The New People

By Tom Fox

It's about a plane load of students who crash land on an island in the Pacific. The crew dies in the crash, but there is one adult, played by Richard Kiley who lives long enough to tell them about the island they've just crashed on. The island was to be used as a nuclear test site by the Atomic Eneregy Commission. A small town was set up to see what effect the blast would have on a populated area. The test was never done, so the students have buildings to live in, and if I remember right there was even canned food.

If this sounds like a variation on Gilligan's Island, you'll be amused to learn that guest stars found their way into this show too! In one of the episodes some of them get a couple of cars running, and in another some of the students go to the other side of the island and try signalling a ship. This series was unusual in that it only ran for 45 minutes instead of a full hour. The David Steinberg Show which aired in front of The New People was also a 45 minute show. I think the odd start time for the New People probably was one of the reasons for the shows demise. Starting at 7:45 people were already tuned into other networks, unless they happened to be watching Steinberg. The pilot episode was written by Rod Serling and is very hard to come by, although I do have it in my collection.

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I have no idea why I remember this program, but it has stuck in my mind for 33+ years. I remember the car race episode, and the episode where the guys built a water pipeline so the girls could have a shower. The other impression is how hotheaded the males were, they were always arguing & fighting amongst themselves. At least these are the memories of a (then) 12 year old. --Sigmet

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