TV Party for Thursday, June 30th

We're in the summer TV doldrums, and it's clear from looking at the listings that Thursday is Movie Night. So here are three options for your viewing pleasure, all running from 8 to 10.

Moving chronologically, we start on AMC with 1977's Smokey and the Bandit, the movie that immortalized the Trans Am and solidified Burt Reynolds' place in American popular culture. Burt was at the height of superstardom when he took on the now-iconic role of Bandit, a free-wheeling, fast-driving charmer, in this raucous hit, the directorial debut of stunt expert Hal Needham. The great Jackie Gleason co-stars as Sheriff Buford T. Justice, a letter-of-the-law good old boy who chases Bandit and his buddy Cledus (Jerry Reed) as they attempt to haul beer across state lines illegally. Co-starring Sally Field, Smokey and the Bandit solidified Reynolds's box office power (grossing nearly $60 million in 1977) and led to two sequels in the 80’s, neither of which was as good as the original.

Next is Tommy Boy on Bravo. The late, great Chris Farley plays Tommy Callahan Jr., a slow-witted, clumsy guy who recently graduated college after attending for seven years. His father, Big Tom Callahan, owns an auto parts factory in Ohio. When Tommy arrives back home, he finds he has a position at the factory waiting for him in the new brake pad division. But when Big Tom dies, the factory threatens to go under unless the new brake pads can be sold. Tommy must go on the road with the assistance Big Tom's right-hand man Richard, played by David Spade. Will Tommy save the company, or will the factory, and the town, go under? Tune in tonight to find out.

If you're looking for something a little more family friendly than "Tommy Boy" head down to the Disney Channel for "Rip Girls", the exciting adventures of 13-year-old Sydney Miller as she visits Hawaii for the first time since she was a small child to see the plantation she has just inherited. She learns to conquer the waves as a surfer while gaining a new, inner strength and an appreciation for life and the land she now owns. Through this life-changing experience, Sydney also realizes that she must learn from the past but live in the present.

Finally, we end with what may be the best movie of these four, Toy Story on ABC. Toy Story was the first feature length film from Pixar Studios, and the first animated feature produced completely on computers. Toy Story follows the rivalry between Woody, an older toy cowboy, with the newest toy in the box Buzz Lightyear. If you've never seen it it's definitely worth your time, and if you have seen it it's probably time to give it another look.

That’s your TV Party for Thursday June 30th, for Northwest Indy Radio I’m Scott Chicken.