Saturday, March 07, 2015

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Secrets of Isis: "How to Find a Friend"


A boy named Tom Anderson (Michael Lookinland) has trouble making friends, and is obnoxious about borrowing things and not returning them.  He asks another boy, Joe (Tommy Norden) to let him ride his motorbike.  Joe agrees, but only if Tom gives him something in return.

Tom steals his father’s pistol, and Joe double crosses him, taking the gun and the bike.  The situation goes from bad to worse, however, when Tom learns that the gun is malfunctioning, and could explode the next time it is fired.

It’s Isis to the rescue!



“How to Find a Friend” features Michael Lookinland, Bobby from The Brady Bunch (1969 -1974) in the role of a good but awkward kid who does the wrong thing. But, the adults (including Isis) support him through his crisis, and his social awkwardness is miraculously cured.

As usual, the story is pretty simple (and pat), and there are no fantasy trappings save for Isis’s powers.  Here, she is able to stop time, so Joe can’t fire the malfunctioning gun. She freezes time – including cars on the highway, flying birds, and a hopping bunny -- and wrenches the pistol from Joe’s frozen hand.  When she restores time and tosses the gun away, it explodes.


Meanwhile, one has to wonder if anyone ever attends class of teaches a class at Mrs. Thomas’s school.  Here, everyone include Rick, Cindy Lee, Tommy and Andrea just sit around, plotting how they will find Joe, before he fires the gun.  Then, they go out, armed with lists, to find local motorbike shops where they might find him.  No one ever does any school work, and the kids leave campus regularly, without any comment whatsoever.

I also love how everybody knows Isis.  When Joe is found, holding the gun, and time resumes, he shouts “Isis!” with recognition.  And this brings up a question. If you knew that Isis operates regularly in your town, and can stop the flow of water, fly, summon lighting, and freeze time, would you do something so dumb as to steal a gun?

Next Week: “The Show Off.”

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