Magic Rock: WORST SEGMENT EVER? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

SageSlowdive · 01-29-2011, 11:27 AM

Could it be?

It lacks all credibility and even consistency: the man rubs the rock, yet it struck with good luck that lasts for years, yet where's all the other people who have touched the rock, like the rock specialist who said it wasn't a religious rock?

UM must have been hard pressed to put that on...

Thiussat · 01-29-2011, 12:17 PM

Yes, there's numerous threads making fun of the rock and the fertility statue segments.

SageSlowdive · 01-29-2011, 02:59 PM

Well, here's another one.

Cheers.

browneyes106 · 01-29-2011, 07:00 PM

I don't really remember the magic rock segment. The description sounds stupid.

Thiussat · 01-29-2011, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browneyes106

I don't really remember the magic rock segment. The description sounds stupid.

Dude you don't know the magic rock? Have you been living under it?

It's the rock that some kids found in the woods that had strange "markings" on it. Supposedly they showed their parents and then the whole family had a wild run of good luck. That's pretty much the story. It was a waste of time.

Jason K · 01-29-2011, 08:26 PM

I've always longed to see the infamous chocolate-as-aphrodisiac episode.

DarkDante · 01-29-2011, 08:48 PM

The thing you have to remember about "Magic Rock" is it came very early on in the series. It was aired first on 11-23-88 the same night they aired the Kurt Sova segment.

I don't believe anything was forced on the show here. This was simply during a period where they were trying all different types of segments to see which would find audience. Most of the stuff they were airing during this period would go onto be standard UM fare (Lost Loves, Unexplained Death, Wanted, Missing Persons) but once every couple of weeks they would throw an offbeat segment in there that was noticeably different from the regular UM fare.

It just so happened that this was quite possibly the most offbeat segment aired during this time period.

PS: Speaking of experimentation, only two weeks before they aired the "Magic Rock" segment, UM featured their first "Lost Loves" segment which in itself was a departure from the norm at the time. Prior to this they had only featured "Lost Heirs" segments but on the 11/9/88 broadcast they featured the case of Janet Parker O'Regan who was looking for her biological father. Sadly the resolution to the case turned out to be a bit of a disaster and I'm not surprised that for the most part UM didn't profile these types of "Lost Loves" cases much in the future. But again, just another example of how they were experimenting with the format of the show at the time.

WishfulDreamer · 01-30-2011, 12:03 AM

DarkDante, what was the disaster result to the O'Regan case? I haven't seen it.

As for the Magic Rock, I definitely don't think it's the worst. I actually enjoy it in all its corniness and feel happy for the family's fortune. I think the fertility statues one was worse, but at least funny for the reenactments and people trying to stay away from them.

DarkDante · 01-30-2011, 02:57 AM

[QUOTE=WishfulDreamer]DarkDante, what was the disaster result to the O'Regan case? I haven't seen it.
/QUOTE]

Janet Parker O'Regan was searching for her father. During WWII Janet's mother fell in love with James White, an American serviceman stationed in England. Shortly after Janet's mother learned she was pregnant, she became aware that James was infact already married and had a child back in the United States.

Realizing that their relationship was not going to advance beyond that point, she broke off their relationship. She decided to raise her daughter on her own and tell her that her father had died in the war.

After learning that her daughter had developed cancer at age forty, Janet's mother shared with her the knowledge that her father did not perish in the war. Janet approached UM for their help in locating her father.

In the closing portion of the segment, Robert Stack read a letter from Janet addressed to the her father's family. She basically said that she didn't want to disrupt their lives and she would be satisfied if they could only send her a photograph of her father telling them that "it's not having anything at all (of her father's) that hurts".

UM did manage to track down James White's family but they were extremely upset at the fact that the story of their father's wartime affair had been broadcast on national television. According to some follow-up research by another SO forum member, White's family threatened to sue UM. Therefore no update was ever filmed (if there ever was indeed a reunion to begin with) and the segment was never aired again beyond it's original broadcast on 11/9/88.

dynoguy88 · 01-30-2011, 09:48 AM

It took me a couple minutes to think of this segment. It was a very early segment, I believe. I don't think I've seen it in 20 years. Is it on the bad site?

SageSlowdive · 01-31-2011, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynoguy88

It took me a couple minutes to think of this segment. It was a very early segment, I believe. I don't think I've seen it in 20 years. Is it on the bad site?

It is.

WishfulDreamer · 01-31-2011, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SageSlowdive

It is.

I had trouble finding it on there. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong user channels.

leafygreens · 02-04-2011, 04:59 PM

The Tumwater Creek Rock? I hardly think this is the "worst" segment. I thought it was pretty interesting.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/.../t-240690.html

88keys · 02-10-2011, 01:59 PM

This segment was on yesterday, I think. Did they shorten it or something? Because, besides the couple being given the means to start their own dress shop, I really didn't see that they were that lucky. It's not like dozens of amazing things happened to them. So they launched a successful business. Lots of people do that. Plus, the segment was really short. Did the original segment have information that got edited out later? There was nothing in this one to convince me that the rock had anything to do with this family's success.

DarkDante · 02-10-2011, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88keys

This segment was on yesterday, I think. Did they shorten it or something? Because, besides the couple being given the means to start their own dress shop, I really didn't see that they were that lucky. It's not like dozens of amazing things happened to them. So they launched a successful business. Lots of people do that. Plus, the segment was really short. Did the original segment have information that got edited out later? There was nothing in this one to convince me that the rock had anything to do with this family's success.

They also were afforded other business opportunities as a result of the dress shop being a success. In addition to the dress shop they also opened a candy store and were put in charge of the shopping mall's theater.

In addition they came into some type of deal where they were allowed to live in a house rent free for a period of time as long as they kept up with the basic repairs maintenance.

01-29-2011, 11:27 AM	#1
SageSlowdive the real hank queen Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 10, 2010 Posts: 659	Magic Rock: WORST SEGMENT EVER? Could it be? It lacks all credibility and even consistency: the man rubs the rock, yet it struck with good luck that lasts for years, yet where's all the other people who have touched the rock, like the rock specialist who said it wasn't a religious rock? UM must have been hard pressed to put that on...

01-29-2011, 12:17 PM	#2
Thiussat Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 09, 2007 Posts: 601	Yes, there's numerous threads making fun of the rock and the fertility statue segments.

01-29-2011, 02:59 PM	#3
SageSlowdive the real hank queen Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 10, 2010 Posts: 659	Well, here's another one. Cheers.

01-29-2011, 07:00 PM	#4
browneyes106 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 01, 2008 Posts: 6,097	I don't really remember the magic rock segment. The description sounds stupid.

01-29-2011, 08:26 PM	#6
Jason K Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 05, 2010 Posts: 59	I've always longed to see the infamous chocolate-as-aphrodisiac episode.

01-29-2011, 08:48 PM	#7
DarkDante Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 27, 2002 Posts: 1,569	The thing you have to remember about "Magic Rock" is it came very early on in the series. It was aired first on 11-23-88 the same night they aired the Kurt Sova segment. I don't believe anything was forced on the show here. This was simply during a period where they were trying all different types of segments to see which would find audience. Most of the stuff they were airing during this period would go onto be standard UM fare (Lost Loves, Unexplained Death, Wanted, Missing Persons) but once every couple of weeks they would throw an offbeat segment in there that was noticeably different from the regular UM fare. It just so happened that this was quite possibly the most offbeat segment aired during this time period. PS: Speaking of experimentation, only two weeks before they aired the "Magic Rock" segment, UM featured their first "Lost Loves" segment which in itself was a departure from the norm at the time. Prior to this they had only featured "Lost Heirs" segments but on the 11/9/88 broadcast they featured the case of Janet Parker O'Regan who was looking for her biological father. Sadly the resolution to the case turned out to be a bit of a disaster and I'm not surprised that for the most part UM didn't profile these types of "Lost Loves" cases much in the future. But again, just another example of how they were experimenting with the format of the show at the time.

01-30-2011, 12:03 AM	#8
WishfulDreamer Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 01, 2009 Location: L.A. Posts: 3,868	DarkDante, what was the disaster result to the O'Regan case? I haven't seen it. As for the Magic Rock, I definitely don't think it's the worst. I actually enjoy it in all its corniness and feel happy for the family's fortune. I think the fertility statues one was worse, but at least funny for the reenactments and people trying to stay away from them.

01-30-2011, 02:57 AM	#9
DarkDante Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 27, 2002 Posts: 1,569	[QUOTE=WishfulDreamer]DarkDante, what was the disaster result to the O'Regan case? I haven't seen it. /QUOTE] Janet Parker O'Regan was searching for her father. During WWII Janet's mother fell in love with James White, an American serviceman stationed in England. Shortly after Janet's mother learned she was pregnant, she became aware that James was infact already married and had a child back in the United States. Realizing that their relationship was not going to advance beyond that point, she broke off their relationship. She decided to raise her daughter on her own and tell her that her father had died in the war. After learning that her daughter had developed cancer at age forty, Janet's mother shared with her the knowledge that her father did not perish in the war. Janet approached UM for their help in locating her father. In the closing portion of the segment, Robert Stack read a letter from Janet addressed to the her father's family. She basically said that she didn't want to disrupt their lives and she would be satisfied if they could only send her a photograph of her father telling them that "it's not having anything at all (of her father's) that hurts". UM did manage to track down James White's family but they were extremely upset at the fact that the story of their father's wartime affair had been broadcast on national television. According to some follow-up research by another SO forum member, White's family threatened to sue UM. Therefore no update was ever filmed (if there ever was indeed a reunion to begin with) and the segment was never aired again beyond it's original broadcast on 11/9/88.

01-30-2011, 09:48 AM	#10
dynoguy88 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 3,672	It took me a couple minutes to think of this segment. It was a very early segment, I believe. I don't think I've seen it in 20 years. Is it on the bad site?

02-04-2011, 04:59 PM	#13
leafygreens Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 12, 2007 Posts: 183	The Tumwater Creek Rock? I hardly think this is the "worst" segment. I thought it was pretty interesting. http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/.../t-240690.html

02-10-2011, 01:59 PM	#14
88keys Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 24, 2009 Location: Illinois Posts: 326	This segment was on yesterday, I think. Did they shorten it or something? Because, besides the couple being given the means to start their own dress shop, I really didn't see that they were that lucky. It's not like dozens of amazing things happened to them. So they launched a successful business. Lots of people do that. Plus, the segment was really short. Did the original segment have information that got edited out later? There was nothing in this one to convince me that the rock had anything to do with this family's success.