While Michael Landon famously treated the original Laura Ingalls Wilder books more as a loose launchpad than a script to follow, the original Little House on the Prairie TV series actually kept a handful of core elements, key character traits, and some specific plot points intact. As a self-professed Laura Ingalls Wilder geek, I try to find as many similarities as I can between the original TV series and the Little House books. As you might imagine, it’s no simple task. When you strip away the invented town drama and Hollywood additions, here is what the vintage TV series got Continue Reading
70s TV
The Boy in the Plastic Bubble
The Boy in the Plastic Bubble is a made-for-TV movie that came out in 1976, when I was 12 years old, and that’s when I watched it for the first time – and the last time until now. Since it’s been about 50 years, I’m watching it again, almost as if it’s the first time. This movie was released as John Travolta’s popularity as a Sweathog in Welcome Back Kotter was reaching great heights, and just before he became a mega star in Saturday Night Fever and Grease. I was never someone who crushed on John Travolta, but I did Continue Reading
Cancelled Too Soon? The Big TV Flops of the ’70s
Every decade has its collection of TV flops—the short-lived series that don’t have the ratings and eventually don’t make the cut. Critical acclaim didn’t matter. Back in the day, networks answered to advertisers and canceled any series that failed to reach enough viewers with its ads. And unlike now, TV flops of the ’70s didn’t have streaming services such as Prime or Netflix to save them. Networks gave a television series a short window to make a big impression, and if it missed the mark, they canceled it for good. Today, we are going to take a look at some Continue Reading
Unforgettable Christmas Commercials of the ’70s and ’80s
As a young girl born in the mid-60s but with the majority of my childhood memories in the ’70s, Christmas was a magical time. It just was. I don’t know how to explain why it felt different. It could be all the homes decorated for the holidays, or the department store windows with their glittery, mechanical displays. It could have been the carolers, yes, people really did that, or the giant Christmas catalogs that came in the mail. Or it could have been the Christmas specials on TV, with their Christmas commercials that kept us too intrigued to leave the Continue Reading
ABC Afterschool Special: “Stoned” Starring Scott Baio
In the world of the ABC Afterschool Special, “Stoned,” starring Scott Baio, may be the episode I remember the most from my teens. Though ABC Afterschool specials ran through the mid-90s, I really only remember some of the episodes that ran in the mid to late 70s and early 80s. For those not in the know, the ABC Afterschool Special was like a one-off Very Special Episode. Basically, they were 60-90 minute films that touched on social issues such as drugs, alcohol, and peer pressure. ABC After School Special: “Stoned” Starring Scott Baio The first ABC After School Special we’re Continue Reading
Awkward Variety Shows of the ’70s
I’m not embarrassed to admit I loved watching the variety shows of the ’70s as a kid. We would laugh our butts off over The Carol Burnett Show or The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. Those shows were downright funny. But like any other successful genre, networks overdid it. They flooded the airwaves with variety shows—most of them forgettable, some of them unwatchable, and a few so awkward they became legends in their own strange way. That’s why I’m inviting you on a little journey through some of the most awkward variety shows of the ’70s. In the days before Continue Reading
Creepy Children’s Shows of the ’70s: What Were They Thinking?
In the ’70s, what was often considered wholesome family programming could also traumatize a kid. Not that shows were violent or inappropriate, but the characters, despite their supposedly positive message, were flat-out scary. Whether it was claymation, makeup, bad lighting, or over-the-top costumes, the ’70s weren’t short on creepy children’s shows. As someone born in the mid-60s but growing up primarily in the 70s, I’m not sure we necessarily thought these shows were creepy at the time. Some of the characters, like WitchiePoo from H.R. Pufnstuf and the Sleestak and Cha-ka from Land of the Lost, certainly did give off Continue Reading
The Brady Bunch: S1E1: The Honeymoon
Today, we’re recapping “The Honeymoon.” The very first episode of The Brady Bunch. In the late 60s and early 70s, Friday night was the night! First, the Brady Bunch, then the Patriridge Family. Then bed. But older teenagers and grown-ups watched Room 222 and Love American Style afterwards, because apparently they were inappropriate for youngsters like me. Today, we’re going to focus on one of the best 70s sitcoms ever, The Brady Bunch! Here’s the story…of the Brady Bunch. I loved this show. Watching it weekly on a Friday night, surrounded by my parents and my many brothers and sisters, Continue Reading
Introducing the Very Special Episode: A Staple of 70’s, 80s, and 90s TV
Back in the day, if a sitcom advertised a “Very Special Episode,” kids knew they were in for a lecture. At first, they fell for the con. How could they miss an episode that is being advertised as “very special?” They did their homework, ate everything on their plates, and even helped to clean up after dinner. Nothing would get in the way of viewing something advertised as a Very Special Episode. This is especially true in the days before VCRs, DVDs, and DVRs became mainstream. If kids missed an episode, they missed it. They had to watch that puppy Continue Reading