Purple Wig
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What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (12 Viewers)
- Thread starter Bryan^H
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Rustifer
Senior HTF Member
Episode Commentary
The Real McCoys
"Executive Wife" (S4E2)
As a kid, I didn't watch this show very often--there must have been something else on opposite that interested me more. So, catching up on a few episodes with very little understanding of the series' story arc, I say to anyone reading this commentary--Caveat Emptor.
The process of making piccalilly--or what most people refer to as 'pickle relish'--is probably not a complicated recipe. Chopped pickles, some onion, vinegar and sugar...boom! Piccalilly! Kate McCoy (Kathleen Nolan) has perfected her recipe and enters in it the State Fair's annual piccalilly contest--which draws around seven people. Hands down, she takes first prize. Husband Luke (Richard Crenna) and Grandpa (Walter Brennan) nearly faint from the suspenseful contest conclusion.
Mr. Prentiss, the head of food conglomerate Prize Foods, immediately offers Kate a contract to sell her piccalilly at 2 cents a jar, or about $200 a week. Grandpa McCoy nearly loads his Depends at the prospect of such wealth. Having come from West Virginia to California, the McCoy family most likely were paying taxes on income around $12 a week.
There's a catch to the contract--Kate will be required to travel extensively to promote the product. Never having been away from home before, Kate is hesitant. Luke, however, is just fine with his wife being gone--finally giving him a chance to mess around with those pneumatic Southern Cal gals. In no time, the McCoys start spending Kate's contract advance on such niceties as new suits, a ski-doo, a Nash Rambler and a subscription to Cosmopolitan. Grandpa soon feels poleaxed that heir largesse flows not from his doing as household head, but by Kate--a...gasp!...female!
Kate simmers some pickles; Grandpa and Luke envision counting their cash; Luke finds a pneumatic gal...
Mr. Prentiss needs Kate to show his production folks her recipe and is astounded to discover it's more complicated than the schematics of an atom bomb. As a result, the product is far too expensive for Prize Foods to manufacture en masse. The contract is cancelled, but at least Grandpa's pride is restored as the main bread winner.
Granted, I've only seen a few episodes of this show, but it strikes me as a poor man's Beverly Hillbillies--plenty of hokum without the cee-ment pond. Walter Brennan, usually a playful character in any of his jillion film appearances, just doesn't have the comedic chops beyond his iconic voice to pull off a sitcom as the lead. Nonetheless, it's a serviceable show, if mostly undistinguished.
The Real McCoys
"Executive Wife" (S4E2)
As a kid, I didn't watch this show very often--there must have been something else on opposite that interested me more. So, catching up on a few episodes with very little understanding of the series' story arc, I say to anyone reading this commentary--Caveat Emptor.
The process of making piccalilly--or what most people refer to as 'pickle relish'--is probably not a complicated recipe. Chopped pickles, some onion, vinegar and sugar...boom! Piccalilly! Kate McCoy (Kathleen Nolan) has perfected her recipe and enters in it the State Fair's annual piccalilly contest--which draws around seven people. Hands down, she takes first prize. Husband Luke (Richard Crenna) and Grandpa (Walter Brennan) nearly faint from the suspenseful contest conclusion.
Mr. Prentiss, the head of food conglomerate Prize Foods, immediately offers Kate a contract to sell her piccalilly at 2 cents a jar, or about $200 a week. Grandpa McCoy nearly loads his Depends at the prospect of such wealth. Having come from West Virginia to California, the McCoy family most likely were paying taxes on income around $12 a week.
There's a catch to the contract--Kate will be required to travel extensively to promote the product. Never having been away from home before, Kate is hesitant. Luke, however, is just fine with his wife being gone--finally giving him a chance to mess around with those pneumatic Southern Cal gals. In no time, the McCoys start spending Kate's contract advance on such niceties as new suits, a ski-doo, a Nash Rambler and a subscription to Cosmopolitan. Grandpa soon feels poleaxed that heir largesse flows not from his doing as household head, but by Kate--a...gasp!...female!
Kate simmers some pickles; Grandpa and Luke envision counting their cash; Luke finds a pneumatic gal...
Mr. Prentiss needs Kate to show his production folks her recipe and is astounded to discover it's more complicated than the schematics of an atom bomb. As a result, the product is far too expensive for Prize Foods to manufacture en masse. The contract is cancelled, but at least Grandpa's pride is restored as the main bread winner.
Granted, I've only seen a few episodes of this show, but it strikes me as a poor man's Beverly Hillbillies--plenty of hokum without the cee-ment pond. Walter Brennan, usually a playful character in any of his jillion film appearances, just doesn't have the comedic chops beyond his iconic voice to pull off a sitcom as the lead. Nonetheless, it's a serviceable show, if mostly undistinguished.
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ScottRE
Senior HTF Member
The Beverly Hillbillies came a few years later. My mom hated the Hillbillies, but liked The Real McCoy's. Go figger. They're all pretty much the same to me. I don't have much affection of any of the rural sitcoms, so I've only accidentally seen any of them.
Desslar
Supporting Actor
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- Stephen
Although this predates Hillbillies, and as I understand it was the show that launched the whole "rural" program craze.
I might watch it just to see a young Richard Crenna doing comedy. That's just as jarring as a young Leslie Nielsen doing serious drama. I'll just be sitting there imagining Rambo being on the receiving end of Crenna's dialogue.
The Real McCoys is more of a "gentle" life based (stuff that could happen) type comedy in a rural setting. The Beverly Hillbillies is a "fish out of water" comedy - mostly consisting of completely illogical and unlikely events/things for its humor. They're completely different in style and how they derive laughs. There are episodes of The Real McCoys that easily fall into the "dramady" genre.
I've been watching a smattering of classic stuff... I've binged several seasons of Mission Impossible and am currently about a third of the way through S7 (the last of the original series).
After S4 I feel the series started to go downhill with all the changes Paramount was forcing on the production. International missions were still in S5 but the emphasis was starting to be put on more US based things, focusing on organized crime. They also dropped the original open with Jim getting the mission and selecting the agents (though I've often wondered just why he had such a portfolio at home, plainly labeled with its intent, when they were so careful to destroy the mission brief materials - plus he *always* chose the same agents plus the guest-of-the-week) in favor of a true "cold open" setting up the episode with the briefing following the setup (basically you knew what the mission was going to involve before he got the packet). I really don't care for those changes, especially the new focus on organized crime. It just doesn't have the same feel going from taking down despots and fixing international issues to taking down penny-ante criminals. There are still clever set ups but they often feel very overblown to accomplish the task. And they then change the instrumentation and pacing of the theme in S7 - it's horrible! S7 also seems to have more than its fair share of currently working TV actors in guest appearances with several I was surprised to see (William Shatner has made *two* appearances already).
So... I can see myself watching the series again in the future but absolutely stopping after S4 or maybe halfway through S5. There's a reason I never intended to collect this one after S4. I'd mostly forgotten how much the series went downhill and my interest declined in those latter seasons until this viewing.
One I picked up after a long hiatus is Alfred Hitchcock Presents with S3 and am now about half way through S4. Wow! This one's just gotten better with each season. Sure the twist endings can often be seen way in advance but they're still very entertainingly done and well produced. One thing I've noticed is how closely they hew to the "production code" mantra that "a criminal *never* gets away with their crime" with Hitch often telling how they got their comeuppance after seemingly getting away scot-free in the episode. Hitch's intros/outros are often a high point and always amusing. The guest stars in the episodes are always interesting, quite varied, and full of very famous or soon-to-be-famous faces. I was quite surprised to see Bette Davis in an episode (I didn't think she was all that good but...).
And I began watching Just Shoot Me (1997) - Has it *really* been ~25 years since this one first aired?!? Wow!! I've not seen an episode of it since it left the air and I'm finding that it's just as funny as I remembered. This is one of the few series that pretty much hit the ground running with good episodes from the start. I've watched the first half dozen episodes so far and am enjoying it very much.
After S4 I feel the series started to go downhill with all the changes Paramount was forcing on the production. International missions were still in S5 but the emphasis was starting to be put on more US based things, focusing on organized crime. They also dropped the original open with Jim getting the mission and selecting the agents (though I've often wondered just why he had such a portfolio at home, plainly labeled with its intent, when they were so careful to destroy the mission brief materials - plus he *always* chose the same agents plus the guest-of-the-week) in favor of a true "cold open" setting up the episode with the briefing following the setup (basically you knew what the mission was going to involve before he got the packet). I really don't care for those changes, especially the new focus on organized crime. It just doesn't have the same feel going from taking down despots and fixing international issues to taking down penny-ante criminals. There are still clever set ups but they often feel very overblown to accomplish the task. And they then change the instrumentation and pacing of the theme in S7 - it's horrible! S7 also seems to have more than its fair share of currently working TV actors in guest appearances with several I was surprised to see (William Shatner has made *two* appearances already).
So... I can see myself watching the series again in the future but absolutely stopping after S4 or maybe halfway through S5. There's a reason I never intended to collect this one after S4. I'd mostly forgotten how much the series went downhill and my interest declined in those latter seasons until this viewing.
One I picked up after a long hiatus is Alfred Hitchcock Presents with S3 and am now about half way through S4. Wow! This one's just gotten better with each season. Sure the twist endings can often be seen way in advance but they're still very entertainingly done and well produced. One thing I've noticed is how closely they hew to the "production code" mantra that "a criminal *never* gets away with their crime" with Hitch often telling how they got their comeuppance after seemingly getting away scot-free in the episode. Hitch's intros/outros are often a high point and always amusing. The guest stars in the episodes are always interesting, quite varied, and full of very famous or soon-to-be-famous faces. I was quite surprised to see Bette Davis in an episode (I didn't think she was all that good but...).
And I began watching Just Shoot Me (1997) - Has it *really* been ~25 years since this one first aired?!? Wow!! I've not seen an episode of it since it left the air and I'm finding that it's just as funny as I remembered. This is one of the few series that pretty much hit the ground running with good episodes from the start. I've watched the first half dozen episodes so far and am enjoying it very much.
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ScottRE
Senior HTF Member
I didn't mind them dropping the dossier scene, mostly because Jim was choosing the same people every week anyway. It may have been a fun bit but it was ultimately a waste of time once the whole concept of "guest agents" as a regular feature was long forgotten.
Good to see you back here Russ. Good parody of a show I really enjoy too! I have the complete series DVD set and I watch it all the time on the Binge channel, (formerly FOLK TV) and FETV. For me it works much better than the Beverly Hillbillies. You only get 396 results when you search for it on DailyMotion! Lots more material!
Rustifer
Senior HTF Member
I quite agree with you, Howie, that this was a great show back in its day. But I daresay that despite the comedic talents of co-stars George Segal, Wendy Malik and David Spade--this was the main reason for most male viewership:
Just shoot me if I'm wrong...
Rustifer
Senior HTF Member
Episode Commentary
Bat Masterson
"Two Graves for Swan Valley" (S1E2)
An ex-lawman who takes to whacking his enemies with a gold-tipped cane is certainly worth a TV series. Gene Barry plays the title character with a level of suaveness that would make James Bond look like an itinerant grape picker. Barry makes sure any of his female co-stars grovel at his manliness and contractually must declare his good looks at least three times in an episode. His cane becomes a scantily disguised metaphor for his swashbuckling virility.
Bat breezes into the saloon in remote Swan Valley and introduces himself to barmaid Molly Doyle (Marcia Henderson). He has her undressed in his mind's eye before they're finished with their first whiskey. Night rider and town bully Sgt. Foley (Broderick Crawford) takes significant umbrage to Bat's attention of his main squeeze. Bristling and boar-like, Foley swears he'll kill Masterson less he leaves town post haste. Bat takes the threat with the same level of gravity as he does with fussy grocery store cashiers. In the meantime, Molly weighs her options between sleek Bat Masterson and pudgy, mouth-breathing Sgt. Foley. The choice is easy and she wastes no time in pressing herself against Bat like a too-small vest.
Molly sizes up Bat in a couple of ways; Foley proudly displays his unlaundered shirt; Bat finally settles on the town dog
The sheriff, acting on Foley's orders, tries to run Bat out of town for vagrancy. Bat, however, circumvents the decree by applying for a business license to run a poker parlor and laser tag arcade. Foley is so pissed he swears not to bathe for another three months, thus adding to his air of disgruntledness. He sets out to force a showdown with Matt at the saloon. Shots are fired. Bat is hit and so is Foley--although Bat is merely grazed, Foley is seriously wounded. Molly takes one between the eyes and ascends to that great beer garden in the sky.
Foley, unable to fight, sends a couple of henchmen to finish off Masterson. Bat dispatches both by beating the crap out of them with his cane. Mortified, Foley conveniently dies.
The End of the Story:
Because of Bat's gambling parlor, Swan Valley becomes a burgeoning gaming mecca and eventually changes its name to Las Vegas.
Bat Masterson
"Two Graves for Swan Valley" (S1E2)
An ex-lawman who takes to whacking his enemies with a gold-tipped cane is certainly worth a TV series. Gene Barry plays the title character with a level of suaveness that would make James Bond look like an itinerant grape picker. Barry makes sure any of his female co-stars grovel at his manliness and contractually must declare his good looks at least three times in an episode. His cane becomes a scantily disguised metaphor for his swashbuckling virility.
Bat breezes into the saloon in remote Swan Valley and introduces himself to barmaid Molly Doyle (Marcia Henderson). He has her undressed in his mind's eye before they're finished with their first whiskey. Night rider and town bully Sgt. Foley (Broderick Crawford) takes significant umbrage to Bat's attention of his main squeeze. Bristling and boar-like, Foley swears he'll kill Masterson less he leaves town post haste. Bat takes the threat with the same level of gravity as he does with fussy grocery store cashiers. In the meantime, Molly weighs her options between sleek Bat Masterson and pudgy, mouth-breathing Sgt. Foley. The choice is easy and she wastes no time in pressing herself against Bat like a too-small vest.
Molly sizes up Bat in a couple of ways; Foley proudly displays his unlaundered shirt; Bat finally settles on the town dog
The sheriff, acting on Foley's orders, tries to run Bat out of town for vagrancy. Bat, however, circumvents the decree by applying for a business license to run a poker parlor and laser tag arcade. Foley is so pissed he swears not to bathe for another three months, thus adding to his air of disgruntledness. He sets out to force a showdown with Matt at the saloon. Shots are fired. Bat is hit and so is Foley--although Bat is merely grazed, Foley is seriously wounded. Molly takes one between the eyes and ascends to that great beer garden in the sky.
Foley, unable to fight, sends a couple of henchmen to finish off Masterson. Bat dispatches both by beating the crap out of them with his cane. Mortified, Foley conveniently dies.
The End of the Story:
Because of Bat's gambling parlor, Swan Valley becomes a burgeoning gaming mecca and eventually changes its name to Las Vegas.
Purple Wig
Supporting Actor
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2019
- Messages
- 746
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- Alan
I’m a little confused. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn some men were interested in (then) contemporary women’s fashion, but I wouldn’t think there would be THAT many of them. Were they mainly clothing designers or were they just at a loss for gift ideas for their spouse and wanted to see what women were wearing?
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Rustifer
Senior HTF Member
I don't think Laura San Giacomo's clothes were the main focal point of males...
Well... they *were* but only in the sense of how much they allowed to be shown or how tight they were...
Opening Day MLB Classic Television Part 1
Father Knows Best (1954-1960)
Stars Robert Young Lauren Chapin Jane Wyatt Billy Gray Elinor Donahue Paul Wallace Jimmy Bates
S02E33 Hero Father (May.02.1956)
Stars Robert Young Jane Wyatt Elinor Donahue Billy Gray Lauren Chapin Tommy Ivo Kenneth Tobey Paul Wallace Duke Snider Sarah Selby
Father Knows Best (1954-1960)
Stars Robert Young Lauren Chapin Jane Wyatt Billy Gray Elinor Donahue Paul Wallace Jimmy Bates
S02E33 Hero Father (May.02.1956)
Stars Robert Young Jane Wyatt Elinor Donahue Billy Gray Lauren Chapin Tommy Ivo Kenneth Tobey Paul Wallace Duke Snider Sarah Selby
Baseball star Duke Snider is passing through Springfield, and all the guys are hoping he would stop and give an exhibition game. Bud says his father can do anything. Jim feels the pressure to deliver.
Next up Lassie!
Rustifer
Senior HTF Member
Ah, Neal--one of my favorite episodes of FKB. Even though Duke Snider looked like he'd rather be in front of a firing squad than a TV camera. Don Drysdale was also the same in another episode.
LOL very funny Russ! The Drysdale episode is forthcoming along with 5 others. Some were never released on DVD like a good Donna Reed. Probably forgetting some others.
Rustifer
Senior HTF Member
Looking forward to your upcoming Lassie episode. I hope it's a Jeff one. The Timmy episodes were like ten spoonfuls of sugar in one's coffee.
If you know of a Jeff Miller episode with a MLB player please let me know. Sadly don't believe there is one. I like Timmy sugar and all. Hah!
Rustifer
Senior HTF Member
And I was just starting to like you..
Purple Wig
Supporting Actor
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2019
- Messages
- 746
- Real Name
- Alan
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