"The Hitchhiker" was (still is) one hell of a TV series; much better than the junk currently being released in movie theaters. I missed this show when it first aired in the 80's. Luckily, one can find reruns of it on HBO Zone. It's worth seeking out.
For starters, the opening theme is pulsating and gets under your skin. As good is the ending-credits music found only in the 1987 season.
This show was bold, thrilling, imaginative and sexy while at the same time more intelligent and relevant than most TV shows/movies released. Some episodes had nudity and (strong) violence, but it was all at the service of the enormously talented writers and directors. In general, episodes created mood and atmosphere without gore or anything shocking on-screen at all.
Almost any episode of this show is great:
"Killer" and "Homebodies" had story structures similar to M. Night Shyamalan's movies. "Killer" opened with a long, unbroken tracking shot much later popularized in some movies from the mid-90's on up ("Boogie Nights," for example).
"Why Are You Here?" was shot entirely by the actors -- a precursor to the style of film-making found in the movie "The Blair Witch Project," however made 12 years before.
Also great were religious-themed episodes like "W.G.O.D.", about a born-again preacher with a terrible secret, and "True Believer," where a detective confronts his own demons while trying to solve a murder case involving an "infested" convent.
I can't say enough how wonderful this show is. It's sometimes tough to watch, but there are many rewards to be found at the end. Some episodes improved with repeated viewings.
Catch this show on HBO Zone while you still can.
For starters, the opening theme is pulsating and gets under your skin. As good is the ending-credits music found only in the 1987 season.
This show was bold, thrilling, imaginative and sexy while at the same time more intelligent and relevant than most TV shows/movies released. Some episodes had nudity and (strong) violence, but it was all at the service of the enormously talented writers and directors. In general, episodes created mood and atmosphere without gore or anything shocking on-screen at all.
Almost any episode of this show is great:
"Killer" and "Homebodies" had story structures similar to M. Night Shyamalan's movies. "Killer" opened with a long, unbroken tracking shot much later popularized in some movies from the mid-90's on up ("Boogie Nights," for example).
"Why Are You Here?" was shot entirely by the actors -- a precursor to the style of film-making found in the movie "The Blair Witch Project," however made 12 years before.
Also great were religious-themed episodes like "W.G.O.D.", about a born-again preacher with a terrible secret, and "True Believer," where a detective confronts his own demons while trying to solve a murder case involving an "infested" convent.
I can't say enough how wonderful this show is. It's sometimes tough to watch, but there are many rewards to be found at the end. Some episodes improved with repeated viewings.
Catch this show on HBO Zone while you still can.