We here at BRBTV love television. We always have. We love how it reflects who we are as human beings, how it moves us, motivates us, makes us get all emotional in a variety of ways, often provides simple mindless escape, and just plain entertains us! This author is thankful to have witnessed several truly history-making moments live, as they originally aired, on that thing that's been called a Boob Tube over the years. These key moments were all water-cooler talk the next day, for sure.
So as a special New Year's Day celebration, and to mark one full decade for this continuously operating news blog, we've assembled what we consider the top 10 iconic television moments, almost all of which this author witnessed as they originally aired (can you guess which one I didn't?) ...
10.
Sinead O'Conner tearing up the photo of the Pope on "Saturday Night Live."
What the heck??? That's what we were all wondering, right? Ah, the marvel of live television ...
9.
Farrah getting loopy on Letterman.
This author cringed for poor Farrah -- I've always loved her.
8.
Sally Field: "You like me!" Oscar speech.
Quoted so many times since then, and often inaccurately, Field's acceptance speech nevertheless lives forever.
7.
Geraldo Rivera opens Al Capone's vault ...
... and there's nothing there! Ooops, did we spoil that for you? Can't believe there could be somebody out there who hasn't heard the jokes about this one over the years. Don't need to explain it much more, because Geraldo does a pretty good job in this clip.
6.
Alien Autopsy
All the more chilling because it's silent, this footage -- supposedly from the U.S. government's examinations of alien bodies after the 1947 Roswell, New Mexico, UFO crash -- was unleashed on the TV viewing world in the mid-'90s. We remember Jonathan Frakes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" hosting this primetime special, and boy, did we eat it up. Everybody knows that something did happen in Roswell back then, and whether or not it has been debunked over the decades since, this footage sure makes you wonder, doesn't it?
5.
O.J. Simpson fleeing in the white Bronco
It's another one of those news moments -- like the Challenger crash or the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Tower, which would have made this list if it were longer! -- that you remember the physical place you were when you heard or when you saw it live on TV. O.J. Simpson, an all-American athlete, revered by so many, fleeing the law in the wake of some ugly charges.
4.
Sophia coming out of the barn on "The Walking Dead."
Maybe there's some of you brainiacs out there who saw it coming, but this author sure didn't. Blown-the-heck-away. One of the best moments of scripted television, hands down.
3.
Bobby's in the shower on "Dallas."
"Dallas" has to have two moments in this list because it showed every other TV series how it was done, as far as cliffhangers and bringing a character back from the dead. Continuity, schmontinuity! We don't need no stinkin' continuity -- we make our own!!!! Soooooo ... we forgave "Dallas" quite wholeheartedly for this major rewrite to resurrect Patrick Duffy's beloved Bobby Ewing. And because of that, this moment became a pop-cultural landmark. This plot point is continually cited, in terms of TV plot history. Plus, you've got to consider the fact that it was a grand TV production cover-up that would be a whole lot harder nowadays in the social media age.
2.
Mary Lou Retton nailing a perfect "10" vault to win the gold in women's gymnastics in the 1984 Olympics.
Friggin' amazing, and my favorite gymnast forever. That moment lit the viewing world on fire, as we knew she'd clinched the medal.
AND FINALLY ... our vote for top 10 iconic moment of all time ...
1.
J.R. getting shot on "Dallas."
You could argue that the big reveal of "Who Shot J.R." was the iconic moment here, as it got record-breaking viewership, but really, it was the moment the old dog slumped over the doorway to his office that really got us, thereby touching off the fervor in the ensuing months. A truly groundbreaking moment for the TV cliffhanger and the TV soap in general, from a historical perspective ...
What have been your own landmark or favorite TV moments?
And once again ... Happy New Year! Here's to a great 2017!
So as a special New Year's Day celebration, and to mark one full decade for this continuously operating news blog, we've assembled what we consider the top 10 iconic television moments, almost all of which this author witnessed as they originally aired (can you guess which one I didn't?) ...
10.
Sinead O'Conner tearing up the photo of the Pope on "Saturday Night Live."
What the heck??? That's what we were all wondering, right? Ah, the marvel of live television ...
9.
Farrah getting loopy on Letterman.
This author cringed for poor Farrah -- I've always loved her.
8.
Sally Field: "You like me!" Oscar speech.
Quoted so many times since then, and often inaccurately, Field's acceptance speech nevertheless lives forever.
7.
Geraldo Rivera opens Al Capone's vault ...
... and there's nothing there! Ooops, did we spoil that for you? Can't believe there could be somebody out there who hasn't heard the jokes about this one over the years. Don't need to explain it much more, because Geraldo does a pretty good job in this clip.
6.
Alien Autopsy
All the more chilling because it's silent, this footage -- supposedly from the U.S. government's examinations of alien bodies after the 1947 Roswell, New Mexico, UFO crash -- was unleashed on the TV viewing world in the mid-'90s. We remember Jonathan Frakes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" hosting this primetime special, and boy, did we eat it up. Everybody knows that something did happen in Roswell back then, and whether or not it has been debunked over the decades since, this footage sure makes you wonder, doesn't it?
5.
O.J. Simpson fleeing in the white Bronco
It's another one of those news moments -- like the Challenger crash or the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Tower, which would have made this list if it were longer! -- that you remember the physical place you were when you heard or when you saw it live on TV. O.J. Simpson, an all-American athlete, revered by so many, fleeing the law in the wake of some ugly charges.
4.
Sophia coming out of the barn on "The Walking Dead."
Maybe there's some of you brainiacs out there who saw it coming, but this author sure didn't. Blown-the-heck-away. One of the best moments of scripted television, hands down.
3.
Bobby's in the shower on "Dallas."
"Dallas" has to have two moments in this list because it showed every other TV series how it was done, as far as cliffhangers and bringing a character back from the dead. Continuity, schmontinuity! We don't need no stinkin' continuity -- we make our own!!!! Soooooo ... we forgave "Dallas" quite wholeheartedly for this major rewrite to resurrect Patrick Duffy's beloved Bobby Ewing. And because of that, this moment became a pop-cultural landmark. This plot point is continually cited, in terms of TV plot history. Plus, you've got to consider the fact that it was a grand TV production cover-up that would be a whole lot harder nowadays in the social media age.
2.
Mary Lou Retton nailing a perfect "10" vault to win the gold in women's gymnastics in the 1984 Olympics.
Friggin' amazing, and my favorite gymnast forever. That moment lit the viewing world on fire, as we knew she'd clinched the medal.
AND FINALLY ... our vote for top 10 iconic moment of all time ...
1.
J.R. getting shot on "Dallas."
You could argue that the big reveal of "Who Shot J.R." was the iconic moment here, as it got record-breaking viewership, but really, it was the moment the old dog slumped over the doorway to his office that really got us, thereby touching off the fervor in the ensuing months. A truly groundbreaking moment for the TV cliffhanger and the TV soap in general, from a historical perspective ...
What have been your own landmark or favorite TV moments?
And once again ... Happy New Year! Here's to a great 2017!
Congrats on 10 years and Happy new year!! Wow this is a really good debate, I agree on some of your picks, Sinead definetly shocked me ripping up the pic of the pope.
ReplyDeleteAl copone's vault, yeah that rivera he's something elsr. Weird al yankovic did a great paradoy of this in UHF also when Geraldo got punched on his own tv show, that guy is a joke.
O.j. on the run, yea there's an innocent guy there, I do remember exactly where I was too that day.
Mary Lou, I had such a hard crush on her she's my favorite olympian.
THD sophia comming out of the barn was so heart breaking, and rose so many questions. How did she get in there? How did she become a walker? Who was in that house when Daryl was seeing someine was there before? Why did'nt they ever show us why that happend? Poor carol, and the rest of the group.
The alien autopsy, I have to admit, that footage looks very convincing.
What are some of my tv moments? Cant promise there in order but here I go,
The original Alien movie chestburster scene. To this day I cringne and squirm watching that scene, iconic movie History.
K.i.t.t. vrs goliath 2 parter. I never did get to see the original air date of the second half, I made my sister promise me to record it but she forgot. She told me they made a semi truck crash through a mountain. Really intense stuff for a 6th grader to cope with.
Ronald Reagan getting shot on tv. I was watching tv with my dad when it happend. I remember my dad crying out "oh god! Oh no!" Regan was one of my favorites.
Space shuttle challenger disaster. I was getting a hair cut watching it as it blew up. Very sad, I followed that report quite closely.
Empire strikes back, darth vader telling luke "no, Im your father" any self respecting nerd this shook us to the very core. Still has some power over me to this day.
I normally dont like to admit ny weakness, but the movie Cocoon 2 the scene where Joe gives his life force to save his wife, knowing he will die doing so. No matter how many times I see that, I cry, profusely. The original cocoon had a few scenes in there that moves me this way extremely well made movies 1 and 2.
Dukes of Hazzard Carnival of thrills. Now to a die hard young fan, watching my 2 heros fight each other then my favorite one leave in the General supposedy for good, man I remember that was a painfuly long week until the second episode.
The Fog, the 1981 original. This is one of those movies thats scary good. Had the perfect amount of creepy and scary, not in your face gore like the movies these days. Good story.
Quantum leap, the leap home. Sam leaps into his younger self where he gets to see realitves long gone. Its just a warm good one.
Dumb and dummer the turbo lax scene. Forgive me BRB I know your not a fan of toliet humor, but that scene has been copied by several movies and they can just never get it right. I heard Jeff Daniles regretted doing it, but it still stands the best of the best in the toliet humor joke scene. No matter what mood Im in I always laugh like a fool seeing it.
Forest Gump. I never get tired watching this. Enough said.
Not that I want to end this on a sad moment in our nations history, but 9 11 really was something that shook mw to my very core. It proves history repeates it self, this was our pearl harbor. I remember exactly where I was when this happend. I dont know anybody that was there but it really effected me.
Ok I cant leave on a sad note. Sling Blade. Did'nt know who Bikky bob Thorton was before this, but a incredible actor. Sling blade has integrated successfully into American culture mmmmm hmmmmm.
Wow, good picks. Yea, the Challenger disaster was a big one. Don't think i have seen the "Knight Rider"one.
ReplyDeleteYou never seen k.i.t.t. vrs goliath? Wow, that was a good one. Funny thing is they made the bad guy look just like Michael knight, except with a moustache, the 'ol 70's good vrs evil thing. The bad guy, Garth talked about goliath which was a massive semi truck with k.i.t.t.'s bonded shell, like it was like k.i.t.t. meaning like goliath was able to speak. It did'nt have a cpu, or any computer for that matter. It was just a big truck lol.
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