TV Guided: Mysteries Unsolved and Incredible Things!

Martinex1: Back in the Bronze Age I was frequently mesmerized by the possibility of mysterious things.  Perhaps it was my age, but back then it seemed like movies, books, magazines, and comics were focused on the odd and the unexplained, the eerie and the strange. Television seemed to play a particularly important role in highlighting these types of mysteries.

In grade school, how many lunch periods were spent discussing UFOs, ESP, ghosts, power of the pyramids, life on Mars, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, or the Bermuda Triangle? If a TV show spotlighted a "True Story" or "Real Event" involving these oddities, it certainly left its mark on the playground crowd.

And I am sure my curiosity about such things caused some sleepless nights and unwarranted worry. One of my favorite games was Milton Bradley's Bermuda Triangle with its magnetic storm cloud and vanishing ships.  Back then I was frequently reading about Flight 19 and missing squadrons.

Television fueled the imagination with shows like Project UFO, That's Incredible, Unsolved Mysteries, and In Search Of...

And of course there was the Steve Austin and Bigfoot confrontation from The Six Million Dollar Man!

Were you captivated by the frightening tales of the unknown?  Which of the strange tales weighed heavy on your mind?  Did you lose sleep thinking about the weird possibilities?  What pop culture pieces played into your paranoia?  Or did you see Bigfoot, a UFO, or men from Mars?  Was television the catalyst of your interest and which shows related to these topics were your favorites?

Today let's discuss the weird and wild and the influence of television on the imagination!  Cheers!

TV Guided: Faves, Raves, Picks, and Pans!

Martinex1: My BitBA partner Redartz regularly updates us on television series and other cultural events from back in the day.  Just a couple of days ago, our frequent commentators HB and Prowler challenged us to name programs we might remake or reboot.  All of that got me thinking about Bronze Age television.  What TV series were "must see" for younger you?  And which programs were "must avoid"?

So please highlight some shows for us that made an impression on you Back in the Bronze Age!  Focus on these specific genres but feel free to comment or expand on the topic as you see fit! Good, bad, excellent, or vomit inducing - comment on television when we just had an antenna and a handful of channels.

1) What was your favorite sitcom?  Which sitcom made your skin crawl?

2) What mystery or detective program rang your bell?  And which really left you cold?'

3) Did you have a favorite variety show?  And which seemed out of touch?

 4) How about action adventure or sci-fi?  There may be some leading contenders but what do you think?

5) How about any honorable mentions?  TV Movies? Mini-series?  What got your attention and what did not?  Share your TV feelings today!  

Riding the Retro Metro: Friday June 21, 1974!

Redartz:  Hello again, fellow time travelers! We are off on another journey to the Bronze age, courtesy of the Retro Metro. Today's destination is one very close to my heart:: June of 1974. I only recently started collecting comics, and my interest is skyrocketing. And although the topic on everyone's mind these days is the Watergate tapes, the tapes I'm most interested in are the ones I've recorded off Casey Kasem's American  Top 40. And speaking of the top forty, let's check out the apex:

On top of the US 'Billboard Pop Chart:  Bo Donaldsen and the Heywoods, "Billy, Don't Be a Hero"

Apparently this song has been used in a recent "Billy Jack" movie, but it was actually written about an soldier in the U.S. Civil War.

Rounding out the top five:
2.  The Stylistics, "You Make Me Feel Brand New"
3.  Gordon Lightfoot, "Sundown"
4.  Ray Stevens, "The Streak"
5.  William DeVaughn, "Be Thankful For What You Got"  

Man, I'm really loving the pop charts right now! Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown" is my favorite song right now: "Sometimes, I think it's a shame, when I get feelin' better when I'm feeling no pain". Great. Then there's Ray Stevens and "The Streak": the king of novelty/comedy tunes strikes again. Everyone on the school bus just goes nuts for that song. And there are tons of ther cool hits:  Wings, "Band on the Run"- an amazing song with three distinct sections; Paul still has it.  The Hues Corporation, "Rock the Boat"- an incredibly catchy tune. Steely Dan, "Rikki Don't Lose that Number"-just getting to know these guys, and really like this tune. I'm planning to pick up their album "Pretzel Logic" (great name).  ABBA, "Waterloo" (debuting this week on the top forty)- a new group from Sweden; this song is a prime piece of pop. May have to pick up their lp as well.

 Tops in the UK:   Gary Glitter, "Always Yours"

As it's Friday, chances are the tv viewing tonight will be good. Checking out the listings:

US Television Schedule:


 
ABC:  The Brady Bunch, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Odd Couple, Toma

Our family is still following the Brady family. Personally, I'm more excited about the show following them: Lee  Majors in "The Six Million Dollar Man". Kind of a superhero without a costume, but with appealing action and a great theme.
And after that, "The Odd Couple" is still going strong. Thanks to a perfect cast led by the incomparable Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, this show always promises laughs. 

CBS:   Dirty Sally, Good Times, The CBS Friday Night Movies

Afraid "Dirty Sally" is unknown to me. Many friends watch "Good Times", but as I'm pretty much tied into ABC's schedule, I never catch these shows.

NBC:  Sanford and Son, Lotsa Luck, The Girl With Something Extra, The Brian Keith Show, The Dean Martin Comedy Hour

Same situation here; although my parents will sometimes tune in Dean Martin.

BBC1:  The Friday Western: The Younger Brothers, Skywatch, The Nine O Clock News, A Man Called Ironside, The World of Stan Smith

BBC2:   Gardener's World, The Money Programme, World Cinema: Detruire Dit-Elle, All the Buildings Fit to Print

But hey, what a month it's been on the Spinner racks! It's an embarrassment of riches; this new comics fan has waaaay too much to choose from. Just take a look:

Wow, where to begin? That Amazing Spider-Man issue is the first thing I grab. What a cover, what a villain, what a book. Andru's Goblin looks just fine. Then I also have to grab that great Spectre book. Not getting many DC's at this point, but that looks fantastic. And speaking of fantastic, I'm getting that Avengers issue- my first Avengers comic, and picking it due to the Fantastic Four appearance. 

Then there's that Doctor Strange issue: have to get that, continuing the excellent Silver Dagger story. And now there's all these Giants and magazines to consider. Definitely need to get the Savage Sword of Conan; a beautiful Red Sonja story awaits within by Esteban Maroto and Neal Adams. Plus how can I resist the first issue of Planet of the Apes? Well, I can't. Could you? 

And capping it all off, the first Marvel Treasury Edition; with Spidey no less! All the great Spider-man artists represented. And that cover just hypnotized me; I stared at it all the way home on the city bus the other day when I picked it up. I'm scrounging everywhere I can to gather the needed funds for this month's goodies.  

Well, since we've probably spent our limits at the newsstand, guess it's time to head back on the Retro return trip. Hope you enjoyed this brief visit to the stellar year 1974; I sure did! And even if you're not old enough to fully remember that year's attractions, let us all know what you think of them...

 




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