Re: We're gonna Zoom, Zoom, Zooma, Zoom!


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Written by spencer am 24 Mar 2001 08:07:27:

As an answer to: We're gonna Zoom, Zoom, Zooma, Zoom! written by Sensitive Stephen am 24 Mar 2001 05:34:14:

I was a big fan of the orignal ZOOM series and I agree that the current show is a disappointment. For one thing, they try to air five half-hour programs a week, which puts tremendous pressure on the producers to find interesting ideas and to keep the kids fresh. The original series aired only once a week, and the difference was not hard to notice. Each episode back then had some coherence and a kind of identity, while today's ZOOM seems much more "spliced together."

But the biggest difference is the kids themselves. Thirty years ago, kids were much more natural and less uptight, and it showed in ZOOM. Just the fact that the kids were usually barefoot on the air for the first two or three seasons is significant. They were relaxed and comfortable in a non-pretentious way. I particularly remember Joe, David, Timmy, and Neal as some of my favorites among the boys, but there were many others. Kids these days would probably never agree to go barefoot on that kind of show and if they did, I wouldn't be surprised if the producers were accused of child pornography or something! (g)

Speaking of which, there was one case of fully visible "underwear exposure" on the original ZOOM series. I wonder if anyone remembers the scene and can name the cast member involved. There'll be a special "spencer Achievement Award" for anyone who can describe the scene and name the kid. If no one gets it, I'll post the answer in a few days.

One more personal ZOOM story: I worked with one of the orignal ZOOM cast members about a decade ago as a mentor/supervisor during a stage of professional training and I got to hear lots of great stories. One thing I learned was that the kids were actively involved in planning the show and took their work very seriously, believing that they were doing something original and valuable. They jealously protected the show's quality and took pride in the finished product. It certainly showed. Those kids were sharp, intelligent, and highly motivated. They were creatures of their era, and I think that's one of the reasons the show doesn't transfer easily across time.






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