Wandering Through The Shelves made me put my thinking cap on but I think I came up with 3 that work so here we go...
1. THE PRISONER-1967
I saw this show before I watched Secret Agent Man starring Patrick McGowan as a debonair spy who never kissed the girl( he actually had this in his contract because he only felt he could kiss his wife, which is kind of nice). This series starts where he quits his job and wants to leave but is gassed and wakes up in the village. He is only known as #6 as he tries to figure out who he is, why he is in this village and why he is prevented from leaving. When he tries, via the water, this big white bubble comes along and envelops him. You are treated to a cat and mouse game as the higher ups try to gain info from him. It's an excellent series that has received cult status and rightly so.
2. STAR TREK-THE PARADISE SYNDROME-1968
So, this is just one episode in the original series but Star Trek liked this type of format which was used in The Next Generation and even in the movies. This is one episode that seems a bit out of the norm because it seems to be more about Kirk's life with the Native Americans on a distant planet than about alien planets. Kirk, Spock & McCoy beam down on a planet that is in the direct path of a huge asteroid and will be destroyed unless the 3 can do something to stop it. They find this strange obelisk and before you can say, Kirk's a jerk, Kirk lands into the obelisk and gets his brain fried enough to forget who he was. Spock & McCoy have to get back to the ship leaving Kirk behind. When these pretty Indian maidens come to the obelisk to pay respect, out comes Kirk. Believing he is a God, they bring him to their tribe and he seems to prove it when he saves a drowned kid. Kirk and the prettiest maiden fall in love, marry and she becomes pregnant. It goes on from there. I found this episode not the most popular but I have always liked it for the gentle manner of this one episode.
3. QUANTUM LEAP- 1989-1993
I am watching the remake and, although not as good as this original, I don't hate it like so many do. The original stars Scott Bakula as the brainiac Sam who decides to go it alone into his machine and gets pulled into other people's lives without knowing where he is, who he is and why he is there. On top of it all, his brain has become jumbled and ge can't recall who he truly is. Al, played wonderfully by Dean Stockwell, is the only one who connects with him from his present and tries to help him figure out what Sam is supposed to do to help the person he has inhabited. Everyone sees the person but we see Scott Bacula even when he plays a woman. The only time we see the person he inhabits is when he looks in the mirror. I loved watching this show for the different plot lines, some dramatic and others quite comedic. We also get a chance to see how talented Bacula is as a singer when he did a version of Man of La Mancha. It's quite a great show and worth checking out.
What shows can you think of with amnesiacs?
Hi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thursday and happy new year, dear friend!
As I am sure you know, amnesia is a common device on soap operas and other scripted TV shows and movies. I never saw the British spy-fi TV series The Prisoner, but will look for it on Brit Box. Mrs. Shady and I recently subscribed to the service and he "hogs" it day and night watching Agatha Christie's Marple, Agatha Christie's Poirot, Father Brown Mysteries, Are You Being Served, Keeping Up Appearances, etc. (I wanna watch something educational like Benny Hill.) Your tidbit about Patrick McGoohan, who plays Number Six on The Prisoner, interests me and reminds me of another actor, Neal McDonough, who plays villain Damien Darhk in the three superhero TV series I watch - Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and The Flash. "Listen" to what Wiki says about Neal, who is a devout Catholic: "He has stated that he refuses to perform sex or kissing scenes because of his faith and respect for his wife. He said he was fired from the TV series Scoundrels for his refusal to perform sex scenes."
I was not a regular viewer of Star Trek but, if it counts for anything, I never missed an episode of The Practice or Boston Legal that featured Denny Crane. Denny was known for having quite a few "senior moments." I watched a review of this Star Trek episode, "The Paradise Syndome," and it gets picked apart pretty badly. I noticed a mention of "Tahiti Syndrome," (Wiki) "a condition in which a person suffers a feeling of dissatisfaction despite having achieved all their dreams," usually associated with high achievers like the captains of starships. I'm going to double down and insist that this Star Trek episode is based on the 1958 Zsa Zsa Gabor flick Queen of Outer Space in which the crew of a space ship lands on Venus and discovers that it is inhabited by man-hungry vixens led by Zsa Zsa.
I also was not a regular viewer of Quantum Leap starring Scott Dracula (correct spelling), but I have seen the actor in several subsequent roles including the NBC series Chuck, NCIS, and playing himself in What We Do in the Shadows, the latter one of the best and most outrageous comedy series ever.
All I can think of in this category are the DC Comics superhero shows I mentioned in which characters occasionally have their memories completely wiped clean by AIDA and other villains, and the above mentioned sitcom What We Do in the Shadows in which the vampires routinely cast spells on people and give them amnesia.
Happy new Year to you, your hubby and my good buddy Harley, dear friend BB, and thank you again for your friendship and support through the years!
Happy New Year Shady! I hope it was nice even if it was quiet.
DeleteI know that actor from Red 2. He usually plays villains. I like Patrick who starred many times on Columbo and even directed a couple of episodes. The Prisoner is like a cat and mouse game...a game of wits. It's different but I love it.
I love Scott Dracula and i would love to see Shadows. It looks so good. I'm glad you enjoyed my picks. Have a great rest of the day.
I can't think of any. Must be amnesia, lol.
ReplyDeleteThis was a tough week. Happy New Year
DeleteI'm sure I've seen that Star Trek episode at some point. While I've never been huge into Trek myself, my parents always watched it, then I married a Trekkie. I'm sure it's been on lol
ReplyDeleteIt probably has been...lol
DeleteI watched the first episode of the Quantum Leap reboot. I didn't hate it, but it didn't interest me--probably because I liked the original so much. It's hard to beat Dean Stockwell and Scott Bakula. I'm having a hard time thinking of anything with an amnesiac other than that show. Oh! How about The Bourne Identity?
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
yes...Bacula & Stockwell were a great team. Bourne Identity is perfect
DeleteI thought The Prisoner was great - though very confusing!
ReplyDeleteit is and, yes, it can be confusing. I watched it more than once
DeleteGood choices. I did love Quantum Leap back in the day. I have recorded the reboot, but I have yet to watch an episode.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that comes to mind is a terrible TV movie that I just rewatched a couple days ago. And I'm not going to name it as I'm rather ashamed I watched it.
I've seen a bit of the remake of The Prisoner with Ian Mckellan.
ReplyDeleteI grew up watching or at least my parents watched Quantum Leap, I remember nothing. I do know there is a remake, and hope to see it.
You young'in..lol. It's a great series so I hope you see it.
DeleteGood choices!
ReplyDeleteLove Quantum Leap, just watched the entire series this year. The other two are terrific series as well.
Almost every series seems to do one of these episodes. I came up with these three.
The first three I could think of are The Nanny when Fran has amnesia and thinks she's married to Maxwell and ends up in the tub with him much to his initial horror. Then the Gilligan's Island when Mary Ann fell and woke up thinking she was Ginger (and cut all her gowns to fit....which miraculously were back to their original length the next week!) The third would be on Laverne & Shirley when Shirl falls down some stairs, forgets herself and believes she's a stripper named Roxy.
I, too, watched Quantum Leap this year too. I never watched The Nanny too many times but love Gilligan's Island and know that episode well. They brought enough clothes and jewels(Mrs. Howell) to last a lifetime but Skipper, Gilligan and the Prof. only had that one set of clothes...lol. I used to always watch Laverne & Shirley but don't recall that episode.
DeleteHappy New year!
"While you were sleeping"
ReplyDeleteThe original Quantam Leap was shown a few months back. It was fun watching it again, especially with the Husband, who is a sci fi fan but never saw it before. Happy New Year, Birgit!
ReplyDelete