What Are You Watching

[gmonahan]

13 hours ago, Ken Dryden said:

I was surprised that this series only ran four seasons, I could have sworn it was longer. I don't know if I started watching it during season 2 or 3, but none of the season 1 shows bring back any memories. I just finished the 24th episode of season 1. I get a kick out of the guest stars, which include Michael Dunn as Miguelito Loveless (a recurring villain), his henchman Voltaire (played by Richard Kiel), others included Don Rickles as a Satanic magician, Burgess Meredith, John Dehner and a lot of veteran character actors whose faces I knew though not necessarily their names. The fight scenes are low budget, as Robert Conrad did his own stunts, but the doubles for the guest star villains were about as believable as those fighting Captain Kirk on the original Star Trek series.

Victor Buono was my favorite villain in that series, but then, I liked him in everything he did. Conrad was so disgusted by the dreadful movie supposedly made from the series that he showed up in person to receive that movie's Razzie for worst film of the year!

 

[Ken Dryden]

1 hour ago, gmonahan said:

Victor Buono was my favorite villain in that series, but then, I liked him in everything he did. Conrad was so disgusted by the dreadful movie supposedly made from the series that he showed up in person to receive that movie's Razzie for worst film of the year!

 

Buono was in the pilot, he really camped it up.

An even worse film made after a series ended was “Homcide: Life on the Streets.” Every regular cast member was included, even those whose characters were killed off or written out. But the writing and the plot line were very unsatisfactory, especially the ending.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Ken Dryden

[GA Russell]

On 9/11/2023 at 12:06 AM, sgcim said:

Best series ever made, period.

Do you (or anyone else) have an opinion on The Shield or The Commish?

[jazzbo]

I enjoyed The Shield, it was nowhere near The Wire or other top-notch shows, and its production values weren't awe-inspiring, but it was entertaining. I never felt the need to watch any of The Commish.

Edited September 12, 2023 by jazzbo

[JSngry]

Rat Patrol 

[Ken Dryden]

I remember when that originally aired. Linda Day George wrote about how hard doing the show was on her husband Christopher’s back. The Germans were almost comical with their inability to fight the enemy in the series. Soap opera star Eric Braden was still using his birth name of Hans Gudegast (spelled something like that) back then.

[JSngry]

This Rat Patrol episode today feature Claudine Longet in a dramatic role. But she does play a singer! 

[jlhoots]

The Morning Show - new season on Apple+

[jazzbo]

Dark Winds, Season 2, AMC

[jlhoots]

25 minutes ago, jazzbo said:

Dark Winds, Season 2, AMC

👍

[gmonahan]

On 9/13/2023 at 4:27 AM, Ken Dryden said:

I remember when that originally aired. Linda Day George wrote about how hard doing the show was on her husband Christopher’s back. The Germans were almost comical with their inability to fight the enemy in the series. Soap opera star Eric Braden was still using his birth name of Hans Gudegast (spelled something like that) back then.

Yeah, it was like "Combat!" The Germans would all jump from behind rocks and trees so they could all get drilled by the heroes of the show. I often wondered what real vets of the war thought of that. I bet they *wished* the enemy would have done that!

 

[Ken Dryden]

That mystified me as well, the Germans having good cover then charging out into open ground to get gunned down. The other thing was their failure to hold grenades for a few seconds after arming, giving the Americans time to toss them back. I guess they didn’t use combat veterans to review the scripts.

[JSngry]

They don't just gun them down, they mow them down, gangster style. It's a bit amazing, and not really in a fun way.

And yet I watch. The lack of dialogue pulls me in before the slaughter begins 

I much prefer Lucas McCain or Paladin's thoughtful, measured approach to killing other humans on TV. 

[Ken Dryden]

Checkmate King 2, this is white rook, over.

Edited September 15, 2023 by Ken Dryden

[GA Russell]

On 9/12/2023 at 4:19 AM, jazzbo said:

I enjoyed The Shield, it was nowhere near The Wire or other top-notch shows, and its production values weren't awe-inspiring, but it was entertaining. I never felt the need to watch any of The Commish.

Thanks, Lon!

[Referentzhunter]

[jazzbo]

[Chuck Nessa]

Just finished season 2 of The Wire - now on to season 3.

[GregK]

On 9/19/2023 at 12:16 PM, Chuck Nessa said:

Just finished season 2 of The Wire - now on to season 3.

I always thought Season 2 was the best! But they are all good.

[Referentzhunter]

brilliant movie

[Referentzhunter]

[Referentzhunter]

[JSngry]

Paramount+ has a buttload full of Gunsmoke so we're going to be doing that for a while.

I came of age in the Festus era so getting to see Dennis Weaver as Chester is proving to be quite the treat! 

[jlhoots]

new season of Sex Education - Netflix

[JSngry]

Gomez and Mortica are still the sexiest sitcom couple ever!

Plus all the OG cast except Blossom Rock are here. So yes, Uncle Fester in fine form.

Civilians Parley Baer and Vito Scotti are in tow. Veterans making it work! Guys like that amaze me to no end, they just know how to do it. 

It's 1977, it's NBC, and if you don't have a thing for the initial series and/or Morticia, don't waste you time.

But I am. I still do, and I certainly did not!