What to Watch: Go "Behind the Camera" On Tubi with Some TV Classics

The Unauthorized Story of Mork ampamp MindyBeing a casual viewer of the original Mork ampamp Mindy this one just wasn39t high on my radar when it premiered although the show39s contributions to pop culture quotNanu Nanuquot always were Chris Diamantopoulos gives an Emmy Awardworthy performance as Williams perfectly encapsulating the comedian39s frenetic demeanor something I doubt many actors could do so effectively It explores the complexities of Williams39 meteoric rise to fame along with ABC39s overinvolvement in retooling an already hit series which ultimately also led to its demise and recreates a few forgotten pop culture moments in history for which the show should be rememberedOne case in point ABC thought the series was too wholesome and tried to quotmake the show sexierquot In the 11th and 12th episodes of season two Mork vs the Necrotons ABC believed that reigning sexbomb Raquel Welch would be perfect to inject some sex appeal furnishing the star with a twopart guest appearance While her portrayal of Captain Nirvana leader of a nubile alien race named the Necrotons resplendent with sidekicks Karma and Sutra is amusing the stunt casting ultimately backfired Williams himself would later admit he thought those episodes contributed to viewer lossThe series39 third season gave viewers one of the most meta moments in television history along with an informative glimpse as to who the man behind Mork really was To highlight some reallife personal issues Williams was dealing with according to the biopic he convinces series creator Garry Marshall to introduce America to quotthe real Robin Williamsquot Having Mindy Pam Dawber interview him for a local newspaper would be the best way to do it Mork meets Robin Williams uses Mork39s uncanny likeness to the superstar to gain access to Williams39 dressing room The result is an insightful exploration of Williams the person that is both touching and enlightening as is Mork39s weekly closing monologue to his superior Orson which in retrospect is an extremely poignant piece of television Comparing Mork39s experience with fame to that of Marilyn Monroe Elvis Presley and other legendary performers who died way before their time Williams is also baring his soul before the cameraBehind the Camera The Unauthorized Story of Diff39rent StrokesAnother television juggernaut of the 1980s was NBC39s Diff39rent Strokes The Norman Learcreated family friendly comedy received a behindthescenes exploration in 2006 via Behind the Camera The Unauthorized Story of Diff39rent Strokes Strokes began in 1978 running for 189 episodes over nine years on two different networks It starred Conrad Bain Maude Charlotte Rae Todd Bridges and Dana Plato but scenestealing youngster Gary Coleman emerged as the star Onscreen it was all smiles laughs and quotWhat you talkin39 39bout Willisquot However life39s realities were very different offscreen for the younger cast members Those trials and tribulations have been well documented and include arrests court cases due to mismanagement and the health issues that plagued Coleman for years all detailed in the biopicBut what sets this project apart from some others is the participation of Coleman and Bridges and their oncamera confessionals Their involvement gives the movie a stamp of approval leading one to believe what you39re watching isn39t all artistic license and hearsay It also provides fascinating insights into the inner workings of network programming Sadly Plato passed away in 1999 from a suspected overdose Coleman would pass away just four years after this biopic 2010 after suffering complications from a fall at homeBehind the Camera Charlie39s AngelsTold through the eyes of Jay Bernstein Wallace Langham then managerpublicist to Farrah Fawcett this dramatization explores the first season of the classic 3970s private eye show Charlie39s Angels Fawcett39s only as a series regular and its stars39 meteoric rise to fame Tricia Helfer Fawcett Lauren Stamile Kate Jackson and Christine Chambers Jaclyn Smith all give respectable portrayals of the Angels as do Bill Dow BosleyDavid Doyle and Dan Castellaneta who became Hollywood39s goto when one of these projects needed an actor to portray series creator Aaron SpellingWhile this one does take some artistic license with a few facts it39s still a fun ride Full marks should be awarded to the film39s art department set decorators and wardrobe team for their attention to detail in recreating some of the ladies39 most iconic photoshoots and looks The recreation of a 1976 Television Critics Association press conference pictured at top is also worth mentioning Fun fact Helfer fought hard to land the part of Fawcett in this project her first after completing work on the Battlestar Galactica reboot and kept the recreation of the Angles39 famous Time magazine cover created for the film It hung in her home office and as she once told me quotHow often do you get to be on the cover of Time magazinequotIn September of this year the beloved original series celebrates its 47th anniversary It inspired three big screen adaptations along with a television reboot by ABC in 2011 And while it remains a classic it39s fun to revisit how it quotmightquot have all begunClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageorgMyersBizNet

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What to Watch: Go "Behind the Camera" On Tubi with Some TV Classics

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Steve Gidlow

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