Mannix is Coming! (All things Mannix w/spoilers) (3 Viewers)

[jompaul17]

Originally Posted by rwd11954 /t/262515/mannix-is-coming/1620#post_4018198
"What Happened To Sunday" is one of the best episodes from Season 4. Love the intro where Mannix is being chased on foot by cars. Season 4 was the best season, in my book, in terms of the overall number of really good episodes. Season 7 and 8 vie for 2nd place. So glad to have all the episodes now. I have 2 or 3 left to watch from Season 8 and then its time to start all 194 over again.

Russ,

That's one of those, "if you had only so much space on a desert island" kinds of propositions.

It's tough to argue with seasons 4 and 7. Season 8 is tough for me to put in that category only because it was the last and, especially since the show was still so good, and was canceled anyway, those last episodes will always be a little painful to watch, for me.

Luckily, we don't have to pick by season -- we just have it all back now.

The series that is worth waiting nearly 40 years for.

 

[jompaul17]

Originally Posted by dbaum /t/262515/mannix-is-coming/1620#post_4018199
I watched "Walk on the Blind Side" last evening. I do not recall seeing it almost 40 years ago, so watching a "new" episode was a treat. However, and setting aside the picture quality that has been noted here, I thought it was just O.K. For the criteria we have discussed here and without revealing any spoilers - - - - Peggy in trouble, years of built-up familiarity Joe has with Peggy and vice versa, and that viewers have with both characters, reflected in scenes and dialog throughout - - I thought the episode was only so-so. I loved the early Peggy scenes (including the "notice anything different" scene with Joe), and the last image is classic, but the plot had too many holes and coincidences. I loved Joe's "house hunting" scene, however.

Dave,

Some episodes of Mannix have great plot. They make you think or they have some interesting plot twist. And others are almost pure action. Still others are all about Joe's response -- almost pure matters of character. And still others are about mood and setting, such as seeing Joe in that small town, or with that crazy ex-war buddy after him.

But, there is this other category of episodes, with "Peggy is kidnapped, again" among them, that just isn't about plot -- at all. It is about seeing those characters in a certain kind of situation. It is all about the setting up of certain scenes, such as where Joe is doing the house hunting (posing as Rudy, the real-estate agent -- a classic), or when Peggy describes Joe's physical features to her kidnapper, and that last scene which is really what people were wanting to see ever since "The Sound of Darkness" didn't quite give us that much.

Every time I watch this episode I don't care the least bit about those plot holes. I don't really even see them, nor consider them. I care about everything else around them. And I just love what I see in this episode.

I do wish, so much, that this episode would have been better restored.

 

[jompaul17]

Looks like the sales of s8 are coming in at

Current Sales Rank: 19

over all items sold on dvdempire right now!

And we are nearly a month out from the release date -- and after Christmas!

Looks like some people were disappointed Joe wasn't in their stocking, and they sought to remedy the sorry situation.

 

[Harry-N]

Originally Posted by rwd11954 /t/262515/mannix-is-coming/1620#post_4018198
I have 2 or 3 left to watch from Season 8 and then its time to start all 194 over again.

To put you in the mood to start all over again:




Harry

 

[jompaul17]

Originally Posted by Harry-N /t/262515/mannix-is-coming/1620#post_4018419

To put you in the mood to start all over again:




Harry

Harry,

That's great!!

Where did you get that???

 

[jompaul17]

And, here's what dvdempire is reporting for the sales of s8 today

Current Sales Rank: 9

again, over all items sold there!

My guess is that the number may drop though, because they also seem to have sold out their inventory, since they are also reporting this:

ON ORDER: Ships when stock arrives.

 

[Harry-N]

Originally Posted by jompaul17 /t/262515/mannix-is-coming/1620#post_4018459
Harry,

That's great!!

Where did you get that???

Hey Joann,

I found it in the great melting pot of world culture: EBAY!

Harry

 

[jompaul17]

Originally Posted by Harry-N /t/262515/mannix-is-coming/1620#post_4018488

Hey Joann,

I found it in the great melting pot of world culture: EBAY!

Harry

Harry,

Well, it's great -- as is the sentiment to go back to the beginning, with the knowledge, this time around, that we can make it all the way to the end!

 

[rwd11954]

Now that we have the full series on DVD, not much to talk about. So how about trying to pick the 10 best episodes of the series. I'll go first, My 10 favs are: SEASON EPISODE 2 The Silent Cry 2 To The Swiftest, Death 2 A View Of Nowhere 2 End Game 4 The Mouse That Died 4 Sunburst 7 Climb A Deadly Mountain 7 A Night Full Of Darkness 7 The Ragged Edge 8 A Word Called Courage

 

[jompaul17]

Originally Posted by rwd11954
Now that we have the full series on DVD, not much to talk about.
So how about trying to pick the 10 best episodes of the series.
I'll go first, My 10 favs are:
SEASON EPISODE
2 The Silent Cry
2 To The Swiftest, Death
2 A View Of Nowhere
2 End Game
4 The Mouse That Died
4 Sunburst
7 Climb A Deadly Mountain
7 A Night Full Of Darkness
7 The Ragged Edge
8 A Word Called Courage

Russ,
That's a curious list.
What are the reasons you included those episodes?

 

[rwd11954]

No special criteria. Started with 194, culled to 100, then to 50, 40, 30, 20 and finally the ten episodes I just liked best.

 

[jompaul17]

Originally Posted by jompaul17
Russ,
That's a curious list.
What are the reasons you included those episodes?

Russ,
I was just wondering if you could say why you liked them better than some others.

 

[Harry-N]

After finally finishing up Season 4, I've picked up where I left off at the end of Season 5 and watched "Scapegoat" today. I really enjoyed Mike Connors' performance in his dual role. As he played the duplicate Joe, he gave visual clues with a slightly crooked mouth and a blinking in his right eye. With thew look-a-like makeup, parts of the show were a bit like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. Harry

 

[jompaul17]

Originally Posted by Harry-N
After finally finishing up Season 4, I've picked up where I left off at the end of Season 5 and watched "Scapegoat" today. I really enjoyed Mike Connors' performance in his dual role. As he played the duplicate Joe, he gave visual clues with a slightly crooked mouth and a blinking in his right eye. With thew look-a-like makeup, parts of the show were a bit like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE.
Harry

Harry,
Wow, you've progressed rapidly through seasons 4 and 5. Any more comments about those seasons?
I probably undervalue "Scapegoat." It is not one of my favorite episodes. But, anyone who thinks MC can't play anyone other than Joe Mannix should appreciate the contrast in this episode. The look on the face of "fake Joe" at all times conveys a sinister quality, especially in the eyes. Yes, he adopts the other things you mention, but the differences are not just superficial. I guess that, true to form, I just don't go for those "perfect double" ploys. We pick up on so many subtle visual things from people that perfect doubles are a practical impossibility.
Then again, notice how, again true to form, while the perfect double ploy is a kind of standard thing, especially in that era, Mannix did it in such a way that it was a cut above. Like "What Happened to Sunday?" where the amnesia ploy was done in a perfect way -- with Joe just missing one day and having to investigate himself, "Scapegoat" does this double thing without resorting to Joe fooling Peggy or even Art. And so we never see Joe not remembering who he is in front of Peggy or Art, nor Joe as some sort of impostor in front of them. They knew this would be silly, and cheapen the rest of the show. Mannix, never once, crossed that line. It never jumped the shark, never really even got close in eight years. And, in an era when there was so much copying going on, in order to meet the grind of weekly episodes, I really do find that quite amazing. Quite a few episode types done well in Mannix were not attempted in other shows.
Speaking of which, it would seem that your next episode will be "Death is the Fifth Gear." It will be interesting to read your observations. I hope you like it. But, if for some reason you don't, it won't bother me. Nothing could ruin that episode for me.

 

[Harry-N]

Originally Posted by jompaul17
Harry,
Wow, you've progressed rapidly through seasons 4 and 5. Any more comments about those seasons?

I was nearing the finish of Season 5 before, when I had Season 4 sent back to me in corrected form.
So I watched these two in a jumbled up form., Starting with the first, and problematic S4D1, which I got through before sending it back. Then, I skipped to Season 5, watching those almost all the way through until reaching the last disc, and at that point I skipped back to conclude Season 4. Some of those latter S4 episodes are a bit of a jumble as I was watching those and doing holiday things around the same time.
Now I've picked up on the final disc of S5 and will get to "Death is the Fifth Gear" next. I'm looking forward to that one.
Harry

 

[Harry-N]

Originally Posted by Harry-N
... and will get to "Death is the Fifth Gear" next.

...which is exactly what I just did.
Another episode where Mike Connors acting abilities were showcased. He did a marvelous job portraying a drug-crazed individual. The scene where he's whispering to Art Malcolm has him with an amazing crazed expression on his face - his eyes literally bulging out of their sockets.
And the Joe/Peggy relationship gets tested here. Early on he begs her not to sign the consent form for treatment, but she does it anyway. Later on, as he sneaks into the office, he begs her again not to tun him in, and this time she listens to him. Quite a good episode, and a good season-ender. I also like how we get to see Joe in his earlier (S2) hobby of auto racing. It grounds the series in a little more reality when continuity is followed like that.
One other note I've been meaning to bring up, and I'm sure it has to do with saving money by doing in-studio on-set shots, but isn't it amazing how many of Joe's clients/associates/suspects/contacts all seem to live in apartments. Who knew there were so many apartments in the sprawling L.A. basin?!
Harry

 

[jompaul17]

Originally Posted by Harry-N
I was nearing the finish of Season 5 before, when I had Season 4 sent back to me in corrected form.
So I watched these two in a jumbled up form., Starting with the first, and problematic S4D1, which I got through before sending it back. Then, I skipped to Season 5, watching those almost all the way through until reaching the last disc, and at that point I skipped back to conclude Season 4. Some of those latter S4 episodes are a bit of a jumble as I was watching those and doing holiday things around the same time.
Now I've picked up on the final disc of S5 and will get to "Death is the Fifth Gear" next. I'm looking forward to that one.
Harry

Harry,
I remember that -- but I just wondered if you had any more comments about the end of season 4. If memory serves, the last episode you commented on was "What Happened to Sunday?" -- but there were a few episodes after that one.

 

[jompaul17]

Originally Posted by Harry-N
...which is exactly what I just did.
Another episode where Mike Connors acting abilities were showcased. He did a marvelous job portraying a drug-crazed individual. The scene where he's whispering to Art Malcolm has him with an amazing crazed expression on his face - his eyes literally bulging out of their sockets.
And the Joe/Peggy relationship gets tested here. Early on he begs her not to sign the consent form for treatment, but she does it anyway. Later on, as he sneaks into the office, he begs her again not to tun him in, and this time she listens to him. Quite a good episode, and a good season-ender. I also like how we get to see Joe in his earlier (S2) hobby of auto racing. It grounds the series in a little more reality when continuity is followed like that.
One other note I've been meaning to bring up, and I'm sure it has to do with saving money by doing in-studio on-set shots, but isn't it amazing how many of Joe's clients/associates/suspects/contacts all seem to live in apartments. Who knew there were so many apartments in the sprawling L.A. basin?!
Harry

Harry,
So much goes on in this episode! It is nuanced -- and if I go through all of the nuance I'll repeat myself, since I made quite a long post on it several months back in response to the yahoo discussion group member who asked for a compare/contrast of "The Sound of Darkness," "The Mouse that Died," and "Death is the Fifth Gear." I posted that message here as well.
Long story short, this episode could not be done in any other series, in my opinion.
You are right that MC's acting abilities are showcased, but the great fun comes in the context of the characters -- what happens between them. The ten, soon to be eleven, year old girl anticipated this episode for that reason, and she was not disappointed. This was in an era when TV wasn't dripping with interpersonal melodrama, and the relationships with these characters was both unusual and just so well done -- it seemed so real.
In contrast to "Scapegoat" where MC was not supposed to be playing Joe (for the impostor), here he has to pull off "Joe but not quite Joe."
And it is simply brilliant. Joe is still in there, somehow - and yet you can see how even Peggy can't quite trust him in that scene in Joe's office.
I could go on and on and on....
As for the apartments, I guess I don't know the LA area that well, having only been there a handful of times over the years, but there do seem to be some apartments there. That apartment building that you are likely referring to though -- the one where the nurse lives - has been used in numerous Mannix episodes, just with slightly different camera angles.

 

[Statskeeper]

Mannix: The Complete Series is on sale at Amazon for $129.99. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ref=pe_196050_27831130_pe_button/?ASIN=B00962R0H4

 

[hypnohighball]

I saw that deal, but I've got 3 seasons so far, not sure if it's worth it to go for it, or even if i want all the seasons or not. I guess I could sell my 3 individual seasons on Amazon, but I'm sure many others are thinking the same thing....