Congratulations to the winners of the Prison Break Season 4 DVD – Renee Patrice (Burbank, CA), Stuart Frey (Columbus, OH), Michael Jane (New York, NY), Denise Jackson (Baton Rouge, LA) and Ann H.  More DVD giveaways coming when I return from vacation the week of July 13th! 

While it only aired on the then-new Fox network for three seasons, people still remember the teen sitcom Parker Lewis Can’t Lose starring Corin Nemec as a kinda-like-Ferris Bueller teen who always gets his way even against the rules imposed on him by parents and school administration alike.  The show is light, fun and amusing but what holds the show together is Nemec’s comic timing, camaraderie with his team of fellow mischief makers and the show’s fun and silly situations.  To watch the opening titles from one of the episodes of the sitcom, click here.

 With the first season DVD just released of the classic sitcom, I had the pleasure of talking to Nemec about his time on the show and what he’s been up to since. 

Jim Halterman:  The way the DVD market brings back these shows back is really fun.  How do you feel seeing Parker Lewis again?

Corin Nemec:  I love it.  I’m surprised that it took this long for Parker Lewis to find its way to DVD but perfect timing.

JH:  Have you watched any of the episodes lately?

CN:  I’ve seen some on the Internet over the last couple of years.  I used to have every single episode on tape back when I was working on the show.  I had them send me a copy of every episode but in my numerous moves over the years, I’ve pretty much lost all but a few of the tapes.  I don’t even have a VHS player anymore!

JH:  When you look back on that time, what was it like to be on the show?

CN:  At that time, there were several things that were exciting.  For one, we were coming on the new hip, cutting edge network and, two, we were really one of the hippest most cutting edge shows ever to hit television at that time. 

JH:  Are you still in touch with anyone from the show?

CN:  Over the years, yes, of course, absolutely.  Abe Benrubi is one of the individuals that I’ve stayed in touch with and since this whole process started I’ve gotten in touch with the other actors.  Troy Slaten, more specifically, and every other week since this whole thing started to develop it’s been great to get back in touch with people I haven’t seen in awhile.  And then Bryan Spicer, one of the producers on the show, have maintained a friendship over the years. 

Post-Parker Lewis,  you kept really busy, especially in Stargate.  Since those sci-fi shows often spin-off or evolve into other series and films, is there a chance that you might pop back up in the franchise?

JH: Post Parker Lewis, you certainly kept busy, most notably on Stargate.  Since these shows are always spinning off on TV and film, any chance you might return?

CN:  I have no idea.  When it comes to those kind of shows, you never know.  And then you get a phone call or something but as of now, no, which is okay.  Whether I do make a reappearance on Stargate type shows in the near future, it’s okay.  I’ve been really, really busy with the production company that I’m a partner of and developing a lot of projects right now.

JH:  I wanted to ask about the webisode series you started with Married…With Children star David Faustino.

CN:  It’s been reported to us that we’ve gotten up to 10,000 views [on Star-ving] and it’s gone over huge.  We have a really large fan base and we got banned in Canada and Germany for awhile for some of our content, which just rocked for us, that was great for us.  You get publicity.

JH:  In developing the production company, how did it come about and what is the intention with it?

CN:  It started initially with my friend and writing partner, Todd Bringewatt, who is also the third partner in the production company (F.N.B. Entertainment).  We wrote a really, really far out comedy about Hollywood and the acting industry that was written as a starring vehicle for myself and David but in working to get that sold, we ended up developing some other projects together as a group.  We ended up in several development deals with different production companies in town and those companies we were working with wanted to exploit David specifically and not in very kind ways, if you know what I mean, so our partner Todd decided if anyone was going to get away with exploiting us it might as well be us.  So we took this whole idea of a reality show and turned it on its head.  [Star-ving is] all scripted in the vein of Curb Your Enthusiasm.  We just went for it and made 12 episodes.  They stand on their own and we’re in the process of shopping it to the networks and trying to get it in prime time.

JH:  Are your kids interested in the business or would you steer them away from that?

CN:  My daughter actually did play my daughter in this little independent film that hopefully will get some distribution soon.  She’s not really interested in being involved in the entertainment industry.  She’s an incredible student, an incredible young lady and an amazing soccer player.  Whatever she decides to do in life, she’s going to do great.  She has a good head on her shoulders.

JH:  Have your kids seen the Parker Lewis DVDs?

CM:  Not really but I just got some of the DVDs so I’m going to forward one to her and let her get a look at it.

Parker Lewis Can’t Lose is now available on DVD from the ShoutFactory.

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And if you’re looking for other great titles to pick up, here is a good mix of shows coming to DVD this coming Tuesday. 

Third Watch: Second Season.  The John Wells-produced procedural mixes the worlds of police, firefighters and paramedics and also blends them together with fun times (a football match between fire departments), personal drama (yes, there are some romances that brew between the regular characters) and harrowingly large adventures (tracking an elusive sniper who targets cops).  And the cast couldn’t be more solid.  Kim Raver (Lipstick Jungle/24), Eddie Cibrian (Invasion), Michael Beach (ER) and Bobby Cannavale (Cupid/Will & Grace) all appear during the 22 episodes of the addictive 2^nd season.  While the only extra feature on the DVD set is a gag reel, you’ll get a little bit of everything with Warner Brothers Home Video’s Tuesday release of Third Watch: Second Season.

 

For the kid in all of us comes six remastered TV specials featuring Charlie Brown and the Peanut’s gang.  The Peanuts 1960s Collection has the classic specials that we all grew up watching.  A Charlie Brown Christmas, Charlie Brown’s All Stars, It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, You’re in Love, Charlie Brown, He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown and It Was A Short Summer, Charlie Brown.  There is also a new featurette profiling composer Vince Guaraldi who would be known for the great music he contributed to all the Peanuts cartoons here.  While the holiday cartoons are best known (and still aired on network television to high ratings every year), the other cartoons are just as enjoyable and ready for new generations to fall in love with.  The Peanuts 1960s Collection is available Tuesday wherever DVDs are sold.

 

And now for something completely different and hilarious – Mystery Science Theater 3000: XV.  The Comedy Central classic has a unique set up, for sure.  A hapless man who is trapped by mad scientists on a satellite in space is forced to watch old B-movies of questionable worth.  To keep sane, the man has built two robot sidekicks and all three make wisecracks and comment on the awful movies they must watch.  During this collection, watch Joel Hodgson, Mike Nelson and robots Servo and Crow watch some terrible films as The Robot vs. The Aztec Mummy, The Girl in Lovers Lane, Zombie Nightmare and Rocket Girls.  Also included in the collection are bonus features such as “Glimpses of KTMA: MST3K Scrapbook Scraps I,” “Behind the scenes at MST3K Scrapbook Scraps II,” “Zombie Nightmare – MST3K Dream,” and Kevin Murphy and Trace Beaulier in a sneak peek from the upcoming “Hamlet A.D.D.”  There’s no better way to watch awful movies then with the MST3K crew and, thanks to the ShoutFactory, this collection makes its DVD debut on Tuesday.

Finally, if you only think Jeff Garlin can play Larry David’s manager and sidekick on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, you must have never checked out his hilarious stand-up act.  Young and Handsome: A Night with Jeff Garlin comes to DVD this Tuesday and while it will air on Comedy Central this fall, don’t wait until then.  Garlin, by the press releases claim, is a ‘wonderful storyteller’ and, guess what?  He is!  Whether he’s telling about his love for the new Caramel Kit Kat, what his wife really thinks when she sees him naked, hanging out with Kid Rock and Peter Cetera (I’m not making this up!) and how Krispy Kreme donuts saved his life.  Besides the funny show, which is filmed before a sold out crowd at Chicago’s Second City Theater, the bonus features give you more Garlin.  First, an interview by Bob Odenkirk, who brings out even more funny in Garlin.  There are also deleted scenes from the special that will entertain, as well.  Garlin is truly one of the best stand-ups on the scene (and he even laughs at his own material!) in this special and if you enjoy his comedy and stand-up in general, you’ll love Young and Handsome: A Night With Jeff Garlin.

I’m taking next week off, Progressive Pulse readers.  You’ll find some reruns of my favorite blogs and, never fear, I’ll be back on Tuesday, July 14^th with even more interviews, reviews and giveaways for YOU!

 Until next time…keep watching.

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 Photos courtesy of Warner Bros Home Video and The Shout Factory.

Tags: Corin Nemec, Jeff Garlin, Mystery Science Theater, Parker Lewis, Peanuts, Third Watch

This entry was posted on Friday, July 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 am and is filed under PROGRESSIVE TELEVISION by Jim Halterman. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.