It is still hot outside, the kids are home, and it would be nice to watch some TV together and take a break. What to watch? Here are another few suggestions for some retro programming that your geeklets and you might actually enjoy.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
Originally aired – 1983
Now, you can experience the magic of hearing He-Man proclaim “By the power of Greyskull!” all over again, thanks to this collection of episodes from the first season of “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.” Join Prince Adam/He-Man as he mounts the fearless Battlecat and, aided by his loyal cohorts Man at Arms, Teela and Orko (who was voiced by producer Lou Scheimer to keep costs down), clashes with Skeletor and his crew of devilish villains.
I must admit, growing up I was never a big He-Man fan. My little one is big into superheroes, so I thought he might enjoy it. He-Man is great time killer. We both sat and watched the adventures of this magical sword-toting Conan copycat for the first time and really enjoyed it. Two full seasons containing 39 episodes are available now on DVD.
The Geeklet says, “Where are his eyes? The skeleton guy does not have any eyes.”
The Muppet Show
Originally aired – 1976
Jim Henson’s timeless family series puts you behind the scenes of “The Muppet Show,” a puppet-produced variety revue that boasts singing, dancing and regular guest stars. Splitting his time between managing the show’s haphazard cast and crew, calming nervous celebrities and dodging the advances of the persistent Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog works to put on the “most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational” show on television.
What can I say about The Muppet Show that hasn’t been said a million times? This is like writing a literary review of the Bible. I mainly just want to remind our readers that it is available and worth your time. After watching the first season again with my kids, it made me feel really old. My kids have no idea who the guests are and themes of the episodes fly over their heads. However, the show is still hilarious and there are plenty of funny Muppet moments that are classic. The first three seasons, of the shows full five season run, are available on DVD.
The Geeklet says, “Breakfast must be over, because the bacon just ran out.” – This is actually from the Muppets in Space movie, but my five-year-old repeats that quote every time he sees Ms. Piggy.
The Addams Family
Originally aired – 1964
Join Gomez (John Astin), Morticia (Carolyn Jones), Uncle Fester (Jackie Coogan), Pugsley (Ken Weatherwax) and Wednesday (Lisa Loring) for some twisted fun in this classic series. Whether they’re picnicking at a cemetery or raising carnivorous plants, the macabre family celebrates life — and never understands why visitors are terrified. The towering butler Lurch (Ted Cassidy), hair-ball Cousin Itt and helping hand “Thing” round out the ghoulish clan.
My personal favorite of the two horror themed comedy television shows of the 1960’s, the second being the Munsters. What a great show. We have been fortunate enough to be able to watch these lately on cable. My children love the craziness of what the Addams do on a daily basis. The movies that came out in the past few years are a little too dark for my children, but the television show is harmless enough. Black and white television never looked so good. Two seasons are available across 3 volumes of DVDs.
The Geeklet says, “Can we have a Frankenstein butler?”
I hope you enjoy these reviews and I will have more to follow soon. All pictures and quotes are from Netflix.
