TV Recaps Reviews

Chicago is undoubtedly the crown jewel of the American Midwest (sorry, Indianapolis). Its light shines far and wide and permeates the fabric of our culture, inspiring creative thought, political action, and sweet TV shows.

Yes, the city has produced some of the world’s most significant television shows, which have in turn created some of our culture’s most beloved characters. Here’s a quick rundown of some of my favorites, both new and old.

Good Times

This classic ’70s sitcom brought the lives of the working class Black family into homes around the nation. Very few television shows connected with such a diffuse audience the way that “Good Times” did with its blend of gritty urban drama, heartwarming family dynamic and slapstick comedy. Though the slapstick would ultimately supplant the more serious themes and become the downfall of the series, the show ran for five and a half years and addressed issues facing contemporary urban America such as poverty, underage sex, activism and racism; the show’s title is brilliantly tongue in cheek, and offered the view that despite being surrounded by crime and poverty, the working class family would stick together to find the pleasure in their toil, which was a message many needed at the time.

The show also launched the career of Janet Jackson, which automatically qualifies it for a win in my book.

Cultural Cache: “Dy-no-mite!”

Kenan & Kel

Older audiences may not agree with (or care about) this choice, but that’s why I’m writing and they’re reading. For many late-80s babies, Kenan (Thompson) & Kel (Mitchell) were the first comedic duo that meant anything to them. Their show, appropriately titled “Kenan & Kel”, was a spin-off of the popular (and first) kids sketch show “All That” on Nickelodeon. Their misadventures through the sordid world of adolescence took place in their Chicago neighborhood (where Kel grew up) and resonated with kids in the city and nationwide. The duo would continue in comedy, Kel performing standup and touring, and Kenan landing a spot on the cast of Saturday Night Live.

Cultural Cache: “Who loves orange soda? Kel loves orange soda!”

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In Man v. Food’s 4th season finale Adam visits the island of Oahu in Hawaii to help coach fifth-grade teacher Lauren Takao face the Moose McGillycuddy’s Moose Omelet Challenge. Lauren is set to take on the 5 pound Moose Omelet Challenge which must be finished in under one hour and has crushed 95% of its challengers.

First Adam heads to Haute Dog in Honolulu where they are famous for what else? Hot dogs. Adam is interested in their Italian beef sandwich, the Big Hawaiian. Adam watches as the chef puts together this beefy sandwich. The Big Hawaiian starts with a bun and a foot-long hot dog, topped with slow-roasted Kalua pork, then slathered in pickled onions, poi, barbecue sauce, and pineapple relish. Adam chomps into the Big Hawaiian and smiles over the porky combinations with tasty condiments.

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This hour long special of Man v. Food Nation is all about Thanksgiving-style feasts and the preparation for this national holiday. Adam is traveling across the country to join in Thanksgiving feasts before heading to Big Earl’s BBQ in Scottsdale, Arizona for their Leg of the Beast Feast Challenge. Adam coaches three members each of the Scottsdale Police and Fire Departments for this undefeated challenge. The Police and Fire Department members must take down a 17-pound barbecue feast featuring roast pork and sides in 30 minutes to win the challenge.

Adam’s first stop is at Plymouth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts to partake in a 17th Century-style Thanksgiving feast. The meal consists of turkey, stewed pompion (a stewed butternut squash), seething mussels, mashed potatoes and gravy, beets and stuffing. Adam proclaims the mussels some of the best he’s had, and calls this meal a “Delicous taste of history.”

Adam’s second feast stop is at Side Street Inn in Oahu, Hawaii for a Hawaiian feast, consisting of seared ahi tuna, boneless Kalbi short ribs, pan-fried island pork chops, meaty Hawaiian fried rice, and a steamed and fried local red snapper called Opakapaka. Adam tells the audience that unquestionably this is his favorite fried rice in the world.

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Adam arrives in Savannah, Georgia to help mentor twin brothers Jamal and Jamil Williams through the Voodoo Juice Challenge at Angel’s BBQ, a carriage house in Savannah’s historic district that was converted to a BBQ restaurant. Angel’s BBQ specializes in sauces, the Voodoo sauce combines four hot peppers to create an unearthly hot sauce that takes down challengers readily. The brothers must eat this firey sandwich in five minutes or less to win the challenge and an Angel’s BBQ t-shirt.

Adam’s first stop is at one of his favorite restaurants, Sweet Potatoes. Adam wants to taste their peach-glazed barbecue chicken and dig into their famed banana pudding. Adam visits the kitchen where the chef prepares a fryer chicken until perfectly cooked, then adds a peach-glazed barbecue sauce made of the trinity (onions, peppers, celery) and canned peaches. Adam tears into the bird and proclaims their barbecue chicken delicious, and their banana pudding as the best pudding he’s ever eaten.

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Adam visits Green Bay, Wisconsin, home to the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, to coach University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh students and Packers fans Harrison Bowden and Zach Woolever. Harrison and Zach are taking on the Champions Sports Bar and Grill Gravedigger Challenge, a massive burger weighing in at 93 ounces. Harrison and Zach must defeat the Gravedigger Challenge in one hour, to this date no two-person team has defeated this challenge.

Adam’s first stop is Kroll’s West restaurant where they specialize in tasty meats, and everything served in the restaurant is topped with butter. Adam heads to the kitchen where the chef shows him how the make their popular buttered double cheeseburger and their Prime Rib Sandwich. Adam tears into the juicy cheeseburger slathered with butter and is a happy man. Next Adam dives into their outrageously delicious Prime Rib Sandwich, topped with sauteed onions and peppers, mushrooms, and butter on a toasted roll, and served with a side of buttery au jus. Adam sighs in contentment as he savors this delectible prime rib sandwich.

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Adam travels to Omaha, Nebraska to coach local radio DJ Matt Price in Starsky’s Bar and Grill Pig Wing Challenge. Matt has 1 hour to eat 5 pounds of pig wings and 3 pounds of corn nuggets, chowing down a massive 8 pounds of food in order to win the challenge. If Matt wins the challenge he receives his meal free amd gets aStarsky’s T-shirt, if he loses he must pay for his meal. Dozens of competitors have attempted the 8-pound mountain of pork and corn but only one had ever completed the challenge.

Adam’s first stop is Amato’s where they know hoagies. Back in the kitchen the chef shows Adam how their popular hoagie The Godfather is put together. This hoagie starts with a fresh tasty roll made of toasted Italian twist bread, piled with 3/4 pound each of six meats: Cotto salami, hard salami, bone-in ham, mortadella, pepperoni, and capicola, 4 cheeses: American, hot pepper, Provolone, and Mozzarella, then topped with an amazing olive salad and sweet red peppers. Adam bites into The Godfather and is impressed with the variety of meats melding together and the tang of the olive salad topping.

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Adam heads to Rochester, New York to mentor NASCAR driver Joey Logano as he takes on the Sticky Lips Barbecue 5-pound Atomic Bomb Challenge. Joey must finish a double cheeseburger topped with spicy Rochester hot sauce that uses insanely hot habanero chilies, and a pound of French fries in order to finish the challenge in 30 minutes. Adam is concerned when he learns that of 200 challengers in the Atomic Bomb Challenge the challenge has never been defeated.

Adam’s first stop is Campi’s, known for their famous oversized bombers sandwiches. Adam checks out the kitchen where they are assembling these tasty sandwiches. The chef creates the steak bomber, adding sliced chuck steak to bread then topping it with sauteed mushrooms, grilled bell peppers, banana peppers, and onions, crowning the sandwich with Provolone cheese and Rochester’s signature hot sauce made of a rich meat sauce mixed with spices. Adam mouth is watering as he dives into the steak bomber and finds it divinely delicious.

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Adam is traveling to Izzy’s restaurant in Cincinnati, Ohio to mentor youth baseball coach Adam Turer as he takes on the 110 Reuben Challenge. Turer is back for a rematch and must face a 5 pound reuben sandwich, completing the 110 Reuben Challenge within 30 minutes. The 110 Reuben Challenge has only had 2 winning challengers in more than 50 attempts and Turer is eager for a second chance at the challenge.

Adam’s first food stop is at Tom + Chee restaurant where they are known for their grilled cheese sandwiches. Adam heads back to the kitchen where the chef puts together two delectable sandwiches for Adam to try. The chef creates a blueberry-blue cheese donut made of crumbled blue cheese, slathered in blueberry compote and nestled between two halves of a grilled donut. Next the chef creates the Armagoetta sandwich with goetta sausage, spicy Pepper Jack cheese, hot peppers, and fried onions all topped off with a sweet hot mustard. Adam can see why Tom + Chee is so popular as he dives into the delicious blueberry-blue cheese donut and Armagoetta sandwich.

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Adam heads to St. Paul Minnesota to Tin Cup restaurant to mentor MVFN member and law school graduate Jon Wolf as he takes on the Lucy Challenge. Jon must eat 2 spicy Juicy Lucy’s weighing 1 pound each, along with 2 pounds of fries in 45 minutes to beat the challenge. Adam discovers that the Lucy Challenge is a daunting one with a 99% failure rate.

Adam’s first stop is Punch Neapolitan Pizza, famed for their authentic Italian pizzas. Adam learns Punch Neapolitan Pizza makes their pizza the very same way as the original pizzas were created in Naples years ago, garnering the restaurant an authentic Vera Pizza Napolitana (V.P.N.) certification. Adam heads to the kitchen to watch the chef make a Margherita pizza prepared the traditional way, using San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh basil, olive oil, and buffalo mozzarella cheese, then cooked in an 800-degree (F) wood-burning oven for 90 seconds. Adam takes a bite of the luscious pizza and sees why they are known for their Naples style pizzas.

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Adam is headed to Tampa, Florida, New York and Los Angeles to enjoy street eats from the best food trucks in the country. Adam is set to coach entertainer and jack-of-all-trades Sydney Big Dawg Colston to take down the White Rabbit Burrito Challenge at L.A.’s White Rabbit food truck. Only two people have defeated the challenge out of a few hundred. The White Rabbit Burrito Challenge consists of a 6-pound Filipino burrito filled with meat, rice, eggs and cheese. Colston must finish the monster burrito in 45 minutes to complete the challenge.

The first food truck Adam encounters is at The Taco Bus in Tampa, Florida. The taco truck specializes in tacos, including their famed puerco asado tacos. Adam watches as the truck chef creates the Rajas Con Queso Taco. The chef adds marinated roast pork to warmed tortillas, topped with roasted poblano strips with queso fresco, corn kernels, jalapenos, cabbage, marinated red onions and pico de gallo. Adam can barely contain his hunger as he bites into the tortilla and melts as he savors the tasty concoction.

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