Please do no adjust your tracking… it’s true… the next two Iconoscope titles have been announced!

OMG, guys! I can’t believe it’s here! I feel like there’s so much to say, but now I can’t think of the words! I’m so pleased to be a part of these releases and honored to have been asked by the mighty Brandon Upson to help produce some of the extras! I admit that I learned an awful lot about the process of putting together a disc, and it ain’t easy. But, at the same time, it was a total joy. And I’m really proud of these!

Here’s what’s available for pre-order:

Death of a Cheerleader is one of the most fondly remembered telefilms of the 1990s, featuring Kellie Martin as the unhinged Angela, a high school student who just wants to belong. Tori Spelling is Stacy, Angela’s main object of affection and greatest source of jealousy. The film features both actresses in roles that proved what great talents they are, and while it is loosely based on a true crime, the film becomes something more, exploring the ways in which young women feel pressured “to be the best.”

Here’s a list of the extras that I produced:

-Audio commentary with author and film historian Amanda Reyes

-“A Friend to Die For: Margaret Langrick Is the Accidental Actor in a Floppy Hat” - an interview with actress Margaret Langrick

-“To Be the Best? The Dark Side of Establishment Values in Death of A Cheerleader“ - a visual essay by author and critic Scott Humphries

-”An Actress to Die For: A Look at the Telefilm Career of Valerie Harper” essay by Amanda Reyes

I had so much fun working on this film, and I was so pleased with how it all turned out. This is a 4K release, and you can pre-order it now at Vinegar Syndrome.

Disappearance was originally made for TBS in 2002, and is an absolutely eerie and unsettling film that mixes movies like The Blair Witch Project and Hills Have Eyes with a little bit of Lovecraft, baking it into something truly unique. The cast is divine and the desert setting is as creepy as it gets. The story is simple - a family on vacation stumbles upon a ghost town that is more ghostly than they’d hoped. A real enigmatic late-entry telefilm that I find spookier with every watch.

Here’s a list of the extras I produced:

-Audio commentary with director Walter Klenhard, moderated by author and film historian Amanda Reyes

-Audio commentary with film historian Rob Kelly and author Daniel Budnik

-”The Outback in Australian Film Culture” essay by Simon Foster

You can pre-order this Blu Ray release at Vinegar Syndrome.

Vinegar Syndrome’s release of the First Deadly Sin was also announced this past weekend, and I provide a commentary track. The film is based on Lawrence Sanders novel and features Frank Sinatra in his last starring role on the big screen. Weird to say about a New York set cop thriller from this era, but First Deadly Sin is a warm, emotional film with Sinatra putting in a quietly moving performance as the much loved Edward X. Delaney, a beleaguered cop nearing retirement. This film just hits me in all the right ways, and I’m thrilled that I get to be a part of this release. You can look at all the extras and pre-order through Vinegar Syndrome’s website.

Finally, I wanted to promote a fabulous auction at the world-renowned Julien’s, which is all about the women of vintage television. Aptly titled Ladies of the 80’s, this collection of drool-worthy items was curated by the wonderful Ben Sher, a film lover and passionate champion of the women whose items he’s put up for auction. There’s some really, really amazing stuff on hand. Auction ends August 12th. What will you bid on?

Yet again, another harried month of work has passed through. I’ve been thinking about all of the things I want to write / discuss, but how I lack the time (and frankly, the energy) to commit myself to post something other than, “Hey, look what’s coming out this month.”

That said, Iconoscope is gearing up for their first releases since January, and the announcements should be landing August 1. Yes, that’s right, announcements! I’m the freelance producer on many of the extras, and I can honestly say it’s been a great learning experience, and I love the collaboration between Brandon and myself. And, I am very proud of the contributors who supply these upcoming releases with some truly wonderful content. I believe Brandon said he was going to start teasing everything soon, so please check out Iconoscope’s Instagram for the little leaks.

Announcements

There’s still a few more days to participate in House of Leaves’ Kickstarter for their next publication, Weird Sisters: Covenant, which is the first in a trilogy of books on the image of the witch in film and television. They are about 75% funded and I’d love to see them reach their goal. House of Leaves is completely independent and absolutely passionate about releasing quality reading. I contributed an essay on the teen witch in the made for TV movie, where I revisit The Spell, The Initiation of Sarah and Midnight Offerings! Please stop by and check out the perks and pitch in if you can!

I promoted TerrorVision’s release of Happy Hell Night a few months ago, but only realized recently that it was pushed back and now scheduled to drop July 20. I LOVE THIS MOVIE. I was so excited to be asked to contribute a commentary with my wonderful podcast pal Dan Budnik, and boy did we find a surprising amount of information about the movie. You can order your copy here.

I can’t believe I forgot to mention that Severin’s Jimmy Sangster Directs Hammer box set is out and I was so pleased to be asked to talk a bit about Joan Collins’ fascinating genre work – both on the big and small screen! You can watch a neat little trailer to promote this doc below:

Also, July marks the release of Arrow’s beautiful 4K of Hush. I love, love, love this film and was both surprised and thrilled to be asked to write an essay. My joy turned into honor as I worked through my piece which gives a brief overview of sensory disabled final girl. That sounds like a mouthful, but disability film studies is something I’ve always enjoyed but haven’t had a chance to write about with any depth. The victorious don’t just survive, they thrive, and it was so great to have a place to celebrate these characters.

It’s been another busy month here but not so much that I missed the exciting news that a lost episode of the short-lived BBC anthology Late Night Horror has been found and will be screening in the UK in September! This is huge and delightful news, and stories like this always give me hope that we’ll find more lost gems (looking at you ABC: Wide World of Mystery). Anyway, I’d rather link you to a properly written article than to try to hit the high points for you here, so go to Film is Fabulous and read about what’s going on with this project.

The series Late Night Horror produced 6 episodes, and until recently, only one was thought to have survived. You can watch that episode, titled The Corpse Can’t Play below:

Announcements

Mr. JA Kerswell and I recorded this Hunter’s Blood commentary eons ago, and have been waiting oh-so-patiently for the announcement. What a great little backwoods thriller that somehow never saw the light of day on DVD. So, it’s now made the jump from VHS to 4KUHD / Blu-Ray, and looks stunning. Absolutely stunning. You can pick up a copy here. The extras are faboo!

I’ve also been on a couple of podcasts and videocasts, which you watch and/or listen to below:

I made the return to Eventually Supertrain to talk with Dan about one of my favorite short lived shows, Blacke’s Magic! I’ll be a regular on the show over the next few episodes. So happy to be back!

I was also invited onto the awesome Unsung Horrors to discuss the infamous ABC: Wide World of Mystery entry Werewolf of Woodstock. Big shout to Erica and Lance for the invite, it was a blast!

Dan and I were also invited onto The Locher Room to talk about the intersection between daytime drama and the prime time made for TV movie. Soap icon Colleen Zenk also joined us to talk about her telefilm Woman on the Ledge! OMG. Alan Locher is really keeping the love of soaps alive, and this was such a joy to be a part of:

Hello, and thank you for reading my teeny-tiny newsletter update for May. There’s actually so much to say, but no time. I am working on a lot of wonderful projects but they do really eat away at your life (and sanity). I can’t wait to get back on track and discuss issues close to me, like how we can reflect on classic TV and use it as a tool to understand who we are today… but I just need… more… time…

So, again, thanks for supporting my work and my brief updates! I truly appreciate it! Hopefully next month I can actually give you a worthwhile newsletter.

Announcements

Coming May 27th is this glorious Movie of the Week boxset. Imprint continues to put out quality TVM releases, and I was so pleased to be asked to gather the Made for TV Mayhem Show crew to talk about our favorite possessed piece of construction equipment… the Killdozer! This one is so much fun, and looks beautiful. Order the set here.

March proved to be an incredibly challenging month for me personally. I will just leave it at that… and to let you know that this month’s newsletter will be short and sweet.

The big news is that it is Rondo Award season again! I was so pleased to see that I was nominated under the Favorite Commentator Award for my work on the Dan Curtis Late Night Mysteries set. You can click on the link above and see all of the nominations in all of the categories, and make sure to cast your vote by May 1, 2026! Send your selections to taraco@aol.com.

Whenever I am nominated for something like this I tend to reflect a little on how I got here… and thanks to Bill Ackerman’s ongoing Letterboxd list of the film releases I’ve worked on, I have kept better track of the projects I’ve contributed to, and I do feel a little accomplished. 2025 proved to be a fruitful year – although there are still several titles I’m still waiting to be announced. Mum’s the word on those, but here’s a look at what I worked on in terms of what was assigned, completed and released in 2025:

Class of ‘74: essay on feminism in Arthur Marks’ sexploitation flick
Dawn of the Mummy: essay on models-in-peril
Ghostkeeper: commentary with The Hysteria Continues
The Heatwave Lasted Four Days: commentary
Maxxxine: commentary with Bill Ackerman
Mikey: commentary with Justin Kerswell
Murderock: essay on dancing and horror films
The Nesting: essay on the Female Gothic
Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest: commentary with Heidi Honeycutt
Shadow of Fear: commentary

While these are a mixture of big and small screen releases, what a joy it’s been to work on so many movies that few thought would exist past the glory days of television reruns and VHS. As I always say (because it’s true), I am honored to be a part of every single one of these releases. And thanks to everyone who supports them.

Announcements

Nightlife is coming from Kino Lorber this month, and I provide a commentary track. What a treat it was to work on this gentle, smart and funny vampire rom-com, co-written by the legendary Anne Beatts. One of the joys of working on these projects is getting to better know either a filmmaker, actor, theme or subject that I might not have been as familiar with. Although I already loved Anne Beatts for creating the legendary short-lived series Square Pegs, I didn’t really understand the depth of her talent, and I just fell in love with her while working on this. She was a joy and knew how to make people laugh in both big and small ways, and what a sweet little film the late comedy writer left behind. It’s an early USA Original and it is a great entry point into the cable channel’s long running series of original made for TV movies. Due April 28th.

Time goes by way too fast these days. I can’t believe we’re already a couple of months into 2026 and I feel like I’m still just getting started. But, I’m heading into spring with some great news to share…

Announcements

Those of you who follow my social media may have already seen this, but I thought I’d put it here too. Recently, I was asked by Brandon Upson of Iconoscope to help him produce some of the extras for a few upcoming TV releases he has planned. Brandon calls me the “critical and historical extras producer,” and I’ll be providing some features that will hopefully enhance the viewing experience. I’m still pinching myself! I’m currently working on my first project, which will be announced sometime later this spring or early summer (I think).

As I wrote last month, Iconoscope is one of the newest sub-labels at Vinegar Syndrome, and their focus is on television. All kinds of TV, too. You can expect TV movies, miniseries and full runs of episodics. They have had some great reviews for their first two releases: Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark and The Veil, and Brandon is determined to continue to bring you choice small screen selections.

This is a small operation, and titles won’t be coming out every month, but Brandon is working well into the future and has been very open about suggestions. I’m really excited about all of this, especially as I’ve never produced the extras for a home video release before. I have, however, worked for Kier-la Janisse at Severin as her assistant and I learned a lot about what goes into curating content that provides context and a deeper cultural analysis. Her vision and how she works has really helped me understand the process and I’m hoping to work up to her level (unlikely, but still…). For now, I just ask that you support Brandon and Iconoscope. This is the kind of label we’ve all been dreaming about and it’s really something to celebrate!

Brandon has been making the interview circuit and you can listen to him talk about his work at Vinegar Syndrome and for Iconscope with both Bill Ackerman of Supporting Characters and Brian Saur’s Just the Discs.

You can also pick up Arrow’s mammoth celebration of Salem’s Lot this month! Bill Ackerman and I provide a commentary track. We mention it on the recording, but both of us realized that if Lee Gambin were still here, he’d be the one doing that track. He was a huge cheerleader of this adaptation, and a big fan of the original source material as well (not to mention he was a Steven King expert). Bill and I went into the project with Lee on our minds and in our hearts and we tried to bring something that would hopefully channel a little bit of Lee’s beautiful spirit. We were honored to be asked in as pinch-hitters and had a blast putting it together! But, we’re just one of many incredible extras, so check out Arrow’s website for details, and order away!

I also worked on two non-TV releases that are due this month in the UK as well. I always have a great time working with they guys at The Hysteria Continues, and was so pleased that 88 Films and my guys at THC invited me along to discuss Stripped to Kill and Sorority House Massacre, both of which are directed by women and have something to say!

Now that I’ve completed my 365 Days of TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray Release project I’ve decided to share a few thoughts on how I think this went.

SPOILER: It went pretty well!

First, please let me give you the full list of movies, which you will find here on Letterboxd:

365 Made for TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray Release: The Full List of Titles

This list was created by a friend to the telefilm named Erik. A thousands thanks to you, Erik, for doing this! I actually started a Letterboxd right before the end of 2025 so that I could do this myself, but it looks like Erik was already up to the task, and I really appreciate the time he took to catalog my picks!

Also, much to my surprise, after the list was completed I was contacted by another person who was following along with my daily posts and he let me know that he sought out approximately 100 of the titles I posted and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. This and Erik’s list are the kinds of comments that drive me to keep going. I know there are lots of TV movie fans, and there are plenty who know things I don’t, and have likely seen more films than I have. There’s about 5,000 of these movies lingering in the netherworld, and we all have our time constraints, outside commitments, etc. I just say this to note that I’m not the only person in the world celebrating these films, nor am I the #1 expert in the field (maybe #2, but I do know there’s always someone prettier, smarter and more accomplished…), but I might be the most consistent and passionate. To take on this task was a fun experiment and it serves as a strong reminder that there’s still a long way to go if we’re going to preserve these wonderful films.

This last year was an experiment of sorts, mostly done in an effort to champion a few titles, while also keeping me on my socials all year in the hopes that I could grow and gain a few more followers. But, I also learned a couple of things…

For one, I did not have a planned list. In January of 2025, I did set out to create one and came up with about 20 titles before life got a little crazy. Afterwards, I ended up choosing my daily picks just by going with whatever popped into my head that day. If I had a hard time coming up with a title, I skimmed my blog, or Alvin Marill’s indispensable Movies Made for Television: 1964-2004. However, because my choices were just little puffs in the memory clouds, the list might feel a little all over the map. I likely overlooked some real groundbreaking or well-loved titles, but every film deserves a spotlight, and sometimes just saying “We really need a release of Satan’s Triangle,” feels like a shout out into the void. I mean, it’s obvious we need a release of Satan’s Triangle (and it did end up on the list), but some of the movies were deeper dives and I loved the reaction to those particular choices.

Telefilms like No Way Out and my current obsession The Movie Murderer are in dire need of attention. Any attention, because unlike Don’t Go to Sleep or Home for the Holidays, these films have truly fallen through the cracks of time and deserve their shot at a second audience too. I loved when I randomly threw out a title and someone seemed genuinely excited because it was either something they’d never heard of, or, it was a film they loved and thought no one else remembered.

The most important lesson I learned though was something I already knew but began to feel more deeply throughout the last year… My God, there’s so many amazing TV movies that really need to be documented and preserved. Like, 90% of them are still waiting for a 21st century home, and I hope they all see that at some point. For now, we just have each other and our love for these films to keep us going! Thanks to all who played along and left positive comments about these beloved small screen movies.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

This month, Treasured Films is releasing one of the wildest takes on the legend of the lycanthrope with Werewolf Woman (1976). A real oddball piece of Euro-horror, it’s also surprisingly effective in some ways, and I was really happy to be asked to write about the strange and sometimes poignant supernatural rape-revenge mini sub-genre. This release is packed to the gills, and you can check out all of the details at Treasured Films’ website. Due out on February 26th.

SMALL SCREEN MUSINGS:

Just a few more words…

Admittedly, it feels really strange to sit here, writing (and deleting and then writing again) about how good I feel about the year ahead – because I am speaking only in terms of physical media releases and the potential of more podcasting, etc. It is actually a very dark time for many of us, and it’s hard to put into words exactly how I feel, and likely how a lot of us feel. Especially because I want this newsletter to be a nice break in the day, where we can look back on some of our favorite movies and TV shows and connect through our love of them. I will continue to do that, but I know it can feel tone-deaf, out of touch… you get the point. But, I hope these little snippets of nostalgia will provide a brief but nice distraction to the doomscrolling, constant news feed and what sometimes feels like utter chaos.

At some point, I’d like to write something more meaningful about nostalgia, because it is indeed a double-edge sword, which we can both embrace and look at more critically. I’d also like to tackle television and collective mourning too, and maybe those will make for good mini-essays in the future, but for now I’d like to just think about all of the great releases that are coming our way.

I’ve only been given a small window into how 2026 is shaping up in terms of classic TV and physical media, but it’s looking really great! And I’m forever grateful for every opportunity I get to be a part of these releases. More importantly, I’m just thrilled that so many labels are investing in the act of small screen preservation. It’s a wonderful touchstone for understanding who we were then, and how we saw the world around us. It helps us understand us as a community and as an individual. The more we learn about ourselves, the better we become. And that’s at the heart of the TV movie. So, keep an eye out and I’ll post about any upcoming releases as I find out about them.

Hello 2026! I absolutely thought last year was going to be the year of the made for TV movie. But, I’m telling you I feel it in my bones… 2026 will be a definitive year, thanks to a new Vinegar Syndrome sub-label called Iconoscope!

According to VS’s website:

What I can add is that Iconoscope comes from the mind of Brandon Upson, a really passionate and wonderful guy who has spent years promoting and preserving lesser known films. He’s created this label to cover the gamut, and this week, Iconoscope announced their first two releases, which really gets this label off and running:

The Veil

This wonderful series from 1958 is making its debut on Blu Ray. The show is hosted by Boris Karloff and features a cavalcade of amazing guest stars, including Patrick Macnee, Denise Alexander, and Eve Brent, along with many, many others. It is jam packed with extras, including an episode of the anthology series Schlitz Playhouse titled House of Death. What makes this extra so special is that until the release of this set, it was considered lost. Karloff stars in this tidy little 30 minute thriller and I was honored to have Iconoscope invite me to contribute a commentary for it. Check out their site for more info!

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark

This is a new 4K UHD/Blu Ray boxset that ports over my original commentary from Warner Archives’ release, and I also wrote a new essay on… gee… can you guess?… John Newland. In this essay, I discuss his sensitivity towards his portrayal of women in his work. It was a joy to revisit one of my favorite filmmakers and write about an aspect that I’ve been wanting to talk about for some time! There’s also a new location featurette as well.

Both titles are shipping later this month! (Hey, there’s also a tee shirt!)

Working with Brandon has been a dream. He’s thinking BIG and the best we can do for him and Iconoscope is to continue to support physical media releases. You can follow Iconoscope on Facebook and Instagram. Go sign up, share and celebrate!

(MORE) ANNOUNCEMENTS

Also, dropping this month is Canadian International Pictures release of a really neat little supernatural slasher called Ghostkeeper. I was invited to do the commentary with The Hysteria Continues, and we had a lot of fun discussing this eerie slow burn of a horror flick. The release is packed, packed, PACKED, and it’s definitely a worthwhile purchase if you love oddball 80s horror.

I rounded out the year with a new episode of Trap-Cast, and will hopefully have a new Made for TV Mayhem Show available later in January.

As for the year we just left behind, I’m not going to leave a lengthy retrospective, because I’ve covered most everything in previous newsletters. What I will say is that it was a productive year for me. Even more importantly, it was a year of fulfilling work, where I got to share my love of both the big and small screen. I am forever grateful for every opportunity!

TV MOVIES THAT NEED A DVD/BLU RAY RELEASE: DECEMBER’S PICKS:

I’m wrapping up my year long retrospective on made for TV movies that need a DVD/Blu Ray release, and you can find December’s picks below. I’ll be sharing a link to a Letterboxd list that will feature all 365 titles in the next newsletter. For now, here are the last 31 selections:

335: Malibu, 1983
336: Moment of Truth: Justice for Annie, 1996
337: Based on an Untrue Story, 1993
338: China Lake Murders, 1990
339: Deadly Love, 1995
340: Night Cries, 1978
341: A Fire in the Sky, 1978
342: Spectre, 1977
343: Gramps, 1995
344: Forever, 1978
345: A Matter of Life and Death, 1981
346: Falling for You, 1995
347: Found Money, 1983
348: Women in White, 1979
349: Million Dollar Infield, 1982
350: Imposter, 1984
351: Not Just Another Affair, 1982
352: Bridesmaids, 1989
353: Complex of Fear, 1993
354: Battered, 1978
355: Stonestreet: Who Killed the Centerfold Model, 1974
356: Overboard, 1978
357: Run Till You Fall, 1988
358: Silent Night, Lonely Night, 1969
359: Home for the Holidays, 1972
360: Secrets, 1977
361: Velvet, 1984
362: Illusions, 1982
363: Celebrity, 1984
364: Mulligan’s Stew, 1977
365: My Sweet Charlie, 1970

Wow, here we are. It’s the end of 2025, and it actually still feels like the beginning. This was a fairly rewarding year for me, but I won’t bore you with any recap because I hit most of the highlights in previous newsletters. I can not overstate how grateful I am to have been given so many amazing opportunities to champion the made for TV movie (and television in general). I feel very lucky to have a space to talk about something that means so very much to me. That people listen and support it is the greatest gift of all. Thanks to everyone for sticking around and helping me build such a warm community.

Since the holidays are upon us, I wanted to suggest some fantastic books on television that you may want to give to your favorite tele-phile (which may or may not be yourself!). Here’s a couple of recommendations:

Are You in the House Alone: A TV Movie Compendium: 1964-1999
Edited by Amanda Reyes

Yes, I’m cheating and starting with my book. If you are interested in made for TV movies and feel like a reference guide would help, I’m here for you.

From Beverly Hills To Hooterville: Exploring TV’s Henningverse 1962-1971
By Dan Budnik

Dan has written a couple of wonderful guides and is involved in all things rare and / or B movie, but this book will walk you through the classic sitcoms Petticoat Junction, Beverly Hillbillies, and of course, Green Acres. A real fun read that gives you beautiful fits of nostalgia and will make you want to go back and revisit every episode.

Super Soap Scenes: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama’s Greatest Moments
By Alina Adams

I’ve known about Alina Adams for some time now, seeing her comments on both soap opera fan pages on Facebook as well as comments my own Made for TV Mayhem page. She always came across as bright and passionate, so I was really excited when she mentioned she’d be at the soap opera conference in Ohio last month. Alas, the timing (and weather) just weren’t right, and Alina had to Zoom in her presentation. But it was wonderful and I could see what a smart and creative person she is. I started poking around her website and saw what a prolific writer she is, but it was this updated version of Super Soap Scenes that caught my melodramatic eye.

So, you can imagine how thrilled I was when Alina offered to send me a PDF to preview the book. I could not put it down (or close my laptop, if you will). This is such a fun read, with not only great synopsis of these unforgettable scenes but also words from the people who made it happen. Interviews with the late Michael Malone (writer for One Life to Live) and Jess Walton (Jill Abbott on Young and Restless) are terrific and a heartfelt reminder as to why these shows endure. And those are just two of the Who’s Who of Daytime featured in Super Soap Scenes. A very fun, easy to read book that I think soap fans will not just enjoy but love. Alina also writes fiction, and you can visit her website to learn more. You won’t be sorry.

I Spit on Your Celluloid: A History of Women Directing Horror Films
By Heidi Honeycutt

Beginning with the birth of cinema, Heidi takes a long and fascinating look at women working behind the scenes in genre films. While I love this book (and I adore Heidi), I’m recommending it here because it is one of the few published works I know of that has any real information on my beloved ABC: Wide World of Mystery series. If you read this newsletter every month, you may recall that Heidi and I went to France over the summer to give a presentation on a few of the Wide World Mystery films and we also collaborated on a commentary for the Wide World Mystery episode Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest. Heidi’s research is invaluable. Although it’s not given a huge section in her book, she is one of the few major forces behind the growing interest in this series, which has until recently been considered long lost. The rest of her book is a love letter to so many women and Ida Lupino’s TV work also gets a spotlight.

The Age of Melodramatic Miniseries: When Glamor Ruled on Television, 1980-1995 By Scott Humphries

Scott and I recently connected when I was looking for a potential partner for a commentary for the mini-series Noble House. I was aware of his book, but it wasn’t until I wanted to know more about him that I picked up my copy. I was absolutely blown away by its intelligence and by Scott’s deep understanding of television history and how these films are more than just big hair and bigger shoulder pads. Much of the writing is poignant in how it understands the female characters, and yet, by all accounts, it is an impartial book about television history. The combination of personal passion with a casual academic flavor made this book absolutely irresistible to me. If you haven’t picked up your copy, maybe now is the time.

Announcements

This release has been a long time in the making. A couple of years ago, Dan and I were asked to contribute a commentary track to one of my all time favorite slasher films, Happy Hell Night. At the time, I was both exhilarated and terrified. Thrilled because I’ve championed this film for decades now, and suddenly I was asked to that in a much bigger way. However, I was also kind of scared because to my mind, there wasn’t a huge amount of information about the film. Enter Nathaniel Thompson, who did a commentary for a previous release. He graciously gave me a starting point with his own research, and from there I opened up a vein. Like, it burst open, spilling blood everywhere, and I found way more documentation on this film than I originally thought possible. This one was a total joy to work on, and Dan as always, was so great to be my ride-or-die and gave plenty of his own thougutful insights into the film as well. Happy Hell Night is due soon, and you can check out the release details and order the film here. Thank you TerrorVision! What a way to cap off a great year of home video release work!

I also started a Letterboxd, which is where I’ll be posting a complete list of my year long retrospective on TV movies that need a DVD or Blu Ray release. This will happen sometime in early 2026. I’ll link to it here when it’s up and running

As an aside, a few months ago, my great friend Bill Ackerman created a Letterboxd page of my home video work. I’ll probably be porting this over in some way to that website I swear I’m going to build. But for now, he did the Lord’s work here, and I actually didn’t realize I’d worked on so many amazing projects! So, that was nice, and it was so very thoughtful and kind of Bill to take the time to make this list for me.

December Watchalong

There is no watchalong this month. I’m going to take a little break, but will be back in January for another virtual small screen party!

TV Movies that Need a DVD / Blu Ray Release: December’s Picks:

305: Cage Without a Key, 1975
306: Attack on Fear, 1984
307: His Mistress, 1984
308: Richie Brockelman: Missing 24 Hours, 1976
309: Thursday’s Game, 1971
310: That Certain Summer, 1972
311: Mr. and Mrs. Bojo Jones, 1971
312: Skyway to Death, 1974
313: Legs, 1983
314: Little White Lies, 1989
315: Love and Betrayal, 1989
316: The Forgotten Man, 1971
317: Farrell for the People, 1982
318: Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill, 1989
319: Beg, Borrow… or Steal, 1973
320: Tonight’s the Night, 1987
321: Bare Essence, 1982
322: Willa, 1979
323: Hell Hath No Fury, 1991
324: Heatwave, 1974
325: Midnight Hour, 1985
326: Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues, 1985
327: Friends Til the End, 1997
328: Short Walk to Daylight, 1972
329: Her Life as a Man, 1984
330: Sessions, 1983
331: Savage, 1974
332: The Love Tapes, 1979
333: Nowhere to Run, 1978
334: Daughter of the Mind, 1969

Hard to believe it, but 2025 is almost over. It’s been an insanely productive year, and very rewarding as well. Recently, I was able to attend a soap opera conference, which was held at Bowling Green State University. It was a small but intimate affair that included some wonderful Q&A’s with actors who worked in the genre as well as fans and academics (and academic fans) who shared all of the facets of melodrama that made us love soaps and the worlds those shows create. I hadn’t planned to do an in-depth recap, but I did want to share a little of what this weekend was like.

I arrived knowing not one single soul. By the end of the conference, I had made what I think will be lifelong friends, and I also connected with some really impressive names as well. I’m not sure what to call us… we are historians, but the people I met are diligently working towards maintaining not just a history of daytime (and nighttime) drama but also building and enhancing the communities that we fans live in. With so many shows now long gone, there are a handful of people diligently keeping their memories alive in a couple of different and fascinating ways.

The panels were of a wide variety, with a nice amount of time dedicated to the actors who all came in via zoom. Constance McCashin (Knots Landing), Kin Shriner (General Hospital), Claudia Lamb (Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman) and Louise Shaffer (Ryan’s Hope) all proved to be lively, open and engaging speakers. Most of these talks were moderated by Alan Locher, who some of you will know from his YT show The Locher Room. Alan is someone I’ve long admired, because his Locher Room is dedicated to bringing together actors from the soap world for mini-reunions. These are casual conversations and so much fun, and whenever I get to catch up with one of my favorite people from One Life to Live, I’m always so grateful and pleased. Locher also gave the keynote speech, where he took us through his wonderful, personal journey of going from soap fan to someone working in the field of daytime drama.

The more academic stuff was equally as engaging, with Alina Adams coming in through Zoom as well (although she’d planned to be there in person) and Natalie Moore proving that there’s still more to learn about our beloved soaps. Her podcast Making Stories Without End is absolutely wonderful and I highly recommend it.

But it was the final panel, which included Elisa Smith, Annie Armstrong and Paul Gosselin that brought a true emotional punch to the conference. What a way to end the weekend! Paul, by the way, has appeared on soaps (One Life to Live, which made me super starstruck) and he has a webseries called Misguided, which is a tribute to Guiding Light while also chronicling Paul’s journey through Los Angeles. Must see TV!

For my part, I spoke about the TV movies that blurred the lines between soap opera actors and their characters, exploring fandom in a multitude of ways. My podcast partner Dan Budnik came in via zoom and we had a blast! It was such a joy to deep dive into two of my greatest passions (TV movies and soaps, of course!) and to feel so welcomed. We are hoping to bring our presentation to our podcast in some form, so please stay tuned!

Announcements

Z’OMG. I worked on a new movie. Of course, it’s a movie that takes place in the 1980s, but what a film! I am a pretty big fan of Maxxxine (2024), which is the last in a trio of Ti West horror films that have gained quite a nice following with each new movie. The trailer for Maxxxine had me hooked, and I was pleased that I could make time to catch it in the theater. I know fans tend to gravitate towards the other two films in the trilogy: X and Pearl, but I thought Maxxxine was excellent (exxxcellent?) and it’s far and away my personal fave. You can imagine my surprise when Second Sight asked me to join Bill Ackerman for a commentary track. This one was a lot of fun to research and we concentrated on the film references and how Maxxxine captures its place and time, and where it fits in terms of commentary and style with that era and with West’s other films in the X series. This is a Region 2 release, due out on November 17th. It has a lot of neat extras, so here’s a link where you can check out what’s on this release and buy it.

November Watchalong

I’m in a Curtis Harrington kind of mood, and think How Awful about Allan might fit the bill! Join me and Dan on Bluesky November 30th, at 1 PM CST for a watch party. You can find the film here, and use #TVMParty to join the discussion.

TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray Release: October Picks:

274: Sweet, Sweet Rachel, 1971
275: A Howling in the Woods, 1971
276: I, Desire, 1982
277: In the Shadows, Someone’s Watching (aka With Harmful Intent), 1993
278: Terror on the Beach, 1973
279: Dead Air, 1994
280: Vampire, 1979
281: Death Car on the Freeway, 1979
282: Night Slaves, 1970
283: A Little Game, 1971
284: Sorry, Wrong Number, 1989
285: The Strange and Deadly Occurrence, 1974
286: Last Bride of Salem, 1974
287: Deathmoon, 1978
288: Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer, 1983
289: Hotline, 1982
290: Sandcastles, 1972
291: She’s Dressed to Kill, 1979
292: Death of Ocean View Park, 1979
293: Werewolf of Woodstock, 1975
294: Haunted by Her Past (aka Secret Passions), 1987
295: The Covenant, 1985
296: Dark Mansions, 1986
297: Midnight Lace, 1981
298: Look What Happened to Rosemary’s Baby, 1976
299: A Cold Night’s Death (aka Chill Factor), 1973
300: A Taste of Evil, 1971
301: Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park, 1978
302: Death Cruise, 1974
303: Werewolf pilot TVM, 1987
304: Legend of Sleepy Hollow, 1980

Yay, we made it to October. I know this year has been touch and go, but there’s always TV movies to fall back on… and it’s actually Fall, so what better time to curl up with your favorite telefilm and blanket and just let the world fall by the wayside.

So sorry this newsletter is late. Last month was insane. Insane in all the right ways, but insane nonetheless. Although I can’t say what titles I worked on in August, I recorded three commentaries (none TV related, but good films, I swear). My wonderful day job also increased my hours (yay!) and it absolutely felt like I was flying by the seat of my pants. But, I’m starting to settle into my new schedule, and the end of the year usually means freelance work dies down a little, so I’m back to plugging away at my podcasts and other personal projects.

I think I mentioned awhile back that I am attempting to build a website. It’s, like, 85% done, but since I’m still mourning the loss of dial-up, expect me to take a little longer. I’m also working on a big personal project, which is moving at a snail’s pace, but it is moving. Hopefully next year it will see the light of day.

This is all to say, I have nothing much to say at all. Except, thank you for checking out my newsletter and for following me on this small screen journey.

Next month’s newsletter will probably be a little late as well, since I’ll be at that fab soap conference I keep going on about. But hopefully when I return I’ll have more to say!

Announcements

I was recently a guest on an episode of The Projection Booth where Mike White, Kendall R. Phillips and myself took on one of the great early made for TV horror films, Sweet, Sweet Rachel. I had so much fun recording this, and Mike really put the cherry on top of the cake when he reached out to Stefanie Powers and asked her a few questions about the film. And she answered them! My god, I’m, like, two degrees away from a true goddess. You can listen to everyone talking about Sweet, Sweet Rachel here.

October Watchalong

Join me (and hopefully Dan) on Bluesky at 1pm CST on October 25th for one daddy of a tele-terror. We’ll be watching and discussing the classic small screen supernatural slasher Don’t Go To Sleep. Use #TVMParty to say hello and share your thoughts!

TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray Release: August Picks:

244: Terror in the Sky, 1971
245: Victims, 1982
246: I Love You… Goodbye, 1974
247: Rubdown, 1993
248: You’ll Never See Me Again, 1973
249: Shadow of a Stranger, 1992
250: Toma, 1973
251: Condominium, 1980
252: The Morning After, 1974
253: Konrad, 1985
254: Returning Home, 1975
255: Playmates, 1972
256: The Great Mom Swap, 1995
257: Kicks, 1985
258: Nurse, 1980
259: A Family Upside Down, 1978
260: Fugitive Family, 1980
261: Homeward Bound, 1980
262: Sidney Sheldon’s Stranger in the Mirror, 1993
263: Charlie Cobb: A Nice Night for a Hanging, 1977
264: Deadly Encounter, 1982
265: The Suicide’s Wife, 1979
266: Flamingo Road, 1980
267: For Lovers Only, 1982
268: The Day the Women Got Even, 1980
269: The Sitter, 1991
270: Outside Chance, 1978
271: Sorority Kill, 1974
272: Vital Signs, 1986
273: Fun and Games, 1980

OK, not exactly madness, but some pretty cool stuff happened this month in terms seeing the classic TV movie get a little love and recognition. I was contacted recently by a journalist named Jason Clark who was interested in talking to me about the history of TV movies for an article he wanted to write for Backstage Magazine regarding the Primetime TV movie Emmy category. I wasn’t sure I gave him anything of note, but he ended up using quite a bit of what we discussed, and the article turned out so very nicely. You can read Has the TV Movie Lost its Mojo here.

What struck me most about the discussion is that Clark is interested in where the TV movie can still possibly go. And, he meant the traditional telefilm, not something produced for streaming or for pay cable. And, honestly, that is not something I had considered. The conclusion I finally arrived at was that television – TV movies or otherwise – is about being a part of a community. That water cooler talk from days of yore is certainly behind us – there are just too many options now. But, there is still a space for the network telefilm to exist and to bring us together. In its own way, it has survived in the Hallmark Christmas movies and in Lifetime films like the notorious Stalked by My Doctor series. These aren’t necessarily films I tune into (although I do love a good holiday TVM now and then), but thousands, and likely, millions of people do. It’s such a great way to connect in a world that feels more and more divisive with each passing hour.

So, while I was thrilled to be contacted and have my ego boosted a little, when the call was finished, and after I read Clark’s great piece, I realized that the story isn’t over and that community and connection not only still exist but has the possibility to continue to grow. For that, I am forever grateful.

Announcements

The latest issue of Rue Morgue is hitting the stands mid-September, and OMG, you can read my article on “lost” TV movies! I put lost in quotes because most TV movies are lost, lingering in ugly pixelated uploads or as blurry or faded bootlegs (if they can be found at all). I’m grateful for those, but so many titles just linger and their current sorry state doesn’t encourage (re)discovery. Hopefully, articles like this (and Clark’s) will support the cause. Never lose hope, I say. Anyway, check out what else will be available in this terrific upcoming ish!

Oh, and yeah… I finally got a Made for TV Mayhem Show podcast online. We recorded this one LAST YEAR, but the numerous sound issues kept me away from the editing. I finally sat down with it and managed to clear up most of the problems. We took a look at two TV movies that deal with the Vietnam War and what it means to come home to a place so very different from the one you left behind. The films on tap are The Forgotten Man (1971) and Welcome Home, Johnny Bristol (1972). Two really exceptional dramas that tell their stories with a slight genre bent. You can listen to our discussion at the link above and on most podcatchers.

We’ve also recorded a new episode in August, and I promise not to hold on to it for a year!

I already spoke a bit about this in the last newsletter, but the Dan Curtis Late Night Mysteries set is due out on September 23rd! There are four films in this release: Come Die with Me, The Invasion of Carol Enders, Shadow of Fear and Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest. All are shot on video telefilms that originally aired on the ABC: Wide World of Mystery series. I contributed two commentary tracks: One is a solo track for Shadow of Fear, and I’m joined by Heidi Honeycutt (I Spit on Your Celluloid) on the second track, Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest. I was very, very honored to be given this opportunity through Kino Lorber, and I’m forever grateful for the work that they (and the UCLA Film and Television Archive) have done to keep these little movies alive.

September Watchalong!

Join Dan Budnik and I on Bluesky at 1 PM CST on September 27th. We’ll be watching and discussing the wonderful 1971 TV movie Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate. Use #TVMParty to join in!

Also…

Look for me on my social media platforms starting September 1st, where I’ll be sharing a list of my favorite Small Screen Scream Queens as we head into the Halloween season. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram and BlueSky.

TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray Release: August Picks:

213: The Deadly Web, 1996
214: Sharing Richard, 1988
215: Ebony, Ivory and Jade, 1979
216: Stranded, 1986
217: The Survival of Dana, 1982
218: The Women’s Room, 1980
219: Our Mother’s Murder, 1997
220: Stowaway to the Moon, 1975
221: A Vacation in Hell, 1979
222: The Fantastic Seven, 1979
223: Fame is the Name of the Game, 1966 (turns out this is on Blu-Ray! Hooray!)
224: Outrage, 1973
225: Survive the Savage Sea, 1992
226: Stranger in My Bed, 1987
227: A Matter of Sex, 1984
228: Killer on Board, 1977
229: Renegades, 1982
230: The Longest Night, 1972
231: One Cooks, The Other Doesn't, 1983
232: Who is the Black Dahlia, 1975
233: Mom, the Wolfman and Me, 1980
234: Killer in the Mirror, 1986
235: Paper Dolls, 1982
236: Death in Canaan, 1978
237: Computercide, 1982
238: Twirl, 1981
239: The Sea Wolf, 1993
240: Summer Girl, 1983
241: The Great Houdini, 1976
242: Poor Devil, 1973
243: Neon Ceiling, 1971

I can’t believe I’ve been semi-consistently getting one newsletter out a month. It’s been a hectic year, and this summer in particular has been a little crazed.

However, the insanity is worth it because the opportunity to work on really great projects has proven bountiful. For instance, you may have recently seen that Kino Lorber is releasing a Dan Curtis Wide World of Mystery boxset.

Can we get enough of these awesome Wide World of Mystery releases? (the answer is no)

Titled Late Night Mysteries, this set features four entries produced by Curtis. They range from supernatural thrillers to crime dramas to noirs, and they are a lot of fun. I contributed two commentary tracks. One is a solo track for Shadow of Fear, where I probably gush a little over Tom Selleck and Phil Carey (as you do), and the second is a commentary I worked on with my friend Heidi Honeycutt, who I mentioned in my last newsletter because we went to France together in June to talk about the women of the Wide World of Mystery series! We apparently can’t get enough of each other or this series, so, we joined forces again with a discussion on Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest, which is directed by the great Lela Swift. This set is coming out in September, and you can check out the extras and pre-order here.

Anyway, as someone (obviously) obsessed with Wide World of Mystery, it’s been an absolute joy to see these entries slowly rising from the ashes where they will hopefully acquire more loyal fans like myself.

Not sure what’s ahead for it, but I have high hopes that we’ll see more legitimate releases in our future. Always keep your fingers crossed!

Announcements

I worked on a handful of projects that have just been announced and will be available this month:

I wrote the liner notes for Arthur Marks’ 1972 hippie-dippy sun-soaked sexploitation flick Class of ‘74, where I take a look how this film navigates its way through 2nd wave feminism. You can pick up a copy of Class of ‘74 via Film Masters here.

Meanwhile, across the pond, the great and wonderful Film Treasures is releasing a beautiful Blu Ray for the early 90s killer kid flick, Mikey. The film has never enjoyed a legitimate release in the UK… until now. The fine folks at Film Treasures put together an incredible package to celebrate. I was honored to be asked to contribute a commentary track with my good friend Justin Kerswell. Mikey is an oddball little film anchored by a really dark and compelling performance from Brian Bonsall as the murderous tyke. I was obsessed with Mikey when it first came out, and still love it to this day. Justin and I had so much fun talking about it. You can order Mikey here.

Horror Girls is a publication coming out at the Sitges Film Festival. It is actually not due this month, and I’m not sure where it will be available outside of the fest, but I wanted to promote it because it’s been put together with a lot of love and with an eye on documenting women working behind the scenes. WomenInFan are an integral part of the Sitges Film Fest, seeking to promote women working behind the scenes. Every year, they publish a book that concentrates on different aspects of film from somewhere in the world. This year, they wanted to focus on North America and I was asked to write something regarding women working in genre TV during the Golden Years. I had so much fun putting this together, and although I know I didn’t get to everyone, it really opened a door for me in terms of wanting to fill yet another void in the history of the made for TV movie. I’m considering how and where to continue this work, but this essay laid such a foundation for me, and lit a little fire. Keep an eye on this newsletter for any updates - as I clumsily try to figure it all out!

Movie Watchalong Party: August’s Pick

Although I’ve always loved John Newland, I’ve been on a huge kick recently and thought it’d be a good time to re-watch one of his masterpieces, Crawlspace (1972). Join me at 1pm CST on BlueSky on August 23rd, and use #TVMParty to join the discussion (you can watch the movie here). Crawlspace is a strange, beautiful, darkly funny and tragic movie that I’ve written papers on for school and genre conferences! Definitely one of the great, unheralded classics of the era. Please stop by and say hello!

Small Screen Musings: Love and the Golden Girls

Recently, I was watching an episode of Love, American Style titled Love and the Heist and noticed it was written by Susan Harris. Until this moment, I always wondered if The Golden Girls, which Harris created, was inspired by the wonderful 1971 TV movie Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate, which feels like a drunk prototype for her hit 1980s sitcom. While Love and the Heist post-dates the novel that Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate is based on, it does pre-date the telefilm by several months (Heist aired in February 1971 and Mutilate premiered in November of that same year). Heist actually features characters that can be seen as early models for what we’d see later in The Golden Girls, including an elderly lady with thick glasses who makes bombs (OK, Sophia only threw out truth bombs, but work with me). I think we can possibly assume the source material, which was written by Doris Miles Disney and published in 1970 could be the ultimate inspiration, but regardless, I was so thrilled to run across this Love, American Style. It serves as an interesting example of how older people were portrayed on television through this decade and beyond.

TV movies like The Old Man Who Cried Wolf (1970) and Better Late Than Never (1979) bookmark an era in the telefilm where aging people were given great material to work with. Aaron Spelling said in his excellent biography that he loved to give actors from the classic film era work on his shows because he knew that it was harder and harder to land worthwhile parts. In 1972, press for The Screaming Woman, which has all the big guns – Olivia de Havilland, Walter Pidgeon and Joesph Cotton – places a focus on these actors moving towards television simply because that’s where the work was. Each of these films I mentioned (and this episode of Love, American Style along with the remarkable and groundbreaking Golden Girls) challenge social norms about aging, give dignity to a community that is largely rendered invisible and also provide a really great space for people like myself to see that adding a few more candles to the ol’ birthday cake isn’t the end of everything. It didn’t start with Love and the Heist, but this episode certainly contributes something to a conversation that needs to continue. And it gives fans of the Golden Girls a great reference point when thinking about the series.

You can watch Love and the Heist below, and tell me if you don’t see a little of Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia in these characters:

TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray Release: July’s Selections

182: Stalk the Wild Child, 1976
183: Awake to Danger, 1995
184: Escape from Bogen County, 1977
185: Tribes, 1970
186: Frankenstein: The College Years, 1991
187: Deadman’s Curve, 1978
188: Those Secrets, 1992
189: First, You Cry, 1978
190: The Three Wishes of Billy Grier, 1984
191: Love Thy Neighbor, 1984
192: Last Cry for Help, 1979
193: Lottery, 1983
194: Cotton Candy, 1978
195: Return of the World’s Greatest Detective, 1976
196: Better Late Than Never, 1979
197: Sleeping with the Devil, 1997
198: Summer Fantasy, 1984
199: The Day the Earth Moved, 1974
200: The Cloning of Clifford Swimmer, 1974
201: The Girl, The Gold Watch and Everything, 1980
202: Too Good to Be True, 1988
203: Too Close to Home, 1997
204: The Colony, 1995
205: Let’s Switch, 1975
206: The Women of San Quentin, 1984
207: The Hunted Lady, 1977
208: Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean, 1990
209: The Grass if Always Greener Over the Septic Tank, 1979
210: Every Man Needs One, 1972
211: Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker, 1979
212: The Tenth Level, 1976

June was a very busy month… I somehow landed an incredible amount of freelance work, all of which I’m very excited about (and some TV movie related). I also found myself in France for a week, attending a conference on female filmmakers, where I co-presented a paper with my good friend Heidi Honeycutt (I Spit on Your Celluloid) on the women behind the camera on the ABC: Wide World of Mystery’s Classic Ghosts series. Admittedly, there was not a huge turn out for the panel (there were two panels going at all times and we presented against papers on The Substance), but those who did show up were very enthusiastic about the women we discussed (Jacqueline Babbin, Gloria Monty and Lela Swift) and it lit a little fire in me.

While I can’t officially announce it yet, I have written a lengthy piece on some other women involved in the production of the telefilm in its heyday and it truly is an undocumented piece of TV history. I am hoping to create a more accessible database in the near future.

That database will be a part of a website I’m currently building to help promote my work a little better. Now that I’ve done quite a few commentaries and written my share of essays, I’d like to have a one-stop shop for anyone interested in the work I do. But, while I have no problem pimping my stuff, I’m starting to feel even more passionate about the stories that still need to be told about the made for TV movie. Hopefully this database will be a move in the right direction and it can grow into other pieces of my research. We’ll see!

Movie of the month

It’s the middle of summer and 2025 has been… interesting… so far, so I wanted to take a big brain break and chose something fun for this month’s watchalong on Bluesky. We’ll be meeting up at 1pm CST on July 26th for a viewing of Horror at 37,000 Feet. Use #TVMParty to join the discussion.

Announcements:

Really excited to announce that I provided a commentary track for Canadian International Pictures’ release of the very rare “telefilm” The Heatwave Lasted Four Days. Telefilm is in quotes because it was originally made as part of a series of movies intended to teach English to French speakers in Canada, but would air only once on American television as part of the ABC: Wide World of Mystery (there’s that WWM again… very happy to see this series of programming is picking up steam!). It's a rare and amazing film with a terrific cast and crew, and CIP’s extras really honor a movie that was mostly forgotten.

You can watch CIP’s wonderful trailer for The Heatwave Lasted Four Days here:

TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray Release: June’s Selections:

150: Mirror, Mirror, 1979
151: Games Your Mother Never Taught You, 1982
152: First Affair, 1983
153: Reflections of Murder, 1974
154: The Deadly Hunt, 1971
155: Jealousy, 1984
156: Surviving: A Family in Crisis, 1985
157: Deadly Messages, 1985
158: Coffee, Tea or Me, 1973
159: Drop-Out Father, 1982
160: For Ladies Only, 1981
161: Little Girl Fly Away, 1998
162: A Very Missing Person, 1972
163: Murder Can Hurt You, 1980
164: Something Evil, 1972
165: Donato and Daughter (aka Dead to Rights), 1993
166: Rich Men, Single Women, 1990
167: Tainted Blood, 1993
168: David, 1988
169: Sins of Dorian Gray, 1983
170: The Elevator, 1974
171: Snatched, 1973
172: Honeymoon with a Stranger, 1969
173: One of My Wives is Missing, 1976
174: Vanishing Act, 1986
175: An Element of Truth, 1995
176: When Dreams Come True, 1985
177: The Gladiator, 1986
178: Beverly Hills Madam, 1986
179: Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife, 1987
180: Double Jeopardy, 1996
181: Goodnight, My Love, 1972

Yet another month of crazy-busy-ness with not much else to add. I’ve been keeping my head down and plugging away, and it’s been a nice distraction from what is turning out to be a strange 2025.

One of this year’s saving graces is the return of the soap. You may or may not have heard that CBS premiered a new daytime serial in February called Beyond the Gates. It’s a show about the Dupree family. They are rich and powerful and each and every one of them has a ton of baggage! It’s straight up soap in so many ways and it’s also got a kind of energy I haven’t seen on daytime for a while. Not to dismiss any of the other shows, they’re great and they’re needed. But, Beyond the Gates has captivated me, and I’m in love with everyone and everything.

This attention to soaps is not just happening on our TV screens, these awesome melodramas are coming back in a big way in academia as well. There are two conferences (that I know of) happening in different parts of the world. The first one is set for June 21 at Falmouth University. It’s a one day conference (UK), and it seeks to underline how melodrama is used to comment on the times we are living in. More details here.

Then, in October, Bowling Green State University is hosting a conference that looks at soap operas and their relationship to popular culture. This one should be really fun, and is open to both academics and fans! They have a website and have listed their call for papers!

For years I’ve been championing daytime serials, and I am very pleased to see that others are as well. Melodrama is such an important element to not just soaps, but to genre films, and obviously, it’s a huge part of what makes made for TV movies so good. Melodrama is so often dismissed and critically maligned, and it is absolutely wonderful to see it getting a little respect... finally.

Soaps matter.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to host a BlueSky watchalong TV movie party in June. I’ll be taking a little break from everything the last week of the month, and while part of my absence is work-related, I have penciled in big plans to decompress… and hopefully I will have some TV movie stuff to share in July!

Announcements

I don’t think I’m on any releases coming out in the month of June. I’m trying to keep better track of my freelance work, and I know there’s things coming, but waiting for those announcements… it’s hard! I’m so excited about all the work I’ve been doing lately! So, hopefully, something fun will pop up for next month!

Small Screen Musings: Lost Histories

I’ve been contemplating the issues of what becomes lost when TV movies are improperly documented or preserved. Because so much is undocumented, it’s a lot to wrap my brain around. But, on many occasions, my mind wanders to one of my favorite filmmakers, John Newland.

Newland is an interesting character. He began his career in entertainment as an actor (working in comedy, mostly). This led him to Broadway, but he said in early interviews, he was too much of a “ham” to pursue acting more seriously.

Naturally, he turned to directing. He didn’t give up on acting completely, and was seen on TV from time to time, including the infamous adaptation of Frankenstein for the anthology series Tales of Tomorrow. It is most famous for Lon Chaney Jr.’s “soft rampage” towards the end of the movie (IYKYK). And, of course, he was the director and host of a great mid-century anthology series called One Step Beyond.

My interest in Newland arose from seeing him on that show, which was a favorite growing up. Later, I made the connection that he’s the same guy who directed the small screen cult classic Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (1973). He would end up making some of the best made for TV movies in the golden era of the 1970s, before retiring in 1983. Newland passed away in 2000.

I don’t want to just replay his biography and filmography here. For one, it’s too dense to just put into a couple of paragraphs. Second, the point I’m attempting to make is that Newland is integral to the history of the telefilm. In my opinion, he is one of the greatest journeymen of this era, directing and producing some truly remarkable small screen films. He was so much more than that too. While he might not have called himself a feminist, he could be very sensitive in his portrayal of women in his films, and that respect came out of working with powerful women on TV. He would say in interviews he learned so much working with Joan Crawford and Loretta Young. He also bravely approached subjects no one was really talking about at this time, including suicide and addiction.

Recently, I reached out to his family when I realized there was so little archival documentation of his work, not to mention most of his films aren’t on DVD (or even VHS). What I found out was that he didn’t really keep anything, therefore, there’s nothing to donate to an archive. To say I was devastated would be an understatement. I kind of cursed Newland under my breath because it felt short-sighted. However, what Newland wanted to do with his work is his business, and in the end, I respect he did what he felt was right for himself at the time. (it also shows a total lack of ego, which makes me love him even more)

Yet, I’m still left to wonder, how can we make sure his legacy is remembered? To be fair, some of that work is being done. With Warner Archives release of Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark and Severin’s gorgeous release of The Legend of Hillbilly John, we’re seeing how diverse and talented he really was. Personally, I was honored to be asked to do the commentaries for both films and trust me, there’s still so much more to discover.

That said, ultimately, I have to come to terms with the idea that some things are out of my control and are destined to be lost or left behind. That’s not to say that I (or you) can’t keep pushing for historical documentation or academic commentary. We should do this. However, I think Newland is a prime example of what we’re up against.

Newland’s story just underscores that what is missing in this frustratingly incomplete history of the made for TV movie is vast and even though the TV movie has a fairly finite history, it is also endless. So many films and their filmmakers deserve a proper legacy. Not sure I can do that with a monthly newsletter and a few commentaries, but I do hope this is just a first step towards our understanding of the small screen. Or, perhaps I should say we should be prepared to go One Step Beyond…

TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray Release: May’s Selections:

121: She Waits, 1972
122: Madame Sin, 1972 (OOP Shout Factory)
123: Relentless, 1977
124: Off the Minnesota Strip, 1980
125: Sanctuary of Fear, 1979
126: Without Consent, 1993
127: Dr. Cook’s Garden, 1971
128: Rockabye, 1986
129: Alibi, 1997
130: Death Squad, 1974
131: A Summer Without Boys, 1973
132: Memories of Murder, 1990
133: She Cried Murder, 1973
134: Out of the Darkness, 1985
135: Nowhere to Hide, 1994
136: She’s in the Army Now, 1981
137: A Circle of Children, 1977
138: The Movie Murderer, 1970
139: Secrets of a Mother and Daughter, 1983
140: Hostage for a Day, 1994
141: Disaster on the Coastliner, 1979
142: Night Visions, 1990
143: Trapped, 1973
144: Strike Force pilot, 1981
145: Playing with Fire, 1985
146: Smashup on Interstate 5, 1976
147: The Devil and Miss Sarah, 1974
148: The Great Ice Rip-Off, 1974
149: The Alpha Caper, 1973
150: Mirror, Mirror, 1979
151: Games Mother Never Taught You, 1982

I'm not even going to try for a snappier title for this month's newsletter! April was a grind... Lots of work, and very little time to concentrate on anything else.

That said, I have a lot of projects – some TV movie related – that should be announced at some point. I’m very excited about all of it. But, for now, thanks to time and having so little of it, I don’t have much to report on except for a couple of announcements and another list of titles to keep us rolling through 365 Made for TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray Release. Here we go…

Summer is coming, so let’s celebrate with a watchalong party with Wes Craven’s classic 1978 TV movie Summer of Fear. We’ll be meeting up on BlueSky May 24th at 1pm CST. Use #TVMParty and you can watch the movie here. See you then!

Announcements

Here’s what new this month:

Vinegar Syndrome announced two horror titles last month that I am so pleased to be a part of. I wrote essays for Murderock and The Nesting. They were a real treat to work on. For Murderock I wrote about dancing in 1980s horror films and for The Nesting, I got to take a dive into the Female Gothic movement of the 1970s.

I am forever grateful for work like this because I love cheerleading these movies and I love that people trust me enough to tackle very diverse topics with the idea that I can help enrich the viewer’s experience. To say that has been my lifelong dream would be an understatement. And thank you to everyone who supports my writing, commentaries, etc. Means so much.

TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray Release: April’s Selections

90: The Last Child, 1971
91: Secrets of Three Hungry Wives, 1978
92: Shadow of Obsession, 1992
93: Cruise into Terror, 1978
94: The Babysitter, 1980
95: Deadly Vows, 1994
96: Black Noon, 1971
97: Red-Light Sting, 1984
98: Sins of the Past, 1984
99: Someone I Touched, 1975
100: Don’t Go to Sleep, 1982
101: Double Standard, 1988
102: Family Sins, 1987
103: In Broad Daylight, 1971
104: Can Ellen Be Saved?, 1974
105: Doubletake, 1985 (link is to part 1, part 2 is on YT as well)
106: Night Partners, 1983
107: Single Bars, Single Women, 1984
108: The Girls of Huntington House, 1973
109: Thief, 1971
110: Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story, 1984
111: Force of Evil, 1977
112: Where Have all the People Gone?, 1974
113: Kill Me if You Can, 1977
114: Before He Wakes, 1998
115: Hustler of Muscle Beach, 1980
116: The Old Man Who Cried Wolf, 1970
117: Love Hate Love, 1971
118: The Only Way Out, 1993
119: Children of Divorce, 1980
120: Through Naked Eyes, 1983

Good morning, April! Maybe this is the season that the TV movie begins to bloom… Sounds silly, but I just found out that two “lost” ABC: Wide World of Mystery titles have recently surfaced and I’m going to keep hope alive that this is just the beginning.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with ABC’s mid-70s late night programming, may I direct you to this excellent article by the Library of Congress. They break down the history of Wide World of Mystery, as well as the work they’re doing (along with other archival institutions) to unearth some of the lost films.

Currently, two more supposedly lost telefilms can be purchased through TrueTVMovies. I’ll give you the titles, a little breakdown, and links below:

According to IMDb, A Prowler in the Heart stars Colleen Dewhurst and Lorraine Gary (OMG! Two greats) and this entry is about a mystery novelist meticulously creating an alibi to keep her husband from being convicted of murder.

You can buy A Prowler in the Heart here.

Murder in the First Person Singular features William Windom and Martha Scott and the story revolves around a murder plot by a terminally ill English teacher, who, to capitalize on the double indemnity clause in his life insurance, hires one of his students to do the deed.

You can buy Murder in the First Person Singular here.

A word to the wise: These are not going to be perfect or even great copies, but they are two very rare telefilms. Hopefully more will surface soon!

The Wide World of Mystery titles have become a major obsession for me, in part because of UCLA’s Film and Television’s Archive recent restoration of the Classic Ghosts series, which are five telefilms produced specifically for Wide World of Mystery. These were quickly made, shot on video and are excellent… and of particular interest because four of the five entries are directed and produced largely by women and feature women working in many different capacities behind the scenes as well. Kino Lober released Classic Ghosts on DVD last year. They are excellent.

I was asked to participate in the extras and I can be seen talking about the series in a featurette… which, by the way, has been nominated for a Rondo!

In fact, several projects I worked on have been nominated… all TV-centric or TV-adjacent. I sent out a newsletter a couple of weeks ago regarding this, so I won’t rehash it, but will link to it here in case you missed it. You can check out the full list of Rondo nominations here, and have until April 20th to vote.

I’m also pleased to finally say Ewan and I put together a new episode of our sporadic podcast The One By One Slash Cast. We talk about our favorite winter slashers. I’m doing my best to keep rolling with the ‘casts… so fingers crossed that more are coming soon. Thanks to everyone for their patience!

I was also a guest on two new episodes of The Hysteria Continues! You can listen to us discussing one of my favorite horror movies, Silent Scream (1979) and we also hung out on their Pateron, flipping through Fangoria #7 for their Fangoria Flashback episode!

Please join me and Dan Budnik on Bluesky April 26th at 1PM CST for a watchalong party! I’m screening the 1975 thriller Secret Night Caller with the great Robert Reed. use #TVMParty to join the discussion!

Announcements

Here’s what’s going on in the world of home video this month:

Shout Factory has upgraded their release of Sorority House Massacre to UHD/4K and are porting over their previously produced extras, along with new content. I am actually a featurette! I was interviewed about the film for something called “A Slash Course In Terror: Inside Sorority House Massacre” – An Interview With Author/Film Historian Amanda Reyes, and I believe I appear in a new extra titled “The Final Girl” - A Guide To Surviving Slasher Films.

This release is due April 8th.

Small Screen Musings: Television and Compassion

Anyone who knows me knows I have a huge crush on the wonderful Peter Scolari. He was pure joy and we were lucky to have him for as long as we did. I don’t know if people remember him most from Bosom Buddies or if Newhart is what springs to mind (or perhaps it’s even Ticks or the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids TV series, or any one of the many other projects he graced), but, lately, I find myself caught up in how much his character Michael on Newhart is an interesting symbol of the trappings of 1980s capitalism mixed with what it means to question that ideology, developing empathy along the way.

To put it out there, Michael and I aren’t that different. Through the series, the writers have left little clues as to what makes Michael tick. I wasn’t abandoned by my parents, but as an outcast, I did find comfort in classic television, and I allowed the characters from those shows to become an extended family. Like Michael, I also have a deep love for the horror movies The Boogens (mentioned at least twice throughout the run of Newhart) and Silent Night, Deadly Night (his favorite holiday film!). Also, we put too much emphasis on our hair.

There is an episode from Season 6 of the series, that really develops Michael, but also provides us a window into ourselves as well. Newsstruck originally aired during season 6 on March 21st, 1988, and it features Michael, a producer at a small television channel in Vermont, being forced to oversee the news department. Michael has all kinds of visions for the news, which include making the anchors run to their desk as a way to pick up the pace. He’s hated by the employees, and Michael is frustrated himself, because he just doesn’t find the news all that interesting.

Then, one day, he’s watching a story as it unfolds and something strange happens – he develops compassion. He begins to care about the people in these stories, and he opens himself up to learning about the world and all those who inhabit it. This shocks everyone at the Stratford Inn (and horrifies his superficial girlfriend Steffy). And, he even becomes a good news producer along the way.

However, that’s not where the growth really occurs. After some time, he feels weighed down by the endless tales of woe, poverty, and violence, and, he goes back to classic TV, watching a cartoon in the newsroom. Shockingly, the other employees join in. He realizes that compassion and empathy are beautiful things, but it’s also OK to tune out and let go… for awhile.

The episode ends with Michael returning somewhat to his shallow ways, but not before he takes Dick aside and asks him to update him on an ongoing hostage situation.

I know it doesn’t sound like a ton of comedy happened in this episode, but it’s so funny and warm and thoughtful. What held me to it though was this idea of where we are in the world right now – this is a time of uncertainty. Anxiety for many is at an all time high, and no one knows what to expect from day to day. We want to be informed, and we want to be prepared… But, it’s also OK to let yourself be like Michael… if you need to tune out and watch Gilligan’s Island, then do it.

Compassion and empathy are two of the greatest gifts we as humans can hold. Yet, I am not sure we are compassionate enough with ourselves. You’re not a bad person if you need to detach, decompress and refuel. You’ll need your strength in the coming days, just as Michael needed his when he worked in that newsroom.

And, I guess in that way, I’m like Michael too. With the exception of Vermont Today, Michael’s productions at WPIV are simply meant to be little slices of nothingbugers that take your mind off your troubles, even if for just a short time. And, that’s all I want to do with my TV movie talk. I mean, I love dissecting these films, writing my academic essays and hopefully providing meaningful content for people along the way. But, ultimately, I hope that all of my dumb TV (and horror movie) chatter helps people escape from their day to day troubles – even if just for a little while. Hopefully, I’m doing that. In the end though, Michael still has better hair.

TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray Release: March’s Selections

60: Women in Chains, 1972
61: Something About Amelia, 1984
62: A Bunny’s Tale, 1985
63: The World’s Oldest Living Bridesmaid, 1990
64: Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway, 1976
65: Alien Lover, 1975
66: Haunts of the Very Rich, 1972
67: Getting Physical, 1984
68: The Great American Beauty Contest, 1973
69: The Darker Side of Terror, 1979
70: Cry for Help, 1975
71: Challenge of a Lifetime, 1985
72: The Dark Secret of Harvest Home, 1978
73: Locusts, 1974
74: The Stranger Within, 1990
75: Silent Victory: The Kitty O’Neil Story, 1979
76: The Best Little Girl in the World, 1981
77: Amos, 1985
78: A Face to Die For, 1996
79: Deadly Lessons, 1983
80: Her Wicked Ways, 1991
81: Revenge, 1971
82: The Five of Me, 1981
83: The Failing of Raymond, 1971
84: Nightmare in Daylight, 1992
85: The Dead Don’t Die, 1975
86: My Mother’s Secret Life, 1984
87: Strange Homecoming, 1974
88: Revenge of the Stepford Wives, 1980
89: Goliath Awaits, 1981
90: The Last Child, 1971

The annual nominations for the prestigious Rondo Awards were announced earlier this week and I wanted to mention a couple of projects I worked on. I posted this on my social media, so it might be a rerun, but just in case…

I was nominated under the Favorite Commentator category, along with my friends Heath Holland, Dan Budnik and Justin Kerswell for our commentary for Kino Lorber's release of The Martian Chronicles! Very excited about this. Martian Chronicles is also up for Best Blu Ray as well!

Another Kino Lorber TV project I contributed to was nominated as well. Under Best Blu Ray Collection you'll find the Classic Ghosts release, which features five ultra rare Wide World Mystery Movies. The set was nominated again under Best Extras, which includes a featurette with myself and some of the fabulous staff at the UCLA Film and Television Archive!

In TV movie adjacent news, also nominated under Best Blu Ray Collection is Kier-la Janisse's wonderful All the Haunts Be Ours 2, which I worked on extensively. But, for our TV movie loving purposes, I provided a commentary for Who Fears the Devil (aka Legend of Hillbilly John) which was directed by John Newland (Don't Be Afraid of the Dark), and it's a Newland-specific track, which is why I was brought on. And, along with my friend Chris O'Neill, we put together a video essay for the City of the Dead which was directed by John Llewellyn Moxey. Our essay covers a bit but is mostly centered on Moxey's work in the telefilm and it relates to City of the Dead.

You can find the full list of nominees at the link below, and voting stays open until April 20th.

https://rondoaward.com/rondoaward.com/blog/

I was so thrilled to be asked to be a part of all of these releases, and it's great to see the telefilm getting the love it deserves! Go vote!

Well, here we are, three months into 2025, and I’ve managed to stay (mostly) on schedule.

Although I have to admit I was really pushed for time in February. So, a brief update. This month: Podcasts!

The Made for TV Mayhem Show has an episode in the can, but I’ve spent some time editing it because, honestly, I just haven’t been able to get to it. And, of course, there’s sound issues (as usual). I’m hoping it’ll drop in late March / early April. Then, we can follow that up with a new Trap-Cast.

For those of you new to me or what I do, I have three podcasts, all of which are sporadic. The main show is The Made for TV Mayhem Show, which is focused on the made for TV movie (if you couldn’t guess by the title). I have two co-hosts for that show: Dan Budnik and Nathan Johnson. We love talking TV movies, but it’s hard to gets us all together, and lately, it’s difficult for me to even schedule time for myself. I’m hoping to get back to it later in the Spring. Please stick with us.

The second show is a solo-cast dedicated to the TV series Trapper John M.D., which I’ve lovingly titled The Trap-Cast. It’s very sporadic, but I love doing it. I am finally on the last three episodes of Season 1 and really want to get that online as soon as I can.

And, finally, I have a third podcast, which shouldn’t be as hard to put together as it is, but it is somehow hard to put together. It’s called the One By One Slashcast, and my co-host is Ewan Cant from Vinegar Syndrome. We’ve recorded something so fingers crossed we get it out to you soon.

I’m kind of a workaholic, and I tend to take on a lot of freelance projects when and where I can. My podcasts suffer because of it. This makes me so sad, because it’s something I truly enjoy. However, by taking my time and letting them fall by the wayside here and there, I’m able to keep them free for everyone, which is the goal for any kind of personal project I do (it’s the archivist in me). So, a big thank you to everyone who sticks by and tunes in when things go live. You’re the best!

For next months watch-along party over at BlueSky, I’ll be celebrating Women’s History Month with a screening The Cloning of Clifford Swimmer (YouTube link here). We’re meeting up March 22nd at 1 pm CST and we can connect by using #TVMParty when posting. Come find me at @madefortvmayhem.bsky.social. Hope to see you there!

Announcements

Dark Night of the Scarecrow (88 Films)

Coming soon from 88 Films is the small screen classic, Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981). I have done TWO commentaries for this amazing telefilm, both of which are featured on this release (the first commentary originally appeared on VCI’s wonderful double release of this with its sequel). For the 88 Films track I’m joined by the wonderful guys at The Hysteria Continues (or rather I joined them, since they invited me). I had a blast on both recordings and hopefully brought something a little different to each one. 88 Films is unleashing Bubba in the UK on March 24th.

Lipstick (Imprint Films)

Imprint Films ported over the commentary I did with Justin Kerswell for Shout Factory, and this release also includes a new track by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. Working on Lipstick would become a labor of love, and I absolutely fell in love with Margaux Hemingway while working on it. She was such a wonderful, smart, thoughtful person, and I hope we did her justice. This release is limited to 1500 copies, so grab one (if so inclined).

Small Screen Musings: Why Middle of the Road is OK

I wanted to follow up last’s months post about why Nielsen’s matter with just a brief look at the television business term Broadcasting.

The word Broadcasting is so important. Probably a little obvious, its definition is clearly laid out in the word itself, and is meant to define what it means to ‘cast’ out a project in an effort to attract the ‘broadest’ audience possible. When there were only three major networks and not much else, the game for these channels was to find programming that everyone would be interested in and then mold those premises into projects that kept that audience tuning in.

However, while the term Narrowcasting was created much later, it is a much better description of how programming is structured today. Like Broadcasting, the word has quite a history too, first being used in the late 1960s. TV is now much more in line with Narrowcasting, following the idea that programming should be catered to drawing in smaller audiences with more niche interests. Basically, it’s like comparing CBS to the SyFy Channel. CBS will air sci-fi programs, but they fall into a list of many other types of shows. Conversely, SyFy, for example, only shows science fiction projects and it is tailor made for people who love that stuff.

I’ve always been more curious about the art of broadcasting. The big question for me is how did networks create programming that interests so many different people with such diverse backgrounds?

However, perhaps the more profound question might be:

How do filmmakers inject social commentary into them without alienating or upsetting half of their audience?

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it here: Made for TV movies are subversive. Not all of them, of course, but a ridiculous amount of telefilms have some kind of fascinating / thought provoking subtext layered underneath modest and conventional premises. Ultimately, TV movies offer a kind of yin-yang relationship with its audience. These are popcorn films to be certain, but they also gives us a window into who we were at the time. And, if we can understand what that reflection is saying to us, then we can understand ourselves and our world just a little better.

This is just a brief way of saying that while ratings and the business of television matter, so does our experience with these films. In so many ways, the made for TV movie is telling our story too.

TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray release: February’s Selections

Day 32: The Astronaut, 1972
Day 33: A Case of Rape, 1974
Day 34: For My Daughter’s Honor, 1996
Day 35: Savages, 1974
Day 36: Drive Hard, Drive Fast, 1973
Day 37: This House Possessed, 1981
Day 38: Policewoman Centerfold, 1983
Day 39: The Face of Fear, 1990
Day 40: Seven in Darkness, 1969
Day 41: Obsessive Love, 1984
Day 42: In Love with an Older Woman, 1982
Day 43: The Other Man, 1970
Day 44: Help Wanted: Male, 1982
Day 45: Griffin and Phoenix, 1976
Day 46: Night of Terror, 1972
Day 47: Obsessed, 1992
Day 48: Three on a Date, 1978
Day 49: Dark Victory, 1976
Day 50: Along Came a Spider, 1970
Day 51: The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver, 1977
Day 52: Young Love First Love, 1979
Day 53: The Secret Life of Kathy McCormick, 1988
Day 54: Cover Girls, 1977
Day 55: Hitchhike!, 1974
Day 56: Conspiracy of Terror, 1975
Day 57: I Saw What You Did, 1988
Day 58: Amber Waves, 1980
Day 59: A Step Toward Tomorrow, 1996

Well, we’re one month into 2025 and I’m pleased to see people are still looking back at their favorite made for TV movies of yesteryear! This is exciting for me, although I’m a bit rusty when it comes to personal blogging. I spend so much time lately writing essays for various home video releases that I’ve practically forgotten how to use “I” in a sentence, which makes this venture a little exciting, so let’s get started.

My goal is to publish at least one newsletter at the beginning of every month. It will feature announcements, updates on my freelance work, and hopefully I’ll have podcast links to share.

I’ve started hosting a watch-along party on BlueSky too, and if I can, I’ll give everyone the name of the chosen film for that month (we will normally meet at the end of the month so you’ll have time to look up the film and decide if you want to see it), as well as details on the gathering date and time with a link to watch the film along with everyone else.

For me, television has always been about community. Streaming is great and OMG so much is now available that wasn’t before. I will never smirk or snark at that. But nothing, and I mean nothing will ever replace the communal feeling of watching something in your own home and knowing you are not alone. I hold on tightly to connecting through film and TV, and I hope you can join me when we all get together.

For February, I’ll be hosting a Valentine’s watch-along with the film Babycakes. We’re meeting at 1PM CST on February 22nd! Come find me on Bluesky (link above) and (for now) we use the hashtag #TVMParty. See you then!

Every monthly newsletter will also feature what I guess is a “mini-blog” where I will write about something related to film or television. I am hoping to keep it centered on the telefilm, but do expect some soap talk in there! For this month, I’ll just give you a little breakdown on how the Nielsen’s worked for the TV movie and why that is important.

Throughout 2025, I’ll be posting a list of made for TV movies that really deserve a DVD or Blu Ray release. To be blunt, there’s thousands of films that should have this honor, and I’d love to see every made for TV movie enjoy a shot at a second audience, but that might be hoping for a little too much. So, I’ve scaled it back and will spotlight what is really just a sampling of the terrific films that are worth seeking out. You’ll find the list at the end of each monthly newsletter, with some links to watch them online (if available). Just keep in mind that YouTube uploads might not be of the greatest quality. This is why we need those legit home video releases!

O.K… That’s what you can expect. I might open up the chatroom, depending on my time, and I hope everyone enjoys this little slice of television…

Announcements:

My big announcement for the month is Kino Lorber’s release of the lush and epic 1988 miniseries Noble House. I truly loved putting together the commentary tracks and I am excited to see it’s finally coming out! There are four episodes in the series, so I was joined by three wonderful co-hosts: Frank Djeng, Mike White and Scott Humphries. Each entry centers itself on a specific topic and points of interest include James Clavell, Hong Kong, Pierce Brosnan and Deborah Raffin, and the history of the melodramatic miniseries. The street date is the 25th of February!

Small Screen Musings for February 2025: The Nielsen Ratings

If any of you have sat through one of my commentary tracks, seen one of my lectures or listen to my podcast, you may have already heard what I’m about to say. But, I find that establishing the way the Nielsen ratings shaped our viewing options is at the foundation of understanding the made for television movie.

The Nielsen Ratings System is essentially a way to generate statistics that allow the networks to gauge who is viewing what. Based on those numbers, the network can determine advertising fees, which bring in revenue for the channel, which in turn helps the network keep up with production costs, etc., etc.

In the earliest days of television networks sought out women aged 18-49, and that remains the number one most desired demographic to this day. Women became the target audience because at the birth of television, they tended to be housewives and were therefore the largest consumer in the household. Since they bought the products advertised on television, marketing focused heavily on these homemakers. Therefore, programming catered to them. This is one of the reasons why you see so many domestic-set shows: the networks wanted to reflect the average (if somewhat aspirational) home as a way to attract these women to their programming.

By the mid-1960s, when the TV movie came into play, women were still generally stay-at-home wives and mothers, but times were changing and women were moving outside of the home and looking for other things in the world. The second wave feminist movement hit almost at the same time as the birth of the TV movie. This is why you see telefilms with titles like The Feminist and the Fuzz and Girls in the Office. TV movie was often focused on women and their issues at the time. There could be some mixed messaging – and we’ll probably get into that eventually – but the point is women reigned supreme and a large number of telefilms produced between 1964-1999 are made for them.

To know this is helpful for me personally, because it exposes some of nuanced subtext that ran through so many of these movies. But I think in general it enhances the viewing of these films, because art (and yes, TV movies are art) has to tangle with business all the time. The filmmakers understood this, and gave a really amazing and creative space to women and their stories while also pulling in advertisers who were leery of anything even potentially controversial (ex: feminism was often portrayed in the media as militant). A lot of this was embedded into the subtext, and that’s where I live… so many things happen underneath the TV movie and it’s fascinating. Of course, not every telefilm was about sisters doing it for themselves (but those are great too), however, it is such an important moment in pop culture history. And, really, television was one of the only venues where women’s issues could be discussed. Hopefully, I can help shine a light on how our stories were told.

TV Movies that Need a DVD/Blu Ray Release: January Picks

Finally, here are the titles I promoted on my socials in January of 2025 (with links to watch some of them!):

Day 1: See How They Run, 1964 (the first made for TV movie)
Day 2: No Place to Hide, 1981
Day 3: Ladykillers, 1988 (*with original commercials!)
Day 4: Shooting Stars, 1983
Day 5: Million Dollar Ripoff, 1976
Day 6: How I Spent My Summer Vacation, 1967
Day 7: Children of the Lotus Eaters, 1970 (pilot for The Psychiatrist)
Day 8: Secret Night Caller, 1975
Day 9: If Things were Different, 1980
Day 10: Mistress, 1987
Day 11: Midnight Offerings, 1981
Day 12: Invasion of Privacy, 1983
Day 13: Murder by Natural Causes, 1979 (*1980 broadcast with original commercials!)
Day 14: Satan’s Triangle, 1975
Day 15: Pleasure Palace, 1979
Day 16: City Killer, 1984
Day 17: Lisa, Bright and Dark, 1973
Day 18: Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold, 1978
Day 19: Inmates: A Love Story, 1981
Day 20: The Love War, 1970
Day 21: Still the Beaver, 1983
Day 22: Caroline?, 1990
Day 23: Fear Stalk, 1989
Day 24: Co-ed Call Girl, 1996
Day 25: The Loneliest Runner, 1976
Day 26: Five Desperate Women, 1972
Day 27: In the Custody of Strangers, 1982
Day 28: Isn’t it Shocking?, 1973
Day 29: Anatomy of a Seduction, 1980
Day 30: My Very Best Friend, 1996
Day 31: Killer Bees, 1974