Old Shows That Weren't What I Expected

This past summer, I watch two older shows that surprised me--not because I kept watching but because they weren't at all what I expected.

The Six Billion Dollar Man 

I assumed that The Six Billion Dollar Man was rather like Lois & Clark, only less fun and less deliberately funny. That is, I assumed it was kind of hokey: one step up from original Batman (1966-68) but again, less obviously self-spoofing. 

And it's possible that later episodes fall into that category. But the pilot (one of the pilots?) is quite serious. Most of it is devoted not to people punching each other but to the main character coming to terms with his new life and abilities. It dives into issues like identity and humanity. Not at all what I expected.

Fantasy Island 

My confession here may sound absurd, considering the show's title, but I assumed for years that Fantasy Island was a kind of Love Boat. "Fantasy" was a metaphor: All my fantasies came true because I got the love I wanted, not my fantasies came true and I learned from them, even though they weren't real. 

In truth, the episodes are rather like longer and more human-drama-oriented Love Boat plots (and consequently, somewhat less interesting, being far too long), but the fantasy element is intrinsic. Mr. Roarke comes across as a kind of fallen angel: on the side of good but somewhat more ruthless than a non-fallen angel. And the visitors are not all pursuing love, such as the couple who want to live in a "simpler time" and realize--after hanging out in a kind of Salem Village--that "simpler" brings with it is own complications.  

Of the two shows, I am more likely to watch another season of Fantasy Island since I like standalone tightly written plots. I'm not sure "tightly written" applies to either show, but Fantasy Island seems more likely to deliver...eventually.