At the height of the popularity of Friends, one TV critic referred to Mickey Dolenz as the 'Matthew Perry of his day'. While not altogether untrue, I still want to cock-stomp that critic.

Before you give up on the box-set, try Amazon's like-new/used sellers. Often times you can pick up a perfectly serviceable set at a ridiculously awesome price. Come on, you know you deserve it.

I consider myself something of a MASH expert and, while I can sit down and enjoy any season on its own merits, the last few years seemed to be steeped more in the politics of the 70s than in years prior. The 'show, don't tell' maxim seemed to wane as there was less blood and surgery and more issues-oriented episodes…

Mac's delivery was so abashed. God, I was laughing my ass off.

Along with The Fitzmulligan Conundrum, The Kessellmann Assumption, and The Symington Excretion. All fine, fine airport reads. Fine.

Aren't these the titles of Robert Ludlam books?

Seriously, When Barney Miller went on the air in 1974 the running gag was established that Fish/Vigoda was at death's door. Think about that for a minute. As Tessio in 'The Godfather',  Abe Vigoda looked to be in his 70s. His scenes were shot in 1971(!).

Yeah, as I recall, Hal Linden was the ringmaster every year on those 'Circus of the Stars' variety shows that always had Patrick Duffy on them. God, the sequins. All those sequins.

Oh yeaaaahhhh…[Strokes chin, tilts head meaningfully].

AITF holds up as one of the great, great character comedies ever. The acting especially, was unparalleled to anything BUT 'Barney Miller'. AITF was also subversive and prescient about the ways in which the campus radicals of the 60s were beginning to drift back into the establishment. Norman Lear, a liberal's liberal…

To borrow a well-repeated quote from mid-1970s era New York: On 'Barney Miller' Hal Linden was the straw that stirred the drink.

I was always amazed that one didn't catch on with the 'Murder She Wrote' crowd. Hal Linden as an old-school magician and Harry Morgan plays his old man…gruffly, I suppose.

That was a close one! We damn near lost a two-hundred dollar handcar.

Given the opportunity, you should always watch Blazing Saddles. Pretend Sheriff Bart is Barack Obama and Heddy — that's Hedley — Lamarr is John Boehner.

I find his avatar to be the height of eroticism. Anyone?

If the premise of Breaking Bad doesn't interest your friend then it is because he is either imaginary or he exists in a vegetative coma. I can't see any other possibilities.

Wasn't Runaway Train about a train? And runaways?

Breaking Bad: Worst. Show. Ever. The Well Hungarian: Worst. Troll. Ever.

Surely, you can't be speaking of 'The Wire'!

Or maybe Day's character being given a 'Columbo-like, grizzled detective' script direction and then hitting it a little too hard on the nose..