It was brought to my attention recently that last year was the 20th anniversary of ‘The X-Files’, a show that was a massive phenomenon in the mid-90s, but has kind of dropped off the radar since. While certainly not an entirely forgotten show (IDW’s comic continuation is, as of this writing, ongoing), it seems odd that a series that was once so popular didn’t have a higher profile during a big anniversary year. Of course, it’s nothing compared to ‘Sliders’ (about which I once had a conversation during which a friend admitted that she thought she had dreamed the entire series) or a once fave-rave of mine, ‘Popular’, the show that Ryan Murphy did before he did ‘Glee.’ Or ‘The Highwayman’, a show that combined Sam “Flash Gordon” Jones with a scary Australian battery salesman, the better to rip off ‘Knight Rider.’ In any case, this whole rumination spurred a query…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) was mildly thrilled to see the return of Ambush Bug in the ‘Channel 52′ segments after DC Comics’ 2011 reboot, but still can’t quite convince everyone that he was one of the most popular characters of 1984, asking: What’s the most surprisingly ‘forgotten’ property in your mind?
5 Comments
Easy. The Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon.
Yes, it was a little hokey and fairly inaccurate in places, but it’s my all time favorite cartoon and I think it still has great potential.
My fear though is that anyone trying to bring it back would try to do a “dark and gritty” remake. I want to continue where it left off with no change in tone.
Heck, I’d be happy to have the same people voicing it. I bet Willie Aames and Don Most aren’t that busy.
-c
I’m still planning to pitch my idea to DC for a “G’Nort and Ambush Bug Present A Non-Denominational Holiday Adventure Extravaganza Deluxe” comic someday. And I still wonder what happened to Rembrandt Brown after that final slide even though I pretty much despise the series once it shifted to Sci-Fi and took that whole Kromagg invasion storyline.
I’m not sure if “Forever Knight” counts. It is one of my all time favorite series, but I don’t know if it was ever really that popular even though it did produce a bit more merchandising than most similar series (it had at least three novels and two soundtracks among the licensed releases). But sometimes when I describe it people ask if I’m mistaking the series for “Moonlight” or something. I can find plenty of fans online, but offline most people I know have only seen it because I have all three seasons on DVD.
I’m also surprised when I meet X-Files fans who can’t remember that The Lone Gunmen had their own series for a season and that there was a second X-Files movie a couple years back.
I’d have to say Brimstone. I never watched it when it was on Sci-Fi, but I caught the series repeats a while back and was impressed by it. It had a lot of promise, but I don’t think anyone actually remembers it.
Right after STNG went off the air, two of the actors, including the fellow who played Q, starred in a sort of “Wild Wild Westy” sci-fi western. It only played for one season – if that – but what I saw of it was pretty good. And it is so forgotten that I don’t even remember what it was called…
Was it this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend_%28TV_series%29
I went through John de Lancie’s TV role listings and that looks like it could be what you described.