Electric Dreams - Episode 2

Last week I did a live commentary and opinion on that show on TV called Electric Dreams that covers a whole decade where a family lives back in the day with the technology only found during that time.

This weeks episode is set in the 80's. This is where a lot of our reliance of electricity comes into play. Sony Walkman, Microwave ovens, Video game consoles and computers.

Interestingly, the walkman is a hit with dad who jogs every morning. The Microwave oven, once mother had got accustomed to using a stove and over, she actually thought the microwave was a silly idea and couldn't see how it ever became a popular.

The son was straight on the video game.

Now we're on to the Video Cassette Tape. Beta vs VHS. And even some laser discs too. Since VHS was the popular choice at the time, the show sends the family a video player and also a video camera.

At this point, they find that they have nothing to play on he player. The father heads out to find a player, which is a bit unfair considering they've provided him with old tech in a new world. With no such things as DVD's or Blu-Rays he finally finds a video store that has some video cassettes for sale. $1 each.

Bringing the newly purchased videos home, he finds that the player doesn't work. It turns out the daughter of the house has tried to put in a betamax tape and has possibly ruined the player.

In the morning, the father wakes up to a knock at the door. Coming out to the front yard, he gets great news, a new set of wheels. Although, it turns out that he gets access to a C5. No, not a Citroen. An electric car that never took off. If anything, it was the biggest technological flop every. Though I can't see why it did.... electric powered, and has pedals for some human assistance.

The father likes it, but considers it a death trap due to the more modern traffic surrounding him.

Meanwhile at home, the family receives a "Compact Disc Player". The father isn't impressed. He much prefers vinyl (me too). Dad isn't happy and consoles himself by saying "That's progress".

The computer still hasn't been utilised well. So the father sits with the son and work on it together, loading tapes and they finally get a game to load.... several hours later.

It's now 1987 and they have launched the microwave dinner. Something I cringe about every time I see one.

The show is nearly over, it's 1989 and mum is on teletext and getting a recipe off the channel to cook for dinner for their celebration.

The younger daughter accepts that the 80's pushed technology, but nothing worked. It wasn't really plug and play like things are today.

Since the family received a camcorder earlier, they got to use it as he kids got to make an 80's music video. The father ends with his opinion that he loved the 80's and the technology. He recalls how awesome it was to see all this technology come about. But in reality, it was all a bunch of rubbish.

The show ends, roll credits. Next Sunday will show the family living in the 90's. Can't wait to see the Play Stations and laptops appear in the home.

Yesterday, not so long away

Or something like that....

So, what's it all mean?

I'm watching a show on TV right now called Electric Dreams. It's probably a one off show, not a series. Hosted by Amanda Keller, of Beyond 2000 fame. I had a crush on her then, and I think she's still a hottie. :)

The show, in its basic format is taking a family, removing all technology, stipping down the house and only providing the family with everything that was available in the 70's. Each day will take them to a new year.

It would seem at first they (the family) found it quite novel. I'd imagine half way through the show the kids will start getting restless with the lack of stimulation other than a TV and guitar.

The show displays a really good example of how life was, but also, really how life can probably do without all the rubbish we deal with daily.

Easier said then done. I love technology, I love gadgets and I can't get enough of the latest and greatest things. Whatever those things are.

However, I could easily replace all the technology I have with good old fashioned old skool things.

Lets look at some technology as an example that we might take advantage of;

De-mister in your car. Pretty self explanatory, I don't think going back to a 1970's car in Winter would be welcome since we're all now quite well accustomed to a foggy free window in their car.

Then there's EFI. I think most people have probably even forgotten cars with manual chokes.

Yet, the car would more than likely be easier to fix. With simple design, no complicated systems keeping things in check. People would more than likely slow down and drive at more legal speeds instead of cruising around leisurely.

The family has now been given still cameras, and heading into the commercial break, the young boy of the family appreciates a bit of vinyl due to the fact that he's never held a piece of music in his hands, in total contrast to the digital age he's always known to download songs.

That's quite profound when you think about it. And I gather this is why Steve Jobs has introduced album art into their iTunes Music Store.

And while the boy admires the beauty of an LP, there's a power cut due to the industrial disputes in 1972-3. Power will be restored in the morning, where the boy goes on his paper delivery route at the butt-crack of dawn before school.

After school they (all the kids) receive bikes to ride on. And they love it. The parents are a bit off about it all because they worry the kids will get nabbed or hurt and won't know about it.

As they settle in for dinner, they play some board games. Something the father admits to not doing for a very long time.

It's 1975 now and the family gets a deep freezer and thus supermarkets are on the rise.... mind you, this show is filmed in Britain, so supermarkets may have been around before then in your locale.

Welcome 1976 and the family gets a colour television set. The son isn't so amused by colour on his TV, and would rather do without it if it's not as good as his current day setup (computer, hi-def TV, etc). Then all of a sudden they get a game console delivered. The Atari console with Pong. Or, in the case of this show, a Binatone. Enthralling.

They now receive pocket calculators and the parents do all the rude word before giving it to the kids. 58008 then turn it up side down. The son doesn't bother with it all, and starts to feel withdrawn from life due to lack of modern stimulation, so much so that he helps mum clean up by grabbing the vacuum cleaner.

Ohh, the TV is dead. The son is dismayed. The repair man is called, reminded that TV sets use to break down quite a fair bit and use to heat up so much that they would set the house on fire, nicknaming them Curtain Burners.

As the show draws to a near, the family looks more relieved rather than gaining from the experience and perhaps realising they don't really need any of that stuff.

We're now at 1979, and the family is putting on the very typical and boring slide show. Fondu is served along side the Soda Stream and Snow balls. The kids put on their mix tape they created from their records recorded to tape.

As the slide show rolls on, the husband reminisces, and loves it. The wife hates it, because the lack of tech made her life in the home harder.

One of the daughters thinks she had more freedom to play outside without her parents being so cautious. The son won't miss the lack of technology at all.

I was wrong about the show being a one off, the next episode will bring on the 80's and with it comes the Walkman, Simon, big music amplifiers and more cassettes.

I assume there will be a 3rd episode covering the 90's

Really when you think about it, most of us can remember when this was normal.

The question is, are we really better off with all the technology that surrounds our lives today?