I remember them showing Fantastic Planet, among other oddities, but I don’t recall any onscreen host- they just had a voice over some trippy CG. I remember seeing a lot of strange movies, some punk bands that would never get airplay on MTV, and the classic Porky Pig cartoon where he says “Son of a bitch!”
In the late 60’s or early 70’s I think it was called Thunderbirds. It was marionettes with rocket ships. I don’t remember much else. Very odd.
Another vote for Aeon Flux. I found that show so disturbing on the few occasions when I could not make myself stop watching it.
Lexx is also bizarre, but far more coherent than Aeon Flux. And yes, it comes on after Stargate on the Sci-Fi Channel. That’s how come I’ve seen a couple of episodes recently.
This show disturbed me so much in the 80’s I had to enter therapy.
Just kidding. BUt still disturbing.
lol, I wasn’t allowed to watch that show when I was a kid!
How about “My Living Doll” - Julie Newmar as a luscious robot…very strange for a family hour tv show
No, I think that was FireballXl5.
Same diff.
I’m surprised that this thread has had so many responses!
Thunderbirds and Fireball XL-5 both featured marionettes in space.
Oh. I thought the fireballXl5 series was the one in space and the Thunderbirds series was marionettes in planes.
I remember the program Mothchunks. I saw it when I was about three years old and, for years afterward, I was convinced it some sort of weird fever dream I had as a toddler.
I was always creeped out by Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!. . . Jack Palance, creepy music, and an opening sequence featuring a guy with a candle stuck in his noggin - the perfect recipe for nightmares in a 10-year-old.
The Brady Bunch Variety Hour. A fictional family is given a variety TV show, in which they continue to play the roles from the previous sitcom, even though they weren’t a show-biz family in that show (I know, there were singing episodes, but they didn’t include the dad).
A second for Dark Shadows, which I loved as a kid.
Does anybody else remember David Cassidy’s show as a young looking cop? He was used to investigate criminal activity in schools. It was a sort of predecessor to 21 Jump Street.
and there’s also “Mary Hartman Mary Hartman”
No, marionettes in planes was Captain Scarlet.
All of these shows (Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, FireballXL5) were made by Gerry Anderson, along with “Joe90”, “Stingray”, “Terrahawks” and “Space 1999”. And many more.
They are actually pretty good, though stilted.
In the UK I believe there was Fireball XL5 with marionettes etc.
oops…didn’t read the rest of the posts
I watched this show as a child. How I miss it and the original tapes have been destroyed. But with Vincent Price and all the other characters it was by far the best childrens program that I can remember and the strangest too by todays standards I guess. **The Hilarious House of Frankenstein **
It was on teletoon, too
So was Thunderbirds.
Having read all the posts, I have to agree that there have been many bizzare shows on TV. I have to cast my personal vote for Cop Rock not the least because Cheryl Crowe was on one of the episodes (saw a clip on a bio recently). Now that has to be embarassing.
Both versions of The Tick, but I especially liked the live version, it just made the whole thing more surreal. Any show with a 7ft superhero saying, “I love you Jimmy Carter. I always have.” wins my affections.
Also, this might be up to the judges, but how about Andy Richter Controls the Universe? C’mon, it had him squeezing an old lady’s head into a diamond a la Superman.
Finally, and no one should argue this, Mr. Show with Bob and David.
Taint sketch: "Porn is my bread and butter, people masturbate to my bread and butter . . . and it’s DELICOUS. . . ".
Emergency Psycic Hotline sketch:“It’s wonderifsical!!!”
How about the Monks vs.the Fat kids camp:“ERIC VAN LANDINDHAM!?!?!”
Or the Founding Fathers sketch: “Founding Fathers HEY! Founding Fathers HO! Founding Fathers Founding Fathers GO GO GO!” and “Who would shit on a flag made of shit? It would be an empty gesture!”
Finally, the Mob skecth: “But boss, 24 is the highest number!”