Unappreciated: Classic TV Miniseries

Classic TV Miniseries

Growing up in the 1970's - television was a big deal. Popular culture was drenched with TV hits. You couldn't escape it. I couldn't even tell you how many different lunch boxes, underoos, bed sheets and shoe laces I owned that were slathered in some television character. If it wasn't a movie - it was TV. Sitcoms ruled the airwaves. I may dabble into the realm of the half-hour situation comedy at a later date. Today's blog extravaganza is in celebration to a lost event.

You remember - the hype...the magazine covers prepping you to the big date...the exciting glimpses as guest stars appeared on Johnny Carson in preparation of the debut. And then it would happen. The mini-series "event" of the year would begin. It almost didn't matter what the story was about. People tuned in just to be a part of this shared national experience. I remember getting excited as HELL about The Thorn Birds...and then it began and bored the boogers out of my nose. Some were great. Some were eh.

Since pretty much anyone under the age of 25 will have no idea what I'm talking about - I figured that as time presses on, the big theatrical celebration of a lengthy, multi-part story being unveiled over several nights of the week will become passe ... or a thing of the past. Television seasons in 2013 tend to replicate what a miniseries is ... so it's hard to explain why this would have been so exciting. I guess when you grow up in the 1970's - it didn't take much.

As you are all aware - I'm a bookish sort, so my preferences in these tend toward the literary adaptations. Good thing they relied on giant novels as source material during the heyday of miniseries spectacularitivity. Yeah, I made that word up. I've had eight shots of espresso, deal with it.

**Honorable Mention** "NORTH AND SOUTH" (1985): This really isn't considered as one of the greatest, but I have sentimental reasons for enjoying it. When I first read this mammoth historical epic, I was stuck in bed with chicken pox. When the miniseries came out in 1985 - I had just come down with walking pneumonia. John Jakes - the author and his work, make me feel like I'm sick. This miniseries is full of some of the best 1980's stars - it's a riveting Civil War epic that you're pretty sure to enjoy. It's long, so pack a lunch. I would suggest reading the books before jumping into this one. For some reason it has a drab feeling about it - maybe that's just me. The two follow-up miniseries based on the two further books in the trilogy by John Jakes are to be avoided at all cost. These are incredibly hard to watch. Avoid Love & War, Heaven & Hell at all costs. You'll thank me.

5) "ROOTS" (1977): The biggest of the biggest. No one escaped Roots. No one could imitate it, replicate it or come close to the ratings this blockbuster event created. I was five when this came out, and I still have foggy memories of how excited everyone was for "tonight's installment" to the Alex Haley story. It was the primary reason when they aired it again in the early 80's - I hurriedly read the book first, I felt like it gave me a sneak peek and put me at an advantage over all my friends. I don't remember anyone caring much about that once it all began. Roots is a pretty impossible film to outdo. The story of Alex Haley's family tree told against the background of America's slavery era - with some of the greatest stars in the film world peppering each role...it really defines what a miniseries is, was and should be. They tried to do the sequel a few years later...eh. You can't really beat this. My reason for placing this fifth is personal. I've seen it the most of any of the miniseries and thus - I could almost recite it. The hype is gone but that's just me.

4) "SHOGUN" (1980): Aw hell, what's this now? James Clavell's mammoth doorstopper of a novel turned into a riveting period piece, stretched out over a week with Toshiro Mifune and Richard Chamberlain? Yes, please! To me, this is what a miniseries is all about. The story, the love, the war, the drama, the tragedy, the comedy - the only thing missing is a car chase and a rocket with aliens. This film has everything. I think of this as one solid movie that was torn apart to suit the constraints of network air time. I've gone so far as to remove the beginning and ending credits from each of the episodes and it works deliciously as one ridiculously long movie...not that anyone alive would ever want to sit through anything that long...well, besides me...

3) "TALES OF THE CITY" (1993): Technically, I don't know if this is considered a miniseries or not. It came after the end of the era. It doesn't really qualify because it was originally aired on PBS (not one of the major networks for miniseries, ok?). I do think - it's a flawless adaptation of the original novels so that's why I'm placing it third in the miniseries list. Mad? Go watch Olympia Dukakis do her thing. I guarantee you'll love this. I think PBS was attempting to revamp the format by producing Tales of the City. They crushed it - the only problem was ... most people didn't see this. The VHS debut was equally unenthusiastic and it only survived because it was a cult hit. I'm not referring to the two follow-up travesties - I only like part one. It's worth seeing. It's not exceptionally lengthy and has a zillion stars who went on to become celebrities in their own rights...did I mention, Olympia Dukakis? She runs everything.

2) "CENTENNIAL" (1978): This will seem like an out of place choice to some folks, but those people don't appreciate just how much I adore James Michener novels. Being that this is the only time a Michener story was attempted to be filmed - I'd say they did an outstanding job. The story of Centennial, Colorado - this is a western in leagues with Lonesome Dove but has that timeless quality you grow to expect from the author. The film is jacked up with celebrities - some casting choices are kind of ludicrous, but you can overlook them for the most part. The cinematography, setting, costumes, and screenplay is as fair as possible considering how hard it must have been to turn a 1200 page book into small tasty tidbits. I'm still hoping to see more adaptations of Michener work in the future. I can hope, can't I? Just in the off chance that someone cares - my choice would be The Source or Chesapeake. Make those. Yeah.

1) "EAST OF EDEN" (1981): Why is Jane Seymour such an evil, devilish woman? Wait...she's playing Cathy. Gosh - what an outstanding performance. This wins the number one slot because it's the most accurate, spot-on, word for word adaptation of the novel. Nowhere does anyone come as close as this. It's as if John Steinbeck wrote the screenplay and sat behind the camera the entire time. Absolutely nothing is omitted (unlike the James Dean version - which only covered the last half of the novel). This is literally like stepping into a Steinbeck book. If you have ever read anything by him and loved it - you'll love this movie. You'll love this movie anyway. This is the quintessential miniseries. Perfect cast. Perfect source material. Perfect execution. Perfect screenplay. Perfect cinematography. If you only see one of these (because let's face it - they're lonnnnnng), this is the one to see. Out of print for ages - it's wonderful to see this new DVD restoration from the original TV print. Worth every penny and currently playing on my TV - go see East of Eden...then read the book. You figure out which is better. It's the only time in your life you'll ever struggle with this decision.

And because I just couldn't get through this blog without at least doing this once - here goes!