Jim Varney was a childhood favorite of mine! Such a gentle man, with such a quiet charm about him. I could never have seen anyone else in the role of Jed Clampett in the film version of the "Beverly Hillbillies", but Mr. Varney. He was perfect as Jed, even if the film was a real box-office flop. I enjoyed the "Ernest" character to a point, but I really liked Mr. Varney when he branched out into other roles that showed him to be a much better actor than he was ever given true credit for. I just wish that he had been able to stay around with us a little longer, he was just grand!!!

I loved this show on reruns as a child. The adventure sequences are fabulous. The sociological make-up of the show did not hit me until later. It was, without a doubt, way ahead of its time. Multi-cultural and modern family type situation. The storylines, with the supernatural element, were great too. This series was a serious "Scooby Doo". Some comedy, but more interesting character developement. Good animation for the 1960s and excellent view on an attempt at social value alteration. This series was not on the air very long and that was a real shame. Given a bit longer, it might have become the hit it should have been.

The character of Dexter Morgan is so well-developed in the first five minutes of the pilot episode that it simply brought tears to my eyes. To be a writer and wait twenty years to see such fantastic work on characterization on television, was an emotional experience, to say the very least. Dexter, is refreshingly original, and the dark humor in the portrayl by actor Michael C. Hall (with those so deceptive angelic physical attributes) just blew me away!!! I can't wait for the next season of Dexter. If the writing is as good as the pilot(well the entire first season actually) then this show should be on the air for a number of years to come. It is not easy to be a fan of a serial killer most of the time, but with Dexter, it is no problem at all!

The series, "Higher Education" was a rehash of the old romance in college theme. The pilot episode introduced us to more student characters that were going to develope into a triangle of "lovers torn apart by the bad girl" syndrome. The younger actors were flacid in their acting. It is hard to generate caring for characters that just don't seem to have any passion and life about them. This show was to be watched for the older, actors that only appeared on screen in supporting roles. Jeff Kober was great as Dale Evans( but that character name certainly could have been more original, unless the writer was a fan of the old Roy Rogers show). Ed Asner was also a treat in the role of college President Gordon Knight. It was good to see a little of that Lou Grant fire still in his acting. This series might have survived if the writers had put a little more emphasis on the older folk and let the teenagers and the twentysomethings wring their hands in private over their romantic misadventures.

Red Buttons will always be remembered as the gentle little comedian, but I think his best work was in drama. His supporting role in Sayonara, was just riveting. He held his own against Brando, when a lot of actors were afraid even to try. The emotion coming from the screen when he realized he was going to have to leave his young bride behind was devastating. Buttons won an Academy Award as Best Supporting actor for Sayonara and it was richly deserved. It is just a shane that Buttons didn't stick to more dramatic roles in his latter career. He shined in just that...........