Remember HBO's THE HITCHHIKER?

In the 1980's THE HITCHHIKER became HBO's first and most highly rated dramatic series. It was a huge success for the cable network channel, with strange and twisted morality tales somewhat like a modern version 0f the TWILIGHT ZONE. Often featuring many controversial adult themes, the series went some places that THE TWILIGHT ZONE wouldn't tread. Each story was introduced by a mysterious hitchhiker played by Canadian actor Paige Fletcher. Interestingly, there were many people who mistook Paige Fletcher for actor Rutger Hauer. And Fletcher went on to play Robocop in the ROBOCOP TV series years after this series ended.

THE HITCHHIKER attracted some top talent as guest stars such as Robert Vaughn, Peter Coyote, Kristie Alley, Paul Verhoeven, Klaus Kinski, Gary Busey, Elliot Gould, Virginia Madsen, Karen Black, Darren McGavin, Margot Kidder and many others.

THE HITCHHIKER lasted for ten seasons producing 85 episodes. This chilling series helped to bring big film type production values to a television series and really helped to revolutionize cable TV as a new alternative to network programming. If anything, THE HITCHHIKER helped to raise the bar for programming quality and should be viewed as a pioneering effort. On many levels, THE HITCHHIKER was a great success for HBO and one of the most important milestones in the cable channel's history.