Trying to pull together the screening schedule for the course, I have noted a real dearth of quality supernatural programming in the 1980s. Of course, this may be due in part to the rise of the religious right and the concomitant influence upon television programming (Hollywood was declared a cesspool of sin that was corrupting America's children, remember?). The same goes for cinema: not much in the way of quality occult or supernatural cinema during that decade, either.
Some shows stand out as worthy of discussion, though: Like Beauty and the Beast which aired from 1987-1992. Fantasy Island was still going strong, running from 1978 through 1984. There was a series called Friday the 13th that ran from 1987 to 1990, but I don't remember ever watching it; probably because I was in graduate school. There were a few documentary-style shows like Ripley's Believe It or Not and Amazing Stories. Anthology horror came back, too, with a new version of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, plus Tales From the Darkside and Tales of the Unexpected, plus a new version of The Twilight Zone (a pale offering compared to Serling's work). There were also some random UFO-related shows, but nothing that lasted very long.
How about you? What spooky Eighties show kept you on the edge of your seat?
And why was the Eighties such a dead time for this kind of programming?
Perhaps more significantly, why are we suddenly seeing such an explosion of television shows dealing with different aspects of the supernatural?
2 comments:
While fantasy and the supernatural took a back seat in 80's TV, Hollywood seemed to be churning out a series of Sci-Fi classics. The original Back to the Future, Alien, Aliens, Brazil, Ghostbusters..."Hello McFly"! Classic. Wow I think I just semi made a joke in a blog. I guess theres a first for everything. As for TV Tales from the Crypt and Star Trek: The Next Generation both were in the 80's. TO be completely honest the 80's were merely a waiting period for 1992 premiere of "Are You Afraid of The Dark" which signaled the dawn of television as we know it. So I submit for the approval of the midnight socie...I mean the supernatural class. My first entry in a blog in the history of the internet. Wow bad jokes a plenty. This is what happens when its rainy out side and the cables out. I'm left with nothing but spare time. Bummer.
Spare time, you say? Read a book, young Skywalker!
Seriously, I want to see this "Are You Afraid of the dark?" show...it sounds like it was a formative text for an entire American generation...
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