# TV Binge Watch (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [October 4, 2022, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711 "2022-10-04T16:51:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 428
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8541 "2025-06-14T03:20:08Z")
**Writers on TV (Characters who are novelists, journalists, TV writers, et al)** 1. Diane Nguyen, ghost writer (_BoJack Horseman_) 2. Richard “Rick” Castle, mystery novelist (_Castle_) 3. Jessica Fletcher, mystery novelist (_Murder, She Wrote_) 4. Oscar Madison, sports writer (_The Odd Couple_) 5. Peggy Olson, advertising copywriter (_Mad Men_) 6. Jake Sisko, journalist and aspiring novelist (_Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_) 7. Billie Newman, journalist (_Lou Grant_) ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8542 "2025-06-14T03:38:09Z")
**Writers on TV (Characters who are novelists, journalists, TV writers, et al)** 1. Diane Nguyen, ghost writer (_BoJack Horseman_) 2. Richard “Rick” Castle, mystery novelist (_Castle_) 3. Jessica Fletcher, mystery novelist (_Murder, She Wrote_) 4. Oscar Madison, sports writer (_The Odd Couple_) 5. Peggy Olson, advertising copywriter (_Mad Men_) 6. Jake Sisko, journalist and aspiring novelist (_Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_) 7. Billie Newman, journalist (_Lou Grant_) 8. Toby Ziegler, speechwriter for the President of the United States (_The West Wing_) ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8543 "2025-06-14T05:34:52Z")
**Writers on TV (Characters who are novelists, journalists, TV writers, et al)** 1. Diane Nguyen, ghost writer (_BoJack Horseman_) 2. Richard “Rick” Castle, mystery novelist (_Castle_) 3. Jessica Fletcher, mystery novelist (_Murder, She Wrote_) 4. Oscar Madison, sports writer (_The Odd Couple_) 5. Peggy Olson, advertising copywriter (_Mad Men_) 6. Jake Sisko, journalist and aspiring novelist (_Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_) 7. Billie Newman, journalist (_Lou Grant_) 8. Toby Ziegler, speechwriter for the President of the United States (_The West Wing_) 9. Dave Barry, columnist (_Dave’s World_) ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8544 "2025-06-14T07:06:40Z")
> [@](#): > > **Writers on TV (Characters who are novelists, journalists, TV writers, et al)** 1. Diane Nguyen, ghost writer (_BoJack Horseman_) 2. Richard “Rick” Castle, mystery novelist (_Castle_) 3. Jessica Fletcher, mystery novelist (_Murder, She Wrote_) 4. Oscar Madison, sports writer (_The Odd Couple_) 5. Peggy Olson, advertising copywriter (_Mad Men_) 6. Jake Sisko, journalist and aspiring novelist (_Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_) 7. Billie Newman, journalist (_Lou Grant_) 8. Toby Ziegler, speechwriter for the President of the United States (_The West Wing_) 9. Dave Barry, columnist (_Dave’s World_) 10. Rob Petrie, Head Writer, _The Alan Brady Show_ (_The Dick Van Dyke Show_) NEXT: **Actors who wore fur on screen, or otherwise conspicuously consumed animal products in prior eras, and later became animal activists.** 1. **Mary Tyler Moore** (Wore furs on _The Dick Van Dyke Show_, and consumed veal on _The Mary Tyler Moore Show,_ but later a dedicated animal rights activist in the 1990s, and 21st century. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8545 "2025-06-15T02:54:51Z")
Jeez, I don’t know. Are there nine more who will fit this category? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8546 "2025-06-15T10:04:13Z")
I can think of them, yeah, but I guess it is pretty obscure if you haven’t been reading about animal right in the 21st century. There are lots of things by wealthy people, many celebrities who talk about how they wore kid glove, furs, and ate veal, and didn’t think twice about it. But I’ll come up with something else. Those periodicals I guess aren’t so mainstream. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8547 "2025-06-15T10:15:02Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > NEXT: **Actors who wore fur on screen, or otherwise conspicuously consumed animal products in prior eras, and later became animal activists.** > > 1. **Mary Tyler Moore** (Wore furs on _The Dick Van Dyke Show_, and consumed veal on _The Mary Tyler Moore Show,_ but later a dedicated animal rights activist in the 1990s, and 21st century. scratch this New list: **Very special episodes that actually took a stand** what I mean is, most of them weren’t that special. The ultimate message was “Child molestation is bad,” or “drugs are bad for you.” But some actually took a side, or said something controversial. 1. _Roseanne_: “White Men Can’t Kiss.” DJ doesn’t want to kiss a girl in a play because she is black. Dan and Roseanne review their parenting and question whether DJ somehow learned this from them. ---
**Author:** ![Bicycle\_Bill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bicycle_bill/32/6208_2.png) [@Bicycle\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bicycle_Bill)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8548 "2025-06-15T20:59:58Z")
**Very special episodes that actually took a stand** what I mean is, most of them weren’t that special. The ultimate message was “Child molestation is bad,” or “drugs are bad for you.” But some actually took a side, or said something controversial. 1. _Roseanne_: “White Men Can’t Kiss.” DJ doesn’t want to kiss a girl in a play because she is black. Dan and Roseanne review their parenting and question whether DJ somehow learned this from them. 2. _Longmire_: “The Dog Soldier.” The plot addressed a well-documented social and political problem involving the placement of Native American foster children in non-native homes and/or privately run _(but, in effect, government-funded)_ group homes. _ **-“BB”-** _ ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8549 "2025-06-15T21:45:10Z")
**Very special episodes that actually took a stand** what I mean is, most of them weren’t that special. The ultimate message was “Child molestation is bad,” or “drugs are bad for you.” But some actually took a side, or said something controversial. 1. _Roseanne_: “White Men Can’t Kiss.” DJ doesn’t want to kiss a girl in a play because she is black. Dan and Roseanne review their parenting and question whether DJ somehow learned this from them. 2. _Longmire_: “The Dog Soldier.” The plot addressed a well-documented social and political problem involving the placement of Native American foster children in non-native homes and/or privately run _(but, in effect, government-funded)_ group homes. 3. _WRKP in Cincinnati_: “Who is Gordon Sims?” Station DJ Venus Flytrap reveals that his real name is Gordon Sims, that he served in Vietnam, and that he went AWOL after returning stateside, unable to cope with what he’d experienced. Mr. Carlson (the station manager) is initially judgemental about Venus’s desertion, but once he learns about the horrors that Venus had seen, Carlson winds up defending him for his actions. The episode aired in 1979, with Vietnam still fresh in viewers’ consciousness. ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8550 "2025-06-16T04:10:50Z")
**Very special episodes that actually took a stand** what I mean is, most of them weren’t that special. The ultimate message was “Child molestation is bad,” or “drugs are bad for you.” But some actually took a side, or said something controversial. 1. _Roseanne_: “White Men Can’t Kiss.” DJ doesn’t want to kiss a girl in a play because she is black. Dan and Roseanne review their parenting and question whether DJ somehow learned this from them. 2. _Longmire_: “The Dog Soldier.” The plot addressed a well-documented social and political problem involving the placement of Native American foster children in non-native homes and/or privately run _(but, in effect, government-funded)_ group homes. 3. _WRKP in Cincinnati_: “Who is Gordon Sims?” Station DJ Venus Flytrap reveals that his real name is Gordon Sims, that he served in Vietnam, and that he went AWOL after returning stateside, unable to cope with what he’d experienced. Mr. Carlson (the station manager) is initially judgemental about Venus’s desertion, but once he learns about the horrors that Venus had seen, Carlson winds up defending him for his actions. The episode aired in 1979, with Vietnam still fresh in viewers’ consciousness. 4. _Maude_: “Maude’s Dilemma” A two-part episode in Season One, Maude discovers she’s pregnant. She and her husband Walter decide against raising a child at their advanced age, and Maude gets an abortion. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8551 "2025-06-16T05:09:06Z")
**Very special episodes that actually took a stand** what I mean is, most of them weren’t that special. The ultimate message was “Child molestation is bad,” or “drugs are bad for you.” But some actually took a side, or said something controversial. 1. _Roseanne_: “White Men Can’t Kiss.” DJ doesn’t want to kiss a girl in a play because she is black. Dan and Roseanne review their parenting and question whether DJ somehow learned this from them. 2. _Longmire_: “The Dog Soldier.” The plot addressed a well-documented social and political problem involving the placement of Native American foster children in non-native homes and/or privately run _(but, in effect, government-funded)_ group homes. 3. _WRKP in Cincinnati_: “Who is Gordon Sims?” Station DJ Venus Flytrap reveals that his real name is Gordon Sims, that he served in Vietnam, and that he went AWOL after returning stateside, unable to cope with what he’d experienced. Mr. Carlson (the station manager) is initially judgemental about Venus’s desertion, but once he learns about the horrors that Venus had seen, Carlson winds up defending him for his actions. The episode aired in 1979, with Vietnam still fresh in viewers’ consciousness. 4. _Maude_: “Maude’s Dilemma” A two-part episode in Season One, Maude discovers she’s pregnant. She and her husband Walter decide against raising a child at their advanced age, and Maude gets an abortion. 5. _Murphy Brown_: “Uh-Oh” A three-part episode in which Murphy gets pregnant by her ex-husband and decides to keep the baby and raise it as a single mother. This got national attention in real life, to the point that Vice President Dan Quayle denigrated single motherhood in a speech, mentioning Murphy Brown specifically. They later used footage from that speech on the show, and dumped a whole bunch of potatoes on his front lawn (again, on the show). ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8552 "2025-06-16T15:22:14Z")
**Very special episodes that actually took a stand** what I mean is, most of them weren’t that special. The ultimate message was “Child molestation is bad,” or “drugs are bad for you.” But some actually took a side, or said something controversial. 1. _Roseanne_: “White Men Can’t Kiss.” DJ doesn’t want to kiss a girl in a play because she is black. Dan and Roseanne review their parenting and question whether DJ somehow learned this from them. 2. _Longmire_: “The Dog Soldier.” The plot addressed a well-documented social and political problem involving the placement of Native American foster children in non-native homes and/or privately run _(but, in effect, government-funded)_ group homes. 3. _WRKP in Cincinnati_: “Who is Gordon Sims?” Station DJ Venus Flytrap reveals that his real name is Gordon Sims, that he served in Vietnam, and that he went AWOL after returning stateside, unable to cope with what he’d experienced. Mr. Carlson (the station manager) is initially judgemental about Venus’s desertion, but once he learns about the horrors that Venus had seen, Carlson winds up defending him for his actions. The episode aired in 1979, with Vietnam still fresh in viewers’ consciousness. 4. _Maude_: “Maude’s Dilemma” A two-part episode in Season One, Maude discovers she’s pregnant. She and her husband Walter decide against raising a child at their advanced age, and Maude gets an abortion. 5. _Murphy Brown_: “Uh-Oh” A three-part episode in which Murphy gets pregnant by her ex-husband and decides to keep the baby and raise it as a single mother. This got national attention in real life, to the point that Vice President Dan Quayle denigrated single motherhood in a speech, mentioning Murphy Brown specifically. They later used footage from that speech on the show, and dumped a whole bunch of potatoes on his front lawn (again, on the show). 6. _Fresh Prince of Bel-Air_: “Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse” Will’s father abandons him - again. The episode illustrates the profound impact of parental abandonment but also showcases the human capacity for growth, resilience, and finding strength in alternative forms of support and love. I recently saw this episode again and it tore me up - again. I don’t care if it doesn’t fit the category well, it’s the best “very special episode” there is, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8553 "2025-06-16T17:26:21Z")
**Very special episodes that actually took a stand** what I mean is, most of them weren’t that special. The ultimate message was “Child molestation is bad,” or “drugs are bad for you.” But some actually took a side, or said something controversial. 1. _Roseanne_: “White Men Can’t Kiss.” DJ doesn’t want to kiss a girl in a play because she is black. Dan and Roseanne review their parenting and question whether DJ somehow learned this from them. 2. _Longmire_: “The Dog Soldier.” The plot addressed a well-documented social and political problem involving the placement of Native American foster children in non-native homes and/or privately run _(but, in effect, government-funded)_ group homes. 3. _WRKP in Cincinnati_: “Who is Gordon Sims?” Station DJ Venus Flytrap reveals that his real name is Gordon Sims, that he served in Vietnam, and that he went AWOL after returning stateside, unable to cope with what he’d experienced. Mr. Carlson (the station manager) is initially judgemental about Venus’s desertion, but once he learns about the horrors that Venus had seen, Carlson winds up defending him for his actions. The episode aired in 1979, with Vietnam still fresh in viewers’ consciousness. 4. _Maude_: “Maude’s Dilemma” A two-part episode in Season One, Maude discovers she’s pregnant. She and her husband Walter decide against raising a child at their advanced age, and Maude gets an abortion. 5. _Murphy Brown_: “Uh-Oh” A three-part episode in which Murphy gets pregnant by her ex-husband and decides to keep the baby and raise it as a single mother. This got national attention in real life, to the point that Vice President Dan Quayle denigrated single motherhood in a speech, mentioning Murphy Brown specifically. They later used footage from that speech on the show, and dumped a whole bunch of potatoes on his front lawn (again, on the show). 6. _Fresh Prince of Bel-Air_: “Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse” Will’s father abandons him - again. The episode illustrates the profound impact of parental abandonment but also showcases the human capacity for growth, resilience, and finding strength in alternative forms of support and love. 7. _Brooklyn Nne-Nine_: “Moo-Moo.” Sgt. Terry Jeffords (who is Black) is stopped by a fellow officer in a clear act of racial profiling. Jeffords later confronts the officer, who refuses to acknowledge any wrongdoing. After discussing it with his (also Black) commander, Cpt. Holt, Jeffords files a report on the incident. In retaliation, Holt is denied a promotion for which he was being considered. The disappointed officers decide they are glad they stood up for what is right, even if the system ends up protecting the racist cop. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2025, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8554 "2025-06-17T16:32:28Z")
Actually, it’s exactly what I was going for; most shows would have had the father learn a lesson, become repentant, and reconcile with his son. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8555 "2025-06-19T20:39:48Z")
**Very special episodes that actually took a stand** what I mean is, most of them weren’t that special. The ultimate message was “Child molestation is bad,” or “drugs are bad for you.” But some actually took a side, or said something controversial. 1. _Roseanne_: “White Men Can’t Kiss.” DJ doesn’t want to kiss a girl in a play because she is black. Dan and Roseanne review their parenting and question whether DJ somehow learned this from them. 2. _Longmire_: “The Dog Soldier.” The plot addressed a well-documented social and political problem involving the placement of Native American foster children in non-native homes and/or privately run _(but, in effect, government-funded)_ group homes. 3. _WRKP in Cincinnati_: “Who is Gordon Sims?” Station DJ Venus Flytrap reveals that his real name is Gordon Sims, that he served in Vietnam, and that he went AWOL after returning stateside, unable to cope with what he’d experienced. Mr. Carlson (the station manager) is initially judgemental about Venus’s desertion, but once he learns about the horrors that Venus had seen, Carlson winds up defending him for his actions. The episode aired in 1979, with Vietnam still fresh in viewers’ consciousness. 4. _Maude_: “Maude’s Dilemma” A two-part episode in Season One, Maude discovers she’s pregnant. She and her husband Walter decide against raising a child at their advanced age, and Maude gets an abortion. 5. _Murphy Brown_: “Uh-Oh” A three-part episode in which Murphy gets pregnant by her ex-husband and decides to keep the baby and raise it as a single mother. This got national attention in real life, to the point that Vice President Dan Quayle denigrated single motherhood in a speech, mentioning Murphy Brown specifically. They later used footage from that speech on the show, and dumped a whole bunch of potatoes on his front lawn (again, on the show). 6. _Fresh Prince of Bel-Air_: “Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse” Will’s father abandons him - again. The episode illustrates the profound impact of parental abandonment but also showcases the human capacity for growth, resilience, and finding strength in alternative forms of support and love. 7. _Brooklyn Nne-Nine_: “Moo-Moo.” Sgt. Terry Jeffords (who is Black) is stopped by a fellow officer in a clear act of racial profiling. Jeffords later confronts the officer, who refuses to acknowledge any wrongdoing. After discussing it with his (also Black) commander, Cpt. Holt, Jeffords files a report on the incident. In retaliation, Holt is denied a promotion for which he was being considered. The disappointed officers decide they are glad they stood up for what is right, even if the system ends up protecting the racist cop. 8. _My crazy Ex-girlfriend:_ “Josh is irrelevant”. While up until this point series was a fairly light hearted take is based around a main character who is “crazy”, the tone sharply pivots at this episode in the aftermath of her attempted suicide to a more serious exploration of her mental illness, the affect it has had on her friends, and the difficulty inherent in overcoming it. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8556 "2025-06-20T03:23:27Z")
I think it’s just _Crazy Ex-Girlfriend_. ---
**Author:** ![Skunkdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Skunkdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skunkdog)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2025, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8557 "2025-06-21T16:20:53Z")
**Very special episodes that actually took a stand** what I mean is, most of them weren’t that special. The ultimate message was “Child molestation is bad,” or “drugs are bad for you.” But some actually took a side, or said something controversial. 1. _Roseanne_: “White Men Can’t Kiss.” DJ doesn’t want to kiss a girl in a play because she is black. Dan and Roseanne review their parenting and question whether DJ somehow learned this from them. 2. _Longmire_: “The Dog Soldier.” The plot addressed a well-documented social and political problem involving the placement of Native American foster children in non-native homes and/or privately run _(but, in effect, government-funded)_ group homes. 3. _WRKP in Cincinnati_: “Who is Gordon Sims?” Station DJ Venus Flytrap reveals that his real name is Gordon Sims, that he served in Vietnam, and that he went AWOL after returning stateside, unable to cope with what he’d experienced. Mr. Carlson (the station manager) is initially judgemental about Venus’s desertion, but once he learns about the horrors that Venus had seen, Carlson winds up defending him for his actions. The episode aired in 1979, with Vietnam still fresh in viewers’ consciousness. 4. _Maude_: “Maude’s Dilemma” A two-part episode in Season One, Maude discovers she’s pregnant. She and her husband Walter decide against raising a child at their advanced age, and Maude gets an abortion. 5. _Murphy Brown_: “Uh-Oh” A three-part episode in which Murphy gets pregnant by her ex-husband and decides to keep the baby and raise it as a single mother. This got national attention in real life, to the point that Vice President Dan Quayle denigrated single motherhood in a speech, mentioning Murphy Brown specifically. They later used footage from that speech on the show, and dumped a whole bunch of potatoes on his front lawn (again, on the show). 6. _Fresh Prince of Bel-Air_: “Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse” Will’s father abandons him - again. The episode illustrates the profound impact of parental abandonment but also showcases the human capacity for growth, resilience, and finding strength in alternative forms of support and love. 7. _Brooklyn Nne-Nine_: “Moo-Moo.” Sgt. Terry Jeffords (who is Black) is stopped by a fellow officer in a clear act of racial profiling. Jeffords later confronts the officer, who refuses to acknowledge any wrongdoing. After discussing it with his (also Black) commander, Cpt. Holt, Jeffords files a report on the incident. In retaliation, Holt is denied a promotion for which he was being considered. The disappointed officers decide they are glad they stood up for what is right, even if the system ends up protecting the racist cop. 8. _My crazy Ex-girlfriend:_ “Josh is irrelevant”. While up until this point series was a fairly light hearted take is based around a main character who is “crazy”, the tone sharply pivots at this episode in the aftermath of her attempted suicide to a more serious exploration of her mental illness, the affect it has had on her friends, and the difficulty inherent in overcoming it. 9. _All In the Family_: “Edith’s 50th Birthday”. This two-parter started out like any other episode until a would-be rapist shows up at the door and attacks Edith. She escaped but it was crazy dark especially for a late 70s sitcom. ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2025, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8558 "2025-06-21T16:59:20Z")
**Very special episodes that actually took a stand** what I mean is, most of them weren’t that special. The ultimate message was “Child molestation is bad,” or “drugs are bad for you.” But some actually took a side, or said something controversial. 1. _Roseanne_: “White Men Can’t Kiss.” DJ doesn’t want to kiss a girl in a play because she is black. Dan and Roseanne review their parenting and question whether DJ somehow learned this from them. 2. _Longmire_: “The Dog Soldier.” The plot addressed a well-documented social and political problem involving the placement of Native American foster children in non-native homes and/or privately run _(but, in effect, government-funded)_ group homes. 3. _WRKP in Cincinnati_: “Who is Gordon Sims?” Station DJ Venus Flytrap reveals that his real name is Gordon Sims, that he served in Vietnam, and that he went AWOL after returning stateside, unable to cope with what he’d experienced. Mr. Carlson (the station manager) is initially judgemental about Venus’s desertion, but once he learns about the horrors that Venus had seen, Carlson winds up defending him for his actions. The episode aired in 1979, with Vietnam still fresh in viewers’ consciousness. - _Maude_: “Maude’s Dilemma” A two-part episode in Season One, Maude discovers she’s pregnant. She and her husband Walter decide against raising a child at their advanced age, and Maude gets an abortion. - _Murphy Brown_: “Uh-Oh” A three-part episode in which Murphy gets pregnant by her ex-husband and decides to keep the baby and raise it as a single mother. This got national attention in real life, to the point that Vice President Dan Quayle denigrated single motherhood in a speech, mentioning Murphy Brown specifically. They later used footage from that speech on the show, and dumped a whole bunch of potatoes on his front lawn (again, on the show). - _Fresh Prince of Bel-Air_: “Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse” Will’s father abandons him - again. The episode illustrates the profound impact of parental abandonment but also showcases the human capacity for growth, resilience, and finding strength in alternative forms of support and love. - _Brooklyn Nne-Nine_: “Moo-Moo.” Sgt. Terry Jeffords (who is Black) is stopped by a fellow officer in a clear act of racial profiling. Jeffords later confronts the officer, who refuses to acknowledge any wrongdoing. After discussing it with his (also Black) commander, Cpt. Holt, Jeffords files a report on the incident. In retaliation, Holt is denied a promotion for which he was being considered. The disappointed officers decide they are glad they stood up for what is right, even if the system ends up protecting the racist cop. - _My crazy Ex-girlfriend:_ “Josh is irrelevant”. While up until this point series was a fairly light hearted take is based around a main character who is “crazy”, the tone sharply pivots at this episode in the aftermath of her attempted suicide to a more serious exploration of her mental illness, the affect it has had on her friends, and the difficulty inherent in overcoming it. - _All In the Family_: “Edith’s 50th Birthday”. This two-parter started out like any other episode until a would-be rapist shows up at the door and attacks Edith. She escaped but it was crazy dark especially for a late 70s sitcom. - _MASH_: “Dr Winchester and Mr Hyde” Charles becomes addicted to amphetamines, following an exhausting session of surgery. (Somewhere along he gives Radar’s pet mouse a tiny does to win a race against some Marines’ pet mouse, but that somehow gets resolved.) Hawkeye and BJ take charge of Charles’ recovery. It’s a fairly sanitized version of drug addiction and no one actually suffers for it. pass ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2025, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8559 "2025-06-21T20:14:35Z")
**Mustachioed leading men on TV shows** 1. Victor Newman (The Young and the Restless) Contemptuously nicknamed “The Mustache” by Jack Abbott ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2025, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/8560 "2025-06-21T20:26:41Z")
**Mustachioed leading men on TV shows** 1. Victor Newman (The Young and the Restless) 2. Thomas Magnum (Magnum, P.I. (80s version)) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711.md?page=427) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711.md?page=429)