Cliffhangers! 1979

[KGeo777]

Short-lived show that was modeled on serials--so there were three different stories in a single episode. Created by Kenneth Johnson of V and The Incredible Hulk.
I missed the final episode (it did not air in North America).
Fortunately someone video-taped it from a European broadcast and the episodes found their way online.
Very bad video quality but good enough. The music for the finale of the Dracula segment was done by Les Baxter.

Episode 1:

 

[BAYLOR]

Short-lived show that was modeled on serials--so there were three different stories in a single episode. Created by Kenneth Johnson of V and The Incredible Hulk.
I missed the final episode (it did not air in North America).
Fortunately someone video-taped it from a European broadcast and the episodes found their way online.
Very bad video quality but good enough. The music for the finale of the Dracula segment was done by Les Baxter.

Episode 1:

Yes ! I remember And loved that show ! . No , the final episode didn't air in the US at all. The stupid didn't to broadcast the final episode of the one season which have tied up some of the story lines ! Ive never seen it on dvd.

 

[BAYLOR]

The Secret Empire segment was a reboot of the 1935 twelve part movie serial The Phantom Empire which was produced by Mascot Pictures and starred Gene Autry as himself.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

I remember this odd little show. The weird decision to start the "serials" elsewhere than at what would normally be the apparent beginning -- that is, the first story started, supposedly, at "Chapter Two," the others at "Chapter Three" and "Chapter Four" -- may have aided its demise. A typical viewer might have tuned in and then thought "Oh, I missed the start. Might as well change the channel."

 

[BAYLOR]

I remember this odd little show. The weird decision to start the "serials" elsewhere than at what would normally be the apparent beginning -- that is, the first story started, supposedly, at "Chapter Two," the others at "Chapter Three" and "Chapter Four" -- may have aided its demise. A typical viewer might have tuned in and then thought "Oh, I missed the start. Might as well change the channel."

It was a fun show to watch , I wish the Network had given this show more of a chance.

 

[KGeo777]

I heard it was put opposite Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley which was bad for its longevity chances.
The narration and segmented aspect was the best part.
"Will Jim Donner escape? Has Thorval succeeded in his plan? Join us next week for the exciting answers to this and other questions, in Chapter 10, ...."

 

[BAYLOR]

I heard it was put opposite Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley which was bad for its longevity chances.
The narration and segmented aspect was the best part.
"Will Jim Donner escape? Has Thorval succeeded in his plan? Join us next week for the exciting answers to this and other questions, in Chapter 10, ...."

We could use a another series like this.

 

[KGeo777]

It showed a lot of enthusiasm. I thought The Secret Empire ended well (they see a spaceship and guess it is a shooting star). I have been watching old serials recently (Flash Gordon is next) and I could appreciate the things they did that matched the old ones in imagination and tempo.
It was surprising that Jay "Dr. Shrinker" Robinson was the good brother and Mark Lenard was the bad one, I would have expected them to switch roles.

 

[BAYLOR]

It showed a lot of enthusiasm. I thought The Secret Empire ended well (they see a spaceship and guess it is a shooting star). I have been watching old serials recently (Flash Gordon is next) and I could appreciate the things they did that matched the old ones in imagination and tempo.
It was surprising that Jay "Dr. Shrinker" Robinson was the good brother and Mark Lenard was the bad one, I would have expected them to switch roles.

I remember Jay Robinson, he also played Emperor Caligula in The Robe, he was great in that role.

I also recommend The old Phanton Empire movie series . Its hokey and silly and cringeworthy in some places and it does have Gene Autry the Singing Cowboy. But it's actual fun to watch.

 

[KGeo777]

I was able to ask Kenneth Johnson about the show and plans for a second season-he said they did intend to do 3 new segments. One of the ideas was a female Zorro (funny enough--I have been going through the history of Zorro in cinema and the next one in the list is Zorro's Black Whip which is a female Zorro).
But they also saw it as a potential ideas factory where the segments might be spun off into series of their own.
He said what killed the show was it was pitted against Happy Days/ Laverne and Shirley.

He's glad to know people remember it and said very few people saw the final episode.
I mentioned that one of the show's advantages was that it took the fantasy seriously--the only segment that was semi-humorous was the Susan Williams one--and that isn't supernatural fantasy. Dracula is taken seriously--and by 1979 he was becoming a parody figure--so it's unusual that they did take it so straight. I said that even Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark had more "we know this silly" attitude.
He said with the Hulk he wanted to make it more serious so that adults wouldn't roll their eyes about it.

 

[BAYLOR]

I was able to ask Kenneth Johnson about the show and plans for a second season-he said they did intend to do 3 new segments. One of the ideas was a female Zorro (funny enough--I have been going through the history of Zorro in cinema and the next one in the list is Zorro's Black Whip which is a female Zorro).
But they also saw it as a potential ideas factory where the segments might be spun off into series of their own.
He said what killed the show was it was pitted against Happy Days/ Laverne and Shirley.

He's glad to know people remember it and said very few people saw the final episode.
I mentioned that one of the show's advantages was that it took the fantasy seriously--the only segment that was semi-humorous was the Susan Williams one--and that isn't supernatural fantasy. Dracula is taken seriously--and by 1979 he was becoming a parody figure--so it's unusual that they did take it so straight. I said that even Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark had more "we know this silly" attitude.
He said with the Hulk he wanted to make it more serious so that adults wouldn't roll their eyes about it.

I saw two versions of the ending of Dracula, one in which he dies and the second one which he pulled out the stake and lived and got away. I liked ending where he lived because Michale Nouri's Dracula was likable.

 

[KGeo777]

I saw two versions of the ending of Dracula, one in which he dies and the second one which he pulled out the stake and lived and got away. I liked ending where he lived because Michale Nouri's Dracula was likable.

I didn't know that--that would explain why they were considering them for series.

 

[BAYLOR]

I didn't know that--that would explain why they were considering them for series.

They were showing on tv some years after in an edited movie format. I surprised to see this alt ending.