Category Archives: TV

Late Night Retro Television Reviews: CHiPs 5.27 “Force Seven”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Mondays, I will be reviewing CHiPs, which ran on NBC from 1977 to 1983.  The entire show is currently streaming on Prime!

This week, the fifth season comes to an end.

Episode 5.27 “Force Seven”

(Dir by Leslie H. Martinson, originally aired on May 23rd, 1982)

When evil rich guy Nakura (John Rhys-Davies) steals a short-range missile from a military convoy,  he informs the Mayor of Los Angeles that he will fire that missile at the city unless he’s paid a healthy ransom.  The Mayor wants to send in the SWAT Team but one-eyed Lt. John Legarre (an eyepatch wearing Fred Dryer — yes, the star of Hunter) objects.  Guns won’t do the job, Legarre explains.  Why not send in Force Seven?

Led by Legarre, Force Seven is a secret division of the LAPD.  Including Legarre, there’s only four of them.  (So, why aren’t they Force Four?)  Sly (Tony Longo — hey, Mad Dog from 1st & Ten) is tough and strong and also a ventriloquist.  Cindy (Dona Kei Benz) is small but fast and doesn’t have a sense of humor.  Rick Nichols (Tom Reilly) is a rebel cop who does things …. HIS WAY!  What do they all have in common?  They all know karate!

This doesn’t sound like an episode of CHiPs, does it?

Well, technically, it’s not.  It’s a backdoor pilot.  Ponch and Baker appear at the start of the episode, arresting an engineer who is carrying the schematics for the stolen missile.  And they also appear at the very end of the episode, in which Getraer asks them if they remember that engineer they pulled over.  However, neither Ponch nor Baker interact with anyone from Force Seven.  I get the feeling that the Force Seven pilot was shot and then someone decided, “Why don’t we add Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox and disguise this as an episode of CHiPs?”

Imagine if you were a CHiPs fan in 1982.  It’s the night of the season finale.  You turn on the TV because you want to watch motorcycle chases and car crashes.  Instead, you find yourself watching Fred Dryer wearing an eye patch and Tony Longo using a puppet to discuss elements of Eastern philosophy.  That’s one reason why backdoor pilots have never made sense to me.  They always seem like they would have just ticked off anyone who was watching.

Force Seven did not become a show.  From watching this episode, I think it probably would have been enjoyably dumb if it had led to a series.  As I already mentioned, Fred Dryer wears an eye patch.  Tony Longo is made up to look like Sylvester Stallone.  (His character is even named Sly!)  There’s something kind of amusing about two guys who are so big that they could obviously just take anyone out with one punch instead choosing to drag out every fight with karate.

(Amusingly enough, in Force Seven, the mayor of Los Angeles was played by former real-life mayor Sam Yorty, who ran for President in 1972.  The police commissioner was played by Ed Davis, the real life former chief of the LAPD who was serving in the California State Senate at the time and who later ran for the U.S. Senate in 1986.)

It is a little sad that this was Larry Wilcox’s final episode of CHiPs.  Fed up with Estrada getting all of the good storylines, Wilcox did not return for Season 6.  (His replacement would be played by Force Seven‘s Tom Reilly, though as a different character.)  For the first two seasons, Wilcox was the main character while Erik Estrada was the comedic sidekick.  However, by the time season 5 rolled around, it was clear that the producers were far more interested in Estrada than Wilcox.  As an actor, Wilcox wasn’t a showy as Estrada but he was more believable a cop.  In his final episode, Wilcox gets not a grand goodbye but instead appears only in two brief scenes.

Next week, we’ll start the sixth and final season!

Retro Television Review: Crime Story 1.11 “Crime Pays”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Mondays, I will be reviewing Crime Story, which ran on NBC from 1986 to 1988.  The entire show can be found on Tubi!

Our story so far….

Episode 1.11 “Crime Pays”

(Originally aired on December 5th, 1986)

This week’s show will be easy to review because it’s a clip show.  It’s a bit more honest than most television clip shows.  It doesn’t feature the character sitting around saying stuff like, “I’ll never forget that time we gunned down half of Luca’s crew.”  Instead, the show’s narrator (Jack Angel) tells us that we’re going to see the story so far and then we see just that.  The best thing about this episode is Angel’s tough guy voice.

It’s not bad for a clip show.  It’s basically all of the Torello and Luca scenes without any of the filler.  If nothing else, it lets us know which of the past plotlines we should remember and which ones we can safely forget.  (Remember that Torello is obsessed with Luca.  Remember that Luca is determined to become a big man in the mob.  Don’t necessarily forget about David Arbams’s storylines but, at the same time, don’t worry if your memory’s a little fuzzy.)  But it’s still a clip show, nonetheless.

 

Retro Television Review: Homicide: Life On The Street 5.17 “Kaddish”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Sundays, I will be reviewing Homicide: Life On The Street, which aired from 1993 to 1999, on NBC!  It  can be viewed on Peacock.

This week, both Munch and Pembleton go on an inner journey.

Episode 5.17 “Kaddish”

(Dir by Jean de Segonzac, originally aired on February 21st, 1997)

When Munch and Kellerman investigate a crime scene in which a woman has been found murdered, Munch is stunned when the woman is revealed to be Helen Rosenthal, his high school crush.  In between flashbacks to Munch’s awkward teen years, Munch and Kellerman investigate the crime.  At first, it seems like the murderer might be one of two former classmates, one of whom was Helen’s ex-husband.  Ultimately, the truth turns to be much simpler.  As if so often the case, Helen was the victim of stranger.  She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

During the investigation, Munch bonds with Helen’s daughter, Sarah (Jean Louisa Kelly).  Per Jewish law, Helen is buried within 24 hours and Munch and Kellerman later attend her shiva, where Munch begs out of being a part of the minyan.  Because Kellerman has apparently never met a Jewish person in his life, Munch has to explain to him the concept of sitting shiva and reciting the Kaddish.  On the one hand, I wish this episode didn’t resort to making Kellerman into a total doofus.  (At one point, he even asks what a “shiksa” is,) but, on the other hand, I did appreciate that it dealt with a side of Munch that we really haven’t seen before.  As a viewer, I’m so used to seeing Munch as just being the squad’s resident cynic that it was interesting to see him dealing with issues of faith.

Speaking of faith, Pembleton is continually to struggle with his.  He even goes to Mass in this episode and remember a debate he once had with a nun about whether or not any signs of God can be found while working as a homicide detective.  Pembleton does find a sign towards the end of the episode.  Called in when a woman dies in home hospice care, Bayliss and Pembleton discover that no murder occurred.  Instead, the woman has passed with a look of peace on her face and a crucifix on her nightstand.  Having lost his family and nearly his life, Pembleton finally seems to have found his faith.  And I’m glad about that because Pembleton the Heretic was getting to be a bit of a slog.

This was a good episode, one that used death as a way to shine a light on life.  Richard Belzer gave one of his better performances in the role of John Munch and, as always, Andre Braugher was outstanding as Pembleton.  I’m also happy to say that Pembleton and Bayliss are once again partners.  That’s the way it should be.

Brad recommends the book BOXED IN – TRAPPED IN 80’S TELEVISION, by Fanacek!

Posted on by Bradley Crain

I have about a 35-minute commute to work every day, so I often listen to various podcasts as I’m driving in. There are several that I really enjoy, with “Fanacek” being one of my very favorites. I pretty much always listen to his new episodes on the same day they come out. He’s been talking about the book he’s been working on for quite a while, and it’s finally come out. The name of the book is BOXED IN – TRAPPED IN 80’s TELEVISION, and it’s a monster, coming in at 750 pages. One of the best things I can say is that he’s captured the fun of the podcast in the book, with it being both incredibly funny and informative. I laughed out loud frequently while I was reading it. I also made quite a few notes as the book reminded me of shows I wanted to revisit or shows I may not have ever even heard of. I recommend the book to any person who grew up in the 80’s. There’s a lot of nostalgia here. I also recommend the book to everyone else who just enjoys the history of TV. There’s so much to learn, and Fanacek’s exhaustive research is a great start!

If any of that sounds good to you, just search for BOXED IN – TRAPPED IN 80’s TELEVISION on Amazon. I don’t think there’s any way you’ll be disappointed!

Late Night Retro Television Review: Saved By The Bell 2.10 “Model Students”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Saturdays, I will be reviewing Saved By The Bell, which ran on NBC from 1989 to 1993.  The entire show is currently streaming on Tubi!

This week, Kelly’s make a life-changing decision …. or does she?

Episode 2.10 “Model Students”

(Dir by Don Barnhart, originally aired on November 10th, 1990)

Zack and the Gang take over the school store from the group of “Bayside Nerds” who were running it.  Zack decides that a swimsuit calendar — made up of pictures taken by a wetsuit wearing Screech — is the way to build up business.  Actually, considering that no one actually gave consent to being photographed, it seems like an even better way to get sued and maybe jailed for stalking.

Anyway, fashion photographer Adam Trask (Greg Keen) somehow sees the calendar and, before anyone can say, “Hey, why were you looking at a calendar full of underage girls?,” he’s offered Kelly a modeling contract.  She just has to go to Paris for a few months.

It’s a great opportunity but Zack is scared that he’ll loser her so he conspires to trick her into staying.  It doesn’t work but Kelly promises that she’ll be back before he knows it.

And, indeed, she was back in the very next episode.

This episode is a reminder that nothing that happens on Saved By The Bell matters.  Kelly goes to Paris to be a model.  That sounds like a big deal.  It will never be mentioned again.  Kelly’s family will continue to struggle financially, despite the fact that the main reason Kelly took the modeling gig was to help her family.  As for the student store, don’t ever expect to see that place again.  The Gang took it over but I’m going to assume they abandoned it in much the same way they abandoned their radio station.

Saved By The Bell was so silly.

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 7/12/26 — 7/18/26

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Big Brother 28 (24/7, CBS, Paramount+, Pluto TV)

Big Brother, the show that I love to hate, is back.  You can read my thoughts about the show here.

The Larry Sanders Show (HBOMax)

For some reason, this very 90s show relaxes me whenever I watch it.  This week, I watched as Jeffrey Tambor sang Spinning Wheel and a young Bob Odenkirk played the most shallow agent possible.

Saved By The Bell (Tubi)

My review of Saved By The Bell will drop later tonight.

St. Elsewhere (YouTube)

This week’s episode was so depressing that I couldn’t review it.  Expect to see my thoughts on it next week.

Watched and Reviewed:

  1. 1st & Ten,
  2. Baywatch,
  3. CHiPs,
  4. Crime Story,
  5. Decoy,
  6. Hunter,
  7. The Love Boat,
  8. Pacific Blue,
  9. Saved By The Bell: The New Class

Retro Television Review: Baywatch 2.11 “If Looks Could Kill”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Saturdays, I will be reviewing Baywatch, which ran on NBC and then in syndication from 1989 to 2001.  The entire show can be viewed on Tubi.

This week, Mitch is in trouble.

Episode 2.11 “If Looks Could Kill”

(Dir by Douglas Schwartz, originally aired on November 25th, 1991)

Mitch rescues Allison (Shannon Tweed) after her car crashes into the ocean.  Mitch quickly falls in love and Allison seems to fall for Mitch.  What Mitch doesn’t know is that Allison is actually a murderer and that she’s just using him to try to find the money that was in her car when it crashed.  For once, Eddie is the one who suspects the truth and who has to keep Mitch from being killed by someone who he trusts.

Baywatch occasionally did crime-related episodes and they always felt out of place.  This episode opens with Allison drowning her latest lover and it’s actually a rather disturbing sequence.  It’s effective but it doesn’t feel right for a show in which the main appeal is the fact that everything is lightweight and easy-going.

I imagine David Hasselhoff enjoyed episodes like this, if just because nearly every episode during the first season of Baywatch Nights was exactly like this one.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Hunter 1.12 “The Avenging Angel”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Thursdays, I will be reviewing Hunter, which aired on NBC from 1984 to 1991.  The entire show is currently streaming on Tubi and several other services!

This week, someone wants to help out Hunter!

Episode 1.12 “The Avenging Angel”

(Dir by James Whitmore, Jr., originally aired on January 18th, 1985)

After Hunter receives an anonymous phone tip, he arrests Dr. Pierpoint (Angus Duncan) for attempting to hire a criminal known as “The Rat” to kill his wife.  When Hunter makes the arrest, he actually has to Mirandize him twice because the doctor was unconscious the first time that Hunter read him his rights.  Oh, Hunter!

Unfortunately, things fall apart at trial.  The Rat (Robert Pastorelli, whose career later fell apart after the mysterious death of his girlfriend) changes his testimony at the last minute and says that Pierpoint never hired him to kill his wife.  The case is dismissed.  Hunter is upset.  Even more upset is Arnold Morton (Robert Gray), a surveillance expert who idolizes Hunter and who makes it his mission to take down not just Pierpoint and the Rat but also defense attorney Nell Armstong (Nancy Stafford).

This was an interesting episode.  The story didn’t quite work but the idea behind it was intriguing.  Morton, who has bugged Hunter and has been following him for weeks, considers himself to be Hunter’s avenging angel.  When Hunter makes it clear that he’s not cool with the whole vigilante thing, Morton turns on him like a lover scorned.  This is like Hunter’s version of Magnum Force.

As for McCall, she spends most of this episode just trying to go on a date with her latest boyfriend, Ted (Rod Haase).  Unfortunately, Hunter keeps interrupting.  Ted is a nice guy about it but it’s pretty obvious that McCall and Hunter are meant to be together.

The highlight of this episode?  Hunter destroying his phone while searching for a bug.  In the role of Captain Dolan, John Amos got to do his whole, “Hunter, what the Hell are you doing!?” thing.  That’s always entertaining.

As I said, the episode didn’t quite work.  I never really bought that Arnold could do everything that he managed to do in this episode.  I mean, for someone who lived in an abandoned arcade and drove a broken-down van, Arnold seemed to have unlimited resources.  I will give a shout out to the show’s art department for including a poster of Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 2 in Arnold’s office.

It’s always funny to me how, in every episode, Hunter has got someone trying to kill him and no one but McCall seems to care.

Retro Television Review: Decoy 1.38 “First Arrest”

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Thursdays, I will be reviewing Decoy, which aired in Syndication in 1957 and 1958.  The show can be viewed on Tubi!

This week, it’s the next-to-last episode Decoy!

Episode 1.38 “First Arrest”

(Dir by Arthur H. Singer, originally aired on June 30th, 1958)

Casey meets with a new, rookie policewoman (Ellen Madison) at Coney Island.  The rookie just made her first arrest and is now in tears because she’s worried that she’s ruined someone’s life.  Casey tells the story of her first assignment and what it was like to make her first arrest.

Flashback time!

The NYPD believes that a fencing operation is being run out of a Coney Island carnival sideshow.  Young and eager, Casey gets a job as an exotic dancer at the carnival.  (Calm down, boys.  She wears one of the least-revealing costumes of all time.)  Shy and insecure Willie Graff (Joshua Shelley) develops a crush on Casey.  Casey, suspecting that Willie is the fence, plays along but she starts to feel guilty as she realizes that Willie isn’t some sort of dangerous criminal.  He’s just a down-on-his-luck guy who is cutting a few corners.  He even introduces Casey to his mother (Ruth McDevitt).

When Willie gives Casey a diamond necklace, she assumes that it must be stolen but it turns out that it’s his mother’s necklace and that Mrs. Graff wants Casey to have it.  Casey is actually relieved because it seems like Willie isn’t the fence that she’s looking for.  However, then Willie gives her a mink coat and admits that he bought it from someone who had stolen it.  Though saddened, Casey forces herself to arrest Willie.

In the present, Casey assures the rookie that she will soon get used to arresting people and she won’t care about them anymore.  Yikes!

As you may have guessed, I didn’t really care much for this episode.  That idea of Casey being someone who doesn’t care about the people who she arrests pretty much goes totally against everything we’ve seen over the past 37 episodes.  The thing that always set Casey apart was that she does care.  She has to do her job but she also understands that sometimes, people just make mistakes.  Unless it’s case in which she was threatened, Casey usually doesn’t take any joy in slapping the handcuffs on someone.

As much as I hate to say it, Beverly Garland is not particularly convincing in the flashback scenes.  Young Casey is written as being continually breathless and unsure of herself.  There’s nothing about Beverly Garland’s screen presence that suggests insecurity.

This was a disappointing episode.  Next week, we’ll be finishing up Decoy and I hope it goes out on a better note than this.