You wouldn't think these Amazing Stories could get any goofier after 'The Main Attraction' and 'Mummy Daddy', but here comes episode seven of the series and things go even more downhill. I guess the concept was alright, but the execution was laughably bad. Consider that not a single person who came across the visiting aliens gave even a hint of acknowledgment or discomfort at the sight of three dwarves dressed in Halloween costumes. Maybe that's it, there had to be some reason. Television network NBC managed to give themselves a plug in the story, with one of the aliens playing the three note station identifier a couple of times, and I have to at least give some credit to Uncle Miltie for lending celebrity status to the festivities. Believe it or not, I recall watching this episode back in the day when it originally aired. The passage of time has done nothing for it.
8 Reviews
Probably great for fans of classic comedy shows of the 50s
sonnyschlaegel29 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Andrew builds a long-range indoor antenna. He is about 15 years old and lives in or near Hollywood. He is happy when the antenna picks up TV programs from distant places, for example Hawaii and China. When he invites two pals to come and watch, they even pick up programs from outer space, from somewhere about ten light years away. To their great surprise the alien shows are alien remakes of old comedy shows from Earth, for example 'I Love Lucy'. The aliens have obviously picked up old TV signals from Earth. Then, some astronauts headed for Earth - Hollywood, to be more precise - are shown on the (ten year old) alien news, bound to arrive... that very same day (!). (They must be traveling at light speed, like their TV signals.) The three pals search for the aliens, find them, and start a tour of Hollywood with them...
I have never watched any of the shows that the makers of this episode are paying homage to, except for 'Bonanza'. (The others were either not shown on German TV or it was before my time.) I guess I might have given one point more if I were a fan of the genre 'classic comedy shows of the 50s', but that is simply not the case. Apart from all those references to old shows, there were some gags I liked, for example the fact that the aliens' spaceship has a doorbell.
In my opinion, this episode wasn't really good, and it wasn't really bad, so I've given it five points.
I have never watched any of the shows that the makers of this episode are paying homage to, except for 'Bonanza'. (The others were either not shown on German TV or it was before my time.) I guess I might have given one point more if I were a fan of the genre 'classic comedy shows of the 50s', but that is simply not the case. Apart from all those references to old shows, there were some gags I liked, for example the fact that the aliens' spaceship has a doorbell.
In my opinion, this episode wasn't really good, and it wasn't really bad, so I've given it five points.
Awful
izhar1822 December 2006
This was probably one of the worst episodes of the entire series. 3 aliens, scrambled story, a predictable plot and nothing amazing whatsoever. Overall this is one of those episodes that stops "Amazing Stories" from being the next kin to the Twilight Zone. Thankfully there are episodes in season 1 and 2 that more than make up for this waste of time.
Don't write the entire series off tough, in my opinion the episodes get better as the series goes on. I think season 2 especially has some truly amazing stories. So if you can get your hands on the season 2 DVD it will be well worth the money!
Don't write the entire series off tough, in my opinion the episodes get better as the series goes on. I think season 2 especially has some truly amazing stories. So if you can get your hands on the season 2 DVD it will be well worth the money!
Spielberg has two or three ideas, and this episode uses them all
johnjohnson6851028 September 2014
A really poorly executed version of E.T. and Close Encounters. High school kids soup up a TV antennae and find aliens obsessed with 1950's TV comedy shows. That's it. The aliens harmlessly come to Earth and the high school boys show them around Hollywood. Fifteen minutes of goofiness while the aliens seek out Milton Berle, etc. It's done the way that Spielberg has of trying to push your buttons, this time with cuteness and warmth. Sometimes in his career he does it, but wow, this one is such a blunder. Dunderheaded, chortling oh-so-cute aliens (dwarfs in costumes like ET- potatoes with rubber-nose-mustache-glasses on). I guess that's how Spielberg made his career, by using the main tropes of science fiction and freshening them up a bit, but sometimes, like here, it seems he thinks that all he has to do is just use them and the magic will work. I did love the old Vaudevillians. They're great. You get about two minutes of those guys around the twenty minute mark. Otherwise it is super bad. Sloppy.
It Goes Nowhere
Hitchcoc21 May 2014
Some kids develop a TV antenna that picks up broadcast from all over the world. When it is jostled, the kids are able to get a broadcast from a planet, seeing things that were done ten years ago (due to the light distance). The odd thing is that these ridiculous looking aliens have received broadcasts from earth and are mimicking them. They do "I Love Lucy," "Milton Berle," "The Honeymooners," and so on. This is what drives their race. Wouldn't you know it, three of these guys just happen to have taken an interstellar trip to Earth and the kids find them. They eat hamburgers, watch a vaudeville show, and share time together. There is no suspense. There is no antagonist. Other than the portrayal of these guys, there is really nothing to hold our attention. Even the aliens are so doggone uninteresting and poorly constructed. I don't wish to rain on anyone's parade, but I never got involved in this one.
At times cute but pretty much pointless and annoying as well.
planktonrules22 June 2015
This episode is yet another reason to dislike "Amazing Stories"--an anthology series that could be quite good but often (especially in the early episodes) just sucked. This is because the writer came up with an idea and just didn't know what to do with it. That combined with some annoying people make this one a chore to complete.
Some teenager makes an antennae for his TV and is able to pick up alien TV shows. The aliens, it seems, are in love with human TV and the teen and his friends learn that they're planning on visiting Hollywood. So, the boys go there and find the ultra-weird aliens and show them about town. Later, the boys help the aliens find talent to take back to their planet by signing a bunch of annoying no-talents to go with the aliens.
The idea of nice aliens coming is okay, though seems obviously geared to kids. Adults would probably soon tire of their antics. This combined with no real purpose make this episode a tough one to endure. Yuck.
Some teenager makes an antennae for his TV and is able to pick up alien TV shows. The aliens, it seems, are in love with human TV and the teen and his friends learn that they're planning on visiting Hollywood. So, the boys go there and find the ultra-weird aliens and show them about town. Later, the boys help the aliens find talent to take back to their planet by signing a bunch of annoying no-talents to go with the aliens.
The idea of nice aliens coming is okay, though seems obviously geared to kids. Adults would probably soon tire of their antics. This combined with no real purpose make this episode a tough one to endure. Yuck.
Hilarious & Best Episode I've Seen On This TV Show
ccthemovieman-130 August 2007
"Amazing" is a good adjective for this episode, which is hilarious.....one of the funniest half- hour shows I've ever seen on ANY television program. Of all the episodes in the first season I've seen - about 20 so far - this is my favorite.
There are so many gags, both verbal and sight, that I lost count. People who know all the television references in here, from "I Love Lucy," "The Three Stooges," "Burns and Allen" to "Ponderosa" and at least a half dozen more, will get a lot more laughs than young people who are unfamiliar with shows. The same holds true for Milton Berle, who makes a guest appearance in here, with some funny lines.
For a story synopsis, you can read the review from "sonnyschlaegel" here. The boy who played Andrew is someone I have seen or heard before and I can't place where.
When the three kids go out to the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, one says, "Hey, guys, look for someone that looks like they are from another planet."
"Everyone here looks like they're from another planet."
That about sizes it up. The writers of this show poke fun at everybody, from celebrities to Hollywood citizens, tour guides, vacationers, on and on. This episode is just jammed with one-liners. The different outfits the aliens use are also hilarious.
Not only was this fantastically funny, but the ending was touching....a really nice finish that made you feel good.
There are so many gags, both verbal and sight, that I lost count. People who know all the television references in here, from "I Love Lucy," "The Three Stooges," "Burns and Allen" to "Ponderosa" and at least a half dozen more, will get a lot more laughs than young people who are unfamiliar with shows. The same holds true for Milton Berle, who makes a guest appearance in here, with some funny lines.
For a story synopsis, you can read the review from "sonnyschlaegel" here. The boy who played Andrew is someone I have seen or heard before and I can't place where.
When the three kids go out to the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, one says, "Hey, guys, look for someone that looks like they are from another planet."
"Everyone here looks like they're from another planet."
That about sizes it up. The writers of this show poke fun at everybody, from celebrities to Hollywood citizens, tour guides, vacationers, on and on. This episode is just jammed with one-liners. The different outfits the aliens use are also hilarious.
Not only was this fantastically funny, but the ending was touching....a really nice finish that made you feel good.
Cute, funny and imaginative episode that's sci-fi fantasy.
blanbrn4 March 2019
This "AS" episode from season one of "NBC's" Sunday night hit called "Fine Tuning" is one that's fun and directed in a clever like way bringing dreams and fantasy to the forefront. Set in California near Hollywood a high school boy working on a science project finds that his TV signal is able pick up many things and one is it's able to transmit aliens from outer space into the TV set and they are portraying characters and acts from 1950's TV shows. Overall neat and funny to see these little creatures in modern day 1985. Overall clever and imagination like episode that entertained in a fantasy type of way.
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