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Post by prometheus74 on Jul 29, 2017 14:20:36 GMT -5
Greenguy, It's been a while since I've seen "Vanity, Says the Preacher". I'll be refreshing my memory in the coming days. Today, I'm about to watch "The Resurrection of Carlini".
The alien and his "assistant" in Divorce, Venusian Style were well-done for the early 80s', I suppose. Definitely rather low-tech effects regarding the movements of the robot, though, and the greenguy's mouth did move, but not in a very convincing way that looks like it's NOT a rubber mask. LOL!
The sets on board the ship, on the other hand, look quite impressive, I thought, considering they were done on a television budget.
Was the episode initially shown as the start of the season? Online, I saw a TGAH list of episodes that seems to indicate as much. However, on my DVDs, it's actually the 3rd episode. Not too sure how the episodes were originally aired...
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Post by MelMac on Jul 30, 2017 22:58:18 GMT -5
Oh sure, the "buzz" around the industry could have already been saying it was going to be a big hit. I've still never seen E.T. LOL. Yep, I like it also. Occasionally, I go back and forth on if we should have seen the aliens. However, that's minor to me in the whole scheme of things. I also like Vanity, Says The Preacher. Both of Culp's episodes are either love or hate with TGAH fans. The one big PRO for me with both of his episodes, is that it brings the more serious tone to the shows that we had in that first season. I personally didn't have a problem with us seeing them... but in small doses. This episode I thought it worked VERY well. I mean - you have the team at the ropes and about to split, then crisis that could've been a disaster. The greenguy was needed not just for Ralph, because his injuries - if he survived them, would've taken weeks or longer to recover. Plus my understanding is gut shots are harder to recover from because there's so many small parts in that area that can be hurt. But here's my stickler - it should've been for these very serious teamsituations where the greenguy had no choice but to make a physical appearance. (Given the WWIII theme, I don't think "Operation Spoilsport" would've worked as well if they had the Greenguy personally speak over the electrocuted pilot. His physical appearance alone - besides being dead - made him a lot more impactful). The other two episodes they appear in the flesh, I don't think the greenguy's appearance works as well. "Vanity" just doesn't make sense and they made the greenguys TOO powerful, god-like and arrogant in "GAHeroine." Yeah, definitely the last two - "Vanity" you have them creating new teams, kidnapping them and putting them in hypersleep teaching (or whatever mumbo jumbo it was), and just look at the bright, new shiny spaceship with three big greenguys (no love for the more personality showing little green guy) where they look all powerful. I think the greenguys were better in the humble nature. Then again - it would explain the nonsense of Ralph being able to choose Holly Hathaway.
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Post by MelMac on Jul 30, 2017 23:01:39 GMT -5
Was the episode initially shown as the start of the season? Online, I saw a TGAH list of episodes that seems to indicate as much. However, on my DVDs, it's actually the 3rd episode. Not too sure how the episodes were originally aired... If you have the Anchor Bay release, I believe the order they're in on the DVDs is the production date, not broadcast date. The four episodes that were not shown on air during its original airing were "Desperado," "It's Only Rock and Roll," "Wizards and Warlocks" and "Vanity, Says the Preacher." Wish they had shown the first three - or at least any of them, over "30 Seconds," IMHO the worst episode of "GAH," and yes, I'm including the "GAHeroine" pilot (though it's a very, very close second).
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Post by prometheus74 on Jul 31, 2017 1:47:01 GMT -5
I agree with your comments, Mel Mac. Showing the greenguys in small doses preserves the sense of "mystery" about them.
I don't think I knew that Wizards and Warlocks was one of the episodes that weren't broadcast! The show must've been cancelled pretty abruptly for all these episodes that were already "in the can" not to have aired!
So I take it that Divorce, Venusian Style was the actual first episode of the third season that aired? That makes sense, because of its above average, more "epic" feel.
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Post by MelMac on Aug 2, 2017 0:00:02 GMT -5
I agree with your comments, Mel Mac. Showing the greenguys in small doses preserves the sense of "mystery" about them. I don't think I knew that Wizards and Warlocks was one of the episodes that weren't broadcast! The show must've been cancelled pretty abruptly for all these episodes that were already "in the can" not to have aired! So I take it that Divorce, Venusian Style was the actual first episode of the third season that aired? That makes sense, because of its above average, more "epic" feel. If I recall correctly (and greenguy can confirm this or not) the show was moved around so much the viewership dropped enough they just pulled it before all the episodes showed. It isn't too uncommon even now how some episodes are not aired if the show's pulled early. Fortunately however, most of the time they're already only doing partial seasons and/or just allow the show to complete its season. I think NBC is one of the few networks however that does NOT tend to go this route - I've seen more episodes pulled before a full is even shown. (Will concede at least back in 1986 they had the sense to not pick up "GAHeroine.") You can however tell toward the end the quality suffered - ESPECIALLY in "Vanity" - when there wasn't any money left. Apparently they filmed part of the last episode at Culp's house let alone the clearly obvious reuse of certain ship scenes. It's also my least favorite Culp written episodes - it was super clunky even without the little money left. I have other opinions, but as I think you're going the one episode in order route, I'm going to refrain. (Of note, I did like - and pardon if I have the title wrong - "Flowers, Mr. Maxwell") It says a lot when the other three at least felt like more traditional "GAH" episodes. "30 Seconds" felt a bit like they were running out of money by then. "DVS" was the first episode that aired that season, but really you can start telling around "Live at Eleven" (one of my favorite new suit powers episdoes) that things were starting to go slowly downhill in quality and production. Oddly though - the last episode I remember watching when the show was actually on air was "Resurrection of Carlini" and only because of the water torture trick. Remember watching it in Cloudcroft, New Mexico one evening with Dad at the lodge's rec room. It was one of those TVs you had to pay a quarter for every half hour you wanted to watch the TV. (Yes, I'm that old...)
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Post by prometheus74 on Aug 2, 2017 4:21:07 GMT -5
Not a lot of love for GAHeroine at this site, I've noticed. What is it about her that you guys hate so much? Very true what you say about cancellations and such. Those are quite good TGAH episodes that never aired originally. I'm just thankful that we do have them now.
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Post by MelMac on Aug 2, 2017 8:54:49 GMT -5
Not a lot of love for GAHeroine at this site, I've noticed. What is it about her that you guys hate so much? Very true what you say about cancellations and such. Those are quite good TGAH episodes that never aired originally. I'm just thankful that we do have them now. Laundry list? A lot of it stems I think from how: 1. Ralph lost the suit (short version ego trip after being found out), 2. Really NONE of the original trio is their normal personalities (Pam comes closest and she's not in there much) 3. The replacement is this current Ralph, which makes no sense (neither does the fact HE chooses his replacement 4. Holly is basically a Mary Sue - everything is perfect, and she has very little trouble with the suit (save flight, and that green scene part is laughable in its own right). Note, this is NOT a slight on the actress - Mary Ellen Stuart IS a good actress, but not right for this part. She's better at more dramatic stuff. 5. Greenguys as I've mentioned became near god-like and yes, this time there are three, not the one and the assistant (who doesn't even show up). 6. The suit... oh brother, let's just say Ralph's version I can understand Katt not liking IT in particular, and the one piece version with Holly just looks ugly. 7. The plot as filmed is ridiculous, but the FULL version (which you can read a summary on this forum) was even worse. 8. Or even shorter - it became a cartoon, not a satire. Even with a female wearer, you can have satire and it work. There was just a lot of bad choices in '84 toward the end of the series and '86 trying to reboot it. They should've waited until Katt and Connie were available to try to continue it. At the time, Katt was about to start the "Perry Mason" films and Connie was in "Hotel." While I'm pretty sure Katt could've gotten out of the "Mason" movies (he has admitted in recent years it was tempting to return to "GAH" when they promised a guaranteed two years), Connie's wasn't as easy to bow out of as Christine is a pretty important role in said series. I think a lot of Katt's decision stemmed from being able to work with his mom and Raymond Burr, but even then he still probably worried about the typecasting of superhero actors back then. Connie couldn't cross networks (Hotel ABC, this would've been on NBC), but as others have said, if what we saw for "GAHeroine" was any indication of what we might've gotten even with a Ralph/Bill duo, it was better not being made.
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Post by prometheus74 on Aug 2, 2017 15:22:01 GMT -5
Ah yes, that list of grievances makes a lot of sense. Thanks for that. I've only watched the GAHeroine pilot a couple of times, and it wasn't very memorable since I barely remember anything that happens in it!
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Post by greenguy on Aug 2, 2017 16:12:03 GMT -5
Yep, Divorce was the 3rd season premiere.
ABC yanked the show after only 4 episodes aired in the new 3rd season time slot. It was killed up against the new Knight Rider on NBC and still popular Dallas on CBS.
In early 83 it was brought back, this time on Thursday night up against Magnum PI and Fame. It didn't have a chance to beat Magnum, but performed well against Fame. Still ABC yanked it to put on two sitcoms that didn't do as well on Thursdays as TGAH did.
In my opinion ABC did not support the show the final year. There was hardly any promotion in prime time. I was able to record ONE promo for the show during it's final year. In the previous two seasons I was able to catch many promos by just waiting with the VCR in record/pause and watching the ABC commercial breaks. For proof of this, search You Tube for TGAH promos. The only 3rd season promo I've ever seen uploaded is the SAME one I have...LOL So if many exist on old recordings, they haven't been uploaded. The network also took the "wait and see" stance with only ordering 13 episodes up front, showing full well they had no belief that the show would continue. A big turnaround from the spring of 1981 when it was the darling TV series for ABC. That extended into the NOW IS THE TIME fall ABC campaign when Katt was the ONLY ABC star to be featured TWICE in the long version of the promotional video. How far the show had fallen in the eyes of the network by that 3rd year.
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Post by MelMac on Aug 2, 2017 22:28:43 GMT -5
A big turnaround from the spring of 1981 when it was the darling TV series for ABC. That extended into the NOW IS THE TIME fall ABC campaign when Katt was the ONLY ABC star to be featured TWICE in the long version of the promotional video. How far the show had fallen in the eyes of the network by that 3rd year. I remember watching this - it also had Culp as Bill in a scene and Connie making an appearance more as an insert shot somewhere. Really only Katt (in it twice - the catcher's mask with "It's me" and then as Ralph) and Bill had any real character tie-in. (Then again with a few exceptions - such as Ron Glass, most of the appearances are the actors being themselves, not character). You are right though - it went from that to the abrupt cancellation within three years. It was a show that *could* have been as popular or long running as "Doctor Who" with handovers and different stories and experiences, ESPECIALLY with no rules on the suit. But they chose to go the route they did. (I say could - "DW" admittedly has a universe to explore compared to Earth based "GAH" but there was the possibility). ****************** You know, I think the greenguys also work as well as they do in "DVS" because there is that element of creepiness in how they heal Ralph, the coldness of the ship inside, the static electric shocks on the recovery bed Bill wakes up on (I mean - why does that occur? Defense mechanism?) so you don't know if we've been had for a time and they're not as alturistic/nice as they appear. I think they lost this aspect completely with the "GAHeroine" pilot, and it didn't work as well in "Vanity," if only because the reason they even appear to me is a bit more convoluted and nonsensical.
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Post by culpkatt on Mar 9, 2019 12:57:47 GMT -5
Yep, Divorce was the 3rd season premiere. ABC yanked the show after only 4 episodes aired in the new 3rd season time slot. It was killed up against the new Knight Rider on NBC and still popular Dallas on CBS. In early 83 it was brought back, this time on Thursday night up against Magnum PI and Fame. It didn't have a chance to beat Magnum, but performed well against Fame. Still ABC yanked it to put on two sitcoms that didn't do as well on Thursdays as TGAH did. In my opinion ABC did not support the show the final year. There was hardly any promotion in prime time. I was able to record ONE promo for the show during it's final year. In the previous two seasons I was able to catch many promos by just waiting with the VCR in record/pause and watching the ABC commercial breaks. For proof of this, search You Tube for TGAH promos. The only 3rd season promo I've ever seen uploaded is the SAME one I have...LOL So if many exist on old recordings, they haven't been uploaded. The network also took the "wait and see" stance with only ordering 13 episodes up front, showing full well they had no belief that the show would continue. A big turnaround from the spring of 1981 when it was the darling TV series for ABC. That extended into the NOW IS THE TIME fall ABC campaign when Katt was the ONLY ABC star to be featured TWICE in the long version of the promotional video. How far the show had fallen in the eyes of the network by that 3rd year. This is interesting to hear, Greenguy. I do remember taping on cassette a very cool GAH promo a week or two before the original broadcast of DVS that featured Ralph and Bill meeting the greenguys on board the ship. This ran during the Saturday morning ABC cartoon shows, specifically during a commercial break for Pac Man. I keep checking youtube in the hopes that someone out there has uploaded this from an old VHS recording. The only brief third season ABC promos I remember seeing as a kid were for Live At Eleven and Space Ranger. My local ABC affiliate in the Tampa/St. Pete area didn't even air the original broadcast of The Resurrection of Carlini, opting instead to run some sort of local community "special interest" program. However, we were able to receive the ABC affiliate based in Sarasota/Venice and I was able to watch the Carlini episode on that channel, albeit with a very fuzzy picture.
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Post by greenguy on Mar 15, 2019 16:22:25 GMT -5
Yep, Divorce was the 3rd season premiere. ABC yanked the show after only 4 episodes aired in the new 3rd season time slot. It was killed up against the new Knight Rider on NBC and still popular Dallas on CBS. In early 83 it was brought back, this time on Thursday night up against Magnum PI and Fame. It didn't have a chance to beat Magnum, but performed well against Fame. Still ABC yanked it to put on two sitcoms that didn't do as well on Thursdays as TGAH did. In my opinion ABC did not support the show the final year. There was hardly any promotion in prime time. I was able to record ONE promo for the show during it's final year. In the previous two seasons I was able to catch many promos by just waiting with the VCR in record/pause and watching the ABC commercial breaks. For proof of this, search You Tube for TGAH promos. The only 3rd season promo I've ever seen uploaded is the SAME one I have...LOL So if many exist on old recordings, they haven't been uploaded. The network also took the "wait and see" stance with only ordering 13 episodes up front, showing full well they had no belief that the show would continue. A big turnaround from the spring of 1981 when it was the darling TV series for ABC. That extended into the NOW IS THE TIME fall ABC campaign when Katt was the ONLY ABC star to be featured TWICE in the long version of the promotional video. How far the show had fallen in the eyes of the network by that 3rd year. This is interesting to hear, Greenguy. I do remember taping on cassette a very cool GAH promo a week or two before the original broadcast of DVS that featured Ralph and Bill meeting the greenguys on board the ship. This ran during the Saturday morning ABC cartoon shows, specifically during a commercial break for Pac Man. I keep checking youtube in the hopes that someone out there has uploaded this from an old VHS recording. The only brief third season ABC promos I remember seeing as a kid were for Live At Eleven and Space Ranger. My local ABC affiliate in the Tampa/St. Pete area didn't even air the original broadcast of The Resurrection of Carlini, opting instead to run some sort of local community "special interest" program. However, we were able to receive the ABC affiliate based in Sarasota/Venice and I was able to watch the Carlini episode on that channel, albeit with a very fuzzy picture. I don't THINK I ever caught a promo for the season premiere. Every time I was watching ABC the promos for Friday night were always The New Odd Couple or The Quest. Do you still have that audio tape? The only promo I recorded for the 3rd season was on New Years Eve and it was the promo announcing it's return to the ABC schedule on Thursday night. It starts out showing fireworks, and the series title over the fireworks. The rest of the promo is made up with scenes from The Newlywed Game. Interesting thing, I found the same promo on you tube, but it's a LONGER version than the one I managed to record. Like you, I did see promos for Live At Eleven, and Space Ranger. I just never managed to catch them on tape. My local ABC station used to pre-empt the series also. The did for The Hit Car, Operation: Spoilsport, and Heaven Is In Your Genes. At least for The Hit Car, they recorded it and aired it on Saturday afternoon. I used to call and complain to the person answering the phone at the front desk. The lady made the mistake of giving me the master control phone number to call straight to whoever was running the board. One night the poor guy I was complaining to said "Hey kid, I totally understand. I would rather be watching Greatest American Hero than the Billy Graham Crusades, but it's my job"
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Post by culpkatt on Mar 25, 2019 16:12:24 GMT -5
That cassette tape was lost long ago, Greenguy. I do remember that 30 second promo showing Ralph and Bill meeting the green guys, getting another copy of the instruction book, and the shot of the spaceship leaving Earth in the rear view. Interestingly enough, that promo didn’t show Ralph being shot since it was likely too violent for the Saturday morning cartoon audience.
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Post by greenguy on Mar 26, 2019 18:13:19 GMT -5
That cassette tape was lost long ago, Greenguy. I do remember that 30 second promo showing Ralph and Bill meeting the green guys, getting another copy of the instruction book, and the shot of the spaceship leaving Earth in the rear view. Interestingly enough, that promo didn’t show Ralph being shot since it was likely too violent for the Saturday morning cartoon audience. Oh too bad it's lost. That inspired me to look for my cassettes. I recorded the series on audio tape from March of 81, until I convinced the parents to buy a VCR by fall of 1981. I found a few, I must see if they still work. I was big on recording TV series on audio tape. I think I started around 1977 with Star Trek reruns. Mixed in with TGAH cassettes, were tapes with Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers, and Monty Pythons Flying Circus.
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Post by culpkatt on Mar 29, 2019 10:37:57 GMT -5
I did the same exact thing, placing my cassette recorder up to the television speaker recording my favorite shows (GAH, Matt Houston, Buck Rogers) on audio tape. My family didn't splurge on a VCR until 1985.
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Post by doc7924 on Mar 29, 2019 20:06:39 GMT -5
I did the same! Its possible I still have my cassettes stored away someplace.
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Post by greenguy on Mar 30, 2019 7:04:07 GMT -5
Welcome to the "I recorded TV shows on cassette tape" club Doc!
I need to see if I can find the cassette of "Here's Looking At You, Kid" That's the only network broadcast I do not have on video. ABC reran the first season shows enough I caught most of what I missed before we had the VCR. When I started working in broadcasting in '93 I met a guy who recorded the series himself, he gave me his original first season videotapes. He had everything except HLAYK.
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Post by greenguy on Mar 30, 2019 7:09:20 GMT -5
My family didn't splurge on a VCR until 1985. I was VERY lucky I was able to convince my parents to buy a machine in 1981. To this day my mom says "we spent almost $1,500 to buy that VCR for Scott/your dad to record TGAH" when she tells stories about me.
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Post by culpkatt on Apr 1, 2019 8:30:53 GMT -5
I still have my audio cassette recording of "Operation Spoilsport" that I recorded off ABC back in the fall of 1982, right before the third season premiered. ABC re-ran several of the second season episodes on Friday nights including OSS, Captain Bellybuster, Hog Wild and maybe one or two others. My parents were hosting a dinner party that Friday evening, so I was holed in my bedroom watching my little portable television. As fate would have it, the baseball game being broadcast on ABC was rained out and they ended up showing GAH instead.
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Post by greenguy on Apr 1, 2019 14:07:35 GMT -5
I still have my audio cassette recording of "Operation Spoilsport" that I recorded off ABC back in the fall of 1982, right before the third season premiered. ABC re-ran several of the second season episodes on Friday nights including OSS, Captain Bellybuster, Hog Wild and maybe one or two others. My parents were hosting a dinner party that Friday evening, so I was holed in my bedroom watching my little portable television. As fate would have it, the baseball game being broadcast on ABC was rained out and they ended up showing GAH instead. Yep, I remember that. I actually flipped the channels past ABC that night, and caught the broadcast as the episode title was on the screen. I wasn't sure what was up, so I threw a tape in and started recording as I knew TGAH was not scheduled for that night. ABC eventually threw up a paragraph over the picture explaining the baseball rain out. The network also was running a COME ON ALONG promo announcing the series switch to Friday. I nabbed most of one during a episode of The Phoenix. So if you ever run across The Phoenix episode called "A Presence of Evil" as broadcast by ABC with commercials. You should find the COME ON ALONG promo.
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