Listen to this articleDo you remember the USA show Weird Science? It ran in the mid-90’s, and it was based on the John Hughes film of the same name. I loved that show, because it came on every Saturday night after the kids I babysat for went to bed. So when I found it on Hulu, I dropped everything to relive the 90s!
Here’s the fascinating part: I expected to watch a few episodes, laugh at my memories, and move on. But the show has aged surprisingly well for a low-budget USA network offering. In addition to addressing safe sex head-on, half the episodes slip in lessons and messages that wouldn’t be out of place in a women’s studies or psychology class. The protagonists are regularly taught about teaching women with respect, and even though Lisa the magic computer genie is played by a British model, there’s a great deal of care taken to not objectify her. Basically, the show is intelligent and well-written, and manages to cover the typical teenage sitcom dramas without falling into complete stereotypes.
Also, Vanessa Angel (who plays Lisa) is very, very funny and attractive.
I can’t be the only one who remembers this forgotten gem, right?
