Black, der schwarze Blitz

I think the other user has mistaken this "Black Stallion" for the timeless film classic of the same name. This is the TV SHOW based on that film and the books by Walter Farley. This was a short-lived series that ran on the Family Channel in the early 1990's. I was in middle school and high school then, and had a big crush on the guy who played Alec. Though the show was pretty cheesy and the plot lines corny, it was still enjoyable. I was a big fan of the Black Stallion and horses in general, so this show was a "cult favorite" of mine. The only similarity between the show and the movie is that Mickey Rooney reprises his role as Henry the trainer. Alec has grown up a bit (he's in his late teens/early '20s here), and they introduce a new character: a French Canadian girl named Nicole who works as a stable hand while trying to find her long-lost father. I haven't seen this show in over ten years, and I'm excited to see that it's on DVD. Maybe I'll rent it for old time's sake. Just don't watch it expecting to see the movie version or a show that is of the same quality. It's pretty low budget, but enjoyable for what it is.

Overall, I thought it was a good show, though I must admit that I only saw the first two seasons. I didn't read all of the Walter Farley books, so I don't know if the stories went along with the books. There was a comment about how they didn't that I saw here... give me a break! I don't think it would have been as good a show if it had been set in the 1940s, like the books. The books I read (The Black Stallion, Return of the Black Stallion, and The Black Stallion's Blood Bay Colt are a few of the titles I can remember) were all set in the past. Were the shows that were filmed in New Zealand or took place there (the 3rd season) on the Family Channel? Why did they suddenly go from France to New Zealand? Did Nicole accompany Alec, Henry and the Black? For that matter, can anyone explain why Catherine and Pierre left? I think there was some mention of Catherine's father living closeby in the episode called "The Neuchatel Stallion." Are the 3rd season episodes available on DVD?