Faerie Tale Theater (Season 5)

This fifth season of Miss Duvall’s epic series only contains two episodes, but what two episodes they are:

“Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp”  star’s Robert Carradine as Aladdin, James Earl Jones as a really creepy Genie, and Leonard Nimoy as a truly evil Moroccan Magician- which is reason enough right there to watch this thing. It also has Valerie Bertinelli as Princess Sabrina, Joseph Maher as the Sultan, Rae Allen as Aladdin’s Mother, and Ray Sharkey as the Grand Vizier… but the real treat lies in watching its director, a young Tim Burton, remind us how creative he can get with his storytelling when someone limits his budget and prevents him from suicidal self-indulgence.

“The Princess Who Had Never Laughed” is actually just as fun, however. Starring Ellen Barkin as Princess Henrietta, Howie Mandel as Wienerhead Waldo, and Howard Hesseman as the King, you’ll never really find a more wacky trio that in TV land. The show also features Michael Tucci as Lionel, Barrie Ingham as the Tutor… and a young Sofia Coppola as Gwendolyn, back when she was still a kid and not a pretentious filmmaker with absolutely nothing to say. (Ouch!)