I was remiss in posting an obit on actor Steve Forrest after he'd passed on a couple of weeks back, but this will more than make up for it.
However, first off, we will mark the passing of Esther Williams, who passed away on Thursday. Largely known as a swimming champion, Esther transitioned to films, with almost every movie requiring a scene or two with her in the pool, most famously a synchronized swim sequence with toon legends Tom & Jerry in "Dangerous When Wet".
Poeticjustice2345 uploaded this tribute video, which was made using music composed by James Horner for the 80's movie, "Krull".
Most folks would remember Steve Forrest for S.W.A.T., which we reviewed the other day, but that wasn't his first starring gig. That came nearly a decade earlier in ITC's The Baron, which lasted one season (1966-7), and was later syndicated in the US. Themelover provided the open:
Rest in peace.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Classic TV: In Search Of..... (1976)
Conspiracy theorists might love this show.
In Search Of..... bowed in 1976 as a half-hour documentary series that took a close look at unexplained phenomenons and unsolved mysteries, among other things. The series lasted six years, and then, was brought back 20 years after the end of its original run. However, the revival didn't last, ending after a year or so.
Producer Alan Landsburg had produced a trio of documentaries, such as "In Search of Ancient Astronauts", prior to the launch of In Search Of..... What you might not know is that Leonard Nimoy (ex-Star Trek, Mission: Impossible) wasn't Landsburg's first choice to serve as host-narrator. Given the subject matter in a lot of episodes, it seemed as though this would've been a perfect comeback vehicle for another 60's icon---Rod Serling. The man behind The Twilight Zone & Night Gallery had passed away prior to the launch, and so Nimoy was chosen to serve as host. Nimoy even wrote one episode himself, on Vincent Van Gogh, since he'd already done extensive research on the famed painter before performing a 1-man show prior to In Search Of.....
In 2002, Sci-Fi (now SyFy) attempted a revival, with actor Mitch Pileggi (ex-The X-Files) as host-narrator, but, as noted, that didn't take. Here, Nimoy examines the mystery behind the sinking of the Titanic:
Landsburg wrote a number of books spun from the show, with forewards by Nimoy. Good luck trying to find them these days, even at the local library.
Rating: A.
In Search Of..... bowed in 1976 as a half-hour documentary series that took a close look at unexplained phenomenons and unsolved mysteries, among other things. The series lasted six years, and then, was brought back 20 years after the end of its original run. However, the revival didn't last, ending after a year or so.
Producer Alan Landsburg had produced a trio of documentaries, such as "In Search of Ancient Astronauts", prior to the launch of In Search Of..... What you might not know is that Leonard Nimoy (ex-Star Trek, Mission: Impossible) wasn't Landsburg's first choice to serve as host-narrator. Given the subject matter in a lot of episodes, it seemed as though this would've been a perfect comeback vehicle for another 60's icon---Rod Serling. The man behind The Twilight Zone & Night Gallery had passed away prior to the launch, and so Nimoy was chosen to serve as host. Nimoy even wrote one episode himself, on Vincent Van Gogh, since he'd already done extensive research on the famed painter before performing a 1-man show prior to In Search Of.....
In 2002, Sci-Fi (now SyFy) attempted a revival, with actor Mitch Pileggi (ex-The X-Files) as host-narrator, but, as noted, that didn't take. Here, Nimoy examines the mystery behind the sinking of the Titanic:
Landsburg wrote a number of books spun from the show, with forewards by Nimoy. Good luck trying to find them these days, even at the local library.
Rating: A.
Ultimate Wrestling East Summer Spectacular @ Troy Boys & Girls Club, 6/9/13
Summer doesn't officially start for nearly 2 weeks, but that didn't stop Ultimate Wrestling East from billing this month's show as their Summer Spectacular. As it turns out, there was a pretty good reason for that. Tell you about it at the end.
The start time of this show was pushed back to 3:00 (ET) to accomodate Troy's annual Flag Day parade, which ended just before showtime. As it turns out, there wasn't much spillover from the parade, if any. The pre-show opened with the Joint Task Force finally hitting "tha pay window", as Dusty Rhodes used to say in WCW back in the day, defeating newcomer Jay Flyler and Randy Walker. Flyler looked great in his local debut, but ended up taking the loss.
In the other warm-up match, Ben Ortiz defeated Harley Cruise in a decent bout. However, that would not be the last we'd see of Mr. Ortiz on the day. Not by a longshot.
Ring announcer and local radio talk show host Brian Cady finally came out to the ring at 3:07 pm with GM J. P. Black, the latter carrying a shiny new UWE championship belt, to be presented to Vik Dalishus. Vik came out in street clothes, but before Black, who acted like he was reluctant to go through with this, could make the presentation, Bill Carr, the challenger du jour, came out. Predictably, after Carr got his hands on the belt, Dalishus demanded that Carr give it to him. Of course he did---right upside the head, to set up the main event----or so we thought.
Now, on to the show:
1. Dalton Castle def. Diablo Santiago-DQ. Santiago low-blowed Castle right in full view of the referee, who called the DQ immediately. Apparently, the feud between the OutKast Killaz and the Peacock Experience is far from settled.
2. Kriptic Keegan def. Timmy Aight, which was Keegan's 1st win in UWE. Aight is not new to Troy fans, as he last appeared a couple of years back for another indie promotion that worked the Boys & Girls Club. Scary finish, as Keegan won with the curb stomp, but Aight had to be assisted from the ring. Aight has a new look, wearing a headband and shades in the ring. With the attention given to concussions, both real & worked, in WWE these days, the timing of this, while coincidental, couldn't have been worse.
While Ring of Honor's next IPPV, Best in the World, is headlined by a brother-vs.-brother match for the ROH title in less than 2 weeks, UWE kind of jumped the gun........
3. Kyle Badger def. Adam Badger. Kyle lives in Albany, while Adam is in Queens and recently was in line for a tryout during Wrestlemania week in April. The finish was a bit sloppy as Kyle hit a gutbuster, but Adam apparently might not have been ready for the move at that point. Can't say for sure.
Back came J. P. Black, this time with the Interstate title. Coconut Jones was the first champion, having won the title in March, but never defended it. Jones was sidelined with a concussion after winning the title, but this time, he asked for, and was granted, a period of bereavement after the loss of a friend. C. J. Scott wanted the title handed to him as the #1 contender, but Black had other ideas.........
4. Interstate title: Kyle Brad def. C. J. Scott to win the vacated title. Prior to the show, Brad was given a homemade sandwich board and went to the parade to try to bring people to the show. Apparently, this was the reward for his dedication and acting above and beyond the call of duty. Scott tried the package piledriver twice, was blocked both times, and on the 2nd try, Brad rolled him up, jackknife style, to pick up the pin and the title. Scott was furious. Twice now, he's seen the title slip right through his fingers.
While Scott was fuming and making threats, Kyle Badger & Ben Ortiz came out and also made challenges. Sounds like a fatal 4-way may be in the offing, or at least, a triple threat for the #1 contender's spot.
Brad gets points for dusting off the 2nd theme song from In Living Color as his entrance theme. Nothing like the late, great Heavy D to pump up the crowd on a sunny day, I gotta tell ya.
5. Lenn Oddity vs. Chris Envy ended in a double disqualification. Oddity got the ball rolling, attacking Envy backstage with a Caution board used for janitorial work. Neither man seemed interested in a pinfall. Black hinted post-match that maybe a strap match is in the offing.........
6. UWE tag titles: The Monarchy def. Pure Dynamite in a surprisingly short match, which might've been cut short because someone got cut legit. Both Brad Wesley of Pure Dynamite & William King of the Monarchy had blood on their backs by the end of the match. The ref in this one used too much discretion, letting Marshall McNeil get away with pulling Wesley down off the apron, leading to the finish. McNeil, at the very least, should've been ejected on the spot.
Oh, by the way, here's an open note to McNeil. Sgt. Pepper called. He wants his jacket back.
7. Foxx Vinyer def. Rob Coleman in a No-DQ match. This was also kept rather short, when any other time, these two could've gone longer. Vinyer hit a TKO on a chair to pick up the win after preventing Coleman from doing the same. Good stuff.
The title match was scheduled next, but Dalishus claimed he'd been sent to St. Peter's Hospital with a concussion (here we go again), and was not cleared to wrestle. Dalishus had a pink slip in hand, but refused to give it to Black for verification, which told the audience that Dalishus, who might've left his gear at home, was stalling, and could've been cited for breach of contract. However, the best laid plans of mice and cowards always go astray..........
8. Bill Carr def. Ronnie Castillo in a squash with the Black Hole Slam. Dalishus wasn't digging, and teased the title match, but sent Ben Ortiz out......
9. Carr def. Ortiz after a clothesline from hell. Dalishus interfered with a belt shot while Ortiz had the ref distracted, the same ref who let McNeil go unpunished earlier. Post-match, Dalishus tried another belt shot, only to be met with the Black Hole Slam. One of Dalishus' flip-flops went flying. In the space of 2 hours, Dalishus may have flushed what credibility he had as champion down the drain.
It was announced that the next show won't be until September. This is a good idea, really, because the UWE would be hard pressed to fill the Boys & Girls Club in the interim, especially with the Tri-City Valleycats soon to begin their season, and horse racing at Saratoga looming on the horizon, among other things. After getting off to a hot start, attendance has dropped to an average of 100-125 people for the last 4 shows. Taking July & August off allows UWE to recharge the creative batteries, if you will, and get things ready to roll for the fall. Then again, there's this little thing called the NFL that might get in the way..........
The start time of this show was pushed back to 3:00 (ET) to accomodate Troy's annual Flag Day parade, which ended just before showtime. As it turns out, there wasn't much spillover from the parade, if any. The pre-show opened with the Joint Task Force finally hitting "tha pay window", as Dusty Rhodes used to say in WCW back in the day, defeating newcomer Jay Flyler and Randy Walker. Flyler looked great in his local debut, but ended up taking the loss.
In the other warm-up match, Ben Ortiz defeated Harley Cruise in a decent bout. However, that would not be the last we'd see of Mr. Ortiz on the day. Not by a longshot.
Ring announcer and local radio talk show host Brian Cady finally came out to the ring at 3:07 pm with GM J. P. Black, the latter carrying a shiny new UWE championship belt, to be presented to Vik Dalishus. Vik came out in street clothes, but before Black, who acted like he was reluctant to go through with this, could make the presentation, Bill Carr, the challenger du jour, came out. Predictably, after Carr got his hands on the belt, Dalishus demanded that Carr give it to him. Of course he did---right upside the head, to set up the main event----or so we thought.
Now, on to the show:
1. Dalton Castle def. Diablo Santiago-DQ. Santiago low-blowed Castle right in full view of the referee, who called the DQ immediately. Apparently, the feud between the OutKast Killaz and the Peacock Experience is far from settled.
2. Kriptic Keegan def. Timmy Aight, which was Keegan's 1st win in UWE. Aight is not new to Troy fans, as he last appeared a couple of years back for another indie promotion that worked the Boys & Girls Club. Scary finish, as Keegan won with the curb stomp, but Aight had to be assisted from the ring. Aight has a new look, wearing a headband and shades in the ring. With the attention given to concussions, both real & worked, in WWE these days, the timing of this, while coincidental, couldn't have been worse.
While Ring of Honor's next IPPV, Best in the World, is headlined by a brother-vs.-brother match for the ROH title in less than 2 weeks, UWE kind of jumped the gun........
3. Kyle Badger def. Adam Badger. Kyle lives in Albany, while Adam is in Queens and recently was in line for a tryout during Wrestlemania week in April. The finish was a bit sloppy as Kyle hit a gutbuster, but Adam apparently might not have been ready for the move at that point. Can't say for sure.
Back came J. P. Black, this time with the Interstate title. Coconut Jones was the first champion, having won the title in March, but never defended it. Jones was sidelined with a concussion after winning the title, but this time, he asked for, and was granted, a period of bereavement after the loss of a friend. C. J. Scott wanted the title handed to him as the #1 contender, but Black had other ideas.........
4. Interstate title: Kyle Brad def. C. J. Scott to win the vacated title. Prior to the show, Brad was given a homemade sandwich board and went to the parade to try to bring people to the show. Apparently, this was the reward for his dedication and acting above and beyond the call of duty. Scott tried the package piledriver twice, was blocked both times, and on the 2nd try, Brad rolled him up, jackknife style, to pick up the pin and the title. Scott was furious. Twice now, he's seen the title slip right through his fingers.
While Scott was fuming and making threats, Kyle Badger & Ben Ortiz came out and also made challenges. Sounds like a fatal 4-way may be in the offing, or at least, a triple threat for the #1 contender's spot.
Brad gets points for dusting off the 2nd theme song from In Living Color as his entrance theme. Nothing like the late, great Heavy D to pump up the crowd on a sunny day, I gotta tell ya.
5. Lenn Oddity vs. Chris Envy ended in a double disqualification. Oddity got the ball rolling, attacking Envy backstage with a Caution board used for janitorial work. Neither man seemed interested in a pinfall. Black hinted post-match that maybe a strap match is in the offing.........
6. UWE tag titles: The Monarchy def. Pure Dynamite in a surprisingly short match, which might've been cut short because someone got cut legit. Both Brad Wesley of Pure Dynamite & William King of the Monarchy had blood on their backs by the end of the match. The ref in this one used too much discretion, letting Marshall McNeil get away with pulling Wesley down off the apron, leading to the finish. McNeil, at the very least, should've been ejected on the spot.
Oh, by the way, here's an open note to McNeil. Sgt. Pepper called. He wants his jacket back.
7. Foxx Vinyer def. Rob Coleman in a No-DQ match. This was also kept rather short, when any other time, these two could've gone longer. Vinyer hit a TKO on a chair to pick up the win after preventing Coleman from doing the same. Good stuff.
The title match was scheduled next, but Dalishus claimed he'd been sent to St. Peter's Hospital with a concussion (here we go again), and was not cleared to wrestle. Dalishus had a pink slip in hand, but refused to give it to Black for verification, which told the audience that Dalishus, who might've left his gear at home, was stalling, and could've been cited for breach of contract. However, the best laid plans of mice and cowards always go astray..........
8. Bill Carr def. Ronnie Castillo in a squash with the Black Hole Slam. Dalishus wasn't digging, and teased the title match, but sent Ben Ortiz out......
9. Carr def. Ortiz after a clothesline from hell. Dalishus interfered with a belt shot while Ortiz had the ref distracted, the same ref who let McNeil go unpunished earlier. Post-match, Dalishus tried another belt shot, only to be met with the Black Hole Slam. One of Dalishus' flip-flops went flying. In the space of 2 hours, Dalishus may have flushed what credibility he had as champion down the drain.
It was announced that the next show won't be until September. This is a good idea, really, because the UWE would be hard pressed to fill the Boys & Girls Club in the interim, especially with the Tri-City Valleycats soon to begin their season, and horse racing at Saratoga looming on the horizon, among other things. After getting off to a hot start, attendance has dropped to an average of 100-125 people for the last 4 shows. Taking July & August off allows UWE to recharge the creative batteries, if you will, and get things ready to roll for the fall. Then again, there's this little thing called the NFL that might get in the way..........
Friday, June 7, 2013
What Might've Been: S. W. A. T. (1975)
Everyone knows this theme song:
But what folks might not know about S. W. A. T. is that it lasted just 14 months (February 1975-April 1976), and its demise might be attributed to the high level of violence, which the real life SWAT team in LA, which was the model for the fictional team on the show, disapproved of. Then again, there was a growing glut of high-octane crime dramas on the air, so S. W. A. T. didn't stand out from the crowd as much as it wanted to.
The series was spun off from The Rookies (which we reviewed recently), but lacked the staying power. Steve Forrest (ex-The Baron) led the ensemble cast, and was one of two cast members to return for the 2003 feature film reboot with Samuel L. Jackson & LL Cool J (Rod Perry was the other). As for the rest, Mark Shera moved on to Barnaby Jones, and Robert Urich's resume grew with each passing year. Soap. Tabitha. Vega$. Gavilan. Spenser For Hire. Need I say more?
There currently exists a reality series entitled S. W. A. T., which owes its existence more to Cops than the original series. As a result, Sony is in no hurry to try to mount a rebooted version of this series. As for the iconic theme song, it became a #1 hit for Rhythm Heritage, but the version heard on the show was composed by Barry DeVorzon, better known for composing the theme to the soap, The Young & The Restless, which became an iconic anthem itself after gymnast Nadia Comaneci used it as her theme at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, hence "Nadia's Theme", and that enabled DeVorzon to climb the charts after all.
Rating: C.
But what folks might not know about S. W. A. T. is that it lasted just 14 months (February 1975-April 1976), and its demise might be attributed to the high level of violence, which the real life SWAT team in LA, which was the model for the fictional team on the show, disapproved of. Then again, there was a growing glut of high-octane crime dramas on the air, so S. W. A. T. didn't stand out from the crowd as much as it wanted to.
The series was spun off from The Rookies (which we reviewed recently), but lacked the staying power. Steve Forrest (ex-The Baron) led the ensemble cast, and was one of two cast members to return for the 2003 feature film reboot with Samuel L. Jackson & LL Cool J (Rod Perry was the other). As for the rest, Mark Shera moved on to Barnaby Jones, and Robert Urich's resume grew with each passing year. Soap. Tabitha. Vega$. Gavilan. Spenser For Hire. Need I say more?
There currently exists a reality series entitled S. W. A. T., which owes its existence more to Cops than the original series. As a result, Sony is in no hurry to try to mount a rebooted version of this series. As for the iconic theme song, it became a #1 hit for Rhythm Heritage, but the version heard on the show was composed by Barry DeVorzon, better known for composing the theme to the soap, The Young & The Restless, which became an iconic anthem itself after gymnast Nadia Comaneci used it as her theme at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, hence "Nadia's Theme", and that enabled DeVorzon to climb the charts after all.
Rating: C.
On the Shelf: A forgotten concept returns to life
In 1975, DC Comics' anthology series, First Issue Special, introduced readers to The Green Team, a quartet of pre-teens whose common bond was that they were all ridiculously wealthy, yet wanted to go and do more extraordinary things than common boys would do. Comics legend Joe Simon, who'd returned to DC a couple of years earlier, and artist Jerry Grandenetti, who'd collaborated with Simon on his last DC series, Prez, created the Green Team, and there were two unpublished issues in the can. Apparently, sales on this issue didn't warrant the title going to full series, but those two stories were later released in the limited edition Cancelled Comics Cavalcade, which came along in the wake of the 1978 "DC Implosion".
Fast forward to 2013. Writers Art Baltazar & Franco, whose last DC book, Tiny Titans, vanished from shelves a couple of years back, revived The Green Team, this time updating the concept for the 21st century, and making the kids into "Teen Trillionaires" in an all-new series which launched 2 weeks ago. Only two of the original characters remained intact---sort of. J. P. Houston (formerly Huston in the original book) is now of Latino descent. Commodore Murphy is into electronics, and not ships. Cecil Sunbeam, an aspiring filmmaker in the original, is now Cecilia Sunbeam, an actress.
Why the gender flip? Baltazar & Franco must've felt they couldn't let this be an all-boys' club this time, and they also wanted to make a statement regarding the tabloid-magnet starlets of today (i.e. Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes), and so we have Cecilia. Cue Simon & Garfunkel, would you please?
Rounding out the team is Mohammad Qahtanii, a prince of Middle Eastern origins, whose father doesn't approve of his being part of Murphy's group. Uh-oh. Mohammad also has a bodyguard that will come in handy, I'm sure, when things get sticky. Mohammad replaces Abdul Smith, an urban shoeshine boy in the original book, who came into his fortune by luck. Smith, then, either has been retconned out, or will eventually appear. Time will tell.
Ig Guara, a relative newcomer, is the artist on the series, and captures everything perfectly. The bad guys in this first arc are a low-rent, seemingly amateur bunch who drew their false faces on their masks. Looks to me like there's some jealousy to be had, and since Murphy now has a superhero suit that he himself designed, I'd not be surprised if there's a meeting with the Justice League nigh.
I read the original book, which is why I was drawn to this new Green Team. It will be interesting to see how far Baltazar & Franco, whose next project is a Hellboy series for Dark Horse that will be along the lines of their Tiny Titans work, and not with the monster-detective we all know, will go with these kids.
Rating: A.
Meanwhile, Marvel isn't waiting until "Thor: The Dark World" opens at the end of the year. They've released a 2-part prequel comic, the first half of which hit stores this week. All I can say is that they may have hit the ground a little too early, unless they've managed to push the movie closer to a fall release (last word I had was that it's around Thanksgiving or Christmas). I will hold off on a full review until the second half arrives next month.
Fast forward to 2013. Writers Art Baltazar & Franco, whose last DC book, Tiny Titans, vanished from shelves a couple of years back, revived The Green Team, this time updating the concept for the 21st century, and making the kids into "Teen Trillionaires" in an all-new series which launched 2 weeks ago. Only two of the original characters remained intact---sort of. J. P. Houston (formerly Huston in the original book) is now of Latino descent. Commodore Murphy is into electronics, and not ships. Cecil Sunbeam, an aspiring filmmaker in the original, is now Cecilia Sunbeam, an actress.
Why the gender flip? Baltazar & Franco must've felt they couldn't let this be an all-boys' club this time, and they also wanted to make a statement regarding the tabloid-magnet starlets of today (i.e. Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes), and so we have Cecilia. Cue Simon & Garfunkel, would you please?
Rounding out the team is Mohammad Qahtanii, a prince of Middle Eastern origins, whose father doesn't approve of his being part of Murphy's group. Uh-oh. Mohammad also has a bodyguard that will come in handy, I'm sure, when things get sticky. Mohammad replaces Abdul Smith, an urban shoeshine boy in the original book, who came into his fortune by luck. Smith, then, either has been retconned out, or will eventually appear. Time will tell.
Ig Guara, a relative newcomer, is the artist on the series, and captures everything perfectly. The bad guys in this first arc are a low-rent, seemingly amateur bunch who drew their false faces on their masks. Looks to me like there's some jealousy to be had, and since Murphy now has a superhero suit that he himself designed, I'd not be surprised if there's a meeting with the Justice League nigh.
I read the original book, which is why I was drawn to this new Green Team. It will be interesting to see how far Baltazar & Franco, whose next project is a Hellboy series for Dark Horse that will be along the lines of their Tiny Titans work, and not with the monster-detective we all know, will go with these kids.
Rating: A.
Meanwhile, Marvel isn't waiting until "Thor: The Dark World" opens at the end of the year. They've released a 2-part prequel comic, the first half of which hit stores this week. All I can say is that they may have hit the ground a little too early, unless they've managed to push the movie closer to a fall release (last word I had was that it's around Thanksgiving or Christmas). I will hold off on a full review until the second half arrives next month.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
On The Air: The Hero (2013)
So far, 2013 has been, to Hollywood anyway, the Year of the Rock.
Dwayne Johnson may have just lifted the title of "Hardest Working Man In Show Business" from the late James Brown. In the first 5 1/2 months of the year already, Johnson has been in 4 movies, headlined 2 WWE PPV's, and now serves as host/co-executive producer/narrator of The Hero, TNT's first foray into reality television.
9 contestants, including an aspiring pro wrestler and a New England Patriots cheerleader, compete for a million dollar first prize in this competition, which combines elements of past shows such as The Mole, Fear Factor, and the current SyFy series, Total BlackOut, at least in the opener.
Given all the bickering among the players in the opener, one can suggest that Johnson & company (ex-wife Dany is also an executive producer) also tossed in elements of MTV's long running Real World. However, this mishmash of diverse personalities are about as entertaining as a rainstorm, and that's just being kind.
Judge for yourselves, then, by scoping the trailer, uploaded by (wait for it) tntweknowdrama:
My brother works for a local newspaper, and said paper obtained a screener copy of the opener, which is how I was able to review the show before it went on the air. Sometimes, you can get lucky. On the other hand, if this bombs, it'll rank up there with "Tooth Fairy" as one of Johnson's less successful ventures. For what it's worth, Shaun Ricker, the wrestler, was recently signed by WWE. Hmmmmm........
Rating: C.
Dwayne Johnson may have just lifted the title of "Hardest Working Man In Show Business" from the late James Brown. In the first 5 1/2 months of the year already, Johnson has been in 4 movies, headlined 2 WWE PPV's, and now serves as host/co-executive producer/narrator of The Hero, TNT's first foray into reality television.
9 contestants, including an aspiring pro wrestler and a New England Patriots cheerleader, compete for a million dollar first prize in this competition, which combines elements of past shows such as The Mole, Fear Factor, and the current SyFy series, Total BlackOut, at least in the opener.
Given all the bickering among the players in the opener, one can suggest that Johnson & company (ex-wife Dany is also an executive producer) also tossed in elements of MTV's long running Real World. However, this mishmash of diverse personalities are about as entertaining as a rainstorm, and that's just being kind.
Judge for yourselves, then, by scoping the trailer, uploaded by (wait for it) tntweknowdrama:
My brother works for a local newspaper, and said paper obtained a screener copy of the opener, which is how I was able to review the show before it went on the air. Sometimes, you can get lucky. On the other hand, if this bombs, it'll rank up there with "Tooth Fairy" as one of Johnson's less successful ventures. For what it's worth, Shaun Ricker, the wrestler, was recently signed by WWE. Hmmmmm........
Rating: C.
Classic TV: Beat The Clock (1950)
GSN is relaunching the former NBC series, Minute To Win It, later this month, but, truth be told, that series wouldn't even have been a thought in a network executive's mind if it wasn't for Beat The Clock.
Mark Goodson & Bill Todman introduced Clock in 1950, hiring Clayton "Bud" Collyer, better known as the voice of Superman on radio & theatrical cartoons in the 40's, as host. Clock would run for 11 seasons, ending in 1961, at which time Collyer had already started on another game, To Tell The Truth.
Here's a sample from the Collyer era:
In 1969, Clock returned, this time in syndication, and in a weekday format. Jack Narz hosted for the first three years, but after the series relocated to Canada for taping, the expenses were such that Narz could not continue. Announcer Gene Wood, who hosted a Canadian produced knock-off of Clock, Anything You Can Do (previously reviewed), moved in front of the camera to replace Narz. The gimmick to this version was the addition of celebrity guests, who would appear for all 5 days. Adam Curry presents an episode from the Wood era with that world-famous ham actor and one of Canada's best known exports, William Shatner:
If I didn't know any better, I'd swear Wood had gone to John Byner's barber. Their hairstyles look the same.
Anyway, CBS got the Clock back in 1979, and lured Monty Hall (Let's Make A Deal) in as host. Halfway through the run, the show went to an all-star format, the sure sign that it was destined for failure.
Here's a sample episode:
After skipping the 90's altogether, the series returned one last time in 2002, this time on cable's PAX (now Ion), with former Saturday Night Live regular Gary Kroeger as the host. As with the Hall era, this lasted just one year. Thewhammy83 uploaded this episode.
Nickelodeon's Double Dare, part quiz show, part stunts, may also owe part of its lineage to Clock, but we'll cover that another time.
Rating: B.
Mark Goodson & Bill Todman introduced Clock in 1950, hiring Clayton "Bud" Collyer, better known as the voice of Superman on radio & theatrical cartoons in the 40's, as host. Clock would run for 11 seasons, ending in 1961, at which time Collyer had already started on another game, To Tell The Truth.
Here's a sample from the Collyer era:
In 1969, Clock returned, this time in syndication, and in a weekday format. Jack Narz hosted for the first three years, but after the series relocated to Canada for taping, the expenses were such that Narz could not continue. Announcer Gene Wood, who hosted a Canadian produced knock-off of Clock, Anything You Can Do (previously reviewed), moved in front of the camera to replace Narz. The gimmick to this version was the addition of celebrity guests, who would appear for all 5 days. Adam Curry presents an episode from the Wood era with that world-famous ham actor and one of Canada's best known exports, William Shatner:
If I didn't know any better, I'd swear Wood had gone to John Byner's barber. Their hairstyles look the same.
Anyway, CBS got the Clock back in 1979, and lured Monty Hall (Let's Make A Deal) in as host. Halfway through the run, the show went to an all-star format, the sure sign that it was destined for failure.
Here's a sample episode:
After skipping the 90's altogether, the series returned one last time in 2002, this time on cable's PAX (now Ion), with former Saturday Night Live regular Gary Kroeger as the host. As with the Hall era, this lasted just one year. Thewhammy83 uploaded this episode.
Nickelodeon's Double Dare, part quiz show, part stunts, may also owe part of its lineage to Clock, but we'll cover that another time.
Rating: B.
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