The Rattle of the Taxis

I was recently successful in convincing my Gen-Z son to watch a few episodes of the critically acclaimed 1970s sitcom TAXI.  My goal was to compile a selection of juuust the right number of the best episodes -- not too many so he'd get tired of it and tap out, and not too few that he'd miss out on some true classics.

I think this experiment was a success, so I'm sharing the list of episodes here in the hopes that others may make use of it. I think that one can get a reasonably complete appreciation of a show from a small subset of episodes... but it has to be the right subset.

Please feel free to let me know which gems I left out, but see below for a few comments about ones that I skipped intentionally.

Anyway, the list below contains a core sequence of 19 episodes that sample the 5 seasons in broadcast order, followed by a two-parter from the 2nd season that serves well as a fitting finale. All told, we watched about 19% of the show (22 out of 114 episodes). Note that I'm not always using the official names of the episodes, and there are often parenthetical notes to remind myself about key bits...

Season 1, episode 1: Pilot

Season 1, episode 7: Louie's high school reunion

Season 2, episode 3: Reverend Jim, a Space Odyssey (the yellow light)

Season 2, episode 11: Latka's Revolting (adi-feebee)

Season 3, episode 5: Going Home (Jim sees his father)

Season 3, episode 8: Latka's cookies (Famous Amos)

Season 3, episode 13: Jim: Zen & all the TVs

Season 4, episode 1: Jim the Psychic

Season 4, episode 18: Ted Danson the hairdresser

Season 4, episode 20: Elegant Iggy

Season 4, episode 23/24: The Road Not Taken, parts 1 & 2

Season 5, episode 1: The Schloogel Show

Season 5, episode 2: Jim's Inheritance

Season 5, episode 3: Alex Goes Off the Wagon (the light)

Season 5, episode 10: Elanie and the Monk

Season 5, episode 13: Louie Moves Uptown (Penny Marshall)

Season 5, episode 19: Louie and the Blind Girl (Schloogel sequel)

Season 5, episode 20: Arnie Meets the Kids (Schloogel sequel)

Season 2, episode 23/24: Fantasy Borough, parts 1 & 2

The fitting finale

I think I successfully predicted that my kid wouldn't be hugely interested in the travails of Bobby's acting career, Tony's boxing career, or anything about first-season yawner John Burns.

I did specifically skip one of my own personal favorites (Season 4, episode 2: Vienna Waits), which I've mentioned on this blog before. I knew that the momentous and controversial thing that happens at the end wouldn't ever be addressed in any other episode, and that would grate on the kid's sensibilities. Back then, this was par for the course in TV-land. Now, something like that would be followed by at least a full season of soul-searching and coming-to-terms. This was a tough choice -- it did have The Song after all -- but when I ended up telling the kid about what happens,and the lack of follow-up, he confirmed my suspicions by talking about how it would've completely ruined two good characters' arcs. (His actual words may have just been "Total garbage," but six of one...)

General Organa

Today would have been Carrie Fisher's 65th birthday.  I saw some other tributes online, and I thought they were missing some of the best pictures... including a scene from the original Marvel comic book that shows that Princess Leia was just as (if not more) badass as Han Solo... 

Whole Earth

This past weekend, we explored a few new antique stores and indoor flea markets around our new (since 2015) home.  I came across something that I'd been sorta-kinda hunting for, for at least a decade.  Of course I knew I could order these things online, but it never rose to that level of importance.

But now... I'm left gibbering "Where have you been all my life?!?"

Click on any of these for bigger, more legible versions.

Seriously, this freakin' thing is amazing.

I've skimmed up to page 19 or so, and found dozens of new insights.  The edition I have is 450 pages long.

I think I've dreamed about reading this, but after waking up I never knew what it was, or whether it was a real thing.

Is it going to change my life?  Still too soon to know.  I'm not about to go living in a yurt or making my clothes from macrame.  That's only a tiny part of what this thing was all about, anyway.  It will help with developing the GBG.

I have so much to learn.

She's wayfinding

Long-time readers will remember frequent commenter Suze, whose blogs were the stuff of legends and lore.  She's got a new online home now, and I'm still figuring out how to get it to appear in my Blogger Blogroll of Bloggerifficness.  (I think it's working now...)  Two weeks ago was the launch of her first published book, Kyle Finds Her Way, with Harry Potter publisher Scholastic!

The author herself pegs the recommended age range as 1 to 92.  If you like earnest slices of life from a middle schooler learning how to navigate life's starry expanse, while not getting into too much (or too little) trouble along the way, this book is for you.

I was privileged to read Kyle's story in draft form back in April 2013, back when I got the email saying that

First draft of the first book of my Middle Grade series now complete at 42,989 words.  Pop-Rocks-covered strawberries for everyone, on me -- the next big thing in Junior High libraries the galaxy over.

Never underestimate an author who likes pop-rocks-covered strawberries, people.  And I just realized where my extra copy is going.

I still haven't finished reading the final published version, but I went back to my email archive to find out what I said about that first draft.  I can quote snippets such as "warmed my heart" and "wonderful story" and "Hooray for Devil's Dinner!" (though I'm not sure that part survives into the final book).  I can't find any words from 2013 that really do proper justice to this kind, thoughtful story, but maybe I'll edit this post once I come up with some new ones.