Back when I launched this blog, I ran a reader's poll asking "
What's your FAVORITE prime-time/syndicated Sci-Fi show originally airing between 1970 and 1980?" Of course, back then, the site had only a fraction of its current readership, so I thought I'd try again. If people enjoy these polls, I'll post more of them - whenever I manage to think of a fun question to ask.
Feel free to suggest future questions in the comments, or explain your choice. Or complain that I forgot something - because that's
always fun.
OOPS: I made a mistake in the Poll, so I had to delete it and start over. My apologies to the seven people who had already voted.
My vote is for "The Six Million Dollar Man," for the following reasons:
ReplyDelete- Actors. Lee Majors took what was supposed to be a bland James Bond clone and turned him into a unique character. Over the years, we watch Steve Austin evolve from a man who resents his bionics and his role in the OSI, yet gradually comes to enjoy his abilities while not losing his humanity. Balancing Majors is Richard Anderson's Oscar Goldman, who starts out as a cold-blooded spymaster and eventually warms into a friend and mentor to his best agent.
- The times. SMDM reflects so much of the 1970s: the post-Apollo belief that technology could save us, along with a heavy dose of Cold War paranoia. It was a time when America needed a flag-waving patriotic hero, and Steve Austin delivered.
- The merchandise. I think every boy in the 1970s had a Steve Austin action figure -- I think we were all issued them like textbooks.
Some dang tough choices. What's funny is that half the shows watching as a kid I thought were the greatest shows ever. But 20-20 hindsight and a netflix account has showed me how wrong, er... innocent I was. Nevertheless the nostalgia factor keeps me watching. My wife and I just started watching the Bionic Woman.
ReplyDeleteA hard choice! But I'll have to go with The Six Million Dollar man because that's the show that I most consistently watched in the 70's and as reruns all through the 80's.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I enjoyed most of the list as a kid in the 70s, my fave isn't on there: Wonder Woman.
ReplyDeleteIf that show is omitted, the it's the Bionic Woman, followed by Buck Rogers.
I had to give the nod to Battlestar Galactica, but it was a near thing against Planet of the apes. I grew up playing with those action figures and all the assorted paraphernalia (anyone remember the live show that went touring around the country, hocking an album? I got called up on stage to dance at the end of the show).
ReplyDeleteBut I gave Galactica the nod because of the rewatchability factor. To this day I can put in a disc at random and enjoy an episode of BG. Planet of the Apes is a bit more effort to seek out and watch, if you know what I mean.
Gotta be THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN. For me, the show just *is* my childhood. Some of the others on the list I watched constantly then but now kind-of cringe when I see them, but SMDM still holds up for me (not that there weren't some really cringe-worthy episodes, I admit).
ReplyDeleteI had to vote for Battlestar Galactica, as I never got into The Six Million Dollar Man at that age... too young, I suppose (I was born in '74). It looks like something I'd enjoy though, and am hoping to catch it on DVD.
ReplyDelete"My write in vote is: Filmation Shazam/Isis hour."
ReplyDeleteI'll be doing a separate poll for Saturday Morning shows.
I was going to do a write in vote for Star Trek the animated series, but then saw the above. So I'll give my support for Battlestar Gallactica instead and it's just a hair better than Planet of the apes. Battlestar gave us godd effects for the time, likable characters and some solid scripts. There were a couple of stinker episodes and some characters got pushed into the shadows, but still a fine show that should have gotten another season.
ReplyDeleteMy vote is for The Nightstalker. Which I think falls into this category.
ReplyDeleteI watched (and enjoyed) pretty much every show in that list, but I'd have to say The Six Million Dollar Man was my all-time favorite.
ReplyDeleteThere are three contenders for my favorite "Sci-Fi" series of the seventies....I chose Battlestar! It continues to entertain me to this day, I think the basic story is compelling, the actors are terrific in their roles and the effects and production design are completely rightous!!!!! The 6 Million Dollar Man was for sure a show I watched every episode of as a kid, and i'm looking forward to picking up the series again now that it's finally become available on DVD. Standouts for me were definitely the evil 7 Million Dollar Man, The Venus Probe and Bionic Bigfoot. Space 1999 was my third choice, but the writing just never came close to equaling the incredible production of the show.
ReplyDeleteDusty Abell
A great list of shows, but as the proud owner of an original Mattel Boray action figure, my choice would most definitely have to be the original Battlestar Galactica.
ReplyDeleteThat was a tougher choice then the last election. I decided to base the choice primarily on which spaceship I'd most like to fly. That narrowed it down to Space 1999's Eagle, the Viper, and the Buck Rogers figter.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, I went with Space 1999. There's just something about the Eagle.
Very tough choice between Space: 1999, Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers. Have to go with Battlestar Galactica based on the criteria of coolest toy I ever had: a cardboard Viper cockpit that came complete with loads of other goodies. You had to send away Count Chocula, Crazy Cow, et al proofs-of-purchase to get it. While the original did not long survive the rigors of childhood, my wife found me an unopened one on eBay a few years ago, an exceedingly rare find indeed. It now remains on display in our home, an icon of a long-gone era of sci-fi greatness: "Battlestar Galatica"(1978).
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I love this site.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I know it was produced in the 60's, I have to say the original Star Trek was my favorite Sci-Fi show of the seventies. I loved many of the other shows growing up, but I never missed Star Trek when it was shown in syndication.
Going off your list, I picked BSG, but I also was a big Planet of the Apes fan as well.
-Mike
Pariah - I also had that cardboard Viper cockpit! I don't know how I forgot that! I don't suppose you could send me pics?
ReplyDeleteAs Blake's 7 hasn't received a mention, I hearby mention it!
ReplyDeleteSorry, Marc! Never saw BLAKE'S 7, and I don't believe it really played in U.S. syndication (unlike UFO and SPACE: 1999) during the 70s.
ReplyDeleteI could be wrong, though.
No love for The Incredible Hulk? That makes me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.
ReplyDelete:)
Doc
Here you go Christopher:
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad that Blake's 7 didn't air except for a the rare marathon (along with Doctor Who) on PBS. On occasion, real late at night, CBC would show an episode or two. Excellent program!
@Christopher: old advert pic of BSG viper cockpit:
ReplyDeletehttp://theimaginaryworld.com/pax72.jpg
Battlestar Galactica.
ReplyDeleteThree reasons: Dirk Benedict, Dirk Benedict, and Dirk Benedict.
Yeah, for me a hard choice for me between UFO and Space 1999. (Not that I saw them at the time they aired--so most of my knowledge of them was after the fact.) I saw a few of the ones you'd mentioned, but never a huge fan to watch them or look for them when they aired. Which is odd as I am a SF fan, I think I was just too busy back then with work, etc. Plus I don't know that our cable (if I had cable) carried them.
ReplyDeleteI wondered how you & others compare the old 1970's Battlestar series to the revamped SyFy Channel series. Personally I don't care for the newer one, it lost some of the charm, and I don't care for the moving, roving camera. But they just changed up too many characters for me.
ReplyDeleteHere's a poster that's going to auctioned off in Dallas soon of Battlestar: http://movieposters.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=510121&Lot_No=51023#Photo
El Vox: I wrote a bit about my thoughts on the two Galacticas a while back in a post called Reality Is Overrated.
ReplyDeleteWow, I just read your post and totally agree. You put into words why I found the reboot so unappealing. I just started watching the original BSG series last night, and enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteThe three singers on stage singing, "It's Love, Love, Love"--what a hoot.