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Post by Sayscalled on Dec 5, 2005 19:06:10 GMT -5
I was just watching the Captain Bellybuster episode, and had a question. At the end of the episode, it's established that after the owners got busted, the BB chain was shutting down. Ralph even speaks of helping Mickey find other, similar work.
Now, in the A-Team, we know that the Captain Bellybuster chain is mentioned at least once. However, how can this happen in a post-GAH show, if the chain isn't supposed to exist anymore? Did Cannell goof?
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Dec 5, 2005 19:14:45 GMT -5
I think that it might be assumed that fans of one SJC show might not be fans of another SJC show and so they could use the same places and names without fearing the other show intruding on it. And while the BellyBuster chain might be shutting down in GAH, it might have only shut down in some places and stayed open in others. Or, maybe it is like JACK IN THE BOX...and can poison people and stay open indefinitely.
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Post by MelMac on Dec 5, 2005 19:15:02 GMT -5
I'm not exactly sure how to answer this, since it's probably just because Cannell liked the name and decided to reuse it on the A-Team. For story "real-life" purposes, my guess is that the A-Team could have been set in the same time as "The Greatest American Hero." In this I mean the characters existed in the same time frame. That could clear the Captain Bellybuster dispute. Or, the chain could have reopened under new management and still keep its name. I've seen this happen before, such as the case of Chuck E. Cheese's. The pizza chain was originally called that, but it went out of business in the early '80s and was changed to Showbiz Pizza. A few years ago, not sure why (maybe same problem), but they changed the Showbiz's back to Chuck E. Cheese's and the rest is history since they're doing well. So, for the shows' purposes, these two could be possibilities. (ETA, and HD, some restaurants surprise me as well in how they can manage to stay open despite health citations. But I don't eat at those places. Learned that if the service is slow/bad at a restaurant that's empty, get out of there. ).
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Post by deadzoneleaperhero on Dec 5, 2005 19:29:06 GMT -5
Might be a running joke with Cannell shows
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Dec 5, 2005 19:31:29 GMT -5
Possibly, but I don't recall it in RIPTIDE or anything else that had the Cannell touch.
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Post by MelMac on Dec 5, 2005 19:45:00 GMT -5
Possibly, but I don't recall it in RIPTIDE or anything else that had the Cannell touch. Given a lot of silly names for restaurants at the time (such as the above post of mine), Captain Bellybuster would be a classic of its own. I think the casual viewer wouldn't have made the connection unless they saw both, and I think then only if they saw the mascot again. Then again, that'd contradict "Captain Bellybuster and the Speed Factory," and would cause some confusion to someone who remembers both.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Dec 5, 2005 19:49:55 GMT -5
Unlikely though since this episode would have aired after GAH was off the air and not in syndication...plus, since they were different networks and different shows, they probably attracted different demographics.
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Post by MelMac on Dec 5, 2005 19:55:45 GMT -5
Unlikely though since this episode would have aired after GAH was off the air and not in syndication...plus, since they were different networks and different shows, they probably attracted different demographics. True, but some people have good memories, and could have recognized Captain Bellybuster if he appeared in "The A-Team" as well. If they didn't know Cannell wrote both, they might have been miffed that he stole someone's idea. Bit OT, but I've seen done that with other shows, but more along the lines of soaps, especially "Passions." That show has used just about every idea from another show (soaps, westerns, movies, books, their own show, etc.) to enhance their plotline. Fortunately, one of the few they haven't tried is "The Greatest American Hero." I quit watching after all the "Titanic" movie references. But, back OT, I think it wouldn't have mattered either way. The name sounds catchy for a greasy spoon (OK, they touted the healthiness, but the character contradicted that), so it wouldn't hurt to continue it in another show.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Dec 5, 2005 19:58:40 GMT -5
Yes, plus, in the A-Team...there was no mention of it being healthy or anything. And it had no mascot make a guest appearance. Only a hat that is similar to Captain BellyBuster's. Besides, Cannell needed something in that episode...in another one he used the Hit Car and Ralph's station wagon as junk yard footage.
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Post by MelMac on Dec 5, 2005 20:30:14 GMT -5
Yes, plus, in the A-Team...there was no mention of it being healthy or anything. And it had no mascot make a guest appearance. Only a hat that is similar to Captain BellyBuster's. Besides, Cannell needed something in that episode...in another one he used the Hit Car and Ralph's station wagon as junk yard footage. I guess they wanted to give the poor station wagon the same treatment (disguised as action) as they did quite a few of Bill's cars in the show. The wagon received very little damage if at all thoughout the series, but Bill's cars were pretty much toast (couple times literally, minus bread) half the time. Also, I based my comments on the "GAH" reference, as I don't remember seeing the stories of the "A-Team" where they reference Captain Bellybuster. So, I might sound confused.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Dec 5, 2005 22:25:02 GMT -5
Shouldn't comment then should you? Geez.
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Post by MelMac on Dec 5, 2005 22:59:50 GMT -5
Shouldn't comment then should you? Geez. I base them on what I know about it, if anything. But in this case, based on the writer, I can make an educated guess (even if it's first-grade level) from what I read in the question.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Dec 6, 2005 13:23:41 GMT -5
First-grade level...that's funny. I was watching an A-Team last night and it had some great one-liners...maybe even better than Bill Maxwell.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Jul 19, 2006 17:52:42 GMT -5
Great writing teamwork by Lupo and SJC. Great opening song for the episode too. Worked well. I have to say that I think if those two guys running Hamburger Heaven were scared enough to bug their own office, that they should have invested in a camera. How did Mickey get in the safe anyway? Did he steal the combination? It is unlikely that he knew it. Afterall, he is a figurehead. I like how the drivers wanted to know why they got stopped. Bill should have said because they didn't pull over the first time. That would have given him the excuse to search. Nice touch when they were talking about how Captain Bellybuster flies and Ralph was talking about how it was wires and mirrors and such. Too funny. I like how an old accident suit power came back when Ralph blew up the tape recorder with his mind...that is sort of a power he learned that the suit could do with THE SHOCK WILL KILL YOU when he blew up his TV. I liked how Carlisle was so happy that Bill might be going nuts...maybe that IS the same Carlisle...although it must have been killing him to ask about it. Also, like the addition of disappearing while half-clothed...and landing in the car...although I would be pissed at my pants for disappearing. Good excuse by Ralph of being Tummy Tingler. When chasing Mickey, I like how the truck that nearly hit him did not slow down until AFTER Ralph saved Mickey. That cab Bill ordered got there double-quick. Century City appears again. I like how there was no mention of Kevin. Ralph used to watch Mickey's old TV show, even though it was a kid's show and more likely that Kevin watched it. In the fight scene, how did that bullet knock Mickey down or out? It hit a box of burger patties after all. One great scene is when Captain Bellybuster is telling about how he loves the suit and loves to wear it. It was a great moment to see how two people could see it differently. To me, that was the necessary scene missing from MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN COWBOYS. Bill got to face his hero as did Ralph, but Bill got more closure. The Lone Ranger wore an eye mask for crying out loud...not tights and such. I think his hero should have been Captain Bellybuster so he could get over it...maybe mixed with the Lone Ranger. I liked the scene...glad it was there.
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Post by MelMac on Jul 19, 2006 18:54:03 GMT -5
The only thing I can think of is that Mickey was so scared that he nearly was shot he fainted and took the boxes with him as he fell. One could hit his head and daze him further, so Ralph and Pam were concerned he was wounded when they found him. I love the joke about mirrors and wires as well as the whole silly bit with the commercial. Those were the days when commercials were silly and fun. I don't know about Capt. Bellybuster being Ralph's hero instead. He had a lot of unhealthy eating habits given his weight. But, doing what I'm doing now at Six Flags, I can understand it's different strokes for different folks. Some things people wear they have no problem with but put it on a different person they'd have no problem. Example, I kid about wearing what I do for the parade at Six Flags, but I don't have a major problem wearing it. You put another 27 year old in it, they might just say "flip it" and walk away from the program. For Mickey, dressing up in a silly outfit is not a problem, as he's done it for a long time. Ralph, however hasn't and as such feels ridiculous. That's why he asks Mickey what he does. By appearances in GAHeroine, Ralph had finally come to accept wearing the suit to the point he's not as embarrassed wearing it (though it does make a difference that he was found out and it was now cooler.)
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Jul 19, 2006 20:02:49 GMT -5
I just think that resolution of the suit wearing needed to be done with HEROES to make it a greater episode. Say "Flip it", huh?
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Post by MelMac on Jul 19, 2006 21:30:36 GMT -5
I just think that resolution of the suit wearing needed to be done with HEROES to make it a greater episode. Say "Flip it", huh? Well, both ways would work, but the Lone Ranger is someone children of all ages would (and still do) relate to, so it was a better judgment IMHO to use the match up. Mickey was specifically for the episode, so he'd been forgotten in the long run. While I use it this way (and get the funny response you gave me ), I can't say what others might say. It'll get modded as some sort of weird way, like pregnant doggy or man partens (Which I've already gone on a diatribe about elsewhere with a certain author... It's an author not a euphemism damn it. )
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Jul 19, 2006 21:31:45 GMT -5
I also like your use of "heck" on the Pam board.
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Post by MelMac on Jul 19, 2006 21:33:26 GMT -5
I also like your use of "heck" on the Pam board. Yes... but I don't see Pam saying "hell." (and Miss D does have full filter powers on I found out. ) Maybe I need to do a bit where she chastises Aidan for using it and outside the way it should.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Jul 19, 2006 21:34:20 GMT -5
I think Pam would say HELL. Ralph says DAMN.
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