Must-see TV shows are futuristic classics that shouldn’t be missed. Of course, not every must-see is perfect. That’s why we’ve rated them 1-5 on the patented “crunchy goodness” scale.
Title: Flash Gordon
Date: 1954-1955
Vitals: The swoosh-haired Flash Gordon fights the Cold War in space, with the help of the only-slightly-mad Doctor Zarkov and the dashing Dale Arden.
Famous names: Steve Holland, Irene Champlin, Joseph Nash, Edward Gruskin
Crunchy goodness: 1
Spinoffs/Sequels/Copycats: Before it was a television show, Flash was a newspaper comic strip and a 1930s movie serial. After this show, Flash went on to star in a 1980 movie. We’ve also heard rumors of a 2007 television revival, but have never been able to find anybody who’s watched a whole episode.
Sights you’ll never unsee: Holland, as Flash, wearing the world’s tightest T-shirt with a big lightning bolt on it, and an honest-to-Zarkov girdle scrunching his tummy.
The shit: Dale Arden isn’t just the girlfriend or sidekick, she’s a space fighter in her own right, showing great bravery whenever she’s threatened with a death ray or “the breath of death” or whatnot.
