What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (10 Viewers)

[Rustifer]

That said, Mannix has a style and swagger I really enjoy, and Mike Connors is always a likeable anchor. Perhaps a show best not binged, but instead sprinkled throughout more regular programming...

I must say, Mike Connors did a great job of aging well. We should all be so well preserved by age 91...

 

[Flashgear]

I must say, Mike Connors did a great job of aging well. We should all be so well preserved by age 91...

View attachment 59776

I believe I've discovered his elixir of youth...and contemplated the same mysteries therein...as have you Russ? ha, ha...

 

[BobO'Link]

Jennifer Holmes after she'd been unceremoniously fired from "Newhart" in favor of the vapid Julia Duffy. Her career never really recovered from that.

While I much prefer Holmes over Duffy (and the whole Michael/Stephanie relationship annoys me still) I don't think Holmes' role was written very well. It was rather bland. But then that first season is a bit lackluster. I stuck with it because I'm a huge Bob Newhart fan. In rewatching it when the DVDs came out I wondered how it survived that season. It didn't help that that one was videotaped rather than filmed. It just has a completely different look and feel over S2 on.

 

[BobO'Link]

I watched Mannix on the original broadcast and enjoyed it but a little while back we tried a couple and just couldn't get into it again. Not bad, just not compelling. Perhaps you've discovered the reason or maybe it's just so many other better things to watch.

I like Mannix quite a bit but think Harold makes a good point about not having that core team of supporting players to help add that "like family" vibe that many of the best comfort food TV shows offer. I thought they were trying for something similar when the show added Albie (Joe Mantell), Mannix's lower-rent P.I. buddy who helps him out for a handful of episodes in season 2. But that didn't last long.

That said, Mannix has a style and swagger I really enjoy, and Mike Connors is always a likeable anchor. Perhaps a show best not binged, but instead sprinkled throughout more regular programming...

A couple of months ago I finally opened and watched the S1 Mannix set I'd purchased at WM a few *years* back (part of a $10 gets you S1 sale type thing). I really enjoyed it - the open, the episodes, everything. I really enjoyed the "Interact" bit and recall liking that when I saw it during 1st run. The "secret agent" appeal that brought and Mannix somewhat operating outside what they really wanted. I also know things were changed quite a bit for S2 and don't have that season... yet... I'm wondering if I'd have the same reaction as Marv with that season.

 

[Flashgear]

Totally agree with Harold...those The Virginian screengrabs look gorgeous...helped of course by the presence of Ms. North and Ms. Staley! Thanks for posting those, Randall! The show certainly looks better than pretty much anything else released from the Timeless stable (R.I.P. Timeless, how we miss you...) The Virginian S1 is in my Amazon wishlist, likely to be ordered later this summer.

On another classic western tangent...does anyone have the Wagon Train season 1 set? I've been thinking about picking it up, and was curious about the quality. I don't expect anything near The Virginian level, but I'd hope the prints are at least watchable. I've actually never seen an episode of Wagon Train, and would like some of the early Ward Bond episodes.

Jeff, i think you'd enjoy season one of Wagon Train. I think the inaugural season is still very affordable, and a great deal for 39 hour episodes loaded with a tremendous lineup of guest stars and many mainstay supporting actors that are so familiar to classic TV fans. Some of the latter seasons are quite pricey now. The Ward Bond years are up to season four, when Bond died suddenly in November 1960, after almost half the episodes were filmed for that season. John McIntire was a solid replacement, although after the show shifted to ABC, it's budget was obviously cut, leading to less farther afield location shooting as in the Ward Bond years...here's a few screen caps I took from the Timeless season one set...very watchable, although not remastered to The Virginian's eye popping standards...

Ward Bond and Claude Akins in The Monty Britton Story...

Mona Freeman and Ray Danton in the same episode...filmed in Arizona at Old Tucson...

The Cassie Tanner story...filmed at Saguero National Park, AZ...

Hollywood legend Marjorie Main's last performances before retiring were two episodes in Wagon Train's season one...Cassie Tanner Story and the season finale, The Sacramento Story...

Forrest Tucker in The Rex Montana Story...Filmed at Lone Pine, CA...

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Commentary
Charlie's Angels
"The Seance" (S1E11)

Honestly, at my age I can't consider this series as "classic" as I was out of college and in the working world when it hit the airwaves in 1976. I'm of the ilk that any TV after 1965 is pretty much modern age to me. I only watched it for the same reason most of us did--Farrah Fawcett. She of spun gold hair, lithe figure and more teeth than an Indian Shaman's necklace. And the acting ability of a tractor tire.

Anyway, this particular episode was on my DVR so I thought it would be fun to see how it wears in this century. The story involves a seance scheme to purloin money and jewels from unsuspecting rich people longing to hear the voices of their long dead loved ones. Madam Dorian (Carole Cook) and her shifty assistant Terrence (Rene Auberjonois) are the scheme's perpetrators. The Angels have been called in to investigate the theft of Grace Rodeheaver's (Gertrude Flynn) jewels. Grace has recently been under the spell of Madam Dorian and unaware she's actually robbing herself. The girls' search of Grace's mansion is about as thorough as a hotel maid dusting furniture five minutes before her break. Funny how it takes three female detectives to accomplish what one Mannix could do. Not exactly a paragon of feminism is this series. But of course, when your main focus in solving mysteries is the couture selection for the day and getting one's hair washed and blown dry every 15 minutes, everything else sorta takes a back seat.

The girls read a Hardy Boys book for techniques; Repeat after me--I wish I were a REAL actress...; but enough about me--what do you think of my hair?

Kelly (Jacklyn Smith) and Jill (Farrah Fawcett) plot to infiltrate Madame Dorian's seance parlor with Kelly posing as the daughter and heir to a rich oilman. This is back when "rich" was measured in Dallas terms--oil or jillion-acre ranches. Billionaire Internet wizards and hedge fund managers had yet to be born. Madame Dorian puts Kelly under a spell that takes her back to her days as an orphan--thus dispelling her facade as a rich girl and exposing her doublecrossing plot. The seance itself is as cornily staged as a side show crystal ball seer, brimming with flying objects, weird noises and distant voices. Only the cotton candy was missing. As well as any suspense.

All is revealed in the end, with literally no investigative effort from the Angels other than multiple clothes changes and hair washing.

Randoms:
The underlying Love Boat-like theme music in the series handily sabotages any attempt at seriousness or realism. Not that the notion of real life in this show ever came any closer than Alpha Centauri.

I'm guessing that most of the scripts were scribbled on cocktail napkins late at night, then put into place the next day without re-reading with any sobriety for continuity.

In one scene, Samantha and Jill whip out their snub nose .38s (those are guns, fellas) and wield the weapons as enthusiastically as if they were holding snot-covered lizards.

Bosley. I bet David Doyle was pretty proud of that role on his resume.

Hair was a big deal in the '70's. It was also just big.

So yeah, the series was about as deep as Huckleberry Hound but somehow found itself in pop culture history. I don't condemn it; far be it from me to cast aspersions on any endeavor that features a bevy of pretty women hopping and jiggling around senselessly. I'll watch that any time.
I'd give my left pinkie for a reel of uncut outtakes.

 

[Mysto]

Episode Commentary
Charlie's Angels
"The Seance" (S1E11)

Honestly, at my age I can't consider this series as "classic" as I was out of college and in the working world when it hit the airwaves in 1976. I'm of the ilk that any TV after 1965 is pretty much modern age to me. I only watched it for the same reason any of us did--Farrah Fawcett. She of spun gold hair, lithe figure and more teeth than an Indian Shaman's necklace. And the acting ability of a tractor tire.

Anyway, this particular episode was on my DVR so I thought it would be fun to see how it wears in this century. The story involves a seance scheme to purloin money and jewels from unsuspecting rich people longing to hear the voices of the long dead loved ones. Madam Dorian (Carole Cook) and her shifty assistant Terrence (Rene Auberjonois) are the scheme's perpetrators. The Angles have been called in to investigate the theft of Grace Rodeheaver's (Gertrude Flynn) jewels. Grace has recently been under the spell of Madam Dorian and unaware she's robbing herself. The girls' search of Grace's mansion is about as thorough as a hotel maid dusting furniture five minutes before her break. Funny how it takes three female detectives to accomplish what one Mannix could do. Not exactly a paragon of feminism is this series. But of course, when your main focus in solving mysteries is the couture selection for the day and getting one's hair washed and blown dry every 15 minutes, everything else sorta takes a back seat.
View attachment 59793 View attachment 59802 View attachment 59803
The girls read a Hardy Boys book for techniques; Repeat after me--I wish I were a REAL actress...; but enough about me--what do you think of my hair?

Kelly (Jacklyn Smith) and Jill (Farrah Fawcett) plot to infiltrate Madame Dorian's seance parlor with Kelly posing as the daughter and heir to a rich oilman. This is back when "rich" was measured in Dallas terms--oil or jillion-acre ranches. Billionaire Internet whizzes and hedge fund managers had yet to be born. Madame Dorian puts Kelly under a spell that takes her back to her days as an orphan--thus dispelling her facade as a rich girl and exposing her doublecrossing plot. The seance itself is as cornily staged as a side show crystal ball seer, replete with flying objects, weird noises and distant voices. Only the cotton candy was missing. As well as any suspense.

All is revealed in the end, with literally no investigative effort from the Angles other than multiple clothes changes and hair washing.

Randoms:
The underlying Love Boat-like theme music in the series handily sabotages any attempt at seriousness or realism. Not that the notion of real life in this show ever came any closer than Alpha Centauri.

I'm guessing that most of the scripts were scribbled on cocktail napkins late at night, then put into place the next day without re-reading for continuity with any sobriety.

In one scene, Samantha and Jill whip out their snub nose .38s (those are guns, fellas) and hold the weapons as assuredly as if they were snot-covered toads.

Bosley. I bet David Doyle was pretty proud of that role on his resume.

Hair was a big deal in the '70's.

So yeah, the series was about as deep as Huckleberry Hound but somehow found itself in pop culture history. I don't condemn it; far be it from me to cast aspersions on any endeavor that features a bevy of pretty women hopping and jiggling around senselessly. I'll watch that.
I'd give my left pinkie for a reel of uncut outtakes.

Your problem is you're watching Charlie's Angels for the plot. Next you'll be extolling the virtues of scripting and storyline in Baywatch.

As usual - a fine review.

 

[ScottRE]

In memory of actor Paul Darrow, who passed away recently, I've been revisiting Blake's 7. I'm mid-way through series 1 and it's such a fun show. This needs to be released in the states, I'm making due with the PAL DVDs. I get why it wouldn't be on blu ray, having been shot on video in the studios and film for exteriors (as per usual BBC of the day), but a DVD release would be fabby.

 

[BobO'Link]

Episode Commentary
Charlie's Angels
"The Seance" (S1E11)

Honestly, at my age I can't consider this series as "classic" as I was out of college and in the working world when it hit the airwaves in 1976. I'm of the ilk that any TV after 1965 is pretty much modern age to me. I only watched it for the same reason any of us did--Farrah Fawcett. She of spun gold hair, lithe figure and more teeth than an Indian Shaman's necklace. And the acting ability of a tractor tire.

For me, "classic" is pretty much pre-1973 (1970 if you want to get real picky).

I absolutely did *not* watch Charlie's Angels for Farrah Fawcett! I knew who the real beauties were: Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith! All Fawcett had was a poster with... well, you know... The other two had *some* acting ability to go with drop-dead beauty (and it's a shame that ability was pretty much wasted on this show)!

I picked up a copy of S1 some months back just to see if was still as cheesy as when it first aired. It is... so I purchased another season... because Fawcett got the big head, to go with her big hair, over the buzz from the poster and thought she was too good for such a cheese fest so her character went "to race cars in Spain" and we got the luscious Cheryl Ladd as her replacement. The scripts were still mostly telegraphed in but the scenery improved.

 

[Rustifer]

For me, "classic" is pretty much pre-1973 (1970 if you want to get real picky).

I absolutely did *not* watch Charlie's Angels for Farrah Fawcett! I knew who the real beauties were: Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith! All Fawcett had was a poster with... well, you know... The other two had *some* acting ability to go with drop-dead beauty (and it's a shame that ability was pretty much wasted on this show)!

I picked up a copy of S1 some months back just to see if was still as cheesy as when it first aired. It is... so I purchased another season... because Fawcett got the big head, to go with her big hair, over the buzz from the poster and thought she was too good for such a cheese fest so her character went "to race cars in Spain" and we got the luscious Cheryl Ladd as her replacement. The scripts were still mostly telegraphed in but the scenery improved.

Damn! I knew I was missing one important adjective in my commentary: Cheesy. You nailed it, Howie.

 

[Jasper70]

A couple of months ago I finally opened and watched the S1 Mannix set I'd purchased at WM a few *years* back (part of a $10 gets you S1 sale type thing). I really enjoyed it - the open, the episodes, everything. I really enjoyed the "Interact" bit and recall liking that when I saw it during 1st run. The "secret agent" appeal that brought and Mannix somewhat operating outside what they really wanted. I also know things were changed quite a bit for S2 and don't have that season... yet... I'm wondering if I'd have the same reaction as Marv with that season.

I enjoyed season one with the “spy technology” type of genre it was set in. Season two brings big changes. I do enjoy it, just sometimes it feels lacking. As mentioned, not a binge type of show for me. Mix in a few episodes here and there. Regardless, I’m 3/4 of the way through the set, I’m no quitter lol.

 

[bmasters9]

For me, "classic" is pretty much pre-1973 (1970 if you want to get real picky).

To me, classic represents anything pre-90s (50s through 80s).

 

[Jack P]

My overall range is 1955 to a cutoff of the early 80s at best. To me, 1955 is the year some of the most important filmed TV shows debuted in "Gunsmoke" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and the medium started to be defined more by the filmed program for TV rather than the live program of the early 50s. By the early 80s, the style is changing too much for me and the old guard core of actors/actresses who came up starting in the mid-50s are increasingly passing from the scene. There are only a couple 80s shows I'd still like to see surface but I have all I want in the miscellaneous category from the 90s onward.

 

[Mysto]

In memory of actor Paul Darrow, who passed away recently, I've been revisiting Blake's 7. I'm mid-way through series 1 and it's such a fun show. This needs to be released in the states, I'm making due with the PAL DVDs. I get why it wouldn't be on blu ray, having been shot on video in the studios and film for exteriors (as per usual BBC of the day), but a DVD release would be fabby.

I can remember in the early days getting Blake's 7 from my friends over the seas as well a Dr. Who. I agree - a fun series.

 

[Mysto]

Classic usually turns out to be defined by how old one is and what he or she remembers most fondly. Mine might be an earlier time than many of you.
I can usually tell the age of posters in the forum by the group of programs they really enjoy. It is not sure fire mind you (many of us like a genre that includes stuff older than we are) but it is a good tell. And perhaps that is as it should be. As we said earlier, one of the joys of watching vintage programs is the emotion one gets from it. Perhaps who you watched with, or a time in your life, or a memory of places you have lived in or wanted to live in.

 

[bmasters9]

I can usually tell the age of posters in the forum by the group of programs they really enjoy. It is not sure fire mind you (many of us like a genre that includes stuff older than we are) but it is a good tell. And perhaps that is as it should be.

I'm one of those who likes shows that are from a genre that is older than me (Westerns, the best examples so far for me being Have Gun, Will Travel and Wanted: Dead or Alive).

 

[Mysto]

I'm one of those who likes shows that are from a genre that is older than me (Westerns, the best examples so far for me being Have Gun, Will Travel and Wanted: Dead or Alive).

I love mystery movies from the 30's and 40's (no Russ - don't go there ) but there isn't much TV that is older than me so I can't say. As I said when people have a lot of favorites that are older than they are, it is usually genre based.
I agree with you, Have Gun Will Travel is a great show. It was great on the radio and it was great on TV. You could actually get one of the business cards in Laundry Detergent boxes.
I never got into Wanted Dead or Alive. The next time I go on a western binge, I'll have to check some out.

ADDED: I checked TV schedule 1958 and I suspect that this was a case of we had to watch Perry Como so no Wanted Dead or Alive.

 

[bmasters9]

I never got into Wanted Dead or Alive. The next time I go on a western binge, I'll have to check some out.

ADDED: I checked TV schedule 1958 and I suspect that this was a case of we had to watch Perry Como so no Wanted Dead or Alive.

Wanted: Dead or Alive is on MeTV on Saturdays, 2 episodes at a time in an hour block (at least it is for me on Dish here in South Carolina); perhaps you can test drive it that way, and if you like what you see, you can get one of the DVD releases, or maybe the whole series.

Also, why did Perry Como take priority for you over Wanted: Dead or Alive-- only one channel available, possibly NBC (which is, I believe, where the Como show was)?

 

[Dan McW]

As we said earlier, one of the joys of watching vintage programs is the emotion one gets from it. Perhaps who you watched with, or a time in your life, or a memory of places you have lived in or wanted to live in.

I'm 52 and remember watching Columbo, McMillan and Wife, and McCloud, as well as other shows, in their original runs with my mom, dad, older sister, and younger brother. I enjoy revisiting those shows occasionally not only for their plots and guest stars but because it reminds me of a time when everyone was alive (dad and sister have passed on), and I was in my childhood home, where I was safe and the scary grown-up years were still a long way off.

 

[Mysto]

Wanted: Dead or Alive is on MeTV on Saturdays, 2 episodes at a time in an hour block (at least it is for me on Dish here in South Carolina); perhaps you can test drive it that way, and if you like what you see, you can get one of the DVD releases, or maybe the whole series.

Also, why did Perry Como take priority for you over Wanted: Dead or Alive-- only one channel available, possibly NBC (which is, I believe, where the Como show was)?

Good idea for a watch. I am pretty sure I have seen one or two at some point in my life but I can't remember much about them.

As far as watching Perry Como - Not one channel - ONE TV and in 1958 my mother and father decided what channel we watched during their hours.

As a Detroit Brat for much of my life we had 4 networks early on. Dumont shared with CBS. (Yea Captain Video) Later we had 4 channels as CKLW started broadcasting from Windsor Ontario Canada (1954). We even had a special TV antenna the Detroiter which pointed one way for our 3 networks and then a small antenna on top pointed at Windsor for channel 9. Loved CKLW - they showed a lot of old movies and that may have been where my love for the form started.

More than you wanted to know but I'm a sharer.