The ABC Movie of the Week Companion: A Loving Tribute to the Classic Series

by Michael Karol

Movies made for television were in their infancy when ABC came up with a novel a weekly series of films made exclusively for the small screen. The ABC Movie of the Week became a great success and a cultural touchstone for a generation of Americans. In this loving tribute to the classic series of TV films, more than two hundred films in the series are reviewed, including well-remembered titles such as Duel, Tribes, The Six Million Dollar Man, Go Ask Alice, Brian's Song, The Night Stalker, Bad Ronald, Starsky and Hutch, Trilogy of Terror, That Certain Summer , and Killdozer . In addition, choice bits of trivia about the actors and films and exclusive pictures are sprinkled throughout the book. So bit back, relax, and return to a time when the counterculture was in full swing and you could tune in every week for one or more original films made just for you.

Genres: Tv, Nonfiction

212 pages, Paperback

First published June 20, 2005

Reviews

[Joe Noir · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had hoped for a book on the ABC movies of the week for almost 30 years. This slim volume is nice, but hardly comprehensive. There are no photos, limited cast lists, no crew lists, and only 101 pages. The author says some of the films, "really don't merit any further consideration" and you won't find those in this book. With over 200 films to review, the author had to "focus by necessity on (his) favorite films in the series".
Still, this book is a lot of fun, brings back loads of memories, and provides an index of titles, a "selected bibliography", and just enough info to help you find additional material, and photos, for some of the films on the internet. I would have liked to have seen a synopsis and review of every film in the series, and at least one photo from each title, along with complete cast and crew listings (at least director, screen writer, special effects, etc). I would like more info on source material, such as "Haunts of the Very Rich" was based on a short story of the same name by T.K. Brown and can be found in "The Years Best Horror Stories Series II" edited by Richard Davis in a DAW paperback edition, 1974. Readers might like to know which films are available on DVD, or were ever released on home video. Or that the original opening title sequence to the series can be found on YouTube.
This book is great fun, and is written in a warm, friendly style. It is worth the price to me, and I'm glad to have it. However, the definitive ABC movie of the week book has yet to be written.

[Guy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining catalog of the ABC series with not-as-entertaining commentary/personal opinions of the author. The writing is rough and though the author's enthusiasm for the subject is evident, there is an amateurish quality to the presentation.
Thankfully, nearly all of the synopses of these films do not include spoilers. I recommend this book as a resource for titles and stars of the films of which few are available on DVD, but many can be found on YouTube.

[Mhorg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have been better

I would have liked this a lot more, and perhaps kept it if the author had, rather than put in unwanted reviews from various newspapers and such, had given better, more complete synopses of these movies.

[Thom · Rating 1 out of 5]

Amateurishly written, un-original and hardly comprehensive, this is the sort of thing you'd find at a fan convention. Okay for what it is.

[John Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decent reference book. Short descriptions of about 200 made-for-TV Movies. I grew up watching these and have lately been catching some of them I missed back then, on YouTube. So you can go through the alphabetized book, separated into years, and search for movies that appeal to you to see if they are available for watching. Overall these 70s movies are entertaining and worthwhile, and the author has gathered all of the titles together, from several years in the 70s which he says represent the best period of film-making among the ABC Movies of the Week.

[Darrel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short & concise summary of each of the featured ABC Movie of the Week series from the early 70's. I watched them all way back when and this book was a great trip down memory lane for me. I recalled quite a few them vividly as I read the plot summary of the movie(s). A great collectible for the 'fan' of those movies and a handy reference also - if you're so inclined to 'need' one.

[Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, but much too short. I am not too surprised to note that I own six of these movies on DVD and remember many more and even the ads for them. I wish this book had more material on them all--most entries are very brief.

[Kristopher Michaels · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book for any TV movie buff such as myself. Lots of interesting facts if you remember the old movies of the week from the 70's as I do. If you don't, then you will not find anything in this book to hold your attention. For people like me though, it's a must have.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty funny so far. Author has a real dry sense of humor