Once in a while, I get a sad reminder that our beloved shared worlds were always designed to be disposable. The latest such revelation came as I tried to figure out what to do with a big batch of X-Files comics and collectibles after a couple of months of trying (and failing) to sell them on the Ebay. Even though Mulder & Scully’s heyday was relatively recent, it seems that they’ve already been forgotten by at least my internet buyers. As a fan and champion of obscurity (ask me about Fruitman sometime) I always find a bit of transitory sadness when this happens, much like seeing an abandoned teddy bear or a lost pet.
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) is less question and more philosophical musing: What’s your favorite forgotten corner of pop culture?
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One of my favorite TV shows of all time is a series most people seem to know nothing about called “Forever Knight” about a vampire working as a cop while trying to find some way to become human again (and was aired on CBS for a while, the same station that aired another series with a similar concept more recently called “Moonlight”). I’ve got all three seasons on DVD, have all three official novels, the soundtrack and even a VHS copy of the cast blooper reel (from an internet mailing tree around 1996 – 1997), not to mention a few fan made items (bumper stickers for the radio program and wine glasses of the vampire club featured in the series).
Might not be as obscure as other things, but I’m usually surprised to find anyone who remembers it anymore.
I distinctly remember hearing about a planned crossover between “Forever Knight” and the Adrian Paul “Highlander” show..
Seaquest DSV, hugely hyped, ran for three seasons, action figures, all the merchandising you could want but now when I talk about that show with the guy from Jaws and a talking dolphin people look at me like I’m making it up.
I miss that show. Sadly I was a latecomer (couldn’t get NBC when the series aired) and only got in to the series once Sci-Fi Channel began airing marathons of it and having it on the weeknight schedule way back when.
Used to have a patch that looked like the one on the uniforms, but someone stole it.
“Freaks and Geeks” was an excellent show that never really got a chance to shine. It did a good job to show the other side of the 1980’s-Shermer-High School genre by giving us a cast of punks and nerds for the stars. It also was some of the earliest work by a lot of modern big name actors like James Franco, Seth Rogen, Busy Phillips, and it is some of Judd Apatow’s earliest directing. Sadly, it only lasted a few episodes.
The show “Kings” was also a good show that saw an early demise. It was a modern re-telling of the biblical story of David. It was rich with story and beautiful symbolism that I feel had a hard time finding it’s footing in a world of reality television. Nevertheless, a solid program.
“Arrested Development” suffered the same fate. Among fans, however, it is far from forgotten. So much so that the cast is allegedly coming together for a movie. I hope the rumor is true but, as with most things, I will believe it when I see it.
Marshall Rogers’ comic “Captain Quick and a Foozle”.
Yeah, that one was pretty awesome… I should Retro Review it. Or, given the short run, maybe a Hero History. :)
Yep, it was one of the artist owned properties from the early 80s that fell prey to the collapse of First, Pacific, and uncounted other indie comics companies and after switching from one to the other after each collapse, was, so far as I know of, never finished. Marshall Rogers was like Dave Stevens and Skottie Young – their art was unique and fascinating and everything they did was worth reading! Sadly, two of the three are pushing up daisies and I’m sorry I never got to read any of Marhsall Rogers’ Batman…
Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew…time for a cartoon deal, Scott Shaw!
How about M.A.S.K.? That was a good show and some fun toys..
Despite a series of shows and some half-arsed toy merchandising, Digimon never really got the chance it deserved, in my honest opinion. There are some great story arcs and some awesome voice acting to be found there.
I actually still have a few of my old M.A.S.K. toys from when I was a kid, several that I apparently left at my grandma’s house and she just returned to me about 5 years ago inside a big box of toys I left there over the years.
Some of the Digimon toys were pretty fun, such as the various incarnations of Digivice, and I still have my D-3, D-Terminal and a couple of D-Power. I also still have my original Tamogatchi-like Digivice from the mid 90’s. Shouldn’t be too surprising from someone who uses a D-Power/D-Arc for an avatar and has a cat named Gatomon.
Ikkakumon lives in my son’s bathtub :)
Recently it seems that Buffy and Angel are going that way
Planet of the Apes animated adventures. Something about the Flying Tigers P-38 against Ape Battalions was awesome.
Planet of the Apes series was also a nostalgia rush for me.
Now who remembers Captain Fathom? The awesome Submarine on an ice Blade.