30 years of The Flash Starring John Wesley Shipp

[Autbot_Benz]

Today marks 30 years of the original Scarlett Speedster. Long before Grant and Ezra donned the Flash costume it was John Wesley Shipp speeding around Central City saving the day.

Granted I've never seen it but I do like how its supposed to be inline with Donner's Superman Carter's Wonder Woman and Keaton's Batman.

Cool of them to bring that Flash back for two of the CW crossovers saying he is Earth 90 Flash

[Leo656]

I really like that show. It's got some problems but it's a very earnest attempt and given what they had to work with I thought they did fine.

It kind of has this weird thing going on where they're very clearly trying to mimic Burton's Batman as much as possible, right down to using a score that sounded very reminiscent of Elfman's "Batman" theme and having giant chunks of the series' action take place at night - Seasons 3 and 4 of the "Adventures of Superboy" syndicated series did many of the same things at the same time - but there's still a lingering veneer of 80s cheese stuck to it - again, much like the Superboy show. But it was pretty faithful in spirit and tone to the comics, especially the ones in print at that time even though the show used Barry Allen instead of Wally West.

I think it's good. I always heard that it was mostly cut because it was so expensive to make rather than it not getting a great reception. Although I don't think the world was ready yet in 1990 for prime time live-action super-heroes. Even when it was well-executed, as in this show's case, the audience was mostly kids and it got 'em all wound up before bedtime. It's definitely worth checking out, it had a short enough run that you could easily do the entire series in a weekend.

[IMJ]

I always loved that this was a spiritual successor to Keaton's Batman. The zeitgeist, the costume, the acceptance of Superhero material on screen. All of it. When it was new there was this sort of feeling that it might continue and we'd see all sorts of cool superhero stuff on screen - hell they were doing the Flash.

But then it turned out that other than a few exceptions here or there (i.e. Batman Returns, B:TAS) we didn't get much of quality until '99 with X-Men. And X-Men in hindsight.... not so much.

[frank_one]

The show aired in 1992 here in Italy, I was 7. The only thing I can remember is that the costume looked supercool and that I was in love with Amanda Pays

Originally Posted by IMJ

But then it turned out that other than a few exceptions here or there (i.e. Batman Returns, B:TAS) we didn't get much of quality until '99 with X-Men. And X-Men in hindsight.... not so much.

At least we got two wonderful animated series: X-men in 1992 and Spider-man in 1994.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I really like that show. It's got some problems but it's a very earnest attempt and given what they had to work with I thought they did fine.

It kind of has this weird thing going on where they're very clearly trying to mimic Burton's Batman as much as possible, right down to using a score that sounded very reminiscent of Elfman's "Batman" theme and having giant chunks of the series' action take place at night - Seasons 3 and 4 of the "Adventures of Superboy" syndicated series did many of the same things at the same time - but there's still a lingering veneer of 80s cheese stuck to it - again, much like the Superboy show. But it was pretty faithful in spirit and tone to the comics, especially the ones in print at that time even though the show used Barry Allen instead of Wally West.

I think it's good. I always heard that it was mostly cut because it was so expensive to make rather than it not getting a great reception. Although I don't think the world was ready yet in 1990 for prime time live-action super-heroes. Even when it was well-executed, as in this show's case, the audience was mostly kids and it got 'em all wound up before bedtime. It's definitely worth checking out, it had a short enough run that you could easily do the entire series in a weekend.

Reading this took me back. Honestly, idk maybe it's the fact I'm slowly losing interest in things or maybe they're just too many options out there that I can't really decide on a single show to watch faithfully or whatever. Other than AEW I don't really follow (or care to) follow any show religiously anymore.

But this post did take me back when Adventures of Superboy was new and back in the day my bro and I were looking forward to new episodes every weekend. And to a smaller extent, whenever Lois and Clark first premiered, I was also glued to my TV every week, whenever it aired.

I think part of the problem is, with all this streaming stuff here and there, that sense of urgency is gone. Like when a new episode of Superboy comes on say, 7PM Saturday night (an example, I long forgot when this used to be on), you better damn well better be ready to watch it 7PM Saturday night cause if you miss it, you missed it and you have to wait who-knows-when for it to rerun. Nowadays it's like 'I'll watch it whenever on Hulu or something' but then 'whenever' never comes, and I never end up watching it.

Maybe that's how AEW keeps me interested. I know I HAVE to watch it that Wednesday night.

[Leo656]

Oh man, you're not kidding about "destination programming". I live in the part of the country where the very first episode of "Adventures of Superboy" aired a few days later than everywhere else for some reason, but the same TV Guide went out everywhere so we ended up getting all excited to watch the premiere, only to find out after the fact that "over here" it wasn't coming out for a few more days. What a frustrating evening that turned out to be. Strangely enough, rather than the first episode of "Adventures of Superboy" as was advertised, our syndicated affiliate aired a "Super" Dave Osbourne special instead. I don't remember much about it, I was pretty pissed off about Superboy being preempted.

Pretty sure that over here the Superboy show aired on Saturday afternoons on either WPIX 11, Channel 22 (the Philadelphia affiliate), or both, probably around 11am or 1pm. I was surprised to find when I re-watched it on DVD a few years ago that it holds up a lot better than one might expect, especially the last two seasons. The Bizarro stuff especially was really strong.

Some of those shows had a bit of cheesiness to them as a result of the lackluster budgets, but there was also a sincerity about them that kind of overrides the limitations. At least to me it does. For better and worse, they were not at all ashamed about being super-hero shows or live-action comic books. Their ambition was greater than their reach at times but they managed to put out some really good stuff along the way.

[Andrew NDB]

It's one of those shows of yore. I know it will disappoint me. Yet I'll smile at how 90s it is. I don't want to try it. If the current show didn't cease being strong a couple seasons ago I might have considered it.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Oh man, you're not kidding about "destination programming". I live in the part of the country where the very first episode of "Adventures of Superboy" aired a few days later than everywhere else for some reason, but the same TV Guide went out everywhere so we ended up getting all excited to watch the premiere, only to find out after the fact that "over here" it wasn't coming out for a few more days. What a frustrating evening that turned out to be. Strangely enough, rather than the first episode of "Adventures of Superboy" as was advertised, our syndicated affiliate aired a "Super" Dave Osbourne special instead. I don't remember much about it, I was pretty pissed off about Superboy being preempted.

Pretty sure that over here the Superboy show aired on Saturday afternoons on either WPIX 11, Channel 22 (the Philadelphia affiliate), or both, probably around 11am or 1pm. I was surprised to find when I re-watched it on DVD a few years ago that it holds up a lot better than one might expect, especially the last two seasons. The Bizarro stuff especially was really strong.

Some of those shows had a bit of cheesiness to them as a result of the lackluster budgets, but there was also a sincerity about them that kind of overrides the limitations. At least to me it does. For better and worse, they were not at all ashamed about being super-hero shows or live-action comic books. Their ambition was greater than their reach at times but they managed to put out some really good stuff along the way.

Oddly enough, Superboy was the show that introduced me to Gilbert Gottfried, for better or for worse. I loved his portrayal of Nick Nack though, I barely knew any non-Luthor villians back then but a few years later and benefit of hidesight and whatnot, I wonder why they didn't have the rights to just call the character 'Toyman' outright.

I still crack up at that fake recording he left when he escaped from jail in that one episode.
"cough! cough! Do you hear that? I'm coughing. I'm coughing cause I'm sick! cough! cough!"

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

It's one of those shows of yore. I know it will disappoint me. Yet I'll smile at how 90s it is. I don't want to try it. If the current show didn't cease being strong a couple seasons ago I might have considered it.

This is what happened to me with so many of the shows I loved as a kid. I remember 25 or so years ago always thinking it would be cool to have all of the shows I loved on video or DVD or somewhere where you could watch them.

25 years later and we do it, but it's too little too late. Try watching Super Friends that you loved as a kid. Can''t do it. Can't make it through an episode of Transformers. Loved the show "V" as a kid - thought it was so powerful and dramatic. Now I can't sit through it.

I want to watch the Flash, but I'm with you on that one too.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by IMJ

This is what happened to me with so many of the shows I loved as a kid. I remember 25 or so years ago always thinking it would be cool to have all of the shows I loved on video or DVD or somewhere where you could watch them.

25 years later and we do it, but it's too little too late. Try watching Super Friends that you loved as a kid. Can''t do it. Can't make it through an episode of Transformers. Loved the show "V" as a kid - thought it was so powerful and dramatic. Now I can't sit through it.

I want to watch the Flash, but I'm with you on that one too.

I remember there was a time in Mexico, CN started replaying eps of the Super Friends. I was surprised how many episodes actually had the Legion of Doom take over the world or commit over world-wide devastation before the heroes would somehow undo it within the same half hour.

I guess I'm so used to the Turtles where Shredder and Krang were too busy just getting power for the Technodrome. There were very few episodes in which they actually conquered the world or came close to it.

On that note, the Turtles and Shredder had such a private little war outside of normal ordinary life that I always got excited when Shredder actually did the whole 'take over the tv station' thing or was actually acknowledged by the news as a super villain or arch villain or whatever.

You know, eventually we're gonna need another Austin Powers or some other parody type movie to have the super villain broadcast their demands over live TV and be surprised no one cares, only to have a henchmen tell him/her that nowadays everyone is on streaming services, so no one is really watching TV anymore to see their message.

[sdp]

As a kid I only watched the pilot as a "movie" and thought it was great. I bought the dvd set in the mid 00's and I was surprised how great it was. It felt like a flash set in the 1989 Batman continuity in terms of mood, themes etc. Sure not a lot of supervillains but that was fine. It was likely much better than any other superhero show at the time and I doubt it holds off that bad, I'm sure it has its strengths against the CW Flash show since it is not so out there and doesn't have all the relationship drama.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by sdp

As a kid I only watched the pilot as a "movie" and thought it was great. I bought the dvd set in the mid 00's and I was surprised how great it was. It felt like a flash set in the 1989 Batman continuity in terms of mood, themes etc. Sure not a lot of supervillains but that was fine. It was likely much better than any other superhero show at the time and I doubt it holds off that bad, I'm sure it has its strengths against the CW Flash show since it is not so out there and doesn't have all the relationship drama.

I seem to recall at least Captain Cold being on that show. I don't remember anyone else.

[Leo656]

Mark Hammill played The Trickster.

It comes off pretty funny in a sense because it was a couple of years before his famous Joker turn on Batman: TAS but Trickster is not too far off from that character so he almost plays it a little bit the same. Neat to watch.

I agree that the pilot episode makes a nice little Flash movie all on its own. Even if a person didn't want to sit through the whole series they'd probably at least enjoy the pilot. I maintain the entire series holds up, though. I think it might look better in hindsight 20 years from now than the current Flash show, possibly; if nothing else, it's not bogged down with relationship drama or heavy-handed social messages, or trapped in a web of spin-offs and cross-overs. It was just a straight-ahead action/drama that ran for a season and ended before it wore out its welcome. I definitely think they could have had a decent three-season run and still ended on a high note, but again, it was a very expensive show by the standards of the time.

I also had it really bad for Amanda Pays/Tina McGee.

EDIT: David Cassidy also played Mirror Master, but I'd forgotten about that until I read about it.