Room 222 ... remember this early 70's TV show?

Get ready to be taken back in a big way by watching this clip:



Share your memories of this TV show that blazed SO many trails in television...from "Boston Public" to "White Shadow" and beyond... What else was going on in your life at the time??

Pour your heart out about "Room 222".

Pour out your heart about the "sweetheart" of Room 222, "Karen Valentine".

 

I absolutely loved that show. Smart and classy and Karen Valentine was absolutely adorable!

 

I think she was my first crush! Used to watch it with my highschool aged sisters. I was like 7.

 

The tune never fails to take me back.

 

I wasn't alive when the show first aired, but I bought the first two seasons on DVD when Shout! Factory released them a few years back.

Pretty high-quality series that tackled a lot of subjects that were groundbreaking at the time. James L. Brooks, who went on to create "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Taxi" and other series, was involved in "Room 222." That was enough of an endorsement for me to check it out.

 

Just checking out reviews of the DVDs two days ago.
I was an 11 year-old white boy with a crush on Denise Nicholas.
Karen Valentine was alright, but stood no chance with Denise around.
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Excellent show! All the re-runs I ever saw had those terrible washed-out colours. I can't remember if the initial run looked like that.

I didn't know the main character was dead!

 

Come on guys. Can't have this thread without illustration...



(I was 1-6 when this show was on, and I still remember crushing on her. I remember next to nothing else about the show)

 

The show was shot on 35mm negative and looked like a million bucks. Unfortunately, what most people remember (and what you see up on YouTube) is horrific 16mm syndication prints.

I agree, Karen Valentine was very happening for her time. I was in high school when this show premiered, and I was like, "somebody explain to me why my high school isn't as idealized and harmonious as the one on TV!"

I always liked Jerry Goldsmith's score -- that was a very unusual time signature (7/4 according to Wikipedia), very Bacharach-esque.

 

Wow that was great seeing that opener again. Probably haven't seen it in 40 years. Loved it.

 

Man, I'd pay top dollar for a blu-ray set, done properly, from the original negatives.

 

It could be done. All Fox has to do is spend de money.

I personally think the show is very, very dated today. But they should still make it available inexpensively via streaming, all remastered and restored.

 

All I recall of the show is that who wanted to watch a TV show about school? Seemed like a boring show to a young child. Plus I was usually in bed by then anyway. I can recall hearing the theme song playing or maybe my brother or sister pausing to watch it briefly before changing channels. Dont think we ever watched a complete episode.

 

Ok, now that I bashed it, of course I had to watch it. Wasnt that bad really. No worse acting than many of the Disney "comedy" sitcoms aired now. Wiki says Room 222 was billed as a "comedy-drama". Comedy? hmm ok.

On thing that strikes me, as I suppose this was kind of a show aimed at teens and older kids, is how straight forward it is. Its not bathed in sarcasm nor are you pummeled with a constant barrage of one liners. The episode I watched was called "First We Eat, Then We Strike". Pretty straight ahead life lesson. No over the top emotional banter, kind of nice to see. Boring at times, but funny to watch the style of clothes, lingo etc. Not sure how much it reflected exactly the times and styles but funny to watch the hip banter between two students in front of their lockers "Me and Mr Dixon are tight" "Baby, you dont think he will leave for the green? You dig?" lol. One scene did explore the "military complex" and obviously was presenting the now common question of weapons of mass destruction.

All in all this series may have been just a little too thoughtful for its own good. It aired at 9 pm on Fridays. Who wants to watch shows that are kind of heavy just before bedtime or TGIF? I can see why it failed. While the acting was mediocre, it was probably considered intelligent for the times. People want Gilligans Island and The Beverly HillBillys, not Room 222.

 

I loved this show and had the hots for Denise Nicholas for sure.

 

Awesome! An excuse to post this Karen Valentine segment from Love American Style!

And yes Room 222 was a regular watch at my house as a kid.

 

Actress Judy Stangis was on Room 222 for four years...



Then she graduated and became Dyna Girl..





Stangeish? No?

 

I have a 45 with the theme on it. Played it over the high school PA once.
I watched it pretty religiously, Mike C is from my town, now lives there full time.
Karen was a cutie pie, her mini skirts were glorious.
My memories of it are similar to above--I thought it was pretty straight, like 'this is the best that old people can do for understanding us kids,' but at the same time I wasn't repulsed by it, like I was when I saw an afterschool special. It wasn't especially cool, but it never really tried to ram stuff down your throat with a plunger.

 

Predates me by a couple years.
What was the premise for 25 year olds in high school?

N'er mind... she was a teacher. A very hot teacher.

 

Um, I think it's the other way around? LOL..

 

That would be your opinion Baba boy. See there's another post just like mine.
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I'll even the score with a vote for Karen, so it's 2-2 now. I propose a rule that the winning lady takes me out for pizza tonight.

 

The "Mad Magazine" parody had Karen Valentine keeping her students in line by threatening to scratch her fingernails on thw chalk board if they misbehaved.