Listing: Meet Me At The Crossroads

[My new wallpaper for everything.]

While the Winter Olympics are dominating NBC, the networks regular scheduled programming is taking to the Net.  Anyone not interested in the cold and snowy (somewhat) conditions of Sochi can keep warm with the Texas spirit brought back to life by a few folks from Dillon.

In a master stroke of genius, Jason Katims decided to spend the Olympics hiatus bringing together two of his critically acclaimed, yet criminally under-watched television masterpieces  - yeah, that's right, the worlds of Parenthood and Friday Night Lights are converging right now.

There is no way to properly explain the amount of happiness that filled my heart when I clicked onto the 18 minute "webisode" and found Landry (aka Lance) jamming with his band Crucifictorious at the Luncheonette recording studio and Amber donning some East Dillon Lions apparel - dreams brought to reality.

People may argue that there are continuity issues - I'm already reading complaints by some who wonder how Amber could possibly be friends with Becky - but hey, let's not take it so seriously!  This is simply an opportunity to create a fun filled inside joke for anyone who loves both of these shows.

Boy, are there many references to savor, specifically, a shout out to The Landing Strip and a certain "local car dealership". Also, Billy Riggins playing football with Max is precious, and let's get serious, Landry would be really good for Amber.

For those out of the loop on these two shows, I've ranted about this many times before, so make these your next TV show obsession faster than you can say Riggins Rigs.

  (Check out Friday Night At The Luncheonette here.) 

All this talk of merging got me thinking about those great crossover episodes from years past. They always seemed to be thrown in during sweeps or when the network was trying to get viewers hooked on some new show. Some from my childhood are marvelous, but it seems like now those types of episodes are reserved for the dramatics of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. Oh, what I would have given to somehow find Tracy Jordan hanging out with Walt Jr.

Let's remember the good times, and those classic TV crossover episodes from the days of yore:

The Simpsons Meets The X-Files

"The Springfield Files" episode of The Simpsons may have entirely went over my head back in the day, since I had never seen The X-Files, but that didn't stop it from becoming (and still being) my favorite episode from the long running cartoon.

Now that I have successfully completed getting sucked into all the adventures of Dana Scully and Fox Mulder (best. name.) I can properly fan-girl out about this classic crossover.

The episode finds Homer, after a night at Moe's, traversing the outskirts of Springfield only to have a close encounter with, what he believes, is an alien. Obviously, since they also had their own hit TV show at the time, Scully and Spooky Mulder are called in to investigate.

Sometimes crossover episodes are awkward and forced. For this episode the setting is a cartoon world that has no limits to creativity and wackiness, and that's what makes this pairing absolutely perfect.

Mad About You Meets Friends

Several years before she became part of the six single best friends living the dream in NYC, Lisa Kudrow played a role on another successful NBC show, Mad About You.

Once she got the gig playing Phoebe Buffay, what's the network to do? Of course! Make the characters twin sisters! Kudrow played double duty starring on Friends, as the lovably kooky Phoebe, and still popping back up every so often on Mad About You as Ursula the flighty waitress.

The episodes of Friends where Ursula would pop up to cause Phoebe some sort of grief were always hilarious. Just like when they both dated Sean Penn that one time - he thought he could dump Ursula, start it up with Phoebe, but he could only look at her without his glasses, because she would look fuzzy and he could call her "Blur-sula". Oh the hyjynk!

Phoebe ended up married to Paul Rudd, so it all really worked out for everyone.

Full House Meets Family Matters

If there could only be one cultural icon to represent each decade of television , without a doubt the 50s would be represented by Lucille Ball, the 70s would be Mary Tyler Moore, and the 90s would have to be all about Steve Urkel.

"Did I do that?" Yes, Urkel, you did. The fact that this was a character that rocked the nation in high waisted pants and suspenders makes me elated.

For a time it seemed like you could find Urkel crossing over to just about every TV show, but facing down Uncle Jesse, cardigan to sweater vest, has to be the all time greatest. Well, besides when he turns into the hunky Stefan Urkel. PLEASE tell me Jaleel White has a thousand Emmys for that transformation alone.


I seem to remember an instance where Salem, from Sabrina The Teenage Witch, spent an entire night crossing over to each show on the T.G.I.F. line-up. Didn't this have something to do with Boy Meets World going back in time to WWII?

There was no video proof on the internet to back this assertion up, so it will just have to remain in the illustrious television crossover film vault and, of course, in our memories.

Until next time.