?
I know it sounds absurd
Please tell me who I am” – Supertramp