More of My Obsession (Part Two)
Let's see, where did I leave off last time? Oh heck, who cares! I have so much more to say.
And so I continued to watch Mathnet through the years following it's debut...even re-run after re-run. I started to memorize the lines and actions in no time, and soon I caught myself acting along with the show when it was on. (I used to annoy my friends by doing that when they'd be watching too.) This is how my interest in acting really developed. I'd always been a bit of an actress all my life, but Mathnet made it seem like a lot of fun.
I think the best episode of all was 'The Case of the Unkidnapping'. It was a combination of great humor, (note that Kate's friend's name was Eve Adams...) and nothing could beat that little Broadway stint at the end. And Lauren was such a great villian! I can't even put into words how terrific this episode was. (And still very much is.) I can't remember laughing so much in one week's time. Damn, this really makes me wish it was on TV again...
Of course, I remember wanting to see the first episode of the second season in New York. I couldn't wait to see what Kate and George would be up to this time around! So, at that same 4:00 hour as usual, I turned on Channel 9. Hey, a new intro! Cool! I sat patiently through all the new stuff on Square One, and then Mathnet came on. Whoa, wait a minute! Is that Kate? No way, that lady is definitely not Kate. Who is she? Oh, I learn soon after she's Pat, George's new partner. She's nothing like Kate; well, she kinda looks like she could be her sister, but other than that, she's not Kate. Where is Kate? I never did find out. Not that Pat wasn't good; I liked her just fine, but my mega-idol Kate...I missed her! Up until the last season I waited hopefully for the day when Kate would come back to Mathnet, at least for a visit.
During that time I wrote to CTW (Children's Television Workshop) telling them how I liked the show, and my friend Jamie wrote them asking about where Kate went. So we waited, and waited...and a few months later I got a letter back! And an autographed picture of Pat and George! Cool! (It's framed on my wall.) The letter was from the Production Coordinator, and mostly it just confirmed how they appreciated my letter, and how a lot of older kids and adults liked the show as well. (And that they kinda targeted it toward the older set.) I wrote a few more letters after that, fan letters to the actors, more comments on the show, etc. And then Jamie got a letter back...
We both read it intently. Apparently Kate (Beverly Leech) had left the show to pursue other avenues in her career. But, that she and the rest of the cast were still on good terms. Jamie actually prefers Pat over Kate, and she told CTW that. They said they liked Pat too (and they had worked very hard to find her), and that she (Toni Di Buono) and George (Joe Howard) were very good friends. But Kate? She wasn't on Mathnet anymore. Jamie got a P&G pic too. And a Square One button. But, this just never seemed very justifiable of Kate's leaving the show. That's life, I guess, as I have seen Beverly on other shows and commercials...so it's not like she took a leave from acting altogether.
About a year or so ago, I wrote CTW again (and I continue to plague their Web site with Mathnet requests- www.ctw.org, folks!), and I asked if they could send me a picture of Kate and George. ( I had since collected several other autographed pics of P&G, as well as a nifty Mathnet button and Square One sticker! ) I had asked them about any possible video releases of the show. So, they actually sent me a picture (also on my wall) of Kate and George, though not autographed. I adore it, still. And, I did find out about some videos that could be obtained through a company (can't remember the name), but only a few of them were avaliable. (I still have yet to pursue that one.)
And that about puts me at the present. Oh, but recently I found out about Mathnet Casebooks in a feverish Web search. They're at Bookstacks Unlimited- 'www.books.com'. But that will be the topic of my next entry...gotta go for now! Ciao!
To be continued...
Thoughts to come (just so you know): The Casebooks, my crush on 'Miles Reed', stories I've started based on Mathnet, and more! Stay tuned!
The Mathnet
Nut: Jill M. Sheehan
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