# What TV show from when you were a kid... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 30, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839 "2009-04-30T14:20:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/61 "2009-05-01T03:20:07Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Back in the 50’s there was a program called _Men Into Space._ In those post-Sputnik, pre-Mercury days I found it a gripping and realistic portrayal of what things would be like in just a few years. > > Of course that was 50 years ago. I’m sure I would be very sad if I watched it today. Haven’t seen it recently, but I would much prefer Willy Ley’s graceful, beautiful future to Werner von Braun’s Teutonically linear one. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/62 "2009-05-01T03:34:18Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > OK, here’s a little [Rat Patrol](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZcbifYqpGc) for ya. I read a book by one of the founders of the [Long Range Desert Group](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Range_Desert_Group) and, being a British officer writing his memoirs shortly after the war, he sucks the very life out of it. Unlike every other fictionalization of a real event, The Rat Patrol was actually CLOSER to what those crazy mofos did than the official history, though they mostly did it with Chevy Deuce-and-a-Halfs early on, not Jeeps. Trucks that were MORE heavily-armed than the TV versions. Fun as a Browning .50 could be, sometimes you just need a 37mm Bofors. And only ONE machine gun? I read about one vehicle that had as many as 13 machine guns hanging off it. They used to drive parallel with a column of trucks and just shoot the shit out of them. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/63 "2009-05-01T03:42:02Z")
A couple that hasn’t been mentioned: Emergency! Quincy Charlies Angels I caught a repeat of Quincy a few years ago. I thought it was very indulgent and wondered why I liked it when I was kid. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/64 "2009-05-01T08:05:05Z")
> [@](#): > > Oh my god I remember that episode. I saw it YEARS ago, prolly mid-90’s or so, and that episode TERRIFIED me! That episode, and no other! And to this day it stands as the only movie, TV show, videogame, or any other form of cinematic entertainment to actually scare me! Oh the horror! Definitely the most frightening thing I ever watched when I was a kid, gave me nightmares for a long time and can still gives me chills. The opening really packs a punch even today. ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/J9nRwWAggPk/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/J9nRwWAggPk?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/65 "2009-05-01T09:12:13Z")
There was a live action Captain Marvel series called SHAZAM! I loved as a kid that I caught a few years on TVLand late night and it was unbearable. Well, except for the ISIS crossover. I don’t think I realized what a babe she was back at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/66 "2009-05-01T13:33:02Z")
I used to run home from school to watch **Dark Shadows**. I caught a few episodes when the Sci Fi channel was rerunning it in the 90’s. It was slow moving, badly acted, and badly written. During roughly the same time period I managed to catch both **Dark Shadows** movies. They, at least, were faster paced than the TV show; but they were just as badly written and acted. There was a short-lived revival of the show with a different cast; but I never saw an episode. The promos were bad enough. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/67 "2009-05-01T15:04:11Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > There was a short-lived revival of the show with a different cast; but I never saw an episode. It wasn’t bad. I was disappointed that it wasn’t renewed. My Step Daughter was watching reruns of the original with me on Sci Fi. I thought Adam’s shrouded body, about to be reanimated would frighten her, but she asked, “Is that thing supposed to be breathing?” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@Black\_Sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Sunshine)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/68 "2009-05-01T15:13:16Z")
Captain Kangaroo. There is no way it’s as awesome as I thought it was when I was three. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/69 "2009-05-01T15:19:10Z")
> [@Black\_Sunshine](#): > > Captain Kangaroo. There is no way it’s as awesome as I thought it was when I was three. I’ve not seen CK since my baby sister was that age, so I can’t judge its merit in particular. But that’s not necessarily true. Both Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood hold up for adults, though in different ways. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/70 "2009-05-01T15:22:24Z")
> [@Black\_Sunshine](#): > > Captain Kangaroo. There is no way it’s as awesome as I thought it was when I was three. Yeah, but I bet the rain of ping pong balls would still be funny! ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/71 "2009-05-01T15:25:46Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood hold[s] up for adults If you mean still creeps me the fuck out, yes. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/72 "2009-05-01T15:36:57Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > **Banana Splits** , a Saturday-morning kids’ show from the late 60s, in which various cartoons and live-action serials were interspersed with skits featuring four guys in animal suits horsing around (a sort of anthropomorphic Monkees). > > When I was 4 or 5 years old, I LOVED that show. I saw some reruns on Cartoon Network some years ago, and…well, it’s bad. REALLY bad. Totally spastic, something that no person over the age of 6 could watch. > > So, I was the perfect target, originally. 🙂 Rumor is that show was the fave of acidheads. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/73 "2009-05-01T15:42:41Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > If you mean still creeps me the fuck out, yes. _Damn. Somebody stole my sneakers._ ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/74 "2009-05-01T15:48:13Z")
> [@maplekiwi](#): > > I loved Bewitched as a child, but I’m sure it would seem dated & tacky now. If you have Darrin #1 playing off of Endora, it can still be funny as hell. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/75 "2009-05-01T15:49:52Z")
> [@Alastair\_Moonsong](#): > > Oh my god I remember that episode. I saw it YEARS ago, prolly mid-90’s or so, and that episode TERRIFIED me! That episode, and no other! And to this day it stands as the only movie, TV show, videogame, or any other form of cinematic entertainment to actually scare me! > > I mean come on! It almost ate Hadji! And Bandit! It was invisible and it would eat you!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: > > I’m glad I’m not the only one who remembers that. You both just brought back a memory I hoped was gone forever. Same exact reaction to my 11 year old self. [As in \] ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/76 "2009-05-01T16:17:42Z")
**Maplekiwi** - My room-mate the DVD sets for the first two seasons of this show. Those episodes hold up very well. The FX are a little dated, but the stories are imaginatively written, and the cast is excellent (especially the first Mrs. Kravitz.) I would guess that the later episodes don’t stand up as well though. Shows I don’t think I’d be as interested in now: Eight is Enough Happy Days That’s Incredible! Fantasy Island And for Saturday morning fare: the Herculoids Elektra-woman & Dyna-girl Shazam!/Isis Josie & the Pussycats in Outer Space And while this is probably a controversial choice - “Twin Peaks”. At the time it came out, it’s film-production standards and insane soap opera topics seemed brilliantly original. But in the 20 years since, it’s format has been copied to the point of being standard - and what sticks out is the goofy trying-too-hard weirdness and pointless, go nowhere storylines. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/77 "2009-05-01T16:29:18Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Rumor is that show (Banana Splits) was the fave of acidheads. Wouldn’t surprise me one bit. Drooper was clearly a stoner, after all. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/78 "2009-05-01T18:40:44Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > Oh the horror! Definitely the most frightening thing I ever watched when I was a kid, gave me nightmares for a long time and can still gives me chills. The opening really packs a punch even today. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9nRwWAggPk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9nRwWAggPk) There goes my lunch hour. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/79 "2009-05-01T19:17:49Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > DuckTales. It is on DVD, and I’ve debated buying it. I have the first two volumes on DVD and it is as awesome as it ever was. (Note that the five-episode pilot _The Treasure of the Golden Suns_ is inexplicably in Volume 2.) I also have two volumes of Animaniacs on DVD, and while the good stuff is _really_ good, there is a surprising amount of chaff mixed in that you have to sift through. Dukes of Hazzard is definitely the one that, when watched in reruns, I was shocked that I ever liked the show. I was only a year old when it first aired, though. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839/80 "2009-05-01T19:46:17Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > \ > I also have two volumes of Animaniacs on DVD, and while the good stuff is _really_ good, there is a surprising amount of chaff mixed in that you have to sift through. > \ Yes, I was very disappointed with the first volume. I remember them as much funnier. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-show-from-when-you-were-a-kid/494839.md?page=5)