In the 1970s, network television had even less respect for their viewers than they do today. In 1979, a show called Supertrain premiered. It would only last 9 episodes. It was about a futuristic train that was nuclear powered and could travel from NYC to LA in 36 hours. The train contained a mall, exquisite restaurants, and every other luxury you could want. The producers had attempted to model the show after The Love Boat with episodes being about various passengers.
It really must be seen to be believed:
And here is the first part of the first episode:
Filed under: History, Random Thoughts, TV | Tags: Fox, Matt Groening, Nostalgia, The Simpsons
I was the age of 9, twenty years ago, when I watched the debut. This has become a pretty significant part of my life despite the fact that I pretty much quit watching after Season 9. I catch a new episode every once in a while, and even though there might be a laugh or two, it obviously isn’t the show that it began as. Still, happy 20th birthday (not including the Ullman skits).
Filed under: History, TV | Tags: CBS, Mystery, Rod Serling, Science Fiction, Television, The Twilight Zone, TV
50 years ago this week, Rod Serling’s “The Twilight Zone” debuted on CBS. October 2nd, 1959, the episode “Where is Everybody?” premiered on television and began a run for the series that would last five years over 5 seasons. The show would have many famous writers (e.g. Ray Bradbury) and many famous stars (e.g. Dennis Hopper, Robert Redford) throughout its tenure and begin the careers of many more. It is certainly one of the few television shows ever made that can be called ‘timeless’. It is always on the top of best-of lists, and I can attest that many people of my generation still maintain a particular fondness for the series despite its age.
Airing during the time of nuclear hysteria, the Twilight Zone was able to bypass the very strict censorship of the 1950s and 1960s with its use of allegory and metaphor; a method one might usually credit to animated shows. The genius of the show was that it had no set cast or setting. It was different every week and each of the 156 episodes delivered a different experience. The Twilight Zone was able to examine deep sociological issues plaguing the American public, and was in fact very progressive for its day. It preached understanding and calm while showing man’s similarities instead of emphasizing differences. This ran counter to the more right-wing westerns that dominated television throughout the 50s and 60s.
Unfortunately, 50 years later, many of these issues in our society remain unresolved. Because of this, the show is more relevent than ever and enjoys a following beyond cult-status. Despite owning all 5 seasons on DVD, I still try to catch the marathon every year on the Sci-Fi channel at New Years and the 4th of July. Two holidays that seem to form the crux of the show’s message; namely, a day of renewal and reflection, and a day to celebrate perhaps the greatest democratic experiment in history.
This is the Pilot episode (and the premier episode). It is called “Where is Everybody?” and explores the themes of detachment and isolation within our society. I don’t consider it a top-tier episode, but it’s still wonderful and as good of a place to start as any.
For all of the South Park fans out there:
THIS ISN’T COUNTRY KITCHEN BUFFET
Filed under: Comedy, Internet, Odd, TV | Tags: Air France, Air France 447, airline, airline accident, Bolivia, Bolivian News, LOST, mistake, South America
This seems like it is almost parody out of the Onion. A television station in Bolivia is duped into thinking footage from the television show LOST was actual footage from the tragic accident of Air France flight 447. They never stopped to think how the footage could even exist and aired it on a broadcast.
Filed under: History, Random Thoughts, TV, Video | Tags: 1960s, ABC, Adam West, Batman, Batman TV Series, Burt Ward, Camp, Joker
I don’t have a whole lot to say today. There isn’t much going on. It is currently raining in NYC and is supposed to all week. The news is slow today as well. Regardless, I still feel the need to post something, so I figure I would post a clip from the 1960s Batman television series. Basically, this old show is ridiculous. Growing up in Oklahoma in the 1980s, I lived outside of a small rural town that didn’t even have a stop light and had a population of 1,200 people. We didn’t have cable where I lived. Occasionally, when I would visit a family member or friend in a major city with access to cable, I would watch reruns of this series on the Family Channel.
The show is the epitome of 60s camp with its bright colors, over-the-top jokes, questionable moral facade, and sexual innuendo. Focusing on the look of the series, it is understandable why the series was so colorful; it’s almost as if the producers were just so dazzled by the idea of using color and not being bound by an almost Draconian black and white template forced upon all television until the 60s. The vibrant colors and wacky story lines make it hard to imagine that this was a prime time series that was even nominated for three Prime Time Emmy Awards during its run. Nowadays, I still have a soft spot for the series that lasted only three seasons, but I must admit, I can’t watch more than 20 minutes at a time.
Much like Star Trek, which ran concurrently for three seasons from 1966-1969 and shared many of the same attributes (though I wouldn’t compare them), the show was almost canceled after its second season but was saved at the last minute and able to develop a third. The trade off being that the budgets to both were slashed quite noticeably. The sets, stories, and costumes were even more sub par and both series’ fizzled out to a whimper. Fox had planned to purchase the rights to Batman and continue a forth season but the most expensive set, the Bat Cave, had already been dismantled by ABC causing the deal to founder.
This is a scene from the third season of Batman. My point here is not to show a scene that represents a high point for the series (this might actually be one of the lowest points), but to show how ridiculous the show got (It was always ridiculous). I am clearly selecting from the worst season, but it is indicative of the spirit the show maintained throughout its run. Enjoy! It’s pretty terrible.
Filed under: Philosophy, Random Thoughts, TV, Video | Tags: Beer, Fake ID, Homer Simpson, Simpsons, The Simpsons
You can’t post clips of Simpsons episodes legally, but a friend forwarded me this scene with only stills this afternoon. Hadn’t seen it in a while and it had me smiling. Enjoy!
I cannot wait to see this wonderful season wrap up. Ever since the Producers were told halfway through Season 3 that the show would end with Season 6, the show has kicked into high gear after a somewhat slow and purposely meandering Season 1 and 3. It is clear that the producers and writers were not ‘making it all up as they went along’ and they had a definite plan/arc for the entire show. I hope this sets a precedent for other television shows. Of course, not everything will probably be answered (especially from Season 2), but I believe there is enough provided by now that one can pretty much deduce an answer that will suffice. Even the ‘air drops’ from Season 2 I think can be explained by now.
For the finale, it appears that we finally will learn what the “Incident” was from the 1970s, and we might meet Jacob…finally. I really hope that we learn more about the ancient culture on the island and their 4 toes. All of the scenes dealing with the ancient civilization have been great; from the scenes in the Temple to any references to the Statue.
Is Richard Alpert, along with the Hostiles, the remnants of these forgotten people? Where the hell are Rose, Bernard, and the Dog? Additionally, and this has not been addressed since the beginning of Season 3: Where is the flight attendant Cindy and all of the children from the tail section of Flight 815? Haven’t we now met all of the principle groups? Who are they with and where?
The only thing that sucks of course is we have to wait until February for the beginning of the final season. I don’t really watch a lot of television, so I will be happy when this is finally wrapped up. The best part about being this close to the end, is knowing that they are running out of any wiggle room to screw up the show. After the Series Finale in May 2010, I think this show will be added to most lists documenting the top 10 television shows of all time. If one can muster through Season 1 with a little patience, it is ultimately rewarding with each subsequent season (despite the lull of some Season 3 episodes).
