Simon & Simon DVDs

[terryfromkerry]

Loved this show in the '80's. In the past several weeks I have been able to re-visit the first 4 episodes of Season 1. Good stories, great humour, nostalgic '80's feel, nice chemistry between Jameson Parker & Gerald McRaney & awesome stunts. The 4th episode featured a helicopter & car chase. At one point in the chase the under carriage of the 'copter made contact with the car being pursued. Such a dangerous and potentially life ending stunt. It reminded me of the massive risks professional stunt men / women took regularly back in that era.

[Little Garwood]

youtu.be/mQyVwZKbVX8

“On location with 'Simon & Simon' in 1986 at Santa Fe Depot and Balboa Park in San Diego”

[jno]

Thanks for posting that Little Garwood.

[Styles Bitchley]

Yes! Thanks Little Gar! Anyone know what episode they were shooting?

[Little Garwood]

Yes! Thanks Little Gar! Anyone know what episode they were shooting?

I’m not 100% certain, but I believe one of them is The Case of Don Diablo from season 6.

[Little Garwood]

Yes! Thanks Little Gar! Anyone know what episode they were shooting?

I’m not 100% certain, but I believe one of them is The Case of Don Diablo from season 6.

Confirmed! Watched The Case of Don Diablo recently, an episode I’d rate a 7/10.

[Little Garwood]

For years I’ve toyed with the idea of doing Simon & Simon episode reviews with the same kind of obsessive detail others here have done for Magnum, P.I..

For this, I wanted to focus on Simon & Simon seasons 5-8, which I don’t know as well as the first four seasons. I came up with a review template:

Season and Episode Number:
Episode Title:
Original Airdate:
Writer:
Director:
Synopsis:

Guest Cast:
Review/Observations:
Rating (1-10 stars):
Simon Back Story: Details of the characters’ past cases—both those from actual episodes and ones we never see but are referenced—characters’ personal back story and family history.
Memorable Dialogue:
Undercover Shtick: The Simons’ often funny routines when trying to sneak in somewhere. This was more common in season 1-4, but they still do the occasional act in these later years.
Notable Use of Music: Episode underscore and use of pop songs (rare, but there are instances)
1980s-ness: Things that stand out as well as the more obscure ‘80s references, culture, and fashions.
San Diego References: S&S is set in San Diego, but not often filmed there, so attempts to remind the viewer of San Diego will be noted.

[Styles Bitchley]

I love you for this. Please proceed, amigo!

[Little Garwood]

Thanks, Styles! Let me know when my droney style becomes too unbearable to read! On second thought, don’t!

The season 5 reviews will (hopefully) be posted every Thursday—In the tradition of Simon & Simon’s after-Magnum time slot!

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Season 5 probably has my all-time favorite episode - "Quint is Out". RIP William Smith. He really worked Rick over in that one. But my two favorite seasons are 2 and 3. I think those had the most number of my favorite episodes. 4 was also good but not as good as 2 and 3. And 5 was less good than 4. And 6 probably less so than 5, though it still had some good ones like "Judgment Call" (with Dan Blocker's son Dirk playing the obsessed dude) and "The Cop Who Came to Dinner". I think it went off the rails once Tim Reid left. Plus they took it down some weird dark paths which didn't suit the show at all. I actually made a point of watching the "Sudden Storm" episode (where Cecelia is raped) some few years back because I heard it was an excellent latter day S&S episode. I found it creepy but not in a good way. Something about it just felt off. I'm just not sure something like this works on a show like S&S. I remember an episode of HUNTER where McCall is raped by a diplomat from another country and Hunter has to help her get through it while also seek revenge against the perp. But there it totally works because it's HUNTER - a gritty cop show. But on S&S it somehow doesn't work and feels too bizarre. There was also the episode "May the Road Rise Up" which I heard was another excellent later episode but I don't think it left any impression on me at all. Something about some antique car and the Simons' father. But I don't recall anything else about it.

They should have pulled the plug at the end of season 6. Though to be fair even 6 seasons seems too much for that show. I'm surprised it went past season 4. It's just not that great a show. MPI definitely had something more special going for it. S&S seems like a second-rate MPI. In fact it was MPI that saved it from cancellation after the 1st season (the few episodes that I saw from that season were pretty poor). I think "Trapdoors" was the only passable one.

[Styles Bitchley]

I saw it as a totally different show, than a second rate MPI. I’d accept that criticism for Matt Houston, but S&S? Nah. Totally different feel. But there were fewer memorable episodes - i agree with that.

[Little Garwood]

S&S “works for me” in that I thought the brilliant chemistry between the two lead actors made even the most inane of plots watchable—same goes for MPI; it was those characters that made the series so enjoyable to me. There are only so many storylines to cover, but nuanced character interactions are infinite.

I will say that the darker tone took me some time to getting used to—those episodes were most likely influenced by the imo-it-hasn’t-aged-well-at-all Miami Vice—but I feel those S&S episodes are mostly well rendered.

Just my opinion, like IvanTheTerrible’s post was his opinion, though some might confuse it for “fact” the way he argues it.

Hunter was “a gritty cop show” the way The Munsters was “chilling gothic horror” and Gilligan’s Island was a “nailbiting struggle for survival in a hostile environment.”

Just my opinion.

[Pahonu]

Hunter was “a gritty cop show” the way The Munsters was “chilling gothic horror” and Gilligan’s Island was a “nailbiting struggle for survival in a hostile environment.”

That’s all. Carry on!

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

S&S “works for me” in that I thought the brilliant chemistry between the two lead actors made even the most inane of plots watchable—same goes for MPI; it was those characters that made the series so enjoyable to me. There are only so many storylines to cover, but nuanced character interactions are infinite.

I will say that the darker tone took me some time to getting used to—those episodes were most likely influenced by the imo-it-hasn’t-aged-well-at-all Miami Vice—but I feel those S&S episodes are mostly well rendered.

Just my opinion, like IvanTheTerrible’s post was his opinion, though some might confuse it for “fact” the way he argues it.

I guess your mileage may vary. Rick and A.J. didn't do much for me. Their "interactions" weren't all that memorable. It sure wasn't TM and Higgy-baby. And the whole mismatched pair thing (one is neat, the other a slob) was already done, and done better, on THE ODD COUPLE a decade earlier. I guess I prefer Rick's cowboy way to A.J.'s office yuppie type but neither ever clicked with me. Plus I just never got a brothers vibe from them. It's like one of them was switched at birth.

Hunter was “a gritty cop show” the way The Munsters was “chilling gothic horror” and Gilligan’s Island was a “nailbiting struggle for survival in a hostile environment.”

Well, I for one sat on the edge of my seat to see if today would be the day they would get rescued.

I don't know what you'd call a "gritty cop show". I've heard of THE SHIELD and THE WIRE. Maybe those apply. But for 80s television HUNTER was pretty darn gritty. Hunter would blow the baddie away at the end Dirty Harry style, at a time when such a thing wasn't done on TV. That's why they almost axed the show for being too violent.

[Little Garwood]

I respect your viewpoint re: Simon & Simon, and even though you dislike the show, a bumped thread is a bumped thread!