RTN Highs and Lows

More thoughts on the local Retro Television Network outlet...

HIGH: They actually show the end credits! Yes, that's right, the whole thing, too, without squeezing them into a little box and simultaneously running a promo for another show in the larger part of the screen.

LOW: The start and end times are about a minute off, which sometimes means those end credits bleed into the next time slot. This is kind of inconvenient if you're DVR'ing and watching later. You may think end credits aren't such a big deal, but when watching a bunch of vintage programs like these, I like matching the names with the familiar faces I see.

HIGH: Black and white. I'd like to see more of the older 1950s and early 1960s shows, but for now I'm just pleased they're showing something as old as "Bachelor Father." Bring on the older stuff, RTN!

LOW: Unreliable schedule: We still get the stray "Leave it to Beaver" episode as a fill-in for another show. Plus, after waiting for "Kraft Suspense Theater," AKA "Crisis," then enjoying it for a week, I recorded the exact same episodes this week! Surely RTN has access to more than 5 episodes?

HIGH: "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (and "Alfred Hitchcock Hour" weekends) is in my opinion the most consistent entertainment on there right now. Yes, many of the early half-hour episodes are on DVD, but still, this show is too good and too significant to be confined to a little-seen channel like Chiller. Even when the stories aren't top notch, Hitch's wraparounds are a riot.

LOW: I don't want to single out any programs in particular, but dotting the schedule in high-profile time slots are a few in which I am not at all interested. I'm sure the ratings are still minescule, and I kind of hope nobody's paying attention to them right now, but I'd hate to think the most popular offerings are "Knight Rider" and "The A-Team." Oops, I singled a few out.

HIGH AND LOW: "Operation Petticoat." Why is this forgotten sitcom both a high and a low? Well, I'll write about this in my next post. Stay tuned..