1. The Outer Limits
This was proper science fiction, not just ray guns. Each week, a new tale, often grim, often unsettling, pulling you into strange worlds right there in your living room. The black-and-white photography lent a real starkness to those creature designs, making them truly memorable. And it wasn't afraid to make you think, which was rare for a weekly broadcast then. A genuine classic of the anthology format, still chilling.
2. The Fugitive
A man on the run, relentlessly pursued, week after week. This wasn't your usual episodic fare; there was a continuous thread, a quest for justice that kept you glued to the screen. David Janssen had that haunted look perfect for the role, and the black-and-white only heightened the sense of desperation. It proved that a continuing story could truly captivate a national audience. Real television drama, this was.
3. The Prisoner
Now this was something else entirely. Patrick McGoohan, trapped in that village, constantly battling unseen forces. It was bewildering, provocative, and utterly unique for its time. Not a typical weekly adventure, but a serialized mind-game that dared to be different. The imagery, even on smaller sets, was striking, lending to that unsettling, dreamlike quality. You finished each episode wondering what on earth they'd pull next.
4. Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Darrin McGavin as Carl Kolchak, chasing down monsters and the supernatural in a trench coat. It had a gritty, almost journalistic feel to it, even as he was encountering vampires and ghouls. Each week presented a new, self-contained mystery, often with a darkly humorous edge. It showed you could do genre television with a bit of a bite, and it was certainly atmospheric for a network show. A real standout.
5. Soap
Well, this one certainly stirred the pot! A sitcom, but played like a daytime drama, with cliffhangers and outrageous storylines that went on and on. It was a bold experiment in serialized comedy, pushing the boundaries of what you could show and say on primetime. The cast was tremendous, delivering those melodramatic lines with perfect comedic timing. And it proved that even comedy could benefit from a long, winding narrative.
