Tag Archives: The Hitchhiker

Horror on TV: The Hitchhiker 4.7 “The Legendary Billy B” (dir by Chris Thomson)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

At the tail end of the 60s, the so-called king of acid rock, guitarist Billy Baltimore (Brad Dourif) was assassinated on stage.  Or was he?  When tabloid journalist Jane L. (Kirstie Alley) is told by her morally conflicted photographer, Hodie (Andy Summers of the Police), that he believes Billy Baltimore faked his own death and is actually living in a mansion and plotting his comeback, Jane L. decides to break into the mansion and find out for herself.

That turns out to be a big mistake.  But, as badly as things go for Jane L. and Hodie, this is an entertaining episode that features Kirstie Alley at her most neurotic and Brad Dourif at his most off-beat.  The ending might not make much sense but the journey is still worth it.  For the record, the Hitchhiker (Page Fletcher) really does not like tabloid reporters.

The episode originally aired on March 31st, 1987.

Horror on TV: The Hitchhiker 4.4 “Why Are You Here?” (dir by Chris Thomson)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Tonight’s episode of The Hitchhiker is an early example of found footage horror.

Jerry Rulack (played by the star of Midnight Express, Brad Davis, in one of his final performances) is a smarmy TV host who, along with his camera crew, goes from nightclub to nightclub and asks the clubgoers, “Why are you here?”  Eventually, Jerry runs into a rich girl named Donette (Helen Hunt), who turns the question around and leaves Jerry to wonder why he’s there.  Donette and her friends are rich, decadent, and ultimately dangerous.  Eventually, Jerry discovers that there is a price to pay for asking too many stupid questions.  Brad Davis does an adequate Geraldo Rivera impersonation while Helen Hunt seems to be having fun playing someone who literally cares about nothing.  As the Hitchhiker, Page Fletcher is wonderfully judgmental while introducing Jerry and later while considering his fate.

This episode originally aired on March 10th, 1987.

Horror on TV: The Hitchhiker 4.2 “Minuteman” (dir by Chris Thomson)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

For tonight’s episode of The Hitchhiker, our narrator (played by Page Fletcher) takes a look at Jeremy (John Shea) and Julie (Alexandra Paul).

Jeremy and Julie are a couple who are taking a road trip and whose relationship is strained due to Jeremy’s obsession with organization and control.  However, when Jeremy and Julie meet two people that Jeremy can’t control — a biker (Dean Hallo) and his pregnant girlfriend (Nancy Isaak) — Jeremy finds himself taking a trip through time and learning a lesson about letting go.

This episode features good performances from John Shea, Alexandra Paul, Dean Hallo, and Nancy Isaak and it also features the Hitchhiker offering up some memorably judgmental commentary.  The Hitchhiker is apparently not a fan of control freaks.  I’m not really a fan of control freaks either but there’s nothing wrong with having a to-do list to help guide you through your day.

This episode originally aired on February 24th, 1987.

Horror on TV: The Hitchhiker 4.1 “Perfect Order” (dir by Daniel Vigne)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

During the month of October, we like to share classic episodes of horror-themed television.  That was easier to do when we first started doing our annual October Horrorthon here at the Shattered Lens because every single episode of the original, black-and-white Twilight Zone was available on YouTube.  Sadly, that’s no longer the case.

However, there is some good news!  Twilight Zone may be gone but there are other horror shows on YouTube!  For instance, I’ve discovered that there are several episodes of The Hitchhiker on YouTube!  The Hitchhiker was an American/French/Canadian co-production that aired on HBO from 1983 to 1987 and on the USA Network from 1989 to 1991.  It was an anthology show, one in which each story was introduced by a mysterious hitchhiker (played by Page Fletcher).

Let’s get things started with Perfect Order, an episode featuring Virginia Madsen as a model who works with a famous but eccentric photographer named Simon (Steve Inwood).  It turn out that Simon’s eccentricity includes an obsession with death.  Along with featuring good performances from Madsen and the underrated Inwood, this episode both satirizes the world of New York fashion and it features a climax that is full of laser beams.  What more could one want for the beginning of October?

This episode originally aired on February 17th, 1987.

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 9/24/23 — 9/30/23

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Bleh!  I have been sick this entire week!  (And I don’t mean “sick” as in I had allergies or a headache. I mean I was seriously ill, with fevers and fatigue and everything else.)  I haven’t even gotten to watch the Survivor and The Amazing Race premieres yet!  Here’s a few thoughts on what I have watched:

All You Need Is Love (NightFlight Plus)

I watched an episode of this old music documentary series on Saturday morning.  It dealt with ragtime music and the tragic life of Scott Joplin.  It was interesting stuff.  Joplin was a fascinating character and it’s a shame that his final years were not happier ones.

Big Brother (24/7, Paramount Plus and CBS)

I wrote about Big Brother here!

Dr. Phil (YouTube)

Bleh.  I swore to myself that I would never watch this show again but I hate to admit but it does work well as background noise and watching it on YouTube does help me get my thoughts together.  I do make a point of only watching YouTube videos that were not uploaded by the show’s official account.  But basically, I’m a hypocrite.

Anyway, on Sunday, I watched (or, to be honest, listened) to an episode about a daughter that worried her mother was suffering from paranoid delusions that led her to believe that she was being stalked by a “hook-up” app.

On Monday, I watched an episode featuring an annoying guy named Anthony who claimed to be a millionaire rap star, despite the fact that he was homeless.  Anthony was obnoxious and rude to both the audience and Dr. Phil.  It’s always fun when someone tells Dr. Phil to go to Hell.

Gun (Tubi)

I watched the first episode of this Robert Altman-produced 90s anthology series on Thursday.  Look for my review this upcoming week!

Hell’s Kitchen (Thursday Night, FOX)

Hell’s Kitchen, one of the few classic reality shows to still retain its bite, is back!  The Quidditch player is definitely going to be a liability for the Blue Team but he’s so weird that I have a feeling that the show will find excuses to keep him around for at least a few weeks.

The Hitchhiker (YouTube)

I watched episodes of this anthology series throughout the week while preparing for Horrothon.

The Montel Williams Show (YouTube)

On Monday, I came across an episode of this show on YouTube.  Montel tried to understand goth kids and was shocked to discover that being rude and condescending is never a good way to win over a teenager.  It was good for a smile.

Night Flight (NightFlight Plus)

The episode that I watched on Friday night was all about animation in music videos.  The videos were pretty trippy.

Police Woman (Monday Morning, GetTV)

Police woman Angie Dickinson went undercover as a flight attendant to catch a smuggler played by Larry Hagman.  It was all very 70s.

Red Dwarf (Monday Morning, PBS)

I watched an episode of this British sci-fi satire on Monday morning.  A robot was briefly transformed into a human being and struggled to adjust.  The episode ended with the robot-turned-human once again being transformed and turning into a miniature version of Robocop.  It was amusing, though I get the feeling I would have gotten a lot more out of the show if I was a regular viewer.  As is, this was only my second time to watch an episode of Red Dwarf and I spent a lot of time trying to catch up with who everyone was and why they were in space.

Saved By The Bell (Sunday Morning, Me TV)

On Sunday morning, as I got ready for me day, I watched the episode where Lisa overspent on her credit card and was shocked when her father refused to punish her for being irresponsible.  Seriously, if you can avoid getting punished for being stupid, don’t question it.  Just go with the flow.

Yes, Prime Minister (Monday Morning, PBS)

This week’s episode featured one of the rare occurrences in which Prime Minister Hacker got the better of Sir Humphrey and I have to admit that, as much as I enjoy watched both this show and Yes, Minister, it just didn’t feel right.  I know that the point of the episode was that Hacker is finally learning how to use the self-importance of the civil service against itself (i.e., by threatening to take away Sir Humphrey’s key to Number 10) but I like Hacker more when he acts like a well-meaning incompetent than a Machiavellian game player.  By the end of last night’s episode, Sir Humphrey would probably agree.

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 9/17/23 — 9/23/23

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

To be honest, I watched so little this week that I nearly didn’t even bother with a week in television post.  But what I can say?  I’m a completist and, even though I spent most of this week focused on getting things ready for our annual October Horrorthon, I did watch a few things and I figured that I might as well share a few thoughts with you all!

I’m looking forward to next week.  Both Survivor and Hell’s Kitchen are coming back!

Big Brother (24/7, CBS and Paramount Plus)

I wrote about Big Brother here!  I have to admit that I’ve reached the point that I reach every season where I kind of hope this stupid show is canceled and I never have to watch or write about it again.  Seriously, this has been a stupid show from the start, each season is worse than the last, and I just want my freedom!  However, I do like my fellow Big Brother fans.  Interacting with them is the only rewarding thing that I get from this show.

Degrassi: The Next Generation (Tubi)

I watched The Time Stands Still two-parter on Monday afternoon.  Drake got shot in the back by Rick Murray and Joey struggled to find someone to buy his house.  Joey never should have dumped Syd.

The Hitchhiker (YouTube)

I checked out a few more episodes of this series throughout the week, selecting which ones that I want to highlight in October.

Jennifer Slept Here (YouTube)

On Tuesday night, I watched the pilot of this old 80s sitcom about a family that moves into a house that is already occupied by a ghost.  Look for my review in October!

Nightmare Café (YouTube)

On Saturday, I watched the pilot of this 1992 horror anthology series, which ran for 6 episodes.  The show was produced by Wes Craven and Robert Englund was the show’s host.  As you can probably guess, he was totally charming.  I’ll be posting a review of this show in October.

South Central (YouTube)

I wrote about South Central here!  Andre got a gun and Nicole decided that she no longer wanted anything to do with him.  To be honest, I’m on Nicole’s side.

T. and T. (Tubi)

I wrote about T. and T. here!  Mr. T continued to keep Canada safe.

Welcome Back, Kotter (Tubi)

I wrote about Welcome Back Kotter here!

Yes, Prime Minister (Monday Morning, PBS)

This week’s episode dealt with Prime Minister Hacker attempting to use one junior member of his cabinet’s radical anti-smoking campaign as a way to trick the Treasury into supporting Hacker’s planned tax cuts.  Sir Humphrey, of course, was present to explain that the Treasury doesn’t budget for programs but instead, gets as much money as it can and then comes up with programs to justify the taxation.  This episode was not quite as laugh-out-loud funny as the previous two episodes but, as always, I enjoyed the show’s portrayal of the excesses of the bureaucratic state.  I’m in favor of any show that makes fun of taxation.

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 9/10/23 — 9/16/23

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Being on vacation this week, I again only watched a small amount of television.  Here’s a few thoughts on what I did watch.

Big Brother 25 (24/7, CBS and Paramount Plus)

I wrote about Big Brother here!

Degrassi Junior High (YouTube)

I watched the first two episodes of this Canadian show on Saturday, in preparation for a future series of reviews.

Dr. Phil (YouTube)

My mind was racing on Sunday morning so, around 3 in the morning, I attempted to calm it and ease myself into sleep by putting on an episode of Dr. Phil as background noise.  Dr. Phil was talking to the daughter of a country music drummer.  She was addicted to drugs and convinced that she was being stalked by strangers.  It didn’t sound like Phil did that much good.

On Monday morning, I watched an episode featuring the creator of Jilly Juice.  “Jilly Juice can cure cancer, grow back limbs, and reverse homosexuality!” Jillian happily announced about her salt-filled concoction before adding, “No, I’m not a doctor or scientist!”  An actual doctor revealed that Jilly Juice actually caused explosive diarrhea.  At one point, someone in the audience ran up on the stage and was grabbed by security.  It made for a bizarre 43 minutes.

On Wednesday morning, I re-watched the classic episode in which two crazy women, Vicky and Darlene, accused a totally innocent woman of running a fake GoFundMe page.  Darlene eventually saw the error of her ways but Vicky was a lost cause.

Fantasy Island (YouTube)

I wrote about Fantasy Island here!

The Hitchhiker (YouTube)

This week, I checked out a few episodes of this Canadian anthology series for a future set of reviews.

The Love Boat (Paramount Plus)

I wrote about The Love Boat here!

Night Flight (Night Flight Plus)

On Friday night and Saturday morning, I watched an episode about music videos and songs that centered around money.  This was followed by a profile of Billy Idol.

South Central (YouTube)

I wrote about South Central here!

The Steve Wilkos Show (YouTube)

My mind was racing on Sunday morning so, around 4 in the morning, I attempted to calm it and ease myself into sleep by putting on an episode of Steve Wilkos as background noise.  I was really tired and out-of-it so I’m not sure what exactly was going on but Steve sure was yelling at a lot of people.

T. and T. (Tubi)

I wrote about T. and T. here!

Welcome Back Kotter (Tubi)

I wrote about Welcome Back Kotter here!

Yes, Prime Minister (Monday Morning, PBS)

Fresh from an uneventful summit in Washington, a jet-lagged Prime Minister Hacker decide it was time to go on television and announce his Grand Design, which would include the return of conscription.  Fortunately, Sir Humphrey was able to manipulate a few polls and the opinions of the other members of the cabinet and the Prime Minister decided that it would perhaps be better to go with a speech that announced (and said) nothing.  The highlight of this episode was Hacker practicing for the broadcast.  Paul Eddington perfectly captured the character’s mix of earnestness and self-importance.  Hacker truly wants to be the best prime minister that he can be but he also doesn’t want to say anything that could run the risk of damaging his future political prospects.  Early in the episode, he was stunned when Bernard explained to him that, as Prime Minister, he was really only required to work seven hours a week.  By the end of the episode, Hacker seemed to be much more comfortable with the idea.

Horror on TV: Twilight Zone 1.16 “The Hitchhiker”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

 

TheTwilightZoneLogo

Tonight’s horror on TV is an episode of The Twilight Zone that is entitled The Hitchhiker. A woman (Inger Stevens) is haunted by a mysterious hitchhiker who continually asks her if she’s “Going my way?”

It’s tempting to call this a companion piece to Carnival of Souls but actually, The Hitchhiker was first broadcast on Jan. 22, 1960, two years before the premiere of Carnival of Souls. So, it would perhaps be more appropriate to call Carnival of Souls a companion piece to the Hitchhiker.