Don't Look Now (1983 TV show)

Don't Look Now

Scene from the opening
Genre Sketch comedy
Created by Roger Price
Geoffrey Darby
Directed by Geoffrey Darby
Starring Tina Arthur
Ronda Berkman
Paul Branco
Max Casella
Matthew Flynn
Bajah Freeman
Adam Gulinello
Dhonyale Jones
Dylan Jones
Jon Joseph
Jocelyn Leary
David Perrigo
Lisa Rosman
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 5
Production
Producer(s) Geoffrey Darby
Roger Price
Running time 60 minutes
Production company(s) WGBH-TV, Boston, Massachusetts
Release
Original network PBS
Original release October 2 – October 30, 1983

Don't Look Now is an American national children's sketch comedy show produced for PBS by WGBH-TV in Boston, Massachusetts, and created by Geoffrey Darby and Roger Price.[1] It is a clone of their program for CTV and Nickelodeon, You Can't Do That on Television. The first episode aired on October 2, 1983, and showed its final episode on October 30, 1983. It was originally slated to be called Don't Tell Your Mother, but was later changed to its current title, Don't Look Now, due to the PBS executives concern that the title may encourage children to keep secrets from their parents. It was created out of uncertainty that their top show You Can't Do That on Television would continue,[2] and was cancelled possibly due to the complaints of parents for its content, and also Nickelodeon's concern that if had it not been cancelled it may have spelled the end of You Can't Do That on Television.[3]

Episodes

Season One: 1983 Airdate
"Episode One"October 2, 1983 (1983-10-02)
Dylan must learn how to make donuts, but does a terrible job at it. Violet makes bad food at the Camp Pitup. Lisa play on a men's football teams and scores a touchdown. Dylan asks Lisa to a Police concert, though Lisa is unaware that it is the wrong police that Dylan is talking about. Dylan gets lost at a sewage treatment plant and ends up underground, causing him to miss his date with Lisa.
"Episode Two"October 9, 1983 (1983-10-09)
Jon wears a dress for two scenes that Jocelyn really likes and wants to buy from him, because she gets slimed by saying "Don't blame me!" and then her fancy dress gets covered in yellow yuck. Bajah is made to drink papaya juice, - which she hates!, and Jon learns about tugboats.
"Episode Three"October 16, 1983 (1983-10-16)
Max and Paul trick the Pirate into falling of his plank. Lisa calls the fire department hoping to raise money, but gets the voice mail instead. The dad eats the kids game pieces so the kids have to find something else to play with, - their food!
"Episode Four"October 23, 1983 (1983-10-23)
The Gang decides to sell Jon's old Bicycle to raise money, to buy t-shirts, But the us Jocelyn new bike in the end. Jocelyn promises Dylan a date with Lisa for being in the ad. They owe $750 for making the ad but only raise $75 for selling the bike to Lisa.
"Episode Five"October 30, 1983 (1983-10-30)
This is mentioned as the last episode. Lisa and Max help The Police make radio cassettes do to a shortage. The network computer mentions the show is boring and needs more violence leading the girls to buy guns from the camera men. Adam learns how to babysit.

Format and similarities and differences between You Can't Do That On Television and Don't Look Now

The format of Don't Look Now is along the same lines as the first season of YCDTOTV, when it was a local program produced at originating station CJOH-TV in Ottawa, Ontario, in which it also included contests for viewers, as well as music videos. Some of the sketches presented on Don't Look Now were recycled from that season of YCDTOTV. The show shared many similarities with YCDTOTV, however there are some differences that set the two shows apart:

Comparison list

Comparing Don't Look Now (left) with You Can't Do That on Television (right):

Cast

Characters

Elements

Role of Adult Characters

Ronda Berkman played the makeup lady, the house mom, Miss Pell a very strict school teacher, and Violet the nasty camp instructor; when the kids would complain about how nasty the food was, Violet would tell the kids to "Shut up and eat!" (an analogue to Barth's "Duh IIIIIIII heard that!" on YCDTOTV). David Perrigo played a pirate, a cameraman, Mr. Richards, and the house dad. He was also the narrator for the educational sequences. The pirate would tell the kids, before they walked the plank, "Avast me hearties and you walk the plank!" (similar to El Capitano's "Ready... Aim...").

Music videos

Every episode had three music videos. Videos featured on Don't Look Now included:

Cast

Name First Appearance Last Appearance Slimed Watered Chilied Syruped Milked
Tina Arthur October 2, 1983 October 23, 1983 Episodes One, Two, Four
Ronda Berkman October 2, 1983 October 30, 1983 Episode Five
Paul Branco October 2, 1983 October 16, 1983 Episode One
Adam Gulinello October 2, 1983 October 30, 1983 Episode One, Five Episode One
Dylan Jones October 2, 1983 October 23, 1983 Episode Four
David Perrigo October 2, 1983 October 30, 1983 Episode Five
Lisa Rosman October 2, 1983 October 30, 1983 Episode One
Max Casella (Max Deitch) October 9, 1983 October 30, 1983 Episode Two
Bajah Freeman October 9, 1983 October 30, 1983
Jon Joseph October 9, 1983 October 9, 1983 Episode Two
Jocelyn Leary October 9, 1983 October 23, 1983 Episode Two, Four
Dhonyale Jones October 16, 1983 October 30, 1983

Controversy, cancellation, and ratings

The voice of David Perrigo would announce the disclaimer at the start of each program: "The following show is not intended for pre-school aged children. Viewer discretion is advised."

It was very highly rated (the second highest rated kids show that PBS had ever broadcast even beating out Sesame Street in viewership) and was shown on for six Sundays including all of October. It also made Nickelodeon very angry, so PBS decided not to pick up additional episodes.[5][6][7]

The Don't Look Now series was believed to be lost forever until all five episodes surfaced in early 2013, and have been posted on YouTube as well, but with the music videos edited out. To the best of public knowledge, there aren't any plans for a DVD release.

Major funding for Don't Look Now was provided by the Mable Louise Riley Foundation, a Boston based foundation with interest in children and youth. Additional funding was provided by public television stations and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.[8]

References

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