MovieChat Forums > The Time Tunnel (1966) Discussion > IRWIN ALLEN almost killed sci-fi

IRWIN ALLEN almost killed sci-fi

posted 15 years ago by jimmyberluti1
14 replies | jump to latest

These 60's shows Time Tunnel, Lost in Space, Voyage to the bottom of the sea, Land of the Giants...what am I missing.?
They have got to be the worst scifi shows ever made. They all became the cheapest monster of the week they shared monster costumes between the shows.
But I do remeber that Voyage Sea and Lost in space in the first season wasn't to bad then they all went downhill to the cheap monster of the week.
These made 60's Batman look like the greatest work of harlen Ellison.

I thought i may have missed some subtle things when i was first saw these at the age of 16, but after rewathing them now NOPE they are as stupid as the Beverly Hillbillys.,

Comments?

[–] ddc300 15 years ago

Comments? Well, for starters your grammar is HORRENDOUS! Learn to friggin' spell!

Secondly, while I agree that Irwin Allen's series went downhill after their first seasons, in retrospect, they are not as vapid or lame as many Sci-Fi series that came after them like "The Six Million Dollar Man", "Space 1999", or "Logan's Run". Yes, Irwin's shows had their fair share of stupid and dopey episodes, but even their worst episodes were saved by (1) good music scores or (2) a great guest star, so they weren't totally w/o some entertainment value.

Irwin Allen can best be described as a rather inconsistent producer of unique science fiction series.

[–] ikinmoore 15 years ago

I never like Irwin Allen's productions as they were cheap and did not have the same entertainment value as say "The Man from Uncle".

But I do have a very soft spot for Time Tunnel. I love history and to put this into a Si-fi series was, at the time, rather clever. The only problem I had with Time Tunnel was there was no humour or comedy involve. It was all dead serious. Hence I am not a Si-fi fan of any other programme either then or now.

The best films are made in an intelligent format.

[–] HijodelCid 15 years ago

Allen had clever ideas that he did not develop adequately because he had erratic judgment, uncertain taste and a lack of concern for believability.

God is subtle, but He is not malicious. (Albert Einstein)

[–] rglasby 15 years ago

When I was about 11 or 12 I loved the TT - watching it again now though it looks unbelievably cheap.

The scripts weren't very good - Doug & Tony were always in the same clothes (which never got ripped) and always clean shaved.

I loved how 20th century scientists were able to out sword-fight 15th century Mongols.

The action was very badly done - at least Batman accepted that kind of fighting is more comedy than anything else.

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was better but not much.

Better sci-fi shows did follow like to incomparable Star Trek and Space 1999 and also the underrated Blake's 7 but there were some awful ones too like Bermuda Triangle, The Man from Atlantis and Logan's Run.

[–] ddc300 15 years ago

The premise of 'Space:1999' sucked! I mean if the moon were to be blasted out of Earth's orbit it wouldn't even make it out of our solar system. The two strongest objects gravitation-wise are the Sun and Jupiter. Likely the moon would've careened into either of them before it could leave our solar system. The science of '1999' was pathetic.....The better Gerry Anderson show was 'UFO' (and not surprisingly it is being considered for a remake movie this in a year or so).

[–] OldTrekker 8 years ago

That and the fact that the now wandering moon has to pass by a new alien planet every week.

[–] seashellz 15 years ago

Planet of the Apes was pretty lame, too (TV)

[–] ddc300 15 years ago

Ugh! A pointless and un-inspired series. Just 20th-Fox trying to rake in more $$$. By the time the series was made, POTA as a franchise was already on life-support.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] HijodelCid 14 years ago

'tis a sour bitter irony indeed that someone who liked science fiction as much as IA obviously did was so bad at it; imagine if he had put his grubby claws on the classics of such as Asimov and Heinlein.
God is subtle, but He is not malicious. (Albert Einstein)

[–] Clintessence 14 years ago

Interesting to note the difference in quality of "Lost In Space" and "Star Trek", both of which were being produced at the same time. "Star Tek" was light years ahead (pun intended).

[–] Steyr808 13 years ago

I loved them all as a kid.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] davidbdr-1 9 years ago

TV, then, just as now is a product of its time. Mass appeal is always the money maker. Star Trek, while superior to most shows of that era, fought for its life every year it originally aired. Lost In Space, Batman and the CBS hillbilly shows were hugely popular in their time.