"Insight" (1960) TV series 1960-1984

Directors:

Lew V. Adams
Richard Beymer

Writer:

Michael Ray Rhodes (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 15 | unknown

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

One Word Title | Morality | Christian | Religion

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 9 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Ellwood Kieser

...

Himself - Host / ... (262 episodes, 1960-1984)

Runtime:

USA:30 min (250 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Paulist Productions

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The series was produced in the United States, and nearly all of its episodes were set there, but the animated opening credits show cars driving on the left-hand side of the road.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: I Accuse My Parents (#6.7)" (1993)

Without video pirates, you'll never see it again.

I remember the series fondly as a kid. In my early years as a TV engineer in a little Public TV station in Newark, Ohio, I got to run the episodes on film (we didn't have standard videotape in that station).

Except for those video pirates who have copies of the shows, "Insight" will remain buried forever. The reason is that the show represented Catholic theology of its time. Those episodes don't represent current Church doctrine on a lot of things. I think the Church doesn't want some of them publicized today. Some episodes also had very insistent bits of Catholic doctrine that make many people wince these days - I recall an episode that drably covered adultery in marriage that ended in suicide, with the priest/narrator suggesting this was the expected end of such immorality.

Even if you agree with the opinion that this was "the Twilight Zone of religious television," it was at least heartfelt. This show, and "Davey and Goliath," were made by people who honestly believed in the morals they promoted. I don't believe that's true of the expensive, show-bizzy, money-begging religious shows of today.