Sun 18 Sep 2016
TV Review: ISIS “The Lights of Mystery Mountain” (1975)
Posted by Steve under Reviews , TV Science Fiction & Fantasy[7] Comments
ISIS. “The Lights of Mystery Mountain.” CBS, Season 1, Episode 1. 6 September 1975. The series was known as The Secrets of Isis in syndication. Cast: JoAnna Cameron (Andrea Thomas/Isis), Brian Cutler (Rick Mason), Joanna Pang (Cindy Lee). Guest Cast: Kelly Thordsen, Hank Brandt, Ken Wolger, Mike Maitland. Developed by Marc Richards. Director: Hollingsworth Morse.
Opening narration: “… a young science teacher dug up this lost treasure and found that she was heir to the secrets of Isis. And so, unknown even to her closest friends, Rick Mason and Cindy Lee, she became a dual person: Andrea Thomas, teacher; and Isis, dedicated foe of evil, defender of the weak, champion of truth and justice!”
According to Wikipedia, this Saturday morning TV series has the distinction of being “the first weekly, American, live-action television series with a female superhero lead character.” Although intended for kids, rumor has it that quite a few adults watched it, too. The star, Joanna Cameron was a former model with nice legs and as Isis, wore a very short white miniskirt. That may have had something to do with it.
In this first episode, Cindy Lee has taken photos up in the mountains of what appear to be UFOs, and she, Andrea and Rick decide to investigate further. Upon arrival they discover that several people have disappeared, leaving only circles of scorched earth behind them.
The story is paper thin, the special effects are minimal, and the action level is even less. Being a kids’ program, there’s a lesson to be learned by the two teen-aged boys who have helped the person behind this small semi-sinister plot. It’s all in good fun, and I’m sure anyone who watched this series back then still remembers it today.
September 18th, 2016 at 5:38 pm
This aired at about the same time as Shazam … both based on comic book characters published by Fawcett Publications. Due to copyright restrictions Captain Marvel became known only as Shazam while Prince Ibis and Princess Taia morphed into Isis. At least I think this is the case, but I can’t prove it.
September 18th, 2016 at 5:59 pm
The best article I’ve found on Isis and her connection to the DC Universe (which took in many of the Fawcett characters) is this one:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isis_(DC_Comics)
The TV series appeared before Isis showed up in comic book form. What the connection was between Isis and the earlier Prince Ibis (the Fawcett character) I also do not know, but I always assumed there was one.
September 18th, 2016 at 10:31 pm
Prince Ibis and Taia date from 1942 in the Fawcett comics. The connection between them and Isis is probably only in the TV scriptwriter’s eye.
September 18th, 2016 at 10:52 pm
I think the chief connection was the same production company and Isis being promoted as a companion to SHAZAM with its own DC tie in comic.
Like SHAZAM it was bland to the point of being sleep inducing. Even that short skirt didn’t help.
September 19th, 2016 at 8:25 am
I still have fond memories of this show.
Favorite episode; SCUBA DUBA, about the scuba diving club at the high school.
September 19th, 2016 at 11:05 am
For you Mike…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy3O3_aSYhg
September 19th, 2016 at 12:06 pm
Maybe any connection between the old Fawcett characters and the new TV series was only in my own mind.