Are Old TV Shows Considered Underrated?

 

By Keri Kruspe

Isn’t it amazing how the shows you grew up with as a child stick with you long after your childhood does? When I was young, my mother was an avid watcher of all things paranormal (not that I think it was called paranormal back then). Because there was no cable, DVD’s or streamlining, we had to watch what she did. She never missed an episode of the favorites I’ve included in this article, as well as some I didn’t include such as, “The Outer Limits”, “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” and let’s not forget “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”.

Over the years, newer versions of these shows have popped up (some even in the movies), but I feel the original shows had a lot to say for themselves. I admit in most of the acting in them were atrocious, the sets laughable, and the special effects were something a five-year-old could run circles around nowadays.

Even so, it was the story that caught us. Decades later, those narratives not only still haunt me, but they’ve had a tremendous influence on how I develop my novels, especially since they have an “extra” twist. It’s a fascination with the genre that not only affected me but made a big impact on my brothers and sister. None of them have pursued an author’s career but have shared this passion with their own children and/or outside interests.

To show you what I mean, I’ve outlined (in no particular order) my favorite episodes of some of these series. I’d love to hear if you have one as well!

Star Trek - "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"

The premise of the episode was two survivors of a war-torn planet, each half black and half white, (one had the black on the right while the other had the black on the left) committed to destroying each other. They end up back at their planet, where no one is left alive since their people completely annihilated themselves in a civil war. The ending scene is the bridge crew commenting on how sad it was the two men would rather feed their racial hatred of one another rather than give it up.

Night Gallery - "The Caterpillar"

Not sure why this episode was called “The Caterpillar” when it was about an earwig. Anyway, it’s the story of an unscrupulous man who wants the beautiful wife of another colleague. He pays a thug to have an earwig placed in the husband's ear as he sleeps. Once the deed is done, the insect tunnels through the victim's brain, causing excruciating pain and certain death. However, the man he hired to do the dirty deed enters the wrong bedroom and placed the insect in the man's own ear by mistake. After weeks of pain he miraculously survives, but the doctor tells him that his ordeal is not yet over… it was a female and she laid eggs....

  Lost in Space - "Wish Upon a Star"

Talk about campy, this is series takes the cake. But, like with all of these offerings, they did have one episode that stuck with me. If you’re not familiar with this sixty’s oldie, here is the premise: The space family Robinson is sent on a five-year mission to find a new planet to colonize, but the voyage is sabotaged time and again by an inept stowaway, Dr. Zachary Smith. The family's spaceship, Jupiter II, also carries a friendly robot who endures an endless stream of abuse from Dr. Smith but is a trusted companion of young Will Robinson.

In this episode, Dr. Smith goes into voluntary exile after the father confronts him when his laziness and carelessness that threaten the group's survival. With Will's assistance, Smith makes a home in the wreck of an alien spaceship. In it, they find a small alien machine that materializes the operator's wishes. I’ve often wondered how I’d handle such a temptation.

 Twilight Zone - "Time Enough to Last"

This is one of the most popular Twilight Zone episodes. This story outlines a shy man who loves to read. The only problem is that he can find neither the time nor the place to enjoy his pastime. One day, he sneaks down to the vault in the bank's basement to read a bit and suddenly, there is a huge explosion above. He emerges to find the world destroyed in a nuclear holocaust. He does find books from the library and rejoices when he realizes he has a great deal of reading time ahead of him. Except for one problem, his glasses end up broken and he can’t read without them!

This struck a huge chord with me since I’ve always been an avid reader and has had to wear glasses since I was six. The mere idea of not being able to see has haunted me my whole life.

 Dark Shadows - "The Vampire Curse"

All I can say about this “soap opera” was my mother was obsessed with it. She loved everything scary (Dracula, The Mummy, Frankenstein, etc) and dutifully watched each and every episode of this cringe-worthy show.

While the acting is hard to watch nowadays, back in the day no one seemed to care. I was surprised when I did a little research on this drama that the vampire character didn’t show up until after the first season. And then it was only considered a “bit” part for a couple of episodes.

But Barnabas Collins changed how we looked at vampires. For the first time, one seemed “human”, a person who didn’t want to be a vampire, and through impeccable manners and courtesies revealed a soft love for the Collins family. Even when he preyed on them. The series created a great villain, turning a tragic hero into someone who audiences flocked to, both the typical daytime target demographic and also, surprisingly, those of us much younger. I admit when I create my villains, I strive to make them have a “humane” side to offset their viciousness.

 Finale

I hope you enjoyed my “blast from the past”. I find when I’m researching new characters and what makes them tick, I’m forced to reflect and rely on my own history. As I delve into different personalities and what drives them, I hope someday it’ll help me understand the most complex character I’ve ever come across.

Me.