The Greatest American Hero
Jul. 21st, 2005 05:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ceebeegeeI've been watching DVDs of The Greatest American Hero this week--the first three episodes (including the pilot) so far. I used to LOVE this show--I had a massive crush on William Katt (along with Harrison Ford) and was well-known for my wall of WK pictures and posters. It's interesting watching it again 20+ years later; for one thing, it is glaringly obvious how much this show is a product of its time. It is achingly early '80s, with the attendant gung-ho American rah rah stuff (the title, the FBI character), the Welcome Back, Kotter rejects with their dese-dem-dose accents (jigga-wha? This show takes place in LA, what's with the Brooklyn accents?), the cheesy cold war plots, and the HAIR. My God, the HAIR. William Katt's hair deserves its own credit, it is GINORMOUS. It's like a blonde 'fro. Robert Culp's (Bill Maxwell's) hair is pretty damn long as well--it's all so noticeable. So weird.
There's also a lot of uneasy jokes/references to women's upwardly mobile status--Bill calls Pam "something of a feminist" and her mother obviously doesn't take her career that seriously, even though she's an attorney (!). June Lockhart and some whitebread guy play her Minnesota parents, BTW, which is distracting--I look at that family unit and think "adoption." (Another weird family unit--Ted Danson and Glenn Close in Something About Amelia--these two blonde, fair-skinned parents with two dark-haired, dark-eyed, olive-skinned daughters.) Connie Sellecca, BTW, is flat-out gorgeous, like an older Phoebe Cates.
So I watched three episodes so far, and I have so say, the pilot actually stands up fairly well. It has that awkward, expositional quality that all pilots have, but it's amusing and you like Ralph. And the talent is pretty good--the three leads are great, but Michael Pare as Tony was really quite a standout. His character is such a cliche, but he did a good job with it, nicely underplayed it.
I'm reading reviews of the series, including some of the great 2nd season episodes, like the absolute scariest one, "The Beast in the Black." God, that was a great one! Bill and Ralph are at some old house and somehow Bill gets possessed by some woman and you only know it when his eyes turn blue. And there's some beast in black that kicks Ralph's ass in the dark. Thpooooo-ky! Can't wait to see it again.
There's also a lot of uneasy jokes/references to women's upwardly mobile status--Bill calls Pam "something of a feminist" and her mother obviously doesn't take her career that seriously, even though she's an attorney (!). June Lockhart and some whitebread guy play her Minnesota parents, BTW, which is distracting--I look at that family unit and think "adoption." (Another weird family unit--Ted Danson and Glenn Close in Something About Amelia--these two blonde, fair-skinned parents with two dark-haired, dark-eyed, olive-skinned daughters.) Connie Sellecca, BTW, is flat-out gorgeous, like an older Phoebe Cates.
So I watched three episodes so far, and I have so say, the pilot actually stands up fairly well. It has that awkward, expositional quality that all pilots have, but it's amusing and you like Ralph. And the talent is pretty good--the three leads are great, but Michael Pare as Tony was really quite a standout. His character is such a cliche, but he did a good job with it, nicely underplayed it.
I'm reading reviews of the series, including some of the great 2nd season episodes, like the absolute scariest one, "The Beast in the Black." God, that was a great one! Bill and Ralph are at some old house and somehow Bill gets possessed by some woman and you only know it when his eyes turn blue. And there's some beast in black that kicks Ralph's ass in the dark. Thpooooo-ky! Can't wait to see it again.
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no subject
Date: 2005-07-21 11:38 pm (UTC)Speaking of unsettling, first The Pirate Movie and now this. Obviously we were on the same wavelength back in the early 80's.
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Date: 2005-07-22 01:43 pm (UTC)Netflix! Netflix is the answer to your prayers. (I should be preaching Netflix on the street corners.)
But did you like Jennifer Slept Here?
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Date: 2005-07-22 02:58 pm (UTC)So, ok, we weren't totally on the same wavelength.
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Date: 2005-07-22 03:33 pm (UTC)Jennifer Slept Here
Best of the West....Joel Higgins as a cowboy
Tales of the Gold Monkey
The Sixth Sense...Gary Collins as a psychic
Riverboat...Old West drama starring Darren McGavin and Burt Reynolds
All good stuff, but no HUGE fan base to ensure release. Sh*t, I'd be happy if they put out a season or two of WINGS. I used to love that one.
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Date: 2005-07-22 03:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-22 03:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-22 03:45 pm (UTC)http://www.goldmonkey.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?
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Date: 2005-07-22 04:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-22 04:33 pm (UTC)Jennifer slept here
She lived here
She loved here and laughed here and wept here
She slept here
--Starring Ann Jillian and the kid who bought it in the movie Taps
What they REALLY need to DVD is The Facts of Life. I LOVED that show.
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Date: 2005-07-22 04:51 pm (UTC)How about SILVER SPOONS????
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Date: 2005-07-22 05:07 pm (UTC)I know, right? It lasted for 8 years or something! It's a goldmine!
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Date: 2005-07-22 05:14 pm (UTC)Only 8?
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Date: 2005-07-22 05:28 pm (UTC)FACTz O' LIFE
Date: 2005-07-22 05:46 pm (UTC)Last Telecast: September 10, 1988
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Date: 2005-07-22 04:55 pm (UTC)http://www.goldmonkey.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=G&Product_Code=voyagers&Category_Code=LIT8C
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Date: 2005-07-22 05:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-22 04:57 pm (UTC)http://www.goldmonkey.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=G&Product_Code=blackes&Category_Code=LIT8C
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Date: 2005-07-22 01:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-22 01:40 pm (UTC)BEAST IN THE BLACK
Date: 2005-07-22 12:52 pm (UTC)My favorite part of rewatching this old gem is BILL MAXWELL. Robert Culp was a consumate pro, and you just don't get that kind of quality in television actors anymore. Indeed, these days you just get really young, good looking people without any training or soul for the craft...ACK!!!
Oh, I just started Netflickin' MOONLIGHTING. Some fun stuff there. Bruce Willis was a hoot on that show and alot of it is still very funny.
Cheers!
Re: BEAST IN THE BLACK
Date: 2005-07-22 01:40 pm (UTC)Can't wait to see Apathy! Is it cool if I bring my cute friend?