The Sixth Sense

In January 1972, "The Sixth Sense" began as a midseason replacement series on ABC and was a 60 minute episode per Saturday evening. (ABC had quickly dispatched most of their new shows that had begun earlier in September of '71.) While not a runaway hit by any stretch of the imagination,especially when your main audience would've been watching "Mission: Impossible" on CBS, the show was picked up for the following fall (in the same killer time slot)and was a distant memory by winter. While not nearly as subversive as "Kolchak" or even "The X Files," the series had a distinct flair for creepiness for early 1970s standards. Having seen some of the cut and paste jobs done in the syndication package, I can say without doubt that the show was much more interesting at its full 60 minute length. One hopes that with the new interest in old TV shows on DVD, Universal might dust off the sixty minute episodes for those of us who often championed shows without a prayer on ABC.

This show aired in the Fall Season of 1972-73 and was quickly forgotten, probably due to it's genre (paranormal drama) and it's half-hour length. It centered on a professor (Gary Collins who actually acts in this) who explored cases of the mind, e.g. ESP and telekinesis.

Sadly, no one really remembers this series and the fact that a popular movie came out with the exact name makes it even more of a rarity. Not a bad show, it will cause somewhat of an air of suspense, all in a bite-size package.

Fortunately, this series was reedited into the syndication package of "Night Gallery" (which itself was badly edited) and can be seen wherever half-hour segments of "Night Gallery" is being shown. The only difference is in the very beginning where the typeface is different and a few more credits given to Anthony Lawrence and one other person. There is still the Rod Serling prologue (which he was paid handsomely for) and even some paintings to accent these episodes. Not a bad fate for a half-forgotten TV show.

It's two-hour pilot, "Sweet Sweet Rachel," is often aired as a movie. If anyone has a copy of this pilot or some of the episodes, please email me. I would be very interested in completing my collection.

Not everyone has forgotten this short lived tv show. I remember it as very suspenseful and thought provoking. I was a junior in high school when it appeared and my classmates and I thought it was great. Unfortunately, not enough of the country felt likewise and it was cancelled quickly. However, it was intriguing to think that esp was possible. The show was well done but ahead of its' time. Today it would go over very well, as did the movie of the same name.

It was indeed on in 1972, thought it was fall of 72. It was a syndicated show i believe that it was on weekends on Channel 40 WHYN TV back in those days. Channel 40 is still very much around today and is known as WGGB in Springfield Mass. They were great for showing many syndicated shows on Saturdays and on Sundays.

Yes, that is the first time i ever saw Gary Collins. His was a serious character on the show. They delved into the super natural and tried to solve cases of some sort. My mother and i loved the show and we watched it avidly!!! So it probably has more fans than you think. It was well written, well acted, and well presented!! I was 16 and a junior in high school back then. Good Memory!

I recall watching many episodes from this unique series and am disappointed it does not yet seem to be available for purchase. I'd always wondered if the last name of the ESP investigator (Dr. Rhodes) was a play on words in that it matches the first two letters of the famous ESP Researcher of Duke University, JB Rhine.

Each episode had its own challenge, with the good doctor having just enough manifested ESP ability to lead him along the trail of intrigue (remember those zoom-in close-ups of his eyes or ears, denoting his detecting psychic information pertaining to the case?)

I hadn't quite realized the other viewer's comments that at least some of the episodes apparently were repackaged in Serling's Night Gallery series, although I do recall at least one Sixth Sense episode appearing in a Night Gallery feature, yes.

One particular episode of intrigue involved master psychics seated around a table, with starry emblems floating or displayed about the darkened room, attempting to outwit Dr. Rhodes in his pursuit of their misuse of said abilities.

I think Gary Collins did a plausible job of taking the acting role seriously for this series, and would be delighted to obtain a copy of the entire series. Hopefully the original prints are still intact and available for said purpose?