Saturday, December 24, 2016

Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: Shazam: "Speak No Evil" (October 11, 1975)


In “Speak No Evil,” a trio of adolescent boys break into the school laboratory and begin to break things there.  They steal a typewriter.  And they unknowingly start a fire as well.

The fire is traced back to Paul (Danny Bonaduce), who protects his friends rather than turn them in.  

Billy (Michael Gray) gleans a sense of what is happening, because the Elders have advised him that friendship might be considered a “two-edged sword,” with both “advantages and disadvantages.

When Paul’s friends become trapped in a power plant while fooling around, with electricity sparking everywhere, Paul seeks the help of Captain Marvel (John Davey).




Danny Bonaduce -- of The Partridge Family (1970-1974) -- guest stars in this episode of Shazam.  He plays Paul, a boy who feels peer pressure to go along with his juvenile delinquent friends as they destroy property and otherwise make mischief.

Mentor (Les Tremayne) and Billy (Michael Gray) try to get Paul to tell the truth, but he doesn’t feel compelled to do so until his friends actually get into real danger at the electrical plant. Then, he finds his courage.

This episode is all about friendship (in case you couldn’t guess), and how real friendship is about obligations as well as advantages.  It is the duty of a friend, according to “Speak No Evil,” to stop your friends from doing stupid or dangerous things.

The threat of the week, a power plant gone nuts, is visualized with special effects that resemble Star Trek's "Lights of Zetar."







Next week: “The Odd Couple”

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