Flo chart: Siskel & Ebert to Ebert and Roeper to Lyons and Mankiewicz to Scott and Phillips

Let's begin with the lyrics to the Sesame Street jingle:
"Three of these things belong together"
"Three of these things are kind of the same"
"Can you guess which one of these doesn't belong here?"
"Now it's time to play our game"

(No number 2 pencil required)

1) Siskel & Ebert
2) Ebert and Roeper (Roeper and guests)
3) Lyons and Mankiewicz
4) Scott and Phillips

*The answer is at the end of this rant.

Once again, some studio head had an epiphany. "I've got a great idea, let's remake Psycho…in color too". Of course, there's always those minions on the studio board who want to keep their job. They probably replied, "Wow, that's a great idea. While we're at it, maybe we could remake Gone With The Wind in 3D". Could you imagine a professional baseball coach being successful with that logic? "I have a great idea. Let's make the Right Fielder a pitcher."

Was the decline of "At The Movies" really the fault of Lyons and Mankiewicz? I think not. It's the Bozo's at Disney who abandoned the foundation of the franchise established by Siskel and Ebert. The show was never for the brainless "Entertainment Tonight" crowd. It was for the serious movie snob…like me.

Disney presented Lyons and Mankiewicz with an opportunity in which nobody in their right mind would turn down. Unfortunately, Lyons looked and sounded like an Archie's cartoon character. Mankiewicz made a mannequin seem like a contortionist. Having said that, Mankiewicz does know his movies. I think he does a great job as the host for Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

A poor job placement decision is unfair to the recipient(s) of that job. In no way was the decline of At The Movies the fault of Lyons and Mankiewicz. They did the best they could. In reality, they were set up for failure. In Disney's infinite wisdom, they placed the wrong people in the wrong job. That was unfair to Lyons and Mankiewicz. Don't blame them. Blame Disney for walking away from the successful franchise created by Siskel and Ebert.

The foundation of their formula was simple:
1) A true passion for movies
2) Articulate and animated
3) An infinite (seemingly) knowledge of movies (human IMDB's)
4) A conversational approach (not an, "It's all about me" approach)
5) Fun and enthusiasm that translated to the viewer
6) Viewer loyalty

Nothing lasts forever. Okay, maybe Saturday Night Live and Dick Clark. The key to continue a great format is not to clone the original hosts or target a different audience. The idea is to maintain the spirit of what initially made the franchise successful. Ebert and Roeper continued with that spirit with Roeper. Roeper, Scott and Phillips subsequentely carried that same baton upon Ebert's departure. Then there was the lost year.

Someone at Disney finally came to their senses. They decided to return to the tradition founded by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. A. O. Scott and Michael Phillips are of that ilk. Now, if I could only get my awful local affiliate to place the show in a consistent time slot. That's another rant altogether.

Answer to the Sesame Street jingle: If you don't know the answer stick with Entertainment Tonight. By the way, Mary Hart is really a cartoon created by Pixar. She almost seems real.