From April 1992: some semi-obscure small screen goodies in the 17th issue of EPI-LOG.
I don't think the UK ever had a contemporary outing for MISFITS OF SCIENCE, the strike-busting MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE revival (unless one of the early satellite channels picked it up... it's subsequently been released on DVD) and ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS *may* have surfaced as part of the ITV night time offering (they rather liked cheap, scheduling filling, anthologies). TUCKER'S WITCH did air here: but only in selected ITV regions. I used to watch it in the afternoons on Thames, alongside first season episodes of RIPTIDE.
I remember seeing a few Alfred Hitchcock Presents in the late-night slots (that's where I first saw the excellent "Shatterday", with Wes Craven directing Bruce Willis).
ReplyDeleteIsn't "Shatterday" from The New Twilight Zone, not AFP ...?
DeleteThis was, indeed, the opening episode of the 1985 CBS revival of THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Although the details are lost in time, I do remember seeing this when Anglia TV played it in the UK. It's one of several episodes of the new series that burnt their way into my subconscious... even through I rarely watched the show and wasn't what I would describe as "a fan".
DeleteI think ITV went on to air the (noticeably less well resourced) syndicated episodes that CBS' production side continued to churn out once the network dropped the show.
I recently ordered (from Amazon) a pretty cheap complete box set of the Eighties revival... although I've not yet removed the shrink-wrap. This might be the final shove I need to start watching! Thank you!
Yes, you're right, it was the new TZ, sorry about that. I do remember some of the Hitchcock ones though, they'd colourised his introductions.
DeleteAnd hey, Slow Robot, in a "perhaps not that big a deal really, it's a small world and all that" way, I was in the Anglia region too! :)
would you believe that ALL of those shows were screened on irish tv back in the 80's as well as STARMAN and amazingly WIZARDS AND WARRIORS.
ReplyDeleteI recently picked-up a bootleg set of W&W so I've FINALLY seen the show... or, at least, the first couple of episodes.
DeleteIt was better than I expected and rather good fun. Although I can see why it didn't capture a large audience.
Jeff Conaway does a good turn and it's a shame that his life, and small-screen success, spiraled out-of-control. Despite being a regular fixture, I don't think B5 allowed him to shine very often. And it's fun to see Duncan Regehr as another campy pantomime villain... although it probably wasn't doing his career too much good either.
I've never seen either aspect-ratio version of STARMAN. I don't think the show ever aired in the UK, despite its US fan following at the time.