Travis McClain

"I'll do it, but I'll probably hate myself in the morning!" - Bugs Bunny

Travis McClain

Glad to have you aboard! This isn't structured quite like the other challenges, but here's the gist:

Each challenge has a specific theme and runs for a specific duration. In our case, it encompasses the entire month of January, from the first to the thirty-first.

You basically gorge on eligible content during the eligibility period, and list what you watch. For this challenge, the theme is television content. That includes all TV shows, TV mini-series, made-for-TV movies (but not movies that are broadcast on TV) and specialty content like stand-up specials and concert films (which we allowed because that has traditionally been part of the programming of a lot of cable stations).

Each challenge has two threads. One is for discussion of the challenge (this is that thread for this challenge). This is where your interaction with other participants is supposed to occur. These threads begin before the challenges themselves, so that ideas about what participants hope to get out of the challenge can be discussed and incorporated into the rules. Once the challenge gets underway, this is where you are encouraged to share your thoughts about whatever content you've watched. It may be that someone else has seen the same thing and would appreciate knowing someone else shared their perspective. It may be that an interesting back-and-forth discussion might arise, so don't be afraid of disagreement (as long as it's civil and mature, which is rarely a serious problem here).

The other thread is the list thread. You create a post in that thread, and that's where you keep a running tally of the eligible content you've watched. In most challenges, you number your list and it's customary to list the date that you watched said content. Other than that, the only real thing to remember is to personalize your list.

You are welcome to include anything you'd like in your list including (but not limited to) original release date, run time, your personal rating, a brief synopsis and/or review, etc. You may include artwork; often this includes a self-made banner (you can create something on your computer and while you can't upload it directly here, you can upload to any online photo sharing service and then link to it), as well as poster artwork, photo stills, etc. that correspond to your list.

For examples, you can find my personal 2010 challenge list posts in my signature. Mine are fairly straightforward (though I rather liked my Criterion and Horror lists), but you can also find other, more elaborate lists linked in the signatures of other forum members.

I hope this all helps, and if you have any further questions don't hesitate to ask!

Travis McClain

Started looking through our library, preparing a list of goals and I was reminded I still haven't bought Star Trek: The Next Generation seasons 4-7. Good thing I've already seen them, because the last episode I saw on DVD was "The Best of Both Worlds, Part I."

KaBluie

Hey this challenge & the next overlap 1 day!

Any Holiday episodes you watch on the last day of that challenge would count for this challenge too!

I think I'll watch that Carry On Christmas box set that day!

Travis McClain

Yarp! It's up to you whether you want to squeeze in some Holiday movies that won't be eligible for our challenge, or if you want to double-up on your content. Or you can spend the first hungover wondering where your pants are like a normal person. The choice is up to you!

tellybox

Thanks for the response! Looking forward to the challenge; I have so many TV boxsets that I've purchased and never watched (which seems to be a consensus around here, lol) that this is the perfect opportunity that cut that number.

BobO'Link

It's a shame this hasn't started yet... the kids are watching a "Pink Panther" Cartoon marathon on DVD! I'll have to move them to an alternate TV to watch more Holiday films for the Holiday Challenge!

BobO'Link

I believe I have my first title lined up. I'm looking at going with:

"Classic Sci-Fi TV" - a collection of 150 episodes of TV classics from Mill Creek. It got a very good review here on DVDTalk and I finally picked up a copy recently when amazon put it on sale at a price too good to pass up.

jmsmath

Same here. I've got so much stuff to watch, I can't decide what to start with. I leaning toward starting with a Gilligan's Island marathon, but that's subject to change.

MrTerrific

I am LOVING watching "The Twilight Zone: Season 1" on blu-ray! Thanks for the TV-on-DVD(blu-ray) challenge.

Undeadcow

Star Trek: The Next Generation marathon today... so much TV, so little time...

BobO'Link

I started with the "Flash Gordon" series from 1953-55. It's like a cheaper version of the serial with very different story lines. It almost feels more like Buck Rogers than Flash Gordon. The main characters are in place, Flash, Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov, with many new ones. It's *very* stage-bound with "location" shots somewhat infrequent. Almost every planet, no matter *what* the atmosphere, has grass and trees at landing site(s). It was filmed in West Berlin with many location shots using the bombed out sections of the city and has many German actors although the principals were all English speaking actors.

One thing I found interesting is that one of the longer story lines (a 3 parter) has automatic sliding doors, a "transporter" device that works between planets (the user had to have a special medalion which was used to "lock on" to them), a device that can remove and store thoughts from a person and put them in someone else for use (they can be restored to the original user later with the same device), and "stun guns" that cause the affected person to "freeze" in place until the gun is re-set to un-stun and they are "shot" again. The audio for the series is by Roger Roger (yes, that's the name on the credits). It makes me wonder if Roddenberry and Lucas, especially Roddenberry, saw these and "stole" ideas for future works (Lucas using "Roger, Roger" as a line in one of the prequels).

Undeadcow

Nice prizes, MiniLShaw! Did you purchase those yourself? Either way, thanks for hosting.

lisadoris

I started watching Fringe when it first aired but stopped halfway through the first season. Now that I'm playing catch-up I can see that the show definitely got better after I stopped watching. Guess I'll have to start watching it live when it returns later this month.

Travis McClain

I'm pretty sure I've heard or read each of them cite that show as something they drew from in one interview or another.

Nope. All credit goes to Rich (GoldenWheels) for procuring and donating these prizes. Which reminds me, with so many to award I need to post the first trivia question soon! It won't be until tomorrow at the earliest as I suspect the New Year weekend has thrown a lot of people out of their rhythm.

Ash Ketchum

Shouldn't the TV on DVD List Thread be a "sticky" by now?

Fist of Doom

You need to PM a Mod to make it so.

BobO'Link

Currently watching the 2nd group of 12 episodes from "Captain Z-Ro" from 1955. It's billed as a time travel show but really is more like a history lecture/adventure show. Captain Z-Ro and his sidekick Jet will find some historical event, usually after Jet asks a question in relation to the event, and intervene to make sure it occurs like the books say. They use a "language rectifier" to hear foreign languages in English - Star Trek's Universal Translator. There's also *lots* of time filled with "techno babble".

Watching this so close to "Flash Gordon" I feel like I'm watching the evolution of "Star Trek". Based on Roddenberry's original pitch likening it to "Wagon Train in space" I somehow feel the need to watch a few eps. of "Wagon Train" to complete the picture...

tellybox

I'll have to check this show out; it sounds fun in a kitschy sort of way.

davidh777

This season has been really good

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

Is that from that TV Sci-Fi set you linked to earlier?

Based on what you described, I'd be a horrible writer for the show.

Jet: "Hey Captain, what do you know about the Hill 303 massacre?"

Captain: "That's when American POWs were gunned down because the North Koreans thought they'd slow down their retreat."

Jet: "Are you saying their government approved of what they did?"

Captain: "Actually, no, they didn't. And that's where we come in, Jet. To make sure history occurs like the books say they do. The history books we get from Texas. 100% accurate and Grade-A American!"

Did they do an Indian episode or help Lincoln get shot?

On a side note, does anyone remember the name of a time travel movie from the late 90s where something similar happens? I remember at one point he kept repeating the JFK assassination. The first few times he ended up getting the gun, and being framed. It kept repeating until he did something right, and I don't remember at all what that was.

lisadoris

general spoilers for Fringe

Ash Ketchum

Don't the mods read this?

If no new people sign on to the list thread, it'll disappear off this page.

Who are the mods on this forum anyway?

Trevor

The mods could not possibly read every thread/post. I bet they read less than 5% of everything.

Whenever you need a mod, just use the notify button at the bottom of every post.

Mods for each forum are shown at the bottom of every main forum page, probably other places too.

Travis McClain

You are playing to win The Color Honeymooners Collection 1. You have until midnight tomorrow (4 January 2011) to PM the correct answers. A winner will be randomly selected from the correct responders.

Dragnet premiered on this day in 1951. Which actor played Sergeant Joe Friday's first TV partner?

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine premiered on this day in 1993 (depending on your syndication market). Morn was a nod to Cheers barfly, Norm. Name the actor who played Morn.

Regarding the prize you are trying to win, name the actresses who took over the roles of suffering wives Alice Kramden and Trixie Norton for these episodes.