Old TV Shows You Remember Fondly...But No One Seems To Talk About

[Remus]

Dead Like Me. It was quirky and even the main characters could not predict what would happen next or how it would happen. Would the reporter get eviscerated by a bear or would the bear scare him, at which point the reporter pees himself, while standing over a live wire, and gets electrocuted? Always go for the long shot, and if a bear is involved, bring splatter guard. The main writer went on to try a show on FOX that was equally weird, where the main character talked to inanimate objects. It was a fun show but only lasted 1 season. Currently he works on NBC's Hannibal.

 

[geK0]

This Nintendo endorsed masterpiece right here. This shit would make some fantastic Youtube poop.

 

[pokeplayer984]

I bet a number of you don't remember this one. Bruno the Kid.

11 years old and he's a spy. Yeah, that was pretty cool back in the day.

 

[MaxwellMurder]

Me and my brother loved the show "Fastlane" It was just dumb fun with a dumb cliffhanger ending that will never be resolved because I just reminded you that "Fastlane" was a show that existed.

 

[Therumancer]

ALL OF THEM
airwolf, manimal, magnum PI,the equilizer,fraggle rock,degrassi junior high,hardcastle and mcormick, moonlighting, remington steele, hill street blues, friday the 13th, max headroom (this was freaking awesome!), cheers, robotech.

grumbles about stupid kids and get off my lawn !

Well a lot of those still have some pretty good cult followings. A lot of that counts as being very mainstream though so it doesn't come up very often in geekdom discussions. "Friday The 13th: The Series" was hugely influential even if it's aged badly, I think Syfy has the syndication rights still and I've heard constant rumbles of them wanting to remake it, allegedly "Warehouse 13" was a compromise project but some still want to do it as more of a horror show. "Max Headroom" was one of those odd things that was pumped as a pop-culture phenomena due to the popularity (for a time) of Max himself as a TV pitch man, however the TV show didn't do too well, as it went over the heads of the audiences of the time who really didn't seem to get it. That said Max Headroom references are one of the things you can use to get cred with real geeks. I imagine Max is one of those things that will be around the fringes pretty much forever. Some shows like "Moonlighting" which you mention above were cool during their time but also very much the product of the pop culture of their era, and like most things "hip" simply don't work well for people who weren't around during the era without other things to tie the show down. Magnum P.I. is also arguably one of the most influential TV detective shows of all time as well. Heck, they even had an episode making jokes about it in the new Hawaii 5-0 ( even discussing which Magnum character would be the analogy for each of the 5-0 cast members present.

 

[Therumancer]

Babylon 5. One of the most groundbreaking sci fi shows, that set a precedent for many to follow, yet very few people I know ever saw it.

Well, I think age is a factor. Babylon 5 had a decent following, and actually saw multiple editions of a PnP RPG released. One of the big problems with B5 though is that a lot of the cast members couldn't act to save their lives to begin with, but actually got better at it as the show went on. The computer generated FX which were a HUGE selling point originally also didn't age well. That said, it's one of those shows where like Andromeda they wrapped it up thinking they wouldn't be able to continue, got renewed again, and then went on to finish things off more properly. It was popular enough to get a couple of made for TV movies, and a sequel series called "Crusade" which died off without being finished allegedly due to a three way fight between creators, actors, and the networks. I suppose the only ones who know for sure are those who were involved in it, but from what I've heard it seems like a big enough mess where a B5 reboot or sequel... which would be awesome... is unlikely. That said on some geek forums you can still see people making the occasional Zathris Knows comments talking in the third person.

One show I thought had potential was oddly enough simply called "Space Hunter" which had two seasons, the second of which only features like one returning character. Allegedly that one fell apart because of the guy playing the lead and how the writers hated him but the producers wanted him, no agreement meant the end of the show apparently. That said Peter Gabriel did the opening theme for that one.

At any rate I consider Andromeda, Space Hunter, and Babylon 5 all science fiction shows that could probably carry sequels or reboots (as much as I hate reboots), but are all also shows which for one reason or another are unlikely to ever see the attempt made.

I'll also be honest in saying that I've heard stories over the years that TV networks absolutely hate space opera shows because of the fan base they attract, as well as the fact that they tend to be relatively expensive even when they cut corners. In part because with popularity comes the actors demanding bigger paydays upon each renewal apparently. The networks also tend to only make money off of selling ad space, where the show's creators tend to be the ones who get the meat and potatoes of the merchandising and spin off products unless some deal was cut ahead of time. Allegedly (and I'm not sure I believe this) Perfect World/Cryptic made more money off of "Star Trek Online" than Viacom did directly off of the Star Trek IP (counting television), this is not considering the movies however. Supposedly the JJ movies made more money than anything else in Trek history, including the other feature films, but oddly are also hated by most of the series fan base so it's debatable as to whether they will do any more with his spin off universe.... and I'm rambling again.

 

[Thaluikhain]

I'm Australian so its a little more obscure in this nick of the woods

does anyone remember a show than ran around 2005 or 2006 which was basically a teen "star trek" drama about a ship called the "star runner" on its way to settle anew colony (500 settlers in suspended animation) and the crew were mostly teenagers on the logic that they would live long enough to get there (because stasis rotation is makes too much sense, especially when It seems to be entirely possible), there was "Tane" "Deckhart"? "Pancha" the one with the robot chip in her brain and Zandy....there were more but I can't remember oh and too annoying kids called Cinamon and Tycho because why the fuck not?

I can't say I liked the show but it stuck in my mind for how dumb it was

Silversun http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silversun I sorta liked it's inventiveness...Australia used to create lots of weird kid's shows, often quite good, and for a while, a lot of them were sci-fi or fantasy. Nowdays things have slackened off, though.

 

[Vault101]

Silversun http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silversun I sorta liked it's inventiveness...Australia used to create lots of weird kid's shows, often quite good, and for a while, a lot of them were sci-fi or fantasy. Nowdays things have slackened off, though.

oh I definitely give them points for creativity...and it was fun to make fun of...I was "too cool" for that kind of thing XD (not the sci fi but the teen drama)

I remember (similar time like 2004-2006) they played re-runs of ocean girl...now that was a pretty cool show, there was also a post-apocalyptic one set in new Zealand but that was on the commercial channels so I never watched it

aside from round the twist I can't think of many, maybe jeopardy counts

I remember a british one that was actually really dark for a kids show...but no one ever seems to remember it

EDIT: oh wait! there was one that was on the weekends yeeeears ago...I barley remember it except for that it was set on the ship and they went down to mars to bury a dead et coackroach, it seemed funnier/had shaper writing but that's just my kid goggles probably

OH Oh and genie from down under...ok I admit I'm remembering a lot of them now

 

[The Madman]

I come from the Net, through systems, peoples and cities, to this place:

Mainframe.

My format? Guardian. To Mend and Defend!

To defend my new found friends. Their hopes and dreams.

To defend them from... their enemies!

*Cue intro montage music*

Man, I really liked Reboot (The show I'm quoting above) yet it's been almost completely forgotten. Also loved this fairly obscure little animated show:


For younger me Cybersix was awesome and even re-watching it not that long ago it still wasn't too bad. Definitely no high art but it was a fun watch with a neat premise and some solid artwork.

 

[Thaluikhain]

I remember (similar time like 2004-2006) they played re-runs of ocean girl...now that was a pretty cool show,

There is talk of making another new series of that.

In any case, Jonathan M. Schiff is still making that sort of thing. There will be a new series of Mako Mermaids coming out, but it looks like they are going for the international market, might end up filming it overseas.

now that was a pretty cool show, there was also a post-apocalyptic one set in new Zealand but that was on the commercial channels so I never watched it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tribe_%28TV_series%29 ?

aside from round the twist I can't think of many, maybe jeopardy counts

Lift off? EC plays lift off? Mr Squiggle? Mulligrubs?

Round the Twist, though, was an international success, so it's not obscure. To capitalise on this, they made Genie from Downunder, which...um...

I remember a british one that was actually really dark for a kids show...but no one ever seems to remember it

Not narrowed it down very far there.

 

[Trinab]

Bucky O'Hare.

It was one of the first shows I ever saw with a continuity. It had lots of dark moments (for a kid,) and a lot of plot elements stolen from star wars. I think furries may get a kick out of it, although the animation is atrocious.

There was a bad guy named Toadborg, who was like Darth Vader meets tragic backstory, a plot involving revenge for a brother's death, and really bad consumerism jokes.

Truly a masterpiece of the 90s. I would not be caught dead watching it now, but for some reason it holds fond memories.

 

[Vault101]

There is talk of making another new series of that.

In any case, Jonathan M. Schiff is still making that sort of thing. There will be a new series of Mako Mermaids coming out, but it looks like they are going for the international market, might end up filming it overseas.

ah....ocean girl was a co-production....as was Jeopardy

...actually so was Bootleg, remember that one? it had veronica from the saddle club doing a British accent....

[quote/]
Lift off? EC plays lift off? Mr Squiggle? Mulligrubs?[/quote]
ah right, I tend not to count the bizaro kids shows since kids shows tend to be bizarre anyway (except the britsh do bizarre like no one else)

[quote/]Round the Twist, though, was an international success, so it's not obscure. To capitalise on this, they made Genie from Downunder, which...um...[/quote]
I don't remember it being that bad...

[quote/]
Not narrowed it down very far there.[/quote]
that's because I've described it more than once here with no luck, but I'll try again

ok its British, and it takes place after some event they refer too as "the drowning" (global warming/rising sea levels? that would make it ahead of its time)

society isn't exactly mad max...but its just chugging along

for whatever reason there are people with supernatural abilities I forgot what they're called (because for some reason you need that in this genre) our main protagonist is Milee, she and her brother are orphans and live in an orphanage, she is unique in her powerful abiliy to "flip" things...turn them inside out. The main gist is her, her brother a couple of adults and some other characters I can't remember go off I think to run away from the authorites because theyre after her (the main bad guy is a redhead who also has supernatural abilities, he can "co-opt" peoples bodies and control them remotely/speak for them. I think in the end he turned "good" and let them go)

there are a few episodes I remember

1. they go to an eccentric ladys house where she hooks up a couple of them to a virtual reality machine, she describes the guy who used to live in the mansion (was an inventor) and how he always wanted children, turns out she's a robot (who charges through her eye socket) and she flips out when they want to leave, not understanding why they wouldn't want to just hang in the virtual realty thing forever and gets really angry when they question if "pre-drowning" was much better than "post-drowing"

2. another one involves them hanging at some marketplace and focuses on a kid who takes "magic" from a mesterious dealther (in the form of colourful Band-Aid sitckers than give him telekenisis and leave [strike/]track[/S] red marks after they wear out) a clear unsubtle metaphor for drugs

3. don't remember much except some people they know forced to use a poisonous pesticide which makes them go blind

4. they come across a delirious raving girl in a costal area saying something about a curse that causes a kind of red rash (st anthnys fire) turns out it was from eating the seagull eggs

again I remember it being pretty dark (particually the fertaliser/st anthonys fire episodes) but maybye were I too watch it again it might not come across that way

 

[Queen Michael]

But only because the creators of W*I*T*C*H made a totally awesome, and not to mention adult take on the super hero alter ego of Donald Duck; Duck Avenger.

Woah, I think I remember those Donald Duck comics! Those were great; They were dark without being heavy, appealing to kids and adults alike. I only had, like, 3 issues, but I remember them being awesone!

They were made by the people who made W*I*T*C*H? Well, I guess you learn something new every day.

I have the complete first three years of those comics, and I'm working on collecting the rest. They're some of the greatest comics I've ever read.

 

[Mechamorph]

The Adams Family, the original black and white live action show, has a permanent place in my heart for the kooky comedy as well as its message that its okay to be different so long as you are benevolent. Another old favorite was M.A.S.H. which went on longer than the actual war it depicted. The one I really, really miss? The Benny Hill Show.

 

[Albino Boo]

Blake's 7. It was the campest and insane British 80s Sci Fi show.

 

[Khadhar]

There is one TV show that I remember liking but for the life of me I can't remember the name...it was a CGI cartoon, I think it might have been on Kids WB, I think it was about people in mech suits fighting in tournaments...that's all I remember.

Are you perhaps referring to Heavy Gear? I remember that show, it was decent at the time but it probably has not aged well (I have not seen it in some time), plus after some looking into it apparently differs immensely from the source material.

My pick would be Shadow Raiders. Another early CG show that was based on the War Planets toys, I believe. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before, with a very alien cast designed by the same guy who did the ReBoot characters.

Also I loved Jackie Chan Adventures and I adored Xiaolin Showdown. The new canadian one was horrible though.

 

[Thaluikhain]

that's because I've described it more than once here with no luck, but I'll try again

ok its British, and it takes place after some event they refer too as "the drowning" (global warming/rising sea levels? that would make it ahead of its time)

society isn't exactly mad max...but its just chugging along

for whatever reason there are people with supernatural abilities I forgot what they're called (because for some reason you need that in this genre) our main protagonist is Milee, she and her brother are orphans and live in an orphanage, she is unique in her powerful abiliy to "flip" things...turn them inside out. The main gist is her, her brother a couple of adults and some other characters I can't remember go off I think to run away from the authorites because theyre after her (the main bad guy is a redhead who also has supernatural abilities, he can "co-opt" peoples bodies and control them remotely/speak for them. I think in the end he turned "good" and let them go)

there are a few episodes I remember

1. they go to an eccentric ladys house where she hooks up a couple of them to a virtual reality machine, she describes the guy who used to live in the mansion (was an inventor) and how he always wanted children, turns out she's a robot (who charges through her eye socket) and she flips out when they want to leave, not understanding why they wouldn't want to just hang in the virtual realty thing forever and gets really angry when they question if "pre-drowning" was much better than "post-drowing"

2. another one involves them hanging at some marketplace and focuses on a kid who takes "magic" from a mesterious dealther (in the form of colourful Band-Aid sitckers than give him telekenisis and leave [strike/]track[/S] red marks after they wear out) a clear unsubtle metaphor for drugs

3. don't remember much except some people they know forced to use a poisonous pesticide which makes them go blind

4. they come across a delirious raving girl in a costal area saying something about a curse that causes a kind of red rash (st anthnys fire) turns out it was from eating the seagull eggs

again I remember it being pretty dark (particually the fertaliser/st anthonys fire episodes) but maybye were I too watch it again it might not come across that way

Ah, think I remember an ad for that, but not actually watched the show. Something something "their eco-refugees" something something.

Blake's 7. It was the campest and insane British 80s Sci Fi show.

Went on to inspire other shows, though, so can't be that obscure. Firefly is the modern US Blake's7, Farscape is the modern US/Australia Blake's7 with muppets...

(Excepting Blake's7 started off a lot better, third season not great, got uncancelled for the fourth, and, well, uncancelled shows tend to not be great)

 

[JagermanXcell]

Code Lyoko anyone?...........

Basically Sword Art Online but with never ending deus ex machinas, and for some odd reason two different animation styles varying from: western attempt at weeaboo and Beast Wars but actually good and detailed.
The nerd get's his virtual waifu in the real world, there's a badass dog named Kiwi, the comic relief character is dressed like a furry, and they fight a xenomorph one time.....

ANYONE?! CODE LYOKO?!........

I also vaguely remember enjoying Time Squad and Freakazoid. Shows i'm pretty sure I will never be able to bring up during a conversation.

 

[Khadhar]

I did watch a little bit of Code Lyoko but I could never get into it. Something about their weird head shapes put me off.

To quote Dexter's Dad: "EGAD! Look at the size of his craaaaaniuuum!"

 

[Small Moon Rabbit]

Blake's 7. It was the campest and insane British 80s Sci Fi show.

There were rumors that Blake 7 may get a reboot at some point.

If you like TV written by Terry Nation (which includes many classic Doctor Who stories), you may like the original 1970's "Survivors" series. Its an 'end of the world' drama about a world pandemic (kind of relevant at the moment). It starts off like some twisted British 70's sitcom, with all the baggage that comes with sitcoms of that era. It really shows its age (attitudes to class and gender), but in my opinion that's one of the things that makes it so interesting. Its by no means perfect, the acting for example is uneven to say the least (oh god the children are terrible), but I'd give it a chance, their are some really great episodes in the first season.

I couple of things to watch out for. Peter Bowles plays the husband in the show, he was a huge TV star at the time and it was kind of a big deal he was playing a main character. Keep that in mind while watching the show.

The second and third seasons were not written by Nation, he left the production along with a really significant member of the cast, which kind of ruined the show for me (I'm being vague because SPOILERS!). In my opinion you should ignore those seasons as they are (IMO) kind of pants and the first season ends well enough to be left as is.


There was a reboot done a few years ago which again IMO is also not great. There was something about the original 1970's time period which just fits with the gloomy atmosphere of the show, something the reboot failed to capture.

--- Edit ---

Obviously this is a show about a worldwide pandemic, its kind of grim and disturbing... just to warn anyone that is maybe thinking a show about the collapse of civilization isn't going to have some icky bits.