TROPE TRACKER: RAG DOLL, TINA TURNER & CLEOPATRA COSTUMES

One of the things I love about obsessively watching and re-watching holiday-themed TV episodes is that patterns start to emerge. Rather than fault it as a lack of creativity on the part of sitcom writers, I find these tropes oddly reassuring, as if all sitcoms take place in a shared universe and are linked by their similarities. Obviously most Halloween-themed episodes feature characters in costume. Sometimes the episode is merely a showcase for elaborate or clever costumes and sometimes the costumes are a mere afterthought to the storyline. Witches, pirates and vampires abound, but over the years I’ve noticed a few costumes that tend to crop up over and over again.

The first of these, which I've written a bit before in previous posts, is the Rag Doll Costume. We all know Raggedy Ann and Andy, whether from the original dolls or their various animated TV incarnations. They even have their own Halloween special, The Pumpkin Who Wouldn’t Smile. But despite her place in pop culture, Raggedy Ann can hardly be called part of the zeitgeist. She belongs to an earlier generation and yet she makes for a surprisingly popular costume choice in TV sitcoms (whether the costume is meant to be Raggedy Ann specifically or just a generic rag doll is open to debate).

The character of Ann Perkins wears a Rag Doll Costume in the first Halloween-themed Parks and Recreation episode. Ann is hosting a rather lame Halloween party and her choice of costume is obviously intended to echo the dorkiness of the event (plus the whole Ann Perkins = Raggedy Ann thing). Usually the Rag Doll Costume is used in this way, as an example of a lame or embarrassing costume choice.

The grandmother dresses as a rag doll in an episode of Family Matters, but she is the rare exception where the costume doesn’t have a negative connotation. For that we can turn to episodes of both Home Improvement and The Big Bang Theory. In both of these shows the Rag Doll Costume is part of a couple’s costume gone wrong. In Home Improvement Brad’s girlfriend convinces him to dress as Raggedy Andy to her Raggedy Ann, only to show up at the party in a totally different outfit, leaving him trapped in the lame ensemble.

 In a Halloween episode of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon and his girlfriend argue over their choice of couple costume, resulting in a weird compromise of a Raggedy Andy-C3P0 hybrid:

Another costume that pops up a lot, but specifically on sitcoms with predominantly African-American casts, is that of Tina Turner. The African-American sitcom saw its zenith in the 1990s, which helps explain why Tina Turner was a popular choice (as opposed to now, when her place in pop culture has faded a bit). The Tina Turner costume also gives its wearer the opportunity to do their best Tina Turner impression, which makes for some memorable moments.

Those characters who don the Tina Turner attire include Claire Huxtable on The Cosby Show (and yes, I feel icky even mentioning The Cosby Show these days):

(Side Note: when researching images for this post the first one to pop up was actually from my own blog, which tickled me to no end.)

The character of Gina (center in the photo below) on the show Martin is played by actress Tisha Campbell, who is also an accomplished singer. She makes for an especially good Tina Turner impersonator, seen below in the center:

And finally we’re back to Family Matters once again, with Tina this time filled by the character of Laura, seen here with Urkel as Superman:

But Rag Dolls and Tina Turners pale in comparison to the prevelance of another costume: Cleopatra.  Cleopatra costumes abound in sitcoms from across the decades.  So far I’ve identified 7 different episode/shows that featured a character dressed like Cleopatra for Halloween, including Caroline in the City, Full House, Living Single and Two of a Kind. Denise dresses as Cleopatra in the aforementioned episode of The Cosby Show that also features Claire dressed as Tina Turner: 

The Cleopatra costume has even crossed over to reality TV, as one of the Gosselin girls chooses it as her costume on a Halloween episode of Kate Plus 8.

The most impressive of all of these Cleopatras comes, not surprisingly, from the sitcom Roseanne.  Roseanne is known for its Halloween episodes, and its portrayal of a Cleopatra costume takes the cake.  It’s worn by minor character Vonda Green at a lodge Halloween party in the excellent episode “Trick Me Up, Trick Me Down.”  Besides just being a really great costume with an especially colorful and sparkly headdress, what puts this particular version over the top is the rubber snake dangling from the bodice:

That concludes our look at some of the most popular Halloween costumes in TV Land. As I continue to watch and keep track I’m sure I’ll discover more. Little Bo Beep is fast becoming a contender…

THE 20 GREATEST TV DADS, PART 2

Welcome back to Part 2 of my Greatest TV Dads countdown!  We’re up to the Top 10 and it’s an eclectic mix from TV shows old and new.  Here we go!

10. Howard Borden

Show: The Bob Newhart Show

After he played the goofy neighbor on I Dream of Jeannie Bill Daily went on to play the even goofier next door neighbor on The Bob Newhart Show.  While most might remember Howard as a dim-witted navigator, he was also a stellar single dad.  Despite being a little slow, Howard was always genuinely concerned with his son Howie’s welfare, seeking child-rearing advice from his neighbors and dealing with the sometimes painful repercussions of divorce and co-parenting.  He was  a man ahead of his time, and not nearly as dumb as people thought him.

Episode to Watch: “Sorry, Wrong Mother”

Howard’s new girlfriend tries to win his son Howie’s affection, but Howard himself interferes.

9. Jake Morgendorffer

Show: Daria

Jake Morgendorffer was a man of contradictions: ex-hippie, corporate drone, sensitive and yet full of rage.  Quick to anger and quick to cry, Jake often played up his haplessness by simply drifting off to sleep in mid-argument with his wife and daughters.  And while the women definitely ruled the roost, Jake strived hard to provide his daughters with the kind of receptive, affectionate parenting that he was denied by his strict, emotionless father.  Despite his myriad faults Jake was a good guy and a great dad.

Episode to Watch: “Monster”

Jake falls into a funk when he repeatedly watches a home movie of himself as a child falling off a bicycle and not being ignored by his father.

8. Jack Arnold

Show: The Wonder Years

Jack Arnold was the archetypal dad, or maybe it just seems that way to me because he reminds me so much of my own father.  Hard-working and a bit gruff, Jack isn’t super forthcoming with conversation or his emotions.  He made sacrifices for his family and though he sometimes disapproved of their actions, he always welcomed them back into the fold.  He truly loved his wife and provided for his family, a man of his times and a dad we would all be lucky to have.

Episode to Watch: “The House That Jack Built”

Tempers flare when the family visits daughter Karen at her new house and meet her new boyfriend.

7. Dan Conner

Show: Roseanne

Dan is the fun dad, the kind of dad who will wrestle with you, clown around and order pizza for dinner when Roseanne was out of the house.  He slaved away at menial jobs just to make ends meet but he also remained a big kid and the good cop to Roseanne’s more strict bad cop role.  When he need to, though, Dan could become rather fearsome, such as when he was defending his sister-in-law from an abusive boyfriend. What a lovable lug!

Episode to Watch: “Like A New Job”

With Roseanne busy at her new waitressing job, Dan takes over parenting, with mixed results (it involves clothes being thrown onto the front lawn).

6. Burt Hummel

Show: Glee

I almost resent how the character of Burt Hummel was written, because he’s so engineered for maximum likeability.  He’s the salt of the earth type, a blue collar man’s man and yet a big softy underneath.  His gradual acceptance of his teenage son’s coming out remains some of Glee’s most poignant moments.  And for added fatherhood points, actor Mike O'Malley also played another admirable TV dad on Yes, Dear!

Episode to Watch: “Preggers”

Kurt comes out to his dad and joins the football team—all this plus a performance of “Single Ladies.”

5. Luke Danes

Show: Gilmore Girls

Luke Danes is a father three times over: surrogate dad to Rory, uncle to errant nephew Jess, and eventually a biological dad to his own long-lost daughter.  He fulfilled all three roles admirably, encouraging Rory in everything she did and bemoaning her poor eating habits, exercising tough love with Jess and standing by April even when her own mother tried to keep him out of the picture.  Luke is a stand-up guy—and he can cook, making him the complete package.

Episode to Watch: “A Family Matter”

Luke must deal with both his flaky sister Liz and the reappearance of Jess—and admits to stealing Jess’ car.

4. Cliff Huxtable

Show: The Cosby Show

I have to admit that despite growing up watching The Cosby Show I’m not the show’s biggest fan.  However there is no denying that when you think of “TV Dad” Cliff Huxtable immediately springs to mind.  With his wry sense of humor and ability to bond with kids of all ages, Cliff was an accomplished professional (an OBGYN, appropriately enough) but also the ultimate sage at home, dispensing advice in all situations to his many kids.

Episode to Watch: “Father’s Day”

The Cosby kids band together to provide a special Father’s Day for Cliff—six months early.

3. Rupert Giles

Show: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Giles is the only non-biological dad on my list (unless you count Professor Utonium, but that’s kind of a gray area).  But Giles proves that biology does not an excellent father make, as he mentored and cared for not only Buffy but the entire Scooby Gang.  Wise, stuffy, and always brave in the defense of his “kids,” Giles cemented the sense of surrogate family that was such a strong theme throughout Buffy’s run.

Episode to Watch: “Band Candy”

Giles reverts to his teenage self, showing Buffy and the Scooby Gang a decidedly different version of their mentor.

2. Louie C.K.

Show: Louie

Louie is one of those characters who always seems to say and do exactly the wrong thing, blundering his way from one awkward situation to the next.  But one of his redeeming qualities is his love for his two young daughters.  He often admits truths that other parents would hesitate to voice out loud, but whether he’s letting his daughter dress up as Frederick Douglas for Halloween or trying desperately to repair a broken doll, fatherhood is one area of his life where he’s able to rise above his own foibles and do something right.

Episode to Watch: “Lily Changes”

Louie goes crazy when he discovers that his daughter Lily is missing, leading him on a mad dash to find her.

1. Michael Bluth

Show: Arrested Development

The whole premise of Arrested Development lies in its wildly self-involved characters, a family who is quick to turn on one another for their own self-interests.  In the midst of this familial insanity Michael, however reluctantly, was the rock that his entire family relied on, including his own father.  Above all Michael strived to be a good dad to his son George Michael, instilling in him the same “family first” values that he practiced.  Once could argue that the most recent season of Arrested Development messed somewhat with Michael’s character (the season does end with George Michael punching his dad in the face, after all) but in my estimation Michael will always be the ultimate dad.

Episode to Watch: “Pilot”

Michael decides to finally turn his back on his family after one betrayal too many, but he finds himself invariably drawn back to the fold.

That’s all folks!  Don’t forget to show your dad (or Watcher or surrogate dad or dad-like loved one) some love this Father’s Day!