What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (11 Viewers)

[Flashgear]

I just wanted to add my 2 cents to the dialogue about The Honeymooners production values being cheap...in my opinion, only in the 4:3 frame of our TV sets...as they were produced onstage in an opulent Broadway theatre, the Adelphi (later the George Abbott theatre) on W. 54th St., live in front of over a thousand audience members for each of the production of the "classic 39" episodes...at the time, one of the hottest matinee tickets of the 1955-56 season on Broadway...

I second that emotion as to Audrey Meadows being a real hottie...I love the photo that Jeff posted, and I like these ones too...

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Commentary
The Brady Bunch
"Greg's Triangle" (S4E11)

On the other end of the spectrum to my Honeymooners' dreary description lies the Brady Bunch. Not Brady Family or Brady Clan--but Bunch: A gaggle of half-siblings brought together by a June Cleaver-type mom and a Dean Jones sort of dad. All co-habitating in a split level suburban home kept pristine by a live-in maid. Surprisingly, I can relate to a certain extent. My dad remarried and I gained, besides my brother and sister, an additional two half-brothers. Any further comparison to the Brady scenario abruptly ends there. Our mashup family did not live happily ever after. But that's a story for my therapist.

Greg Brady (Barry Williams) has a dilemma. He finally meets a hot girl who may necessitate the need for a kleenex box in the back seat of the family sedan--but whose motives to win over him are highly suspicious. Jennifer (Tannis Montgomery) is a blonde-haired cutie with a fondness for wearing sweaters two sizes too small. This accentuates...um..certain aspects of her torso that doesn't go unnoticed by Greg. She seemingly finds everything just fascinating about him, who actually has the personality of a cardboard box.

Greg wakes to one of THOSE dreams; Marcia begins to reveal her secret weapon; Greg and Jennifer occasionally attend class in bathing suits for no apparent reason

The trouble arises when Jennifer competes against Marcia Brady (Maureen McCormick) for the head cheerleader spot. Greg holds the winning vote as chairman of the judging panel. He must decide between Sis and zipper-busting Jennifer. Mullet-haired mom (Florence Henderson*) invites Jennifer to the house to scope out the sly vixen's intentions. She quickly realizes that Jennifer has misinterpreted the term "head" cheerleader. Meanwhile, Marcia works overtime on perfecting her rah-rah routine by leaping and jumping like a monkey on a string in the Brady's astro-turfed back yard. Greg, never quite the brightest gauge in the dashboard, doesn't yet realize he's being used by his girlfriend like the complete tool he is. Marcia is incensed all the way down to her saddle shoes at Jennifer's manipulative gestures.

The judgement day finally arrives and each of the contestants must display their leaping and twisting skills to a panel of all-male student judges. The high school's diversity quotient is obviously on the low end of the scale. Fiercely competitive, neither Jennifer nor Marcia are above going commando under their skirts to catch the judges' hungry eyes. In the end, Greg pulls through by breaking the tie between Marcia and Jennifer and voting in favor for one of the other pretty contestants.

It goes to show it doesn't matter how fair is the contest, but rather how well one shakes their pom poms.

* In an earlier post, I recounted my adventure of driving Florence Henderson to a photo shoot, only to be soundly cursed at by her. Mrs. Brady had the mouth of a drunken merchant seaman.

 

[ScottRE]

Thanks to the Bewitched / Jeannie Rewatch thread, I started going back over some old episodes as I transfer my DVDs to MKV files for easy access.

First up: Anybody Here Seen Jeannie? (10-30-1965)

Tony is preparing to head a three-man mission into orbit, aiming to be the first American to walk in space. Jeannie doesn't want him to go, fearing for his safety, so she hides in Tony's uniform pocket as Dr. Bellows gives him an examination. She screws around with every test, putting Tony's fitness in jeopardy. Tony is mad as hell of Jeannie's meddling, so Jeannie returns to the base at night while Dr. Bellows is typing up Nelson's fitness report. She makes Bellows doubt his own sanity and allows Tony to go on his mission.

This very early episode is the first since the pilot to put Tony on a mission into space. It revolves heavily around Dr, Bellows and, frankly, Heyden Roarke is the main draw here. His comic timing and dumbfounded delivery over very weird event provides ample laughs. The episode itslef is sloppy and has some confusing story turns, as if a good chunk of the episode was dropped in the final editing. Jeannie asks Tony if he will take her back at the end, but at no time did he kick her to the curb. Also, a lot of the screwy things she made Tony do during the tests should have helped not hindered (for example, having Tony's heartbeat remain slow after making him run faster than Steve Austin). And as soon as Bellows heard jazz music instead of a heartbeat, the good doctor should have doubted his own ears rather than Tony's heart.

Headed over to celebrate Star Trek Day:

The Man Trap (9-8-1966)

Star Trek's premiere, one week earlier than advertised to get a jump on the audience for the year. Sadly, the ratings for that week didn't count since it was before the official start of the 1966-67 season. In the long run, it wouldn't have helped. Star Trek lost viewers as the hour went on, a loss that didn't stop until it was cancelled. Clearly, the audience wasn't quite ready for it.

Anyway, every year, I watch this episode recorded from the laserdisc and with period NBC commercials edited in. It's not accurate, but close enough to get a feel of what the Network premiere would be like.

From Wikipedia:

The USS Enterprise arrives at planet M-113 to provide supplies and medical exams for the only known inhabitants of the planet, Professor Robert Crater (Alfred Ryder) and his wife Nancy (Jeanne Bal), who operate an archaeological research station there. Captain Kirk, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Leonard McCoy, and Crewman Darnell (Michael Zaslow) transport to the surface as Kirk teases McCoy about his affection for Nancy ten years earlier. They arrive in the research station, and each of the three men sees Nancy differently: McCoy as she was when he first met her, Kirk as she should look accounting for her age, and Darnell as an attractive blonde woman whom he met on a pleasure planet. When Nancy goes out to fetch her husband, she beckons Darnell to follow her.

Professor Crater is reluctant to be examined, telling Kirk that they only require salt tablets. Before McCoy can complete the examination, they hear a scream from outside. They find Darnell dead, with red ring-like mottling on his face, a plant root in his mouth, and Nancy standing over him saying she was unable to stop Darnell from tasting the plant. On board Enterprise, Spock analyzes the plant. He confirms that it is poisonous, but that mottling is not a symptom. McCoy conducts a medical exam and, together with Spock, determines that all the salt was drained from Darnell's body. In response, Kirk transports back down to the planet with McCoy and two crewmen, Green (Bruce Watson) and Sturgeon (John Arndt). Kirk tells Professor Crater that he and his wife should stay aboard the Enterprise until they find out what killed Darnell. Crater then runs off trying to find Nancy. Nancy kills both Sturgeon and Green; their faces show the same mottling as Darnell. Nancy assumes the form of Green, and meets Kirk and McCoy. They beam back up to the ship with Sturgeon's body.

"Green" roams the corridors, stalking several crew members, killing one. It shape-shifts into the form of McCoy after confirming that the real McCoy has taken a sedative to sleep. Meanwhile, Spock confirms that scans show only one person, Crater, on the planet; Kirk and Spock beam down to capture him. They find Green's body before Crater tries to frighten them away with phaser fire. After they stun him with a phaser beam, the dazed Crater reveals that the real Nancy was killed by the creature – the last member of a long-dead civilization of shape-shifters who feed on salt – a year earlier. The creature continued to take on the appearance of Nancy out of affection for Crater, and he has been feeding it. Kirk informs Enterprise of the creature's intrusion, as the landing party and Crater transport back to the ship.

Crater refuses to help them identify the creature, so Kirk orders the fake "McCoy" to administer truth serum. Kirk arrives in sickbay to find Crater dead and Spock injured; Spock's Vulcan blood made him incompatible with the creature's needs. Back in its "Nancy" form, the creature goes to McCoy's quarters. Kirk arrives with a phaser to provoke the creature into attacking. McCoy gets in the way, giving the creature the opportunity to attack Kirk. The creature reverts to its natural appearance and starts to feed on Kirk. McCoy opens fire with his phaser. The creature changes back into the shape of "Nancy" to plead for its life as McCoy continues firing and kills it. As Enterprise leaves orbit, Kirk comments, with a degree of compassion, that this creature – the last of its kind – was probably not inherently evil, but simply desperate.

Not a fan favorite unless you're me. I love everything about this oddball episode. Its focus on McCoy and with strong screen time for the supporting cast add strength to a sober and humorless storyline. This was the word's first exposure to Star Trek and they must have thought Rand, Uhura and Sulu were going to figure more than they did. The music is very eerie and dry, which adds to the alien-ness of the episode. The creature isn't your Irwin Allen style monster, but an Outer Limits type pathetic creature. It's played as an animal rather than a monster.

William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy are excellent - very serious, though, exceptionally stern. Kirk has a few slender moments of levity, but for the most part he's all business. De Kelley really shies. It;s his episode and he is really just excellent as McCoy. Nervous, then smitten, chastened then businesslike. Finally as the alien he is fidgety and remote.

The climax is insane. Kirk barges into McCoy's cabin (alone) with salt and a phaser. McCoy (who doesn't know his ex is the alien) tries to grab the phaser. The creature gets the salt and hypnotizes Kirk. Spock comes in and tries to get the phase from McCoy but can't get it out of his hand (!!!). So Spock clamps his fists together and whales "Nancy" across the face repeatedly, shouting "this is not Nancy! If it were Nancy could she take this?!" Spock just keeps on going until the creature sails him across the room with one blow. Finally the creature assumes its natural form (which is CREEPY) and Shatner starts screaming. Finally, McCoy fires. We're not done...the creature becomes Nancy one last time and pleads for McCoy to stop, but he shots her dead.

This isn't - exactly - the Star Trek most people think of. But it's so early, the weirdness makes this a strange but effectively enjoyable outing. Although, I get why most fans aren't crazy about it and I totally understand why critics preferred The Time Tunnel.

 

[BobO'Link]

Thanks to the Bewitched / Jeannie Rewatch thread, I started going back over some old episodes as I transfer my DVDs to MKV files for easy access.

First up: Anybody Here Seen Jeannie? (10-30-1965)

Tony is preparing to head a three-man mission into orbit, aiming to be the first American to walk in space. Jeannie doesn't want him to go, fearing for his safety, so she hides in Tony's uniform pocket as Dr. Bellows gives him an examination. She screws around with every test, putting Tony's fitness in jeopardy. Tony is mad as hell of Jeannie's meddling, so Jeannie returns to the base at night while Dr. Bellows is typing up Nelson's fitness report. She makes Bellows doubt his own sanity and allows Tony to go on his mission.

This very early episode is the first since the pilot to put Tony on a mission into space. It revolves heavily around Dr, Bellows and, frankly, Heyden Roarke is the main draw here. His comic timing and dumbfounded delivery over very weird event provides ample laughs. The episode itslef is sloppy and has some confusing story turns, as if a good chunk of the episode was dropped in the final editing. Jeannie asks Tony if he will take her back at the end, but at no time did he kick her to the curb. Also, a lot of the screwy things she made Tony do during the tests should have helped not hindered (for example, having Tony's heartbeat remain slow after making him run faster than Steve Austin). And as soon as Bellows heard jazz music instead of a heartbeat, the good doctor should have doubted his own ears rather than Tony's heart.

Headed over to celebrate Star Trek Day:

The Man Trap (9-8-1966)

Star Trek's premiere, one week earlier than advertised to get a jump on the audience for the year. Sadly, the ratings for that week didn't count since it was before the official start of the 1966-67 season. In the long run, it wouldn't have helped. Star Trek lost viewers as the hour went on, a loss that didn't stop until it was cancelled. Clearly, the audience wasn't quite ready for it.

Anyway, every year, I watch this episode recorded from the laserdisc and with period NBC commercials edited in. It's not accurate, but close enough to get a feel of what the Network premiere would be like.

From Wikipedia:

The USS Enterprise arrives at planet M-113 to provide supplies and medical exams for the only known inhabitants of the planet, Professor Robert Crater (Alfred Ryder) and his wife Nancy (Jeanne Bal), who operate an archaeological research station there. Captain Kirk, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Leonard McCoy, and Crewman Darnell (Michael Zaslow) transport to the surface as Kirk teases McCoy about his affection for Nancy ten years earlier. They arrive in the research station, and each of the three men sees Nancy differently: McCoy as she was when he first met her, Kirk as she should look accounting for her age, and Darnell as an attractive blonde woman whom he met on a pleasure planet. When Nancy goes out to fetch her husband, she beckons Darnell to follow her.

Professor Crater is reluctant to be examined, telling Kirk that they only require salt tablets. Before McCoy can complete the examination, they hear a scream from outside. They find Darnell dead, with red ring-like mottling on his face, a plant root in his mouth, and Nancy standing over him saying she was unable to stop Darnell from tasting the plant. On board Enterprise, Spock analyzes the plant. He confirms that it is poisonous, but that mottling is not a symptom. McCoy conducts a medical exam and, together with Spock, determines that all the salt was drained from Darnell's body. In response, Kirk transports back down to the planet with McCoy and two crewmen, Green (Bruce Watson) and Sturgeon (John Arndt). Kirk tells Professor Crater that he and his wife should stay aboard the Enterprise until they find out what killed Darnell. Crater then runs off trying to find Nancy. Nancy kills both Sturgeon and Green; their faces show the same mottling as Darnell. Nancy assumes the form of Green, and meets Kirk and McCoy. They beam back up to the ship with Sturgeon's body.

"Green" roams the corridors, stalking several crew members, killing one. It shape-shifts into the form of McCoy after confirming that the real McCoy has taken a sedative to sleep. Meanwhile, Spock confirms that scans show only one person, Crater, on the planet; Kirk and Spock beam down to capture him. They find Green's body before Crater tries to frighten them away with phaser fire. After they stun him with a phaser beam, the dazed Crater reveals that the real Nancy was killed by the creature – the last member of a long-dead civilization of shape-shifters who feed on salt – a year earlier. The creature continued to take on the appearance of Nancy out of affection for Crater, and he has been feeding it. Kirk informs Enterprise of the creature's intrusion, as the landing party and Crater transport back to the ship.

Crater refuses to help them identify the creature, so Kirk orders the fake "McCoy" to administer truth serum. Kirk arrives in sickbay to find Crater dead and Spock injured; Spock's Vulcan blood made him incompatible with the creature's needs. Back in its "Nancy" form, the creature goes to McCoy's quarters. Kirk arrives with a phaser to provoke the creature into attacking. McCoy gets in the way, giving the creature the opportunity to attack Kirk. The creature reverts to its natural appearance and starts to feed on Kirk. McCoy opens fire with his phaser. The creature changes back into the shape of "Nancy" to plead for its life as McCoy continues firing and kills it. As Enterprise leaves orbit, Kirk comments, with a degree of compassion, that this creature – the last of its kind – was probably not inherently evil, but simply desperate.

Not a fan favorite unless you're me. I love everything about this oddball episode. Its focus on McCoy and with strong screen time for the supporting cast add strength to a sober and humorless storyline. This was the word's first exposure to Star Trek and they must have thought Rand, Uhura and Sulu were going to figure more than they did. The music is very eerie and dry, which adds to the alien-ness of the episode. The creature isn't your Irwin Allen style monster, but an Outer Limits type pathetic creature. It's played as an animal rather than a monster.

William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy are excellent - very serious, though, exceptionally stern. Kirk has a few slender moments of levity, but for the most part he's all business. De Kelley really shies. It;s his episode and he is really just excellent as McCoy. Nervous, then smitten, chastened then businesslike. Finally as the alien he is fidgety and remote.

The climax is insane. Kirk barges into McCoy's cabin (alone) with salt and a phaser. McCoy (who doesn't know his ex is the alien) tries to grab the phaser. The creature gets the salt and hypnotizes Kirk. Spock comes in and tries to get the phase from McCoy but can't get it out of his hand (!!!). So Spock clamps his fists together and whales "Nancy" across the face repeatedly, shouting "this is not Nancy! If it were Nancy could she take this?!" Spock just keeps on going until the creature sails him across the room with one blow. Finally the creature assumes its natural form (which is CREEPY) and Shatner starts screaming. Finally, McCoy fires. We're not done...the creature becomes Nancy one last time and pleads for McCoy to stop, but he shots her dead.

This isn't - exactly - the Star Trek most people think of. But it's so early, the weirdness makes this a strange but effectively enjoyable outing. Although, I get why most fans aren't crazy about it and I totally understand why critics preferred The Time Tunnel.

I, too, watched "The Man Trap" last night. I've always thought it was a fairly good start to the series. While not strictly "outer space" based it showcases all the main characters while injecting some really good SF/Horror into the happenings. I like it much better than the following week's "Charlie X" which I've always felt borrowed too heavily from The Twilight Zone's "It's a Good Life."

 

[Rustifer]

I also got a little upset with a moderator on the board that I feel is not so moderate.

Oh do tell, Marv!
I don't even know what a moderator does. Moderates what?
I've never been contacted, admonished or praised by any moderator in here. I don't even think one has ever responded to any of the nearly 2,000 things I've posted. Maybe my anonymity is a good thing.
They must hang out mostly on their own favorite threads.

 

[Mysto]

Oh do tell, Marv!
I don't even know what a moderator does. Moderates what?
I've never been contacted, admonished or praised by any moderator in here. I don't even think one has ever responded to any of the nearly 2,000 things I've posted. Maybe my anonymity is a good thing.
They must hang out mostly on their own favorite threads.

Sorry Russ. I have no desire to get in a pissing contest with a moderator or anyone else for that matter. We'll just let it go.
I have just lost some of that warm fuzzy feeling I used to have around here - but I still have some good forum friends.

 

[Rustifer]

Sorry Russ. I have no desire to get in a pissing contest with a moderator or anyone else for that matter. We'll just let it go.
I have just lost some of that warm fuzzy feeling I used to have around here - but I still have some good forum friends.

Stay with us, Marv. We miss you.

 

[GMBurns]

One more Avengers episode in honor of Diana Rigg's death: The Gravediggers. All of England is about to be taken over by a nefarious plan to bury radar-jamming devices in cemetery plots. But as long as John Steed and Emma Peel are on the case, the Empire will be saved. Rigg and Macnee always bring out the best in each other as actors. Their charm practically leaps off my tv set as they wink and nod their way through evil.

Before Ms. Rigg's death this week it had been a few years since I had watched an Emma Peel episode, as I am gradually working my way through the Cathy Gale episodes. But I have reminded again how entertaining the Diana Rigg seasons are. Some of the best television of all time.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Before Ms. Rigg's death this week it had been a few years since I had watched an Emma Peel episode, as I am gradually working my way through the Cathy Gale episodes. But I have reminded again how entertaining the Diana Rigg seasons are. Some of the best television of all time.

I also was compelled to give a Mrs. Peel Avengers episode a spin, Glenn! I dusted off my Lionsgate Season 5 Blu-Ray set and watched "Death's Door." Not an episode I had seen before, and it proved to be a very good one, highly entertaining, with Steed and Mrs. Peel working in tandem to find out who is trying to sabotage an important political conference. Lots of trippy dream imagery in this one, as the baddies go to extreme lengths to implant nightmare fuel in the minds of a British delegate and his successor, then carry out a series of events to convince them that their dreams are becoming reality. Macnee and Ms. Rigg's dialogue sparkles, there's a better-than-average fight scene at the climax, and everything is just effortlessly stylish, colorful and cool.

R.I.P. Dame Diana, you were an irreplaceable screen presence.

 

[ian McLachlan]

I have been watching and greatly enjoying The Professionals a series created by Brian Clemens. It is now available on bluray from Network and looks stunning!

 

[bmasters9]

R.I.P. Dame Diana, you were an irreplaceable screen presence.

So indeed-- she and Sir Pat MacNee did television (and especially British television) a solid by having Peel and Steed be "needed."

 

[JohnHopper]

_____________________________________________​

Hold it right there! I just finished off the sixth disc of Gunsmoke season 20!​

My exploration of the series is over …​

​

 

[bmasters9]

_____________________________________________​

Hold it right there! I just finished off the sixth disc of Gunsmoke season 20!​

My exploration of the series is over …​

​

View attachment 78392​

I take it it was an incredibly magical journey.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

_____________________________________________​

Hold it right there! I just finished off the sixth disc of Gunsmoke season 20!​

My exploration of the series is over …​

​

View attachment 78392​

Congratulations, John! What's next on the agenda?

 

[JohnHopper]

Congratulations, John! What's next on the agenda?

I covered the complete second era of the series: the Mantley's years.​

I will take a look at the first year with Festus which is the end of the series' first era.​

 

[Jeff Flugel]

I covered the complete second era of the series: the Mantley's years.​

I will take a look at the first year with Festus which is the end of the series' first era.​

No love for Dennis Weaver's Chester? Those early 30 minute black-and-white episodes of Gunsmoke are very good.

 

[JohnHopper]

No love for Dennis Weaver's Chester? Those early 30 minute black-and-white episodes of Gunsmoke are very good.

To tell you the truth and back in 2007 and during the DVD release, I tried to watch the first season of Gunsmoke but it didn't work for me.
From what I recalled, it was the only season with producer Charles Marquis Warren.

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Commentary
Laverne & Shirley
"Playing Hooky" (S2E13)

Not one of my faves from the 70's, nonetheless I watched the series anyway because everyone else was. Yeah, call me a creature of suggestive compliance. For the same reason I watched Three's Company--a perfectly awful sitcom save for Suzanne Somers' breasts.
This was during the era when sitcoms felt their theme songs needed lyrics, no matter how inane they were.
Give us any chance we'll take it
Read us any rule we'll break it
We're going to make our dreams come true
Doing it our way...

Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) live in Wisconsin--land of beer, cheese and cardiac infarctions. Outside of France, the state is also the largest consumer of brandy in the world. I know this because I spent one miserable year living in Milwaukee--a city wishing it was Chicago but acting more like Toledo--drinking Manhattans curiously made with brandy instead of whiskey and garnished with a green olive instead of a maraschino cherry. A travesty to the art of Mixology.

The girls call in sick to their employer so as to take advantage of a sunny day--a rare thing in the dingy town of Milwaukee*. Their goal is to do "fun" stuff, even though friend Squiggy (David Lander) declares "It's Tuesday...everyone works on Tuesday!" He then tries to convince them to spend the day frying fish as a suitable "fun" activity. It doesn't fly, so he and Lenny (Michael McKean) opt to go to a strip club because "it's closed on Mondays--that's when the wash the women." Now that's a funny line.

Laverne displays the "Milwaukee Puff" hairdo; Counting up the change from a good night's street walking; Milwaukee's Thelma and Louise

The two ladies don their shortest shorts and repair to the local playground to employ their dexterity on the monkey bars and see saw. They meet a couple of guys and put on their best Pigeon Sisters act from The Odd Couple in order to attract the men. They're quickly arrested as prostitutes--which in Milwaukee can be any girl wearing a skirt and shaves her legs somewhat regularly. The misunderstanding is quickly rectified and the girls end up dating their undercover cops.

The moral: You can spend the day frying fish, but it'll end better if you're mistaken for a hooker.

*Apologies to anyone living in Milwaukee

 

[Rustifer]

R.I.P. Dame Diana, you were an irreplaceable screen presence.

And an incredibly pretty lady...
Coupled with a wit as dry as Geronimo's socks.

 

[Museum Pieces]

I finally got my THE PRISONER HD set and it has episodes from DANGER MAN in HD! Both from series 1 and series 2. Here are some screen grabs from COLONY THREE in HD, which I just watched. Magnificent

If I could get DANGER MAN in HD it would be a dream come true. These teaser episodes seem to suggest my dream may finally come true. Hopefully soon.

Be seeing you....