Retro-vision
Some stand the test of time and others don't. What makes an old-school TV series come to life for new generations? Resli Buchel explores the retro chic of TV to DVD classics
Agent 99 tried to keep Maxwell smart under CONTROL
Win! Time Out has FIVE deluxe box
sets of Speed Racer: The Complete Series Collection to giveaway thanks
to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Go to our competition page to enter
Prisoner: Cell Block H
This iconic Aussie drama hit TV screens in 1979 and ran for 692 eps over seven years. It was also a huge international success making Bea, Lizzie, Doreen and ‘Vinegar Tits' household names across the globe.
Cool then because It had an almost wholly female cast in the fictional Wentworth Detention Centre, allowing writers to serve up feminism, lesbianism and female brutality for the first time on prime time telly.
Cool now because For die-hard fans, Prisoner was never uncool; however the staunch feminism and lesbianism so confronting in the 70s, now serve as entertaining kitch - a hilarious reminder of times gone by.
Words to remember "Get knotted bitch-features!"
Prisoner: Cell Block H - The Complete Collection (M), 179 Disc Case, $1599; Prisoner: Cell Block H (M), 4 Disc Sets, $44.83.
21 Jump Street
Airing for 103 episodes from 1987 to 1991, this teen drama featured an elite squad of cute cops, most notably Johnny Depp, who went back to school undercover to fight high school crime... or something.
Cool then because It unashamedly catered to its adolescent audience, and was one of the first shows to ‘confront' drug issues, gangs in schools and multiculturalism in the workplace (hence ‘oriental cop' Dustin Nguyen, star of Little Fish).
Cool again because In a rare display from an 80s teen heartthrob, Johnny Depp rocks today as much as he did playing a cop with his hair in his eyes. Plus, the seriousness with which the entire cast plays is compelling and amusing in the extreme.
Words to remember "You better get ready to jump, on 21 Jump Street."
21 Jump Street - Complete Seasons 1-5 (M), 4 Disc Set, $29.83ea.
Degrassi Junior High
Between 1987-89, this Canadian teen drama kept Aussies riveted via another attempt to ‘reach' teens. The students of Degrassi Junior High dealt with teen pregnancy, abortion, AIDS, racism, bullying and really annoying parents. The 42 episodes of DJH were so well received internationally they spawned numerous spin-off series including Degrassi: The Next Generation, which continues production today on the ABC.
Cool then because DJH was simple and inclusive enough to make the most awkward teen viewer feel a bit cooler. But the show was sophisticated and topical enough to make you feel you weren't completely wasting your time watching it after school when you actually should've been doing your homework. After all, DJH isn't just a soap opera, it's real life!
Cool again because Degrasi Junior High is a totally shameless trip down memory lane. You'll laugh hysterically when you remember how strongly you empathised with Caitlin when she thought she might be gay; and you'll want to spew when you check out the mug on Joey and remember how much you fancied him.
Words to remember "I'm in grade eight, so I'm important. You're in grade seven, so you're, like... totally embarrassing."
Degrassi Junior High - The Complete Series (PG), 7 Disc Box Set, $59.83.
Get Smart
First airing in 1965, this classic US sitcom ran 138 episodes over five years. By then the world was familiar with the brilliance of CONTROL and their amazing spy inventions such as the Sneaker Phone and the Cone of Silence. The gormless Maxwell Smart and his capable partner, Agent 99, emitted a quaint sexual tension that kept global audiences tuning in over and over.
Cool then because Get Smart cleverly (and accessibly) satirised the secret-agent genre and put a light spin on Cold War tensions. And, Don Spencer's lovable goof attracted the eye-rolling love of the audiences.
Cool again because It's routinely repeated whenever there's a gap to fill, meaning four decades of Aussie kids have arrived home from school to find Max and 99 on telly. The clean humour and memorable gadgets have made Get Smart prime fodder for a big screen remake starring Steve Carell and due for release in June.
Words to remember "Missed it by that much."
Get Smart - Seasons 1, 2 & 3 to be released on DVD in July 2008.
Dr Who
An undisputed cult classic, new episodes of this UK sci-fi drama screened almost continually between 1963 and 1986. With the addition of the latest Dr Who series (starring David Tennant and Billie Piper), there are now over 745 eps featuring the Doctor and his ‘police box tardis'. Over the years more than ten actors have played the Doc making the character a pop culture sensation.
Cool then because Dr Who was smart, entertaining and cool in a time when science fiction was either boring, nerdy, or glitzy and ridiculous. Plus, he was English... who'd have thunk it? TV not from America.
Cool again because Dr Who is still smart, entertaining and cool in a time when science fiction is either boring and nerdy, or glitzy and ridiculous. Plus, like Prisoner, Dr Who has never really gone away, proving a good yarn with great characters will stand and deliver in any decade, and doesn't need any re-writing.
Words to remember "You can't rewrite history. Not one line!"
Dr Who - The Early Episodes (G), from $19.83.
Speed Racer
The ultra hip, scarf-fan Speed Racer hit our TV screens in 1967. Since then random re-runs have seen Speed, his hot chick Trixie and the Racer family, speeding across our screens on Saturday morn.
Cool then because Retro anime series such as Speed Racer and Astro Boy saw Japanimation explode into western popular culture in the 60s and 70s laying the foundation for a phenomenal global following today.
Cool now because Speed himself practically invented the skinny jean look so big today and the series has spawned a blockbuster movie due out this month. Fully sick, mate.
Words to remember "Danger is one thing Speed's not afraid of!"
Win! Time Out has FIVE deluxe box sets of Speed Racer: The Complete Series Collection to giveaway thanks to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Go to our competition page to enter