Amazing Stories

Volume 2 hasn't been released to DVD. I'll be one of the few people in Toronto who buy it.
I used to tape each episode on VHS and edit out the commercials by pausing back in 1985.
I'm a fan of Steven Spielberg, even when that isn't a popular thing to admit. But in 1985 it was fairly safe. His first TV series - not including series' he had worked on before breaking into features - wasn't embraced by Neilsen families, but I liked it. Had Spielberg given us a ritual - like personal introductions or bookends in the style of Alfred Hitchcock Presents - it may have gone beyond the two-season contract it had. But back then Amazing Stories and Alfred Hitchcock were part of the same entertainment block hour in most markets if not all.

I wouldn't make a blanket statement about anything. I take each episode for what it is.

Season 1 Season 1, Episode 1: Ghost Train (fun and somewhat touching - esp recently, for me)

Season 1, Episode 2: The Main Attraction (superficial, mild fun)

Season 1, Episode 3: Alamo Jobe (A few amusing moments but a lame idea)

Season 1, Episode 4: Mummy Daddy (Total fun, good idea well executed)

Season 1, Episode 5: The Mission (Certainly well directed; takes a big risk with it's ending, a deus ex machina that could be the heart of the problem people have with AS - one can't be amazed by a device that takes a story from somewhat realistic and harrowing to magic-solution)

Season 1, Episode 6: The Amazing Falsworth (Actually quite well done and involving episode.)

Season 1, Episode 7: Fine Tuning (This Uncle Milty stuff barely played in the 80's and likely wouldn't work for kids today. It might have good intentions but it's terrible aliens. hamming it up.)

Season 1, Episode 8: Mr. Magic (I like this one. Sid Caesar strikes the right note and it is clearly somewhat about his own ups and downs so there is more than the story itself. The premise seems to have been recently lifted and used in a short that preceded Wall-E in theaters.)

Season 1, Episode 9: Guilt Trip (Fun, light romp, harmless though somewhat a rip-off of Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality. The lame factor kicks in with the Casablanca "beginning of a beautiful friendship" which plays to me like finger-nails on the chalkboard. Over all, it goes for a few dark laughs which could have had more emphasis.)

Season 1, Episode 10: Remote Control Man (Basically fun Bob Clark fluff. The TV character definitely date it, and Adam Sandler has recently made "Click" which shares some of its content, but it is certainly not badly done.)

Season 1, Episode 11: Santa '85 (I have to watch this again now that I know Matt Damon is the boy. This was a favorite for the kids in my family. Pat Hingle is excellent and the magic of the ending works because they don't waste time making us guess if he is the "real" Santa.)

Season 1, Episode 12: Vanessa in the Garden (Interesting Eastwood episode that may be too slow and aloof or too mature for my own tastes. I was bored despite likeing everyone involved.)

Season 1, Episode 13: The Sitter (Total fun with a central character I think about often. Great example of a high point for the series.)

Season 1, Episode 14: No Day at the Beach (I have nothing against this episode but I'm also not sure of it's message that we should be nice to the geek because one day he might magically save everybody. Still well done for what it is.)

Season 1, Episode 15: One for the Road (This has the content of an O. Henry short story but it made no impression on me.)

Season 1, Episode 16: Gather Ye Acorns (Great fun present for Mark Hamill fans the world over, like myself. Anyone else might find it over-stated with the character reaching an absurd low. I agree with the message, but seeing it illustrated makes me question it.)

Season 1, Episode 17: Boo! (I actually like this idea and the approach of it. Nothing wrong with it's clash of generational tastes and tolerance.)

Season 1, Episode 18: Dorothy and Ben (This may be my favourite. Certainly the most emotionally moving. I find it very involving to the point of being embarrassed. The actors are terrific. What some people call "emotional manipulation" I call good filmmaking.)

Season 1, Episode 19: Mirror, Mirror (Clearly about Stephen King and his demons. I find it fun and it's interesting to see Scorcese just concentrating on shot design and having fun.)

Season 1, Episode 20: Secret Cinema (I'm a Griffin Dunn fan, so this kind of insanity appeals to me.)

Season 1, Episode 21: Hell Toupee (Whimsical idea that is harmless and sort of has something to say about vanity, so I like it. Cute fun.)

Season 1, Episode 22: The Doll (Kind of a touching John Lithgow episode. If you are in the right mood for it, this one is quaint and full of empathy.)

Season 1, Episode 23: One for the Books (The old janitor absorbing information from being near books has a progression of events but I'll be darned if I remember it adding up to anything or having much to say. It's a waste of a premise, from what I recall.)

Season 1, Episode 24: Grandpa's Ghost (Kind of embarrassing and uncomfortable.)

Season 2 Season 2, Episode 1: The Wedding Ring (Danny and Rhea are terrific in this. Actually it's the best thing DeVito has directed, even War of the Roses. Total fun.)

Season 2, Episode 2: Miscalculation (I think I liked it better when it was called Weird Science.)

Season 2, Episode 3: Magic Saturday (Liked it better when it was called Shoeless Joe - and later Field of Dreams)

Season 2, Episode 4: Welcome to My Nightmare (I have a dim memory of this. Have to get Season 2 on DVD. Sounds great, though my memory has it in the mediocre file. He ends up on the set of Psycho?)

Season 2, Episode 5: You Gotta Believe Me (Charles Durning does the best he can with this vehicle. It's okay, but totally reliant on him selling his dream and following through. It's not a personal favourite, but you pretty much know how it has to pay off.)

Season 2, Episode 6: The Greibble (If you are a Hayley Mills fan, fine, watch it. But this is overblown Joe Dante at his worst with a puppet that is just annoying. Basically a giant Gremlin.)

Season 2, Episode 7: Life on Death Row (Oh my God, this one I haven't seen. Apparently it is like The Green Mile.)

Season 2, Episode 8: Go to the Head of the Class (Robert Zemeckis, Christopher Lloyd, case closed: 100% approval by me.)

Season 2, Episode 9: Thanksgiving (David Carradine as a mean step dad gets to greedy for the generous people in a well on his property. Nice little episode. Very nice.)

Season 2, Episode 10: The Pumpkin Competition (Technically well done and we get Polly Holiday as a mean old jealous lady, so I have to admit this one should play well for everyone - very folksy and fun.)

Season 2, Episode 11: What If...? (Anne Spielberg wrote this one about a boy born into a family who doesn't appreciate him and shouldn't have kids, who gets to cross over to a nicer couple. Some of it gives me a chill.)

Season 2, Episode 12: The Eternal Mind (I have not seen this episode.)

Season 2, Episode 13: Lane Change (Have not seen.)

Season 2, Episode 14: Blue Man Down (Have not seen. Very interested in it. Max Gail as a cop again.)

Season 2, Episode 15: The 21-Inch Sun (Have not seen. But a plant writing sit-coms sounds about right.)

Season 2, Episode 16: Family Dog (Episodic but entertaining animated episode.)

Season 2, Episode 17: Gershwin's Trunk (Have not seen this one)

Season 2, Episode 18: Such Interesting Neighbors (Have not seen this, but the outline sounds shrill and annoying.)

Season 2, Episode 19: Without Diana (Have not seen this one.)

Season 2, Episode 20: Moving Day (Have not seen. Moving to space. . .? I dunno.)

Season 2, Episode 21: Miss Stardust (Have not seen this one but apparently it is the old joke about an alien challenging the winner of "Miss Universe.")

Overall I would be interested in buying Season 2. Family Dog is the only episode I have been able to find and watch on-line. I used to watch Amazing Stories and tape it regularly, so I don't know how there are so many episodes I have missed.