I think our shows were typically better. I mean, obviously they produced such specimens as every single one of us. You guys. TV raised me. When Bob and Cathie were busy making prank calls to the Home Shopping Network (true), Mr. Rogers was there to teach me how crayons were made.
(Bob and Cathie are my heroes for the above and more)
But do you guys remember how occasionally there would be the "special" episode that was about some real-life problem that was totally traumatizing to watch?
Those episodes stuck with me. To this day I have moments where I think that I had a friend once who stopped eating and then fainted on a treadmill at the gym and then I'm like "oh wait. That was D.J. Tanner from Full House."
Well, there's one show in particular that had a super traumatic episode about refrigerators and a little while ago I decided that I wanted to do a full Strangerville segment on this topic and specifically try to find out how impactful this and other similar examples from 80s and 90s programming was/is on our generation.
I finally did so, with several awesome contributions from you (most of them unwitting SO SUE ME), and I am thrilled to present it to you today in this Halloween episode of Strangerville. It is one of my favorite things I've ever put together (rethinks whole life) and I hope you will enjoy it.
If you think of any examples from TV shows that took a dark turn for a special episode that I did not mention in the segment, please let me know. I currently have a small obsession with this topic.
Also, I'm supposed to ask you to consider becoming a Strangerville Patron, which is where you go onto the Internet and send money to Meg so she can feed her children and pay for her lavish lifestyle.
As we expand and grow Strangerville, producing it becomes more and more expensive. We have a lot of things we would love to do with the show and unfortunately those things cost some money. Patreon is an opportunity to donate to the cause, no matter how small (that's a lie. I think $1 a month is a minimum. Sorry I lied to you. NOT THAT WE KNOW WHAT LYING IS.). No pressure, and we love you just for listening. But if you feel so inclined, consider it for a moment.
Also also, if you or anyone you know is interested in sponsoring Strangerville, shoot me or Meg (meg@strangerville.org) an email.
Thanks for listening!
This time in Strangerville, four stories about exaggerated fear. College kids cause a stir in their small town. A child remembers a gas station encounter much more colorfully than his father. A bunch of 80s and 90s kids discuss a traumatizing episode of a popular children’s show. And a woman reflects on her trick-or-treating past. Stay tuned, and watch some people get irrationally scared in this special Halloween episode.
Intro: by Eli McCann
Segments:
1. Murder on Main (9:19), by Grandpa Boyd and Meg Morley Walter
2. The Stabbing (14:53), by Ben and Mike Miller
3. Refrigerator Death (25:52), by Eli McCann, contributions by Jennifer Friess, DeAnne Hale, and several others
4. Trick or Treat (50:50), by Meg Morley Walter
Production Assistance by Derrick Clements and Jolyn Metro
~It Just Gets Stranger
Ya--that Punky Brewster segment is one of the best things I've heard this year. I was peeing my pants about Saved By the Bell. I remember watching that as a kid and I didn't quite understand why Jesse taking the pills was such a problem but I knew it was bad so after that I freaked out whenever anyone took any medication. My dad literally had to sit down and have a "not all medicine is bad" talk with me because of that episode. I just kept thinking while he was talking to me "WHAT IF I GET ADDICTED." Oh not that we know what addiction is.
ReplyDeleteMan, thank god we aren't in this alone. To those of us who are victims of the refridgerator episode, never forget. Now can we talk about the episode that was 100% about getting your first bra? Great episode guys!!
ReplyDeleteI'm still stuck on the whole "mom left me at a mall" premise. I don't think I ever realized how depressing that was as a 6 year old.
DeleteReally really good episode! Anything that references Full House is an A+ in my book.
ReplyDeleteMR. TURNER DYING IN BOY MEETS WORLD. Or basically anything that happens to Shawn.
ReplyDeleteShawn's life stressed me out as a child to no end.
DeleteMr. Turner survived his accident and went on to become superintendent of a school system in New York City where he hired Cory as a middle school social studies teacher. Hopefully this helps your stress.
DeleteThe house burning down in Silver Spoons when the chestnut exploded on the open fire.
ReplyDeleteWhat about when Mary's baby died in the house fire on Little House on the Prairie? They were screaming at the window, with fire all behind them and then the screaming stopped.... I slept on my mom's floor for a month after that.
ReplyDeleteWHAT?! I'm not familiar with that one!
DeleteOh my goodness, I still think about that episode once in a while and just shudder at how horrifying that was. I didn't even see that episode until I was 26, sitting on the couch, holding my newborn son. I had nightmares for weeks.
DeleteThere was also one where Laura and Almanzo's son died of SIDS overnight. And, because of that episode, if my babies ever slept overlong I would be hovering over their cribs, trying to ensure that they were still breathing without actually waking them up. Because babies DO die overnight sometimes ... But watching it on Little House rather traumatized me.
DeleteThe crayon factory was always my favorite episode of Mr. Rogers. That show was a soap opera for kids and we loved it.
ReplyDeleteWait, I totally remember the fridge episode! It scarred me for life, but wasn't it also Punky that watched the space shuttle launch that blew up? That was awful. She came home all sad and bummed out. I didn't even know about it but I'm pretty sure I would have been an astronaut without that episode.
ReplyDeleteI watch Fuller House (and I'm proud of it!). While watching all of season 3 I was worried that D.J. is anorexic in the present day. No stressed-out woman with three sons and a full-time job should be running around in leggings and looking that skinny.
ReplyDeleteHey, I learned a LOT from that episode of Punky Brewster! I never would have known refrigerators were dangerous if not for that. And also the caffeine pills episode of Saved By the Bell. Life changing stuff there.
ReplyDelete