1. Omnibus
Ah, 'Omnibus.' Now that was television with a capital 'T.' Sunday afternoons, live from New York, it was like a university course dropped right into your living room. From Shakespeare to science, music to history, they presented it all with such earnestness. You saw the thinking process, the performances, sometimes even the flubs. It was ambitious, truly, and showed what television could be beyond just entertainment, a proper forum for ideas. A proper program, that.
2. East Side/West Side
George C. Scott, playing a social worker in the concrete jungle. This show, it hit hard. Black and white, of course, which only made those gritty New York streets and the tough choices seem even starker. It pulled no punches, tackled things like poverty and racial tension head-on, which was rare for the time. And, well, it asked you to think, not just passively watch. A fine example of drama with real teeth, before everyone got so comfortable.
3. The Prisoner
Now, 'The Prisoner,' that was a real mind-bender. Patrick McGoohan, after his 'Secret Agent' run, gives us this fellow, Number Six, trapped in a seemingly idyllic village. But what *was* it all about? You never quite knew, and that was the point. It played with your head, certainly with mine. The continuity was a puzzle, not a clear path. And the allegories, they kept you guessing long after the credits rolled. Be seeing you.
4. Family
Before Spelling was all glitter and glam, he gave us 'Family.' This show, it was something else entirely. It explored the everyday lives of the Lawrence family, but didn't shy away from the heartache or the tough conversations. Marriages faltered, kids struggled with identity, and it felt real. It was one of those programs that let characters truly develop over weeks, over seasons, making you invest in their sorrows and their small triumphs. Good honest drama.
5. Blake's 7
British science fiction, and on a shoestring budget, you could tell. But 'Blake's 7,' it had a spirit. A band of rebels, more like anti-heroes really, fighting a totalitarian Federation across the stars. No shiny heroes or grand pronouncements here; it was bleak, often cynical, and characters died. And, well, it was a good yarn. It kept you coming back, wondering if they'd ever truly win, or if they'd just keep falling apart. A space opera with grit.
6. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Alec Guinness as George Smiley. This miniseries, it wasn't for the faint of heart or the short of attention span. It was a slow burn, a game of chess played out in hushed tones and smoky rooms. Every glance, every pause, it meant something. You had to lean in, listen to the clipped British accents, and pay attention to the long-form continuity, or you'd miss the whole bloody point. A masterclass in espionage, no explosions required. Just pure, unadulterated tension.
7. Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
Oh, 'Mary Hartman.' What a peculiar beast this was. A soap opera parody, but played completely straight, in black and white even, like some old melodrama. Mary was a housewife whose life was just one absurd crisis after another, from waxy yellow buildup to stolen chickens. It was hilariously dark, and it broke every rule of network television. Was it comedy? Was it tragedy? It was both, sometimes in the same breath. A true original, that one.
8. One Step Beyond
Before 'The Twilight Zone' came along, there was 'One Step Beyond.' John Newland, always so serious, would introduce these tales of the uncanny, the psychic, the unexplained. And, well, they always claimed they were based on 'documented fact.' Made you wonder, didn't it? Black-and-white photography made those eerie stories even more unsettling, particularly when they showed a ghostly figure or a premonition. A nice little chill, just before bed. Good clean spooky fun.
