Irwin Allen, PT. 2
Welcome to Two Old Farts Talk Sci Fi.
This is our second episode of Season 6.
This season is “Two Old Farts Meet the Glass Teat”
The late great Harlan Ellison wrote a series of essays about TV for the LA Free Press. He referred to TV as a “Glass Teat.”
This is our all-TV season. We will look at shows from the 60s, through the 80s and beyond. The shows and the showrunners.
PT 1 of Irwin Allen looked primarily at
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and,
Lost in Space
PT 2 of Irwin Allen will look primarily at
The Time Tunnel, and,
Land of the Giants
Troy presents a history of Irwin Allen,
and the second two series we are looking at.
Here are some of the things that appear in most Irwin Allen
TV shows. These are his trademark elements that Troy mentions:
On set explosions
On set smoke and fires
Actors throwing themselves to-and-fro
to simulate turbulence and/or being under attack.
Being lost or stranded
Cool vehicles
Female hotties
Child actors
Animal companions
Nefarious villains
Walking vegetables
Use of stock footage
Great merchandise
And a similar design look / opening credits
The Time Tunnel only lasted one season, 30 – episodes.
How it all ends…
Troy and David come up with their own versions of how the Land of the Giants ended.. A lot of series, back in the day, never had an opportunity to plan their end. MASH was able to, and FRIENDS and SEINFELD and BIG BANG THEORY. What did happen to the crew of the Spindrift, according to Troy and David? Listen and find out.