The Hitchhiker

To get right down to it, this show makes Tales From the Crypt look like a Disney series. The main character almost always dies. It is hilarious to see them so arrogant and ignorant in the beginning and then have all of this horrible stuff eventually happen to them. Some of the episodes are a bit corny, but they are so in that bizarre, remote 80's way. I remember watching the re-runs on USA when I was in grade school (that song gave me nightmares), and those showings were edited. The unedited episodes are the real deal, but unfortunately only a few are for sale on VHS and they are no longer shown on any HBO channel. A DVD with ten episodes is due in March 2004, but with only ten episodes. If you are an enthusiast of the series, buy the DVD and maybe there will more to come.

This old 1980's show from HBO is 10 times better than the stuff the studio puts out today, like Sex in the City and Sopranos. The problem is it was well ahead of its time as proven by the success of a similar show, the X-Files.

The series was basically a set of independent shows, the only common them was the pre- and post-show dialogue from a mysterious hitchhiker who passes through each episode. Creepy and sexy, each show had its own moral as some (usually more than one) character would get their come-upance in the end. All sorts of Hollywood stars signed up for guest appearances, Gary Busey, Harry Hamlin, Kirstie Alley, Willem Dafoe, even KISS lead singer Gene Simmons, and many many more.

I've caught rebroadcasts recently on one of the gazillion HBO channels now being broadcast (HBO Zone is what I think it is called), so it is out there someplace. The last poster and I agree on one episode "The Legend of Billy B." was my favorite too. If I remember right, it starred Kirstie Alley as a reporter trying to track down an Elvis-like rock star who was supposedly dead.

Catch this show if you can.

"The, Hitchhiker" had it all mixed into every episode a little suspense, drama, terror, revenge, sex, and fun. This series always kept you on the edge of your seat you never knew what was going to happen, every episode was well written and the acting was clever the series featured many movie stars and stars of other series. I remember watching most of my episodes of "The, Hitchhiker" in the early 90's on the USA Network it became an every Friday and Saturday night thing with me that was to tune in and watch "The, Hitchhiker". I remember that HBO originally started this series in the mid 80's and it lasted until 1989. Each episode starts out with the eerie theme music which in my opinion was one of the best in TV history. Then Page Fletcher who was just great as the hitchhiker starts each episode off with an introduction speech and then summarized the story with a closing speech in the end. Each episode was full of mystery and suspense one of my favorite was "The, Legendary Billy B." with Kirstie Alley as a nosy reporter who gets what she deserves. Almost every episode featured beautiful women and it's bulk of sexy moments. My favorite and most remembered was "Videodate" with the hot and sexy Shannon Tweed. I miss this series so much I wish that some network would once again start showing reruns. To my knowledge no network shows "The, Hitchhiker" reruns, I was told that certain episodes are available on VHS volume tape I wish I could find the tapes or someone would let me know where I could find the tapes at. "The, Hitchhiker" was one of my favorite series of all-time I suggest you watch many episodes if you haven't, you will be glad you did.

When I was living in Barbados, CBC used to carry this anthology series in its late night (and by late, I mean around 10:30) Tuesday slot - they definitely didn't show all the episodes of this, or "Tales From The Darkside" (which replaced it). Not a patch on "The Twilight Zone," this anthology of tales about people who either got what they deserved or met their doom - and the two weren't always the same - was still effectively creepy, if a bit morbid, viewing.

Some of the most notable tales topped and tailed by Page Fletcher's wandering man: a story with Michael O'Keefe's dog getting revenge on his enemies, and driving him to his death when his girlfriend told him he was his own worst enemy; a tale with a man who thought his girlfriend was an escaped mental patient, and ended up getting killed by the real loony; "One Last Prayer," with Lisa Blount as a singer who invented an image for herself that was guaranteed to succeed, but worked TOO well and ended up replacing the singer in real life; and an episode with Harry Hamlin as a developer under a curse, which stood out as one of the few stories with a happy ending.

And yes, that music is very memorable. But Home Box Office's reputation was not built on this show.

OK, I admit I have a misguided, nostalgic affection for this 80's anthology series because it was on HBO back when I was a young impressionable teenager, and the episodes always had a dose of gratuitous nudity back in the days before I had too much knowledge of real women (or had gotten Cinemax). The series is loosely tied together by the most blow-dried and handsome hitchhiker you've ever seen (Page Fletcher), who narrates to the camera, cocking his head slightly back and making portentious and often non-sensical comments that usually only peripherally connect to the story he's apparently narrating. He also never actually seems to get a ride, or really interact with anyone in the world of the series at all.(He has some great theme music though).

The stories are an uneven mixture. Some of them are pretty creepy, while others are more silly, and still others are downright stupid. Some of the best are "Man's Best Friend" with Michael O'Keefe, "WGOD" with Gary Busey, and "Face to Face" with Robert Vaugn and Sybil Danning in red lingerie (the better for Vaugn, playing a hedonistic plastic surgeon, to cut off with a scalpel so he can snort cocaine off her breasts). Both the good and bad episodes contain a lot of second-tier stars mercilessly chewing the scenery and sometimes each other (i.e. Vaugn and Danning). There's also some unusual appearances by European-based actors like Ornella Muti or Susan Anspach, or some actors who later went on to bigger things like Bill Paxton or Michael Madsen. If you look closely you'll also recognize some name directors in the credits like the Australian Philip Noyce back in his pre "Dead Calm", pre-Hollywood days.

The best way to see this series ironically is to buy the used, out-of-print VHS copies which mostly focus on the early seasons; the three US DVD compilations are totally random and have a pretty sorry good episode/lame episode ratio. The show was apparently Canadian and is also available there, but--buyer beware--the Canadian DVD seasons are completely different than the American ones (although I guess if you ARE Canadian you don't really need to beware). Not recommended for everybody, but you know who you are.