THE ALMIGHTY JOHNSONS – With the popularity of the movie Thor I want to help spread the word about this New Zealand program that debuted in February of this year. This treasure is not so much forgotten as it is simply unknown here in the states but I want to change that since it has “cult hit” written all over it, and because it has nothing to do with vampires, unlike 68% of the new shows lately.
The Almighty Johnsons is about a Continue reading
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Shandling
It’s Garry Shandling’s Show was the pre-Seinfeld version of Seinfeld. And no, I don’t just mean because both programs starred popular stand- up comics. I mean basically Shandling’s program, which aired on cable via Showtime and later on network tv via Fox, seems like the blueprint that Seinfeld followed almost slavishly. That’s my opinion, anyway.
Consider the following points: episodes of Seinfeld started with Jerry on-stage doing a few bits for a nightclub audience – episodes of IGSS started with Garry on his sitcom set doing a few bits for the studio audience … Seinfeld dealt with life as a stand-up comic trying to juggle his career and romantic life – ditto for IGSS … Jerry had a Continue reading
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The Starlost was an intriguing science fiction series from Canada. The series starred Keir Dullea (looking like a young Ted Turner) as Devon, a deep-thinking man who lives in Cypress Corners, a community where religious dogma discourages questions about the odd nature of their world. Eventually Devon, his lady Rachel and their friend Garth flee their oppressive homeland and discover the bizarre truth: Cypress Corners is Continue reading
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PSI Factor depicted a series of investigations into the paranormal conducted by the fictional Office of Scientific Investigation and Research, or OSIR. This Canadian-made series was often unfairly dismissed as “X-Files Light”, but that in no way does justice to a very entertaining program. The members of the OSIR’s various field teams went about their business in a much more convincing mock-scientific way than conspiracy kook Fox Mulder ever did, and that helped the audience suspend their disbelief. Each episode featured menaces either scientific or supernatural in very inventive ways that Continue reading
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This French-produced (but English language) series about William Tell was the perfect antidote for fans of derring-do who were bored with the umpteen versions of the Robin Hood legend. The series starred Will Lyman as the crossbow- wielding Tell and Jeremy Clyde (of Chad and Jeremy fame) as Gessler, the tyrant Tell opposed during the Swiss Uprising against the Austrians in the 14th Century. Each episode featured Continue reading
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Balladeer’s Blog
With the flood of unimaginative new television programs, especially on various cable channels, I’m often surprised that some of the most entertaining shows in history don’t have their very own following of people who know waaaaay too much about them. As always here at Balladeer’s Blog I like to shine the spotlight on everything that is unjustly overlooked. Feel free to start holding conventions devoted to, and launching flame wars about, these Continue reading
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COUNTERSTRIKE is a tragically forgotten British sci fi television series from 1969. Jon Finch (left) portrayed Simon King, an alien agent who worked for the Intergalactic Council. This council had sent him to Earth to protect it from a group of renegade aliens from a dying planet who wanted to conquer the Earth and make it their new home. Not the most original of premises, but that inimitable British panache breathed life into the series, which unfortunately ran Continue reading
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