Michael McManus Movies

Shirley (Cindy Williams) is shocked when her boyfriend Carmine (Eddie Mekka) dumps her for another girl named Rhonda (Sande Lou Sanders). Vowing to raise her standards to impossible heights for all fututre romantic entanglements, Shirley succeeds only in becoming a boy-less recluse. In her efforts to bring Shirley out of her shell, Laverne invites her pal for a night out at a "friendly" neighborhood tavern--with painful results. Carol Ita White shows up in a different role than her usual Laverne and Shirley guise of snooty "Big Rosie" Greenbaum, while a young Mark Harmon also makes a guest appearance. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Col. Potter (Harry Morgan) hopes to whip the camp back into shape by holding an Olympics. Since the first prize is a three-day pass, even the languine Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and B.J. (Mike Farrell) agree to participate. Admidst the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, Margaret's husband Donald (here played by Mike Henry) pinch-hits for an ailing Klinger (Jamie Farr). Any resemblance between the M*A*S*H Olympics and the real-life 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki (represented by brief film clips throughout the episode) is not only coincidental, but a sheer miracle. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Comedy writers David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams of Airplane and The Naked Gun fame got their start at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, when they formed a theatrical group known as The Kentucky Fried Theater. The Kentucky Fried Movie is based on the KFT's gag-filled theatrical skits. Including well-known stars such as Bill Bixby, Donald Sutherland, Tony Dow, George Lazenby and Henry Gibson, the film has over 22 different segments of varying lengths. Some are seconds long. Longer segments include such highlights as: "Zinc Oxide," which spoofs school educational films; "Cleopatra Schwartz," a spoof of female blaxploitation action films, whose heroine is married to a rabbi; "Sex Record," which depicts a couple who are attempting to follow the step-by-step instructions of a how-to-do-it record; "Catholic High School Girls In Trouble," and "A Fistful of Yen," (the longest episode), which is an elaborate spoof of martial-arts films. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

With Poltergeist, directed by Tobe Hopper, Steven Spielberg had his first great success as a producer. Released around the same time as Spielberg's E.T., the film presents the dark side of Spielberg's California suburban track homes. The film centers on the Freeling family, a typical middle class family living in the peaceful Cuesta Verde Estates. The father, Steve (Craig T. Nelson), has fallen asleep in front of the television, and the dog saunters around the house revealing the other family members -- Steve's wife Diane (JoBeth Williams), sixteen-year-old daughter Dana (Dominique Dunne), eight-year-old son Robbie (Oliver Robins), and five-year-old Carol Ann (Heather O'Rourke). Soon strange things begin to happen around the house; the pet canary dies, mysterious storms occur, and Carol Ann is summoned to the TV set, where a strange shaft of green light hits her and causes the room to shake ("They're he-e-ere!"). As curious events continue, Carol Ann is repeatedly drawn to the television, where she begins to talk to "the TV people." Soon Carol Ann is sucked into a closet, disappearing from this reality plane. Unable to find his daughter, Steve consults Dr. Lesh (Beatrice Straight), a para-psychologist from a nearby college. Lesh finds that paranormal phenomena is so strong in the Freelong household she is unable to deal with it and sends for clairvoyant and professional exorcist Tangina (Zelda Rubinstein) to examine the house in hopes of finding Carol Ann. Tangina makes a horrifying discovery: Carol Ann is alive and in the house, but is being held on another spectral plane. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

In the conclusion of a two-part story, Alice (Linda Lavin) has joined the travelling band fronted by country singer Travis Marsh (Kip Niven). At Travis' insistence, a reluctant Alice performs a solo number, which enchants the audience--and entrances Travis, who has obviously fallen in love with her. The episode reaches its climax as a confused Alice finds herself torn between Travis and her old beau Nick Stone (Michael Durrell). Guest star Kip Niven sings "Sweet Honeymoon". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Jason (Alan Thicke) and Maggie (Joanna Kerns) are outraged when the monthly phone bill arrives, indicating that someone in the Seaver household has made 67 calls to a phone-sex service. Automatically, Jason and Maggie conclude that Mike (Kirk Cameron) is the guilty party--but it turns out that the "phantom caller" is Ben, who not only lies about his indiscretion but tries to shift the blame to his friend Kris (Michael Kenworthy). Interestingly enough, this little moral lesson is told in flashback--we know WHAT has happened, but it takes a bit of time to figure out HOW and WHY. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the third sequel to the hit comedy Police Academy, Commandant Lassard (George Gaynes) decides that the police force is overworked and understaffed, and he comes up with the idea of recruiting civilian volunteers to work side-by-side with his officers. Of course, with the hapless Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg) in charge of training the new Neighborhood Watch groups, one might reasonably expect things will not go smoothly; meanwhile, the duplicitous Capt. Harris (G.W. Bailey) sets his sights on Lassard's job, and he schemes to get his aging boss out of the way. Series regulars Bubba Smith, Michael Winslow, Bob Goldthwait, and Tim Kazurinsky are on board, as is Sharon Stone, who moved on to bigger and better things a few years later. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In the conclusion of Night Court's two-part Season Six opener (originally telecast as a single hour-long "special"), prosecutor Dan Fielding (John Larroquette) is still marooned in a remote Eskimo village after surviving a plane crash. Successfully--if nervously--performing an emergency appendectomy, Dan then manages to alert the authorities to his whereabouts. Returning to New York City in a barely recognizable condition (shaggy beard and all), Dan arrives just in time to attend his own funeral! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Ex-football player Carl Weathers stars in this violent action film as Detroit policeman Jericho Jackson. The dedicated but brutal cop is plunged into nefarious doings concerning a crooked industrialist (Craig T. Nelson) and his drug-addicted girlfriend (pop-singer Vanity), breaking many people's bones before solving the case. Sharon Stone stands out in a cast of genre veterans including Nicholas Worth, Sonny Landham, and Robert Davi. Heavy on the sex and violence, this film harkens back to the glory days of 1970s blaxploitation, but is a bit too mean-spirited to be as much fun. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

Season Six of Hunter once again finds LAPD detective Rick Hunter (Fred Dryer) invoking memories of Clint Eastwood--not by emulating "Dirty Harry", but by getting involved in a gender-switch variation on Play Misty for Me. Erin Gray guest stars as Kate Lawson, host of a nighttime radio fantasy show. A demented male fan, obsessed with Kate, has vowed to be the "only man" in his life by systematically murdering all of her male friends and acquaintances. To flush out the killer, Hunter poses as Kate's lover--only to find himself genuinely falling for her. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Robert Foxworth is special guest murderer in the two-hour Columbo drama Grand Deceptions. Foxworth plays a retired Army colonel, currently fronting a paramilitary organization. He preaches duty, honor and country, all the while dipping into the organization's funds. When a colleague threatens to blow the whistle, Foxworth murders the man, making the killing look like an accident. Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk) suspects that the colonel is guilty, but finds it difficult penetrating his phalanx of followers. Viewers were first treated to Columbo's customary diligence in Grand Deceptions on May 1, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

As a birthday present for Peg (Katey Sagal), Al (Ed O'Neill) takes her to the beautiful Bowlarama. Here he continues the celebration by breaking the record set by his longtime bowling rival Puggy (Michael McManus). Alas, Al's triumph is shortlived; grabbing the ball herself, Peg ends up bowling a perfect 300! Sportcaster Roy Firestone and TV journalist Garrett Glaser appear as themselves. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the first episode of a two-part story (originally telecast as a single hour-long "special"), the Night Court staff is quarantined in the courtroom building when a toxic experimental virus is accidentally spilled. Forced to share close quarters, the staffers begin to recall the separate turning points in their lives. Flashbacks reveal Judge Harry T. Stone (Harry Anderson) pursuing an abortive career as a stage magician, acerbic court matron Roz (Marsha Warfield) working as a stewardess, public defender Christine (Markie Post) competing for the "Miss Buffalo" crown, and libidinous prosecutor Dan (John Larroquette) as a 25-year-old virgin! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi