Blondie In Society

A movie channel has Blondie movies every Saturday morning (the local Channel 11 in NYC back in the day had Abbott and Costello movies on weekends).  There is a whole Saturday rotation I keep track of on C-SPAN, Hallmark Channel, and so on.  

I read the comic in the Daily News and Dagwood doesn't come off as much of a cartoonish sort in the funny papers but the films do a good job portraying the main characters (a neighbor couple in the comics don't really pop up in the films).  Penny Singleton, who later voiced Jane Jetson, is my favorite as Blondie.  

I have seen parts of various films and some are better than others. A few are sort of forced.  I checked in on each of the three Charlie Chans (other than the forgotten first three films), for instance, and found the second and third a bit much to take.  The "Number Two" son is particularly annoying.  The NYPL only had a few of the latter films though I checked on the first Charlie Chan on YouTube.  Seemed better, watching for a few minutes.

Blondie in Society was on today.  Dagwood loans some money to a former schoolmate and he gets a Great Dane back in lieu of the $50.  This leads to various complications, leading to a dog show.  As in multiple films, there is some family antics/drama involved.  One July 4th-themed film spent about half of the time at home before going on a trip that mixed in the main reason for the film, the family helping a young couple eloping.  

I liked the one as a whole with Penny Singleton having a major role, including a chance to sing near the end (the dog only performed at the dog show when he heard her).  She was quite good and not surprisingly so since she did a lot of singing as an actress.  A familiar face from I Love Lucy and My Three Sons had a supporting role in this film.  There were various amusing bits including one involving a phone call.  

The title is rather inapt though since it does not involve some sort of high society plot or anything.  As noted, it involves a dog and eventually a dog show.  For instance, one film has her starting a bakery business and she's "in the dough," which is a pun.  What's the point here?  

Anyway, I liked it.

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Just to toss in a few words on sports. Yes, Aaron Rodgers, who I never wanted in the first place, got hurt after four plays.  

The Jets still managed to win the game with their defense and a few offensive weapons and the Bills (again) were very sloppy.  The Giants in their game totally didn't show up, losing to Dallas 40-0, after at least scoring in their Philly playoff fiasco.  Rodgers is out for the season so let's see if the Jets get a new backup.

Meanwhile, the Mets are doing okay (some good starting pitching especially) while various races are going down to the wire, except for the Braves, Dodgers, Brewers, and Twins.  The Orioles slipped some and now have to fight to avoid slipping to the wild card.  

ETA:  We don't have long games as a whole now but Saturday did have two thirteen-inning games that wild card hopefuls both won in come from behind fashion. The Blue Jays and Diamondbacks, Arizona needing to come back three times in extras.  

Can't beat the Mets (one win) but gave the Cubs some trouble.  The Marlins are beating up the Braves, who already clinched, but still. The NL wild card race is very tight with the Phillies continuing to have a bit of cushion for the #1 (of 3) seed.  A lot of offense.  

The Rockies (vs. Giants) and Royals (vs. Astros) playing some spoiler.  After two losses, the Orioles won that important clinching the season series game vs. the Rays, which means a tie would do it for the #1 seed. The Mets (not technically eliminated!) still have a chance to play a role in the playoff race.

... The Mets just play the Marlins (who crushed the Braves this weekend) and the Phils the rest of the way.   

The Orioles did what they had to do by splitting vs. the Rays, holding serve, and keeping a bit of a safety margin. They and the Rays have clinched the playoffs, the Orioles for the first time since 2016.  But, both want that #1 seed.