Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "Mommy Hoodoo"

In “Mommy Hoo-Doo,” Hoo-Doo’s mother (Muriel Landers) shows up in Lidsville, worried that her boy is no longer rotten.  

Dealing with disappointment and sadness, the Bad Hats, the Good Hats, and Mark (Butch Patrick) attempt to convince the mourning matriarch that her son is just as terrible as ever.

Well, what a long, strange journey it has been.  

We have arrived, at last, at the final installment of the trippy Sid and Marty Krofft live-action 1970’s series, Lidsville only to find…a clip’s show!

Yes, that’s right, this seventeenth and last segment is nothing but a collection of clips wrapped in a flimsy “new” story. 

Specifically, Mommy Hoo-Doo arrives, and must be convinced that her son has not turned to the light. Regular characters in the show (Bad Hats, Good Hats, Mark) provide testimony to prove his terrible-ness, and clips of those stories (for example “Show Me the Way to Go Home,”) are offered as evidence.

Sadly, the clip-heavy nature of this story means that Butch Patrick, Billie Hayes and Charles Nelson Reilly appear only infrequently appear in new material in this final story. CNR gets one final chance to chew the scenery, and in fairness, he makes the most of it.

Before taking on this retrospective, I had not seen any episodes of Lidsville in years, if not decades. Some episodes I found diverting, and others were just plain silly. I wouldn’t place the series at the bottom of the ladder of Saturday morning live action material, but nor is it close to being at the top rung (Land of the Lost).  Despite the performances of CNR, I'm not certain that the series ever truly escapes the orbit of H.R. Pufnstuf, its chronological and spiritual predecessor.

So for now, let’s bid adieu to Horatio HooDoo, and leave behind the world of hats.

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "The Great Brain Robbery"

In “The Great Brain Robbery,” Mark (Butch Patrick) and Weenie (Billie Hayes) decide to fly away from Lidsville (and back to the real world), using a magic carpet. 

After they depart, however, Hoo-doo (Charles Nelson Reilly) unveils his brainwash machine, and plans to transform all the Good Hats into obedient slaves. The Bad Hats set the machine to the wrong dial, however, and the Good Hats become argumentative.

Hoo-Doo realizes that this is a fantastic turn of events, and he plans to use the Good Hats as an army to stage a coup against the Imperial Wizard.

Mark and Weenie crash  on the magic carpet during a storm, and discover what Hoo-Doo is up to. Now they must free their friends from Hoo-doo’s control.

This episode of Lidsville (1971-1973) focuses on the intriguing notion, that Hoo-doo is more than a buffoon, and actually a very real danger to the world of hats.  Sure he's a clown, but with power, he's incredibly dangerous.

For example, in this story Hoodoo attempts to raise an army for a very specific purpose: to attack and over-take the Imperial Wizard’s palace.  

This is a much more ambitious and power-hungry plan than we have seen before. He compares himself to Napoleon and (amusingly) notes that soon “Charlton Heston will be begging to play my life…in color.”

Also, we get a sense, in this episode of the world’s geography. While planning his conquest, Hoo-Doo says “Today, Lidsville, tomorrow Coatsville…then on to Shirtville…”

To the best of my memory, “The Great Brain Robbery” is the only episode of Lidsville that explores Hoo-Doo’s specific plans for world domination.  In the past, he has seemed content to terrorize the Good Hats and collect back taxes. This development makes him more of a sadistic bureaucrat than a world conqueror. But here, we see differently.

Otherwise, this story brings back the magic carpet we saw some episodes back (“Fly Now, Vacuum Later”), and uses it as a vehicle of escape for Mark and Weenie.  Of course, according to the rigid series formula, these characters can’t actually escape. So the carpet hits a storm in the sky, and the duo crashes back on the ground.

Stories like this always raise questions for me, though admittedly they may not have for the original audience of young children.  

Some of those questions include: why not try the magic carpet again at another time?  Or, for that matter, why doesn’t Hoo-Doo try the brain wash machine on another occasion?

Next week, the final Lidsville episode: “Mommy Hoo-Doo.”

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "The Old Hat Home"

In “The Old Hat Home,” Hoo-doo (Charles Nelson Reilly) is refused a slot in the charity talent show for the Old Hats Home. 

In response, the angry wizard transforms Mark (Butch Patrick), Weenie (Billie Hayes), and the Good Hats into stooped-over senior citizens. Then, he steals the charity money they have raised for the home.

When Hoo-doo realizes that old, infirm hats can’t work and pay him back taxes, he returns his victims to normal...but keeps the charity money. 

Mark comes up with a plan, however, to get the box of charity money back. And it will require Hoo-Doo to believe that he didn’t successfully restore the good hats to their youthful look.

This episode of Lidsville is, as usual, quite strange. But the action that precipitates the narrative is also oddly unnecessary. The Good Hats plan a talent show to raise money for old hats. Hoo-doo learns of this development, and wants to participate. He wants to do a magic act in the show, and even sings a song about himself (“who does magic like Houdini wishes he could?” he croons).

But the good hats refuse Hoo-doo a slot. Mark claims that the show is already full, but would one more act really hurt?  It seems to me that this is a (missed) opportunity on the part of the Good Hats. 

Why? While Hoo-doo is on stage, it would be an ideal opportunity for Mark and Weenie to escape, unimpeded.  Secondly, what does it really harm to let Hoo-doo participate?

By this point (episode #15 of the series), however, the formula has hardened, and the narrative flies largely on automatic pilot. Hoo-doo acts evilly and vengefully, and Mark suggests a disguise (old age costumes!) to get back an item Hoo-doo has stolen.  In the end, Hoodoo -- ever the incompetent wizard – botches a counter-attack, and he becomes victim of his own magic. In this case, he is made young by his “zap of youth,” and turned into a baby.

It’s not exactly bad, but it’s not fresh either. Just more of the same.

Next week: “The Great Brain Robbery.”

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "Hoodoo, Who?"

In “Hoodoo, Who?” Hoodoo (Charles Nelson Reilly) returns from a visit to another wizard, impressed by that wizard’s obsequious servant. He feels that his own Bad Hats are not up to the task of serving him, and they are offended by his criticism.

However, a knock to the head gives Hoodoo a case of amnesia, and the Bad Hats take advantage of the condition. They convince him that he is their butler, Reginald, and make him their servant. They demand he serve them meals, and keep their HQ neat.

Mark (Butch Patrick), Weenie (Billie Hayes) and the other Good Hats are baffled to spy Hoodoo serving tea and cookies to his own servants, and realize that only another knock on the head can possibly set things right in Lidsville.

This is another thoroughly ridiculous and inconsequential episode of Sid and Marty Krofft’s Lidsville (1971-1973). 

In particular, “Hoodoo, Who?” employs that old movie and TV cliché that one bump to the head causes amnesia, and a second bump to the head cures it. 

This is such a creaky old cliché, and yet it makes for an entertaining enough installment of this old Saturday morning series. The series seems to be in a groove now where Hoodoo takes center-stage, and the plot line involves some aspect of his character being amplified, or reduced.

As usual, CNR is the one indisputable point worth lauding amidst all the colorful nonsense, holding center stage, and playing two roles, essentially: Hoodoo and his alter ego, Reginald.

My wife and son ended up watching this episode with me on a DVD (from Netflix) when our wi-fi went out one night, and they were baffled by what they saw.

They complained that it was impossible to tell which hat is talking (because all the hats are seen on screen together, in a crowd), and also because, well, nothing makes any sense. My son wanted to know, specifically, why is this a world of hats?

I told him, simply, Lidsville is the “koo-koo-koo-kookiest…” show, and he looked at me like I was a madman.  

At least we all agreed that the series has a great theme song and opening montage.

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "Oh, Brother."

In “Oh, Brother,”Hoo-Doo (Charles Nelson Reilly) takes Little Ben, a tiny pig, for ransom on the little pig’s birthday.

The evil wizard plans to keep the pet until the denizens of Lidsville pay him all their back-taxes. Mark (Butch Patrick) decides it is time to fight Hoo-Doo with some old artillery, and war threatens to come to the world of hats.

Just as the rebellion of Good Hats heats up, Hoo-Doo’s nice brother, Bruce (Charles Nelson Reilly) unexpectedly shows up. He’s the white sheep of the family for his decency and generosity, and is horrified at his brother’s behavior. He returns Little Ben to the Good Hats, and decides to do good for Lidsville.

This decision does not sit well with Hoo-Doo.

Charles Nelson Reilly makes the most of a juicy (ad silly) double role in “Oh, Brother,” playing Hoo-Doo’s twin sibling, Bruce as well as the evil wizard.  Bruce is the opposite of Hoo-Doo in every way, counseling peace and love, and suggesting that everyone in Lidsville should treat each other like…brothers.

Bruce goes further than that, however. He also demands that the Bad Hats return all of Ho-Doo’s illegally collected money.  Before the half-hour is over, Bruce has even overseen a musical number, noting that peace has come to Lidsville.

When Hoo-Doo returns from a visit to the Imperial Wizard, he is shocked to see that his brother has destroyed his fortune. Bruce informs him that by giving up the money Hoo-Doo could finally be liked. But to Hoo-Doo this is anathema. Hoo-Doo doesn’t “want to be liked.”  Instead, he wants to be “rich.” Or, as he notes, specifically, “rich and mean.”

This episode, “Oh, Brother,” works well in part because it again puts CNR front and center, but also because it doesn’t obsess on the gimmick of getting Mark home to the “real world,” only to see hopes quashed at the end of the installment.

Next week: “Hoo-Doo Who?”

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "A Little Hoodoo Goes A Long Way."

In “A Little Hoo-Doo Goes a Long Way,” Weenie (Billie Hayes) falls ill with the dreaded Ali-Baba virus.

Meanwhile, the Bad Hats mutiny against Hoo-Doo (Charles Nelson Reilly) when he demands they clean his house for him. 

The Bad Hats steal Hoo-Doo’s hat vehicle, the Hataram, and head for the real world. But the Hataram ends up in Mark’s (Butch Patrick) hands, ultimately.

He can’t leave for home, however, because he is worried about the sick Weenie. He and the other Good Hats come up with a plan to heal Weenie, and it involves a shrink ray that will get Nursie into Weenie’s ring.

                                               

Lidsville (1971-1973) sticks rigorously to format this week, featuring a story in which Mark could – again -- get home, using Hoo-Doo’s hat vehicle, but must stay in Lidsville because of his friendship with the “goodie-goodies” (as Hoo-Doo calls them), namely Weenie.

What this means, essentially is that the hat-a-ram (motorized flying hat) is the key to escaping Lidsville. It seems like Mark would set his sights, each week, on getting it again.  But, of course, he doesn’t do that.  Because that would end the series real quick.

It is surprising, however, that the Bad Hats rebel against Hoo-Doo here. However, I suppose that being asked to clean house is a mutiny-worthy offense, especially to a child watching this program on a Saturday morning. It’s one thing to lord it over the Good Hats, or collect back taxes. But having to clean up? That’s the worst.

In terms of series mythology, we see in “A Little Hoo-Doo Goes a Long Way” that the genie ring is actually permeable. By that, I mean you can just step through the gem into Weenie’s world inside. Nursie is able to, after being shrunk, walk right inside it. Inside, the sick Weenie is there, shrunken, but bed-ridden in her own little universe.

The gimmick of the week is a shrinking potion, used first by Nursie, and then used against Hoo-Doo to limit his threatening nature. The shrinking scenes are accomplished using the chroma-key, which was a frequently-used tool for the Kroffts in the 1970’s.

Next week: “Oh Brother.”

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "Alias, The Imperial Wizard"

Hoo-Doo (Charles Nelson Reilly) is disturbed to learn that his superior, the Imperial Wizard, has decided to visit Lidsville for a surprise inspection tour.

Meanwhile, Weenie (Billie Hayes) is sad that no one has remembered his 1600^th birthday.

Hoo-Doo decides to capture some of Lidsville’s Good Hats to plan a party for the Imperial Wizard.  

To rescue them from captivity, Mark (Butch Patrick) decides to disguise himself as the Wizard, and pay an unexpected visit on Hoo-Doo.

Eleven episodes into Lidsville (1971-1973), I feel I can see well the series’ virtues, and deficits.  

In terms of the latter, I’ve got to focus on “The Good Hats,” the pantomime hat characters who live in the titular town.  They are basically one-note characters, discernible only by accents or dialects (Charlie Chan, John Wayne) and by choice of hat (football helmet, nurse’s hat, etc).  They aren’t really very well-developed characters, and are pretty much superficial jokes. It doesn’t help that they all tend to appear in the same scenes together.

Basically, a whole bunch of hats shout, talk, and gesticulate at once, and it’s all a bit of a din.

Also, Weenie is an extremely sensitive genie, always getting his feelings hurt at the slightest provocation. This is the third episode in the series with the genie down in the dumps over some perceived hurt or slight, and it’s getting irritating. This week, he's sad that no one remembers his birthday.

Also, there have been several episodes so far in which the solution of the day is for Mark to dress up as another character (Mae West, Alias the Wizard,) and try to fool Hoo-Doo in disguise. At this point, the whole format has become predictable.

In terms of virtues, I keep returning to the one-and-only Charles Nelson Reilly as Hoo-Doo. He doesn’t treat the material as beneath him, and seems to take genuine joy in in the scenery chewing.

Next week: "A Little Hoo-Doo goes a long way."

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "Turn In your Turban, You're Through"

Tired of being out-foxed by Mark (Butch Patrick), Hoo-Doo (Charles Nelson Reilly) sets a new trap for the boy. Masquerading as an elderly woman, he captures Mark and then switches Weenie’s (Billie Hayes) powers to Mark.

Now a subservient genie, Mark is tied to the magic ring, and considers Hoo-Doo his master. Hoo-Doo is happy because he now has a “slave with a brain.”

Stripped of her powers, Weenie must find a way not only to regain them, but to free Mark from enslavement.

Compared to last week’s cross-over (not to mention cross-dressing…), “Turn In Your Turban, You’re Through” is a pretty conventional episode of Sid and Marty Krofft’s Lidsville (1971-1973).  

Hoo-Doo is once again up to no good, and the insecure Weenie must find the resources within himself to defeat the villain and rescue his friend.

The most interesting aspect about the episode is the fact that Weenie is jealous, at least a little, that Mark makes a better genie than he does. He has to do the right thing, and overcome his fears, to succeed.  

Mark, meanwhile, is a real evil genie, doing the will of Hoo-Doo without hesitation. And, of course, Hoo-Doo’s first job for Mark: collect taxes!

Next week: “Alias, the Imperial Wizard.”

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "Mark and the Beanstalk"

Weenie (Billie Hayes) materializes a magic bean while attempting to help Mark (Butch Patrick) escape from Lidsville. The bean sprouts a bean stalk stretching high into the sky, and Mark attempts to climb it.

Hoo-Doo (Charles Nelson Reilly), however, intercepts the young man and decides that he wants to see the real world for himself.  

Hoo-Doo decides to climb the bean-stalk, and enter the world beyond.

A fascinating event occurs in this week’s episode of Lidsville (1971-1973). Hoo-Doo climbs a giant bean-stalk and leaves the “World of Hats.”  

What does he see as he reaches the brim of the hat?  New York City!

In particular, we see an aerial view of the city, and The Empire State Building.  So now we know that there is a way to escape Lidsville. Furthermore, we know where Mark would end up upon leaving: The Big Apple.

Unfortunately, after introducing this successful escape route, Lidsville proceeds to ignore it in upcoming episodes.

Another intriguing aspect of the series follows-up on matters I have written about before. In particular, Hoo-Doo is not just a typical bad guy, but an evil landlord of sorts, one beholden to a bureaucracy. 

This week, he complains that he has gone bankrupt because the “dead beats” of Lidsville haven’t paid their back taxes. He climbs the bean-stalk, in fact, to find Mark’s parents and blackmail them regarding their son's future.  If they pay him, he will release the boy.

Once more, the specter of taxpaying is specifically raised. This is the third time in the series it’s happened.  But on the other hand, Hoo-Doo never again attempts this particular plan to earn more cash.

Next week: “Turn in Your Turban, You’re Through.”

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "Have I Got a Girl for Hoo-Doo"

A lonely Hoo-Doo (Charles Nelson Reilly) decides to write to the Lonely Hearts Club because he misses the companionship of “gorgeous” females. He sends a false photo of himself (as a handsome man), and eagerly waits for a response.

Meanwhile, Mark (Butch Patrick) is captured while trying to steal Hoo-Doo’s hat vehicle, the hat-o-ram.

Hoo-Doo soon meets his girl, Gladys Glamor-puss, who turns out to be none-other than Witchiepoo (Billie Hayes). She also sent a false photo to the dating service.

It is hate at first sight, until Mark executes “Operation Cupid,” a plan to make the two villains fall in love.

The “gruesome twosome,” however, turns out to be incredibly dangerous, and Mark must now break them up. He goes into disguise to do so, dressing up in drag, and making Witchiepoo jealous.

The first thing one might observe about the eighth episode of Sid and Marty Krofft’s Lidsville (1971-1973) is that a marked shift has occurred in storytelling.

Hoo-Doo is now the series’ primary character. 

Mark is still present, of course, still attempting to escape the world of hats, and still trying to foil his nemesis, but it is CNR’s Hoo-Doo who motivates all the action, and who steals most scenes in each episode.

Apart from that observation, this episode proves delightful for its Krofft-ian cross-over aspects. Specifically, Billie Hayes, who plays the genie Weenie on this series, also resurrects her role from H.R. Pufnstuf (1969): Witchiepoo. 

Even H.R. Pufnstuf himself appears in this episode of Lidsville, at least briefly.

Therefore, one can speculate, I suppose, that Lidsville and H.R. Pufnstuf share a universe.

The cross-over’s high-point is likely the duet between villains. “I didn’t know what true zapping was until you came along,” Hoo-Doo croons.

In the weird-and-somewhat creepy category, “Have I Got a Girl for Hoo-Doo” also features another familiar aspect of the series: gender bending.  

You may recall that last week’s episode had Hoo-Doo dressing up as a fetching female bunny to catch the eye of Raunchy Rabbit. This week, Mark disguises himself as a Mae West-like female personality, to attract Hoo-Doo's (evil) eye. He succeeds, and there are all kind of overtones to this scenario.

Next week: “Mark and the Bean Stalk.”

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "Take Me to Your Rabbit."

As Mark (Butch Patrick) attempts to build and launch a rocket to escape Lidsville once and for all, Hoo-Doo (Charles Nelson Reilly) and Raunchy Rabbit are in an accident -- a lightning strike – that scrambles Hoo Doo’s “zap” powers.

Now Raunchy Rabbit gets that power, and the incompetent bunny lets the power go to his head. Desperate to regain his powers, Hoo-Doo tries to steal back his powers by pretending to be a lovely female bunny…

Meanwhile, Mark and Weenie, realizing that Raunchy Rabbit is not as evil as Hoo-Doo is, decides to through the lepus an inauguration party to get on his good side…

Okay. Where to start?

This is one weird episode of the 1970’s Sid and Marty Krofft series, Lidsville.  

No more than a “sap without a zap,” Hoo-Doo loses everything, and most regain his position of power. He uses a tried-and-true technique (for Bugs Bunny, anyway…) dressing up like a female rabbit and attempting to draw Raunchy Rabbit’s attention.

The last portion of the episode involves Hoo-Doo in drag, flirting (successfully) with a clearly stimulated Raunchy Rabbit. It’s all a little creepy and perverse.

Once again, too, Mark makes an attempt to leave Lidsville only to be stymied. He builds a rocket to escape the world, but when Hoo-Doo gets his mojo back, the villain blows it up.  So first of all, Mark apparently has the know-how to build a rocket, and all the equipment and supplies necessary.  

Secondly, why doesn’t he try, after this adventure is over, to build a second one?

Intriguingly, politics are still a factor in the “underneath” social commentary of this live-action series.  Consider that the denizens of Lidsville take a look at their choices for “leader:” Hoo-Doo or Raunchy, and decide to get behind Raunchy.  

What have they done here?

Well, in the time-honored tradition of many U.S. Presidential elections, they have selected the lesser of two evils!

Next Week: “Have I Got a Girl for Hoo-Doo

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "Is There a Mayor in the House?"

The town of Lidsville doesn’t appreciated being taxed by the villainous Hoo-Doo (Charles Nelson Reilly), and so the people vow to elect a mayor to protect them from tyranny.

Mark (Butch Patrick) is considered for the position, but he doesn’t feel right about accepting it since he wants to leave; to return home.

While the people of Lidsville seek another serviceable candidate, Hoo-Doo learns of the plans for citizen representation, and enlists his own (crooked) candidate: Mr Big.

Although Hoo-Doo promises  “an open and honest election,” he tricks the residents into voting for Mr. Big.

Once Mr. Big is in office, His Honor breaks all of his promises to the people to raises wages and lower taxes. Instead, he decides that a highway should run through the town.

Unfortunately, Mr. Big makes this plan without Hoo-Doo’s endorsement, and so Mark, Weenie (Billie Hayes) and others decide it is time to frame Mr. Big, and have Hoo-Doo remove him from office himself.

“Is there a Mayor in the House?” is another enjoyable episode of the trippy Lidsville (1971-1973), and one that operates on more than one level of meaning. 

On the surface level, of course, this is a goofy comedy and kid’s show. It features lots of shtick, lots of pratfalls, and its requisite share of bad puns.

On a deeper level, we get -- like last week’s show -- an indictment of modern life, and in particular, political reality.

Here, there is a candidate, Mr. Big, who lies to get into office, and then, once he has power, promptly forgets the people.  Secretly, of course, Mr. Big, and is the tool of special interests (Hoo-Doo), even though he ran what might be called a populist campaign.  Isn’t that always the way it is?

Also, we get Mark as “an impartial election monitor,” but for all his good intentions, Hoo-Doo still “fixes” the election for his candidate.  Again, this shouldn’t seem alien in the era of Citizens United, when freedom of speech is the same thing as money, and expensive donors can all but bankroll or buy candidates for political office.

Intriguingly, Mr.  Big is brought down not when the people turn against him. They were always against him, and tricked into voting for him (against their best interest). Instead, Mr. Big goes down when he acts independently of the special interest that purchased his office for him.

It’s amazing that this level of cynicism about politics makes it into a Saturday morning TV series, and a delight that it does, as well. I’ll be on the look-out, in future examples, for more satire and commentary.

Next week: “Take Me to Your Rabbit.”

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "Weenie, Weenie, Where's Our Genie?" (1971)

In Lidsville’s (1971-1973) “Weenie, Weenie, Where’s Our Genie?,” the people of Lidsville attempt to devise a defense against Hoo-Doo (Charles Nelson Reilly). During planning, Mark (Butch Patrick) casually discard’s Weenie’s (Billie Hayes) advice, making the genie feel useless and unloved.

Weenie runs away, and puts on ear-muffs so he cannot be summoned by his master.  Mark and the other denizens go in search of the genie, but Hoo-Doo also wants the “indispensable” Weenie back in his possession.

Mark apologizes for his actions, and peace is restored in the land of hats.

Weenie is one of the weirder characters that appears on Lidsville. The genie is a “he,” but performed by a “she” (Billie Hayes), in the long tradition of spritely characters like Peter Pan.

Here, Weenie sure is sensitive, getting his nose out of joint because Mark doesn’t think he can help stop Hoo-Doo.  Mark isn’t exactly rude, but I suppose Weenie feels useless.  However, in fairness to Mark, Weenie is something of a bumbler, at least so far in the continuity. Immediately after the genie fails to create an anti-aircraft gun (creating, instead, a tricycle), he asks for other ideas.  That’s not exactly an attack on the genie, though Weenie interprets it at that way.

The rest of the episode is about Mark attempting to apologize and make things right, which is a fine subject for a Saturday morning TV series aimed at kids.  Even if offense wasn’t given on purpose, it was apparently still given. There’s never anything wrong with apologizing, or letting someone know that you didn’t mean to hurt his or her feelings.

Intriguingly, Hoo Doo seems to have greater patience than Mark does for Weenie’s bumbling. Then again, Hoo-Doo isn’t exactly a font of competence and good planning, either. At episode’s end, thanks to Weenie, Hoo-Doo has been transformed into a frog.  That’s this episode’s weekly humiliation for the villainous character.

In terms of a defense, the people of Lidsville don’t really come up with one. They build a slingshot to shoot pepper at Hoo-Doo, but then run out of pepper, instantly.  Like the other ideas that appear in the weekly installments, this notion is gone and forgotten by the next installment.

Next week: "Let's Hear it For Whizzo." 

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Lidsville: "Fly Now, Vacuum Later"

In “Fly Now, Vacuum Later,” Weenie the Genie (Billie Hayes) conjures a magic/flying carpet to transport Mark (Butch Patrick) home.

Hoo Doo (Charles Nelson Reilly) attempts to stop his escape by summoning, in response, a giant flying vacuum cleaner. It intercepts the carpet in flight and captures Mark.

Mark is forced to walk a plank atop Hoo Doo’s top hat HQ, and Weenie must arrange a rescue, using the flying carpet.

Well, just as I feared, Lidsville (1971 -1973) possesses no short term memory. Even though last week a map promised an escape (via a golden ladder), that escape possibility is not brought up in this, the very next episode. 

Instead, the new plan is to use a flying carpet to escape.

Irritatingly, by the end of the episode, the flying carpet isn’t even used for an escape attempt, once Mark is rescued.  Who wants to bet that it too is forgotten, as an escape option, in next week’s episode?

The problem, of course, is that each episode of the series seems to exist in its own standalone universe. There’s no learning from show to show, no development from episode-to-episode.  Before anyone states that programs didn’t develop like that in the 1970s, I would only point out that Sid and Marty Krofft’s Land of the Lost (1974-1977) did feature a consistent universe, with consistent rules, and “set points” (like pylons, or the Sleestak city) that were remembered by the Marshalls. Lidsville, so far, isn’t in the same league.

This episode is memorable mainly for the Charles Nelson Reilly Hoo Doo scenes.  Here, he gets a musical number and sings “It’s So Much Fun Being Rotten.”  Also, the actor breaks the fourth wall and makes eye contact with the camera on at least two occasions.  His performance is certainly over-the-top, but it has the virtue of recognizing just how over the top it actually is.  He’s in on the joke.

This episode, like last week’s, ends with Hoo Doo’s ritual humiliation.  This doesn’t do much for his power to menace.