A Podcast About Eight Seasons in A Row

Chris has never seen an episode of Laverne and Shirley in his life.  Lisa vowed she'd marry Lenny Kosnowski at three years of age.  Together, they're going to watch eight seasons of Laverne and Shirley and maybe by the time they're done their dreams will have come true - or they'll have a really great recipe for milk and Pepsi. Banner and icons by @navtastic

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Laverne & Shirley

S5E12: The Fourth Annual Shotz Talent Show Directed by Joel Zwick Written by Chris Thompson

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It's time, folks!

THE FINAL EPISODE GETS REVIEWED. :O

Usual spots:

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08.21: Councilman DeFazio

New Pod! Frank runs for office when Cowboy Bills is threatened! Will he ascend to higher office or lose it all?

On-pod, we talk Squiggy's exit and have Opinions about some o our one-shot actors!

YT: https://youtu.be/9YYJSwpKYis Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/councilman-defazio-s8e21/id1511414778?i=1000653714828 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VehUqePbVxrQ5tC05WISc?si=3FPWemfMSHSdWfH5gKu-7Q Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f8beec7e-ad15-4c65-bd9e-a959373b61cf/episodes/4659e466-b78c-4316-af33-ee3194646545/night-after-night-councilman-defazio-s8e21

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*** EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING ***

Put on your best shoes because it's time to try out the latest dance cuttin' rugs and rockin' the dance floor. Carmine has a new single with Squiggy's record label, and the two worm their way into the hearts of Bobby Bitz (guest star Jay Leno), who hosts the show American Dance Party. When the song becomes a sensation, Squiggy jumps on the merchandising bandwagon and Carmine gets to rockin' and rollin' on TV. But when a busybody politician and sponsor for the show believes he's found satanic pinko messages in "Do the Carmine," he intervenes to put a stop to things. Will the show go on? Meanwhile, Laverne gets involved in a protest to stop a garbage dump from being put in down her street, learning the truth about political activism in the process. Maybe.

On pod, we talk the Satanic Panic being referenced, Squiggy's business prowess, the loose threads of the episode, and whether we'd just rather watch Hairspray again.

Usual spots!

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** EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING **

Squiggy's recently-divorced sister Squendolyn comes to visit her brother in California, as she's in need of time to recuperate after splitting from her old man, Arnie. She's a retail purchaser at a department store as well as a classy lady. Looking for new love, she soon lays eyes on Carmine and immediately knows she wants him. Compounding the conflict, Squiggy decides to ditch his sister and offers to pay Carmine a couple hundred bucks to take care of Squendolyn and show her a good time during her stay in Burbank. Carmine proceeds to act like a jerk about this, even as Laverne tries to be helpful to Squendolyn and give her tips on seducing The Big Ragoo. Finally, with the poor girl's heart broken at a crappy Hollywood party full of crappy people, Carmine realizes what a heel he's been. Can our erstwhile dancing boxer make friends with Squendolyn - and learn a thing or two about himself along the way?

On pod, we discuss the writer of the episode, whose work goes as far back as season 2, and the various modeling/soap stars that show up in the Hollywood party scene. Plus, our disappointments with S8. Again.

Listen to it at the usual haunts, y'all!

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** SOME EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING ** (just a little, as a treat-o ;) )

The boys think they've discovered a treasure map when they find some junk at a swap meet, sending Lenny and Squiggy on a quest to find it somewhere out in the Mojave Desert. Stopping off at Cowboy Bills on the way, they accidentally blurt their plans out to Frank and Carmine, causing the two to argue that if Pop's going to give supplies at a discount and Carmine gave them the money to go to the swap meet, that they should be in on the take. So all four "manly men" head out into the sand and heat, getting lost and running out of supplies in quick fashion. Hallucinating, bonding, and finding a bottle of booze (along with a cactus boner), will they survive?!

On pod, we talk the return to form with David and Michael's antics in the episode, how the storyline (and writer of the episode) feel more akin to Season 6/Season 7 material, and whether this one is the best of the season. Gasp!

Also if you want something spicier, try listening to the "Night After Night: After Dark" episode of the podcast, referenced in this one, which is us covering the pr0n parody!

Usual haunts to find this latest Buzzards one:

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**EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING**

Ghost episodes of sitcoms should be funny and weird, right? When Laverne leaves for a ski trip for singles, she has Carmine watch the place, but tells him that there's something weird with the lights and sink. Turns out her apartment is haunted by the ghost of an athlete who's upset at the outcome of the Summer Olympics. He's not about to let the passage of 30 years -- and his own death -- keep him from glory. When Rhonda puts together a séance to quell the angry spirit, it causes him to possess Laverne's body instead. He asks that they reenact the track and field event he lost so he can win this time. Hijinks... ensue? Also, Squiggy is a creep and Pop gets a spooky new employee.

Seriously, I'm making this sound like it's better than it actually is.

On pod, we talk through the synopsis in search of a joke that lands, wonder how the hell this happened, and make references to Ghost Story (1980).

Listen to it at the usual spots!

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**EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING**

Time for Chris to lose his mind again!

On pod, Lisa cackles "I warned you!" while Chris goes absolutely bananas about this out-of-character way of writing Edna out of the show, the Chimp humor, and copes with Season 8 being its most Season 8-ist.

At the usual spots!

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EPISODE SYNOPSIS:

Laverne is busy as heck. She's so busy, she forgets to get the birthday cake for Carmine's girlfriend's birthday and finds herself coating a rye bread with whipped cream. Then she ends up dealing with a schedule logjam when her promise to babysit Chuck's young chimpanzee, Chucky Jr., overlaps with her plans to perform with The Spinners in concert, courtesy of Rhonda's unused passes. She's so frantically busy that, when she calls on her grumpy Pop, she brushes off his exceptional anger at women in general, even as he nails closed the ladies' room door at Cowboy Bills.

A desperate Laverne dumps Chuck Jr. on Pop and goes to the Spinners' show. She finds herself onstage performing with the band, but what ought to be a triumph leads her to rat-a-tat her way to a realization: she left her loving papa behind and needs to find out what's wrong with him. What has got Frank DeFazio so upset? And will sudden Trekker Chuck live long and prosper?

Oh well. Can't get worse next week, right?

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For once, Laverne's latest relationship is going well. Her beau, Mike Bailey (Larry Breeding), is a fashion photographer who likes her and connects with her. The two of them share their romance in a comfortable, healthy, mature way. But, there's one problem - Laverne's jealousy flares up as she sees how close Mike is to the models he photographs. She decides to go to a big internationally- themed fashion show Mike has been commissioned to put on for an airline company, and causes one of the lead models to quit on the spot. Laverne, realizing her mistake, bails her Bailey out by walking the runway herself. But will her presentation of some Gondola-based headwear save the event? Or shall the master of ceremonies' drunken shenanigans and the narcissism of one of the other models sabotage this event, AND this relationship?

On pod, we talk the chemistry between Penny Marshall and Larry Breeding and the way in which callbacks are utilized in the episode.

Listen at the usual spots:

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Laverne's nursing an ulcer with an awful diet and doctor's orders to rest. At work, her colleague Chuck (Charles Fleischer) tries to cheer her up with playing his harmonica and introducing her to his own love of music. Realizing he's actually pretty good, Laverne encourages him, bringing up how much Bob Dylan makes. What ends up happening is Chuck dreams big, getting his science buddies together to form a band, quit their jobs, and become a success. But Laverne and Carmine realize immediately that these nerds do not know the ins & outs of rock & roll, setting about teaching them. Can they make a performance that will knock the kids' socks off? Will Laverne suffer Carmine's food torture?!

On pod, we talk the anachronistic use of Jack Mack & The Heart Attack as the band in the episode, Lisa reflects on her mother's rock n roll fandom history, and Chris figures out that guy managing the stage in the third act is *not* Tom Trbovich.

Listen at the usual spots!

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Plout returns! Laverne is surprised to find out that Sgt. Alvinia Plout (Vicki Lawrence), her former Sergeant in the Women's Army Corps, is back in town with two big surprises. Those surprises?: she's been married and divorced since Laverne last saw her, and now has a baby on the way. Hesitant to send Alvinia on her way, Laverne lets her former superior stay with her. She helps Alvinia get a job at Cowboy Bills and supports her efforts to win a Mother To Be contest for a lifetime supply of baby food, even posing as a mom-to-be to double their odds. But when Frank's gentlemen's lodge has an important member pass away suddenly, he has to put together the funeral quickly - even requiring extra mourners for the event. When Laverne and Alvinia get wrangled into attending, a weird twist of fate occurs, and Plout goes into labor right there in the funeral parlor. Ultimately, she's forced to give birth atop a casket! Will this be the end of Plout? Will Laverne be a Mother To Be? Will Frank take up a side-gig as a hat rack?!

On pod, we talk the spirited script by Judy Pioli (nee Askins) who returns to the writing duties here, the variety of guest actors on display, and the way in which the arc of Sgt. Plout concludes.

Listen at the usual spots. :D

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When a pair of Russian ballet dancers with plans to defect to the American side use the bathroom at Cowboy Bills as a weigh station toward freedom, hijinks ensue. While Boris Squiggmanoff succeeds in getting away scot free, his KGB handlers capture his lovely wife, and then mistake Squiggy for the defecting dancer. Mr. Squiggman finds himself living in captivity, forced to fulfill Boris' ballet commitment on pain of death. Soon figuring out that this Squig-shaped guy in the apartment isn't the real deal, Laverne and a rookie federal agent team up with the displaced Ruskie to help save the day, save the wife, and dance really well - kinda-sorta.

On pod, we cover the 60s'ness of it all and talk the guest actors, along with covering one of the few episodes of Season 8 that we kind of enjoyed!

Listen at the usual spots!

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*** EXPLICIT LANGUAGE & WARNING ***

This podcast video includes discussions of topics which could be triggering for some listeners! CW in effect for r*pe, religious guilt, victim-blaming, and alcohol-induced blackouts. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Laverne wakes up from a black-out drunk evening on top of an aircraft carrier with her clothing torn and disheveled. On her way off the boat, she gets saluted by the sailors on board for activities she cannot recall. By the time they "toot the big horn" at her, she suspects the worst has occurred. Running to the nearest church for confession, she asks if she can still make it into heaven in light of her "bad deeds." The priest recommends she take a sabbatical at a nunnery as an act of contrition. But unlike stuffy old monasteries, the silent nuns who worship here break up the monotony with pottery making, football playing, roller skating, and pickle smuggling. Laverne causes chaos at every turn, until she forces one of the nuns (Louise Lasser) to break her vow of silence. Through her connection to this struggling nun, Laverne gets one last try at being a good girl -- if she can contritely ask for forgiveness from the Big Man Upstairs.

Look, we're not going to lie - we rip this episode a new one. On pod, we talk the insanity, Chris goes off on a Dark Souls tangent (and revenge movie recommendation list), Lisa tries not to get flashbacks to Catholic school, and ultimately we give Monastery Story a once-over with a sledgehammer.

Join us in the pain at the usual spots! YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts Amazon Podcasts

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It's the one with Adam West! (cue applause) When Rhonda shows up with a spare date for Laverne, it turns out to be Edgar Garibaldi, a once great gymnast. Immediately smitten with her, Edgar takes Laverne out, but he keeps calling her by the name Louise. Laverne sticks with the relationship, even when he continuously does things like get her some other woman's favorite flowers. He eventually invites Laverne to his manor abode for a lovely weekend getaway. While there, Laverne learns Eddie's got a history with this Louise gal. She turns out to be his prior partner. Several more clues and the fact that Rhonda he had previously stated he wanted to "strangle her" send Laverne into a self-protective panic. Is he a lunatic that will kill Laverne in place of Louise?! Or just a sad, lonely rich guy with a trapeze in his mansion?

On pod, we disagree heavily about the episode, but are able to find some common ground in the solid acting work from West and the gothic overtones.

Listen to it at the usual spots! YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Podcasts

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Laverne's new fella "Weezer" (Jim Belushi) takes her on a double date with Carmine and his new gal Suzy (DeLyse Lively) to a French restaurant, only for a couple of hoods to try and hit on the girls. After Carmine and Laverne take the tough guys outside and give them a thrashing, Weezer feels incompetent about his masculinity and ability to protect Laverne. The two argue, he has a wild dance-number laden dream about it, and eventually Laverne gets her pop to set up a "bully" for Weezer to win against. But will he see through her ruse?

On pod, we talk the chemistry dynamics of Belushi and Marshall, the necessary rewrites to make this episode possible, background on the various bad guy actors featured, and wonder whether this growth for Laverne will stick around.

Listen to it at all the usual spots! YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Podcasts

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**EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING**

The doldrums of Season 8 of Laverne and Shirley continue with this filler-esque episode. Laverne disregards a chain letter she gets in the mail and immediately a string of bad luck seems to follow her. She steps on Rhonda's dress and rips it before a big performance for a talent agent, she sprains Carmine's wrist while helping him off the floor, and while playing fetch with Chuck's dog she ends up tossing the ball over the balcony of the apartment building, leading the dog to break all his legs from the fall. Is she jinxed? Well, that's when a mystic is called in to use her astral powers to investigate, for the price of ten bucks.

On pod, we are... at a loss for words. Mostly because of the episode doesn't have a lot for us to latch onto.

Listen at the usual spots! Youtube Spotify Apple Podcasts Amazon Podcasts

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*** EXPLICIT LANGUAGE WARNING ***

We cover one of the most infamous episodes of Laverne & Shirley this week. When Carmine accidentally breaks a bunch of Laverne's dishes, she tries to scam a free set out of her local bank by creating a fresh account. But during her latest attempt at chicanery, with an equally-disguised Rhonda at her side, she's spotted by a couple of revolutionaries casing the joint for a heist. The revolutionaries, operating under the banner RALPH and led by Aaron (Ben Powers) and Sheba (Laraine Newman) worm their way into Laverne's life by using a mix of moral guilt and handsome lackey power. When it comes time to get into fatigues and hold up the bank, they keep Laverne in the dark even as she carries dynamite in a backpack to blow the vault. The heist turns into a hostage situation in no time flat, with the cops, tellers and bank manager all lead to believe that Laverne's in on the gig.

Then, it gets weird.

Laverne is arrested even though she helped thwart RALPH. At the police station, she and Sheba use aliases during the booking process. The names they pick match those of two convicted but escaped murderesses on their way to death row with a very imminent execution date. Presumed to be the twosome, Laverne and Sheba find themselves staring down their immanent deaths. In the second half of the two-parter, the pair find themselves waiting for their executions. The only hope comes in the form of Lenny and Squiggy, and the audience's only form of entertainment stems from two out-of-left-field gospel number. Will Laverne make it to the front gates or the pearly gates?

On pod, we go absolutely ballistic on the two-parter's wild tone shifts, our frustrations over the show's characterization of nearly everyone, the bizarre plot, and even the jaw-dropping parts of the script that *didn't* make it to the small screen. Be warned, this is our first breaking point for season eight.

Listen at the usual spots! YT: https://youtu.be/7cyygd4YSoM Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/death-row-s8e06-07/id1511414778 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4NRsOVxXybkhbY2obyThfZ Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f8beec7e-ad15-4c65-bd9e-a959373b61cf/episodes/e7e8d477-1582-4e57-9350-f68fe804871f/night-after-night-death-row-s8e06-07