Aloada A-Z Childhood Nostalgia: D is for…

So we’re finally here with my fourth and final post of the day, bringing me up to date with the challenge and letter D.

It’s a varied bunch for this category, with drama, comedy, action and aliens!

We’ll kick off with a show that in recent years has taken the world by storm but when I was a child, it was very British and delightfully quirky.

Dr. Who, when I was a child, morphed from the over-long-scarf wearing Tom Baker (number 4) to the fifth incarnation, Peter Davison. I was a huge fan of how the Tardis opened up to a massive room (still use this term to describe deceptively large areas) and enjoyed pretending to be a Dalek and annoying everyone with their voice!

I lost interest when the sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, took the helm and never went back. Yet the trailers for the new seasons always look soooo good. But so far, I’ve stayed loyal to MY Doctors.

Screeching in, among a whirlwind of dust, horn blaring and tiny short wearing, we have Dukes of Hazzard.

Featuring the Duke Boys (Bo and Luke), plus their cousin Daisy, in her incredibly tiny shorts, it was a trip through Hazzard county as they foiled the plans of the corrupt sheriff and his henchmen, under the watchful eye of Uncle Jesse. Great, all-round, hilarious fun!

It’s odd how memories form and specific things stick in your head. For example, this next entry, Diff’rent Strokes immediately filled me with a warm-fuzzy feeling of nostalgia when it was mentioned by my mum, yet I have no idea why.

Other than the catchphrase, immortalised by the late Gary Coleman in his role as Arnold, and vaguely knowing it was a comedy/drama, I can’t remember a single episode. In fact, if anyone was to recite an episode plot, I’m likely to say, “What ya talkin’ ’bout, Willis?”

Until I researched it, I wasn’t aware it also tackled very serious subjects, such as alcoholism, drug and sexual abuse, or kidnapping. I just know it was a show I enjoyed with my mum and it had a hilarious little kid in it, who seemed to be the star.

But the one that remains in my memory, as a huge part of my youth, was Dallas.

Yes, we also watched the ‘sister’ soap operas, Dynasty and Knots Landing, but my true love was for the Ewings, their ten-gallon hats, Sue-Ellen’s ridiculous shoulder pads and J.R.’s dastardly deeds! Southfork was the place to be!

I knew every character. I knew the actor for every character. We watched in horror as cliffhangers left us wanting more and I specifically remember someone calling (on the landline) to ask me out on a date, only to be told I was busy watching Dallas, and I couldn’t miss it. They rang back, asking for a fight instead – the answer remained the same!

And when the story line of Bobby’s death, the shower scene, and ‘it was all a dream’ came to pass, not only did I make a mental note NEVER to use that plot solution in any of my stories at school, but it’s probably the first time I remember hysteria being caused over a TV show, where everyone was talking about it, even the news!

Was ‘shower watch’ was the 1980s ‘hair watch’?

And finally, to end once more on a film, a shout out to the Gelfings, Skesis and Mystics of The Dark Crystal. The beautiful Jim Henson and Frank Oz fantasy masterpiece proudly sits on the DVD shelf and whenever I get a chance, I try to introduce it to younger generations.

It had every element I love: strange creatures, fantastical landscapes and actual props, rather than full-on CGI. It remains one of my all-time favourites!

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IMAGE CREDITS: telegraph.co.uk, itunes.com, wikipedia.com, closerweekly.com

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