Let's Do the Time Warp

I recently discovered that every Saturday my local cable station runs a marathon of 70's Saturday morning shows. I could barely contain my excitement when I caught the last 15 minutes of "Land of the Lost"and quickly dragged my kids in the room to see the 1970's state-of-the-art special effects. 

While my kids enjoy the modern conveniences of their personal Apple laptops, cell phones, texting their friends, X Box 360 and over 300 cable stations at their disposable (while constantly complaining that they are "bored"), those of us who were raised in the seventies had little more than the shows of wunder-producers Sid & Marty Krofft  ("Land of the Lost", "H.R. Puffinstuff", "The Bugaloos", etc.), Roller Skates and Pong to entertain us.

My kids sat, mesmerized by the crappy production value of "Land of the Lost," amazed at the complex plot that revolved around Marshall, Will, Holly and that sexy little ape-man "Chaka"as they tried to survive in their Styrofoam prehistoric land fending off giant claymation dinosaurs. Honestly, watching that 1972 episode of Land of the Lost made the Power Rangers look like a Steven Spielberg production. Also, is it me or does Chaka look like he's jacking off (or should I say "spanking the monkey" in the above picture? 

I like to compare my experience of watching television in the seventies to my parents having to "walk 5 miles barefoot in the snow" to school every day: Sure it was  tortuous, but looking back on it now somehow brings fond memories of sitting in front of my parents 400 lb. Zenith console television,  wearing footie pajamas that could erupt in flames at any second, while eating Quisp cereal and reveling in shows that were clearly written, produced and acted by people who were comletely high on cocaine. Case in point, "The Krofft Supershow. " When the intro to this show came on (right after the riveting end of "Land of the Lost") my kids mouths practically dropped to the floor. The glitter and satin were blinding. (click here for a link to the opening to the Krofft Supershow intro). It's ironic that this show first aired on September 11, 1976 (9/11 - a day of terror in more ways than one). Shockingly the Krofft Supershow only lasted one year. As for "Land of the Lost"? It is currently in production as a major motion picture starring Will Ferrell. I will be first in line.

-Val