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 HOLOGRAPHIC EXCITATION

The Big Bang Theory

Season 6 (2012)

There are several ongoing culture wars that rage throughout our apartment.  Buffy versus Charmed.  Star Trek versus Everything.  And one of the newest and fiercest conflicts revolves around The Big Bang Theory.  Nick loves it.  I hate it, despite being a fanboy firmly in their target demographic.  Up until now I’d watched just one episode (a Christmas one—surprise!) and it was enough to turn me off the show for good.  Now that Nick is a devotee I’ve caught plenty of snippets and learned more about it.  I’m glad Mayim Bialik is getting work and it’s nice that Jim Parsons came out but I’m digging my heels in on this whole “hating The Big Bang Theory” thing.

Raggedy Ann & Raggedy C-3P0

I am always lured by the siren song of a holiday episode, however, and in watching “The Holographic Excitation” I was also offering an olive branch to Nick.  He probably now wishes I had just eaten some olives instead since the experience of watching this episode has only added to my list of reasons to actively dislike this show.

In this episode the gang of nerds are preparing for an upcoming Halloween party held at their local comic book shop.  Sheldon and his girlfriend, played by the aforementioned Mayim Bialik, can’t agree on a couple’s costume (he wants science; she wants romance).  Another character (I won’t dignify them with names) is obsessed with referencing his recent trip to space.  And finally, the main couple keep having sex every time the guy talks about science.  Really.

Nice try but not even the Smurfs can save this mess.

I made a few notes while watching this episode.  They were as follows: Sex, Sex Tape, Sex Robot, Hickeys, Porn.  Those were the punch lines of the jokes—and that was just the first half of the episode.  By the end we also get slut, sexy cop, the word Smurf used as a euphemism for vagina and a couple having sex in a bathroom.  A bathroom shaped like a TARDIS.  Because: nerds!  In other words this episode trades on the cheapest and sex-obsessed humor possible.  And don’t get me wrong, I’m no prude but I am frustrated by shows like this that I feel feed on people’s basest instincts.  It’s not just sex; I also take umbrage at the portrayal of nerds, smart versus dumb, women versus men.  To me this show is just a bundle of unfunny stereotypes smothered in jokes about guys building sex robots (one character tried to have sex with her but the cord didn’t stretch far enough.  Har de har har.).

Oh yeah, Buzz Aldrin has a cameo.  Science!

Now let me step off my soapbox and briefly touch on the Halloween elements, which were relatively scarce.  There was one funny scene about the naming of normal foods with “spooky” Halloween names (Night of the Living Garlic Bread, etc.).  And I liked one of the couples’ Smurf costumes.  But that was about the extent of it and certainly Halloween wasn’t the focus.  I think I established what the focus was.  Don’t make me type it again.

Sex Robots.

Happy?!

Recurring Themes: Don’t ask me why but TV writers freaking love Rag Doll Costumes.  In this case we get a Raggedy Ann and a Raggedy C-3P0 when Sheldon and his girlfriend “compromise” on a couples’ costume.

Halloween Quotient: 1

See It, Skip It, Own It?

If you read just one word of any of the above you can guess my feelings on this.  Let’s give it a skip and a “kill it with fire.”