What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (6 Viewers)

[The 1960's]

The Mermaids of Sea Hunt

A Tribute to Lisa Gaye (March 6, 1935 – July 14, 2016)

Leslie Gaye Griffin better known as Lisa Gaye, was an American actress, and dancer. Wikipedia.
What was intended as the beginning of a new photo essay series also begins as a tribute to the life and to the beauty of Lisa Gaye who passed away at age 81 six years ago today July 14th. Her career spanned 28 years beginning at age 7 through her final appearance on The Mod Squad in 1970. Perhaps she is best known as Gwen Kirby in the final 1958-1959 season of How to Marry a Millionaire. Her many performances included three episodes of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show in 1956, 13 episodes of The Bob Cummings Show as Colette Dubois, five episodes each of the ABC/Warner Brothers detective series, Hawaiian Eye and 77 Sunset Strip, two episodes of another WB series Bourbon Street Beat, seven episodes of Perry Mason, and eleven episodes of the syndicated anthology series, Death Valley Days, along with several episodes of Sea Hunt.

Here are those five episodes of Sea Hunt in tribute to her lifetime achievements.​

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S02E06 The Stunt (Feb.08.1959)
Stars Lloyd Bridges Lisa Gaye Robert Conrad Jack Wagner William McGraw Harry Clexx Richard Probert​

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A woman, daredevil Blaze Green, who is willing to do anything she can to win, challenges Mike to an underwater race, as a publicity stunt.​

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[The 1960's]

S02E15 Nerve Gas (Apr.12.1959)
Stars Lloyd Bridges Lisa Gaye Leonard Nimoy Ken Drake Anthony George Nancy Millard​

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After discovering a sunken Japanese submarine, the amateur skin diver who found it goes violently berserk.​

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[The 1960's]

S02E19 Hermes (May.10.1959)
Stars Lloyd Bridges Lisa Gaye Anthony George​

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A Greek sponge diver and his pretty girlfriend lay a minefield for Mike, fearful that he will interfere with their discovery of a valuable statue on the Mediterranean seabed.​

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[The 1960's]

S02E22 Water Ski Show (May.31.1959)
Stars Lloyd Bridges Lisa Gaye Robert Conrad William McGraw Jack Wagner William Boyett Courtney Brown​

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A champion water-skier drowns during the finale of a water show.​

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[The 1960's]

S02E26 Sea Serpent (Jun.28.1959)
Stars Lloyd Bridges Lisa Gaye Anthony George Leonard Nimoy (uncredited) Ken Drake​

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Mike is recruited to search for hidden stolen liquid explosives.​

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Hopefully today Jeff and others will join in and post their memories and images of Lisa Gaye.​

 

[Jeff Flugel]

The Mermaids of Sea Hunt

A Tribute to Lisa Gaye (March 6, 1935 – July 14, 2016)

Leslie Gaye Griffin better known as Lisa Gaye, was an American actress, and dancer. Wikipedia.
What was intended as the beginning of a new photo essay series also begins as a tribute to the life and to the beauty of Lisa Gaye who passed away at age 81 six years ago today July 14th. Her career spanned 28 years beginning at age 7 through her final appearance on The Mod Squad in 1970. Perhaps she is best known as Gwen Kirby in the final 1958-1959 season of How to Marry a Millionaire. Her many performances included three episodes of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show in 1956, 13 episodes of The Bob Cummings Show as Colette Dubois, five episodes each of the ABC/Warner Brothers detective series, Hawaiian Eye and 77 Sunset Strip, two episodes of another WB series Bourbon Street Beat, seven episodes of Perry Mason, and eleven episodes of the syndicated anthology series, Death Valley Days, along with several episodes of Sea Hunt.​

Wonderful photo essays in tribute to the the lovely Lisa Gaye's Sea Hunt appearances, Neal! As you know, Ms. Gaye is one of my all-time fave classic TV girlfriends.

Not sure what screengrabs of hers that I still have in my archives (will do a poke around later, when I have some time tonight after work). But in the meantime, here are some nice cheesecake shots to tide you and her other fans over.

 

[Rustifer]

S02E26 Sea Serpent (Jun.28.1959)
Stars Lloyd Bridges Lisa Gaye Anthony George Leonard Nimoy (uncredited) Ken Drake​

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Mike is recruited to search for hidden stolen liquid explosives.​

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Hopefully today Jeff and others will join in and post their memories and images of Lisa Gaye.​

Generally not being a big fan of an over abundance of screen caps (have I ever mentioned that?)--a pictorial montage of Lisa Gaye gets a thumbs up from me. Nice job.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

A few more snaps I found from various Lisa Gaye TV appearances which I've previously reviewed here.

Hank:

Have Gun - Will Travel:

Bat Masterson:

The Wild Wild West:

 

[Jeff Flugel]

With the passing over the few past weeks of three iconic stars of varying degrees of fame - James Caan (82), L.Q. Jones (94) and Larry Storch (99) - I decided to watch a brief sampling of their TV work. All three gentlemen enjoyed long, active lives and busy careers. May they rest in peace, and may we continue to be entertained by them for decades to come.

Wide Country - 1.16 "A Cry from the Mountain"
When a freak windstorm causes their plane to crash on a mountain peak, leaving rodeo champion Mitch Guthrie (Earl Holliman) seriously injured, it's up to his younger brother Andy (Andrew Prine) to make his way down the steep slopes and get help before a killer freeze sets in. In one of his earliest roles, James Caan plays one of two partying brothers who have holed up with their gal pals at a nearby hunting lodge owned by a disapproving Romanian innkeeper (Jacques Aubuchon). Can Andy, exhausted but hellbent on saving his brother, get the help he needs to mount a rescue? This one is far removed from the show's ostensible rodeo cowboy focus (which, to be fair, isn't all that unusual for this consistently good one season drama), but remains an effectively tense outing overall, and a strong showcase for co-lead Prine. Caan isn't given much to do, really, but does display a spark of the cocky charisma that would eventually launch him into the acting big leagues. Also with Anthony Ray and Diane Sayer.

Route 66
3.20 "...Shall Forfeit His Dog and Ten Shillings to the King"
Solid entry from the "solo Tod" phase of S3, and the last episode to include George Maharis' name in the opening credits, despite his increasingly conspicuous absence. Tod is down in Arizona, apparently working for the wealthy owner of a dog racing park (the script is not exactly clear on such establishing points), and is a witness when two men (L.Q. Jones and Gary Cockrell) brutally gun down the owner and one of the patrons while making off with a $20,000 payroll. The killers head out into the desert, and Tod finds himself part of the posse in pursuit, officially led by the local sheriff (James Brown - no, not that one), but really guided by expert outdoorsman, tracker and, by local legend, part Native American, Hank Saxon (Steve Cochran). Also along for the ride is Diane Kirk (fiery Kathleen Crowley), the dead owner's widow, out to prove to everybody, including maybe herself, that she had married her much older husband for love, not money; as well as a retired Army general (John Anderson, letter-perfect as always) who is viewed as a blowhard by the sheriff and his deputies, but proves more than capable of stalking and killing his prey. Turns out good ol' boy and friend to all Hank might not be quite such a good guy, after all...

L.Q. Jones isn't in too many scenes here, but is typically effective whenever he's onscreen. When the story sticks to the noirish central conflict of the manhunt, it's damn good stuff (director Tom Gries was a dab hand at staging rugged outdoor action, as he would prove in his later series The Rat Patrol and in movies like Will Penny and Breakheart Pass)...but the script (by the frequently brilliant Stirling Silliphant) has its share plot inconsistencies and odd elisions - enough to make one wonder if this episode went through some heavy, off-the-cuff rewriting or editing, with some connective tissue snipped out...perhaps due to Maharis' sudden departure? For example, it seems a mistake to not show Diane's husband alive and interacting with her before he is killed...and the second victim seems thrown in randomly, just to underline the criminals' callous disregard for human life. Tod's connection to the situation is also rather tenuously depicted. The most jarring note is sounded by writer Silliphant, whose heavy authorial hand is patently obvious in two scenes in particular: one near the beginning, when - of all people - Barbara Shelley, taking a break from starring in Gothic horror films for Hammer Studios in the U.K., pops up as Tod's current squeeze, mainly to act as a sort of Greek chorus, opining about the futility of posses and the eternal circle of violence; and another at the coda, with a final existential outburst from Tod that rings false and overly didactic. That said, the story is mostly compelling viewing, thanks to the intriguing setup, sterling work from a very fine cast (which also includes Med Flory), and beautiful location shooting around Apache Junction, Arizona. The crisp black-and-white transfer, courtesy of Roxbury/Infinity's S3 DVD set, looks very nice indeed.

F-Troop
2.7 "Yellow Bird"
2.15 "Survival of the Fittest"
A couple of very silly S2 episodes of this parodic western sitcom. "Yellow Bird" is especially goofy, as Sgt. O'Rourke (burly Forrest Tucker) and Corp. Agarn (Larry Storch, consistently amusing) attempt to return Yellow Bird (Julie Newmar), a young white woman taken captive by the Apaches as a child and now fully grown (I'll say!) to her very wealthy silver magnate father (Jacques Aubuchon) - all in hopes of a healthy reward. The Amazonian Yellow Bird takes an instant romantic shine to klutzy Capt. Wilton Parmenter (Ken Berry), much to the consternation of the Captain's girlfriend, Wrangler Jane (Melody Patterson). Ms. Newmar is, no surprise, a powerful physical specimen as well as a good sport, quickly getting into the knockabout spirit of the show.

In "Survival of the Fittest," a jealous Capt. Parmenter signs himself up for a 10-day desert survival test, along with a highly reluctant Agarn. The pair are blindfolded and led out into the desert, armed only with knives, canteen cups and an Army survival manual. The reward, if they survive: a 30-day furlough. Sgt. O'Rourke and Wrangler Jane, worried that neither Parmenter or Agarn will be able to scrounge up enough food from the wilderness to stay alive, entice Chief Wild Eagle (Frank DeKove) and troopers Duffy (Bob Steele) and Dobbs (James Hampton) to sneak some grub to them, unbeknownst to Parmenter's persnickety rival, Captain Blair (George Furth), who brought the assignment to Fort Courage in the first place. While Parmenter can barely tie his shoes without falling over, he's nonetheless a stouthearted fellow, and somehow manages to lead not only his men, but also the stranded Wild Eagle and Krazy Kat (Don Diamond), back to the safety of the fort.

What makes this show work as well as it does is the broad yet skillful playing of the main cast, plus a frequently inspired choice of guest stars, ala Vincent Price, Phil Harris, Milton Berle or Paul Lynde (as the Singing Mountie, natch). Forrest Tucker is always a rock-solid presence, and seems happy to be the wry straight man to the late Larry Storch's exuberant mugging and pratfalls. Frankly, I've never been much of a Ken Berry fan, but he's very good on this show. Gorgeous Melody Patterson is not merely decorative, but gamely keeps up with the frantic antics of her male co-stars.

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
More laid-back fun with the Nelsons. IMDB note: I've now reached the point where several episodes have not received any sort of synopsis at all, let alone the usual inadequate ones...so the ones below are provided by yours truly.

1.11 "Harriet's Hairdo"
Harriet wants to change her hair style but gets annoyed that Ozzie tells her to do whatever she likes with it. She decides to teach him a lesson by borrowing a friend's blonde wig and convincing Ozzie that she's gone all Marilyn Monroe blonde bombshell on him. Ozzie soon figures out her ruse, but who's playing who?

1.14 "Newspaper Writeup"
The local newspaper wants to interview Ozzie after he successfully chaired a sports banquet for the boys at Dave and Ricky's school. Ozzie humbly and graciously consents to an interview...but is none too pleased when the paper incorrectly spells his name as "R.Z. Nielsen."

1.15 "Basketball Players"
Ozzie and Thorny's discussion about David and Will's competition to gain a spot on the high school basketball team escalates, until they end up appointed as team captains in a basketball match during the school's father's night activities. Ozzie practices so hard that he can barely move on the eve of the big game.

1.16 "Stop Worrying"
Ozzie chastens both Harriet and Ricky for worrying too much (Harriet about her new choice of expensive drapes for the house, and Ricky over a math test), but soon shows signs of becoming a worrywart himself, after reading an article about worrying in one of Harriet's women's magazines.

This last one features yet another resolution where the viewer isn't 100% sure if Ozzie is just another typical doofus TV dad pretending to have figured everything out...or actually a sly fox whose befuddled exterior masks the fact that he knew the score all along. At the risk of repeating myself, I'm very much enjoying going through MPI's S1 set, all of the above episodes being first time viewings. I'm sure there are many out there who will find this show a bit too laid back and low-stakes for its own good, but I'm finding the series' idiosyncratic charm endlessly watchable.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Oops...double post. Sorry everyone!

 

[The 1960's]

A few more snaps I found from various Lisa Gaye TV appearances which I've previously reviewed here.

Hank:

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Have Gun - Will Travel:

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Bat Masterson:

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The Wild Wild West:

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With the passing over the few past weeks of three iconic stars of varying degrees of fame - James Caan (82), L.Q. Jones (94) and Larry Storch (99) - I decided to watch a brief sampling of their TV work. All three gentlemen enjoyed long, active lives and busy careers. May they rest in peace, and may we continue to be entertained by them for decades to come.

Wide Country - 1.16 "A Cry from the Mountain"
When a freak windstorm causes their plane to crash on a mountain peak, leaving rodeo champion Mitch Guthrie (Earl Holliman) seriously injured, it's up to his younger brother Andy (Andrew Prine) to make his way down the steep slopes and get help before a killer freeze sets in. In one of his earliest roles, James Caan plays one of two partying brothers who have holed up with their gal pals at a nearby hunting lodge owned by a disapproving Romanian innkeeper (Jacques Aubuchon). Can Andy, exhausted but hellbent on saving his brother, get the help he needs to mount a rescue? This one is far removed from the show's ostensible rodeo cowboy focus (which, to be fair, isn't all that unusual for this consistently good one season drama), but remains an effectively tense outing overall, and a strong showcase for co-lead Prine. Caan isn't given much to do, really, but does display a spark of the cocky charisma that would eventually launch him into the acting big leagues. Also with Anthony Ray and Diane Sayer.

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Route 66
3.20 "...Shall Forfeit His Dog and Ten Shillings to the King"
Solid outing from the "solo Tod" phase of S3, and the last episode to include George Maharis' name in the opening credits, despite his increasingly conspicuous absence. Tod is down in Arizona, apparently working for the wealthy owner of a dog racing park (the script is not exactly clear on such establishing points), and is a witness when two men (L.Q. Jones and Gary Cockrell) brutally gun down the owner and one of the patrons while making off with a $20,000 payroll. The killers head out into the desert, and Tod finds himself part of the posse in pursuit, officially led by the local sheriff (James Brown - no, not that one), but really guided by expert outdoorsman, tracker and, by local legend, part Native American, Hank Saxon (Steve Cochran). Also along for the ride is Diane Kirk (fiery Kathleen Crowley), the dead owner's widow, out to prove to everybody, including maybe herself, that she had married her much older husband for love, not money; as well as a retired Army general (John Anderson, letter-perfect as always) who is viewed as a blowhard by the sheriff and his deputies, but proves more than capable of stalking and killing his prey. Turns out good ol' boy and friend to all Hank might not be quite such a good guy, after all...

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L.Q. Jones isn't in too many scenes here, but is typically effective whenever he's onscreen. When the story sticks to the noirish central conflict of the manhunt, it's damn good stuff (director Tom Gries was a dab hand at staging rugged outdoor action, as he would prove in his later series The Rat Patrol and in movies like Will Penny and Breakheart Pass)...but the script (by the frequently brilliant Stirling Silliphant) has its share plot inconsistencies and odd elisions - enough to make one wonder if this episode went through some heavy, off-the-cuff rewriting or editing, with some connective tissue snipped out...perhaps due to Maharis' sudden departure? For example, it seems a mistake to not show Diane's husband alive and interacting with her before he is killed...and the second victim seems thrown in randomly, just to underline the criminals' callous disregard for human life. Tod's connection to the situation is also rather tenuously depicted. The most jarring note is sounded by writer Silliphant, whose heavy authorial hand is patently obvious in two scenes in particular: one near the beginning, when - of all people - Barbara Shelley, taking a break from starring in Gothic horror films for Hammer Studios in the U.K., pops up as Tod's current squeeze, mainly to act as a sort of Greek chorus, opining about the futility of posses and the eternal circle of violence; and another at the coda, with a final existential outburst from Tod that rings false and overly didactic. That said, the story is mostly compelling viewing, thanks to the intriguing setup, sterling work from a very fine cast (which also includes Med Flory), and beautiful location shooting around Apache Junction, Arizona. The crisp black-and-white transfer, courtesy of Roxbury/Infinity's S3 DVD set, looks very nice indeed.

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F-Troop
2.7 "Yellow Bird"
2.15 "Survival of the Fittest"
A couple of very silly S2 episodes of this parodic western sitcom. "Yellow Bird" is especially goofy, as Sgt. O'Rourke (burly Forrest Tucker) and Corp. Agarn (Larry Storch, consistently amusing) attempt to return Yellow Bird (Julie Newmar), a young white woman taken captive by the Apaches as a child and now fully grown (I'll say!) to her very wealthy silver magnate father (Jacques Aubuchon) - all in hopes of a healthy reward. The Amazonian Yellow Bird takes an instant romantic shine to klutzy Capt. Wilton Parmenter (Ken Berry), much to the consternation of the Captain's girlfriend, Wrangler Jane (Melody Patterson). Ms. Newmar is, no surprise, a powerful physical specimen as well as a good sport, quickly getting into the knockabout spirit of the show.

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In "Survival of the Fittest," a jealous Capt. Parmenter signs himself up for a 10-day desert survival test, along with a highly reluctant Agarn. The pair are blindfolded and led out into the desert, armed only with knives, canteen cups and an Army survival manual. The reward, if they survive: a 30-day furlough. Sgt. O'Rourke and Wrangler Jane, worried that neither Parmenter or Agarn will be able to scrounge up enough food from the wilderness to stay alive, entice Chief Wild Eagle (Frank DeKove) and troopers Duffy (Bob Steele) and Dobbs (James Hampton) to sneak some grub to them, unbeknownst to Parmenter's persnickety rival, Captain Blair (George Furth), who brought the assignment to Fort Courage in the first place. While Parmenter can barely tie his shoes without falling over, he's nonetheless a stouthearted fellow, and somehow manages to lead not only his men, but also the stranded Wild Eagle and Krazy Kat (Don Diamond), back to the safety of the fort.

What makes this show work as well as it does is the broad yet skillful playing of the main cast, plus frequently inspired choice of guest stars, ala Vincent Price, Phil Harris, Milton Berle or Paul Lynde (as the Singing Mountie, natch). Forrest Tucker is always a rock-solid presence, and seems happy to be the wry straight man to the late Larry Storch's exuberant mugging and pratfalls. Frankly, I've never been much of a Ken Berry fan, but he's very good on this show. Gorgeous Melody Patterson is not merely decorative, but gamely keeps up with the frantic antics of her male co-stars.

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The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
More laid-back fun with the Nelsons. IMDB note: I've now reached the point where several episodes have not received any sort of synopsis at all, let alone the usual inadequate ones...so the ones below are provided by yours truly.

1.11 "Harriet's Hairdo"
Harriet wants to change her hair style but gets annoyed that Ozzie tells her to do whatever she likes with it. She decides to teach him a lesson by borrowing a friend's blonde wig and convincing Ozzie that she's gone all Marilyn Monroe blonde bombshell on him. Ozzie soon figures out her ruse, but who's playing who?

1.14 "Newspaper Writeup"
The local newspaper wants to interview Ozzie after he successfully chaired a sports banquet for the boys at Dave and Ricky's school. Ozzie humbly and graciously consents to an interview...but is none too pleased when the paper incorrectly spells his name as "R.Z. Nielsen."

1.15 "Basketball Players"
Ozzie and Thorny's discussion about David and Will's competition to gain a spot on the high school basketball team escalates, until they end up appointed as team captains in a basketball match during the school's father's night activities. Ozzie practices so hard that he can barely move on the eve of the big game.

1.16 "Stop Worrying"
Ozzie chastens both Harriet and Ricky for worrying too much (Harriet about her new choice of expensive drapes for the house, and Ricky over a math test), but soon shows signs of becoming a worrywart himself, after reading an article about worrying in one of Harriet's women's magazines.

This last one features yet another resolution where the viewer isn't 100% sure if Ozzie is just another typical doofus TV dad pretending to have figured everything out...or actually a sly fox whose befuddled exterior masks the fact that he knew the score all along. At the risk of repeating myself, I'm very much enjoying going through MPI's S1 set, all of the above episodes being first time viewings. I'm sure there are many out there who will find this show a bit too laid back and low-stakes for its own good, but I'm finding the series' idiosyncratic charm endlessly watchable.

Thanks for these two fabulous posts Jeff. This morning I’m going to watch Lisa Gaye appearances in Have Gun - Will Travel Helen of Abajinian (1957 and Gun Shy (1958) and Bat Masterson Sharpshooter (1959) Buffalo Kill (1959) and The Fatal Garment (1961) and The Millionaire Jerry Mitchell (1960) which I have in my Dish DVR from Decades. Followed by Wide Country A Cry from the Mountain (1963) (James Caan). Normally I’m not disciplined enough to stick to a script, but I’m gonna try.

Here’s my contribution in memory of James Caan. According to IMDb, this was his third acting appearance.

Route 66 (1960-1964)
S02E12 And the Cat Jumped Over the Moon (Dec.15.1961)
Stars Martin Milner George Maharis James Caan Martin Sheen Milt Kamen Susan Silo Frank Campanella​

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[JohnHopper]

I finally received my FBI set—I’m currently discovering that season 6—and I finished the first two episodes. Funny how this show is more focused on the guests than the leads. The cast of characters is excellent and make the show work. You find the usual QM quality.

 

[JohnHopper]

Thanks for these two fabulous posts Jeff. This morning I’m going to watch Lisa Gaye appearances in Have Gun - Will Travel Helen of Abajinian (1957 and Gun Shy (1958) and Bat Masterson Sharpshooter (1959) Buffalo Kill (1959) and The Fatal Garment (1961) and The Millionaire Jerry Mitchell (1960) which I have in my Dish DVR from Decades. Followed by Wide Country A Cry from the Mountain (1963) (James Caan). Normally I’m not disciplined enough to stick to a script, but I’m gonna try.

Here’s my contribution in memory of James Caan. According to IMDb, this was his third acting appearance.

Route 66 (1960-1964)
S02E12 And the Cat Jumped Over the Moon (Dec.15.1961)
Stars Martin Milner George Maharis James Caan Martin Sheen Milt Kamen Susan Silo Frank Campanella​

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¶ I remember that one that plays like a television version of Rebel Without a Cause.

 

[JohnHopper]

Thanks for these two fabulous posts Jeff. This morning I’m going to watch Lisa Gaye appearances in Have Gun - Will Travel Helen of Abajinian (1957 and Gun Shy (1958) and Bat Masterson Sharpshooter (1959) Buffalo Kill (1959) and The Fatal Garment (1961) and The Millionaire Jerry Mitchell (1960) which I have in my Dish DVR from Decades. Followed by Wide Country A Cry from the Mountain (1963) (James Caan). Normally I’m not disciplined enough to stick to a script, but I’m gonna try.

Here’s my contribution in memory of James Caan. According to IMDb, this was his third acting appearance.

Route 66 (1960-1964)
S02E12 And the Cat Jumped Over the Moon (Dec.15.1961)
Stars Martin Milner George Maharis James Caan Martin Sheen Milt Kamen Susan Silo Frank Campanella​

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Lisa Gaye guests in twice on The Wild Wild West:
“The Night of the Skulls” (season 2/1966) (her best part as Lorelei)
“The Night of the Falcon” (season/1967)

Gaye used to appear five times on Robert Conrad’s first series Hawaiian Eye.

James Caan-wise, he was good in the episode “Anatomy of a Patrol” from Combat!, playing the German counterpart of Sgt. Saunders. Caan was rather a feature film actor than a television one. He was one of the best leads on the Seventies along with Charles Bronson, Clint Eastwood, Al Pacino, Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds. Caan’s most iconic films of the Seventies remain: The Gambler and Rollerball.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Caan’s most iconic films of the Seventies remain: The Gambler and Rollerball.

And of course The Godfather.

But his most notable early work for me will always be as John Wayne's sidekick, Mississippi, in Howard Hawks' El Dorado (which also features Christopher George in what is IMO his all-time best role).

Though as you say predominantly a feature film actor, Caan was in a surprising amount of TV stuff, including Naked City, The Untouchables, Dr. Kildare, Ben Casey, Death Valley Days, Kraft Suspense Theater (a really good episode entitled "The Hunt," as a drifter tangling with an evil, corrupt sheriff, played by Mickey Rooney), The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Wagon Train, The F.B.I., and Get Smart.

 

[Doug Wallen]

JAG
The Return Of Jimmy Blackhorse (3.21) Trisha Yearwood, Gregory Cruz, Nick Tate. The government wants to honor an Indian war veteran (code talker) by bringing his remains home. When the body reaches tribal land, the Medicine woman states the remains are not those of Jimmy Blackhorse. Harm and company are sent to investigate and determine through DNA whose remains they are. Bud and Harriet almost elope.

Clipped Wings (3.22) Joe Spano, Anne-Marie Johnson, Andy Bevine, Giuliana Santini. During a NATO exercise a carrier-based F-14D Tomcat has a midair collision with a civilian Italian helo; six locals die. The Italian government wishes to prosecute the pilot for manslaughter; the populace erupts in anger and indignation. Harm, Mac, and Bud investigate in Italy; Mac prosecutes, and Harm and Bud defend. Rep. Latham goes to Italy to look after the interest of the US and its presence in Italy. The Navy pilot says that a light aircraft unexpectedly appeared, he avoided, and he then struck the chopper. Harm takes Bobbi for a ride, which she greatly enjoys. Harm and Bud persist in their search; Francesca joins them; they find the explanation.

Wedding Bell Blues (3.23) John Bennett Perry, Debbie McLeod, Michael Bellisario, Dana Sparks, Jeff McKay. Drama associated with meeting Bud's abusive father and Harriet's social climbing mother. One of my personal favorites; comedy, drama and a beautiful wedding ceremony.

To Russia With Love (3.24) Steven Culp, W. Morgan Shepard, Christina Pickles, Jon Cypher, Paul Collins, Rex Linn. After three seasons, we finally get the payoff to the mystery of Harmon Rabb Sr. Harm follows the clues and takes vacation to go to Russia in search of the last clue he has received. The episode ends on a cliffhanger with Harm and Mac stealing a jet and being attacked.

M Squad
The Upset (3.12) Adam Williams, Richard Newton. Danny Sutton is arrested. During the interview a rookie detective makes a mistake and Sutton gets access to a gun and Ballinger finds himself caught in a tense hostage situation.

One Of Our Armored Cars Is Missing (3.13) Laurie Mitchell, Richard Carlyle, Joyce Meadows. An armored car is hijacked during a pickup at a government installation. There are suprisingly few clues left behind by the criminals and Ballinger needs to try and unravel the mystery.

The Ivy League Bank Robbers (3.14) Jimmy Lyndon, Carol Ohmart, Steve Gravers, Ben Hammer. A woman and her baby are hospitalized after a group of bank robbers run them down during an escape. Ballinger wants the men for the robbery but more importantly he wants them to pay for what happened to the woman and her baby.

The Twisted Way (3.15) Joanna Barnes, Charles Cooper, Walter Coy, Virginia Christine, S. John Launer. A witness fingers the gangster who cut a rival in half with the shotgun blast, but the killer's alibied by a beautiful actress. The thespian is beloved in ChiTown and has a sterling reputation that'll guarantee acquittal. Lt. Ballinger must discredit her story and find out why Tammy's lying for smarmy hood Sandy, who now controls the Loop liquor racket.

Ironside
The Man Who Believed (1.11) Guy Stockwell, Marcia Strassman, Michael Constantine, introducing Barbara Rhoades, Cliff Potts. A rising young folk singer is found dead of an apparent suicide. Ironside doesn't believe the suicide since the singer had contacted Ironside after his shooting. Ironside begins an investigation to satisfy himself with the correct cause of death.

A Very Cool Hot Car (1.12) Jay C. Flippen, Arch Johnson, Bernie Hamilton, Peter J. Helm. Mark goes undercover to try and discover how a car theft ring is able to stay ahead of the police investigating the thefts. Flower children with an anti capitalist bent figure in the conclusion. Interesting look at the media's perception of the counter culture.

The Past Is Prologue (1.13) Victor Jory, Harrison Ford, Jill Donohue, June Vincent, John Zaremba, John Hoyt, Bartlett Robinson. A hard working carpenter (Jory) is about to be extradited to the state of New York and executed for a murder he was convicted of committing 19 years earlier. His son (Ford) has just graduated college and wants his father alive. Ironside races against time to prove the man's innocence.

Girl In The Night (1.14) Susan St. James, Mort Mills, Donnelly Rhodes, Joan Staley, Steve Carlson, Simon Scott, George Keymas. Ed is in Vegas on business, meets a lounge singer, falls for her, goes to her house, sees her abducted and is then knocked out. Ed calls in reinforcements and Ironside helps unravel the truth.

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
I'll Be Judge – I'll Be Jury ((1.21) Peter Graves, Albert Salmi, Ed Nelson, Sarah Marshall, Rodolfo Hoyos. A couple are on their honeymoon in Mexico and are nearly run over by some driver on their way to a picnic. During the picnic, the wife disappears and when her husband, Mark (Peter Graves), looks for her, he finds her dead...strangled. The police are unable to charge anyone but they have a suspect...but no proof. So Mark decides to befriend the possible killer in order to get evidence. But when he can't get convincing evidence, he decides to kill the man.

Diagnosis: Danger (1.22) Michael Parks, Charlse McGraw, Berkely Harris, Al Ruscio, Celia Lovsky, Douglas Henderson, Stefan Gierasch. How to determine and identify Patient #0. An apparent hit-and-run turns out to be so much more. It leads to an anthrax scare that spreads through Los Angeles, but the perpetrator is elusive.

The Lonely Hours (1.23) Nancy Kelly, Gena Rowlands, Jesslyn Fax, Alice Backes. Forerunner to The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. A mother (Rowlands) of three notices that her baby son fascinates the lady (Kelly) renting a room in her home.

The Star Juror (1.24) Will Hutchins, Dean Jagger, Betty Field, Crahan Denton. After killing a woman, the man (Jagger) who is a respected member of the community, is chosen for the jury. He attempts to help the accused (Hutchins) and ends up a pariah in his community as well as being despised by his family. Excellent episode.

The Avengers
The Positive-Negative Man (5.22) A scientist is killed by having been hurled through and embedded in a wall. This is the latest death of a person engaged in the government's Project 90, whose documents can also not be found. When the Avengers investigate they discover a bizarre means of murder whereby the killer can carry an electrical charge to the victim without being electrocuted themselves.

Murdersville (5.23) What if there were a town that made its reputation by being openly available for any murder you wish to commit. Mrs. Peel discovers this idyllic town and uncover their secret. Steed picks up clues and sets out to find Mrs. Peel.

Mission - Highly Improbable (5.24) Miniaturization like the Master, just in cold war times. The title seems like a play on words. Intriguing episode and nice use of oversize sets similar to Land Of The Giants. A fun episode.

The Forget-Me-Knot (5.25) What can be said about the swan song for Mrs. Peel. Very interesting story and I really liked the introduction of Tara King. So sad to see the team separate, but I truly enjoyed this episode. I did like the appearance of Mrs. Peel's “husband”.

Hawaii Five-O
The Jinn Who Clears The Way (5.5) Khigh Dhiegh, Soon Taik-Oh, Joe Sirola, Danny Kamekona. Operatives working for Wo Fat steal a device from a U.S. military base in Hawaii. Wo Fat (Dhiegh) is also manipulating a young Maoist into helping him smuggle the device to China. McGarrett and Five-O race to keep the device from leaving the islands. They capture Wo Fat at the last minute. But McGarrett receives a shock courtesy of U.S. spymaster Jonathan Kaye.

Fools Die Twice (5.6) Michael Conrad, Clu Gulager. McGarrett thwarts a spectacular robbery of a military pay office (after being tipped off by the perpetrator!) only to discover it's a ruse for a bigger crime: the kidnapping of a cryptologist, who's vital to national security and will only be returned after payment of a million dollars in diamonds. There's more than Five-O looking for the man who is the behind the scheme. One of the patsies who was shot during the staged robbery escapes from the hospital and is out looking for revenge.

Chain Of Events (5.7) Linden Chiles, Lou Frizell, Mary Frann, Judi Meredith, Ray Buktenica. The slaying of a public health official while conducting an investigation into venereal disease leads McGarrett into the world of politics and intrigue. Starting with an appointment list of the slain official, McGarrett works his way up to a meeting with a highly respected candidate for public office.

Journey Out Of Limbo (5.8) Keenan Wynn, Philip Ahn. To the horror of workers at a construction site, the truck of sand they are unloading contains Danny Williams in the back, unconscious and just moments away from having smothered to death. Danny awakens, but can't remember anything about how he got there. McGarrett grills the sand-truck driver, but eventually abandons him as a dead end. The only other way Danny could have gotten into the dump truck was to jump in from a height as the truck passed below him. Danny remembers he was going horseback riding on his day off, so the Five-O team heads out to a ranch that rents horses for pleasure rides. Eventually they find the body of the horse he was riding, shot multiple times and leaving a long trail of blood. That means Danny was fleeing from gunmen and made his leap as a last resort. But what did he see that made the gunmen chase him. The answer turns out to be a literal suicide bomber, the ranch owner, who is getting revenge on a Chinese visitor by having a bomb-laden boat "steering" it by remote control straight into the man's yacht with the dignitaries aboard. McGarrett and the Five-O crew must race the clock to destroy the bombers' boat before it can complete the madman's mission.

Gunsmoke
The Reprisal (14.20) Joe Don Baker, Eunice Christopher, John Pickard. A young wife miscarries when Doc Adams must tend to a wounded killer instead of making a house call. The killer will probably hang, because Doc's witness to his murdering a local card-player celebrating winning a big pot. As the only physician in the area, Doc's over-committed, but the young woman's husband (Baker), a short-sighted farmer with a bad temper, can't accept the loss. Fun tag with Festus explaining how to determine a baby's sex.

The Long Night (14.21) Bruce Dern, Russell Johnson, Vic Tayback, Lou Antonio, James Nusser. A showcase for James Nusser as town drunk, Louie Pheeters. After surviving (barely) a bounty hunter's (Dern) attempt to assassinate him, an outlaw tries to turn himself in to Matt Dillon. But Matt's out of town, and the bounty hunter's companions get to the outlaw first. They aren't so much interested in the outlaw as they are in killing Matt, so they take over the Long Branch and hold everyone hostage. They also get word out to a land baron whose wife the outlaw accidentally killed: come here and pick up the prisoner in return for your gunmen to waste the marshal. The land baron accepts the deal, but the outlaw's girlfriend shoots him as he's about to take the outlaw away. While Doc performs an emergency operation, the land baron's hirelings are torn between their promise to punish the outlaw and their revulsion at the bounty hunters' sadistic leader, who forces town drunk Louie Pheeters to crawl on his hands and knees the length of the saloon to get a drink (which he then refuses in a dramatic sequence).

Night Riders (14.22) Jeff Corey, Robert Pine, Norm Alden, Robert Random, Warren Vanders, Robert Karnes. The Civil War isn't over -- not nearly -- for Judge Proctor (Corey), a respected Missouri man who was on the losing side and had his home devastated by a guerrilla band led by a Kansas man. Now the judge has formed a gang of his own and sweeps through Kansas seeking the guerrilla leader. A tip-off tells the group that the man is in or near Dodge, but the judge can't locate his exact whereabouts and sets fire to a wheat field as a warning to the local citizenry. When that fails to produce the man, the judge threatens to burn all of Dodge City.

The Intruder (14.23) Charles Aidman, John Kellogg, Gail Kobe, Eric Shea. A man (Aidman) convicted of theft is serving time. He is to be transported back to Dodge. Festus arrives and encounters trouble. The convict is injured in his leg. He gets Festus to agree to return to a farm they had passed. Turns out the farm is his. His wife has remarried and the marriage is loveless. Seems like the missing money is the catalyst for all action. The convict just wants to return the money and become reacquainted with his family.

Harry O
The Madonna Legacy (2.13) John Colicos, Dennis Redfield, Gwen Arner, Christine Belford, Sabrina Scharf. Harry is called in the middle of the night by a former associate. Harry misses the call and his associate apparently commits suicide. Heavy with guilt, Harry tries to uncover the truth. The truth lies in an 8 year old murder.

Mister Five And Dime (2.14) J. Pat O'Malley, Glynnis O'Connor, Michael McGuire, Michael Pataki, Les Lannom, Charles Siebert. Lester Hodges is back, much to Orwell's annoyance. Gayle shares a class with Lester, and when she is arrested for passing counterfeit money, she calls on Lester for help, who in turn goes to Harry. Gayle got the money from her grandfather, but when he is kidnapped Harry and Lester discover printing equipment in his attic. He is a gifted counterfeiter who has been at it for years. He is being forced to print bogus money for a group of thieves who need a large sum of cash to purchase a shipment of heroin entering the country. The case takes many twists and turns, involving the secret service, FBI and the Mexican secret service.

Book Of Changes (2.15) Joanne Nail, Russell Wiggins, Richard Kelton, John S. Ragin, Barbara Rhoades. Kate owns and runs a gambling nightclub, and one night she surprises a thief in her office, and is shot and killed. A young girl who works for Kate named Jamie, witnesses the murder and flees the scene. Jamie had orders from Kate to contact Harry in the case of her death, taking to him a note revealing that she kept a notebook with the names of important people, which she used for her own protection. This leads Harry down a trail of investigation that involves the blackmail of several important people whose names are in the little black book, resulting in the murder of several individuals and an attempt on Orwell's life.

Past Imperfect (2.16) Susan Strasberg, Tim McIntire, Granville Van Dusen, Edward Power, David Opatoshu. Harry gets involved with a former con woman (Strasberg) who runs across a former partner who is looking for an old suitcase that has incredible value that no one can determine. Harry is pressed into service as a go between two factions who are after the case. Is it really about stolen mob money or something else. Seems that it is about a very small issue.

 

[bmasters9]

M Squad
The Twisted Way (3.15) Joanna Barnes, Charles Cooper, Walter Coy, Virginia Christine, S. John Launer. A witness fingers the gangster who cut a rival in half with the shotgun blast, but the killer's alibied by a beautiful actress. The thespian is beloved in ChiTown and has a sterling reputation that'll guarantee acquittal. Lt. Ballinger must discredit her story and find out why Tammy's lying for smarmy hood Sandy, who now controls the Loop liquor racket.

25 very-well-done minutes of excellent crime drama then, and the explosive ending where a furious Ballinger yells at Tammy Worth for sending him on a wild goose chase that got his friend Ray killed makes the episode right there.

 

[JohnHopper]

The Avengers
The Positive-Negative Man (5.22) A scientist is killed by having been hurled through and embedded in a wall. This is the latest death of a person engaged in the government's Project 90, whose documents can also not be found. When the Avengers investigate they discover a bizarre means of murder whereby the killer can carry an electrical charge to the victim without being electrocuted themselves.

Murdersville (5.23) What if there were a town that made its reputation by being openly available for any murder you wish to commit. Mrs. Peel discovers this idyllic town and uncover their secret. Steed picks up clues and sets out to find Mrs. Peel.

Mission - Highly Improbable (5.24) Miniaturization like the Master, just in cold war times. The title seems like a play on words. Intriguing episode and nice use of oversize sets similar to Land Of The Giants. A fun episode.

The Forget-Me-Knot (5.25) What can be said about the swan song for Mrs. Peel. Very interesting story and I really liked the introduction of Tara King. So sad to see the team separate, but I truly enjoyed this episode. I did like the appearance of Mrs. Peel's “husband”.

¶ My selection of good episodes.

The Positive Negative Man
Despite the fact, the script is by Tony Williamson from season 4, it plays like a variation on Philip Levene’s Cybernaut pattern. It’s another mad scientist plot a la “Return of the Cybernauts”: replace Paul Beresford by Dr Creswel and Technician Benson by Peter Haworth who plays both the executioner (the cybernaut) and the accomplice (Benson) of the grand scheme that is revealed at the very end of the episode. As in “Return of the Cybernauts”, Steed meets and questions a secretary but whose character is more interesting here. Three episodes directed by Robert Day have the same mechanical man pattern: “Never, Never Say Die”, “Return of the Cybernauts”, “The Positive Negative Man”. As in the season 4 “The Hour That Never Was”, we’re exploring a desolate government facility. As in the season 4 “A Touch of Brimstone”, a foe character uses a metalic finger. As in the season 4 “The Danger Makers”, the foe ends up electrocuted by Mrs Peel. On the whole, it’s a good and enjoyable mystery entry. The humour of the magnetic end tag highlights the intimate relationship between Mrs Peel and Steed who exclaims: “Don't fight it, Mrs Peel, we’re inseparable.” (that’s very sweet) Actor Michael Latimer playing Peter Haworth returns from “A Touch of Brimstone”.

Wild Scenes Notes
1. the laconic and crackling electric killing of scientist Dr Grey during the prologue
2. the key ring garter of uptight secret secretary Miss Wentworth-Howe
3. Steed struck by an electric shock from the blue van generator
4. Mrs Peel struck by an electric shock from the blue van generator
5. Steed and secretary Miss Wentworth-Howe fishing together in a pond
6. fainting Mrs Peel touched by the electric killer in her flat
7. tied up and gagged Mrs Peel covered in a silver sheet followed by the final confrontation that includes a missing boot
8. the end tag in which Steed and Mrs Peel are magnetized to the old Bentley


Murdersville
“Murdersville” is the last departure from the series’ format, a personal Mrs Peel journey and the masterpiece of the season penned by Brian Clemens as the season 4 masterpiece “The House That Jack Built”. Writer Brian Clemens seems to have been under the influence of John Sturges’ 1955 Bad Day at Black Rock because of the community hiding a secret which, by sheer coincidence, reminds the veiled and repressed mood of the season 4 “The Town of No Return” (also written by producer Brian Clemens). Actress Diana Rigg plays the equivalent part of actor Spencer Tracy. The episode title is very Americana but not the players who are typical locals. The two rustics are forerunners of the ones from Sam Peckinpah’s 1971 Straw Dogs. The basic plot is very western film-like and wild cat capitalistic-oriented, meaning a country town in which a person is allowed to elimante cold its opponent in a violent way against a sum of money—i.e., money can buy everything, even the right to remove life: this is relativism pushed to the extrem—: in short, the villagers behave like the three BEB fanatics from “The Fear Merchants”, the episode that sets the tone of some of the best season 5 episodes. “Murdersville” is the British counterpart of the 1967 “The Town” from Mission: Impossible and actress Diana Rigg plays the equivalent part of actor Peter Graves. As in “Epic” and “The Joker”, Steed comes to the rescue at the very last minute.

Wild Scenes Notes
1. the weird western film atmosphere of the village
2. the unexpected gunning down of a pub’s customer while two villagers play dominoes and remain indifferent during the prologue
3. a beer drinker with sunglasses coming out of the pub armed with a shotgun
4. the two local rustics Hubert and Mickle a la Sam Peckinpah’s Straw Dogs destroying the belongings of Major Croft
5. the silent killing of a financier in the village’s public library
6. Mrs Peel noticing the patterned socks of the fake policeman
7. Mrs Peel discovering the dead body of Major Croft in the back room of the MD office
8. the claustrophobic feel of Mrs Peel surrounded by four villagers shot at a remote distance
9. running Mrs Peel chased by the village’s helicopter
10. Mrs Peel chained to a medieval chastity belt in the museum
11. in order to confess Mrs Peel is treated as a witch through the ducking stool
12. Mrs Peel launching cream pies to the village attackers in the public library

James Bond Notes
You find a helicopter chase in “Murdersville” as in From Russia with Love.


Mission… Highly Improbable
It’s an amusing and well-made entry dealing with the theme of weapon trade and science without moral through the character of young and corrupted Dr Chivers but beyond that there is a criticism of British bureaucrats through old official Sir Bancroft who ends up in a trash can and a criticism of the Soviet regime through old General Shaffer. It's the last of the three Soviet entries: see ”The See-Through Man” and “The Correct Way to Kill”. It’s interesting to notice that the traditional representations of power or institutions are called into question through the eyes of a young writer: the scientist (the old professor Rushton), the statesman (old Sir Bancroft) and the military (old General Shaffer). Writer Philip Levene goes beyond the markers of reality with this science-fiction tale but the actors play it straight to make it work. The episode title makes reference to Mission: Impossible and it explains the far out leaning of this adventure. The majority of episodes directed by Robert Day rely on technological devices: “From Venus with Love”, “Never, Never Say Die”, “Return of the Cybernauts”, “The Positive Negative Man”, “Mission... Highly Improbable”. Featuring actress Jane Merrow and actor Nicholas Courtney who is known as the brigadier in Doctor Who. The Brigadier meets Steed!

Wild Scenes Notes
1. equiped with a butterfly net, Dr Chivers catches miniaturized treasury official Sir Gerald Bancroft in the field a la Land of the Giants
2. powerless Sir Gerald Bancroft yelling in the giant net of Dr Chivers
3. the horror of witnessing Sir Gerald Bancroft put in a box then stuffed in the rubbish bin by Dr Chivers
4. the horror of witnessing Dr Chivers pushing Captain Gifford with a fire hose into the sewer
5. mini Steed stinging the Soviet guards with a pen
6. Steed catching mini Dr Chivers and mini General Shaffer in his bowler hat

The Prisoner Notes
Actor Ronald Radd guests in “Checkmate” and actress Jane Merrow in “The Schizoid Man”.

The Wild Wild West Notes
“Mission... Highly Improbable” makes reference to the 1966 episode “The Night of the Raven”—that first refer to Jack Arnold’s 1957 The Incredible Shrinking Man—in which the leading character is shrunk by a diabolical mastermind named Dr Loveless.

Gunsmoke
The Reprisal (14.20) Joe Don Baker, Eunice Christopher, John Pickard. A young wife miscarries when Doc Adams must tend to a wounded killer instead of making a house call. The killer will probably hang, because Doc's witness to his murdering a local card-player celebrating winning a big pot. As the only physician in the area, Doc's over-committed, but the young woman's husband (Baker), a short-sighted farmer with a bad temper, can't accept the loss. Fun tag with Festus explaining how to determine a baby's sex.

The Long Night (14.21) Bruce Dern, Russell Johnson, Vic Tayback, Lou Antonio, James Nusser. A showcase for James Nusser as town drunk, Louie Pheeters. After surviving (barely) a bounty hunter's (Dern) attempt to assassinate him, an outlaw tries to turn himself in to Matt Dillon. But Matt's out of town, and the bounty hunter's companions get to the outlaw first. They aren't so much interested in the outlaw as they are in killing Matt, so they take over the Long Branch and hold everyone hostage. They also get word out to a land baron whose wife the outlaw accidentally killed: come here and pick up the prisoner in return for your gunmen to waste the marshal. The land baron accepts the deal, but the outlaw's girlfriend shoots him as he's about to take the outlaw away. While Doc performs an emergency operation, the land baron's hirelings are torn between their promise to punish the outlaw and their revulsion at the bounty hunters' sadistic leader, who forces town drunk Louie Pheeters to crawl on his hands and knees the length of the saloon to get a drink (which he then refuses in a dramatic sequence).

Night Riders (14.22) Jeff Corey, Robert Pine, Norm Alden, Robert Random, Warren Vanders, Robert Karnes. The Civil War isn't over -- not nearly -- for Judge Proctor (Corey), a respected Missouri man who was on the losing side and had his home devastated by a guerrilla band led by a Kansas man. Now the judge has formed a gang of his own and sweeps through Kansas seeking the guerrilla leader. A tip-off tells the group that the man is in or near Dodge, but the judge can't locate his exact whereabouts and sets fire to a wheat field as a warning to the local citizenry. When that fails to produce the man, the judge threatens to burn all of Dodge City.

The Intruder (14.23) Charles Aidman, John Kellogg, Gail Kobe, Eric Shea. A man (Aidman) convicted of theft is serving time. He is to be transported back to Dodge. Festus arrives and encounters trouble. The convict is injured in his leg. He gets Festus to agree to return to a farm they had passed. Turns out the farm is his. His wife has remarried and the marriage is loveless. Seems like the missing money is the catalyst for all action. The convict just wants to return the money and become reacquainted with his family.

¶ The cream of the crop remains:

Episode #20
“Reprisal”
It’s a good Doc’s moral dilemma entry paired with a violent farmer family existential drama and a legal case that includes mistaken circumstances and a wild lynch mob on the verge of a savage hanging. Actor Joe Don Baker’s untamed performance is excellent. A previous episode shows Doc in a similar situation and lets die a farmer baby: the season 10 “Doctor’s Wife”. The episode title was already used for a season 7 episode. Find a script co-written by story consultant Paul Savage. Notice wino Louie’s philosophical soliloquy about Man’s children.

Episode #21
“The Long Night”
It’s a real good and engrossing tense henchmen entry and a huit-clos paired with a revengist drama served by a colorful guest cast, especially from actor Bruce Dern as the evil leader calling the regular characters by derogatory monikers: Miss Kitty as honey, Louie as swizzleguts/rheumy-eyed sot, Doc as foxy grandpa/old sawbones/feisty old jack. Two henchmen torture and humiliate Louie by not giving him a drink. Find the second script written by story consultant Paul Savage which reminds the tone of the season 11 “Seven Hours to Dawn”. It’s an early season episode because John Mantley is still producer. Director Robert Totten returns as an actor. The cast of Wade’s men consist of: Lou Antonio as Mace, Bruce Dern as Guerin, Rex Holman as Broker, Russell Johnson as Diggs, Vic Tayback as Rawlins.

Episode #22
“The Nightriders”
It’s the companion piece to “The Long Night”, a harsh family drama with two antagonistic sons and a very good night huit-clos at Dodge City served by three good guest performers: Jeff Corey, Norman Alden, Robert Random. The episode opens with the sepia tone footages of farm burning by a posse. As in “Lyle’s Kid”, actor Robert Pine plays the son of a rough father. CBS western series-wise, actor Jeff Corey plays in another blinded father in the season 8 episode of Rawhide entitled “Encounter at Boot Hill”.

 

[Rustifer]

Route 66
3.20 "...Shall Forfeit His Dog and Ten Shillings to the King"

Long time favorite series of mine, Jeff--and one on which I should do more commentaries. Back in the 60's, it had to be every kid's idea of high adventure to zip around the country in a Vette and run into the likes of the stunning females that this show so often featured. When I was 20, a buddy and me drove to Boston (in a Dodge Dart station wagon) mainly to eat our own weigh in lobsters, but also with anticipation of escapades along the way reminiscent of Tod and Buzz encounters. We came no where near any sort of skylark other than being chased by an irate farmer for taking a whiz in his cornfield.
We did get to Boston only to discover that lobsters cost a crap load of money--of which we had very little. Fortunately, McDonalds is pretty nice in Boston.

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
More laid-back fun with the Nelsons. IMDB note: I've now reached the point where several episodes have not received any sort of synopsis at all, let alone the usual inadequate ones

Another favorite of mine and a series that gets too much of a short shrift in here. Watching this show as a kid when it was originally airing, I tried to identify with Ricky Nelson--who, in his more youthful stage, could never have been foreseen to become the teen idol status to which he eventually ascended. I just liked the cheeky way he would confront older bother Dave with "you better watch it, boy!" as if having any resilience to follow up on his threat. The term "boy" was sort of a prelude to "dude" back then.
The episodes could never be judged as edge-of-seat drama as much as a depiction of the idyllic concept of 1950's family life, which was just fine with me. I like to think it may have helped set a sort of comforting standard of interaction for parents with their children that would eventually get obscured with the advent of Al and Peg Bundy.

JAG
The Return Of Jimmy Blackhorse (3.21) Trisha Yearwood, Gregory Cruz, Nick Tate.

So, Doug, I've longed to do some commentaries on this series but was always afraid the show wasn't quite fully baked as "classic" TV. I recently caught Episode 20 of Season 8, where the team of NCIS is first introduced--Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly and Robin Lively (pre-Sasha Alexander). It inspired me to start binging on NCIS once again and realizing how much better the earlier episodes were than what is currently still airing now. Gary Cole is no Jethro Gibbs.

M Squad
The Upset (3.12) Adam Williams, Richard Newton. Danny Sutton is arrested. During the interview a rookie detective makes a mistake and Sutton gets access to a gun and Ballinger finds himself caught in a tense hostage situation.

If ever there existed a series that's just screaming for me to get my irreverent, satirical claws into, this would be it. Talk about a completely irrational show taking itself wayyyy too seriously.
Not to offend any M Squad fans...

 

[The 1960's]

Pardon My Backfire (1953)​

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The Three Stooges
Coming Soon!​