Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Random TV Title: Lucan

LUCAN ran for only eleven episodes--and sporadically at that--during 1977 and 1978, but seemed to be popular among my age group at the time. It began with an interesting premise, but like half the shortlived dramas of the 1970s, degenerated into a FUGITIVE clone and soon petered out.

Kevin Brophy, who enjoyed at least fifteen minutes of fame as a TIGER BEAT and 16 mainstay, played Lucan, a young man who was found at the age of ten being raised in the wild by wolves. Who he was or how he got there, no one knew, but a friendly scientist (John Randolph) brought the lad back to civilization and taught him how to live with humans.

Ten years later, Lucan was accused of a murder he didn't commit and set off on his own, not only to clear his name, but also to find his parents. In pursuit was a single-minded bounty hunter named Prentiss (Don Gordon).

I think today's TV series could do a lot better job setting up their premises for new viewers. If nothing else, you knew right off the bat what LUCAN was about and whether you wanted to watch it. John Randolph narrates.


2 comments:

hobbyfan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
hobbyfan said...

The "Fugitive" formula would be used a little more successfully on "Incredible Hulk" just a couple of years later. I remember seeing at least part of the opening episode of "Lucan", then moving on to something else. Too bad it failed.