Carpenters...Space Encounters 1978

If Richard 'gleaned' the music out of the specials and made a music-only DVD, then people would be griping no, no, no, we want the COMPLETE specials.

I have a pretty good feeling that if these ever do see the light of day (and I think it's kind of doubtful they will), it would have to be after Richard has joined Karen in eternal rest. Even then, I'm sure he's made his wishes known regarding what should or shouldn't be released, and his heirs, not exactly hurting for money, would probably honor them....all depending on who owns the rights to the various specials of course.

The demand for them is pretty low, and only getting lower with each passing year.

Maybe they'll show up on some streaming platform one day -- all those outlets are dying for as much "content" as they can find.
 
You have to consider the timeframe. VCR's were still far off for most people. Recording/re-watching TV shows, especially "specials" , was hardly imagined yet. Therefore, specials like these were only meant to be an enjoyable "waste" of an hour (including the commercials).
 
I know one thing that really became apparent to me watching that clip and it`s not like it hadn't before, but the clip sort of `cemented` it for me, I honestly think it`s a shame we didn't get to see Karen as a serious actress, because I think she would have been something else!
I know she was offered the part alongside John Wayne in `True Grit` and turned it down, but I think then, was a little early for her, but certainly later, she would have been great.
I know one character when I see her and when I do I think of Karen for some reason, because although it`s only voice over, the look of the character and her sense of humour seem to match Karen so much, I`m sure everyone`s seen Wreck it Ralph .......... remember the girl in it who was called `Venellope` (glitch`?
Yeah, I thought you`d think I`ve lost the plot :laugh::laugh:
 
I have a pretty good feeling that if these ever do see the light of day (and I think it's kind of doubtful they will), it would have to be after Richard has joined Karen in eternal rest. Even then, I'm sure he's made his wishes known regarding what should or shouldn't be released, and his heirs, not exactly hurting for money, would probably honor them....all depending on who owns the rights to the various specials of course.

If they ever do see the light of day, say as a box set, I'd buy it but the only specials I’d ever pull out and watch with any interest are the first and the last. I don’t think the Carpenter estate will ever release them given the tangled and expensive mess royalties would create.
 
I know one thing that really became apparent to me watching that clip and it`s not like it hadn't before, but the clip sort of `cemented` it for me, I honestly think it`s a shame we didn't get to see Karen as a serious actress, because I think she would have been something else!
I know she was offered the part alongside John Wayne in `True Grit` and turned it down, but I think then, was a little early for her, but certainly later, she would have been great.
I know one character when I see her and when I do I think of Karen for some reason, because although it`s only voice over, the look of the character and her sense of humour seem to match Karen so much, I`m sure everyone`s seen Wreck it Ralph .......... remember the girl in it who was called `Venellope` (glitch`?
Yeah, I thought you`d think I`ve lost the plot :laugh::laugh:

"I honestly think it`s a shame we didn't get to see Karen as a serious actress, because I think she would have been something else!"

She could've done it. She had the talent. John Wayne wanted to give that part to Karen. Kim Darby got the role. I have no doubt Karen would've pulled it off...And may I add Karen would have been perfect for a solo TV variety show. I wouldn't have counted her out doing mostly anything! She was just that talented.
 
She'd have been great as a guest star "murderer" in Columbo. Playing against type as a singer who offed her manager/partner. It worked for Johnny cash in '73 and it could've worked great for her in '78.
 
^^I think you are on to something there! I can picture the final scene: Karen's character shows Columbo the door, thinking she has blown him off for good. She has a sly smile on her face as she closes the door...She walks seductively (this would not be acting for Karen, I loved the way she walked!) to the bar in the interior of her mansion and pours herself a drink, laughing silently to herself (she thinks she has gotten away with it)...Just then, Columbo pops his head inside the door and says "Excuse me ma'am, just one more thing"...

No, seriously, it would've been brilliant. Karen would've loved it, she would've been great in it, it would have knocked the socks off of her goody-two-shoes image, and would've probably been one of the most popular Columbo episodes ever! :)

PS - I was watching some old Columbo episodes on one of the Baby Boomer channels that are springing up more and more, and I saw that Johnny Cash episode. I remember remarking to my wife how good he was in it.
 
^^I think you are on to something there! I can picture the final scene: Karen's character shows Columbo the door, thinking she has blown him off for good. She has a sly smile on her face as she closes the door...She walks seductively (this would not be acting for Karen, I loved the way she walked!) to the bar in the interior of her mansion and pours herself a drink, laughing silently to herself (she thinks she has gotten away with it)...Just then, Columbo pops his head inside the door and says "Excuse me ma'am, just one more thing"...

No, seriously, it would've been brilliant. Karen would've loved it, she would've been great in it, it would have knocked the socks off of her goody-two-shoes image, and would've probably been one of the most popular Columbo episodes ever! :)

PS - I was watching some old Columbo episodes on one of the Baby Boomer channels that are springing up more and more, and I saw that Johnny Cash episode. I remember remarking to my wife how good he was in it.
Love Columbo ! All those “could have beens” for Karen...so much talent.
 
I am re-watching this special. Simultaneously fascinating and infuriating.
The premise of the special shows promise, but the execution is confounding--
as usual, the "guest stars" are the biggest stumbling block.
My two cents:
Executive Producer, Jerry Weintraub , should have handed the production over to someone else.
More observations later.
 
I’m just reading some comments on this special left by viewers on YouTube. The shortest but perhaps most apt summation of the show: “by this time they had lost the plot”.
 
I remember watching this special the night it aired.
I loved watching Karen, and I loved Passage then (as now):
However, the next day at school, no one--not one student--
made any reference whatsoever to this show.
In fact, to my knowledge,
Carpenters were never referred to (by my peers) during my high-school-years,
1976-1980.

I was a Freshman in high school and I made a point of asking a friend what he thought of it the morning after it aired.

He said, ‘“That ‘Goofus’ song is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

I then asked my brother’s girlfriend (now wife) what she thought of it. She was 26 at the time. She said, “I really like the Carpenters, but I didn’t like that special very much”. I stopped asking people after that, 😂🤣
 
I was a Freshman in high school and I made a point of asking a friend what he thought of it the morning after it aired.

He said, ‘“That ‘Goofus’ song is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

I then asked my brother’s girlfriend (now wife) what she thought of it. She was 26 at the time. She said, “I really like the Carpenters, but I didn’t like that special very much”. I stopped asking people after that, 😂🤣
It could've been worse. . .(shudders). . .Peter Pitt could've been a guest star.
 
She'd have been great as a guest star "murderer" in Columbo. Playing against type as a singer who offed her manager/partner. It worked for Johnny cash in '73 and it could've worked great for her in '78.

There was a season three episode of "Wonder Woman" ("Amazon Hot Wax") which is set in the music business. Two of the characters are a squeaky clean brother/sister singing duo who (spoiler alert) turn out to be the bad guys in the end. They were most likely modeled after Donny & Marie Osmond (whose ABC variety show aired opposite of WW on CBS), but could easily have been interpreted as Richard and Karen clones as well. It would have been awesome for Karen and Richard do something totally fun and out of the box and play those roles. Might have upped their "cool factor" a bit.
 
Or if they had done LOVEBOAT....I could see Karen on any of those type of sit com or comedy/drama shows...her talent would have shone!
 
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