What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (13 Viewers)

[Flashgear]

Randall, with this series, my enjoyment is tied to the feelings/memories I have of viewing this Friday evenings with my father and brother. Whne I popped in the first disc and heard the announcer's opening remarks concerning Tarzan (I also enjoyed the more permanent Tarzan march utilized later), I was whisked back to my 9 year old self watching this new weekly Tarzan show. My earliest memories of Tarzan were the various movies that were shown on Saturday afternoons (Jock Mahoney was the most memorable, Johnny Weismuller seemed a bit to comedic to me). I wasn't really tied to any one particular actor. I have finished the first half season and have enjoyed my time spent in pseudo Africa, looking forward to the second half. The stories are rather predictable and if you binge several episodes you will see a lot of repeated stock shots. I have also become a bit better at spotting continuity errors (of which there are plenty). Is it a perfect show? No. Does it hold up to the others you mentioned? Not really. It just takes me back to a simpler time when I watched a show that didn't require massive concentration. It was a show that was very easy to follow. Am I glad I bought the first season (in two volumes)? A resounding yes. Will I pick up the 2nd season? Not sure, maybe if I can find a good sale for a Warner Archive set. The picture quality is average at best, but serviceable. Not sure if this answers your question or not. The show has been worth it for me as it provides me a "comfort food" feeling when I watch.

One interesting sound that I have encountered, whenever the baby elephant roars it sounds just like Turu from Jonny Quest.

Thanks Doug! Your impression of this show is exactly what I was looking for. We are almost the very same age, and I remember that fall 1966-67 lineup of new shows (and returning shows) quite well. Tarzan and Daktari were two shows that I struggled with even as a 10 year old. I would have thought that every pre-teen would have loved it, but not me. I might feel that warmth of nostalgia that you experience. Thanks to you, I'm thinking I might pick up these WAC sets, but hopefully at a much reduced price. I continue to monitor used copies on Amazon marketplace. But we only had two channels in Western Canada in those days. I also struggled to really enjoy Batman too. Couldn't stand The Monkees. And I was really pissed that the immortal Combat! was turfed in favor of Garrison's Gorillas as it's successor show. Especially when I saw most of Combat!'s great cast used (and to me, humiliated) in the Garrison's Gorillas pilot to introduce a much lesser cast for that formulaic knock off of a show, mercifully put down after a single (1967-68) season. And that fall 1966 also saw the deconstruction of Lost in Space into an insufferable parody. Oh, the humanity! Ha, ha...

in true 1960s TV fashion, a real "Who's Who" of typical TV supporting stalwarts (including some real honeys, like Barbara Bouchet, Leslie Parrish, Diana Hyland, Susan Oliver, Diana Ross, Barbara Luna, Judy Pace, Nancy Malone, Gail Kobe, Gigi Perreau, Susan Howard, Pippa Scott and more).

Now you've really got my attention, Jeff! I like the idea of these babes glistening with a sweaty sheen while they tromp around in the heat and humidity of Mexico and Brazil. I really had no idea that they filmed this show out of country! Perhaps I had Tarzan confused with Daktari in respect to "Africa USA". You've certainly highlighted another draw for me getting some of the Tarzan WAC sets, thank you.

If you have the first 3 seasons of HGWT, I guess you might be torn as to whether the complete series set might be the way to go, price wise. But I hope you can find seasons 4 to 6 volumes at a bargain price. I really don't like the mega paks, although I have a few, Streets of San Francisco, Vega$, Cannon, etc. Right to the end, HGWT had many great episodes to come. And of course, as you see with my screen shots, they are state of the art HD transfers.

Yes, nice write-up on that rather chilling episode, Randall. I always perk up when I see the name Harry Julian Fink as screenwriter, regardless of series. I usually know I'm in for a goodie. I know that when it comes to HGWT, a lot of folks praise Gene Roddenberry's efforts, but honestly, with maybe one exception, his stuff doesn't usually do it for me. I'm definitely a big Fink guy.

Thanks Bert! And thank you for the suggestion of revisiting this episode. I'm going to do a few more with that season two Robert J. Wilke HGWT, and those two The Dakotas unaired episodes that you have praised. Yes, the monologues and dialog as written in those HGWT teleplays by the great Harry Julian Fink are often awe inspiring in their eloquence. What great writing on this series!

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Well, at long last, the university semester is over, so it's vacation time for yours truly...which means more free time for TV and movie watching!

The FBI - 1.11 "All the Streets Are Silent"
Re-watching Quentin Tarantino's absolutely wonderful Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood led me to check out this particular episode, which is referenced in the film (and which Randall reviewed a while back). While I'm still not 100% sold on this show, I did find this one better than the rather slack premiere episode, with some good action (including the pretty gnarly shotgunning of two Marine guards in the teaser) and guest performances from Burt Reynolds, James Farentino, Norman Fell and Pilar Seurat.

Mr. Ed - 5.12 "Ed, the Stowaway"
Oof, this one hits Gilligan's Island levels of silliness, as Mr. Ed crashes Wilbur and his long-suffering wife Carol's Hawaiian vacation, and Wilbur ends up in a hula skirt (don't ask). At least we get to see the voluptuous Connie Hines in a swimsuit.

The Wild Wild West
4.8 "The Night of the Egyptian Queen"
3.9 "The Night of the Circus of Death"
Turns out I had seen "TNOT Egyptian Queen" after all, maybe 4 or 5 years ago...but no matter, as it's another rip-snorter of an episode, with Jim and Artie after a stolen ruby, wanted by rival parties (including Tom Troup and William Marshall), with a comely belly-dancing thief (Penny Gaston) caught in the middle. There's a great scene early in the episode, which exemplifies one of the many reasons I adore this show: West is in a dingy waterfront bar, negotiating for the return of the royal ruby, aware that the slightest wrong move may result in the death of a foreign dignitary (Sorrell Brooke) held captive nearby. So when a man he's doing the swap with gets a knife in the back, West doesn't dilly-dally around or stand there mouth agape...He immediately dives headlong through the door behind him, crashes into the room in which the captive is being held, beats the tar out of a trio of henchmen and rescues him. The dude is fearless and has the reflexes of a jungle cat. Robert Conrad would never be accused of being any great thespian, but he sells this kind of swaggering, confident action man extremely well. Artie (also in the bar, disguised as a old sea dog) is no slouch either, and the resulting brawl is full of great fisticuffs and stunts. And of course, as John H. frequently points out, terrific music.

"TNOT Circus of Death" - which, to be more accurate, should have been dubbed the "Mint of Death," as the circus only features briefly in the story, which is mostly concerned with a sinister organization producing near-perfect counterfeit bills under the nose of the head of the Denver Mint - suffers a bit from its lack of memorable villains, but otherwise is full of the series' customary action, skullduggery and playfulness. Arlene Martel has a few scenes as the world's best-looking lion tamer, and Artie goes undercover in one of his funnier disguises as a crusty, nearly deaf janitor. The episode starts off with an unnecessary but amusing scene of West in a women's lingerie shop, being given a crash course in numerology from a beautiful blonde salesclerk named Priscilla Goodbody (played by Judi Shervin, who would return for another tiny role in season 4's "TNOT Avaricious Actuary.")

Arlene Martell, better known to most as T'Pring in Star Trek's "Amok Time"

The Guns of Will Sonnett
1.4 "The Natural Way"
1.5 "Of Lasting Summers and Jim Sonnett"
I really like this late-period 30 minute western, following the adventures of a fast-gun young man, Jeff Sonnett (Dack Rambo) and his even faster grandpa, Will (Walter Brennan, believably tough and terse) on the trail of the boy's infamous gunslinger father. In "The Natural Way," Will helps an old friend (Wendell Corey), a sheriff who's lost his nerve. In "Of Lasting Summers,..." a prisoner about to be hanged (Paul Richards) claims to be the notorious Jim Sonnett, and an emotional Jeff has to be talked out of taken drastic action to free the man he thinks is his father. The lean and mean James Anderson guests as the all-business sheriff in this one.

Russ' review of a Bourbon Street Beat episode in which she appeared (in the 77 Sunset Strip thread) led me to indulge in a mini Nita Talbot marathon.

Mike Hammer - 1.14 "Beautiful, Blue and Deadly"
Mike swings into action when an auto mechanic pal of his is attacked and seriously injured after buying a blue Jaguar convertible belonging to a dead criminal. It all involves a key to a safety deposit box containing plenty of ill-gotten loot, the dead man's slinky actress widow (Nita Talbot), her lovestruck agent (Robert Ellenstein), and a dandy yet ruthless gangster (Berry Kroeger). I confess to losing the plot a smidge here and there, distracted as I was by the sensual Ms. Talbot's figure-clinging dress. And true to form, Darren McGavin's bruiser of a private dick gives one of the crooks his customary knee to the face.

Johnny Staccato - 1.17 "Man in the Pit"
Johnny goes looking for an old friend, a former jazz great fallen on hard times, now reduced to working as a doorman at a showgirl revue (headlined by Ms. Talbot). The man is suspected of blackmailing his actress ex-wife (Linda Watkins), but Johnny can't bring himself to believe that his musical idol has stooped that low, and soon ferrets out the real culprits. A rather sad and sordid little story all around, kept afloat by star John Cassavetes' twitchy, livewire energy. Also with Norman Fell, Billy M. Greene and Buzz Martin.

They Call It Murder (1971 TV movie)
A feature length pilot for a TV series which unfortunately never came to pass, based off a series of nine "Doug Selby" mystery novels by Erle Stanley Gardner (who worked on the script of this telefilm before he died). Jim Hutton plays Selby, the no-nonsense, honest District Attorney for the small but wealthy coastal town of Madison, California, alongside Sheriff Rex Brandon (Robert J. Wilke). The two are called to the seaside estate of the Antrim family, when the body of a dead man is found in the pool. None of the residents admit to knowing the dead man or anything about the crime, but Selby is convinced that this murder is related to a mysterious car accident in the Antrim family's past, and a local, secretive hospital nearby. Selby's job is made increasingly difficult by the Antrim's slick lawyer (Lloyd Bochner, oozing smarm), as well as the interference of the bungling local police chief (Ed Asner) and a private detective (Vic Tayback) trying to prevent the Antrim widow from collecting a half-million insurance policy.

The underrated Hutton, a really likeable actor whose career never took off as it should, partially due to his premature death at age 45, is very good in this pre-Ellery Queen detective role; he commands the screen and easily holds his own with a veteran cast of talented familiar faces. Besides Bochner, Asner, Tayback and Wilke, we also get Jessica Walter, Leslie Nielsen, Jo Ann Pflug, Harry Townes, Vaughn Taylor, Michael Pataki and, in a few scenes, and still sporting a trim figure and the usual frank and seductive demeanor, Nita Talbot. With an intriguing mystery, literate script and some nice twists and turns, this TV movie comes highly recommended. The print on YouTube is not glorious but perfectly watchable, and seems complete at 95 minutes (Film Chest released an affordable "restored version" on DVD in 2015 which hopefully looks better).

 

[JohnHopper]

The Wild Wild West
4.8 "The Night of the Egyptian Queen"
3.9 "The Night of the Circus of Death"
Turns out I had seen "TNOT Egyptian Queen" after all, maybe 4 or 5 years ago...but no matter, it was another rip-snorter of an episode, with Jim and Artie after a stolen ruby, wanted by rival parties, with a comely belly-dancing thief (Penny Gaston) caught in the middle. There's a great scene early in the episode, which exemplifies one of the many reasons I adore this show. West is in a dingy waterfront bar, negotiating for the return of the royal ruby, aware that the slightest wrong move may result in the death of a foreign dignitary captive (Sorrell Brooke). So when a man he's doing the swap with gets a knife in the back, West doesn't dilly dally around or stand there in mouth agape...He immediately dives headlong through a door, crashes into the room in which the captive is being held, and beats the tar out of a trio of henchmen. The dude is fearless and has the reflexes of a jungle cat. Robert Conrad would never be accused of being any great thespian, but he sells this kind of swaggering, confident action man extremely well. Artie (also in the bar, disguised as a old sea dog captain) is no slouch either, and the resulting brawl is full of great fisticuffs and stunts.

"TNOT Circus of Death" - which, to be more accurate, should have been dubbed the "Mint of Death," as the circus only features briefly in the story, which is mostly concerned with a sinister organization producing near-perfect counterfeit bills - suffers a bit from its lack of memorable villains, but otherwise is full of the series' customary action, skullduggery and playfulness. Arlene Martel has a few scenes as the world's best-looking lion tamer, and Artie goes undercover in one of his funnier disguises as a crusty, nearly deaf janitor. The episode starts off with an unnecessary but amusing scene of West in a women's lingerie shop, being given a crash course in numerology from a beautiful blonde salesclerk named Priscilla Goodbody (played by Judi Shervin, who would return for another tiny role in season 4's "TNOT Avaricious Actuary.")

With a name like that (Priscilla Goodbody), there is no doubt what is the true intention of that little lady. LOL!
Let’s get back to the topic. The best of the two WEST remain “The Night of the Circus of Death”.

 

[JohnHopper]

Mike Hammer - 1.14 "Beautiful, Blue and Deadly"
Mike swings into action when an auto mechanic pal of his is attacked and seriously injured after buying a blue Jaguar convertible belonging to a dead criminal. It all involves a key to a safety deposit box containing plenty of ill-gotten loot, the dead man's slinky actress widow (Nita Talbot), her lovestruck agent (Robert Ellenstein), and a dandy yet ruthless gangster (Berry Kroeger). I confess to losing the plot a smidge here and there, distracted as I was by the sensual Ms. Talbot's figure-clinging dress. And true to form, Darren McGavin's bruiser of a private dick gives one of the crooks his customary knee to the face.

¶
¶ Two decades later, Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) meets Paula Griffin (Nita Talbot) on the ferry boat from “The Werewolf”.
¶

 

[JoshuaB.]

I watched some S1 episodes of Star Trek from the Roddenberry Vault Blu-ray set--listening to Dorothy Fontana's commentary for "This Side of Paradise" was bittersweet, but I'm glad it exists. I've been resisting the urge to watch TNG episodes like "Measure of a Man" before episode 2 of Picard airs tomorrow on Space/Crave (no need for CBS All Access up here, thank god).

 

[Flashgear]

TNOT Circus of Death" - which, to be more accurate, should have been dubbed the "Mint of Death," as the circus only features briefly in the story, which is mostly concerned with a sinister organization producing near-perfect counterfeit bills under the nose of the head of the Denver Mint - suffers a bit from its lack of memorable villains, but otherwise is full of the series' customary action, skullduggery and playfulness. Arlene Martel has a few scenes as the world's best-looking lion tamer, and Artie goes undercover in one of his funnier disguises as a crusty, nearly deaf janitor. The episode starts off with an unnecessary but amusing scene of West in a women's lingerie shop, being given a crash course in numerology from a beautiful blonde salesclerk named Priscilla Goodbody (played by Judi Shervin, who would return for another tiny role in season 4's "TNOT Avaricious Actuary.")

My goodness, she looks supremely hot in that episode! I must investigate further.

The Guns of Will Sonnett
1.4 "The Natural Way"
1.5 "Of Lasting Summers and Jim Sonnett"
I really like this late-period 30 minute western, following the adventures of a fast-gun young man, Jeff Sonnett (Dack Rambo) and his even faster grandpa, Will (Walter Brennan, believably tough and terse) on the trail of the boy's infamous gunslinger father. In "The Natural Way," Will helps an old friend (Wendell Corey), a sheriff who's lost his nerve. In "Of Lasting Summers,..." a prisoner about to be hanged (Paul Richards) claims to be the notorious Jim Sonnett, and an emotional Jeff has to be talked out of taken drastic action to free the man he thinks is his father. The lean and mean James Anderson guests as the all-business sheriff in this one.

It is a well written show with an interesting and often heartbreaking premise, isn't it Jeff? Too bad the TMG set has the old King World syndicated fuzzy transfers with edited episodes losing about 2:30 each. But that is all Timeless was given to work with. Still, like yourself, I'm still glad to have it as is. Same thing with Chuck Connors' Branded...

Mike Hammer - 1.14 "Beautiful, Blue and Deadly"
Mike swings into action when an auto mechanic pal of his is attacked and seriously injured after buying a blue Jaguar convertible belonging to a dead criminal. It all involves a key to a safety deposit box containing plenty of ill-gotten loot, the dead man's slinky actress widow (Nita Talbot), her lovestruck agent (Robert Ellenstein), and a dandy yet ruthless gangster (Berry Kroeger). I confess to losing the plot a smidge here and there, distracted as I was by the sensual Ms. Talbot's figure-clinging dress. And true to form, Darren McGavin's bruiser of a private dick gives one of the crooks his customary knee to the face.

Love this show! What with the witty, hard boiled Noir slang of the era, often hilarious. And this is also another show with a supremely delectable procession of incredibly gorgeous (and dangerously duplicitous) dames. I also like Stacey Keach's The New Mike Hammer reboot in the '80s, which was also delightful, as they stayed true to Spillane's character, simply transplanting this immortal anachronism into the mid '80s. With a select bounty of babes, all sporting low cut blouses to delight the predominantly male audience. and to horrify and outrage miserable feminists everywhere...at least they pretended to be, as the new show lasted 5 seasons, including a few reunion telefilms. I keep meaning to buy that series on DVD before it goes out of print as McGavin's already has.

Johnny Staccato - 1.17 "Man in the Pit"
Johnny goes looking for an old friend, a former jazz great fallen on hard times, now reduced to working as a doorman at a showgirl revue (headlined by Ms. Talbot). The man is suspected of blackmailing his actress ex-wife (Linda Watkins), but Johnny can't bring himself to believe that his musical idol has stooped that low, and soon ferrets out the real culprits. A rather sad and sordid little story all around, kept afloat by star John Cassavetes' twitchy, livewire energy. Also with Norman Fell, Billy M. Greene and Buzz Martin.

You're certainly watching a variety of treasured '50s P.I. artifacts. I'm glad that Timeless also released this one season series. I love the Jazzy milieu, and seeing a very young and practically unknown John(ny) Williams at his piano with the house combo in about 5 episodes!

They Call It Murder (1971 TV movie)
A feature length pilot for a TV series which unfortunately never came to pass, based off a series of nine "Doug Selby" mystery novels by Erle Stanley Gardner (who worked on the script of this telefilm before he died). Jim Hutton plays Selby, the no-nonsense, honest District Attorney for the small but wealthy coastal town of Madison, California, alongside Sheriff Rex Brandon (Robert J. Wilke). The two are called to the seaside estate of the Antrim family, when the body of a dead man is found in the pool. None of the residents admit to knowing the dead man or anything about the crime, but Selby is convinced that this murder is related to a mysterious car accident in the Antrim family's past, and a local, secretive hospital nearby. Selby's job is made increasingly difficult by the Antrim's slick lawyer (Lloyd Bochner, oozing smarm), as well as the interference of the bungling local police chief (Ed Asner) and a private detective (Vic Tayback) trying to prevent the Antrim widow from collecting a half-million insurance policy.

I agree about likable Jim Hutton, what a tragic and premature end to his life and career. I was aware of the Film Chest DVD release, but it had slipped my mind. Thanks for the reminder Jeff! That is an incredibly deep cast of welcome talent. Speaking Of my fellow Canadian Leslie Nielsen, I watched his unsold 1965 TV pilot, Dark Intruder, produced by Hitchcock's Shamley productions...somewhat of a prototype for Darren McGavin's Kolchak ten years later. The great (Peter) Mark Richman is in this one too. Universal released it on DVD/Blu in a double bill with William Castle's excellent 1964 feature film The Night Walker, starring Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyk! The smarmy Lloyd Bochner is in that one too. More Canadian content!

 

[Rustifer]

Mr. Ed - 5.12 "Ed, the Stowaway"
Oof, this one hits Gilligan's Island levels of silliness, as Mr. Ed crashes Wilbur and his long-suffering wife Carol's Hawaiian vacation, and Wilbur ends up in a hula skirt (don't ask). At least we get to see the voluptuous Connie Hines in a swimsuit.

I was watching a compilation of car commercials from the 50's-60's when suddenly appeared spokespersons Connie Hines and Allan Young for Plymouth. Why, you could've sliced me thin as coleslaw! Of course she looked gorgeous in some sort of satin clingy dress that looked as if spray painted onto her.

I fervently hope somewhere some guy has some polaroids of young Miss Hines suitable for hiding under the bed.

 

[Rustifer]

I confess to losing the plot a smidge here and there, distracted as I was by the sensual Ms. Talbot's figure-clinging dress.

I don't think Darren McGavin's finger could be any better placed than where it is....

 

[Flashgear]

I fervently hope somewhere some guy has some polaroids of young Miss Hines suitable for hiding under the bed.

Russ, these have got to be among my all time favorite publicity photos...Clint Eastwood, who was guest starring in Mister Ed, doing the twist with a stunning and delectable Connie Hines and the great horse, of course, in the twist crazy summer of 1962...

Love the Basset Hound photo bomb...

 

[Jeff Flugel]

I watched some S1 episodes of Star Trek from the Roddenberry Vault Blu-ray set--listening to Dorothy Fontana's commentary for "This Side of Paradise" was bittersweet, but I'm glad it exists. I've been resisting the urge to watch TNG episodes like "Measure of a Man" before episode 2 of Picard airs tomorrow on Space/Crave (no need for CBS All Access up here, thank god).

Welcome to the thread, Joshua! I'm a big fan of the original Star Trek, and D.C. Fontana's scripts were among the very best of the series. "This Side of Paradise" is a wonderful episode. Very sad to hear of her recent passing; she was an important architect of the franchise.

I also like The Next Generation and am excited about the new Picard series, which has gotten off to a very promising start. It's got me thinking of watching some classic TNG episodes myself. I have the Blu-Ray sets for season 3 - 5 in my collection, but Netflix has all 7 seasons in HD. Now I just have to choose which episode to watch...

 

[Jeff Flugel]

¶
¶ Two decades later, Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) meets Paula Griffin (Nita Talbot) on the ferry boat from “The Werewolf”.
¶

View attachment 67860​

A fun Kolchak episode, despite the really terrible werewolf make-up on Eric Braedon (or, more likely, Eric Braedon's stunt double, as I can't imagine the proud Braedon allowing the producers to glue yak hair all over his face). Nita Talbot is her typically chatty self, and it's a hoot to see Carl surrounded by swinging '70s singles trying to hook up on the cruise ship. He's so busy melting jewelry to make silver bullets that he practically ignores the sexy Ms. Talbot hanging all over him...that's some monster hunting dedication right there!

 

[Rustifer]

Russ, these have got to be among my all time favorite publicity photos...Clint Eastwood, who was guest starring in Mister Ed, doing the twist with a stunning and delectable Connie Hines and the great horse, of course, in the twist crazy summer of 1962...

What really curdles my cream, Randy, is that like 100 years after these photos were taken, Clint still remains as thin.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

I don't think Darren McGavin's finger could be any better placed than where it is....

View attachment 67864

Oh, yeah...Nita Talbot's money-hungry wannabe actress character turns the seductive charm up to 11 in this episode...it's takes all of Mike Hammer's willpower to slip out of her grasp long enough to puzzle out the plot.

Here's a still of the "Beautiful, Blue and Deadly" Jaguar. While his mechanic pal marvels over the Jag, Mike is far more impressed with the lines of its driver.

And here's a great shot of a smoking hot 20-year-old Ms. Talbot with Robert Ryan in On Dangerous Ground.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

My goodness, she looks supremely hot in that episode! I must investigate further.

Yes, I think you'll appreciate Arlene Martel's appearance (in more ways than one) in that Wild Wild West episode, Randall. She's not in it much, but what's there is, as they say, choice.

So Timeless' Mike Hammer has gone out of print, eh? Glad I bought it when I did, a very enjoyable show. I also remember being very fond of the Mickey Spillan's Mike Hammer show from the '80s, with its sardonic lead performance from Stacy Keach and a never-ending parade of plunging cleavage. I want to get the early seasons of that show on disc, but they seem a bit expensive and hard to find these days.

Yes, it's a pity that The Guns of Will Sonnett release consists of washed out, cut-for-syndication prints, but the show is good enough that I'll take what I can get. Still need to get S2 of this series...

Thanks for letting me know about that Dark Intruder / The Night Walker double bill DVD. Dark Intruder is a very interesting curio, as you say a sort of proto-Kolchak. Speaking of Kolchak-type, supernatural investigator shows...sure wish some studio or indie label would release the two TV movies featuring Louis Jourdan as an occult detective, Fear No Evil (1969) and Ritual of Evil (1970).

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Of course she looked gorgeous in some sort of satin clingy dress that looked as if spray painted onto her.

Yeah, Russ, my main thought when watching this show is "Ignore the talking horse for a bit, Wilbur, and pay attention to your sexy (and obviously neglected) wife!"

 

[JohnHopper]

Oh, yeah...Nita Talbot's money-hungry wannabe actress character turns the seductive charm up to 11 in this episode...it's takes all of Mike Hammer's willpower to slip out of her grasp long enough to puzzle out the plot.

Here's a still of the "Beautiful, Blue and Deadly" Jaguar. While his mechanic pal marvels over the Jag, Mike is far more impressed with the lines of its driver.

And here's a great shot of a smoking hot 20-year-old Ms. Talbot with Robert Ryan in On Dangerous Ground.

¶
¶ She looks like the sister of Lauren Bacall.
¶​

 

[JohnHopper]

And I was really pissed that the immortal Combat! was turfed in favor of Garrison's Gorillas as it's successor show. Especially when I saw most of Combat!'s great cast used (and to me, humiliated) in the Garrison's Gorillas pilot to introduce a much lesser cast for that formulaic knock off of a show, mercifully put down after a single (1967-68) season.

¶
¶ I agree with you but keep in mind that the last season of Combat! was rather weak.
¶ I wish I could get a release of Garrison’s Gorillas that I used to watch during my military service,
somewhere in the XX th century.
¶

​

 

[JohnHopper]

The Wild Wild West
4.8 "The Night of the Egyptian Queen"
3.9 "The Night of the Circus of Death"
Turns out I had seen "TNOT Egyptian Queen" after all, maybe 4 or 5 years ago...but no matter, as it's another rip-snorter of an episode, with Jim and Artie after a stolen ruby, wanted by rival parties (including Tom Troup and William Marshall), with a comely belly-dancing thief (Penny Gaston) caught in the middle. There's a great scene early in the episode, which exemplifies one of the many reasons I adore this show: West is in a dingy waterfront bar, negotiating for the return of the royal ruby, aware that the slightest wrong move may result in the death of a foreign dignitary (Sorrell Brooke) held captive nearby. So when a man he's doing the swap with gets a knife in the back, West doesn't dilly-dally around or stand there mouth agape...He immediately dives headlong through the door behind him, crashes into the room in which the captive is being held, beats the tar out of a trio of henchmen and rescues him. The dude is fearless and has the reflexes of a jungle cat. Robert Conrad would never be accused of being any great thespian, but he sells this kind of swaggering, confident action man extremely well. Artie (also in the bar, disguised as a old sea dog) is no slouch either, and the resulting brawl is full of great fisticuffs and stunts. And of course, as John H. frequently points out, terrific music.

"TNOT Circus of Death" - which, to be more accurate, should have been dubbed the "Mint of Death," as the circus only features briefly in the story, which is mostly concerned with a sinister organization producing near-perfect counterfeit bills under the nose of the head of the Denver Mint - suffers a bit from its lack of memorable villains, but otherwise is full of the series' customary action, skullduggery and playfulness. Arlene Martel has a few scenes as the world's best-looking lion tamer, and Artie goes undercover in one of his funnier disguises as a crusty, nearly deaf janitor. The episode starts off with an unnecessary but amusing scene of West in a women's lingerie shop, being given a crash course in numerology from a beautiful blonde salesclerk named Priscilla Goodbody (played by Judi Shervin, who would return for another tiny role in season 4's "TNOT Avaricious Actuary.")

¶
¶ CIRCUS OF DEATH allows to show the mechanism of Jim's iconic sleeve-gun.
¶

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Commentary
The Rifleman
"The Conflict" (S5E13)

Is there a manlier man than Lucas McCain? Isn't he a rock solid paragon of courage and righteousness? Is he not the mold from which eventually formed Superman, Batman and Alex Trebek? Well, here's an episode that proves even the most cojones-endowed guy can turn into a giant wuss overnight.

Lucas (Chuck Connors) and Mark (Johnny Crawford) are out on the range tracking a wild cougar, mainly because football season was over and there's nothing better to do. Plus, a cougar pelt would be the perfect finish to the neo-decor of the drawing room in the McCain estate. Unfortunately, the cougar has other thoughts, primarily that Mark would make for a really good lunch. But before the feline could get its napkin and utensils organized, Lucas takes a shot at him.

Now generally when the Rifleman points his weapon at you, it's best to have your will in order and a power of attorney named for your 401K. Not this time. Lucas misses his target, and the cougar gets away! Mark, of course, has deposited a substantial amount of fecal matter in his shorts, but at least he's avoided being eaten. Lucas can't believe he missed. At first he looks for some simple excuses--his gun sights were off, he hadn't trimmed his toenails, he had an apricot salad for lunch. Finality sets in--he's just a lousy shot.

Mark realizes it's time to change undies; "It happens to all guys sometimes, Luke..." Confidence restored

So our manly Lucas begins to act like a 12-year old girl who just lost her Barbie doll. He sulks, he bitches, he refuses to eat his broccoli at dinner. The poor man also loses that familiar stirring in his loins when he runs into Lou (Patricia Blair)--all decked out in a pretty new dress. Adding to the downfall, he holds his coffee cup with little finger extended, not to mention checking out the nail polish display in the General Store.This is certainly not the man we've come to respect.

To reverse this distressing state, Lucas retraces his footsteps to find that cougar, ending its reign of terror once and for all. This time, he doesn't miss.
But what really restores his confidence is fixing the toilet in the outhouse. Now that's a manly accomplishment.

Notes:
Patricia Blair replaced Joan Taylor as Lucas' love interest on the series.

Now then, which one to pick?

 

[bmasters9]

So Timeless' Mike Hammer has gone out of print, eh? Glad I bought it when I did, a very enjoyable show.

I have it in as well, and I'm a ways into the first go-- forgot where I am, though; it is a very good show, I do agree.