George Burns Comedy Week

This show appeared during the time that the new Twilight Zone and Spielberg's Amazing Stories were attempting to revive the anthology genre. It was a comedy version of the above, and was rather well done. The title confused viewers, many of whom thought the aging Burns had a new show (he merely introduced each episode, Rod Serling style).

Here's a few comments on some specific episodes: "Home For Dinner" starred SCTV regulars Eugene Levy and Joe Flaherty (other episodes featured Catharine O'Hara and Dave Thomas), and the story was a TZ-type tale about a suburbanite who finds himself cast as mercenaries against his will.

"The Couch" was written by Steve Martin and was the pilot for a series starring Carrie Fisher which lasted ONE more episode! "Disaster At Buzz Creek" was directed by John Landis and starred Don Rickles, Don Knotts and Fannie Flagg. Brilliantly bizarre, that's all I can say.

"The Assignment" was written by playwright Bruce Jay Friedman and starred Telly Savalas & Elliott Gould.

"The Honeybunnies" featured Howard Hesseman and SNL's Laraine Newman, and included an animated sequence that at the time would've been considered "sick".

"The Christmas Carol Part 2" was the outright masterpiece of the series, showing the events of the year after Dickens' original, after Scrooge has turned into a complete sucker and everyone -- including Tiny Tim -- has begun taking advantage of him!

-- mnw