Review of The Hitchhiker

Mainly notable as the HBO Network's first foray into making its own TV series, this nifty little show tended to adhere to the following strict formula: Bad people do something bad and something bad happens to them in kind, thereby confirming that cruel and evil actions often result in wickedly dire consequences. What gave this program an extra potent and startling impact was that practically every episode ended on a brutal downbeat note in which the frequently rotten main character wound up on the receiving end of a usually bleak, yet still fitting comeuppance of some kind or another. It's this show's unsparingly bitter and pessimistic take on the worst aspects of human nature like lust, greed, deceit, and plain old selfishness that made it so distinctive and effective. Sure, there was the occasional upbeat conclusion to an episode, but by and large this series kept things remarkably grim and negative. In addition, a majority of the episodes fall into the gritty thriller category, with only the sporadic foray into more fantastic horror or sci-fi territory. Of course, the other big draw back in the 80's was the fact that the show when it first aired on pay cable television certainly didn't skimp on the tasty gratuitous nudity, sizzling soft-core sex, and grisly violence. Alas, the show lost its uniquely harsh identity when it was picked up for commercial television by the USA Network, but the first four strong pay cable TV seasons are well worth checking out for fans of decidedly dark and edgy adult omnibus fare.