Joseph Harder
This is another one of the shows that has been almost totally forgotten. I saw episodes of Insight about a dozen times over the years, and almost every episode I saw remains fresh in the memory.The Paulist Fathers, who are also responsible for that superb series of great spiritual writings by and for people of all faiths, Classics of Western Spirtuality, produced the show, and got an astonishing array of Hollywood and Broadway talent to write, direct, and star in the different episodes. Despite its Catholic provenance, this show was far , far from propaganda, and actually reflected the best in post- Vatican 2 U.S. Catholicism. One hopes the Paulists still have some episodes on DVD
luvthemcorgis
When I was a teenager, God was having a tough time getting through to me through conventional, Sunday morning church services. How clever of Him, then, to have sneaked into my stubborn consciousness through early Sunday morning television, with the brilliant Insight series. As Greg from Kalispell, MT also mentioned, there was an episode I have never forgotten, titled "The Poker Game". It starred a young Beau Bridges as a quiet, sweet, hippie sort of guy. He was wearing wire-rimmed glasses (much like the type John Lennon wore) which may have had rose-colored lenses - I'm not certain; I saw the episode in black and white. What I mostly remember is the theme of tolerance, based on love, versus intolerance, based on prejudicial, stereotypical thinking.Another unforgettable episode had the theme of God as presumed dead. (I think Carroll O'Connor starred in this one.) A small group of self-centered, cynical, miserable people had gathered at a chapel to conduct a "funeral" for God, declaring that, given the state of the world, He must be dead. At the end of the funeral, one of the men brusquely instructed the chapel's caretaker, a simple, God-loving man, that the steeple bell was to be disconnected permanently, as it would no longer be needed. The group reassembled at a nearby building for a "wake", which actually was more of a cocktail party during which the group members revealed a number of unsettling and unsavory aspects of their lives. But after some time, the chapel bell suddenly began to ring. Startled, the group hurried back to the chapel, where the caretaker, frightened, insisted he had not reconnected the bell. Inside, the open casket still lay at the front. One at a time, the frightened members of the party approached it. Lying within the satin lining, each saw, with horror, who truly was dead ... without the grace and love of God, and His Son, Jesus Christ. As the last person to gaze fearfully into the casket, only the caretaker found it to be empty.God bless the late Father Kieser, Paulist Productions, and the actors, writers, and crew members who worked together to bring the Father, Son and Holy Spirit into the 20th Century so creatively and memorably.
emailly
I watched this show infrequently throughout the 1970's but some of the episodes continue to haunt me today. They were thought provoking and subtle -- two elements that are rarely found in a television program today -- and typically well-acted by major stars of the day. I only wish these were available on DVD. I'd like to watch it again, with the perspective of 30 years of maturity.Perhaps the best episode featured William Windom as Dad, his son Chris and daughter Grace, chatting around the family kitchen table about things that needed to be done. It wasn't until you saw the view from the kitchen window that you realized who "Chris", "Grace" and "Dad" really were.
ggb-2
I was amazed to finally find some facts on this program that effected me as a teen. I had not realized that the program was 'Insight' and I always remembered the episode as 'The Rose Colored Glasses' but evidently was wrong all these years. Typing in Beau Bridges brought up the episode 'The Poker Game'!! And yep, that is/was it. Several older fellows playing poker with a younger man wearing rose colored glasses eventually become fed up with his radical views and decide he is a bit of a slacker representing the tangibility of the much talked about 'Generation Gap' of the time. In short a 'revolutionary/radical/hippy'. I think he was berated at one point as 'seeing life through rose colored glasses' which was not at all what the group of men considered acceptable, being members of the 'establishment'. I believe the show certainly helped inspire a generation (along with "Easy Rider") to vote for Bill Clinton 24 years later. Thank you IMDB, and Mike, and Kenneth, for allowing me to touch this puzzle that has been on my mind all these years. [I sure would like to see the episode again, but I have no clue as to how to make that happen. Please write me if anyone has knowledge.] Thanx again. Greg.
