So I have this memory of a really creepy kids series in the '80s. I don't remember much other than it creeped me out. I want to say that it aired in a block of shows with one of the other shows about kids being lost in a labyrinth through time. Maybe it was on a very early version of Nickelodeon. The series I'm thinking about centered on a couple of kids who lived near an ocean or large lake. There were strange sea creatures in the lake. For some reason I picture a lair the monsters lived in that the kids infiltrated. To escape capture I want to say they slid through a slide-like tunnel that the monsters used to get around the town. I don't think that the series was made in America. It was either Canadian, English, Australian or New Zealand. It's been driving me crazy to remember what this series was and if it is available anywhere. Sound familiar?
UNK SEZ: Chad, you're not thinking of SIGMUND AND THE SEA MONSTERS are you? Well, if that's not it then I don't know what it could be. Does this show sound familiar to anybody else out there? Let us (and Chad) know!
UPDATE: It looks like commenter seedymckenzie has found the movie! It's called UNDER THE MOUNTAIN (1982) and its from New Zealand. Good going speedy! (Please see the comments for Chad's confirmation). To be honest, it looks much, much, more traumatizing than SIGMUND!!
The thing that made me think of SIGMUND AND THE SEA MONSTERS is that the poster alos remembered the other show about people traveling through a lanrynth of time, which in my mind just screams LAND OF THE LOST! If memory serves those SID & MARTY KROFFT shows always sort of ran in a block together.
Of the two LAND OF THE LOST was the scarier (Sleestacks, anybody???) and SIGMUND was just goofy fun – although maybe to a very small child they mighta been freaky. I think "sigmund" was the only good one and all the rest were corrupt human-hating sea monsters.
By the way, I watched a KROFFT block on TV LAND with my daughter when she was little because I wanted to get her into H.R. PUFNSTUFF and out of ALL the shows the only one that she liked was SIGMUND. She was absolutely fascinated by it!
I know it! It was called 'Under the Mountain' based on a book by Maurice Gee. Filmed near Auckland in New Zealand, wooden acting and low budget combined to result in an especially creepy television show. It was played on Sunday evenings in New Zealand in the early 80s and scared the bejesus out of us. Apparently, it will soon be remade into a film.
What show WOULDNT benefit from adding Rip Taylor? I never watched SEX AND THE CITY but had they added Rip Taylor I so totally would have!
How about HOUSE? I hate that show. But put Rip Taylor in there as a sassy ER nurse and I'd be TIVO-ing that sh!t!
Looked like one of the more sea weedy monsters from Horror of Party Beach.
UPDATE: A slightly less trauma-fied Chad emailed this:
Chad, I'm so pleased you stirred up my vague, slightly disquieting memories of this. I watched this quite young and I could nerver determine the link between the sea monsters and the wormy things. I've asked my friends if they remember it but haven't found anyone else who does. Its on the net though and apparently a remake is going to be made. Yep – I agree this was a creepy programme. Glad to hear you were exposed to some Kiwi tv in the States - NZ produced heaps of really dark stuff.Â