A Quinn Martin Production (1 Viewer)

[Flashgear]

The Cannon episodes on the CBS and VEI DVDs, though older Viacom transfers, appear to be fully complete (50m approx.) as originally broadcast, except for the few 'event' feature length episodes that were originally broadcast in a two hour timeslot like season three's premiere episode, He Who Digs a Grave (David Janssen returns to QM), which is bisected with an inserted recap to make two hour long episodes for the Viacom syndication package.

 

[Lecagr]

The Cannon episodes on the CBS and VEI DVDs, though older Viacom transfers, appear to be fully complete (50m approx.) as originally broadcast, except for the few 'event' feature length episodes that were originally broadcast in a two hour timeslot like season three's premiere episode, He Who Digs a Grave (David Janssen returns to QM), which is bisected with an inserted recap to make two hour long episodes for the Viacom syndication package.

I'm thankful that all the Cannon episodes are complete and wonder if we would have gotten complete episodes of Barnaby Jones if CBS DVD had released it all themselves instead of stopping after season 1 and farming it out to VEI.

 

[JohnHopper]

What’s your favorite producer on The F.B.I.?
Charles Larson (season 1-season 4: 1965-1969)
Philip Saltzman (season 5-season 8: 1969-1973)
Anthony Spinner (season 9: 1973-1974)

What’s your favorite season on The F.B.I.?

 

[Harry-N]

There was a bit of recent discussion about episode 2 of THE FUGITIVE, "The Witch". This episode has a bit of a love/hate relationship going on, as many "adult" series with kids as a primary focus tend to get lower marks. In this one. Young Gina Gillespie chews through the scenery in much of this one. The discussion turned to a bit of praise, so I thought I would give the episode a spin the the player.

As a very early Season One episode, this one has still attached to it, the longer opening narration. This narration was probably cut down to the shorter one for the pilot episode and not restored.

There are times when watching old shows with modern technology, that the tech can help with some things that weren't clear in the days of analog TV and fuzzy pictures. As the episode played and young Gina Gillespie is reciting her chant in Latin, I decided to turn on the Closed Captioning. Naturally, it only said [Speaking in Latin].

But more importantly, one thing about the episode that used to bug be was this southern girl naming her female doll, "Ned." But it turns out, after all these years, that she was saying, "Naiad." Looking that up, the Internet reveals:
1 : any of the nymphs in classical mythology living in and giving life to lakes, rivers, springs, and fountains.

...and since this poor doll resided submerged in the pond, I suppose it fit. But truly, I though she was saying "Ned" in a southern drawl.

 

[ScottRE]

I don't have a problem with "The Witch" and it's a dark episode for this series (which had its share). The hint that Kimble is suspected of an inappropriate relationship with a young girl adds a layer of discomfort. If I had any issue with the episode it's the very obvious use of the soundstage in the pond scene. It was rare when they didn't use an actual backlot location for such scenes.

 

[Wiseguy]

Good observation, Alan! I believe you are correct, as in my own perception of things, the toning down of violence and gunplay seems to have been (mostly) short-lived by the networks, as the phoney-baloneys of Hollywood expressed their usual herd-instinct PC response to the "assassination year" of 1968. And then compounding the offense by bringing along the (to me) excruciating "Relevance TV" interlude of about 1970-71, maybe 1972 at the latest. By which time I think the anti-violence edict on television had pretty much run it's course too. I think that the shows that took the deepest "relevance" dive were also the ones that cut back on onscreen violence the most.

Of course, and nonsensingly, theatrical films of that era were ramping up ever-more graphic violence onscreen! So, none of it made any sense at all, much like the same phony push given today's PC motivated sensibilities found in our current so-called entertainment.

As far as QM shows are concerned, there is a very noticeable decrease in onscreen violence and gunplay in The F.B.I.'s seasons' five (1969-70) and season six (1970-71). Of course, with that show they also had Hoover's heavy hand to deal with, and the ridiculous bugaboo with the 'Italian Anti-Defamation League' (hilariously run by the real Mafia) over Italian surnames for Mafia/La Cosa Nostra characters! As to violence, other production companies followed suit, as with Gunsmoke season 14 and 15, although it's definitely not followed to the letter, as episodes in all of the action oriented series of the day would irregularly feature some onscreen violence and gunplay. It ended because it hindered the action oriented shows too much. I think some shows like Mannix, Ironside, Hawaii 5-0 and Adam-12 hardly give any evidence as to a change in style to address the anti-violence edict. Some others may differ with my assessment.

CBS was known for having violent teasers to their dramas (especially Mannix) so in 1972 they just eliminated all the teasers to their shows (Mission: Impossible, Cannon, Gunsmoke, Mannix, Hawaii Five-0). In 1976, CBS returned teasers to their series albeit in the "scenes from the episode" mode. NBC had begun that type of teaser in 1973 (see Ironside).

 

[albert_m2]

the toning down of violence and gunplay seems to have been (mostly) short-lived by the networks, as the phoney-baloneys of Hollywood expressed their usual herd-instinct PC response to the "assassination year" of 1968

Oh, ffs. "eVeRyThInG I dIsAgReE wItH iS pC."

 

[bmasters9]

NBC had begun that type of teaser in 1973 (see Ironside).

And that would be especially ubiquitous in the 80s on Stephen J. Cannell's shows (not just on NBC, but on ABC and CBS as well, IIRC).

 

[Harry-N]

Worst teasers ever were on THE FUGITIVE, seasons 2 through 4, where they actually played a two or three minute clip of the upcoming show - and always at the part of the episode where Kimble is threatened. Those "teasers" were what we now call "spoilers".

 

[ScottRE]

Worst teasers ever were on THE FUGITIVE, seasons 2 through 4, where they actually played a two or three minute clip of the upcoming show - and always at the part of the episode where Kimble is threatened. Those "teasers" were what we now call "spoilers".

It's actually more like those shows that start with some of the leads getting shot or tossed out of a plane, they go to the main titles and then in act one starts with "48 hours earlier....". I didn't mind it in The Fugitive, but for shows of a more recent vintage (like Agents of SHIELD or Human Target) it got tiresome. Alias was a huge offender.

 

[ponset]

 

[Harry-N]

 

[Lecagr]

Another good FBI episode from season 6 is Escape To Terror, I watched it last night on the DVD, pretty good story.

 

[JohnHopper]

---

A Quinn Martin Promo for Dan August
The network made a mistake on the year of release for:
The Untouchables (1959), The New Breed (1961) and The FBI (1965).

---

 

[JohnHopper]

ABC promo Dan August 1970​

 

[ponset]

 

[Harry-N]

Here's a little something regarding me and THE FUGITIVE. This little factoid goes way back, but still resonates with me even today.

There's the montage of photos that THE FUGITIVE used from seasons 2 - 4 that tells the story. The pictures mostly come from the dream sequence of NIGHTMARE AT NORTHOAK, but not all of them. One picture, in particular, always strikes me as being someone else. It's one of the frames from "...toils at many jobs."

For some reason, this frame takes me back a few years to another series, THE REAL McCOYS. Something about Janssen's grimace here just reminds me of Richard Crenna in that older series.

Am I crazy?

 

[The 1960's]

Am I crazy?

 

[Harry-N]

Must be the hat.

 

[greenscreened]

I'm thankful that all the Cannon episodes are complete and wonder if we would have gotten complete episodes of Barnaby Jones if CBS DVD had released it all themselves instead of stopping after season 1 and farming it out to VEI.

I borrowed seasons one thru three from a friend a while back, because I never watched the series when it first ran, but I really like it now.
I may buy season one in the near future (I’m sort of unofficially waiting for a new box of the entire uncut series in the next year or two, in broadcast quality), but it seems oft times, two and three start with a crime being committed, then the next chapter shows Barnaby driving up to the suspect (or their associates) to start questioning them, leaving out the who, how or why he got hired, as well as a few of the feel good-wrap up epilogues, so the rest of the series is sadly a no-go for me, at least at this point, that is.

Excluding Facebook and Twitter etc, who (and where) would be the one to contact regarding if there is any chance in the future for the kind of release this show deserves?