What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (3 Viewers)

[Jeff Flugel]

I would like to see this episode. I'm a fan of spooky stuff and I like the idea of Will Hutchins and Tommy Rettig together. Thanks for the review, Jeff. My curiosity is piqued.

It's a good episode, Russ...hope you get a chance to see it someday. This publicity still is pretty goofy (no one wears a white sheet in the actual show), but the episode itself is a straight-up, Gothic-tinged mystery.

Episode Commentary
The Andy Griffith Show
"The Pickle Story" (S2E11)
Probably one of the most remembered episodes of the long-running series.

Love this episode! Nice write-up, Russ. Need to see this again myself...the expressions on Barney and Andy's faces, as they force-feed themselves Aunt Bee's disgusting pickles, are priceless.

 

[JohnHopper]

Hawaii Five-O - Seasons 1-4
Over Fifty? Steal (3.11) Hume Cronyn. A favorite. Gentleman crook, leaving clues and monopoly cards at the scene of his robberies. Disguises and all manner of fun and openly taunting McGarrett. I enjoy watching McGarrett meeting an equal and seeing how he will best Lewis Avery Filer. Great episode.

Savage Sunday (2.5) Henry Silva, Julie Gregg. A revolutionary and his cohorts arrive in Hawaii to steal an arms shipment. During the robbery, the leader is wounded. McGarrett tries to convince his pregnant wife to cooperate in revealing their plans.

A Bullet For McGarrett (2.6) Khigh Dhiegh, Eric Braeden, Sheila Larken, Marianne McAndrew. A mysterious murder on a college campus along with an unusual clue sends 5-O looking for a coed. Seeing McGarrett, she darts into traffic and is killed in an automobile accident. Hypnosis is suspected which involves a teacher who has ties to Wo Fat. I like most Wo Fat stories and he is just a minor presence in this one. Shades of The Manchurian Candidate.

Sweet Terror (2.7) Theodore Bikel, Philip Ahn, Linda Marsh, Soon-Tek Oh. Internation spies looking to create a market for another countries sugar cane get involved in releasing a fungus in the sugar fields.

King Kamehameha Blues (2.8) Brandon DeWilde, Jennifer Leak. College students pull off a robbery just because. Another spoiled rich kids episode. Interesting robbery but after that the episode falls flat for me.

Another very good season all the way. The con man character of Filer belongs to Mission: Impossible which is a compliment.
Filer returns next season: don’t miss it!

Gunsmoke - Seasons 10-12
The Lady (10.27) Eileen Heckart, Katherine Ross, R.G. Armstrong, Clifton James, Walter Sande, Michael Forest. An older woman and her neice are travelling to San Francisco and stop in Dodge as they are out of money. While in Dodge, Hattie finds love and decides to marry and stay in Dodge. Liz is against this and becomes entangled with criminals. Liz gets what she deserves, a poetic ending.

Dry Road To Nowhere (10.28) James Whitmore, Julie Sommars, John Saxon, L.Q. Jones. Temperance has come to Dodge. James Whitmore is always fun to watch, as is Miss Sommars (I like redheads!)

Twenty Miles From Dodge (10.29) Darren McGavin, Everett Sloane, Aneta Corsaut, Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Val Avery. As someone has said, Miss Kitty should never travel by stagecoach. It is stopped and the passengers are taken hostage. Kitty tries to keep the faith until Matt and Festus can arrive from Dodge. Along the way she negotiates with the kidnappers and tries to gain a sympathetic ear from the passengers.

The Pariah (10.30) John Dehner, Steve Ihnat, Tom Reese, Lee Van Cleef, Don Keefer. A bit of an odd story. A criminal happens upon an immigrants farm, forces them to feed him and provide water. His children collect wanted posters and find one for the visitor. Showing it to their father, he kills the man. Taking his body into Dodge, he is hailed as a hero. Finding out that he did not give the man a "chance", adulation soom becomes derision. Could not understand the townfolks reaction. Made the story an interesting watch due to Dehner's acting as the immigrant, but the story was not believable.

Excellent disc with fine episodes but the cream of the crop remains “Twenty Miles from Dodge” because of actor Darren McGavin and director Mark Rydell.
“The Pariah” is a template (reluctant hero theme) for further episodes to come.
“Dry Road to Nowhere” is a must see.
“The Lady” is a Machiavillian drama.

Combat - Complete Series
I Swear By Apollo (1.10) Gunnar Hellstrom, John Considine, Philip Abbott. A French partisan who has vital information is wounded. Saunders will do anything to keep him alive. He goes into town and brings a German Doctor to remove the dangerously located shrapnel. This takes place in a convent of silent sisters.

The Walking Wounded (1.30) Gary Merrill, Geraldine Brooks, Stephen Joyce. A wounded Saunders finds a lift to an aid station that is carrying other wounded individuals (PTSD?). Saunders is that bit of salt that irritates the others into acting as they should.

The Medal (1.14) Joseph Campanella, Frank Gorshin. A GI private is killed after taking over an enemy machine gun and killing dozens of Nazis, but his best friend falsely claims he did the shooting.

The Volunteer (1.16) Ted Knight. Serge Prieur. Excellent episode. A young French orphan wishes to join the 361st. He follows them and becomes Hanley's best hope for survival. The orphan finds out that war is not for him. A bittersweet episode.

My favorite episode remains “The Walking Wounded” because:
it's a rough solo Saunders episode
it's a medical truck episode
it's a guest medic couple (Merrill+Brooks) with a moral dilemma that goes with it
it has a good use of Rosenman's miltary cues
***White Rook Out***

 

[morasp]

Always enjoy your weekly round-up posts, Steve! I haven't seen that Bonanza episode above, but reading that dialogue exchange, I can clearly see how that scene would play out...that's how vividly those actors inhabit their roles as the Cartwright clan.

Good insight Jeff, that's another reason this is one of my favorite purchases, 319 episodes most of which I haven't seen.

 

[BobO'Link]

So... here I am playing catch-up again...

I watched another season of That Girl and discovered one episode that *doesn't* do a cold open ending in the words "That Girl!". It's the 2nd part of a 2 parter where she and Don go to Los Angeles - he for a writing gig and she's tagging along because he's going to be gone for 3 weeks and she doesn't want to be left alone (and this show is supposed to be about an *independent* woman - go figure). At the urging of her agent she pounds the pavement at Paramount Studios and stumbles across a job as "Action Girl" promoting a new soft drink. She auditions and he says "She's the girl who's going to be hit in the face with a pie!" as the last sentence before commercial. I backed up the video to make sure I'd heard it right.

So... 2 more seasons to go on this one. I always enjoyed this series in spite of it being rather predictable and one note. There are episodes where Ann is *supposed* to show more independence. Thomas wanted this show to be about a single girl in the city relying on no one but herself. It wasn't done as well as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and *it's* the one remembered for showing this instead of That Girl. I'm pretty sure that's because Ann had Donald, the "boyfriend", always around while trying to become an actress when Mary was surrounded by her peeps - all women - in a job traditionally, at the time, held by a man.

When that season ended I decided it was time for a change of pace - enter The Partridge Family S3 (did you know it was based on The Cowsills and was to originally star them?). I mostly liked this one during first run with the 2 little kids and the sometimes cliched stories getting in the way. Of course I mainly watched for Susan Dey (as did most of my male peers who watched this one). It didn't hurt anything that my girlfriend also liked the show (I'm sure for Cassidy but she'd never say).

Surprisingly it still mostly holds up - outside of much of the music (which hasn't really aged well). In all fairness, I wasn't much of a fan of the Partridge Family music outside one or two songs (mostly "I Think I Love You" which I still like and listen to on occasion). None of us, ever, believed that group of 5 people could make the sounds we heard. When it comes right down to it, the show is mostly rather cliched sitcom tropes in a slightly new(ish) setting. All the kids go to school where no one really gives them notice for being in a popular band (unless a script calls for it) - much like it was at my school. There were a couple of "popular" bands at my HS. During the week they were normal people (I ran around with several and had a short lived band of my own). But I digress...

It's still a fun show and entertaining. In spite of that I somewhat dread S4 as they added "Ricky" to the cast. If you've never seen that season, be very glad.

 

[Flashgear]

Great stuff as always, Randall! I caught a few episodes of The Jimmy Stewart Show when I briefly joined the Warner Archive streaming service several years back. It seems a cute show, and as Stewart ranks as one of my all-time favorite actors, I'll have to get this DVD set at some point. I'm thinking this one is the better choice, over Stewart's lifelong pal Henry Fonda's show from the same time period, The Smith Family.

Thanks Jeff! I got The Jimmy Stewart Show set 5+ years ago, and have enjoyed diving back into this gentle and enjoyable family sitcom, I think it's much better than most might expect. Spectacularly remastered from 35 mm elements...no laugh track, and the great Jimmy Stewart breaks the 'fourth wall' multiple times in each episode. John McGiver is a great comic foil and the lovely Julia Adams is one of my absolute faves...I've enjoyed the recent VEI release of Henry Fonda's The Smith Family for the most part, although they struggled at times trying to reform the "Dramedy" concept, a creatively challenging format at the best of times...for me, the Sada Thompson/James Broderick/Kristy McNichol series Family (1976-80) was an apex example of that format, rarely achieved...

Disc one menu screen for the WAC 3 DVD, 24 episode set...I have the Hawkins set too, but I think I regard his earlier sitcom as the best vehicle for his wonderful persona...

Sugarfoot – 2.4 “The Ghost”
More spooky goings-on as Tom Brewster (Will Hutchins) tries to help a boy (Tommy Rettig, from Lassie and one of my favorite westerns, River of No Return) who was at the scene at a supposedly haunted house when the local sheriff was killed. The house is a creepy old manse that belonged to an infamous family of outlaws, who were lynched by the locals and are (supposedly) buried in five graves in the front yard. Also with Michael Pate, Ed Kemmer and a brief cameo by Martin Landau. Strong episode with a few interesting plot turns, and once again, Hutchins, an ingratiating screen presence, gets to portray Brewster as forthright and competent. As the theme song says, “Never underestimate a sugarfoot.”

Love this episode Jeff, thanks for reminding me to revisit it. So many fun and enjoyable episodes in Sugarfoot season two, and in the whole series. I'm glad to have all the WAC sets...

I would like to see this episode. I'm a fan of spooky stuff and I like the idea of Will Hutchins and Tommy Rettig together. Thanks for the review, Jeff. My curiosity is piqued.

I wish you lived closer Russ, I'd be glad to lend you my DVDs...I kind of admire you for being the classic TV fan that you are, but not buying the DVDs...something that this old man has sunk tens of thousands of dollars into over 35 years and 5 different home video formats...I think I need an intervention, ha, ha...

 

[bmasters9]

View attachment 76292

What is that billing on The Jimmy Stewart Show supposed to mean?

 

[Flashgear]

The Jimmy Stewart Show, episode 5, Another Day, Another Scholar (Oct. 17, 1971)...Professor James Howard (Jimmy Stewart, natch.) is in a rising panic over a very precocious (and stunning) student's infatuation with him...the girl (Margaret Markov, of Pretty Maids All in a Row, The Arena,The Hot Box and other '70s drive-in classics, an absolute knockout!) considers Howard to be very much her "type", much to the happily married professor's horror...a series of misunderstandings and well staged slapstick ensues in this very funny episode...for me, a pure delight from beginning to end...my screen caps from the WAC DVD set...

 

[Jeff Flugel]

View attachment 76293

Those screencaps look great, Randall - crisp and colorful! Looks like this set is only about $20 on Import CDs now. Will have to snag this one soon.

Love this episode Jeff, thanks for reminding me to revisit it. So many fun and enjoyable episodes in Sugarfoot season two, and in the whole series. I'm glad to have all the WAC sets...
View attachment 76288
View attachment 76289

Nice photos of the complete Sugarfoot DVD collection there, Randall! S3 and S4 are definitely on my "to buy sooner rather than later" list (along with the rest of Bronco, Lawman and a couple more seasons of Cheyenne)...Though I have to say, WAC's choice of cover image for the Complete Fourth Season (with Will Hutchins milking a cow) is a bit of an odd one. Someone in the design department has an interesting sense of humor...

I wish you lived closer Russ, I'd be glad to lend you my DVDs...I kind of admire you for being the classic TV fan that you are, but not buying the DVDs...something that this old man has sunk tens of thousands of dollars into over 35 years and 5 different home video formats...I think I need an intervention, ha, ha...

Well, I cant say that I haven't sunk a ton of money into this disc collecting hobby myself, Randall...though I do feel fortunate that I didn't start collecting movies or TV shows in earnest until the arrival of the DVD format (and, of course, continuing on into Blu-Ray.) I think I've only purchased two or three VHS tapes in my life, back in the day, and laserdiscs were just too damn expensive for twentysomething low income me...but I was ready to roll by the time DVD came along.

 

[Flashgear]

What is that billing on The Jimmy Stewart Show supposed to mean?

Ben, I think it's just a cute device, as I believe the wonderful John McGiver (and his distinctive mid-Atlantic accent) is actually in all 24 episodes.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Holy cow - that Margaret Markov was gorgeous, all right! A real California honeysuckle blond...Stewart must have liked her, too, as he brought her back two years later to play his granddaughter in the first Hawkins TV movie, "Death and the Maiden."

(Margaret Markov, of Pretty Maids All in a Row, The Arena,The Hot Box and other '70s drive-in classics, an absolute knockout!)

Speaking of Pretty Maids All in a Row (written by Gene Roddenberry!)...here's a fun promo still from that very strange black comedy...Ms. Markov on the far left, along with the goddess Isis herself, JoAnna Cameron (third from right):

 

[Flashgear]

hose screencaps look great, Randall - crisp and colorful! Looks like this set is only about $20 on Import CDs now. Will have to snag this one soon.

Holy cow - that Margaret Markov was gorgeous! A real California honeysuckle blond...Stewart must have liked her, too, as he brought her back two years later to play his granddaughter in the first Hawkins TV movie, "Death and the Maiden."

View attachment 76314

Not too mention Black Mama, White Mama, with the great Pam Grier:

A whole lot of 70s drive-in classics there, Jeff! Margaret Markov was stunning, I'll have to revisit the Hawkins pilot soon...among these choice trashy films with Margaret Markov, I well remember her as Queen Boudicca, glistening and sweaty battling Pam Grier in Roger Corman's The Arena...and to this day, I don't think I ever got over seeing Pretty Maids All in a Row as a 16 year old, having sneaked in to see that hard 'R' rated picture...my gosh, Angie Dickinson, JoAnna Cameron, Margaret Markov, Barbara Leigh, June Fairchild, etc., many of them stark raving naked...John David Carson exemplified the horny teenage everyman...and then you've got Trek's James Doohan and William Campbell (not naked of course and thank God), a goofy Keenan Wynn and a hilariously nervous Roddy McDowell... and Telly Savalas test driving his immortal Kojak persona...and Rock Hudson as the exploitative Gym teacher from hell...might not be a truly great film, but that one is memorable let me tell you...I have the WAC DVD of Pretty Maids All in a Row which is great...it's probably a candidate for a Blu upgrade once Warners gets around to it...the Corman films are all available on DVD too...

 

[MatthewA]

Roddy was really hedging his bets doing that the same year as the G-rated Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I had no idea that movie was even a thing or that Gene Roddenberry wrote it, or even that he wrote anything that wasn't science fiction.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Roddy was really hedging his bets doing that the same year as the G-rated Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I had no idea that movie was even a thing or that Gene Roddenberry wrote it, or even that he wrote anything that wasn't science fiction.

Roddenberry started out submitting story ideas for Dragnet, was consultant for some 50s cop shows while still with the LAPD, then went writing fulltime. He wrote quite a few episodes of Have Gun, Will Travel.

Sci-Fi dominated his career after 1965, but before? Cop shows, westerns, anything but sci-fi.

 

[BobO'Link]

Roddy was really hedging his bets doing that the same year as the G-rated Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I had no idea that movie was even a thing or that Gene Roddenberry wrote it, or even that he wrote anything that wasn't science fiction.

Roddenberry started out submitting story ideas for Dragnet, was consultant for some 50s cop shows while still with the LAPD, then went writing fulltime. He wrote quite a few episodes of Have Gun, Will Travel.

Sci-Fi dominated his career after 1965, but before? Cop shows, westerns, anything but sci-fi.

Roddenberry also created and wrote a show called The Lieutenant which aired on NBC in the 63/64 season. The entire series, 29 episodes, is available on DVD (half season sets from Warner Archives).

 

[Rustifer]

I wish you lived closer Russ, I'd be glad to lend you my DVDs...I kind of admire you for being the classic TV fan that you are, but not buying the DVDs...something that this old man has sunk tens of thousands of dollars into over 35 years and 5 different home video formats...I think I need an intervention, ha, ha...

Thanks, Randall--I'm sure you would lend me some DVDs. My aversion to buying them stems not so much from a fiduciary aversion as much as it does from pure laziness. I would have to actually get up from the Lazy Boy to put the disc in the player. If God wanted me to move, he would have made me a centipede.

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

February 3rd - July 31st:

Barney Miller: "The Vandal" (Season 5, Episode 9, 1978) DVD
Barney Miller: "The Harris Incident" (Season 5, Episode 10, 1978) DVD
Barney Miller: "The Radical" (Season 5, Episode 11, 1978) DVD
Barney Miller: "Toys" (Season 5, Episode 12, 1978) DVD
Barney Miller: "The Indian" (Season 5, Episode 13, 1979) DVD
Barney Miller: "Voice Analyzer" (Season 5, Episode 14, 1979) DVD
Barney Miller: "The Spy" (Season 5, Episode 15, 1979) DVD
Barney Miller: "Wojo's Girl" (Season 5, Episode 16, 1979) DVD
Barney Miller: "Middle Age" (Season 5, Episode 17, 1979) DVD
Barney Miller: "The Counterfeiter" (Season 5, Episode 18, 1979) DVD
Barney Miller: "Open House" (Season 5, Episode 19, 1979) DVD
Barney Miller: "Identity" (Season 5, Episode 20, 1979) DVD
Barney Miller: "Computer Crime" (Season 5, Episode 21, 1979) DVD
Barney Miller: "Graveyard Shift" (Season 5, Episode 22, 1979) DVD
Barney Miller: "Jack Soo - A Retrospective" (Season 5, Episode 23, 1979) DVD

WKRP in Cincinnati: "Straight From the Heart" (Season 4, Episode 5, 1981) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "Who's on First?" (Season 4, Episode 6, 1981) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "Three Days of the Condo" (Season 4, Episode 7, 1981) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "Jennifer and the Will" (Season 4, Episode 8, 1981) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "The Consultant" (Season 4, Episode 9, 1981) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "Love, Exciting and New" (Season 4, Episode 10, 1982) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "You Can't Go Out of Town Again" (Season 4, Episode 11, 1982) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "Pills" (Season 4, Episode 12, 1982) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "Changes" (Season 4, Episode 13, 1982) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "Jennifer and Johnny's Charity" (Season 4, Episode 14, 1982) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "I'll Take Romance" (Season 4, Episode 15, 1982) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "Circumstantial Evidence" (Season 4, Episode 16, 1982) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "Fire" (Season 4, Episode 17, 1982) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "Dear Liar" (Season 4, Episode 18, 1982) DVD
WKRP in Cincinnati: "The Creation of Venus" (Season 4, Episode 19, 1982) DVD

Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "It's Supposed to Be Thicker Than Water" (Episode 8, production order, 1970) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "The Trouble With Women" (Episode 9, production order, 1970) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "Whoever Heard of a Ghost Dying?" (Episode 10, production order, 1969) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "That's How Murder Snowballs" (Episode 11, production order, 1969) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "All Work and No Pay" (Episode 12, production order, 1969) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "When the Spirit Moves You" (Episode 13, production order, 1970) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "Never Trust a Ghost" (Episode 14, production order, 1969) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "Money to Burn" (Episode 15, production order, 1970) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "The Man From Nowhere" (Episode 16, production order, 1969) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "Vendetta for a Dead Man" (Episode 17, production order, 1970) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "When Did You Start to Stop Seeing Things?" (Episode 18, production order, 1969) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "Just for the Record" (Episode 19, production order, 1969) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "Could You Recognize the Man Again?" (Episode 20, production order, 1970) Blu-ray
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased): "A Disturbing Case" (Episode 21, production order, 1969) Blu-ray

Starfleet (X-Bomber): "An Attack Beyond Tears" (Episode 8, 1980) Blu-ray (standard definition)
Starfleet (X-Bomber): "Target: The Captain" (Episode 9, 1980) Blu-ray (standard definition)
Starfleet (X-Bomber): "Galaxy Adrift" (Episode 10, 1980) Blu-ray (standard definition)
Starfleet (X-Bomber): "Farewell the Eternal Battlefield" (Episode 11, 1980) Blu-ray (standard definition)
Starfleet (X-Bomber): "Our Mortal Enemy Is Captain Carter" (Episode 12, 1980) Blu-ray (standard definition)

Columbo: "A Deadly State of Mind" (Season 4, Episode 6, 1975) DVD
Columbo: "Forgotten Lady" (Season 5, Episode 1, 1975) DVD
Columbo: "A Case of Immunity" (Season 5, Episode 2, 1975) DVD
Columbo: "Identity Crisis" (Season 5, Episode 3, 1975) DVD
Columbo: "A Matter of Honor" (Season 5, Episode 4, 1976) DVD
Columbo: "Now You See Him..." (Season 5, Episode 5, 1976) DVD
Columbo: "Last Salute to the Commodore" (Season 5, Episode 6, 1976) DVD
Columbo: "Fade in to Murder" (Season 6, Episode 1, 1976) DVD
Columbo: "Old-Fashioned Murder" (Season 6, Episode 2, 1976) DVD
Columbo: "The Bye-Bye Sky-High I.Q. Murder Case" (Season 6, Episode 3, 1977) DVD
Columbo: "Try and Catch Me" (Season 7, Episode 1, 1977) DVD
Columbo: "How to Dial a Murder" (Season 7, Episode 4, 1978) DVD
Columbo: "Murder Under Glass" (Season 7, Episode 2, 1978) DVD
Columbo: "The Conspirators" (Season 7, Episode 5, 1978) DVD

Route 66: "Shoulder the Sky, My Lad" (Season 2, Episode 21, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "Blues for a Left Foot" (Season 2, Episode 22, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "Go Read the River" (Season 2, Episode 23, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "Even Stones Have Eyes" (Season 2, Episode 24, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "Love Is a Skinny Kid" (Season 2, Episode 25, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "Kiss the Maiden All Forlorn" (Season 2, Episode 26, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "Two on the House" (Season 2, Episode 27, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "There I am - There I Always Am" (Season 2, Episode 28, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "Between Hello and Goodbye" (Season 2, Episode 29, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "A Feat of Strength" (Season 2, Episode 30, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "Hell Is Empty, All the Devils Are Here" (Season 2, Episode 31, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "From an Enchantress Fleeing" (Season 2, Episode 32, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "One Tiger to a Hill" (Season 3, Episode 1, 1962) DVD
Route 66: "Journey to Ninevah" (Season 3, Episode 2, 1962) DVD

The Quatermass Experiment: "Contact Has Been Established" (Episode 1, 1953) Streaming
The Quatermass Experiment: "Persons Reported Missing" (Episode 2, 1953) Streaming - series (surviving episodes) completed

Gumby: "The Rodeo King" (Season 2, Episode 71, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "Gumby Babysits" (Season 2, Episode 72, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "El Toro" (Season 2, Episode 73, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "Dopey Nopey" (Season 2, Episode 74, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "Dog Catchers" (Season 2, Episode 76, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "Stuck on Books" (Season 2, Episode 77, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "Bully for Gumby" (Season 2, Episode 78, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "A Bone for Nopey" (Season 2, Episode 79, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "Gabby Auntie" (Season 2, Episode 80, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "Foxy Box" (Season 2, Episode 81, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "Tail Tale" (Season 2, Episode 83, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "Motor Mania" (Season 2, Episode 84, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "Sticky Pokey" (Season 2, Episode 85, 1968) DVD
Gumby: "Point of Honor" (Season 2, Episode 86, 1968) DVD - series (classic era) completed

Jonny Quest: "The Dreadful Doll" (Episode 12, 1964) Blu-ray
Jonny Quest: "A Small Matter of Pygmies" (Episode 13, 1964) Blu-ray
Jonny Quest: "The Dragons of Ashida" (Episode 14, 1964) Blu-ray
Jonny Quest: "Turu the Terrible" (Episode 15, 1964) Blu-ray
Jonny Quest: "The Fraudulent Volcano" (Episode 16, 1964) Blu-ray
Jonny Quest: "Werewolf of the Timberland" (Episode 17, 1965) Blu-ray
Jonny Quest: "Pirates From Below" (Episode 18, 1965) Blu-ray
Jonny Quest: "Attack of the Tree People" (Episode 19, 1965) Blu-ray
Jonny Quest: "The Invisible Monster" (Episode 20, 1965) Blu-ray
Jonny Quest: "The Devil's Tower" (Episode 21, 1965) Blu-ray
Jonny Quest: "The Quetong Missile Mystery" (Episode 22, 1965) Blu-ray
Jonny Quest: "The House of the Seven Gargoyles" (Episode 23, 1965) Blu-ray
Jonny Quest: "Terror Island" (Episode 24, 1965) Blu-ray

The Outer Limits: "Cry of Silence" (Season 2, Episode 6, 1964) Blu-ray
The Outer Limits: "The Invisible Enemy" (Season 2, Episode 7, 1964) Blu-ray
The Outer Limits: "Wolf 359" (Season 2, Episode 8, 1964) Blu-ray
The Outer Limits: "I, Robot" (Season 2, Episode 9, 1964) Blu-ray
The Outer Limits: "The Inheritors, Part 1" (Season 2, Episode 10, 1964) Blu-ray
The Outer Limits: "The Inheritors, Part 2" (Season 2, Episode 11, 1964) Blu-ray
The Outer Limits: "Keeper of the Purple Twilight" (Season 2, Episode 12, 1964) Blu-ray
The Outer Limits: "Counterweight" (Season 2, Episode 13, 1964) Blu-ray
The Outer Limits: "The Brain of Colonel Barham" (Season 2, Episode 14, 1965) Blu-ray
The Outer Limits: "The Premonition" (Season 2, Episode 15, 1965) Blu-ray
The Outer Limits: "The Probe" (Season 2, Episode 16, 1965) Blu-ray - series completed

The Fugitive: "Three Cheers for Little Boy Blue" (Season 3, Episode 6, 1965) DVD
The Fugitive: "All the Scared Rabbits" (Season 3, Episode 7, 1965) DVD
The Fugitive: "An Apple a Day" (Season 3, Episode 8, 1965) DVD
The Fugitive: "Landscape With Running Figures, Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 9, 1965) DVD
The Fugitive: "Landscape With Running Figures, Part 2" (Season 3, Episode 10, 1965) DVD
The Fugitive: "Set Fire to a Straw Man" (Season 3, Episode 11, 1965) DVD
The Fugitive: "Stranger in the Mirror" (Season 3, Episode 12, 1965) DVD
The Fugitive: "End of the Line" (Season 3, Episode 13, 1965) DVD
The Fugitive: "When the Wind Blows" (Season 3, Episode 14, 1965) DVD
The Fugitive: "Not With a Whimper" (Season 3, Episode 15, 1966) DVD
The Fugitive: "Wife Killer" (Season 3, Episode 16, 1966) DVD
The Fugitive: "This'll Kill You" (Season 3, Episode 17, 1966) DVD
The Fugitive: "Echo of a Nightmare" (Season 3, Episode 18, 1966) DVD
The Fugitive: "Stroke of Genius" (Season 3, Episode 19, 1966) DVD
The Fugitive: "Shadow of the Swan" (Season 3, Episode 20, 1966) DVD
The Fugitive: "Running Scared" (Season 3, Episode 21, 1966) DVD
The Fugitive: "The Chinese Sunset" (Season 3, Episode 22, 1966) DVD
The Fugitive: "Ill Wind" (Season 3, Episode 23, 1966) DVD
The Fugitive: "With Strings Attached" (Season 3, Episode 24, 1966) DVD
The Fugitive: "The White Knight" (Season 3, Episode 25, 1966) DVD

Gunsmoke: "Romeo" (Season 3, Episode 9, 1957) DVD
Gunsmoke: "Never Pester Chester" (Season 3, Episode 10, 1957) DVD
Gunsmoke: "Fingered" (Season 3, Episode 11, 1957) DVD
Gunsmoke: "How to Kill a Woman" (Season 3, Episode 12, 1957) DVD
Gunsmoke: "Cows and Cribs" (Season 3, Episode 13, 1957) DVD
Gunsmoke: "Doc's Reward" (Season 3, Episode 14, 1957) DVD
Gunsmoke: "Kitty Lost" (Season 3, Episode 15, 1957) DVD
Gunsmoke: "Twelfth Night" (Season 3, Episode 16, 1957) DVD
Gunsmoke: "Joe Phy" (Season 3, Episode 17, 1958) DVD
Gunsmoke: "Buffalo Man" (Season 3, Episode 18, 1958) DVD
Gunsmoke: "Kitty Caught" (Season 3, Episode 19, 1958) DVD
Gunsmoke: "Claustrophobia" (Season 3, Episode 20, 1958) DVD
Gunsmoke: "Ma Tennis" (Season 3, Episode 21, 1958) DVD
Gunsmoke: "Sunday Supplement" (Season 3, Episode 22, 1958) DVD

Batman: "The Enchanting Dr. Cassandra" (Season 3, Episode 25, 1968) DVD
Batman: "Miverva, Mayhem and Millionaires" (Season 3, Episode 26, 1968) DVD - series completed

Science Fiction Theatre: "Sound That Kills" (Season 2, Episode 39, 1957)
Science Fiction Theatre: "Survival in Box Canyon" (Season 2, Episode 24, 1956)
Science Fiction Theatre: "The Voice" (Season 2, Episode 25, 1956)
Science Fiction Theatre: "Three Minute Mile" (Season 2, Episode 26, 1956)

In Search of... : "Cryogenics" (Season 3, Episode 6, 1978) DVD
In Search of... : "Siberian Fireball" (Season 3, Episode 7, 1978) DVD
In Search of... : "The Great Lakes Triangle" (Season 3, Episode 8, 1978) DVD
In Search of... : "Monster Hunters" (Season 3, Episode 9, 1978) DVD

Longstreet: "I See, Said the Blind Man" (Episode 10, 1971) DVD
Longstreet: "This Little Piggy Went to Marquette" (Episode 11, 1971) DVD
Longstreet: "There Was a Crooked Man" (Episode 12, 1971) DVD
Longstreet: "The Old Team Spirit" (Episode 13, 1971) DVD
Longstreet: "The Long Way Home" (Episode 14, 1971) DVD
Longstreet: "Let the Memories Be Happy Ones" (Episode 15, 1972) DVD
Longstreet: "Survival Times Two" (Episode 16, 1972) DVD
Longstreet: "Eye of the Storm" (Episode 17, 1972) DVD
Longstreet: "Please Leave the Wreck for Others to Enjoy" (Episode 18, 1972) DVD
Longstreet: "Anatomy of a Mayday" (Episode 19, 1972) DVD
Longstreet: "Sad Songs and Other Conversations" (Episode 20, 1972) DVD
Longstreet: "Field of Honor" (Episode 21, 1972) DVD
Longstreet: "Through Shattering Glass" (Episode 22, 1972) DVD
Longstreet: "The Sound of Money Talking" (Episode 23, 1972) DVD - series completed

Hawaii Five-0: "Little Girl Blue" (Season 5, Episode 20, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "Percentage" (Season 5, Episode 21, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "Engaged to Be Buried" (Season 5, Episode 22, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "The Diamond That Nobody Stole" (Season 5, Episode 23, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "Jury of One" (Season 5, Episode 24, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "Hookman" (Season 6, Episode 1, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "Draw Me a Killer" (Season 6, Episode 2, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "Charter for Death" (Season 6, Episode 3, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "One Big Happy Family" (Season 6, Episode 4, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "The Sunday Torch" (Season 6, Episode 5, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "Murder Is a Taxing Affair" (Season 6, Episode 6, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "Tricks Are Not Treats" (Season 6, Episode 7, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "Why Wait Till Uncle Kevin Dies?" (Season 6, Episode 8, 1973) DVD
Hawaii Five-0: "Flash of Color, Flash of Death" (Season 6, Episode 9, 1973) DVD

Rawhide: "Corporal Dasovik" (Season 7, Episode 10, 1964) DVD
Rawhide: "The Photographer" (Season 7, Episode 11, 1964) DVD
Rawhide: "No Dogs or Drovers" (Season 7, Episode 12, 1964) DVD
Rawhide: "The Meeting" (Season 7, Episode 13, 1965) DVD
Rawhide: "The Book" (Season 7, Episode 14, 1965) DVD
Rawhide: "Josh" (Season 7, Episode 15, 1965) DVD
Rawhide: "A Time for Waiting" (Season 7, Episode 16, 1965) DVD
Rawhide: "Moment in the Sun" (Season 7, Episode 17, 1965) DVD
Rawhide: "Texas Fever" (Season 7, Episode 18, 1965) DVD
Rawhide: "Blood Harvest" (Season 7, Episode 19, 1965) DVD
Rawhide: "The Violent Land" (Season 7, Episode 20, 1965) DVD
Rawhide: "The Winter Soldier" (Season 7, Episode 21, 1965) DVD
Rawhide: "Prairie Fire" (Season 7, Episode 22, 1965) DVD
Rawhide: "Retreat" (Season 7, Episode 23, 1965) DVD

The Goodies: "Pollution" (Season 2, Episode 3, 1971) R2 import DVD
The Goodies: "Lost Tribe" (Season 2, Episode 4, 1971) R2 import DVD
The Goodies: "Music Lovers" (Season 2, Episode 5, 1971) R2 import DVD
The Goodies: "Culture for the Masses" (Season 2, Episode 6, 1971) R2 import DVD

Johnny Staccato: "The Naked Truth" (Episode 1, 1959) DVD
Johnny Staccato: "Murder for Credit" (Episode 2, 1959) DVD
Johnny Staccato: "The Parents" (Episode 3, 1959) DVD
Johnny Staccato: "The Shop of the Four Winds" (Episode 4, 1959) DVD
Johnny Staccato: "Nature of the Night" (Episode 5, 1959) DVD
Johnny Staccato: "Viva, Paco!" (Episode 6, 1959) DVD
Johnny Staccato: "Evil" (Episode 7, 1959) DVD
Johnny Staccato: "Murder in Hi Fi" (Episode 8, 1959) DVD
Johnny Staccato: "Fly, Baby, Fly!" (Episode 9, 1959) DVD
Johnny Staccato: "Tempted" (Episode 10, 1959) DVD
Johnny Staccato: "The Poet's Touch" (Episode 11, 1959) DVD
Johnny Staccato: "The Wild Reed" (Episode 12, 1959) DVD

The Wild, Wild West: "The Night of the Vicious Valentine" (Season 2, Episode 20, 1967) DVD

Thriller: "Waxworks" (Season 2, Episode 16, 1962) DVD

SCTV: "The Godfather" (Season 4, Episode 15, 1981) DVD

Dark Shadows: "Episode #716" (1969) DVD

Star Trek: "The Way to Eden" (Season 3, Episode 20, 1969) DVD

The Lorax (1972, animated TV special) Streaming


--Also watched:

Better Call Saul: Season 5 - DVR

Ray Donovan: Season 7 - DVD

 

[The Obsolete Man]

As I make it further through Head of the Class, I notice that the show kinda jumped the shark with season 4.

I was wondering why, then I thought to check out the writing credits... major writing room overhaul with season 4. Problem explained. There was some intangible there for the first three seasons that wasn't there with S4.

Though I am looking forward to season 5. I love what I like to call "trainwreck seasons", where there's some major change for the final year of a show that almost certainly spells doom. Laverne and No Shirley. Welcome Back, Kotter-less. Doggett and Reyes on The X-Files. Sliders with Remy as the only original castmember left. The Drew Carey Show once they were locked in after season 7, Kate left, and ABC no longer cared about airing the show. I get the feeling Superstore has one of these coming up once America Ferrera leaves. And, as much as I like Billy Connolly, well... losing and/or replacing the lead of a show almost certainly leads to a trainwreck final season. But, after season 4, well, it might make for some interesting new stuff. I don't remember, I was 7 when I last watched this.

Oh, and the use of music has increased as the seasons went on, further explaining why the DVDs took an extra 15 years to show up.

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Commentary
Highway Patrol
"Dead Hunter" (S3E10)

In 1957, you knew you could travel the nation's highways safely because Patrol Chief Dan Matthews (Broderick Crawford) was on the job. And who could blame the man that after hours of patrolling those hot blacktop roads--the Chief would carry a flask of gin in one pocket and bourbon in the other. After all, one could never be sure, say on a Thursday, whether it was a gin or a bourbon day. It just sorts itself out. Besides, Matthews was always a bit sharper with a good buzz going.

As the narrator explains in a deadly serious drone, the core role of the Highway Patrol is to investigate accidents and crime. Secondarily, it must supply enough officers to assist wedging Chief Matthews out of his Dodge black-and-white at the scene of the event.

In this episode, two business partners meet up in a hunting cabin in the woods. Tom Corbin (Pierre Watkin) accuses Bill Foster (Joe Haworth) of defrauding the company. Corbin threatens not only to blow the whistle on Foster, but also suspend his office break room privileges. Unfortunately, Corbin hasn't had the presence of mind to tell anyone else yet, thus opening himself up to peril. Did I mention the hunting cabin? And what does one find in hunting cabins? Why, hunting rifles, of course. Foster takes advantage of this and blows a big hole in Corbin to permanently shut him up. Foster calls it in and reports it as a hunting accident. Initially, Matthews doesn't seem to question why Foster was out hunting in a dress suit, as if only the woods stood between him and attending church services. But certain facts start to pile up, pointing suspicion at Foster. Matthew's bulbous, vein-lined nose begins to smell something fishy, and it's not just his undershirt.

Matthews orders up a Big Mac delivery; Practicing police brutality on an unsuspecting motorist; End of day, job well done.

Corbin's daughter Phyllis (Louise Smith) not only fills out her blouse nicely, but also fills in Matthews on some daunting details of Foster and Corbin's relationship. Motive, means and opportunity. The holy trinity of police work. Her testimony rips apart Foster's declaration that shooting Corbin was just a "hunting accident". As a result, Matthews must interrupt his interview with Ponch Poncherelli for a spot on the motorcycle squad to chase down Foster. This entails exciting footage of Matthew's squad car racing down the highway to confront Foster at the hunting cabin. Matthews handily disarms Foster with one of those fancy twist-the-arm-behind-the-back moves. The exertion of which puts Matthews on sick leave and a chance to catch up on some bourbon floats.

 

[BobO'Link]

As I make it further through Head of the Class, I notice that the show kinda jumped the shark with season 4.

I was wondering why, then I thought to check out the writing credits... major writing room overhaul with season 4. Problem explained. There was some intangible there for the first three seasons that wasn't there with S4.

Though I am looking forward to season 5. I love what I like to call "trainwreck seasons", where there's some major change for the final year of a show that almost certainly spells doom. Laverne and No Shirley. Welcome Back, Kotter-less. Doggett and Reyes on The X-Files. Sliders with Remy as the only original castmember left. The Drew Carey Show once they were locked in after season 7, Kate left, and ABC no longer cared about airing the show. I get the feeling Superstore has one of these coming up once America Ferrera leaves. And, as much as I like Billy Connolly, well... losing and/or replacing the lead of a show almost certainly leads to a trainwreck final season. But, after season 4, well, it might make for some interesting new stuff. I don't remember, I was 7 when I last watched this.

Oh, and the use of music has increased as the seasons went on, further explaining why the DVDs took an extra 15 years to show up.

I vaguely remember that season. A really good show essentially tanked. I didn't pay attention to writing staff back then as those tankings were most often the result of network meddling. And the music really added to Head of the Class as it was pretty much what kids that age were listening to at the time.

I actually liked Kotter-less Welcome Back Kotter simply because, IMHO, Gabe Kaplan was the weakest cast member. Laverne & Shirley jumped-the-shark when they moved to CA in S6. Sliders did in S3 when they killed Prof. Arturo and Maggie joined the cast (nice eye candy but otherwise rather blah) going even further down the rabbit hole with the "Kromaggs." It didn't help that all 3 of the shows creators and original show runners left after that season - all due to Fox's meddling. I've only seen the 1st season of X-Files. And, yep, once Kate left there was little point left in The Drew Carey Show as it went pretty much into auto-pilot mode.

 

[BobO'Link]

Episode Commentary
Highway Patrol
"Dead Hunter" (S3E10)

In 1957, you knew you could travel the nation's highways safely because Patrol Chief Dan Matthews (Broderick Crawford) was on the job. And who could blame the man that after hours of patrolling those hot blacktop roads--the Chief would carry a flask of gin in one pocket and bourbon in the other. After all, one could never be sure, say on a Thursday, whether it was a gin or a bourbon day. It just sorts itself out. Besides, Matthews was always a bit sharper with a good buzz going.

As the narrator explains in a deadly serious drone, the core role of the Highway Patrol is to investigate accidents and crime. Secondarily, it must supply enough officers to assist wedging Chief Matthews out of his Dodge black-and-white at the scene of the event.

In this episode, two business partners meet up in a hunting cabin in the woods. Tom Corbin (Pierre Watkin) accuses Bill Foster (Joe Haworth) of defrauding the company. Corbin threatens not only to blow the whistle on Foster, but also suspend his office break room privileges. Unfortunately, Corbin hasn't had the presence of mind to tell anyone else yet, thus opening himself up to peril. Did I mention the hunting cabin? And what does one find in hunting cabins? Why, hunting rifles, of course. Foster takes advantage of this and blows a big hole in Corbin to permanently shut him up. Foster calls it in and reports it as a hunting accident. Initially, Matthews doesn't seem to question why Foster was out hunting in a dress suit, as if only the woods stood between him and attending church services. But certain facts start to pile up, pointing suspicion at Foster. Matthew's bulbous, vein-lined nose begins to smell something fishy, and it's not just his undershirt.

View attachment 76397 View attachment 76398 View attachment 76399 View attachment 76400
Matthews orders up a Big Mac delivery; Practicing police brutality on an unsuspecting motorist; End of day, job well done.

Corbin's daughter Phyllis (Louise Smith) not only fills out her blouse nicely, but also fills in Matthews on some daunting details of Foster and Corbin's relationship. Motive, means and opportunity. The holy trinity of police work. Her testimony rips apart Foster's declaration that shooting Corbin was just a "hunting accident". As a result, Matthews must interrupt his interview with Ponch Poncherelli for a spot on the motorcycle squad to chase down Foster. This entails exciting footage of Matthew's squad car racing down the highway to confront Foster at the hunting cabin. Matthews handily disarms Foster with one of those fancy twist-the-arm-behind-the-back moves. The exertion of which puts Matthews on sick leave and a chance to catch up on some bourbon floats.

OK... The "Big Mac" sandwich wasn't introduced until 1967. It is essentially a rip off of the Big Boy sandwich, which was introduced at Bob Wian's "Bob's Pantry" (later to become the Bob's Big Boy franchise) restaurant in 1937. So... he's likely calling the local Big Boy franchise for a "Big Boy" and fries.

And a bourbon float sounds absolutely nasty (I don't like whiskey no matter what you call it so...).