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Why You Should Be Watching “Head of the Class” On HBOMax

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HBOMax has a ton of titles to choose from but mixed in with the popular favorites like Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and The Sopranos is a truly deep cut: Head of the Class. I have to be honest, when I came across the show I hadn’t heard of it. It first aired in 1986 as a star vehicle for Howard Hessmen, still popular from his days on WKRP in Cincinnati.

The role was a little against type for him, as a progressive teacher to a room full of gifted students. But what starts out as a gimmick very quickly turns into a fantastic hidden gem that is a great time capsule of the era.

Like WKRP, the show works best as an ensemble where the kids, including a young Robin Givens, take pride in their intelligence and really treat the teacher as more of an equal than simply a mentor. As it turns out many members of the class would go on to pave the way for much of pop culture well into the 90s and 00s, we just didn’t know it at the time.

Brian Robbins (Eric) went on to run a production company with William Schilling (the principal) which would go on to produce notable shows like Smallville and One Tree Hill. Class Clown Dan Schneider is co-president of the television production company Schnedier’s Bakery which produced iconic shows like iCarlyZoey 101Game Shakers and more for Nickelodeon.

The show itself is very much a product of its time. On more than one occasion the class meets their Russian rivals during the academic decathlon but rather than enrage paranoia they go the route of peace, which is refreshing. In fact, in 1988 the show filmed a two-part episode called “Mission to Moscow” where production filmed on site in the Soviet Union, making them the first Americans to do so.

Though the concept of the show seems rather mundane you have to understand what pop culture was like in that era. This is the same era that made Revenge of the Nerds and painted smart kids as outcasts with crippling social flaws, anyone fat was instantly made fun of and geeks were still very afraid to let the world know about their passions. Head of the Class instead treats its characters with respect and admiration. Yes, these kids are gifted but they are also just kids. Even Janice, the extremely gifted 10 year old of the group isn’t called out for her age. It is an issue occasionally but for the most part everyone treats her with respect. That is refreshing coming from the era.

So if you’re looking for a deep cut look no further than Head of the Class. It is only a couple of seasons but totally worth your time both for entertainment and historical purposes.

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Paramount+ Reveals Official Main Title Sequence for the Upcoming Series TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

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During the TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES panel earlier today at San Diego Comic Con, Paramount+ revealed the official main title sequence for the series. The sequence is composed by EMMY® nominee, Matt Mahaffey, known for his work on Sanjay and Craig, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie and much more. 

From the studios of the Mutant Mayhem film, the all-new Paramount+ original series TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES explores the adventures of everyone’s favorite pizza-loving heroes as they emerge from the sewers onto the streets of NYC. Leo, Raph, Donnie and Mikey are faced with new threats and team up with old allies to survive both teenage life and villains lurking in the shadows of the Big Apple. The series is produced by Nickelodeon Animation and Point Grey Pictures.

TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES is executive produced by Chris Yost (The Mandalorian, Thor: Ragnarok) and Alan Wan (Blue Eye Samurai, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles [2012 Series]). Production is overseen for Nickelodeon by Claudia Spinelli, Senior Vice President, TV Series Animation, Nickelodeon, and Nikki Price, Director of Development and Executive in Charge of Production.

In addition to the upcoming new series, stream all things Turtles on Paramount+.

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Comic-Con 2024: Those About to Die Activation

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DISNEY+ CASTS DANIEL DIEMER AS FAN-FAVORITE ‘TYSON’IN SEASON TWO OF “PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS”

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 in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con, Rick Riordan and Disney+ revealed that Daniel Diemer (“Under the Bridge”) will star as fan-favorite cyclops “Tyson” in the epic adventure series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” Diemer joins Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson), Leah Sava Jeffries (Annabeth Chase) and Aryan Simhadri (Grover Underwood) as a series regular. The Disney+ Original series from Disney Branded Television and 20th Television will start filming its second season next week in Vancouver.

Season two of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is based on the second installment of Disney Hyperion’s best-selling book series titled “The Sea of Monsters” by award-winning author Rick Riordan. In the new season, Percy Jackson returns to Camp Half-Blood one year later to find his world turned upside down. His friendship with Annabeth is changing, he learns he has a cyclops for a brother, Grover has gone missing, and camp is under siege from the forces of Kronos. Percy’s journey to set things right will take him off the map and into the deadly Sea of Monsters, where a secret fate awaits the son of Poseidon.

Diemer stars as Tyson – a young Cyclops who grew up all alone on the streets, and finds it difficult to survive in the human world.  Shy and awkward, with a heart almost as big as he is, Tyson soon discovers that Poseidon is his father, which means Percy Jackson is his half-brother… and that Tyson may have finally found a home. 

Diemer recently starred in the Hulu limited series “Under the Bridge” based off the critically acclaimed book of the same name and a tragic true story of a missing teen girl in Vancouver in 1997. He will next star in the indie “Thug” opposite Liam Neeson and Ron Perlman for director Hans Petter Moland. Daniel was recently seen as the lead in the indie “Supercell” opposite Alec Baldwin and Skeet Ulrich and the lead in the film “Little Brother” opposite Phil Ettinger and JK Simmons. Daniel can also be seen in the Netflix series “The Midnight Club” and recently starred as the male lead in the breakout hit Netflix feature “The Half Of It” from producer Anthony Bregman and director Alice Wu. He is a graduate of Victoria Academy of Dramatic Arts in Vancouver.

Created by Rick Riordan and Jonathan E. Steinberg, season two of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is executive produced by Steinberg and Dan Shotz alongside Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Craig Silverstein, The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Bert Salke, The Gotham Group’s Jeremy Bell and D.J. Goldberg, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Albert Kim, Jason Ensler and Sarah Watson.

The first season of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is available on Disney+

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