Hawaii Five-O: Any Fans?

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Ivan, the current run on MeTV Plus is the first time I have been able to watch Hawaii Five-O from beginning to end since it went off the air in 1980 so I am looking
forward to even the crummy episodes, they must still be better than the remake with the Aussie actor in the lead as McGarrett.

Oh I didn't realize you were watching from the beginning all this time and now on season 9? If so, I wish you had posted your progress here (like T.Q. did) and maybe mentioned some highlights along the way. If doing every episode was too much of a chore.

But yes, even latter day Five-O was better than whatever else was on at time time. I'll take season 11 of Five-O any day over Charlie's Angels or CHiPs or Dukes of Hazzard. The state of late 70s TV wasn't that good.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Sorry to rain on your parade Dobie, but it’s not likely all of Hawaii Five-O’s episodes will be shown. In a previous conversation on this thread, it was pretty well established that the show has several syndication packages that have far fewer episodes than the series’ 281. Some included fewer than 200 and one only included 2 or 3 episodes from the final season. Perhaps Ivan remembers more specifically but many episodes are not aired on these channels.

Yeah, it looks like some syndication packages omit a number of episodes. Actually the package I watched in the late 90s had pretty much every episode, as I recall. Because there wasn't a single episode from seasons 10, 11, 12 that I missed. But then in the early 2000s I think they started airing a different package which would contain every episode from the earlier seasons but around the mid-point of the series I began to notice significant numbers of episodes getting skipped. I don't ever recall only them showing 2 or 3 episodes from the final season though. It was definitely more than that. At least half, if not more.

In fact the current package that airs on H&I every Friday (today!) is already skipping episodes. They're on season 8 now and I've noticed over the last few weeks a few getting skipped.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Ivan, the current run on MeTV Plus is the first time I have been able to watch Hawaii Five-O from beginning to end since it went off the air in 1980 so I am looking
forward to even the crummy episodes, they must still be better than the remake with the Aussie actor in the lead as McGarrett.

Oh I didn't realize you were watching from the beginning all this time and now on season 9? If so, I wish you had posted your progress here (like T.Q. did) and maybe mentioned some highlights along the way. If doing every episode was too much of a chore.
But yes, even latter day Five-O was better than whatever else was on at time time. I'll take season 11 of Five-O any day over Charlie's Angels or CHiPs or Dukes of Hazzard. The state of late 70s TV wasn't that good.

Ivan,
I thought about posting as I went along, but as all these episodes are "new" to me, I just wanted to relax and get lost in the story and enjoy my favorite coppers.
Excepting when I go back and share my 2 cents here regarding really exceptional episodes.
On a second viewing I would share my insights for whatever they are worth. I then parse with a critical eye, the writing, acting, wether something makes sense in a real world situation.
I also indulge my little hobby of always checking any windows or even the paint jobs on cars for the reflections of the camera crew.
I look for in jokes, such as say Danny looking at a report in the paper that advances the plot, while at the bottom there is a ad for a movie retro house playing Man of the West,
starring Gary Cooper and Jack Lord. Or if for some reason the camera lingers over a wall with wanted posters, I check the names as they could be that of the writers or the guys in
the production crew.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Tonight on MeTV Plus they ran the episode "Elegy in a Rain Forest" from season 9.
Really exciting, with unusual guest characters such as the mute "David".
William Watson was off the charts scary as the crazy killer rapist. If there is a top ten list of the worst bad guys who ever appeared on the series,
Watson's "Marcus Lucien" is near the top. He'd give Dracula nightmares.
What also enhanced it was the on location filming in the scenic forest, away from the usual sets like McGarrett's office and yet another shot of Hotel street.
I realize the series was starting to feel its age in year 9 but this episode was a grabber.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others"...Groucho Marx citing a 1870's NZ politician

It's a very good episode indeed. Perhaps not as stellar as I once thought (I prefer season 8's "McGarrett is Missing", another episode with McG and his prisoner stranded in a rainforest) because the scenes with Karen and the mute "nature boy" kinda drag a bit and tend to be a bit schmaltzy but William Watson's Lucien is a scary presence for sure! I just wish he played it more straight all the way through, without resorting to all those facial contortions and theatrics which kinda make his performance really over-the-top in spots. He changes from a crazy madman to a sobbing cry-baby in a split second and then back again. It tends to be a bit too much at times, like he (Watson) is really going out of his way to convince us that he's crazy. Watson already has a scary face to begin with so there's really no need to go overboard with all those facial ticks and the babbling and rambling and sobbing. Just playing it more straight would have been more effective. So as it stands I'm always kinda torn by his performance - it's a love/hate kinda thing. The scenes where he's just really grim looking are the most effective for me. Shivers!

As for season 9 overall, that was the show's last truly great season! In fact I prefer it over season 8. So I really think season 9 gave us one last hurrah! Other absolute standouts from this season include "A Capitol Crime", "Target-A Cop", "The Bells Toll at Noon" (with Rich Little, directed by Jack Lord), and "Man in a Steel Frame". Those 4 can stand tall with some of the best episodes in the entire series! I'd also throw in "Blood Money is Hard to Wash" to round out my top 5 for the season.

Season 10 is where the creaks really started showing. That's also when the suits decided to pretty much water down all crime dramas across all networks, to cut down on the violence on TV. So all of a sudden McGarrett is doing favors for the governor's socialite friends, tracking down dog-nappers, and solving Agatha Christie-style mysteries.

Hi Ivan,
I'm glad to know at least season nine is a good one. I just saw "The Bells Toll at Noon" and as a old movie fan, especially of Warner Brothers and Jimmy Cagney flicks,
I thought it was outstanding. The writing was very clever and kudos to director Lord for the way he integrated the old movie footage.
I'm afraid though it's impact will be greatly diminished as the years go by because the younger folk won't "get" much of it as most won't watch black and white films anymore.
These flicks were 30 years old when I was growing up but because they provided a big part of the schedule for independent NYC channels 5, 9 and 11 all of us
kids knew Cagney and Bogie and Duke Wayne, it was universal. Plus Duke was still making movies.
Sunday mornings though were split along sectarian lines, you either watched the Bowery Boys on channel 5 or Abbott & Costello on channel 11 and never the twain shall meet.
It was banana splits at Louie's Sweet Shop versus Who's On First.

Ivan, the current run on MeTV Plus is the first time I have been able to watch Hawaii Five-O from beginning to end since it went off the air in 1980 so I am looking
forward to even the crummy episodes, they must still be better than the remake with the Aussie actor in the lead as McGarrett.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"We're here for a good time not a long time"

Sorry to rain on your parade Dobie, but it’s not likely all of Hawaii Five-O’s episodes will be shown. In a previous conversation on this thread, it was pretty well established that the show has several syndication packages that have far fewer episodes than the series’ 281. Some included fewer than 200 and one only included 2 or 3 episodes from the final season. Perhaps Ivan remembers more specifically but many episodes are not aired on these channels.

Hi Pahonu,
I respect what you are saying given your Hollywood acumen in most all things.
But, I am hoping in the case of MeTV Plus the running of only some episodes may not apply to that network.
The channel is run to make moolah of course, but it is also true they have some serious classic TV aficionados in charge there and I don't think(maybe I am wrong) to date they have
skipped any episodes.
On it's sister channel MeTV's public posting areas, we have long bugged management to run some fave series.
Like Streets of San Francisco, Harry O, Hawaii Five-O, 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Mission Impossible. We got a little irked they seemed to ignore us,then lo and behold
MeTV Plus debuted with those series making up their nightly line up. Plus all sorts of excellent westerns on the weekend, even those that may have lasted just one or two
seasons but are of high quality. We still ask for James Garner's "Nichols" - I alerted the guys to that little known series - but so far no go, though Garner maintained it was
the best TV work he has ever done, better than Rockford.
We suggested they run Nichols or Harry 0 with their limited number of episodes as summer fare, that way we get to see a great series without worrying about too soon repeat viewing.
So we at least got Harry O when they gave Vegas a rest. Though maybe they would have done this summer viewing deal anyway.

It's as if you and Ivan and Little Garwood were running a network, as well as listening to the viewers, so I hope they will run all the Hawaii Five O's.

[Pahonu]

Tonight on MeTV Plus they ran the episode "Elegy in a Rain Forest" from season 9.
Really exciting, with unusual guest characters such as the mute "David".
William Watson was off the charts scary as the crazy killer rapist. If there is a top ten list of the worst bad guys who ever appeared on the series,
Watson's "Marcus Lucien" is near the top. He'd give Dracula nightmares.
What also enhanced it was the on location filming in the scenic forest, away from the usual sets like McGarrett's office and yet another shot of Hotel street.
I realize the series was starting to feel its age in year 9 but this episode was a grabber.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others"...Groucho Marx citing a 1870's NZ politician

It's a very good episode indeed. Perhaps not as stellar as I once thought (I prefer season 8's "McGarrett is Missing", another episode with McG and his prisoner stranded in a rainforest) because the scenes with Karen and the mute "nature boy" kinda drag a bit and tend to be a bit schmaltzy but William Watson's Lucien is a scary presence for sure! I just wish he played it more straight all the way through, without resorting to all those facial contortions and theatrics which kinda make his performance really over-the-top in spots. He changes from a crazy madman to a sobbing cry-baby in a split second and then back again. It tends to be a bit too much at times, like he (Watson) is really going out of his way to convince us that he's crazy. Watson already has a scary face to begin with so there's really no need to go overboard with all those facial ticks and the babbling and rambling and sobbing. Just playing it more straight would have been more effective. So as it stands I'm always kinda torn by his performance - it's a love/hate kinda thing. The scenes where he's just really grim looking are the most effective for me. Shivers!

As for season 9 overall, that was the show's last truly great season! In fact I prefer it over season 8. So I really think season 9 gave us one last hurrah! Other absolute standouts from this season include "A Capitol Crime", "Target-A Cop", "The Bells Toll at Noon" (with Rich Little, directed by Jack Lord), and "Man in a Steel Frame". Those 4 can stand tall with some of the best episodes in the entire series! I'd also throw in "Blood Money is Hard to Wash" to round out my top 5 for the season.

Season 10 is where the creaks really started showing. That's also when the suits decided to pretty much water down all crime dramas across all networks, to cut down on the violence on TV. So all of a sudden McGarrett is doing favors for the governor's socialite friends, tracking down dog-nappers, and solving Agatha Christie-style mysteries.

Hi Ivan,
I'm glad to know at least season nine is a good one. I just saw "The Bells Toll at Noon" and as a old movie fan, especially of Warner Brothers and Jimmy Cagney flicks,
I thought it was outstanding. The writing was very clever and kudos to director Lord for the way he integrated the old movie footage.
I'm afraid though it's impact will be greatly diminished as the years go by because the younger folk won't "get" much of it as most won't watch black and white films anymore.
These flicks were 30 years old when I was growing up but because they provided a big part of the schedule for independent NYC channels 5, 9 and 11 all of us
kids knew Cagney and Bogie and Duke Wayne, it was universal. Plus Duke was still making movies.
Sunday mornings though were split along sectarian lines, you either watched the Bowery Boys on channel 5 or Abbott & Costello on channel 11 and never the twain shall meet.
It was banana splits at Louie's Sweet Shop versus Who's On First.

Ivan, the current run on MeTV Plus is the first time I have been able to watch Hawaii Five-O from beginning to end since it went off the air in 1980 so I am looking
forward to even the crummy episodes, they must still be better than the remake with the Aussie actor in the lead as McGarrett.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"We're here for a good time not a long time"

Sorry to rain on your parade Dobie, but it’s not likely all of Hawaii Five-O’s episodes will be shown. In a previous conversation on this thread, it was pretty well established that the show has several syndication packages that have far fewer episodes than the series’ 281. Some included fewer than 200 and one only included 2 or 3 episodes from the final season. Perhaps Ivan remembers more specifically but many episodes are not aired on these channels.

Hi Pahonu,
I respect what you are saying given your Hollywood acumen in most all things.
But, I am hoping in the case of MeTV Plus the running of only some episodes may not apply to that network.
The channel is run to make moolah of course, but it is also true they have some serious classic TV aficionados in charge there and I don't think(maybe I am wrong) to date they have
skipped any episodes.
On it's sister channel MeTV's public posting areas, we have long bugged management to run some fave series.
Like Streets of San Francisco, Harry O, Hawaii Five-O, 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Mission Impossible. We got a little irked they seemed to ignore us,then lo and behold
MeTV Plus debuted with those series making up their nightly line up. Plus all sorts of excellent westerns on the weekend, even those that may have lasted just one or two
seasons but are of high quality. We still ask for James Garner's "Nichols" - I alerted the guys to that little known series - but so far no go, though Garner maintained it was
the best TV work he has ever done, better than Rockford.
We suggested they run Nichols or Harry 0 with their limited number of episodes as summer fare, that way we get to see a great series without worrying about too soon repeat viewing.
So we at least got Harry O when they gave Vegas a rest. Though maybe they would have done this summer viewing deal anyway.

It's as if you and Ivan and Little Garwood were running a network, as well as listening to the viewers, so I hope they will run all the Hawaii Five O's.

I’m glad to hear you and others are lobbying for these great series. I’ll keep my fingers crossed about H5-O. I have the DVD series of Nichols, and while I don’t like it more than Rockford, it is an interesting take on the traditional western. I enjoyed it greatly.

If you’re so inclined to keep lobbying, there are some other brief detective series that I also have (on poor quality bootleg DVD) that I would love to see on METV+ or elsewhere.

Richie Brockelman
City of Angels
Banyon (only a few episodes)
The Snoop Sisters (2 or 3 episodes)
Tenafly (1 episode)

Have you seen any of these?

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Luther's nephew Dobie wrote:
Hi Pahonu,
I respect what you are saying given your Hollywood acumen in most all things.
But, I am hoping in the case of MeTV Plus the running of only some episodes may not apply to that network.
The channel is run to make moolah of course, but it is also true they have some serious classic TV aficionados in charge there and I don't think(maybe I am wrong) to date they have
skipped any episodes.
On it's sister channel MeTV's public posting areas, we have long bugged management to run some fave series.
Like Streets of San Francisco, Harry O, Hawaii Five-O, 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Mission Impossible. We got a little irked they seemed to ignore us,then lo and behold
MeTV Plus debuted with those series making up their nightly line up. Plus all sorts of excellent westerns on the weekend, even those that may have lasted just one or two
seasons but are of high quality. We still ask for James Garner's "Nichols" - I alerted the guys to that little known series - but so far no go, though Garner maintained it was
the best TV work he has ever done, better than Rockford.
We suggested they run Nichols or Harry 0 with their limited number of episodes as summer fare, that way we get to see a great series without worrying about too soon repeat viewing.
So we at least got Harry O when they gave Vegas a rest. Though maybe they would have done this summer viewing deal anyway.

It's as if you and Ivan and Little Garwood were running a network, as well as listening to the viewers, so I hope they will run all the Hawaii Five O's.
I’m glad to hear you and others are lobbying for these great series. I’ll keep my fingers crossed about H5-O. I have the DVD series of Nichols, and while I don’t like it more than Rockford, it is an interesting take on the traditional western. I enjoyed it greatly.


Pahonu wrote: Thu Sep 17, 2022:
If you’re so inclined to keep lobbying, there are some other brief detective series that I also have (on poor quality bootleg DVD) that I would love to see on METV+ or elsewhere.

Richie Brockelman
City of Angels
Banyon (only a few episodes)
The Snoop Sisters (2 or 3 episodes)
Tenafly (1 episode)

Have you seen any of these?

Pahonu,
I recall watching all of them when they were first on.
I was a avid mystery fan, as my mom was a mystery book coo coo, so I was devouring Ellery Queen/Agatha Christie/Hardy Boys from a very young age.
The NBC Mystery Movies series was a very big deal when it premiered so I never missed any of them, and Tenafly drew a lot of local newspaper coverage because
the hero's name was taken from a town in Jersey, not unlike actor Hal Linden when he was driving down a highway and saw Linden, NJ written on a
giant oil storage tank. Tenafly lasted one season with 4 episodes, the last time I saw it was maybe 30 years ago on a small network that folded,
"Urban TV something or other".
I really liked Banyon, so when I first saw it's star Robert Forster a decade later on Magnum I went "hey it's Banyon".
Sure, I will be happy to send these series names in as a suggestion for summer viewing in future. What they will then do or think we never know because
it's about 1 for every 90 emails sent them that they respond to. But then like I said, lo and behold for their new MeTV Plus network they ran almost all
the series posters had asked for. The morning alone has Burkes Law, Family and Route 66. They also have Mayberry RFD for all the TAGS fans, it's the
only place where you are going to see Andy marry Helen with Barney as best man, later on baby Andy Taylor junior appears.
As well as a very young Farrah Fawcett.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

I really liked Banyon, so when I first saw it's star Robert Forster a decade later on Magnum I went "hey it's Banyon".
Sure, I will be happy to send these series names in as a suggestion for summer viewing in future. What they will then do or think we never know because
it's about 1 for every 90 emails sent them that they respond to. But then like I said, lo and behold for their new MeTV Plus network they ran almost all
the series posters had asked for. The morning alone has Burkes Law, Family and Route 66. They also have Mayberry RFD for all the TAGS fans, it's the
only place where you are going to see Andy marry Helen with Barney as best man, later on baby Andy Taylor junior appears.
As well as a very young Farrah Fawcett.

As a big Chuck Norris fan growing up, my introduction to Robert Forster was as the main terrorist highjacker in the 1986 action film (from Menahem Golan) THE DELTA FORCE! Loved that movie growing up!! That was a time when Forster was mainly doing B-movies and direct-to-video fare, all the way into the 90s. Until Tarantino rediscovered him and cast him in JACKIE BROWN.

As for MAYBERRY RFD, I've never seen it but always imagined it to be a much inferior spin-off of the original series. No Andy, no Barney, no Opie. What's the point?? Well, I was really surprised to learn that while it only lasted 3 seasons, 2 of those seasons it was #4 in the Nielsen ratings. Wow! That's higher than a few of the actual seasons of TAGS! We're talking higher than FIVE-O, MANNIX, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, or THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES. I suppose it was that built-in TAGS fanbase that kept tuning in. It was in the same 9pm Monday timeslot that TAGS was previously in. So I suppose folks kept tuning in to see a few of the Mayberry locals that stuck around. Let me know if the show was actually any good.

[Chris109]

I really liked Banyon, so when I first saw it's star Robert Forster a decade later on Magnum I went "hey it's Banyon".
Sure, I will be happy to send these series names in as a suggestion for summer viewing in future. What they will then do or think we never know because
it's about 1 for every 90 emails sent them that they respond to. But then like I said, lo and behold for their new MeTV Plus network they ran almost all
the series posters had asked for. The morning alone has Burkes Law, Family and Route 66. They also have Mayberry RFD for all the TAGS fans, it's the
only place where you are going to see Andy marry Helen with Barney as best man, later on baby Andy Taylor junior appears.
As well as a very young Farrah Fawcett.

As a big Chuck Norris fan growing up, my introduction to Robert Forster was as the main terrorist highjacker in the 1986 action film (from Menahem Golan) THE DELTA FORCE! Loved that movie growing up!! That was a time when Forster was mainly doing B-movies and direct-to-video fare, all the way into the 90s. Until Tarantino rediscovered him and cast him in JACKIE BROWN.

You must really love how just about every 'local' kind of station shows non-stop Walker Texas Ranger. Sometimes, it's on 3 channels at the same time.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

I really liked Banyon, so when I first saw it's star Robert Forster a decade later on Magnum I went "hey it's Banyon".
Sure, I will be happy to send these series names in as a suggestion for summer viewing in future. What they will then do or think we never know because
it's about 1 for every 90 emails sent them that they respond to. But then like I said, lo and behold for their new MeTV Plus network they ran almost all
the series posters had asked for. The morning alone has Burkes Law, Family and Route 66. They also have Mayberry RFD for all the TAGS fans, it's the
only place where you are going to see Andy marry Helen with Barney as best man, later on baby Andy Taylor junior appears.
As well as a very young Farrah Fawcett.

As a big Chuck Norris fan growing up, my introduction to Robert Forster was as the main terrorist highjacker in the 1986 action film (from Menahem Golan) THE DELTA FORCE! Loved that movie growing up!! That was a time when Forster was mainly doing B-movies and direct-to-video fare, all the way into the 90s. Until Tarantino rediscovered him and cast him in JACKIE BROWN.

You must really love how just about every 'local' kind of station shows non-stop Walker Texas Ranger. Sometimes, it's on 3 channels at the same time.

LOL, you're right. There's a lot of WALKER out there. In the eyes of a ranger, the unsuspecting stranger... had better know the truth of wrong from right... (nah-nah-nah)

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

As a big Chuck Norris fan growing up, my introduction to Robert Forster was as the main terrorist highjacker in the 1986 action film (from Menahem Golan) THE DELTA FORCE! Loved that movie growing up!! That was a time when Forster was mainly doing B-movies and direct-to-video fare, all the way into the 90s. Until Tarantino rediscovered him and cast him in JACKIE BROWN.

As for MAYBERRY RFD, I've never seen it but always imagined it to be a much inferior spin-off of the original series. No Andy, no Barney, no Opie. What's the point?? Well, I was really surprised to learn that while it only lasted 3 seasons, 2 of those seasons it was #4 in the Nielsen ratings. Wow! That's higher than a few of the actual seasons of TAGS! We're talking higher than FIVE-O, MANNIX, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, or THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES. I suppose it was that built-in TAGS fanbase that kept tuning in. It was in the same 9pm Monday timeslot that TAGS was previously in. So I suppose folks kept tuning in to see a few of the Mayberry locals that stuck around. Let me know if the show was actually any good.

Ivan,
Mayberry RFD had several things going for it. A built in audience, familiar characters, the always well liked Ken "F-Troop" Berry, plus it functioned as a comforting, familiar place of sanity
amid the Vietnam War/urban unrest/generation gap 1960's.
You could have stone hippies like my cousin Jimmy or our gung ho Bakersfield cousins sitting down to enjoy it while still scoffing at the hokey parts.

It wasn't MEANT to be The Andy Griffith Show(because how could that show's magic ever be repeated).
The producers cleverly announced that - which I didn't figure out till seeing it again recently - by having the opening visual of Ken Berry playing a very slow catch with his son,
to the most leisurely theme music ever heard. They were going for a gentle, leisurely Sunday afternoon humor, no goats full of dynamite or "Citizen's Arrest".

There are some pretty good episodes and any TAGS fan will want to see Andy and Helen's wedding with best man Barney, Opie's or Bee's last appearance, Andy/Helen returning for
baby Andy's baptism. To my surprise Howard Sprague had more good episodes built around him than all the other characters did.
The one where he and Emmett go to NYC to appear on a TV debate, city versus country, and Howard goes 'native' was good too.
Also good was the new Goober's Gas station opening downtown and Howard discovering a dinosaur is buried there.
I always liked the unusual 3 episode arc set in Palm Springs, especially the episode revolving around the gang helping a singing cowboy looking to make a comeback.
Most posters today don't care for it, but that's because it was pure corn aimed squarely at those who had grown up in the 30's and 40's watching those 50 minute singing buckaroos
shorts in the theater, and the 50's kids who digged them when they proved very popular on Saturday morning TV along with Hopalong Cassidy.

Jodie Foster's drippy little brother was miscast as Mike, Sam Jones's - Ken Berry - son, any episode centered around him plays like a lecture from Ward Cleaver.

My opinion? It's a lightweight series with it's heart in the right place, an okay diversion for TAGS people, but don't go in looking for huge yucks.
I have a soft spot for it as so much of it reminds me of those times and people long gone, plus unlike some series the "prints" survived in great shape,
it looks brand new in HD.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Be yourself. Everyone else is taken"...Oscar Wilde

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

As a big Chuck Norris fan growing up, my introduction to Robert Forster was as the main terrorist highjacker in the 1986 action film (from Menahem Golan) THE DELTA FORCE! Loved that movie growing up!! That was a time when Forster was mainly doing B-movies and direct-to-video fare, all the way into the 90s. Until Tarantino rediscovered him and cast him in JACKIE BROWN.

As for MAYBERRY RFD, I've never seen it but always imagined it to be a much inferior spin-off of the original series. No Andy, no Barney, no Opie. What's the point?? Well, I was really surprised to learn that while it only lasted 3 seasons, 2 of those seasons it was #4 in the Nielsen ratings. Wow! That's higher than a few of the actual seasons of TAGS! We're talking higher than FIVE-O, MANNIX, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, or THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES. I suppose it was that built-in TAGS fanbase that kept tuning in. It was in the same 9pm Monday timeslot that TAGS was previously in. So I suppose folks kept tuning in to see a few of the Mayberry locals that stuck around. Let me know if the show was actually any good.

Ivan,
Mayberry RFD had several things going for it. A built in audience, familiar characters, the always well liked Ken "F-Troop" Berry, plus it functioned as a comforting, familiar place of sanity
amid the Vietnam War/urban unrest/generation gap 1960's.
You could have stone hippies like my cousin Jimmy or our gung ho Bakersfield cousins sitting down to enjoy it while still scoffing at the hokey parts.

It wasn't MEANT to be The Andy Griffith Show(because how could that show's magic ever be repeated).
The producers cleverly announced that - which I didn't figure out till seeing it again recently - by having the opening visual of Ken Berry playing a very slow catch with his son,
to the most leisurely theme music ever heard. They were going for a gentle, leisurely Sunday afternoon humor, no goats full of dynamite or "Citizen's Arrest".

There are some pretty good episodes and any TAGS fan will want to see Andy and Helen's wedding with best man Barney, Opie's or Bee's last appearance, Andy/Helen returning for
baby Andy's baptism. To my surprise Howard Sprague had more good episodes built around him than all the other characters did.
The one where he and Emmett go to NYC to appear on a TV debate, city versus country, and Howard goes 'native' was good too.
Also good was the new Goober's Gas station opening downtown and Howard discovering a dinosaur is buried there.
I always liked the unusual 3 episode arc set in Palm Springs, especially the episode revolving around the gang helping a singing cowboy looking to make a comeback.
Most posters today don't care for it, but that's because it was pure corn aimed squarely at those who had grown up in the 30's and 40's watching those 50 minute singing buckaroos
shorts in the theater, and the 50's kids who digged them when they proved very popular on Saturday morning TV along with Hopalong Cassidy.

Jodie Foster's drippy little brother was miscast as Mike, Sam Jones's - Ken Berry - son, any episode centered around him plays like a lecture from Ward Cleaver.

My opinion? It's a lightweight series with it's heart in the right place, an okay diversion for TAGS people, but don't go in looking for huge yucks.
I have a soft spot for it as so much of it reminds me of those times and people long gone, plus unlike some series the "prints" survived in great shape,
it looks brand new in HD.

Thanks for the run-down on MAYBERRY RFD, Dobe. Maybe I'll check it out someday. I dig small-town atmospheres of a bygone era and anything that has any connection to TAGS is an automatic plus for me, if only to see characters like Goober and Howard, etc. again. Hey, I'm one of those who has no problem sitting down to watch the color episodes of TAGS. Sure I love me some Barney a whole lot and think the B&W episodes were the best but there was still plenty of charm and fun left in the series once it switched to color. And Floyd was still there for 2 more seasons - he was probably my second favorite character after Barn! I never understood folks who avoided the color seasons like the plague or called it unwatchable. It was still more watchable than any other sitcom on the air at that time. The writing and acting was still high quality. But people talk about it as if they had flying saucers landing in the middle of Mayberry or something. It was still the same down-home humor that made those B&W episodes work. Losing Barney or switching to color isn't enough to kill the whole show. Heck, all B&W shows switched to color in 1965 and 1966 and many of them still ran for a good number of years after that. GUNSMOKE ran until 1975 and had some of its highest ratings after it switched to color.

having the opening visual of Ken Berry playing a very slow catch with his son,
to the most leisurely theme music ever heard. They were going for a gentle, leisurely Sunday afternoon humor, no goats full of dynamite or "Citizen's Arrest".

I just checked out the RFD intro theme and it's the same music by Earle Hagen that we hear on most TAGS episodes - I'm talking about the episodic score of many episodes. That catchy kind of tune. Not sure what to call it. Looks like they just took that and made it the RFD opening theme. Also at the end of that intro they break a window with the baseball so I don't know how "leisurely" it is.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) wrote:
Thanks for the run-down on MAYBERRY RFD, Dobe. Maybe I'll check it out someday. I dig small-town atmospheres of a bygone era and anything that has any connection to TAGS is an automatic plus for me, if only to see characters like Goober and Howard, etc. again. Hey, I'm one of those who has no problem sitting down to watch the color episodes of TAGS. Sure I love me some Barney a whole lot and think the B&W episodes were the best but there was still plenty of charm and fun left in the series once it switched to color. And Floyd was still there for 2 more seasons - he was probably my second favorite character after Barn! I never understood folks who avoided the color seasons like the plague or called it unwatchable. It was still more watchable than any other sitcom on the air at that time. The writing and acting was still high quality. But people talk about it as if they had flying saucers landing in the middle of Mayberry or something. It was still the same down-home humor that made those B&W episodes work. Losing Barney or switching to color isn't enough to kill the whole show. Heck, all B&W shows switched to color in 1965 and 1966 and many of them still ran for a good number of years after that. GUNSMOKE ran until 1975 and had some of its highest ratings after it switched to color.

Dobryi den Ivan,
I agree with everything you say above. The color TAGS had some very funny episodes such as when Howard Sprague moves to a Carribbean isle, as who hasn't once thought of chucking everything
in for the tropics.

We need to one day start TAGS and Bonanza topic threads on Magnum Mania, as not just me but others often go off on a tangent.

Speaking of tangents I recently went over 1,000 postings, and was wondering if I'm entitled to any kind of goodies.
Rumor has it both you and Pahonu scored dinners at Luau Louies with Digger Doyle and Linda Lee Ellison.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I know positively that our good friend Dr. Stall has treated this boy...for Malta fever, Beriberi and that dreaded of all diseases, Mo Go on the Ga Go Go."
...Egbert Souse(WC Fields) in The Bank Dick (1940)

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) wrote:
Thanks for the run-down on MAYBERRY RFD, Dobe. Maybe I'll check it out someday. I dig small-town atmospheres of a bygone era and anything that has any connection to TAGS is an automatic plus for me, if only to see characters like Goober and Howard, etc. again. Hey, I'm one of those who has no problem sitting down to watch the color episodes of TAGS. Sure I love me some Barney a whole lot and think the B&W episodes were the best but there was still plenty of charm and fun left in the series once it switched to color. And Floyd was still there for 2 more seasons - he was probably my second favorite character after Barn! I never understood folks who avoided the color seasons like the plague or called it unwatchable. It was still more watchable than any other sitcom on the air at that time. The writing and acting was still high quality. But people talk about it as if they had flying saucers landing in the middle of Mayberry or something. It was still the same down-home humor that made those B&W episodes work. Losing Barney or switching to color isn't enough to kill the whole show. Heck, all B&W shows switched to color in 1965 and 1966 and many of them still ran for a good number of years after that. GUNSMOKE ran until 1975 and had some of its highest ratings after it switched to color.

Dobryi den Ivan,
I agree with everything you say above. The color TAGS had some very funny episodes such as when Howard Sprague moves to a Carribbean isle, as who hasn't once thought of chucking everything
in for the tropics.

We need to one day start TAGS and Bonanza topic threads on Magnum Mania, as not just me but others often go off on a tangent.

Speaking of tangents I recently went over 1,000 postings, and was wondering if I'm entitled to any kind of goodies.
Rumor has it both you and Pahonu scored dinners at Luau Louies with Digger Doyle and Linda Lee Ellison.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I know positively that our good friend Dr. Stall has treated this boy...for Malta fever, Beriberi and that dreaded of all diseases, Mo Go on the Ga Go Go."
...Egbert Souse(WC Fields) in The Bank Dick (1940)

Dobryi vechir Dobie,

I actually remember that episode of Howard on the Caribbean isle. I must have seen it sometime back in the 90s when I was in middle school. The thing is that I have not seen that many of the color episodes. I vaguely remember a few from the 90s (the Caribbean isle one being one of them) but since then all I've ever seen is the B&W ones. To this day Me-TV for whatever reason simply refuses to show the last 3 seasons. It's like they don't exist. Go figure! They just keep looping through the 5 B&W seasons over and over and over.... been doing it for years now. Luckily about a year ago I purchased the entire box set so now I have all 8 seasons in my possession and have been going through the color ones as time permits. Still on season 6 but enjoying it a whole lot!

Congrats on your 1,000 postings! Sorry but I'm keeping Digger. Feel free to ask Pahonu about Linda Lee.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Just wanted to provide an update on the current syndication package for Five-O that's on the H&I network (Heroes & Icons) every Friday where they show 5 episodes in a row.

So I checked the schedule for tomorrow and they're kicking off season 9 with "Nine Dragons" (parts 1 & 2) but then the next one is "Tour De Force - Killer Aboard". That means they're skipping 3 episodes - "Assault on the Palace", "Oldest Profession - Latest Price" and "Man on Fire" (with Pat Hingle and our own John Hillerman ). The next 2 episodes seem to be in place - "The Last of the Great Paperhangers" and "Heads, You're Dead". Bottom line is they've been skipping more and more lately. In fact last Friday they skipped the last 2 episodes of season 8.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Hawaii Five -O  Season 10 Episode 8 "Deadly Doubles"
The regular cast seems disinterested in this warmed over Cold War love story  with it's trite plot.
Bored would be a better word.
Disney refugee Kurt Russell was  fatally miscast as a slimy murderous  Russian tennis player, with a accent so bad he should be sent to Siberia.
He is more Malibu beach boy than a Russky.
Meanwhile Tim Mathieson is beyond bland as the American Romeo romancing a Russian Juliet.

They cut corners on the budget, the tennis venue had maybe 30 extras in evidence, the director didn't even bother to compose the shots so you wouldn't notice the ocean of empty seats.
Skip this one the next time it's on or on your deathbed you will be lamenting the hour you blew watching it.

I love Hawaii Five -O, but an episode like this seems to be heralding in the decline that you guys say was so evident by seasons 11 and 12.
I'm still going to watch when MeTV Plus runs the last 2 seasons and hope for the best.

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"Twelve good horses and silver candlesticks won't stop the snow from falling in Bialystock."
...Banacek(George Peppard)