What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (4 Viewers)

[Jeff Flugel]

I like to rib Shaun Cassidy for his singing on The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries, but acting-wise, he was fine. Parker Stevenson carries the load, such as it is, on that show, but Cassidy is pleasant enough company when he's not croaking out supposed pop rock tunes . And he's turned into a good producer with a number of fine, high-concept shows under his belt.

 

[GMBurns]

I've enjoyed watching the first three episodes of McClain's Law over the past week. I had put off buying it because I thought it might be really strange seeing James Arness as anyone other than Matt Dillon. The plots are fairly typical fare, but Arness is credible as an aging policeman. He brings a lot of humanity to the role.

 

[Montytc]

Andy Griffith Show: Season 1
Episode 5 - Ellie Comes To Town
Episode 6 - Irresistible Andy

These are two of my favorite season 1 episodes featuring Elinor Donahue as Ellie. I always thought she was great in this part and was sorry to see her just disappear. Maybe they didn't think she was right as Andy's girlfriend, but I liked her. These are her first appearances and I think both episodes are great.

The Mod Squad: Season 1
Episode 6 - A Time To Love / A Time to Cry

This was one of the first shows I connected with back in the day, but I don't consider this a great episode. A parole officer friend of Captain Greer's asks the squad to clear one of his parolees of murder, but in so doing they find out that parole officer himself was actually guilty of the crime. In the meantime Julie has fallen hard for the guy even though he is much older and is crushed by the turn of events. A little too convoluted a plot and melodramatic acting for my taste.

Harry O: Season 1
Episode 5 - Coinage of the Realm

I have no idea what the title means but I enjoyed the episode. Harry is hired by a woman to track down her ex-husband who could possibly donate a kidney to their sick daughter. Other people are also looking for the ex who winds up dead but not before he gives the kidney. A happy ending for everyone but the ex-husband.

Batman: Season 1
Episode 19 - The Purr-fect Crime
Episode 20 - Better Luck Next Time

What can I say, I got the urge to see Julie Newmar play Catwoman so I indulged myself. Upon further review, I think it was the right call.

 

[BobO'Link]

Andy Griffith Show: Season 1
Episode 5 - Ellie Comes To Town
Episode 6 - Irresistible Andy

These are two of my favorite season 1 episodes featuring Elinor Donahue as Ellie. I always thought she was great in this part and was sorry to see her just disappear. Maybe they didn't think she was right as Andy's girlfriend, but I liked her. These are her first appearances and I think both episodes are great.

The Mod Squad: Season 1
Episode 6 - A Time To Love / A Time to Cry

This was one of the first shows I connected with back in the day, but I don't consider this a great episode. A parole officer friend of Captain Greer's asks the squad to clear one of his parolees of murder, but in so doing they find out that parole officer himself was actually guilty of the crime. In the meantime Julie has fallen hard for the guy even though he is much older and is crushed by the turn of events. A little too convoluted a plot and melodramatic acting for my taste.

Harry O: Season 1
Episode 5 - Coinage of the Realm

I have no idea what the title means but I enjoyed the episode. Harry is hired by a woman to track down her ex-husband who could possibly donate a kidney to their sick daughter. Other people are also looking for the ex who winds up dead but not before he gives the kidney. A happy ending for everyone but the ex-husband.

Batman: Season 1
Episode 19 - The Purr-fect Crime
Episode 20 - Better Luck Next Time

What can I say, I got the urge to see Julie Newmar play Catwoman so I indulged myself. Upon further review, I think it was the right call.

I've always liked Ellie as Andy's "love interest" and would have liked to have seen what happened in the 2 years of Donahue's contract she managed to get out of. In on one of several explanations as to why she left she said she believed that she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible so she decided to leave. That's the one I've read most often. Griffith has said it was his fault for not showing affection properly but that didn't seem to apply later with Miss Crump. Then again... I also very much like Miss Crump.

My 7 year old granddaughter *loves* Catwoman in the Batman series. If she comes in and asks to watch Batman she'll invariably ask for a Catwoman episode with Newmar.

I have an unopened copy of S1 of The Mod Squad and watched it regularly during its original airings. I need to get it out to see if it still holds up for me. I've not seen it since those 60s airings.

 

[John*Wells]

I've always liked Ellie as Andy's "love interest" and would have liked to have seen what happened in the 2 years of Donahue's contract she managed to get out of. In on one of several explanations as to why she left she said she believed that she and Griffith lacked the chemistry to make their on-screen romantic relationship credible so she decided to leave. That's the one I've read most often. Griffith has said it was his fault for not showing affection properly but that didn't seem to apply later with Miss Crump. Then again... I also very much like Miss Crump.

My 7 year old granddaughter *loves* Catwoman in the Batman series. If she comes in and asks to watch Batman she'll invariably ask for a Catwoman episode with Newmar.

I have an unopened copy of S1 of The Mod Squad and watched it regularly during its original airings. I need to get it out to see if it still holds up for me. I've not seen it since those 60s airings.

Regarding TAGS. I saw a clip on YouTube in which It was explained that Donahue was just worn out and needed a break. She had done Father Knows Best and jumped into TAGS.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Andy Griffith Show: Season 1
Episode 5 - Ellie Comes To Town
Episode 6 - Irresistible Andy

These are two of my favorite season 1 episodes featuring Elinor Donahue as Ellie. I always thought she was great in this part and was sorry to see her just disappear. Maybe they didn't think she was right as Andy's girlfriend, but I liked her. These are her first appearances and I think both episodes are great.

The Mod Squad: Season 1
Episode 6 - A Time To Love / A Time to Cry

This was one of the first shows I connected with back in the day, but I don't consider this a great episode. A parole officer friend of Captain Greer's asks the squad to clear one of his parolees of murder, but in so doing they find out that parole officer himself was actually guilty of the crime. In the meantime Julie has fallen hard for the guy even though he is much older and is crushed by the turn of events. A little too convoluted a plot and melodramatic acting for my taste.

Harry O: Season 1
Episode 5 - Coinage of the Realm

I have no idea what the title means but I enjoyed the episode. Harry is hired by a woman to track down her ex-husband who could possibly donate a kidney to their sick daughter. Other people are also looking for the ex who winds up dead but not before he gives the kidney. A happy ending for everyone but the ex-husband.

Batman: Season 1
Episode 19 - The Purr-fect Crime
Episode 20 - Better Luck Next Time

What can I say, I got the urge to see Julie Newmar play Catwoman so I indulged myself. Upon further review, I think it was the right call.

Good run of episodes there once again, Tim! I agree with you and Howie about Elinor Donahue on TAGS...I think she and Griffith had good chemistry, myself, and think they made a believable couple...I especially enjoy their lovely duet in the "Christmas Story" episode. It helps that I also find her more attractive than Aneta Corsaut, who played Helen (though I do find Ms. Corsaut kind of cute in the original The Blob). Would have been nice if Donahue had stuck around a while longer, but I'm guessing Griffith and his producing partners thought it would be better to keep Andy unattached so early in the show's run.

Re: The Mod Squad...When I first bought S1 Vol. 1 and watched the pilot, I thought to myself..."Ooh boy, here's one that hasn't aged well at all." But a few years later I ended up trying a few more episodes and really enjoyed them. This series can be silly and a bit too "Right on, man" at times, and is definitely trapped in the amber of the late '60s / early '70s, but when it clicks, it's quite an entertaining action show.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Hank came in and I've been watching it the past few days...I'm glad I purchased a copy of this one. It's a true lost classic.

Bit late to comment on this post, Howie, but wanted to say that I enjoyed reading your take on Hank. It does sound like an interesting and unique sitcom and I plan to pick it up at some point, perhaps later in the summer. Have you finished the series yet. or are you still working your way through? Perhaps the clue you pointed out, about how Hank unknowingly outperforms everyone else on the football team and is sought after by the coach, will eventually pay off (I remember reading that the finale does wrap up some plot points).

 

[Montytc]

Good run of episodes there once again, Tim! I agree with you and Howie about Elinor Donahue on TAGS...I think she and Griffith had good chemistry, myself, and think they made a believable couple...I especially enjoy their lovely duet in the "Christmas Story" episode. It helps that I also find her more attractive than Aneta Corsaut, who played Helen (though I do find Ms. Corsaut kind of cute in the original The Blob). Would have been nice if Donahue had stuck around a while longer, but I'm guessing Griffith and his producing partners thought it would be better to keep Andy unattached so early in the show's run.

Re: The Mod Squad...When I first bought S1 Vol. 1 and watched the pilot, I thought to myself..."Ooh boy, here's one that hasn't aged well at all." But a few years later I ended up trying a few more episodes and really enjoyed them. This series can be silly and a bit too "Right on, man" at times, and is definitely trapped in the amber of the late '60s / early '70s, but when it clicks, it's quite an entertaining action show.

Jeff, your "Right On Man" comment about the Mod Squad says it well. When they try to portray the youth culture of that time it can get embarrassing in a hurry. I intend to continue on with the show and I think I will enjoy a lot of it.

 

[Montytc]

Regarding TAGS. I saw a clip on YouTube in which It was explained that Donahue was just worn out and needed a break. She had done Father Knows Best and jumped into TAGS.

I can see how that would make sense, I just wish they could have worked something out with her. I admit that Andy and Helen were a good match though.

 

[John*Wells]

Dallas season 9

Saving Grace
Mother’s
The Wind of Change
Quandary

 

[BobO'Link]

Bit late to comment on this post, Howie, but wanted to say that I enjoyed reading your take on Hank. It does sound like an interesting and unique sitcom and I plan to pick it up at some point, perhaps later in the summer. Have you finished the series yet. or are you still working your way through? Perhaps the clue you pointed out, about how Hank unknowingly outperforms everyone else on the football team and is sought after by the coach, will eventually pay off (I remember reading that the finale does wrap up some plot points).

Yes, I finished the series and am very satisfied with the way they wrapped it all up. Without giving too much away - he didn't go out for the team at all and that bit had fewer incarnations in the series final half. It was still fun to hear Hank yell back "Yes! I know!" and keep running.

I'd have liked to have seen how they handled things in S2... assuming the final episode wasn't specifically written due to the series ending. How it ends is on Wikipedia should you want to know. I'd read it before starting the series so already knew but it didn't affect my enjoyment at all.

I also loved the background/flavor stuff in the series. Those little things that show they went above the normal expectations. The theme was written by Johnny Mercer! It, like the music in the series, doesn't sound like a TV theme song. Then there are little signs Hank has all over his "catering" truck. Stuff like "This truck is protected by a gypsy curse." The sign on the change machine "WE TRUST YOU - Make your own change - BE HONEST" On the apple tray "An apple a day keeps you wise" and a generic "All prices subject to haggling" or "If you want it I'LL GET IT!" and "Candy surprise! 5 cents per handful." Every sandwich labeled with what it is and more.

In one episode he sold perfume for 25 cents an application. Basically a quarter would get you a couple of squirts from the bottle. He's had TVs repaired, takes care of dry cleaning, will advance credit even adding minor loans (a dollar or two type) to your tab, and has a kind heart.

Color/image is excellent as well. The only issues I saw were process shots where scenes would crossfade or do a flip/spin to the next scene. The color shifts a second or two before the transition and then goes back to normal a second or two after the transition. While it could have been corrected it would have been quite cost prohibitive. It also would have looked this way during the original broadcast so, IMHO, it's quite acceptable.

 

[John*Wells]

Dallas season 9

Close Encounters
Suffer the Little Children
The Prize
En Passant

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

Speaking of Shaun Cassidy, who we love to make fun of, I was watching an episode of NBC's New Amsterdam and saw the name Shaun Cassidy as Executive Producer and writer of the episode. My first thought was what a coincidence that there are two Shaun Cassidys in show biz. But no...it's the same guy!
A little research revealed that our boy Shaun is a prolific producer, director and writer these days: American Gothic, Blue Bloods, along with New Amsterdam being just a few of his endeavors. I, for one, will extend a bit more deference towards the lad going forward.

On the personal front, Shaun hasn't been too successful in marriage--he's had three. And now has about 56 kids.
No wonder he's still working.

“C’mon everybody, get down, get with it.”

 

[Jack P]

Time for a new marathon spotlight!

Subject: Kathryn Hays, an actress that I suspect a lot of people were first introduced to thinking she couldn't talk. (simply because of her Star Trek appearance as the mute "Gem")

Naked City, S3-"The Rydecker Case" (where the above image comes from). She gets an "introducing" credit in an episode written by Gene Roddenberry. Detective Flint pulls over a reckless driver clearly suffering from the effects of taking an upper at a party. Kathryn, aided by high profile attorney Martin Gabel charges Detective Flint with making untoward advances leading to the arrest.

Route 66, S3-"Shadows Of An Afternoon." Another legal episode in which Linc Case is accused by the grand old lady of the Florida town they are in this week of stabbing the dog of the owner of the house Linc and Tod are housesitting and living in. Kathryn is secretary for local attorney Ralph Meeker who is able to get Linc off the hook. A rail-thin Richard Mulligan has an early role as the county prosecutor.

Dr. Kildare, S2-"An Island Like A Peacock." Trek fans will find it fascinating to see her in this episode playing blind and also seeing an early role of Leonard Nimoy as her semi-boyfriend! Kathryn's long estranged father Forrest Tucker (wearing a bad fake moustache and streaks in his hair) shows up to try to make amends and she is too proud to accept help....and also too scared to take any risks to improve her condition.

The Lieutenant-"Cool Of The Evening". Kathryn is a grade-school teacher illegally moonlighting as a waitress in a sexy outfit in a nightclub. When the nightclub comic Norman Fell makes untoward advances on her, her screams attract Lieutenant Rice to her aide and Fell runs off but then the police arrive and interpret what's happened as a case of Rice attempting to make a move on her. Kathryn, not wanting the truth of her moonlighting to get out then says Rice made improper moves on her. Similar to the "Naked City" episode written by Roddenberry who of course created/produced "The Lieutenant."

Arrest And Trial-"He Ran For His Life." The series proves once again how the gimmick of making this about an arrest and then a defense counsel stepping in for the arrested caused stories to be written in convoluted fashion so that no one was ever purely guilty etc. (lest Ben Gazzara and the cops look dumb or defense attorney Chuck Connors looks dumb! "Law And Order" corrected this type of error in format years later). George Segal kidnaps his eight year old son just as Kathryn and new husband Ed Nelson are about to move to New York. Segal is a drunken bum basically but of course the story will end up being more complex and mental gymnastics of writing will be accomplished to make sure no one comes out wholly good or bad.

Bonanza, S6-"The Wild One." These types of marathons are the only time I ever get to see "Bonanza" since I don't care much for the show itself as a show. This is a Hoss episode (Landon and Roberts appear barely at the beginning and end, and Greene not until the last minute) as he goes out with Aldo Ray who handles wild horses. Suddenly, Kathryn shows up at Ray's as she is the wife he abandoned back in the Dakotas. Kathryn is an Amish-Quaker type woman (never specific, she talks in "thee, thou" style Biblical language) who had nursed Ray to health briefly and married him, but then Ray ditched her for his usual life of "freedom." Kathryn is pregnant and Hoss is trying to get Ray to start behaving responsibly.

The Virginian, S3-"A Slight Case of Charity." Trampas goes to Albuquerque to close a cattle sale dale for $18,000 and runs into Kathryn, an Irish maid pretending to be a woman from a high social background and the ensuing results see her take $1500 of the money from the deal and setting off a comical chase of events that is frankly very hard to keep up with. Warren Oates also among the guests.

The Man From UNCLE, S1-"The See-Paris-And-Die Affair." Kathryn is a nightclub singer (we see her belt out "It's A Most Unusual Day" but probably isn't her voice) and past love interest of cousins Lloyd Bochner and Gerald Mohr who have stolen $500 million in diamonds. UNCLE recruits her (and gives her a glamorous makeover; this is her most glamorous guest shot ever) to help.

Counterpoint-1968 movie (shot in 1967 but shelved for a year) starring Charlton Heston as a brilliant conductor whose orchestra, while doing a USO Tour is taken prisoner by the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge. Maximilian Schell is the German general who wants Heston and the orchestra to perform for him or else they'll all be executed. Kathryn is the lead female as the orchestra's cellist and past lover of Heston, but now married to concertmaster/violinist Leslie Nielsen! In Heston's journal he had mentioned that he had pushed for either Jessica Walter or Anne Heywood for the part, but the film's producer and Universal execs pushed for Kathryn who does okay in what is a critical but not too extensive part. Kathryn probably filmed this after she was done with the one season Universal series "The Road West".

Mannix, S2-"The End Of The Rainbow." Aired five weeks before her Trek episode and was likely part of a package deal as many Trek guests often would do a "Mannix" or "Mission: Impossible" around the same time. This episode suffers from a conceit that "Mannix" would often be guilty of in giving us a last act about-face on who the guilty party is complete with Mannix going, "It had to be you!" George Savalas plays Mannix's police foil and sports normal short-hair instead of the curly mess he would have as Detective Stavros on "Kojak."

Star Trek, S3-"The Empath." Yes, the one almost all of us first saw her in. The episode is frankly not a very good one, shot on spartan black sets and it takes forever to get to the point. Kathryn is the mute "Gem" who is being guided through a whole series of tests by the mysterious Vians in which imprisoning Kirk, Spock and McCoy is part of the testing.

Night Gallery, S3-"She'll Be Company For You." Another reunion with Leonard Nimoy! This is a poor third season episode in which Nimoy, following the death of his invalid wife (likely a murder) is then stuck with a cat forced upon him by mysterious Lorraine Gary (the set-up for this comes off as artificial in the extreme). Kathryn has one scene as Nimoy's secretary that he once had an affair with but who has now coldly turned on him (she looks terrific with her 70s hair style). The bulk of the episode is Nimoy being terrorized by the cat and it isn't executed well.

Circle Of Fear-"Legion of Demons." Another mess of a 70s horror episode. Shirley Knight works in an office and when her roommate/best friend Kathryn disappears she suddenly finds herself being terrorized by all the other office workers on Kathryn's floor who are part of a Satanic witches coven. We get 45 minutes of endless and repetitive terrorizing, a twist of sorts towards the end and a ridiculously contrived finish that reveals an episode that is all about flash and shock and little in good storytelling.

Kathryn by this point joined the cast of "As The World Turns" and didn't do another piece of episodic TV until 1999. (She was on the soap for over 35 years I believe)

Law And Order, S10-"Sundown." Kathryn's small part is one of a series of rich widows who have been charmed by a con man preying on them at support groups. But the con man is ultimately not the guilty party in the episode's murder so her role in the episode is part of the "red herring" of the plot.

I don't get to do many marathons any longer but it's always nice to come back with one with a vengeance like this one!

 

[Jack P]

Batman: Season 1
Episode 19 - The Purr-fect Crime
Episode 20 - Better Luck Next Time

What can I say, I got the urge to see Julie Newmar play Catwoman so I indulged myself. Upon further review, I think it was the right call.

And it's the best of her CW episodes because we get to see Julie play Catwoman as a pure villainess without any of that awful lovesick over Batman stuff that dragged the character down in her Season 2 episodes.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Time for a new marathon spotlight!

View attachment 57509

Subject: Kathryn Hays, an actress that I suspect a lot of people were first introduced to thinking she couldn't talk. (simply because of her Star Trek appearance as the mute "Gem").

Welcome back, Jack! That's one monster of a marathon you did on Kathryn Hays...I must confess, I only know her from "The Empath," which is one of my least favorite episodes of the original Star Trek. I have The Lieutenant and the first season of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., so may check those two episodes with Ms. Hays out.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

The Doombolt Chase
1.2 "Escape to danger"
1.3 "Death Beacon"
This show is living up to the "chase" part of the title. Richard and his friends, Lucy and Peter, get up to all manner of action and adventure in their quest to find out the secret behind Richard's father's mysterious decision to deliberately ram an unknown vessel, which has led to his being courtmartialled. There's a tense trip through a restricted Naval weapons testing zone, the discovery of an abandoned, remote-controlled vessel, the kidnapping of an old friend of Richard's father, a narrow escape from Naval authorities, and the infiltration of a well-guarded manor house, where a mad scientist with a shock of white hair (George Colouris) is testing a sonic weapon for potential purchase by a foreign power. Good stuff, this...and, in typical U.K. '70s children's serial fashion, each episode ends in an exciting cliffhanger.

Dragnet 1967 - 1.5 "The Masked Bandits"
Friday and Gannon round up a group of armed robbers, including a sullen 17-year-old juvenile offender married to an older woman. Friday shows his fangs and fast moves in this one, tempering his calm, sympathetic cop persona with some real steel. And Harry Morgan's Gannon is a man after my own heart, always ready for his next meal. The pair have a fun exchange near the end of the episode:

Gannon: When did we eat lunch?

Friday: We didn't.

Gannon: You hungry?

Friday: I could eat.

Of course, Friday never does. But we are treated to a rundown of the Herculean contents of Gannon's sandwich, which would make Dagwood proud.

Quincy, M.E. - 1.1 "Go Fight City Hall...to the Death"
Got my combined Region 2 season 1 and 2 set a few days ago and watched the pilot. This show is very well-known, but is yet another one that I had never seen a lick of it until now. Similar to other Universal NBC Mystery Movie series, I liked it a lot. This episode makes a token attempt at showing how unlikely it would be for a medical examiner to be playing detective, but long-time mystery fans won't be too bothered by the lack of credibility on this point...after all, it's not particularly likely that the British police would listen to an interfering old lady like Miss Marple either, but that never stopped Agatha Christie.

Jack Klugman is in virtually ever scene and brings a lot of energy to the part. He's quite likeable, despite the running joke of his rather thoughtless treatment of his long-suffering stewardess girlfriend (Lynette Mettey). With Denny Miller (as a cheerfully ruthless killer), Henry Darrow, Hari Rhodes, Woodrow Parfrey and George Wyner (who some may remember as Matt Houston's business manager, Murray.)

Strange Report - 1.2 "Skeleton"
When workmen unearth the decayed body of a man 30 years after he was murdered during the Blitz, Strange and his assistant Ham investigate, at first only out of curiosity...but it soon becomes obvious that both the British government and some other less salubrious characters are determined to keep old wartime secrets dead and buried. Another very good episode of this lesser-known gem from the fabulous ITC studios. Directed by Peter Medak, and featuring guest performances from Eric Portman and Hugh Burden. And, because, well, why the hell not?...I'll close with another pic of the lovely Anneke Wills, as Strange's artist and model neighbor, Evelyn.

 

[Jack P]

Ben Alexander I thought worked good with Webb on the radio version of "Dragnet" but on TV, Morgan was much superior in the byplay I felt.

The gimmick of Lynette Mettey as the frustrated girlfriend on "Quincy" would disappear when the show was spun-off from the "Mystery Movie" where it had been briefly the "fourth wheel" with 90 minute episodes into a regular hour long show. I only own the first four seasons since as it went on the show became far too much about Quincy in angry social justice crusading mode and less about using his skills to believably solve crimes.

George Wyner I know best from his semi-regular "Hill Street Blue" role as ADA Bernstein and in the "Fletch" movies as his ex-wife's attorney. I swear the guy was a dead ringer for the vice-principal of my high school!

 

[Jeff Flugel]

The gimmick of Lynette Mettey as the frustrated girlfriend on "Quincy" would disappear when the show was spun-off from the "Mystery Movie" where it had been briefly the "fourth wheel" with 90 minute episodes into a regular hour long show. I only own the first four seasons since as it went on the show became far too much about Quincy in angry social justice crusading mode and less about using his skills to believably solve crimes.

Yes, I believe I read that Quincy leaves the NBC Mystery Movie wheel after episode 3 of the second season...which is also Ms. Mettey's final appearance. You're not the only one who has referred to the overt preachiness that creeps in to the later seasons. I'm guessing I'll also stop after S3 or 4 myself.

 

[bmasters9]

Yes, I believe I read that Quincy leaves the NBC Mystery Movie wheel after episode 3 of the second season...which is also Ms. Mettey's final appearance. You're not the only one who has referred to the overt preachiness that creeps in to the later seasons. I'm guessing I'll also stop after S3 or 4 myself.

I think beyond that that Quincy gets into something that I will call "format drift"-- it starts out as one show (a show about a medical examiner for the LAPD), and becomes something else entirely (a soapbox, issue-of-the-week show that had nothing to do with the title, but was still called Quincy, M.E.).