From the Couch Hole: Thought I Was Mistaken, I Thought I Heard Your Words

Previously on FTCH, the first period had a murder on the links by the evil dead burn. The bridesmaids were on the Naughty List because of the nightrider. This week was one for the books. I last left you in Texas prepared to move to Massachusetts. Little did I know as I wrote those words, I’d come down with the flu, delay leaving, arrive two days late, and then rushing through a work week trying to catch up. I feel like this weekend has been my first chance to breathe in a month or more. This week Sister Jamie had a blue Monday after the funeral of the housemaid. It was a separation from the Nice List that must have caused it. Remember, at FTCH, we will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical.

Pop Culture Ephemera

• Agatha Christie – After the Funeral (aka Funerals Are Fatal) (1953) (Published by Dodd, Mead and Company): “For in the long run, either through a lie, or through truth, people were bound to give themselves away…” The 31st Poirot entry is a comfortable, if not traditional yarn. This is an author who feels at home with the characters. and Christie never short changes the reader on plot. The family gathers at the funeral and reading of the Will of Richard Abernethie. Shortly afterwards, his sister, Cora, is found poisoned. The mystery revolves around the poisoning of Cora, and the question as to whether Richard was murdered. This has all the delicious elements of family money, battling siblings, and sketchy butlers. I really enjoyed this book, and I think I suspected the correct person pretty early on for me. It took me a few chapters to realize that this was the inspiration for Murder at the Gallop (1963) that was swapped to be a Miss Marple mystery. It works much better with Poirot as the detective, although he is not present for the first few chapters. This is a good jumping on point for new readers.

Buy After the Funeral

• The Bionic Woman – “Sister Jaime” (ABC) (S.2 E.9) (1976): “I’m sorry, ma’am, but you’re gonna have to get the flock outta here.” – Oscar Goldman. It was bound to happen. The second season had banger after banger. It started with Bigfoot, a female-wrestling episode, a Love Boat type of parody, three Fembot episodes, and then a Vincent Price guest star. This Kenneth Johnson written episode about smuggling and wineries set at a convent just falls flat. There is an attempt to interject humor into what should have been a more straightforward international heist type of episode. They can be forgiven for this dud, but I think it’s illustrative of how the show has trouble going back to more traditional crimes after battling fembots on a weather-controlled island for three episodes.

Buy New Order – Power, Corruption & Lies

• New Order – “Blue Monday” (from Power, Corruption & Lies) (1983): “How does it feel to treat me like you do? / When you’ve laid your hands upon me.” If there is a Hall of Fame for ’80s Electronic Music, this would be a first-ballot, unanimous entry. The idea that these beats were manually programmed by hand with sheets of paper is crazy by today’s standards. In my mind, it’s the most recognizable synth line of the decade. If you wanted to fill a dance floor, just play the first few bars. I clearly remember getting the 12″ of the single in 1986. It was a game changer that sat on the turntable in that Ann Arbor apartment for months. The 1988 remix got lots of play, keeping the song alive on dance floors for the decade, but these days, I can only acknowledge the 1983 version as the official version.

• A Separation (2011) (Directed by Asghar Farhadi): “What is wrong is wrong, no matter who said it or where it’s written.” – Nader. This came up as #33 in The New York Times Best Films of the Century. It was the first one on the list that I wasn’t even vaguely familiar with except by name. That’s the beauty of these projects. It’s not just a revisit to a film you have loved or one that you know you should have seen years ago. It’s the discovery of a just plainly beautifully written and filmed movie from Iran. Yes, I know that it won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 2011. I still missed out on it.
  
  The Iranian films I have watched in the past ten years have all had similar messages. They might have different government and religion, but they share the same human traits. They laugh, they love, and they have the same problems as anyone else. The film is about a family trying to deal with a grandfather with Alzheimer’s and making a better life for their daughter. They try to live within the rules of Islam, but they keep finding those laws in conflict with what they know to be right. It’s not an anti-Islam film in any way. It’s really about society as a whole. The message is about trying to live your life within the constraints that every society puts upon citizens. I found it emotional and impactful. I am sad that I haven’t had the past 15 years to recommend this to others. I’ll start now.

Buy A Separation

• The Housemaid (2025) (Directed by Paul Feig): “Actions have consequences, Andrew.” – Nina. It isn’t inconsistent for me to say that Director Feig saves this film from being in the dregs of modern thrillers, and he also ruins what could have been a superb social statement. I haven’t seen Feig’s previous dip into the “suburban mom thriller” category, A Simple Favor (2018), but I know it’s well regarded. Sydney Sweeney as Millie who accepts the housemaid position and Amanda Seyfried as Nina, the mother who hires her, both play their roles as written. They are suffering when they should suffer and over the top when that is called for in the script. They just don’t add that internal struggle that makes a film like The Stepford Wives (1975/2004) so compelling. The downfall comes in the shift from the first to second half of the film where it loses all sense of parody and dark humor. A strictly revenge film wasn’t what was setup in the first half, so it feels cruel and unnecessary. I have read that the author approves of this adaptation, which they have to say if they want more adaptations in the future, but it’s hard for me to believe such a tonal change happens in the book. I’m disappointed the Feig has lost some of that free-spirited humor that we saw in Bridesmaids (2011).

Buy The Housemaid

Best of the Rest

• When I say “It always comes back to Ennio,” this is what I mean. The Kraftwerk sample is almost too predictable. They sampled the vocals from Kraftwerk’s “Uranium” (1975) over which they would lay their electronic beats. Peter Hook borrowing the line from “La Resa Dei Conti” by Ennio Morricone is much more sublime. I resisted the comparison for a long time, but the more I listen to Morricone from the Leone films, the more I can feel the connection both in the music and mood.

• There are some covers that shouldn’t work. I wouldn’t think you could take one of the best electronic songs of the ’80s, strip away the electronics, turn it into a peppy bossa nova lounge track, and that it would even be listenable. It turns out that the folks at Nouvelle Vague found a way to tap into the rhythm and let the music play against the mood of the lyrics. This 2006 release had many pleasant surprises that made playlists. The two best were this cover and their take on “Bela Lugosi Is Dead.”

• Now diamondback rattlesnakes are just taking dips into local backyard pools when they need some exercise. Filmed doing laps to relax, this story is a good reason to check South Carolina off of my lists of future homes. It’s not just while hiking in dry, rocky trails like in the movies, but now if you are taking a dip in your pool, you might be passed by a six-foot rattler on his way to the diving board. Great.

Sunday Morning Tuneage Flashback

• Sunday Morning Tuneage from 11/7/2010, the boys’ football seasons were at an end and this was the one- or two-week break before basketball started in earnest. We were going to celebrate Dee’s 13th birthday a few days early, and she wanted some KFC. I was watching two low-rated series on Thursday nights, The Apprentice (NBC) and Fringe (FOX). Both would struggle along for more seasons, but when shows lost audience and started moving around in the schedule, they rarely recovered. My list for the week is another of those that changes with the wind for me, but I don’t know that you’ll feel it’s exponentially different now.
  
  My #42 Top TV Show of All-Time was The Wire (HBO) (2002-2008): Did this get a spot just based upon creator David Simon? Probably. For a show that’s so universally acclaimed, I don’t know why I put it this low. Part of the explanation is that it was breaking some of my rules. I had only watched one of the five seasons and already knew it to be a masterpiece. As of today, my shame is only having watched two of the five seasons. It’s high on my list to restart and push through. Much like some perennially ranked Top-Ten Shows, I have no doubt that this would ultimately make my Top Twenty.
  
  BEST HANNA-BARBERA CARTOONS OF ALL-TIME (2010)
  • 10. The Herculoids (CBS) (1967)
  • 9. The Quick Draw McGraw Show (SYND) (1959-1961)
  • 8. The Huckleberry Hound Show (SYND) (1958-1961)
  • 7. The Yogi Bear Show (SYND) (1961-1962)
  • 6. Dexter’s Laboratory (TOON) (1996-1998, 2001-2003)
  • 5. Speed Buggy (CBS) (1973)
  • 4. Johnny Quest (ABC) (1964-1965)
  • 3. Super Friends (ABC) (1973-1986)
  • 2. The Flintstones (ABC) (1960-1966)
  • 1. Scooby Doo, Where Are You! (CBS, ABC) (1969-1970, 1978)
    
• BEST HANNA-BARBERA CARTOONS OF ALL-TIME (2026)
  • 10. The Huckleberry Hound Show (SYND) (1958-1961): I know it’s technically the second HB cartoon show, but it’s the one that really declared their brand. Three segments, including Yogi Bear in the first season. The shows all work because of the vocal talents of Daws Butler and some adult jokes that became part and parcel of the best HB shows.
  • 9. The Yogi Bear Show (SYND) (1961-1962): As a child, this was barely discernible from The Huckleberry Hound Show. These segments lived on into the ’70s as features on other children shows before showing up on Nick and then the Cartoon Network. By the ’70s, Yogi had become a de facto leader in the Hanna-Barbera Universe.
  • 8. Space Ghost (CBS) (1966-1967): The Alex Toth designs are among the best of any cartoon of this ’60s. If this wasn’t such a wonderful serious superhero show, the talk show in the ’90s wouldn’t have worked nearly as well. This is just a flat-out fun show.
  • 7. The Jetsons (ABC) (1962-1963): This might have just been a Space Age answer to The Flintstones, but it was much more focused on the family unit. The ’80s revival is so bad, that I think it’s why this show didn’t make my first list. I’ve recently come back around in repeats to the early episodes and George just being so put upon in his life.
  • 6. Hong Kong Phooey (ABC) (1974): I was denying my own history by not including this on the original list. I was Hong Kong Phooey for a Halloween in this era. I have a love for this cartoon that goes beyond one of my favorite theme songs. This is a great concept that I always thought would translate to live action better than most.
  • 5. Wacky Races (CBS) (1968-1969): Inspired by The Great Race (1965), this crazy collection of characters and gadgets was influential on so many other shows to come. It took me years to really appreciate the zaniness of these episodes.
  • 4. Super Friends (ABC) (1973-1986): I’m including all of the different incarnations over the years. They kept trying to find the right formula of superhero vs. comedy vs. kid-friendly characters. I think it worked best when they leaned into the camp aspects, but I was there every Saturday morning for every incarnation.
  • 3. Johnny Quest (ABC) (1964-1965): It was just fun. I didn’t catch on to this show until the ’90s when it repeated on the Cartoon Network, but then I was all in. Great character designs, well-written plots, and fun animation. The best episodes were pure pulp stories.
  • 2. The Flintstones (ABC) (1960-1966): I remember first seeing The Honeymooners and thinking, what a rip-off of The Flintstones. There’s quite a drop off in the final couple of seasons, but the humor in those first few are on par with any sitcom of the decade. It has a high rewatch quotient. I think that’s a hallmark of these best HB cartoons.
  • 1. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (CBS, ABC) (1969-1970, 1978): I’m going to cheat and umbrella all of the Scooby-Doo series under a single entry. The testament to the importance of this series is that there are still new episodes today and it’s probably the most recognizable character they ever created. It’s no secret that I’m a big fan, but the long list of shows that are a version of this show could take up another Top Ten.
    

Buy Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: The Complete Series

1976 in Review

• October – Thor #252 (Marvel Comics): “Who hath summoned forth the grim guardian of the dark well of wisdom? Who hath summoned Mimir?” – Mimir. Cover by Jack Kirby. Written by Len Wein. Art by John Buscema. If I could pick one of my all-star Thor teams, this would be one the top three. That cover should have been a poster in my room. The story was called “A Dragon at the Gates.” Thor is looking for Odin and keeps facing challenges along the way to get information. He needs to get the Ruby Eye of the Dragon in this issue.
• October 25 – Universal Studios and Disney filed a suit against Sony to stop them from releasing the Betamax system that would allow private individuals to record programs. The case would not be decided until 1984, in favor of Sony, but the release of the systems would go on without a hitch.
• October 25 – Sports Illustrated. The cover is an interesting entry into the archive. Roughly the cover date of this issue, the Nets holdout, Dr, J. was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, never playing an NBA game as a NJ Net. Featuring the previous champion Celtics and the incredible incoming talent from the ABA seemed the prevailing wisdom. It would be an upstart team that wasn’t on anyone’s radar in October who would eventually win their first NBA Championship. More on that later.

What the Hell Did I Put in My Mouth?

“And still, I find it so hard
To say what I need to say
But I’m quite sure that you’ll tell me
Just how I should feel today” – New Order