Podcast #1223: Lost TV Series Finales and Five Smart Home Trends

On this week's show we look at some 1960s and 1970s TV shows that received their series finally in a movie at least ten years after going off the air. We also take a look at five home automation trends for this year and beyond. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• MTV is Shutting Down Its Last Music Channels, Marking the End of an Era
• Taylor Swift Eras Tour docuseries, concert film head to Disney+
• Apple TV+ Is Getting Rid Of The Plus

47 Years Ago: Rescue from Gilligan's Island Makes TV History

On October 14, 1978, television history was made with the premiere of Rescue from Gilligan's Island, the first-ever TV series adapted into a made-for-TV movie. Airing 47 years ago today, this film brought back the beloved cast of the iconic 1960s sitcom Gilligan's Island, reuniting fans with the stranded castaways for a nostalgic adventure.

The movie picked up where the series left off, following the bumbling Gilligan and his fellow survivors as they finally escaped their tropical island—only to face new comedic challenges adjusting to modern life. Starring the original cast, including Bob Denver as Gilligan and Alan Hale Jr. as the Skipper, the film captured the charm and humor that made the show a cultural staple.

This groundbreaking adaptation paved the way for future TV-to-movie transitions, proving that beloved series could find new life on the small screen. Rescue from Gilligan's Island remains a milestone in TV history, reminding us of the enduring appeal of these lovable castaways.

Here are a few other series that got a series finale years after it's TV run ended:

Star Trek (ended in 1969) - Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) – Relaunched the crew on a new mission, effectively serving as a big-screen continuation and soft finale to the original era's story.

Get Smart (ended 1970) - The Nude Bomb (1980) – Maxwell Smart returns for a solo mission against a mad bomber, providing a comedic capstone to his career.

The Munsters (ended 1966) - Munsters' Revenge (1981 TV movie) – The family thwarts a crime ring, reuniting the original cast for a proper send-off.

The Adams Family (ended 1966) - Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977 TV movie) – A reunion special where Gomez and Morticia host a haunted party, offering light-hearted closure.

Five Smart Home Trends for 2025 and Beyond

According to the National Association of Home Builders, two-thirds of consumers desire a connected home. Smart home technology is increasingly impacting property value while homes without such features may soon be worth less. At the annual CEDIA smart home technology expo in Denver, professionals like Kyle Steele, president of Global Wave Integration, and interior designer Toni Sabatino emphasized the importance of staying updated on smart home innovations. They both highlight insights from CEDIA and recent research, offering ideas for your smart home. Today we take a look at the five trends they see for 2025 and beyond.

Increasing Seamless Integration
For the aesthetics committee, Smart home tech is evolving to blend invisibly into home aesthetics, with slimmer designs, refined finishes, and hidden features in shading, lighting, audio, and furnishings. This shift turns gadgets into design elements, like concealed speakers or artful LED walls, prioritizing user experience over visibility.

But underneath it all, seamless integration will enable devices from various brands, such as lights, thermostats, cameras, and voice assistants, to work together as a unified system. This allows unified control via a single app or voice command, intuitive automation based on triggers and a smooth user experience with minimal setup, no delays, and reliable performance. New devices will integrate easily, and a robust network like Wi-Fi 6 supports the ecosystem, enabling complex routines regardless of device brands.

Partnering Expands
Collaborations between tech integrators and designers are growing to make solutions more accessible, especially for non-tech-savvy users like older homeowners. Designers act as bridges, explaining privacy-focused systems, while expos highlight products for storage, entertainment, and monitoring to enhance client value.

Wellness Trending
Health and wellness features are becoming mainstream, including circadian lighting, air/water purification, biophilic elements, and acoustic treatments. These systems promote energy-efficient, livable spaces aligned with natural rhythms, which may be a selling point for those focused on healthier home environments.

Products such as smart scales, sleep analyzers, and blood pressure monitors will seamlessly integrate with home automation platforms enabling automations like adjusting room lighting based on sleep patterns detected by sleep sensors or dimming lights if weight trends indicate fatigue. Similarly, on-demand ECG readings through their mobile app can connect to the automation system to send notifications to family members, doctors and in extreme cases to first responders creating a proactive smart home that responds to vital health data in real time.

Security
Security remains a top priority, driving demand for video doorbells, whole-house systems, and cybersecurity measures amid hacking risks. Industry reports project strong growth in global smart home security, urging professionals to educate homeowners on secure setups like strong passwords.

Multi-Tasking
Products now multitask across needs like security, comfort, entertainment, and energy savings like smart shading for automated vacation modes or TVs that double as art displays like Samsung's The Frame. Emerging "smart surfaces," such as charging countertops, reflect this versatile, lifestyle-fitting approach.