the retro episodes of shows

[The Wolf]

All this talk about the Smallville "Noir" episode got me to thinking, which other shows had a golden age episode and what did you think of it?
"Moonlighting" had one called "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice". It was sort of a spoof of the older movies but they did a nice job.
"Star Trek" seems to favor golden age style episodes. The original series had one called "A Piece of the Action" in which a planet copied 1920s Chicago. "Star Trek: Next Generation" had a few episodes with "Dixon Hill". a Sam Spade type character that Picard would become in the holodeck. "Star Trek: Voyager" had a spoof of serials in "Bride of Chaotica!"
I remember flipping through the channels and catching an episode of Patrick Duffy's "Step by Step" that had an atrocious retro episode.
Even though the Highlander series had flashbacks to the golden era I think one episode qualifies for this. "Unusual Suspects" wasn't told as a flashback, it all took place in 1929 and was a variation on an Agatha Christie type of mystery.
Are there any others that people would like to add?

Sincerely,
the Wolf

 

[Novella]

There's the X-Files episode Triangle - Mulder ends up on a ship trapped in the Bermuda triangle in the year 1939. I'd definitely say it was one of the better episodes in the show's later years.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

If I recall correctly, there was one episode of Roseanne in black and white, set in the 50's, in sort of the Father Knows Best / Happy Days vein. Star Trek: Voyager had a few episodes - not a show I often watched, but Paul was always glued to it. I seem to remember they were trapped behind German lines in WWII and Janeway had a nightclub, 7 of 9 was a torch singer and most of the Nazis were Klingons or some other alien race. I'm thinking the 40's also showed up in Star Trek: The Next Generation as well. I seem to have a dim recollection of Patrick Stewart in a pinstripe suit and Fedora.

I believe it was Lady Day who had a post a couple of months back with a YouTube link to an episode of Daria - not set in the Gold Era per se, it featured her friend's new beau. He wore only vintage clothes, drove a vintage car, and they met at the stationery store where he was buying ink for his fountain pen. I remember the gist of one part of that. He was admonishing her for trying to mix decades - she was too new to vintage to even think about that.

 

[CharlieH.]

The Simpsons has had quite a few retro moments. There was a recent entry in the Treehouse Of Horror series where all of Springfield fell for Orson Welles' War Of The Worlds broadcast to the point of wrecking the whole town. Then there was an episode where Springfield re-instated prohibition and brought in an Elliot Ness- esque G man to uphold it, and they even outfitted the police with tommy guns in one scene! And there are the many flashbacks of Mr. Burns including scenes from WWII (The Flying Hellfish), necking at a museum in 1939, childhood memories of a crippled park employee and a 1900's "Atom Smashing" plant. Then there's a Bartman episode I believe someone posted a while ago. There was also a faux 1940's Itchy and Scratchy cartoon featuring Hitler and FDR.

 

[ShooShooBaby]

the halloween episode of My So-Called Life had some retro scenes - Angela wears a vintage outfit as a costume and gets transported to the late 50s (i think). i loved it!

 

[LolitaHaze]

That 70's Show

I can recall two episodes from that show that were retro -- considering.

In one Donna was imagining herself in the role of Lucy from I Love Lucy. The other one was a Casablanca throw back... I can't remember who was "imaging" that scene.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Not really a retro episode, but does anyone else remember that very short-lived TV show called Hi, Honey I'm Home!?? About 1991ish?

http://imdb.com/title/tt0101116/

It involved a 50s sitcom family who was transported into modern day 1990s by the "Sitcom Relocation Program." It was corny, but very cute!

 

[jake_fink]

SCTV - Six Gun Justice starring Don Mills and Cheap Laffs Johnson.

Best serial parody ever.

 

[Joie DeVive]

Don't forget...

The original Star Trek also had one called "The City on the Edge of Forever". In which an accidentaly deranged McCoy ends up jumping through a time portal into the Depression Era. Captian Kirk, and Spock follow to try to retrieve the good doctor. It had a rather young Joan Collins as guest star and is one of my favorites of all time.

 

[MrPumpernickel]

And not to forget the Star Trek DS9 episode "Far Beyond the Stars" where Benjamin Sisko is sent a vision of the life of African American author Benny Russell during the 1950s. Aside from being one of the best Star Trek episodes of all time it's also pretty damn well done in terms of the historial look to it, albeit with some creative leaps. Perhaps not "noir" in style, but definitely retro.

 

[Pink Dahlia]

I can recall two episodes from that show that were retro -- considering.

In one Donna was imagining herself in the role of Lucy from I Love Lucy. The other one was a Casablanca throw back... I can't remember who was "imaging" that scene.

They also did an "All in the Family."

 

[LolitaHaze]

I remember that... I didn't list it, because both All in the Family and That 70's Show were set in the 70's.

 

[Pink Dahlia]

Well...

 

[Lady Day]

If I recall correctly, there was one episode of Roseanne in black and white, set in the 50's, in sort of the Father Knows Best / Happy Days vein. Star Trek: Voyager had a few episodes - not a show I often watched, but Paul was always glued to it. I seem to remember they were trapped behind German lines in WWII and Janeway had a nightclub, 7 of 9 was a torch singer and most of the Nazis were Klingons or some other alien race. I'm thinking the 40's also showed up in Star Trek: The Next Generation as well. I seem to have a dim recollection of Patrick Stewart in a pinstripe suit and Fedora.

I believe it was Lady Day who had a post a couple of months back with a YouTube link to an episode of Daria - not set in the Gold Era per se, it featured her friend's new beau. He wore only vintage clothes, drove a vintage car, and they met at the stationery store where he was buying ink for his fountain pen. I remember the gist of one part of that. He was admonishing her for trying to mix decades - she was too new to vintage to even think about that.

That episode of Daria was called 'Life in the Past Lane' and was a hoot!

I always liked the TNG vintage episodes, they were a hoot. I also liked the Voyager ones of the cheesy old TV show where Tom and Kim were the heroes.

LD

 

[Lady Day]

And not to forget the Star Trek DS9 episode "Far Beyond the Stars" where Benjamin Sisko is sent a vision of the life of African American author Benny Russell during the 1950s. Aside from being one of the best Star Trek episodes of all time it's also pretty damn well done in terms of the historial look to it, albeit with some creative leaps. Perhaps not "noir" in style, but definitely retro.

Oh, I forgot about that ep! Good call! :eusa_clap

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

There have been a few Nicktoons like The Rugrats, Hey Arnold, and Rocko's Modern Life that have had a 30s or 40s episode.

In the Rugrats, there was an episode that took us back to the 50s when Grandpa owned a repair shop and Stu (Tommy's dad) and Drew (Angelica's dad) fought to watch a Rocky and Bullwinkle parody. In Rocko's Modern Life, Heffer's step-grandpa see's a woman on a cruise ship he knew and takes us back to the 40s when he met her. In Hey Arnold, his grandpa is always talking about the past (1930s, 40s, and 50s) and a few flashbacks appear every so often. See any resemblance to all these episodes?

Quantum Leap was all about retro episodes, but they never went earlier than the mid 50s

 

[DavidVillaJr]

Quantum Leap was all about retro episodes, but they never went earlier than the mid 50s

If you remember the premise, he could only timetravel within his own lifetime/lifespan....

Since it was in the near future then, he could only go back as far as the 50's cause that's when he was born..

Yeah, I'm a geek.....

dv

 

[John in Covina]

The Simpsons has had quite a few retro moments. There was a recent entry in the Treehouse Of Horror series where all of Springfield fell for Orson Welles' War Of The Worlds broadcast to the point of wrecking the whole town. Then there was an episode where Springfield re-instated prohibition and brought in an Elliot Ness- esque G man to uphold it, and they even outfitted the police with tommy guns in one scene! And there are the many flashbacks of Mr. Burns including scenes from WWII (The Flying Hellfish), necking at a museum in 1939, childhood memories of a crippled park employee and a 1900's "Atom Smashing" plant. Then there's a Bartman episode I believe someone posted a while ago. There was also a faux 1940's Itchy and Scratchy cartoon featuring Hitler and FDR.

************
There also was a newsreel or cartoon of "Nazi Supermen Are our Masters" in one Simpsons episode. Abe Simpson was dating and gets snazzy in a DB suit with fedora in one. And there was a "Casablanca" movie section with an alternate ending in the Simpsons.

 

[RedHotRidinHood]

The episode of "Star Trek Voyager" where it's set in the 40s is so neat-and I remember reading that the song that Seven is singing at the beginning is from the old movie "Now Voyager" with Bette Davis....nice little homage to a classic flick!

 

[Lady Day]

If you remember the premise, he could only timetravel within his own lifetime/lifespan....

Since it was in the near future then, he could only go back as far as the 50's cause that's when he was born..

Yeah, I'm a geek.....

dv

Great, now the ENTIRE Quantum Leap opening credits dialog is running in my head...:eusa_doh:

LD