Where Are You?

Finding comfort in a blast from the past.

A Quick aside before we begin…

Today is the release of Neptune, the graphic novel I edited for Michael W. Conrad, Nathan Ooten, and Kyle Arends. Instead of dedicating yet another newsletter to the book, I will just give you three links, first to the Amazon page where you can buy the digital edition (The print edition will be published by Dark Horse in spring of 2025), a new interview with Michael W. Conrad, and an article released today featuring one of my favorite sequences in the book. Thank you for all your support. I am very proud of this book and am excited to finally be able to share it with the world.

Now Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Rambling

I try to plan my newsletters ahead of time. Throughout the week I do my best to remember that I indeed have a newsletter and that I need to be keeping my eyes open for topics and other interesting tidbits. If I’m lucky, I’ll think something up and have a few pieces written before the weekend when I sit down to put it all together. This week I had a plan for the newsletter, but I wasn’t interested in it enough to keep myself from being distracted by one of my recent obsessions. Late last night in my insomnia I scrapped my planned newsletter to talk about an old TV show that I find much more entertaining. Please bear with me while I tell you about a little gem called…

CAR 54 WHERE ARE YOU?

For those who still watch live television, you know that the current tv landscape is filled with shows about law enforcement. Every channel has their own line up of police focused programming where you follow a cast of gun toting characters from any number of agencies. String together just about any three or four letters and you have a show title, or a government agency that’s the focus of one or more. You know the type, NCIS, CSI, FBI, SVU, NWA, FBI, NYPD, and the list goes on and on. They are formulaic and droll, but they work and have worked for a very long time because people enjoy a sense of justice and a predictable mystery. There is something satisfying about solving the crime just before your favorite police detective week after week. I can say that I don’t like police procedurals, but even I watched all of The Wire and found it to be one of the best shows HBO ever produced. Car 54 Where Are You? is a TV show about police, but if you are over the types of ‘copaganda’ shows listed above, it’s a breath of fresh air. 

Municipal Misfits

There is nothing serious about New York’s 53rd precinct. The show is a quirky comedy centered around two partners, Toody and Muldoon, played by Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynne. Instead of serious cops tracking down serial killers, this show features a department full of bumbling, but lovable police officers who can’t avoid goofy hijinks. Whether it’s befriending an old woman they were sent to evict, accidentally robbing a bank on an undercover stake out, or trying to clear their names after a pickpocket steals a police badge and arrests them instead, you’ll find plenty to entertain you. While you might not recognize Ross, as this seems to be his most important role, you will certainly recognize Fred Gwynne. He looks a little different without all the makeup, but he is still recognizable as Herman Munster from the original The Munsters series.

 

Even though Gwynne plays the part a bit more reserved in Car 54, anyone who enjoys the shenanigans of Herman Munster will enjoy the exploits of Officer Muldoon. Fans of The Munsters will also recognize the always delightful Al Lewis, who played Grandpa Munster, in many episodes as well. Believe it or not, even with as silly as he is, Muldoon is the straight man of the comedy duo. Joe E Ross’ portrayal of Gunther Toody is delightfully ridiculous. The contrasting characters continue a long tradition of the tall/short skinny/fat comedy duo in the vein of Abbot and Costello or Laurel and Hardy. It is really a shame that Gwynne and Ross didn’t stick together after this series because they have a great combined presence.

 

A Gem Within a Gem

While I enjoy the energy of the main cast and the shenanigans that happen around the police department, perhaps my favorite character appears away from the precinct in only eleven of the 60 episodes. Charlotte Rae is a genuinely funny actress who isn’t scared to take her performance over the top. Best known for her role as Edna Garrett on The Facts of Life, Charlotte Rae is an amazing character actor who always seems to light up the screen when I see her. Not only was she a hilarious actor, but she was also a great singer and a stand up comedian.

You can watch a clip of her stand up here.

You can also find an interview with Charlotte Rae on the late Gilbert Gottfried’s podcast here.

I would recommend watching “The Loves of Sylvia Schnauser” (Season 2, Episode 28), “The Courtship of Sylvia Schnauser” (Season 1, Episode 27), or “A Star is Born in the Bronx” (Season 2, Episode 11), to see some of her best episodes of Car 54 Where Are You?

Free Samples

While I know a lot of my readers are going to be hesitant to go back and watch a TV series that ran from 196-63, I recommend turning it on next time you need something to watch in the background. It’s a fun show that doesn’t require a lot of deep thought to watch or enjoy. Even if you lose track of the hair-brained plot, you’ll still enjoy the chemistry of the cast and their infectious charisma. The entire series is free to watch on Tubi, which is why Car 54 has taken over this week’s newsletter. On nights where I struggle to fall asleep, which is most of them, I will turn on something light and fun to watch until I pass out. The adventures of Toody and Muldoon have become a comfort watch for me. Although I’ve watched every episode, it still delights me to watch these goofballs bungle things one episode after another. I couldn’t find better company on a sleepless night where my mind races with anxiety. Something about this sixty year old show about a couple knucklehead cops brings me comfort and joy, and I hope it can bring some of the same to you too.

 

If you don’t like Tubi, it is also available on Pluto, Peacock, Sing, Roku, Crackle, and Plex. It’s easy to find and watch, so give it a try and tell me what you think. Whether you love it, hate it, or just want to talk about the ads with somewhat strange products that accompany the credits, share your thoughts in the comments.

(I appologive in advance for getting the catchy theme song stuck in your head too.)

What’s Upcoming?

This weekend will be Rose City Comic Con and I will be there running around with friends and bringing you some stories from the weekend. If this one is anything like the last few RCCC weekends I’ve been to, I might come back with enough stories to fill the newsletter for weeks. If you don’t want to miss out on all the behind the scenes content from the weekend, be sure to subscribe to this newsletter if you haven’t yet. 

A Song to See You Out

To keep with the pattern formed in my most recent newsletters, here’s a little music to end with. When in doubt, I always default to Harry Belefonte. It is nearly impossible to put on any of his calypso albums and not find yourself dancing around the house. That’s exactly what I found myself doing last week when this song came on. (There may be a future article exploring songs about food so think of this as a sneak peek into the back of my mind.)

That’s about enough nonsense for this week. I’ll be back next week with further rambling.

Zane Barrow.