RE: What was the greatest pre-1980 TV Series ever?

[JonClarke]

Hey I remember Phoenix 5! Don't remember much, except I thought the butterfly tailed spaceship was cool, and there was a computer that talked in rhyming slang. OK, I was 12!<br /><br />Others, well nothing can approach Dr Who, but Blake's 7's was also excellent (both lasted into the 80's though). I liked space 1999 mainly because I really liked the Eagle transporters (one of the best thought out spacecraft in TV SF, at least for vacuum) and of course the gorgeous psychomorph, Maya.... Some of the plots were good, others very hokey The special effects were done by Douglas trumball, as i recall, of 2001 and Silent running fame.<br /><br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[5stone10]

Others in a long line of campy Japanese cartoons - 8th Man and Astro-Boy !!<br /><br />Especially campy was Astro-Boy. They used to show this cartoon as a lark at a resturant I frequented.

 

[5stone10]

Another goofy sci-fi series - albeit a comedy - My Favorite Martian with Bill Bixby.<br /><br />Or how about The Hulk series with Bixby - it had some descent plots. I'd say that counts as sci-fi.

 

[yevaud]

Voyage to the bottom of the sea. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[wmdragon]

Johnny Quest <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#993366"><em>The only laws of matter are those which our minds must fabricate, and the only laws of mind are fabricated for it by matter.</em> <br /> --- James Clerk Maxwell</font></p> </div>

 

[yevaud]

Star Trek: The animated series! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[5stone10]

Time Tunnel - circa late 60s.

 

[davp99]

I've been Hoping that some channel will offer All those puppet shows from the 60's..ya know, Gerry Anderson's Stuff..Lots of Old Memories with these Classics..<br /><br />Starting off with <b>SuperCar</b>..Good ole <b>StingRay</b>..<br /><br />Then <b>Fireball XL5</b>..<br /><br />then of course, <br /><br /><b>ThunderBirds</b>..then end it with <b>Space 1999</b>,,,<br /><br />Are you Listening BBC/America ??<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="4">Dave..</font> </div>

 

[davp99]

My Apologies for using the Puppet reference,<br /><br /> I Meant <b>"SUPERMARIONATION"</b> and his Newest Technique <b>"HYPERMARIONATION"</b><br /><br /><br /> http://www.fanderson.org.uk/fanderson.html<br /><br />ALL Hail G.A. <img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="4">Dave..</font> </div>

 

[hracctsold]

I know what you mean about those long lost favorites. I have been thinking about Space 1999 myself. I was a teen, (I think), when it was on, and did enjoy the cast that did the show. I also thought that Maya was a good addition to that show as well. That is one I don't think I would mind seeing again.

 

[quasar2]

not just the series were cool but many chesp movies were good too. i always liked "Questor Tapes". & i`m trying to remember the name of a film could possibly be "Love Wars". or it could`ve been an adaptation of "Looking Glass War" which i never read. also sreies, "The Phoenix" was great. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yevaud]

Harlan Ellison's masterwork. He was so peeved at what the producers, directors, and writers were doing to it, he insisted on using a pseudonym in the credits as the "Creator" of the series: Cordwainer Bird. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[hracctsold]

Hey Z G,<br /><br />When you mentioned Quark, you threw me back a long ways. Was that really Richard Benjamin that played that captain? I still remember that show where his space waste hauling crew rescued or saved the day, and he alone was going to be promoted. But he came up with a plan that he thot was fool-proof by denying the upgrade unless his crew could come along. <br /><br />But they were such clowns and washouts that the command people said they admired his dedication to his crew, and better luck on the next promotion try.

 

[hracctsold]

Talking about series of that time, I remember always liking Get Smart, (missed it by THAT much chief). But when I found it again one time when grown, I did not realize how campy and really stupid it was. But if I could find those shows, and it not cost as much as I've seen, I probably would buy one. What can I say, I'm cheap!!! Especially for things like that.

 

[hracctsold]

Other shows of that time that were good were ones like Mission Impossible, (with real actors, not T.C. like ones). Outer Limits, (T.Z. was already mentioned), and one of the real oldies, "Car 54, where ARE you?" Or the time show called, (I think), "It's about time". Or was that just the opening music line to the show? It's about time, it's about space, it's about... Where the space ship orbits the earth the wrong way, and ends up in cave man times.

 

[KernelSanders]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>O.k., here's one that's reallyobscure: It was called "The Starlost," and ran for about 1 season. It was all about a generation ship of refugees from a dead Earth, trying to colonize new worlds. Unfortunately, the crew was now dead, none of the inhabitants of the habitats had a *clue* where they were. And then, a young Amish couple somehow got into the ship proper, realized what was really happening, and that their ship was going to ram into a star in the near future. So they spend the rest of the series trying to find the backup ship's crew. It was written by Harlan Ellison, who disliked so much how Hollywood was altering it that he changed his name in the credits to "Cordwainer Bird." This show ran right around when Dark Shadows was in it's prime. <br />Posted by yevaud</DIV><br /><br />Yes Starlost ran in 1973 and into 74.&nbsp; Was a great concept but alas the storyline was tampered with by the producers until it was cancelled.&nbsp; This was a Canadian production so Hollywood had nothing to do with it.</p><p>As for other Pre-80 series, does Battlestar Galactica fit?&nbsp; ...or was that early 80's?</p><p>I still say the best pre-80 series must be StarTrek.&nbsp;&nbsp; If this were not Pre-80's I would say Babylon 5 or Lexx... perhaps X-Files</p><p>&nbsp;T</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[crazyeddie]

<p><span style="border-collapse:collapse;font-size:12px;font-weight:bold;-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing:2px;-webkit-border-vertical-spacing:2px" class="Apple-style-span">What was the greatest pre-1980 TV Series</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I vote for "Pigs in Space"!</p><p>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoGTytebuc4</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Shows you how memory can fail you with age. Yes, it WAS "Ultra Man." I used to sit around watching that show faithfully when I was a kid. Must've been, oh, 1967? Posted by yevaud</DIV></p><p>Dude... I LOVED Ultra-Man.&nbsp; It came on early on Sunday morning, IIRC.&nbsp; I would get up at 6am just to see Ultra-Man!</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

<p>THE GREATEST TV SERIES EVAR!</p><p><br /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/5/4/45d58619-a49e-471d-b4bd-9aaa1abbe61f.Medium.jpg" alt="" /><br />&nbsp;</p><p>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Banana_Splits </p><p>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6I5DzMYqcU </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

<p>Dr Who</p><p>Blake's 7</p><p>Space 1999 (The plots were crap but the effects and designs were pretty good)</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[TheOscarMP]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>THE GREATEST TV SERIES EVAR! &nbsp;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Banana_Splits http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6I5DzMYqcU <br />Posted by a_lost_packet_</DIV><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/13/15/6d9df44d-ca7d-48a0-8f1f-5057f5719ae6.Medium.jpg" alt="" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>For the plain and simple fact that H.R. was indeed "puffin stuff"</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff00ff">Screw you guys...I'm going home:  Eric Cartman</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>SILENCE...I KILL YOU!!!!:</strong>  Achmed, the dead terrorist</font></p> </div>

 

[bearack]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I'v been reading all of the reminiscing about those great, old tv shows - Thunderbirds, Lost in Space, Stingray, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and so on. And also posts about the half-assed remakes done after 1980. Some are pretty obscure, though I remember them all, pretty much. So, I'm curious. Which one's were your favorites? <br />Posted by yevaud</DIV><br /><br />I was a huge fan of the show Space Battleship Yamoto.</p><p>Edit to include image of main Battle Ship.</p><p>www.1999.co.jp/dbimages/user/hobby/itbig/10062491.jpg" alt="" /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><br /><img id="06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53" src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/6/14/06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53.Large.jpg" alt="blog post photo" /></p> </div>

 

[Mee_n_Mac]

<p>Some of my favs have already been mentioned.&nbsp; Given <em>The Prisoner</em> is barely SF can I sneek in Rod Serling's <em>Night Gallery</em> ?&nbsp; There were some episodes that scared the crap out of me as a kid.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-----------------------------------------------------</p><p><font color="#ff0000">Ask not what your Forum Software can do do on you,</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000">Ask it to, please for the love of all that's Holy, <strong>STOP</strong> !</font></p> </div>

 

[ZenGalacticore]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>O.k., here's one that's reallyobscure: It was called "The Starlost," and ran for about 1 season. It was all about a generation ship of refugees from a dead Earth, trying to colonize new worlds. Unfortunately, the crew was now dead, none of the inhabitants of the habitats had a *clue* where they were. And then, a young Amish couple somehow got into the ship proper, realized what was really happening, and that their ship was going to ram into a star in the near future. So they spend the rest of the series trying to find the backup ship's crew. It was written by Harlan Ellison, who disliked so much how Hollywood was altering it that he changed his name in the credits to "Cordwainer Bird." This show ran right around when Dark Shadows was in it's prime. <br />Posted by yevaud</DIV><br /><br />I remember 'Starlost'. It starred Keir Dulle. 'Star Trek' TOS, is, IMO, some of the best television ever produced. I enjoy it more and more as I age. As a&nbsp;12 year-old kid, I was a big fan of 'The Six Million Dollar Man'. But it didn't get better as I have aged, unlike 'Star Trek'. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>ZenGalacticore</p> </div>

 

[ZenGalacticore]

<p>Oh yeah! 'Dark Shadows' kicked ass in its first couple of years. It's amazing how a stage set soap opera could scare the bee-jees out of you! Jonathan Frid, as Barnabus Collins the vampire, was absolutely superb in his performances as the reluctant and victimized vampire. And the creepy soundtracks were perfect.</p><p>Loved Ultraman too!</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>ZenGalacticore</p> </div>