Hell Town is an American drama television series that aired on NBC from September 11 until December 25, 1985. The series features Robert Blake.[1]

Synopsis

Blake stars as Noah "Hardstep" Rivers, a hard-living Catholic priest at a church in a crime-ridden neighborhood on the east side of Los Angeles.[2] Rivers was rather unusual for a priest, as he was a former criminal, played billiards, and didn't have the greatest of speaking skills. Despite all of this, Rivers was the perfect man to lead his church, as he grew up in the neighborhood, so he knew about the gangs and drug dealers who lived there and attacked his parishioners.

Cast

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
TBA"Pilot"Don MedfordStory by : Robert Blake
Teleplay by : Robert Blake & E. Nick Alexander & Brian Cassidy		March 6, 1985 (1985-3-6)
1"Let My Jenny Go"Peter LevinE. Nick AlexanderSeptember 11, 1985 (1985-9-11)
2"The People vs. Willy the Goat"Robert GistGeorge F. McGoughSeptember 18, 1985 (1985-9-18)
3"Fast Louie"Richard IrvingJohn D.F. BlackSeptember 25, 1985 (1985-9-25)
4"Hell Town Goes Bananas"Don MedfordGeorge F. McGoughOctober 2, 1985 (1985-10-2)
5
6"I Will Abide"Bill DukeB.W. SandefurOctober 23, 1985 (1985-10-23)
7"Stumpy Boy"Ernest PintoffStory by : Robert Earll
Teleplay by : Paul Magistretti		October 30, 1985 (1985-10-30)
8"Lords of War"John FloreaStory by : Harry A. Lewis & Jack Laird
Teleplay by : Doc Barnett		November 6, 1985 (1985-11-6)
9"The One Called Daisy"Ernest PintoffGerry DayNovember 13, 1985 (1985-11-13)
10"Love and Four Corners"Joseph MandukePatt Shea & Harriett WeissNovember 20, 1985 (1985-11-20)
11"My Girl Friend, Annie"Sam FreedleWilliam T. ZachaNovember 27, 1985 (1985-11-27)
12"A Wedding in Hell Town"Ernest PintoffStory by : Doc Barnett & Don Balluck
Teleplay by : Doc Barnett		December 4, 1985 (1985-12-4)
13"The Rat Man Cometh"Alan Crosland Jr.Rift FournierDecember 11, 1985 (1985-12-11)
14"Straight to Hell"Cliff BolePaul MagistrettiDecember 18, 1985 (1985-12-18)
15"One Ball"Joseph MandukeJohn D.F. BlackDecember 25, 1985 (1985-12-25)

Production notes

The series' theme song was performed by Sammy Davis Jr., who also sang the theme for Blake's previous series, Baretta. The Hell Town pilot film aired on NBC on March 6, 1985.

Ratings

Following Highway to Heaven on NBC Wednesday nights the series got off to a flying start. The numbers for the premiere (17.5 or 15 million viewers) actually surpassed those of it's lead-in. It finished 13th for the week. More good news followed in week two when the show cracked the top 10. Finishing at No. 7 (just behind it's lead-in). Remarkably, the numbers grew from week one to week two by over a million viewers. Then ABC's megs hit Dynasty returned on September 25th and knocked the show from the 10 into the low 30's and shaved off about 25% of it's audience in one night. Week 4 was more of the same as the series sunk to No. 46 and dropped nearly 40% of it's lead-in audience. A two week hiatus (for coverage of the baseball playoffs) followed. Upon it's return the numbers did improve slightly but the writing seemed to be on the wall. The November sweeps episodes featured it in a heated battle for viewers with it's CBS competition Charlie & Co. and barely winning most weeks despite the much stronger lead-in. Ultimately, NBC decided the numbers were not good enough (though it was a top 50 show) and officially pulled the plug. The last original episode aired Christmas night 1985.

References

  1. ^ O'Connor, John (March 6, 1985). "TV REVIEWS; ROBERT BLAKE AS PRIEST IN 'HELL TOWN' ON NBC". The New York Times.
  2. ^ The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 522. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell_Town_(TV_series)
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