Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

The Nineteen Eighties was a bizarre decade stuffed with neon, hairspray, Rubik’s Cubes, Cabbage Patch Children, parachute pants, and extra. That peculiarity seeped into the media produced throughout that decade as effectively. Are you able to think about every other level in historical past the place motion pictures like Breakin’ 2: Electrical Boogaloo or Gymkata would even be made, not to mention launched? That does not imply tv will get a go: Nineteen Eighties TV has greater than its share of oddities, too, like Turbo Teen or Rubik, the Wonderful Dice. Honestly, selecting the weirdest TV exhibits of the Nineteen Eighties is like observing a tank stuffed with goldfish and deciding on your favourite, however let’s give it a go.

RELATED: 10 Underrated Horror Motion pictures From The Nineteen Eighties (And The place To Watch Them)

COLLIDER VIDEO OF THE DAY

Manimal (1983)

Picture through NBC

Sequence creator Glen A. Larson had his hand throughout Nineteen Eighties tv, with profitable exhibits like Magnum P.I. and Knight Rider padding his resume. At a measly eight-episode run, Manimal is decidedly not a type of. It facilities on Jonathan Chase (Simon MacCorkindale), a person who aids the police in fixing crimes. He does this because of his shape-shifting talents which permit Chase to rework into any animal he chooses. He would have made a small fortune as a one-man zoo, however combating crime is noble. So the subsequent time you see Fido, remember that he might not be a canine in any respect.

Misfits of Science (1985-1986)

Picture through Common Tv

Maybe finest often known as considered one of Courteney Cox’s first tv appearing gigs, Misfits of Science did handle to web 16 episodes (15 that made it to air) earlier than being pulled. The premise is fairly straight-forward: Dr. Billy Hayes (Dean Paul Martin) assembles a staff of individuals with “human anomalies,” and collectively they do stuff (plots embody one episode the place the staff helps seniors who develop super-powers from consuming irradiated hamburgers, so yeah … “stuff”). The staff consists of Dr. Elvin “El” Lincoln (Kevin Peter Corridor), who has the power to shrink; Johnny “Johnny B” Bukowski (Mark Thomas Miller), a rock and roll musician who develops electrical powers; and telekinetic teenager Gloria Dinallo (Cox, seemingly the one one within the forged with solely two names), who can solely use her powers on issues she will see.

Automan (1983-1984)

Picture through twentieth Century Fox Tv

One other miss from creator Larson that went a grand whole of 13 episodes (however like Misfits, one by no means made it to air), Automan stars Desi Arnaz Jr. as Walter Nebicher, a cop/laptop programmer who has created a crime-fighting synthetic intelligence that may escape the pc into actual life as “Otto J. Mann” (Chuck Wagner), a hologram that works with Nebicher at night time. Normally two separate beings, the 2 may merge into one. They had been aided by Cursor, a floating “factor” that had the power to “draw” bodily objects into actuality, most frequently the Autocar. The idea is not even the weirdest factor about it. That honor goes to Otto, who seems like somebody put a Ken doll’s head on a personality from Tron.

Max Headroom (1987-1988)

The primary collection on the listing to final two seasons. (Do not get too labored up about it. It is nonetheless solely 14 episodes, with one which … take a wild guess… did not make it to air!) Max Headroom, which can quickly be getting a reboot, exists in a derelict future the place tv networks rule the world. Solely a handful of non-television expertise even exists anymore, with tv having superior to a state the place it could actually monitor individuals’s actions and ideas. However one man fights the system: Edison Carter (Matt Frewer), a journalist who uncovers unethical truths concerning the oligarchy and depends on a staff to air these truths exterior the system. Max Headroom is definitely a pc reconstruction of Carter, who exhibits up primarily as comedian aid. If the title is acquainted, congratulations — you too are the “New Coke” technology! Come to consider it, Max Headroom (who is not truly a pc, simply Frewer in make-up, prosthetics and a plastic go well with to present the phantasm) truly appeared in commercials for New Coke, with the catchphrase “Catch the Wave!”

Road Hawk (1985)

Picture through Common Tv

Why give a synopsis when the narrative delivered initially of every of Road Hawk’s 14 episodes explains all of it so significantly better? That is Jesse Mach (Rex Smith), an ex-motorcycle cop, injured within the line of obligation. Now a police troubleshooter, he is been recruited for a high secret authorities mission to trip Road Hawk — an all-terrain assault motorbike designed to battle city crime, able to unbelievable speeds as much as 300 miles an hour, and immense firepower. Just one man, federal agent Norman Tuttle, is aware of Jesse Mach’s true identification. The person … the machine … Road Hawk. You possibly can’t make these items up.

Small Surprise (1985-1989)

Ted Lawson (Dick Christie), robotics engineer, has developed an android that appears like a 10-year-old lady. Lawson brings the android, known as V.I.C.I. (an acronym for Voice Enter Little one Identicant, aka “Vicki” (Tiffany Brissette)), house in order that it could actually study to reside inside a household. To keep away from suspicion, Vicki is given a backstory as an orphaned member of the family — albeit one with tremendous energy, tremendous pace, an AC outlet, and an information port — that the Lawson’s undertake as their very own. Hilarity and excessive jinks ensue as Vicki learns human habits, takes issues too actually, and completely mimics different individuals’s voices! One way or the other, this epitome of tacky TV lasted 4 seasons and 96 episodes, lengthy sufficient that a proof needed to be created for Vicki as Brissette aged.

The Powers of Matthew Star (1982-1983)

Picture through CBS

The Powers of Matthew Star is, total, about one Matthew “E’Hawke” Star (Peter Barton), an alien prince from Qaudris who makes use of his powers to battle crime and keep away from assassins. Oddly, Matthew Star is principally two completely different collection in a single. The primary half of its 22 episodes element Star’s life as a teen in high-school, doing all of the high-school issues whereas avoiding alien brokers and creating his telekinetic talents. The again half grew to become an journey collection, the place Star was given authorities assignments, with all references to high-school and high-school pals dropped altogether and a brand new set of powers immediately developed. It isn’t fairly.

Jennifer Slept Right here (1983-1984)

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A one-time well-known actress, Jennifer Farrell (Ann Jillian), is killed when an ice-cream truck runs her over. (That should have been fairly the information scoop.) Six years later, the Elliot household transfer into her house, solely she hasn’t left. The ghostly Jennifer haunts the home, however solely makes herself seen to Joey (John P. Navin, Jr.), the teenage boy of the household, who she befriends. Naturally, nobody believes Joey’s claims of Jennifer’s existence and conclude that Joey wants psychiatric assist. Certain, Jan Brady (Eve Plumb) could make up fictional boyfriend “George Glass,” and nobody suggests she wants a psychiatrist. Not cool, Nineteen Eighties, not cool.

Sledge Hammer! (1986-1988)

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A hybrid of Police Squad! and Soiled Harry, with a protagonist that is thick as a put up however armed like Rambo, might be one of the best ways to explain Sledge Hammer! The satirical cop sitcom stars David Rasche as Inspector Sledge Hammer, whose finest buddy is the Magnum .44 that by no means leaves his facet. By no means. He is a cop that lives by the motto “shoot first.” And “shoot second.” Additionally, “shoot third, fourth, and fifth.” In all probability “shoot sixth” too. Not seventh although. Except he reloads, however then it simply turns into ridiculous.

Slim Goodbody The Inside Story (1980)

From 1976-1980, Jim Burstein appeared as his alter-ego Slim Goodbody, the “Superhero of Well being,” twice every week on Captain Kangaroo. Response to the character was constructive, so PBS gave Burstein the possibility to do a present on the station. That present, Slim Goodbody: The Inside Story, might have solely lasted 10 episodes, however Slim Goodbody continued to show kids about well being and anatomy for years afterward. Certain, that does not sound bizarre in any respect, proper? It isn’t, however what’s? A freakish flesh-colored unitard displaying all the interior organs of their rightful locations. That’s bizarre.

Good Strangers (1986-1993)

Picture through ABC

It isn’t completely truthful to name the favored sitcom Good Strangers bizarre, however Bronson Pinchot’s Balki Bartokomous, a shepherd from the fictional jap Mediterranean island of Mypos, actually is. The collection chronicles the connection between Balki and his American cousin Larry (Mark Linn-Baker), who permits Balki to maneuver into his new Chicago condo and intends to assist Balki study all about American life. And Balki wants it, as the one data he has of America is what he is picked up from pop-culture. Balki teaches Larry about his tradition as effectively, particularly the wild “Dance of Pleasure” to have a good time luck.

Pee-wee’s Playhouse (1986-1990)

Picture through CBS

If Pee-wee Herman, the child-like creation of Paul Reubens, then you understand how odd this present is. For those who do not, there is no approach to describe the present. It must be seen to be believed, however, rattling, it is value it! It is a live-action child’s comedy with Pee-wee enjoying in his Playhouse, which is situated in Puppetland. There is a speaking chair named Chairry (Alison Mork), a child pteranodon named Pteri (John Paragon), Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne — sure, that Laurence Fishburne), Reba the Mail Woman (S. Epatha Merkerson), recurring gags, animated sequences … actually, it is so delightfully bizarre that it’s just about not possible to explain. Weekly excessive level: the “secret phrase of the day” which when stated throws an already chaotic playhouse into much more chaos.

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