Yes.
We have become our parents . remember when you were a teenager ? The very idea of watching PBS made you want to run like hell , fire up a joint and crank up Janet Joplin to ear drum shattering levels
No...wait..that was just me.
Feel free to disregard that shared moment of my life. It's probably better for all of us that way.
Last nights was an episode that I haven't seen and even though I knew it was a rerun ( big clue...Robert Culp is dead) , I had to watch it . I was and will always be a huge fan of George Reeves. Hell, I wanted to be Noel Neil and marry the dude. I prefer Ms. Neil to Phyllis Thaxter..Ms Thaxter was mean and bitchy to Jimmy Olson aka Jack Larson...so pfft to you honey !
Then there was Wonder Woman. I know that it was ground breaking for the late 1970's and Women's Lib, at least in Lynda Carters mind. Personally I think the series lasted as long as it did because of the Cher effect. My father could have cared less about the Sonny and Cher show but honey, let me tell ya...when Cher was on the house could have been on fire and he's still be focused on her navel amongst other attributes. It was cute for it's time and to a fan of comics , anything was better than nothing for scifi on TV. I do however draw the line at " Buck Rogers of the 25'th Century"..except for the Vampires in space episode...lets just say stoners everywhere remember that one.
Ah..Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby ...again classic . Major laugh till ya gotta pee moment...the revelation that Arhhhnnnnold was deemed "too short " for the role of the Hulk....bwahahahah.
And then....Oh yeah !
It's Mike Curb singing " Believe it or not , I'm walking on air , I never knew I could feel so free...."
OH HELLA YEAH !
" Greatest American Hero " !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
William Katt, Connie Selica , Robert Culp and Michael Pare !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I loved that show for so many reasons including but not limited to the fact that William Katt was sooo cute !
But it's more than that.
The premise of the series set the genre on it's ear.
I don't think there is a single person alive that hasn't wished, dreamt or imagined what it would be like to have some power or ability that set them apart from others . Failing that, I always felt that scads of money would make an acceptable substitute.
But lets look at it this way...the idea of a super hero has been presented in the following way : You are either an alien here to be a protector from another world as in Superman or the victim of science gone sideways such as Spiderman , Hulk or Flash or an anti social vigilante such as Batman. Depending on who you are , you know your mission statement and how to go about doing it.
But what if you got it wrong ?
What if you screwed it up ?
What if it was not what you wanted at all ?
Enter Ralph Hinkley.
I wrote a paper in college about this variation of the Hero myth.
Heroes are not defined by their victories and savior like moments of greater good.
Heroes are defined by their limitations , challenges and obstacles regardless of personal cost. They are defined by the manner in which they overcome these conditions and more often than not them selves in order to meet the requirements for the desired outcome .
The character of Ralph Hinkley was an everyman who went from WTF is all this and you've made a mistake to Ralph Hinkley who made if not a difference, at least an effort.
And yes..sadly..the costume still sucked , but that was the only criticism I've ever had.
Now, go and try to get that song out of your head.
You're welcome.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
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