I was promised football snacks.
Pop Culture Ephemera
- Buffet Infinity (2026) (Directed by Simon Glassman): “In an ever-expanding universe of flavor, do you ever feel like you’ve seen it all?” – Buffet Infinity. I imagine that there will only be love or hate reactions to this film. It’s referred to as an “analog horror” movie. It unfolds like watching a found VHS tape from the late ’90s. The movie is experienced like someone else is in charge of the remote. We see the world of a small Alberta, Canada town through a series of local television ads and short clips of the local news. It’s rapidly cut like the person recording has a short attention span. The story, as it might be, revolves around the rivalry between a new restaurant, Buffet Infinity, and sandwich-shop owner, Jennifer Joy Avery. The concept is probably a little much for a 90-minute film and wears out after about 70 minutes. I enjoyed the social parody, takes on consumerism, and the combining of AI with Lovecraftian themes. I don’t know that I would recommend this to folks other than my faithful readers of the Couch Hole.
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour – “A Tangled Web” (CBS) (S.8 E.18) (1963): “You think a pretty smile and a French accent are going to keep you out of jail? In our line of work, sentiment gets you caught.” – Karl. Directed by Alf Kjellin who helmed many of these hour-long episodes late in the series, this shows how the episodes evolved past the simple twist-ending stories. This is a character study of Robert Redford as a thief who marries his parent’s French maid played by Zohra Lampert (a beauty that I only remember from Let’s Scare Jessica to Death). He is trying to reform but must try one last heist assisted by his fence, played by Barry Morse, who is also in love with Redford’s wife. It’s a great noir story that stands out because it perfectly fits the hour-long format. Redford is a star in the making, in this his third appearance in the anthology show. I recommend this as one of the tops of the three seasons of the hour long shows.
- Neil Diamond – “September Morn” (from September Morn) (1979): “Two lovers playing scenes / From some romantic play” Neil Diamond was in a transition period in the late ’70s into the early ’80s. This album would lead into the big impact of The Jazz Singer (1980). The transition from “Sweet Caroline” to “Hello Again” wasn’t without some hiccups. The album that contains this Adult Contemporary staple was mostly filled with ill-advised disco pop songs. He would abandon the dance music and lean into the smooth sound of ballads and classic standards to launch into a hugely successful phase of his career. I love the string arrangements here, although it plays well as a simple piano composition.
- Pillion (2025) (Directed by Harry Lighton): “I’ve been told I have an aptitude for devotion.” – Colin. It took me awhile to learn that “pillion” is the passenger seat behind the motorcycle driver. The most recent dom/sub “romance” in memory was Babygirl (2024) that just couldn’t seem to commit to what type of film it was going to be. This dom/sub film is solidly in the quirky comedy/romance category. Collin (Harry Melling) is the submissive in training and Ray (Alexander Skarsgaard) is the established dominant. The story is ultimately that of Collin learning not to be the pillion rider his whole life. The film does a great job of riding the line of relationship vs. sexual dynamics. It’s a doomed-relationship scenario from the start, but you never feel like it’s exploitive, like so many other films in this genre. It’s not for many, in fact, it’s a film that probably has a very low ceiling of people who will love it, but I was surprised how many laughs I got out of it.
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) (Directed by Chris Columbus): “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends.” – Dumbledore. In 2025, I ranked this as my #36 Favorite Film of All-Time. I probably hadn’t watched it all the way through in a decade before this past week when it played in theaters again. It’s hard to watch it again like I did in 2001 when we only had four books and were six years away from the complete story being in print. There’s a ton of world building to be done in a short period of time. I remember thinking back in 2001 that this was going to be remade as two or three films in the next generation (not imagining that Prestige Television would accomplish the same thing today).
The experience with knowledge of the next seven films is interesting. It’s still an incredible film, especially in the context of the story to come. The biggest success is a balance of talent and luck; it’s the casting that saves this franchise from the fates of so many others. When you cast Harry, Hermione, and Ron, you have to hope that they will be attractive teens in the next seven years. The casting of Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, and Robbie Coltrane among others gives gravitas to the story that is essentially a coming-of-age story. It’s not dissimilar to the casting of Sir. Alec Guinness in Star Wars:A New Hope. That’s on my mind because it’s difficult not to see Harry, Hermione, and Ron as Luke, Leia and Han. It’s magical to see again (and hear that John Williams score) in theaters, even if the CGI needs a little touch up. The television series is going to be fascinating to compare, although I still want to see Spielberg’s animated vision of the story.
Best of the Rest
- There are videos of Andrea Bocelli singing his version of “September Morn” from his tours in 2006 and 2012. He included it on an album in 2013 as “Sara Settembrre,” his own translation of the lyrics to Italian. It becomes much more of a traditional love song in the voice of Bocelli. I miss the more raw sound of Neil Diamond’s voice that conveys that longing.
- What does it mean for a movie to be Hitchcockian? This list of films that are not remakes but are influenced by Hitchcock is a pretty good place to start. Least surprising – Charade (1963), a film that I swore for years after first seeing it on VHS was a Hitchcock film. Most surprising – Mission: Impossible II (2000), a film that relies too heavily on action scenes for me to put it in that category, but I can see the rationale.
- Only my county here in Texas could produce a head-scratching headline that ends up being exactly what it says. When I read “Spider-Man bitten by snake,” I didn’t question it for long. Jeremy Sons of Denton, TX dresses up as Spider-Man to bring joy to young, often sick children. He seems to wrangle wildlife in his non-superhero times and got bitten twice by a cottonmouth snake. Thirty vials of anti-venom and he’s still in ICU. I can’t leave this county fast enough.
Sunday Morning Tuneage Flashback
- Sunday Morning Tuneage from 9/12/2010, it was the time of year that was all football. Friday night at the high-school game (Christian in marching band), Saturday was for Caleb’s football (another victory), working the North Texas game (a loss) and watching Michigan vs. Notre Dame with Christian (a win). Sunday Night Football was the Cowboys and Redskins starting the season. New shows were showing up on television. I was thinking that Boardwalk Empire (HBO) had some promise. I was excited for the return of Survivor (CBS), Parenthood (NBC), and Batman: Brave and the Bold (Toon). We didn’t know what a great time we were living in. My list was a curious choice. I think I’ll have to put some guardrails on it to re-rank.
My #49 Top TV Show of All-Time was Night Gallery (NBC) (1970-1973): I question this placement to start the 2nd half of my Top 100 countdown. I mentioned that I was thinking I could have swapped The Outer Limits into this spot, and I think both would be a reach here. I’m overvalue the anthology series. I way overvalue the sci-fi and horror anthology series. There are a few good stories over three seasons, but they become fewer and farther between as we get into the Third Season. Rod Sterling’s frustration with NBC executives is legendary. I have a love for this show if for nothing else, the break it gave to a young Steven Spielberg and his “Eyes” episode. I’d now suggest that I should have Alfred Hitchcock Presents (CBS) in this position. - BEST ROAD-TRIP SNACKS OF ALL-TIME (2010)
- 10. Grapes
- 9. Popcorn
- 8. Mtn. Dew
- 7. Beef Jerky
- 6. Chex Mix
- 5. Licorice
- 4. Gummy Bears
- 3. Pretzels
- 2. Almonds
- 1. Pringles
- BEST ROAD-TRIP SNACKS OF ALL-TIME (2026)
- 10. Popcorn. This is an iffy ranking. I love it as a time-passing snack, but you have to avoid butter or other toppings. Even in the best of situations, you are going to be vacuuming up little pieces for weeks afterwards.
- 9. Beef Jerky. It checks off lots of boxes for a good road-trip snack. It doesn’t make a mess, it’s a one-hand snack, and makes time pass. The only con being the possible need for some handy dental floss. I prefer to find some interesting jerky flavors at Texas gas stations and convenience stores.
- 8. Pretzels. I prefer the pretzel stick as the road-trip companion because it’s less messy, and you can pretend you are smoking a salty cigarette. I love the pretzel rod, but it makes a crumb inducing experience that just doesn’t work in the car.
- 7. Gummy Bears / Gummy Worms. Portion control is an issue with this snack. I will power through a bag between a few exits. I prefer the texture and flavor of the Hairbo brand, but I’d experiment with those generic bags at specialty shops too.
- 6. Grapes. Fruit always sounds like a great idea for a road trip, but in the end, fruit is good for the rest stop. You can’t manage to eat an orange or a peach while driving without risking life and limb. The grape, if you prepare correctly, is a great compact snack. You can freeze them ahead of time for an even more refreshing option.
- 5. Fountain Soda. Dr. Pepper or Mtn Dew. I only like fountain soda at the movies and on road trips. My preferred experience is with the pellet ice, but I’m not picky. Sweet Tea is a great drink, but it causes double the restroom stops.
- 4. Nuts. This is a little cop-out of an entry because it’s such a varied category. I’m referring mostly first to almonds (some flavors do leave a little too much hand gunk). My next two are pistachios (unshelled) and salty cashews.
- 3. Combos. This snack has almost disappeared from grocery-store shelves. You can usually find some bags in convenience stores, but there’s a much more limited offering. They are a great combination of textures and flavors (especially fond of the pizza flavor) that don’t make the mess of other salty snacks like Cheetos.
- 2. Regional Potato Chips. There aren’t as many as there were in previous decades. Pull into a local grocery store chain after filling up with gas for the best selections. Find a brand you don’t have back home, and you might find a new favorite. It’s how I discovered Utz brand before it made it nationwide.
- 1. My Own Mix. My children call it “the Dad Mix.” It’s also a little cheat for the list, but it’s my favorite. I start with a base of Chex and Gardetto’s. It can be a trail-mix derivative or continue along the Chex Mix lines. I usually add some almonds, pretzel sticks, popcorn, and sometimes Goldfish. You can go sweet with the salty and add some M&Ms or feel healthy with some raisins. The great thing about this mix is that when it starts to run low you can grab some refills at the local convenience store.
A few ground rules before you criticize my list too harshly. I define a “road trip” as anything with a majority of highway travel of over 150 miles. That’s long enough to need at least one bathroom break, and you will have time to listen through at least a couple of albums or playlists. The snack list is made with the driver in mind. If you are the passenger, go ahead and get a sticky cinnamon roll the size of your head or get a double Whopper with extra sauce. I did leave off fast-food stops of road trips which is easily a list unto itself.
1976 in Review
- September – Detective Comics #463 (DC Comics): “The drug-dealers– the superflies– are the dregs of the Earth– and what better man to catch and kill a superfly–than a Black Spider?” Written by Gerry Conway. Cover Art and Interiors by Ernie Chan. This is the debut of Black Spider, who I believe is mostly forgotten today. He might be the most Gerry Conway character in a long list of great Conway characters. Black Spider is a former addict ready to fight drug dealers (then called “pushers”) in less than legal ways. Conway is great at these more gritty characters than the over-the-top superheroes.
- September 5 – Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin hadn’t spoken for 20 years. Frank Sinatra arranged a reunion during the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. Sinatra sang a few songs and then brought out Dean. It’s hard to put into perspective how popular this telethon was in the ’70s. The 1976 telethon would raise over $21 million for MDA.
- Sept.4-10 – TV Guide. Cover Art by Bernard Fuchs. Melvin Durslag made some very accurate predictions for the upcoming NFL season. The season was set up to be one of traditional haves vs. have-nots. He predicted a Pittsburgh Steelers three-peat. He missed out on that not knowing the key injuries that would allow the Raiders to sneak into the Super Bowl. He correctly picked all three NFC Division winners but it was the Vikings that made the Super Bowl over his Rams pick.
What the Hell Did I Put in My Mouth?
Lay’s Barbecue Brisket
I think it’s easy to see the importance of football tailgating (home and at the stadium) to the snacking world. The two biggest “seasons” for new chip flavors seem to be in May for summer cookout and the fall for football-watching parties. They have used beef fat on these in order to avoid artificial flavors on the bag. It has the result of tasting like they were dipped in beef broth. The savory flavor doesn’t balance the meat flavor with the sauce as well as I had expected. I feel like I’m repeating the same themes when I say, these would have fared much better as a Wavy Lay’s offering.
Oreo: Banana Pudding
The first of the new three flavors that I wanted to try was the Banana Pudding. I’m intrigued because it’s such a Southern tradition, especially at our barbecue joints (so it makes a good pairing with the chips above). I have had enough versions to know that when done properly it’s much more than just banana-flavored pudding. The make or break on these is your sensitivity to banana flavoring. It’s the sweet artificial-banana flavor that you get in a candy. The golden biscuit gives it the proper Nilla Wafer consistency of the best banana-pudding desserts. I think these are tasty, despite the artificial flavoring, not unlike the creme in a Banana Creme Twinkie.
Hershey’s Affogato
The rise in cost of chocolate has less chocolate in the base bars and a move towards more upscale offerings like this to justify the increased costs. This isn’t your everyday snack item. It has the taste of box chocolates. I would only eat this bar in two or three squares at time. The coffee and vanilla creme add a nice mellow flavor to the chocolate but it’s still a basic chocolate bar. I didn’t come away with a ton of caramel, but you definitely want to enjoy coffee flavor to sample this one. At roughly twice the price as a regular candy bar, I might only get these on a special occasion.
“Stay with me a while
I only wanna talk to you
We’ve traveled halfway ’round the world
To find ourselves again” – Neil Diamond
