TJGS Episode 7: The Premiere!!! (Take Two)

This episode was selected by the executives at CBS as the premiere episode.  I suppose, having fired Schlatter they couldn't allow one of his episodes to start the series off, because if people liked it and deemed it better than some of the latter episodes then the CBS Execs would have to eat a lot of crow.

This episode was due to start with the overture taken from the Mickey Rooney episode, but instead started with our favorite dancers singing a take-off on "Call Her Irresponsible", which is supposed to culminate in Judy's entrance...and she is no where to be seen.  She eventually appears and goes into an introductory number.  Now, Judy had somewhat impishly performed this song to CBS Executives and affiliates for a gathering and it had been a hit.  Yet, there's a big difference between a person making fun of themselves, and others making fun of them.  It set a bad tone to start the show that way.  And Jerry is again forced to speak some insulting dialogue to Judy which does make people feel confident that she will be able to carry this venture off.  It's a very peculiar way to sell a performer.  Stupid CBS listening to poll takers and changing the show up before the first episodes had even aired.  Have some confidence in your product, ass wipes.





Garland sings "Fly Me To The Moon" in this gorgeous wooded set with beautiful flowered trees.  It's a gorgeous set-up and yet her pipes aren't quite back up to full capacity.  It's another peculiar move on CBS' part to open the series with an episode in which Garland's vocal quality is not up to peak. It doesn't make sense.

Mostly, my complaints with this episode are repeats from last weeks episode.  The material they're highlighting in the duets is subpar, the special material is forgettable, the whole show is just unremarkable, and there are a couple of false starts and flubbed lines (one by Garland and couple by O'Connor) that should have been a good enough reason to do another take.  I just don't get it.

Highlights?  Judy has a laugh out loud moment in which she and O'Connor are spoofing Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy and she takes a moment to play and jokingly flirt with the camera.

And, in spite of the fact that I don't really love clowns (I'm not one of those people afraid of them, I just don't care for them) the second highlight is a simply charming number that Jerry and Judy and Donald join in together.