pugh@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU (10/08/85)
From: "pugh jon%b.mfenet"@LLL-MFE.ARPA Junk TV? Is this what we are watching? Is there any social redeeming value in the Twilight Zone, Amazing Stories, or Alfred Hitchcock Presents? And what about the Misfits of Science? I won't answer these questions, but I will ramble on a bit about why I think the arrows are hitting close to the mark. While the Twilight Zone's first episode's opener was a treatise on a man bettering himself (or being replaced by his better half), the second story was merely a rehash on an old theme of stopping the clock and being unable to start it up again. Neither story told us much about people, and neither gave us any insight into how we could better the world. Now, I'm not saying that every story must have a moral, but it is much more enjoyable to me to have some way of relating to a story. The first TZ was good because it told of the struggle between good and bad that goes on within a person. That sort of thing happens to all of us. The second had no such connection. The second episode of TZ had three stories, but fit into two catagories. The first two were completely off the wall, I don't belong here and can't cope senarios. Once again, these provide little insight into how these people dealt with the problem. Not so with the third story. The scientists are trying to understand something outside of their understanding, and must come to grips with a shapechanging monster that can absorb people. They have two questions to deal with, is it a monster, and can they stop it? They find that they cannot and it does not kill anyone else. It turns out to be a creature very much like ourselves, curious about the universe. So far, I say that TZ is batting 40%. On TV that is pretty good. I think Amazing Stories is doing a bit better at 50%. This means little with so few cases though. The first episode was too predictable and had nothing to learn from. It was merely a repeat of a comic book we had all read before. The second episode had much more to offer. If only to demonstrate the popular law that if you are nasty, you'll get yours. It also had humor and an ending that wasn't foretold from the start of the show (although it could be anticipated). One for two isn't bad for TV. And I think it may be universal, but Alfred is batting 1000! Good stuff. The previews even helped to fool us. "A lovesick nurse" indeed! We kept saying, "She can't be that stupid!" all through the show, but were we surprised. A bit increadulous. After all, would they let the cop's wife take care of her husband's killer? I think not, but that helped add to the surprise element. As for the Misfits of Science all I can say is that I liked Flag and Ferretface together as the bad guys, but the show lacked a sense of reality. It was all too hokey to even suspend disbelief. Perhaps it needs the Batman/A Team outlook, i.e. complete camp. We'll see, but if it is going to compete with the Twilight Zone, it will need some strong scripts and not the old formulae. These views are on their own as soon as you read them. I do not claim any responsibility for your interpretation of them or the opinions they may proclaim. Thank you and good night. Jon
sas@leadsv.UUCP (Scott Stewart) (10/11/85)
In article <3945@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>, pugh@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU writes: > > As for the Misfits of Science all I can say is that I liked Flag and > Ferretface together as the bad guys, but the show lacked a sense of > reality. It was all too hokey to even suspend disbelief. Perhaps it > needs the Batman/A Team outlook, i.e. complete camp. We'll see, but > if it is going to compete with the Twilight Zone, it will need some > strong scripts and not the old formulae. > > Jon Actually the Misfits of Science is going be on Friday's at 9:00. So they will be competing with Dallas on CBS and Different Strokes and Benson on ABC (This is according to the fall preview issue of TV Guide.) I guess NBC is trying to fill their time slot with a show that isn't trying to compete with Dallas for the same audience, but going for the younger audience that may watch Different Strokes. Since NBC cancell- ed Different Strokes, maybe they feel that it won't give them any competi- tion. The head of NBC is excited about Misfits. But all that aside, the show would be a lot better if they put more camp into it. And they are deffinately going to have to balance the team out better. The Shrinker and the Freezer have very little effectiveness in life or death situations and only showed their powers at a crucial time, while Johny B, the Electro-Blaster, and the Telekinitic Teen were throwing there powers around all the time. So far they're the only ones who used real teamwork. I hope the rest will soon form a real team. Scott A. Stewart LMSC - Sunnyvale