FuzzyTagz
If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.
Salubfoto
It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.
Guillelmina
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
soulexpress
I've only seen 10 episodes of THE HITCHHIKER, but they were on a DVD anthology. So I'm guessing they represent the best that the show had to offer. If that's the case, then I would hate to see the worst episodes. THE HITCHHIKER was a smarmy, badly written TWILIGHT ZONE retread. It even took its name from a classic TZ episode. How could such swill have garnered multiple Emmy nominations? Payola?I assumed each episode would begin with the Hitchhiker (Page Fletcher) getting out of the car of that week's main character and delivering his narrative. But that was never the case. And his monochromatic, soundbite-length attempts at profundity always fell short, particularly if one compares him to THE TWILIGHT ZONE'S Rod Serling.THE HITCHHIKER focused on bad people getting their comeuppance, either by natural or supernatural means. Alas, the bad people in question are so one-dimensional, I didn't give a damn what happened to them one way or the other. The writing here is surprisingly weak for a show that lasted six years on a major cable network (HBO). While THE TWILIGHT ZONE frequently served up timeless morality plays, THE HITCHHIKER, in a fashion typical of the 1980s, offered style over substance. While it may have been a stepping stone for up-and-comers like Willem Dafoe, Helen Hunt and Kirstie Alley, it was a decided low point for established performers like Darren McGavin, Peter Coyote, Margot Kidder and Gary Busey.If you want an anthology series that appeals to the intellect and not the prurient interest, eschew this crap for THE TWILIGHT ZONE or THE OUTER LIMITS.
Woodyanders
Mainly notable as the HBO Network's first foray into making its own TV series, this nifty little show tended to adhere to the following strict formula: Bad people do something bad and something bad happens to them in kind, thereby confirming that cruel and evil actions often result in wickedly dire consequences. What gave this program an extra potent and startling impact was that practically every episode ended on a brutal downbeat note in which the frequently rotten main character wound up on the receiving end of a usually bleak, yet still fitting comeuppance of some kind or another. It's this show's unsparingly bitter and pessimistic take on the worst aspects of human nature like lust, greed, deceit, and plain old selfishness that made it so distinctive and effective. Sure, there was the occasional upbeat conclusion to an episode, but by and large this series kept things remarkably grim and negative. In addition, a majority of the episodes fall into the gritty thriller category, with only the sporadic foray into more fantastic horror or sci-fi territory. Of course, the other big draw back in the 80's was the fact that the show when it first aired on pay cable television certainly didn't skimp on the tasty gratuitous nudity, sizzling soft-core sex, and grisly violence. Alas, the show lost its uniquely harsh identity when it was picked up for commercial television by the USA Network, but the first four strong pay cable TV seasons are well worth checking out for fans of decidedly dark and edgy adult omnibus fare.
billyjacqueshollier
I never saw the HBO episodes unedited (My parents refused to get HBO). However, I began to date a girl who liked shows like this and I became hooked.At one point in the series the hitchhiker seem to be Paris. How could a hitchhiker have the money to hike in Europe? My only problem with the show was Page Fletcher--well not so much Page Fletcher but a particular part of Page Fletcher that the directors seem to like a lot--his butt. Apparently a lot of women watched this show as well and liked his tight jeans shots (that's what I read). Maybe all the directors' close up Fletcher's caboose help to introduce the sagging jeans era that rap popularized! Hopefully if the sells of the DVD goes well the show will be put back into late-night syndication.
plant
"The Hitchhiker" was (still is) one hell of a TV series; much better than the junk currently being released in movie theaters. I missed this show when it first aired in the 80's. Luckily, one can find reruns of it on HBO Zone. It's worth seeking out.For starters, the opening theme is pulsating and gets under your skin. As good is the ending-credits music found only in the 1987 season.This show was bold, thrilling, imaginative and sexy while at the same time more intelligent and relevant than most TV shows/movies released. Some episodes had nudity and (strong) violence, but it was all at the service of the enormously talented writers and directors. In general, episodes created mood and atmosphere without gore or anything shocking on-screen at all.Almost any episode of this show is great:"Killer" and "Homebodies" had story structures similar to M. Night Shyamalan's movies. "Killer" opened with a long, unbroken tracking shot much later popularized in some movies from the mid-90's on up ("Boogie Nights," for example). "Why Are You Here?" was shot entirely by the actors -- a precursor to the style of film-making found in the movie "The Blair Witch Project," however made 12 years before.Also great were religious-themed episodes like "W.G.O.D.", about a born-again preacher with a terrible secret, and "True Believer," where a detective confronts his own demons while trying to solve a murder case involving an "infested" convent.I can't say enough how wonderful this show is. It's sometimes tough to watch, but there are many rewards to be found at the end. Some episodes improved with repeated viewings. Catch this show on HBO Zone while you still can.
