1996 Ad

0 Comments | Insight on the News, Dec 23, 1996

TELEVISION

Wasn't 1996 the year of high-definition television? HDTV did not make it to our shores, but screens are so big we've managed to convince ourselves that Mr. Ed reruns constitute a "home-theatre experience."

Debt Run up the bills on your favorite shopping -- cubic zirconia never shone more brightly than when it's hawked by motor-mouthed comedienne Joan Rivers. Now we can audition for a chance to appear on Debt, the game show.

VHI Fashion Awards This show demonstrates real intelligence: models, fashion designers, rock stars, loud music and really unattractive clothing. Well, duh, whatever.

The Larry Sanders Show The winner of the Leno-Letterman feud, Gary Shandling's brilliant send-up of talk TV respects no one but the audience.

The X-Files Most popular address in America -- Area 51, preferably an Airstream trailer in Roswell, N.M. The networks are trying to copy Fox's success with this sci-fi series, but David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson still got the look.

Alien Autopsy Forget E.R or Chicago Hope. This was the most dramatic medical procedure performed on TV.

Moll Flanders The program that took the L out of "public" television, this Masterpiece Theatre production had more sexual antics than the Nature Channel.

Mary & Tim What's wrong with this picture: Wealthy widow Candice Bergen falls hard for hunky shirtless gardener who happens to be mentally retarded. If Hallmark's much ballyhooed production cast Larry Hagman as the widower and Pamela Lee Anderson as the gardener, that would be entertaining.

The Larry King Show The hook, please! Same for Kathie Lee Gifford and John Tesh in all their incarnations.

Entertainment Television ET covering talk show hostess Jenny Jones in the murder trial of her guest. The mirror has a million faces and they're all the same.

America's Most Wanted The mother ship of real-crime TV is back, bigger end badder then even Watch and do your part to capture dangerous criminals.

CONSUMER PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Many new products and services debuted in 1996 to meet consumer demand. Here's a list of 10 of the most innovative in five key categories.

Red Estate What did home buyers demand this year? Rooms filled with natural light. Builders responded with plenty of oversized windows, as many as five times the number compared with five years ago.

A hot new mortgage product has a high loan-to-value ratio -- up to 125 percent of the property value. The additional (tax-deductible) funds can be used to pay off credit cards or buy a car. Only those with squeaky-clean credit need apply (Call Mego Mortgage in Atlanta; Master Financial in Orange, Calif.; First Greensboro in North Carolina; or Union National in Memphis.)

Banking Express checking is an asset for people who don't want to stand in line to see a teller. To use the service, paychecks must be directly deposited and banking must be conducted by phone and ATM. In return, customers save time and receive unlimited checkwriting privileges and a free debit card. There's no minimum balance, but there is an $8 fee for teller assistance. It's available at First Union National banks.