Rizzoli and Isles: Gal Pals

September 30, 2019 / thewritelife61 / 1 Comment

We wind up our crime-solving duos series this week. I had decided to concentrate primarily on classic television for this blog. That was not anything I had to define my first few years, but now in my fourth year, I had to come up with a definition for myself about what classic television is and isn’t. For me, classic television includes television shows that are no longer on the air except in syndication. They are also shows that have something worth writing about and re-watching. Recently I wrote about a show that was on the air a few months ago, Whiskey Cavalier. It still fits the definition because it was cancelled and I think is well worth re-watching.

Today we are learning about a more recent show as well: Rizzoli and Isles. Technically, this was an ensemble cast, but Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles definitely have the same “best pal” vibe that I Spy projects. This show was more about their friendship than it was the crimes they solved, but they did solve a lot of crimes.

I loved this show; maybe this one was special because so many of the crime shows feature males. I can’t think of too many series where women were the focus: Cagney and Lacey is the only crime drama that comes to mind. The show was a bit different in schedule because it was typically on between June and December. In all 105 episodes were produced.

Airing on TNT in 2010, Rizzoli and Isles is the story of Boston police detective Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) and medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander). They are very different characters, much like Robinson and Scott in I Spy.

Photo: rizzoliandisles.com
Dr. Maura Isles

Rizzoli is much more like Robinson while Isles is more like Scott. Coming from a middle-class Italian family, Rizzoli says what’s on her mind, she’s more wise than smart. She’s confident and can be a bit outspoken but is loyal.

Isles is thoughtful and very intellectual. She comes from a wealthy background and has a pet tortoise named Bass. She can be awkward in social situations. Rizzoli roles out of bed and grabs a solid tee, while Isles is glamorous and dresses to a T. During the seven seasons the show was on the air, they developed a very close friendship. It’s also refreshing because they aren’t 20; they are approaching or entering their forties. They’ve been busy with life and careers.

Alyssa Milano was one of the actresses considered for the role of Rizzoli, but Harmon was cast and then auditioned with Alexander who was hired next. Harmon discussed Alexander’s audition, “We were trying to find the woman to play Maura Isles; it was a no brainer when Sasha came in. We just knew it was her, and she did such a fantastic job.”

The rest of the cast includes Rizzoli’s ex-partner, Sargent Vince Korsak (Bruce McGill),

Rizzoli’s brother Frankie (Jordan Bridges), Rizzoli’s mother Angela (Lorraine Bracco),

and Rizzoli’s current partner Barry Frost (Lee Thompson Young).

In later seasons FBI Gabriel Dean (Billy Burke) appeared as did crime scene analyst Nina Holiday (Idara Victor).

The shows were written by Tess Gerritsen and the concept was developed in her novels, The Surgeon and The Apprentice. From back stories we learn the story from these novels. Charles Hoyt is a serial killer. Previously a doctor, he uses his medical knowledge to torture couples and then keeps the female corpse for his own use. Rizzoli and Korsak are on his trail. Hoyt knocks Jane unconscious and as he is ready to slit her throat, Korsak locates them and shoots, but does not kill, Hoyt. Jane decides Korsak could no longer trust her because she got captured and she thought he would not be able to see her without thinking of the vulnerable position he found her in. So she asks for another partner. She begins working with Barry, but she and Korsak still share life on a daily basis.

In the pilot episode, Jane and Maura are investigating another killer who is using Hoyt’s methods. It later turns out he is someone who knew Hoyt and continued his killing spree. Hoyt is able to escape prison and works with Stark. Eventually Jane kills Stark and wounds Hoyt. They move on from this case to investigating all types of crimes, often working with Frankie and Korsak. Korsak who is toying with retiring also owns a bar/restaurant, The Dirty Robber, where the crew hangs out. Angela manages the place.

“RIZZOLI & ISLES””Cold as Ice” / Ep 408TNTPh: Doug Hyun

I have to say what I enjoyed about the show was the mystery and figuring it out but also the witty banter and friendship between Jane and Maura. Jane and Korsak also have a very close relationship. It seems like ever since Sesame Street debuted, there has been this need for shows to speed up the pace. Watching Rizzoli and Isles is like reading a good 19^th century novel. The timing is slowed down. We have opportunities to watch the characters interact and bond, and we get to know them well. They actually have long conversations and talk about their feelings.

I did try to read the Gerritsen books, but without the comedic relief, I found them too dark and could never get through the first one without getting totally creeped out. I’m sure she’s a gifted novelist, and she was credited as writer on all the show scripts, but the gore in the first book was too hard for me to read through.

“RIZZOLI & ISLES” Lee Thompson Young Angie Harmon “Boston Strangler Redux” / Ep 101 TNT Ph: Danny Feld

During season four, Lee Thompson Young passed away from suicide. His character was killed on the show in a car crash. Alexander talked about how hard it was for the cast to continue. She said his absence was felt on the set. “They have not replaced him and don’t intend to do so anytime soon, so his seat remains empty and it’s something that we have had to look at and struggle with.” There are some poignant moments when Jane stops by his desk and doesn’t say anything.

Both Harmon and Alexander got to try their hand at directing an episode during the final year.

The show ranked in the top five cable programs for five seasons and was the number one basic cable program during its fifth season. So why the cancellation? TNT apparently wanted to rebrand itself as the network that offered edgier shows. At least the writers had some notice and were able to satisfy viewers by sending each character into a new journey. Korsak gets to finally retire and he’s newly married. Frankie and Nina get engaged. Jane begins a relationship with an FBI officer and decides to accept a job at Quantico.

Maura is finally ready to leave her career and take a chance at becoming a writer. She is going to Paris to live for inspiration. However, at the end of the show, we find out Jane is coming along for a two-week vacation.

Maura and Jane might be physically separated, but they will always be best friends. They have changed each other. Jane has drawn Maura out of her shell, allowing her to take the risk of writing. Maura has softened Jane and allowed her to become more vulnerable as she begins a new love relationship.

Everything about this show just seemed to gel so well. The characters were believable. With all the interactions, they appeared like a family. The cast felt that also. Alexander talked about their working relationships. “I think the chemistry between Jane and Maura and all the cast make it a little family.”

Alexander discussed her role as Maura: “I have really enjoyed playing Dr. Maura Isles. I really can say in seven years, I never had a boring day playing her. It was never tedious for me to play her. She’s a sunny personality and curious and interested and funny. I was constantly amused by the role. I will miss playing her.” She also discussed the way her character and Rizzoli interacted. “Some of my favorite scenes on the show have been those where she’s (Maura) spewing some strange vocabulary and weird analysis, and Jane is looking at her like she has no idea what she’s saying, and she (Jane) says, ‘Can we just go get ice cream?’”

Harmon also discussed how she felt about the crew. She talked about how the relationship with Isles developed and grew. She said she thought part of that came from the fact that “there’s a lot more character to these characters. We see their back stories and we see their present situations, and that was a lot more interesting than just the regular procedural. . . . It’s more of a roller coaster ride. It’s definitely got a lot more grit to it. And, we don’t pretend to be the smartest people there. We’re not like, ‘This is how we did it, and now we’re just going to show you how to go catch them.’ The audience gets to figure it all out with us.”

Harmon appreciated Jane. She said “Rizzoli is just an intricate and important part of my life. I don’t know that I’m going to be able to just say good-bye to her. I’m hoping that a part of her hangs around in my personality for the rest of my life.”

She also expounded on the rest of the cast. “Jordan is hilarious. Jordan will do 50 takes. He has become like my little brother.”

“We’ve all become very, very close in our roles and Lorraine is like my mom. I call her Mom. . . .I text her, ‘Ma, the girls are coming in town. When can you have dinner? And they think of her as a surrogate matriarch. We’ve become very, very close.”

About McGill she said, “I’ve known Bruce most of my life. I think it’ll be the hardest for probably Lorraine, Bruce and me . . . I guess the show business gods keep bringing us back together, and I’m so thankful for it. I’ve learned so much from him. . . . I adore him.”

I adore all of them. Luckily, for fans, all the episodes have come out on DVDs. This is one of those shows I look forward to watching again to reconnect with old friends.

I Spy: With My Little Eye A Very Sophisticated Show

September 23, 2019 / thewritelife61 / 3 Comments

As we continue our crime-solving duos series, today we learn about I Spy featuring Robert Culp and Bill Cosby. They were a pair of spies who traveled the world posing as tennis pro, Kelly Robinson, and his coach, Alexander “Scotty” Scott. They work for the Special Services Agency which was part of the Pentagon. The show aired on NBC from 1965-1968.

David Friedkin and Morton Fine, writers, and Fouad Said, cinematographer, formed Triple F Productions. The show was filmed at Desilu Productions. Fine and Friedkin took on co-producing the show. Friedkin also appeared as a guest actor in two of the episodes. Continuing the job-sharing duties was was Sheldon Leonard. Leonard was the executive producer. He also directed one of the episodes and guest starred on the show.

The theme music was written by Earle Hagen. (For more on Hagen and his composition of music from the series, see my blog dated)He also wrote specific music for each of the countries the team visited. He received Emmy nominations all three years, winning in 1968.

Cosby’s character was written as an older mentor to Robinson, but Sheldon Leonard changed the role once he saw Cosby perform. Culp said Cosby was not very interested in the series and insulted the producers during his audition. Culp acted as a mediator and Cosby was hired.

Like future shows such as Miami Vice, The X-Files, or Castle, the partners had great chemistry. They had witty and clever dialogue and often improvised much of their banter. Friendship was the main theme of the show, not the crimes. The actors developed a close friendship that lasted long after the show did. The characters were also very different. Culp was the athlete who lived by his wits. Cosby was the intellectual who didn’t drink or smoke.

This was the first TV drama to feature a black actor in a lead role. Some of the NBC affiliates in the south refused to air the series. Truly a color-blind series, the two spies did not encounter racial issues. It also made history– being one of the first shows to be filmed in exotic locations around the world. The pair visited Acapulco, Athens, Florence, Hong Kong, Madrid, Morocco, Paris, Tokyo, and Venice.

Like the western genre in the 1950s, spy shows were popular in the 1960s. Unlike Get Smart or the Man From UNCLE, I Spy was more realistic. The duo didn’t rely on unbelievable gadgets or campy villains.

Some of the episodes had more comedy than others. “Chrysanthemum” was inspired by The Pink Panther. The episode, “Mainly on the Plains” starring Boris Karloff, was about an eccentric scientist who thinks he’s Don Quixote. However, many shows took on more serious and contemporary themes. “The Tiger” was set in Vietnam.

During the three seasons the show aired, an incredible number of guest stars chose to work on the show. Some of these talented celebrities included Jim Backus, Victor Buono, Wally Cox, Delores Del Rio, Will Geer, Gene Hackman, Joey Heatherton, Ron Howard, Boris Karloff, Sally Kellerman, Eartha Kitt, Martin Landau, Peter Lawford, Julie London, Vera Miles, Carroll O’Connor, Don Rickles, George Takei, Cicely Tyson, Leslie Uggams, and Mary Wickes.

Both Culp and Cosby were nominated all three years for Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, with Cosby winning all three years.

While the series was extremely popular, it was always over budget due to the high costs of filming. During the third season, ratings began to decline. The show was moved from Wednesdays to Mondays. It was on against The Carol Burnett Show. Unfortunately, the network refused to move the show back to its original night. They offered Sheldon the choice of renewing the show in the current time slot or the chance at creating a new series. Leonard realized that Culp and Cosby were tired of the show and ready to move on. In all, 82 episodes were filmed.

The show holds up well today. The dialogue is timeless, and scripts are sophisticated and well written. The plots are realistic, but they are secondary to the relationship of Robinson and Scott. The exotic locations add a romance and intrigue to the show as well. The complete series is available on DVD and well worth watching.

Of course, it’s hard to talk about a Cosby show without acknowledging the effect his legal issues have had on his work. While I don’t condone his behavior and am sad that someone so talented (and preachy about character) would resort to such offensive actions, what makes me even sadder is that both I Spy and The Cosby Show were wonderful shows that featured talented casts. That so many people have to suffer because one person’s actions were unethical and selfish seems unfair.

One thing I’ve had to learn doing my research on all these classic shows is sometimes you have to separate the character from the actor. It’s possible to love a character even when the actor or actress who portrays them is a crummy human being. Of course, there are more of the other scenarios. Fred MacMurray was every bit as nice as Steve Douglas and Howard McNear was even nicer than Floyd.

Hopefully these shows get their due and their reputation for their well-written scripts overcomes the stain Cosby saddled the shows with.

Moonlighting: An Unusual Romance

September 16, 2019 / thewritelife61 / 4 Comments

We are in the midst of our series about crime-solving duos. We looked at husband and wife teams on MacMillan and Wife and on Hart to Hart. Today we tackle the wise-cracking David Addison (Bruce Willis) and the sophisticated Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) on Moonlighting.

Madelyn Hayes was a successful model who lost all her savings when her investment advisor left the country with her money. Her only assets are her house and a run-down detective agency she used for tax write-offs. Detective Addison convinces her to try something new and run the agency. Addison and Hayes agree on almost nothing except that they both think it’s important to find missing people, foil murder attempts, and spy on unfaithful spouses. Addison is a bit of a ladies’ man, carefree, and easy going; Maddie is not. David is a tap beer in a red cup and Maddie is an exotic champagne in a crystal goblet.

Maddie renames the agency Blue Moon, which was the name of the shampoo she was best known for promoting.

Rounding out the cast of characters are Agnes DiPesto (Allyce Beasley), the receptionist/secretary, and Herbert Viola (Curtis Armstrong), another gumshoe. These were both quirky characters but lovable in their own way. Agnes usually answered the phone in rhyme. Herb is well meaning but not the brightest light bulb. Later in the series, these two explore their own romance.

The role of Maddie Hayes was written for Shepherd.

Addison’s role was harder to fill. Robert Blake and Rick Dees were both considered for the role. Willis was one of the last people to audition for the spot; he was chosen from about 3000 actors.

Jazz great Al Jarreau cowrote and sang the theme song. The lyrics to the show are:

Some walk by night
Some fly by day
Nothing could change you
Set and sure of the way

There is the sun and moon
They sing their own sweet tune
Watch them when dawn is due
Sharing one space

We’ll walk by night
We’ll fly by day
Moonlighting strangers
Who just met on the way

Beginning in 1985 and running until 1989 on ABC in the Tuesday night time slot, the series resulted in only 66 episodes. The show was a new genre. It was a mystery and had drama and romance but was also intentionally funny. It can best be compared to some of the screwball comedies from the 1930s and ‘40s such as It Happened One Night, The Philadelphia Story, or His Girl Friday. The show was also recognized for creating some unusual plots and filming techniques. For example, in one episode, David and Maddie are told about a murder that occurred in a 1940s nightclub. Black and white dream sequences show us how each of them imagined the murder happening. The episode, “Atomic Shakespeare” is an adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew, performed in iambic pentameter. The show begins with a young boy being reprimanded by his mother for watching Moonlighting instead of studying for his Shakespeare test.

Filming the shows was always expensive due to the specialized lighting and cinematic effects. The estimated cost per episode was a whopping $1.6 million. A typical script for a one-hour length show is about 60 pages. Scripts for Moonlighting tended to be twice as long. An episode from Moonlighting took 14 days rather than the average seven to film. The attention to detail and quality took its toll. Production delays occurred often, and shows weren’t completed in time for airing, resulting in reruns when only 16 of the required 22 episodes were finished each year.

It didn’t help that Shepherd became pregnant during the run of the show, and Willis broke his clavicle skiing. Both of these situations added to the delays. It got so ridiculous that it became a running gag. ABC had an ad campaign showing network executives impatiently waiting for the most recent Moonlighting tape. Television Jeff Jarvis narrated an introduction to one show, telling viewers he wanted to summarize what had been happening on the show that year because it had been so long since a new show had aired.

Despite the problems with filming, both viewers and critics loved the show. Moonlighting received 41 Emmy nominations with 7 wins including one for Willis for Lead Actor in a Drama. In season three, ratings went from 20^th place to 9^th place.

During the fourth season, Maddie and David finally get together, ending the sexual tension and back-and-forth attraction between the two characters. The ratings then began to decline a bit, but the show still came in at 12^th place.

The reason for the ratings drop in the final season, as well as the eventual cancellation of the show, was usually placed on the two stars and their relationship. It’s amazing how much chemistry the characters had because they did not get along well from the start, and it only got worse as the series continued. By the fourth season, they were rarely on the set at the same time. Willis was also developing into a movie star, and after Die Hard, he didn’t want to continue dealing with all the negative issues the show produced.

The finale includes Agnes and Herb’s wedding and a weird plot where David and Maddie find the Blue Moon sets being dismantled and learn that the show has been cancelled. The two stars try to figure out what is happening, and the show ends with a message that Blue Moon ceased doing business in 1989.

The limited number of shows made it unpopular for syndication. The series was released on DVD, but they are hard to find and very expensive. On ebay.com, the complete series was going for $250. Amazon listed season three for $99 and season four for $149.

The show was an interesting concept. With actors breaking the fourth wall to talk directly to the audience, the interesting plot themes, cinematic lighting and filming techniques, the quick and witty banter between David and Maddie, and the cultural and literature references, it’s not like any show that has aired before or since. It’s always hard when you have two characters attracted to each other when trying to decide if they get together or not. If they do, the audience is often disenchanted with the show; if they don’t, it can drag on too long, so it’s a hard timing to get right. It’s too bad the DVDs are so pricey, especially since syndication was not an option for the show. The characters hit it off perfectly even if the stars did not. There are a lot of factors that made this show special.

Hart to Hart: Mystery and Romance

September 9, 2019 / thewritelife61 / 4 Comments

We continue our crime-solving duos with Hart to Hart. The Harts are like the MacMillans in that they are also a glamorous and wealthy couple based in California. Unlike Mac who had a career with the San Francisco Police Department, Jonathan (Robert Wagner) was a self-made millionaire. He ran Hart Industries. His wife Jennifer (Stefanie Powers) was a freelance journalist. They were both amateur sleuths, and they found themselves in the middle of a mystery whenever they vacationed. They often traveled on their private jet. Rounding out the cast was Max (Lionel Stander), their butler, cook, chauffeur, and right-hand man, and their dog Freeway, a Lowchen breed. The show aired in 1979 on ABC and was cancelled in 1984, producing 111 episodes.

UK, EIRE, TURKEY, SOUTH AFRICA, HONG KONG, CROATIA ONLY No Merchandising. Editorial Use Only Mandatory Credit: Photo by Everett Collection / Rex USA ( 427513AT ) HART TO HART, Robert Wagner, Stefanie Powers, 1979-84 VARIOUS TV PROGRAMME STILLS

Sidney Sheldon had written a script called “Double Twist,” featuring a married couple who were spies. Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg decided to update it as a television show. The original opening credits tell the story of the Harts narrated by Max. We never do learn Max’s last name. As he shares, “This is my boss—Jonathan Hart, a self-made millionaire. He’s quite a guy. This is Mrs. H—she’s gorgeous. What a terrific lady. By the way, my name is Max. I take care of them, which ain’t easy, ‘cause their hobby is murder.”

Spelling and Goldberg originally wanted Cary Grant for the part of Jonathan. Grant was 75 and decided he did not want to come out of retirement. Once Wagner was hired, the network wanted his wife Natalie Wood to play his wife on the show. She didn’t think that was a good idea. Suzanne Pleshette, Kate Jackson, and Lindsay Wagner were among the actresses considered for the role of Jennifer. Wagner had worked with Powers on an episode of his show, It Takes a Thief and suggested her for the role. Wagner also suggested Sugar Ray Robinson for Max’s part. However, the network thought it was a bad message to send having a black man work for a wealthy white couple. Stander had also worked with Wagner on It Takes a Thief.

The script was given to Tom Mankiewicz to rewrite. Mankiewicz had written several Bond films. He made his directorial debut on this show as well.

The setting for the Hart estate was a house that June Allyson and Dick Powell had lived in with their children. It was named Amber Hills and situated in Mandeville Canyon in Los Angeles. As a twist, June guest starred on an episode during season five, “Always Elizabeth.”

The theme for the show was composed by Mark Snow. He would compose music for a variety of show, including The X-Files.

Like Dallas and Dynasty, the show was recognized for its opulent furnishings and beautiful clothes. Nolan Miller who would outfit the Dynasty characters, also provided the clothing for his show.

The show also featured a cast of guest stars. During the period it was on the air, some of the guest stars included David Doyle, Eva Gabor, Elaine Joyce, Bernie Kopell, Dorothy Lamour, Roddy McDowell, Juliet Mills, Diana Muldar, Anthony Newley, Julie Newmar, Jill St. John, and Jerry Stiller.

They had a great chemistry. Powers said that this role was her most memorable. One of the things that kept their relationship fresh was that they often took on different roles for their cases. They might be a chemist and industrial magnate or a lady with her chauffeur.

Of course, they also had the money to take off for a spree whenever the mood struck them. It’s easier to keep romance in your life when you can hop off to some island for a fun week. They might show up in London, Paris, Athens, Hawaii, Mexico, or Asia. They were always kind to each other and interested in their hobbies, activities, and interests. Powers recalled that the couple didn’t have sex, they had intimacy.

So, how do the Harts stumble upon these murders? In Acapulco, they learn a senator has been assassinated due to bribery and corruption in the silver industry, so they investigate. In Hawaii, Jennifer overhears a woman plotting the murder of her husband. A Hart employee is murdered during a jungle exploration, so Jennifer and Jonathan travel to Peru to figure out why.

Wagner and Powers were also friends. Powers had gone to ballet when she was younger with Natalie Wood, Wagner’s wife. Powers was involved with William Holden. In a cruel twist of fate, both Wood and Holden died in 1981.

When the show was cancelled, the stars were shocked. The ratings had fallen but not drastically. Wagner said being axed without any warning was disappointing. He said, “I think we could have been written out with the taste, dignity, and style the audience responded to.” The viewers were also outraged and wrote the network thousands of letters.

A decade later in 1993, the network decided to create a series of Hart to Hart movies. Eight 90-minute movies were made between 1993 and 1996. Both Wagner and Powers returned. Stander appeared in the first five movies but passed away from cancer in 1994.

Like The Thin Man movies, it was just fun to watch the Harts. They were a glamorous, loving couple who were clever and witty. They also were “good” people, not a snobby bone in their bodies. We could live vicariously through them, their romance, and their mysteries.

MacMillan and Wife: The Show That Bridged the Generation Gap

September 2, 2019 / thewritelife61 / 4 Comments

Before launching into this week’s topic, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been following and reading my blog. This week begins my fourth year writing this blog. I was worried I would find enough topics to fill the first year but next year is already outlined, so another year of classic television is on the way. It has been a lot of fun, and I’ve learned a lot.

This month we are looking at crime-solving duos. We start our series learning a bit more about McMillan and Wife. McMillan and Wife began as part of The Sunday NBC Mystery Movie which included Columbo and McCloud. The shows rotated each week, so fewer episodes were produced of each than a typical weekly show.

McMillan and Wife debuted in 1971 and was on the air until 1977, yet only forty episodes were produced. Leonard Stern was the creator, writer, and executive producer of the show; he previously produced Get Smart.

Stewart “Mac” McMillan (Rock Hudson) was an attorney and US Navy veteran who apparently had been involved in some CIA activities. He is now Commissioner of Police in San Francisco. He gets involved in high-profile cases. His wife is Sally (Susan St. James), and her father was a detective for the San Francisco Police Department; she learned a lot from him and helps her husband solve crimes. Sargent Charlie Enright (John Schuck) helps Mac with his cases. Sally and Mac have no children (it’s confusing because Sally was pregnant twice on the show, but the children are never mentioned in the show later). Their housekeeper Mildred (Nancy Walker) also lives with the couple. Mildred’s character resembles the role Thelma Ritter played in Pillow Talk, where Hudson starred with Doris Day. She is a sarcastic, hard-drinking woman and is always ready to offer her opinion, but she is devoted to Mac and Sally.

Once Hudson was cast as Mac, the show got priority in development. Several actresses were considered for the role of Sally, including Diane Keaton and Jill Clayburgh, but Hudson was most comfortable with St. James.

Hudson was 21 years older than St. James, but their relationship worked. Mac is supposed to be in his 40s and Sally in her 20s (he was 46 at the time and she was 25). Sally is self-confident and is not afraid to speak her mind. However, she is also a wife who loves her husband, and one of the running gags on the show is that Mac had dated a lot of women in his past, and when Mac and Sally are out and about, they typically run into some gorgeous woman who says, “Hi Mac.” Sally usually responds with a jealous comment or a withering look. The difference in their ages actually worked well for demographics. Hudson appealed to older viewers while St. James attracted younger viewers.

Often the cases Mac solves happen during events the couple attends. One episode featured a burglary at a charity event they were attending; once they found a skeleton in their house after an earthquake. Another show had Mac abducted by mobsters and replaced with a surgically-made twin replacing him.

An interesting fact is that the interior of their house in the pilot episode was in fact Hudson’s home. In the first regular episode, the MacMillans bought a new house. In the final season, the setting changed to an apartment.

Sally and Mac led a glamorous life. The scripts were well written, and the dialogue was witty and clever. The couple was often compared to Nick and Nora Charles in the Thin Man movies. Mac and Sally have a lot of their best conversations after they go to bed at night.

Sally was known for wearing a football jersey for her nightgown. The jersey was an authentic 49ers Jersey, number 18, George Washington, a wide receiver. Washington was a four-time Pro Bowler. He made a guest appearance on the show in season four, “Guilt by Association.”

Considering that there were only forty episodes produced, this show had an incredible number of guest stars. I apologize for the long list, but it’s the only way to capture how impressive it is. The stars included sport celebrities Dick Butkus, Rosie Grier, Alex Karras, and Bobbie Riggs.

It also featured a Who’s Who of television sitcom royalty: John Astin, Meredith Baxter, Tom Bosley, Michael Constantine, Bert Convy, Wally Cox, Richard Deacon, William Demarest, Donna Douglas, Barbara Feldon, Norman Fell, Buddy Hackett, Larry Hagman, Alan Hale, Shirley Jones, Stacy Keach, Bernie Kopell, Julie Newmar, Charlotte Rae, Charles Nelson Reilly, Dick Sargent, Natalie Schafer, Susan Sullivan, Karen Valentine, and Dick Van Patten.

The show, like McCloud and Columbo, was quite popular with viewers. The ratings were impressive until the sixth season.

Unfortunately, the last season had too many changes to overcome. St. James decided to leave to concentrate on her movie career. Schuck left to star in the sitcom, Holmes and Yo-Yo, and Walker left for her own sitcom, The Nancy Walker Show. Sadly, Walker and Schuck would have been better off staying because both their shows lasted only 13 episodes. St. James starred in a couple of movies, but they weren’t anything memorable. She would go on to star in Kate and Allie in 1984.

On the show, Sally was killed in an airplane crash. Mildred was said to leave to open a diner, so her sister Agatha (Martha Raye) took over her job. Schuck made a few appearances but was said to have been given a promotion to lieutenant which kept him too busy to assist Mac much. The show may have been able to overcome one of these changes but not all of them. Much of the strength of the show was the relationship between Mac and Sally. Walker’s funny bantering and actions provided a comedic relief for the show. When Raye took over, she was just scatterbrained and loud; the appeal of Walker was not part of her character.

It’s wonderful the show lasted five good seasons, but it might have lasted many more if the original cast had been retained. At the other end of the spectrum, Columbo aired off and on until 2003 and is remembered by more viewers.

DVDs were released for all six seasons between 2005 and 2014. With only forty shows in the series, this would be a fun binge-watching week-end show to tackle.

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How pop culture influences us

Month: September 2019