1. Naked City
Well now, *Naked City*, the 1958 version. You truly felt the pavement of New York underfoot, didn't you? This wasn't some backlot hokum; it was raw, on-location drama, shot in stark black and white. Each episode, a self-contained little movie, brought you right into the lives of ordinary folks and the cops trying to keep the peace. It showed television could be more than just studio sets; it could capture the very heartbeat of a bustling metropolis. A fine procedural.
2. The Outer Limits
Now, *The Outer Limits*, from '63. It gave you goosebumps, didn't it? This was science fiction that aimed for your brain as much as your gut, often with a creature that looked like it walked right out of a nightmare. And the narration, it always set such a mood. But it wasn't just about the monsters; it questioned what it meant to be human. A real thinking man's anthology, shot in that crisp, moody black and white. Quite experimental for its day.
3. The Prisoner
Ah, *The Prisoner* from '67. Now *that* was something altogether different. A man wakes up in a mysterious village, no name, just a number. And every week, you're trying to figure out who's in charge, and why. It was a proper head-scratcher, with that fellow Patrick McGoohan constantly battling the system. And that Rover thing! It felt like one long, peculiar film, broken into weekly installments. They certainly weren't afraid to be unique with that one.
4. East Side/West Side
*East Side/West Side*, with George C. Scott in '63. Well, this one ruffled some feathers, I tell you. It tackled real-world problems head-on, like poverty and racial tensions, not shying away from the difficult questions. Scott played that social worker with such conviction; you believed every word. Filmed in gritty black and white, it felt more like a documentary at times than your average drama. A bold, brave show, though perhaps a bit too stark for some audiences back then.
5. Have Gun, Will Travel
*Have Gun, Will Travel*, first rode onto screens in '57. Richard Boone as Paladin, a man of letters and a quick draw, quite the sophisticated hero for a Western. Each week, he'd take on a new challenge, often resolving things with his mind as much as his Colt. It established a strong, consistent character across many self-contained tales. And in black and white, the shadows and dust of the Old West looked mighty authentic. A classic example of early episodic television done right.
6. Route 66
*Route 66* from 1960, now that was an adventure. Two young men, Tod and Buz, just driving across America in that Corvette, looking for themselves and finding all sorts of fascinating stories along the way. Every town brought a new cast of characters and a new dilemma. It didn't have a grand overarching plot, but the continuous journey gave it a unique feel. It captured the open road spirit beautifully, all in striking black and white photography. Quite the travelogue drama.
