Danny Dayton Movies

Just in case of emergency, Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) decide to line up a guardian for their unborn baby. Alas, no one seems to want the job -- not even the people whom Paul and Jamie don't want for the job. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Bobby Rubenfield (Seth Green) develops a hopeless crush on Jamie. Friends regular Lisa Kudrow makes a return appearance as Ursula Buffay, and the name of a long-forgotten first season regular is unexpectedly invoked ("Please don't call him!"). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Monica (Courteney Cox) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) inherit the worldly possessions of the late and very odd Mr. Heckles (who evidently died in mid-complaint). Meanwhile, Chandler (Matthew Perry) realizes that he had more in common with Heckles than he ever imagined -- or wanted to imagine. And a question of evolution causes friction between Ross (David Schwimmer) and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow). This is the episode in which virtually everyone in the cast imitates the irritating Janice (Maggie Wheeler). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Writer/director Adam Rifkin's The Dark Backward is set in a dark, grimy, garbage-strewn urban netherworld, where a company named "Blump's" apparently owns everything. Marty Malt (Judd Nelson of The Breakfast Club) is an unhappy garbageman who moonlights as an atrociously unfunny standup comic. His best friend and fellow trash collector, Gus (Bill Paxton), is the only one who laughs at his jokes, and his sincerity is questionable. The obnoxiously exuberant Gus plays an accordion, which he always carries with him. Marty is seeing Rosarita (Lara Flynn Boyle), a waitress, but she doesn't seem too interested in him, either. One day, Gus convinces a talent agent, Jackie Chrome (Las Vegas circuit staple Wayne Newton), to check out Marty's act. Jackie isn't impressed. Marty's luck seems to take a turn for the worse when a large lump starts growing on his back. He goes to a quack doctor (James Caan), who calls him a wimp and puts a Band-Aid on the lump. The lump continues to grow, eventually becoming a full-sized arm. While Gus uses Marty's newfound freakishness to impress his obese girlfriends, a horrified Rosarita breaks up with Marty, and he gets fired from the club where he does his act. Marty is despondent until Gus brings him to see Jackie, who, it turns out, has always dreamed of finding a real three-armed comic. Re-christened "Desi the Three-Armed Wonder Comic," and with Gus now providing musical accompaniment, Marty gets a fresh start on his career. The Dark Backward received devastating reviews upon its initial release, but has since developed a minor cult following. The film also stars Rob Lowe and King Moody, who was the original Ronald McDonald. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

83 Hours 'Til Dawn utilizes a plot device originally seen on another fact-based TV movie, The Longest Night (1972). Robert Urich stars as a wealthy business executive whose 20-year-old daughter is abducted by sociopathic Peter Strauss. The kidnapper seals his victim in a small box and buries it deep underground, with an air-tube as her only conduit to the outside world. Strauss threatens to never reveal the girl's whereabouts unless Urich ponies up half a million dollars. The original telecast of 83 Hours 'Til Dawn ran a distant second to a competing network showing of the theatrical feature Three Men and A Baby (87). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Never released in the theaters, this film consists of a series of short skits and parodies of television and the movies, and stars Richard Belzer, Martin Mull, and Harry Shearer. The film's 1981 production date explains the presence of Joan Hackett, who died in 1983. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide

The latest client of the Blue Moon Detective Agency is Kathleen Kilpatrick (Alexandra Johnson), an Irish lass who claims to be a leprechaun. Kathleen hires David (Bruce Willis) and Maddie (Cybill Shepherd) to protect her pot of gold--and herself--from a sinister criminal. Although the detectives have their doubts about Kathleen's authenticity as a leprechaun, there is no doubt that a very dangerous individual is out to get her. This week's chase climax occurs in and around an airport luggage carousel, leaving our two protagonists positively giddy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Also known as Mystique, Brainwash and The Naked Weekend, Circle of Power is not recommended viewing for any aspiring executive about to undergo leadership classes. Yvette Mimieux plays the head of an organization called Executive Development Training, or EDT for short. Her grueling technique requires that both the male trainees and their wives participate. Few of the participants seem psychologally suited for the EST-like excesses of EDT: one man is a closeted homosexual, another an alcoholic, a third a transvestite. Nor is Yvette about to cater to the more sensitive of her charges: at one point, an obese trainee is forced to eat garbage. It's hard to tell if we're supposed to take all this seriously or not. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of the series' tenth-season opener "That's Show Biz", the arrival of a USO troupe sends the 4077th into a tizzy. The entertainers are especially welcomed by Col. Potter (Harry Morgan), who remembers seeing lead dancer Brandy Doyle (Greg Verdon) strut her stuff during WW1. But a pall hangs over the festivities when it becomes apparent that Brandy is going to need emergency surgery. Originally telecast as a 60-minute "special", "That's Show Biz" has since been re-edited as two half hour episodes for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Preview trailers for movies not coming to a theater near you are collected in this satiric comedy. Loose Shoes is a sketch comedy which takes the form of a series of "coming attractions" for movies that don't happen to exist. The oddball trailers include the Billy Jack parody Billy Jerk Goes to Oz, the family comedy The Shaggy Studio Executive, a ribald Ma and Pa Kettle take-off, a biker film satire called Skateboarders From Hell, a vintage musical short entitled Darktown After Dark, a politically incorrect Charlie Chaplin two-reeler, a Play It Again, Sam goof in which "Duddy Allen" seeks romantic advice from a guy he thinks is the ghost of Clark Gable, and much more. Loose Shoes includes pre-fame performances from Bill Murray, Howard Hesseman, Ed Lauter, and Harry Shearer, while cult favorites Susan Tyrrell, Sid Haig, Jaye P. Morgan, Kinky Friedman, and Van Dyke Parks also appear in the cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The irrepressible Pinky (Eugene Roche) plays another practical joke on Archie while attending an out-of-town VFW convention. Thus, when Archie awakens from a drunken stupor, he finds that he is sharing his motel bed with an attractive black woman named Marabel (Jonelle Allen), who insists that the two of them had engaged in an evening of unbridled passion. Both amused and touched by Archie's flustered efforts to apologize, Marabel reveals the joke, and agrees to help Archie get even with Pinky. Written by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf, "Archie's Other Wife" first aired on November 5, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Richard Mckenzie guest stars as Archie's long-estranged brother, Alfred Bunker. After 29 years, Alfred pays a visit to Archie, hoping to patch up their differences before Alfred undergoes radical surgery. An already tense situation is made even more so by a mysterious letter from Alfred, which Archie is told not to open until his brother leaves. Written by Larry Rhine and Mel Tolkin, "Archie's Brother" originally aired on February 26, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Panic reigns in the Bunker household when an insurance-company physical reveals that Archie has a spot on his liver. Convinced that he is at death's door, Archie disconsolately retires to his bedroom to await the inevitable. The ubiquitous Phil Leeds appears as Mrs. Stanley. Written by Nate Monaster, "End in Sight" originally aired on October 1, 1978, holding its own in the ratings despite the formidable competition of the NBC miniseries Centennial. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Surprise, surprise! It is Archie Bunker, who, as head of his lodge's membership committee, demands that a minority-group member be allowed to join. Actually, Archie is covering his own behind: The lodge has been threatened with legal action from various civil-rights groups if it does not open its doors to either a Jew or an African American. Hoping to kill two birds with one stone (so to speak), Archie lobbies for the membership of a black Jewish man named Solomon Jackson (James McEachin). Written by Ben Starr and Charles Stewart, "Archie the Liberal" originally aired on March 5, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide