Are the older episodes better than the more recent ones?

[RaisinCain]

Hi gang.

I have been noticing (IMHO) that as a general rule, the older the CBSRMT episode, the better it seems to be.

Now this is all opinion of course, but it seems to me that in the waning years of the series that the acting and writing just weren't there the way they were in the earlier years. Could this be a reason that the series eventually stopped?

Don't get me wrong; the series was still very good, but I just don't think the later years compared to the earlier episodes. I was wondering if one of the reasons could be that when RMT started, there was a buzz about it and actors\writers wanted to be involved. As the newness wore off, the enthusiasm to participate in the demandingly-scheduled series probably eroded as well.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[brian1984_2001]

I've not heard a lot of episodes from 1982, but what I've heard is not too bad.

They lost Ian Martin in 1981. Losing a top writer could not have helped.

They lost E.G. MArshall in February 1982. A lot of people have said it was health reasons, but I've read that Marshall's acting career was getting busy and he didn't have time.

Sound effects improved a lot over the years.

I'm not sure I agree with you, but if they did go down hill, these reasons might be why.

[Lagavulin]

Interesting observation. I've been working my way chronologically through the episodes and am halfway through the second season so the bulk of my recent listening is from the first 300 episodes. It will be interesting to monitor the perceived quality of them as I get further ahead in the years.

cheers
miles

[hamlet2003]

I have made the same observation myself so as a rule, when randomly going through a list of episodes for one to listen to, I typically go for a show from the early seventies because, in my judgement, they tend to be better. However, this may be because I mostly listened to the program in the seventies so those are the episodes (and the seventies, the era) most nostalgic for me.
Brian

[Charlie]

[quote:a7273fff9d="hamlet2003"]I mostly listened to the program in the seventies so those are the episodes (and the seventies, the era) most nostalgic for me.[/quote:a7273fff9d]

Me too but several 80's episodes I have listened to in the last few months were excellent.

Charlie

[Ross]

I don't know. I have my favorites, and they span all of the years. Some of the TG episodes from '82 are real good.

- Ross

[dnagle]

Interestingly, I tend to prefer the shows right in the middle of the series, 76-78. At this point the show was diverging into some interesting things with comedy, westerns, etc. But I just listened to some from 1980 and thought they were real good too. So I'm going to try some from 81-82 as well. But for good horror yarns the earliest seasons seem to be the best.

[vgarci]

I've also started with the earlier shows so I don't feel qualified to review the later shows. When I do, I'll try to review them based on their merit and I'll try to apply the same critical process I have during the earlier shows. Honestly, I'm afraid I'll be more experienced and possibly more critical of the later shows so this could be a challenge.

[brian1984_2001]

For a good, later episode, try Garden of the Moon. I don't remember the broadcast date.

I, too, am going in order, sort of. I've listened to the first 138. Then I started helping another guy with a searchable database. So now I listen to episodes that he needs to fill in his database.

I'm in October of 1976 and the show is marginally better than it was in 1974 and no better than in 1975. These were not bad years. I've enjoyed them.

After three years, Martin and Dann had hit their stride, creatively. I'm surmising that the show was truly at its best 77-79. The quality of most creative endeavors follows a bell curve pattern, I think.

[champagne charlie]

[quote:5a82fb66b6="brian1984_2001"]For a good, later episode, try Garden of the Moon. I don't remember the broadcast date.[/quote:5a82fb66b6]

Yes, a fantastic can't-miss episode that's somewhat reminescent of a famous Twilight Zone episode. But of course the CBSRMT is much better.

Regarding the later episodes, for me what they really lack is the superb E.G. Marshall. His voice is central to the CBSRMT experience.

[brian1984_2001]

I think the best year I've listened to is 1979. Some really excellent episodes in that time.

[algebra]

I like all of the shows, but I am biased as it is one of my favorite radio shows. If there was a decrease in the quality of the later shows it may have been from economic factors.

During the 1970's AM stations were losing market share to FM stations. I remember great top 40 AM stations like WLS in Chicago in the early 70's. In the early 80's AM management noticed that one of the bright spots was the regional success of talk shows. If I remember correctly RMT was mainly carried on AM stations.

With the lowered revenues at the AM stations and the begining of experimenting and shifting to talk radio shows, AM stations may have begun to ask for lower rates from CBS to carry the show. If revenues for the RMT began to fall cost reductions may have cut into production money and quality.

Then again, nine years is historically a long run for a radio or television show. Maybe the producers precieved it was nearing the end of it's run and cut produciton costs.

[Texas]

Funny you should ask this.

I'm trying to listen to "Diamond Dotty" and am having some difficulty in doing so with the plot line.

IMO, there does seem to be in the 1982 season a sense of somberness in many episodes. Perhaps they just sounded better with different recording equipment (plus the actors were older, too). There were, in some episodes, some pronounced (IMO) writing differences that soured me.

Then again, there were some GREAT shows from the year before in 1981. I have found that virtually any original season 1974 episode seems to be a treat to listen to.

[brian1984_2001]

I've listened to a lot of 1981 episodes and found them to be on par with the rest of the series. I've found only one real clunker in the whole season so far.

That was an episode called "In Touch" written by Elspeth Eric. It's the standard format that failed her so often. Woman are so misunderstood and that if men would just listen to them, a beautiful, supernatural world will be open to all of us.

I've not listened to too many 1982 episodes. "I Hate Harold" didn't take itself too seriously and "Invaders From Atlantis" was kind of cool.

The writers had to be running out of ideas by then.