Hal seemed to have a general disdain for game shows in that book. On the BTB 85 entry he mentioned the "gloriously named Joe Farago" as if the show was a farrago (which perhaps it was in retrospect.)
I could discern an anti-GS bias in Erickson's writings, myself:
- A section on 70s entries in the genre is preceded by the warning "If you think PTAR (the Prime Time Access Rule) fostered diversity, skip this section...the game shows will only depress you."
- He sarcastically remarks that producing early 70s syndie entries like nighttime HS and LMaD, all based on daytime network shows, was "so original".
- He claims the most exciting thing that happened in Bullseye's run was an ep where the board malfunctioned and spun out of control.
Pity our guy Hal didn't do another update during the trash-talk era of the mid-90s...he would've had a field day, LOL.
And many of Erickson's writings in other areas were not updated for future editions...for ex, an entry on the Old Time Gospel Hour claims that, following a 1976 interview in which Rev. Jerry Falwell was overly critical of then-Pres. Jimmy Carter, he basically stayed out of politics...wouldn't those who missed the book in an earlier publishing have appreciated some details about the formation of the Moral Majority and its rise to power in the early 80s?
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
