Perhaps it's safe to say that The Sixth Sense was ahead of its time.
Sense, which bowed as a midseason replacement on ABC in January 1972, never made it to the next calendar year, cancelled in December due to declining ratings. Not only that, but, to borrow the title of one of the shows it aired opposite, achieving long-term ratings success for this show was in truth, dare I say it.......Mission: Impossible.
Gary Collins (ex-Iron Horse) starred as Dr. Michael Rhodes, a professor in parapsychology, who specialized in the study of extra sensory perception (ESP), which was a growing phenomenon in itself at the time. Otherwise, Sixth Sense, which was spun from an ABC Movie of the Week, "Sweet, Sweet Rachel", was a standard mystery series. Just a couple of years later, ABC & Universal would try again, opting instead for a horror of the week format in Kolchak: The Night Stalker, which developed a cult following despite lasting just one season, something Sense was unable to achieve. In later years, the series was folded into Night Gallery's syndication package, with each 1 hour episode split into two parts.
In season 2, movie legend Joan Crawford made her final acting appearance on Sense. In a change of format, just for this episode, Collins appeared as himself as host, interviewing Crawford in a separate segment at the end of the show, and didn't appear as Dr. Rhodes. Perhaps the producers were testing the waters for a permanent format change that would never come to fruition, but for Collins, this would be a harbinger of things to come, as he would resurrect his career in the 80's as a talk show host (Hour Magazine), after one more starring role (Born Free, 1974) led to failure.
Ed Rigby provides the open & close. Pay close attention to the narrator during the open. You will be surprised as to who it is........
I did not realize this at first myself, but as someone commented in response to Mr. Rigby, the voiceover belongs to game show host Bob Eubanks (The Newlywed Game). Until I read that, I wouldn't have even suspected. I'd have thought Collins himself did the narrative.
Rating: B-.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Sports this 'n' that
The NFL Draft is now history, but the drama has only just begun in New York.
You see, after the Jets drafted quarterback Geno Smith (West Virginia) in Friday's second round, the tabloids were quick to grease the skids for the departure of incumbent QB Mark Sanchez, whose skills have regressed in the last two seasons. The New York Daily News even used a front page headline in Saturday's edition, suggesting that Sanchez was done. However, there are still less than three months before training camp starts as I write this, and a lot can happen, including a protracted contract holdout by Smith if his agent(s) don't think the Jets are giving him a fair offer.
Meanwhile, the Jets' new GM, John Idzik, who came over from Seattle, hasn't exactly made friends with the fan base, not after dealing away defensive back Darrelle Revis to Tampa Bay a week ago, a move the tabloid media claims was green-lit by owner Woody Johnson. On Monday, the Jets made the long expected move to release QB Tim Tebow after one season, and today's tabloids are crowing about that, too. A Yahoo! blogger suggests that the Jets traded for Tebow a year ago strictly for publicity purposes, then decided to treat him like a spare part instead of giving a fair opportunity to supplant Sanchez.
Let's face it. Tebow just wasn't cut out to be an NFL QB, despite his college successes in Florida. If any team wants him now, they should consider giving him a new position, either as a running back, a tight end, or, for all the irony, a defensive back. Denver found out over the course of two seasons that what worked in college didn't translate in the pros, largely because Tebow's physical limitations (size, lack of arm strength) could easily be exploited, as the NFL's Evil Empire, the New England Patriots, so gleefully demonstrated.
The bloom is suddenly off the rose for the Mets, who have lost 5 in a row after a 15th inning heartbreak vs. Miami on Monday. Shaun Marcum, Saturday's starter, came on in relief, and lost his 2nd decision in 3 days (well, actually, 4, since it was after midnight when the game mercifully ended). Teams have already adjusted their pitching to shut down the Mets' offense, so now, the burden gets heavier as we move toward the merry (?) month of May in Flushing.
Back to football. The Arizona Cardinals spent a 3rd round pick Saturday on troubled former LSU defensive back Tyrann Matthieu, aka "Honey Badger". Matthieu missed the entire 2012 season after being expelled from the team, and was arrested for drug possession six months ago. To believe the Yahoo! sports blog, the Cardinals have to give Matthieu some guaranteed money, perhaps not as much as Matthieu or his agent might think, but they also don't want him flushing that money away on drugs. Matthieu will be tested, perhaps more often than most rookies because of his well-publicized drug history, bringing more scrutiny than really needed, but what can you do?
What I found most amusing during the first week of playoffs in the NBA was the fact that ESPN, one of the league's media partners, thought it was newsworthy to report on a series of tweets issued by Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who missed the team's 1st round loss to San Antonio due to injury. Please. What a waste of time!
At the same time, most media outlets seem to think that the Miami Heat will repeat, but if they do, it will really be because that's what the league wants, as they would rather promote LeBron James as the league's #1 gate attraction. Like, it's a team sport. As long as the NBA continues to defer to advertising nerds and suits on Madison Avenue to promote certain players (i.e. LeBron) above the game itself, it isn't going to be back to where it was before David Stern took office.
A week ago, the Mets designated pitcher Aaron Laffey for assignment, and he eventually returned to Toronto, where he was promptly torched by the Yankees in an emergency start over the weekend. On Monday, Laffey opted for free agency, ending his 2nd go-round with the Blue Jays. Do the Mets take him back? I doubt it very seriously. The black cloud of misfortune hanging over Citi Field just won't go away, as evidenced by the Mets' current losing streak, referenced earlier. Even though the National League East standings are now starting to look the way they were meant to, save for the top 2 spots being reversed, it hardly seems stable.
You see, after the Jets drafted quarterback Geno Smith (West Virginia) in Friday's second round, the tabloids were quick to grease the skids for the departure of incumbent QB Mark Sanchez, whose skills have regressed in the last two seasons. The New York Daily News even used a front page headline in Saturday's edition, suggesting that Sanchez was done. However, there are still less than three months before training camp starts as I write this, and a lot can happen, including a protracted contract holdout by Smith if his agent(s) don't think the Jets are giving him a fair offer.
Meanwhile, the Jets' new GM, John Idzik, who came over from Seattle, hasn't exactly made friends with the fan base, not after dealing away defensive back Darrelle Revis to Tampa Bay a week ago, a move the tabloid media claims was green-lit by owner Woody Johnson. On Monday, the Jets made the long expected move to release QB Tim Tebow after one season, and today's tabloids are crowing about that, too. A Yahoo! blogger suggests that the Jets traded for Tebow a year ago strictly for publicity purposes, then decided to treat him like a spare part instead of giving a fair opportunity to supplant Sanchez.
Let's face it. Tebow just wasn't cut out to be an NFL QB, despite his college successes in Florida. If any team wants him now, they should consider giving him a new position, either as a running back, a tight end, or, for all the irony, a defensive back. Denver found out over the course of two seasons that what worked in college didn't translate in the pros, largely because Tebow's physical limitations (size, lack of arm strength) could easily be exploited, as the NFL's Evil Empire, the New England Patriots, so gleefully demonstrated.
The bloom is suddenly off the rose for the Mets, who have lost 5 in a row after a 15th inning heartbreak vs. Miami on Monday. Shaun Marcum, Saturday's starter, came on in relief, and lost his 2nd decision in 3 days (well, actually, 4, since it was after midnight when the game mercifully ended). Teams have already adjusted their pitching to shut down the Mets' offense, so now, the burden gets heavier as we move toward the merry (?) month of May in Flushing.
Back to football. The Arizona Cardinals spent a 3rd round pick Saturday on troubled former LSU defensive back Tyrann Matthieu, aka "Honey Badger". Matthieu missed the entire 2012 season after being expelled from the team, and was arrested for drug possession six months ago. To believe the Yahoo! sports blog, the Cardinals have to give Matthieu some guaranteed money, perhaps not as much as Matthieu or his agent might think, but they also don't want him flushing that money away on drugs. Matthieu will be tested, perhaps more often than most rookies because of his well-publicized drug history, bringing more scrutiny than really needed, but what can you do?
What I found most amusing during the first week of playoffs in the NBA was the fact that ESPN, one of the league's media partners, thought it was newsworthy to report on a series of tweets issued by Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who missed the team's 1st round loss to San Antonio due to injury. Please. What a waste of time!
At the same time, most media outlets seem to think that the Miami Heat will repeat, but if they do, it will really be because that's what the league wants, as they would rather promote LeBron James as the league's #1 gate attraction. Like, it's a team sport. As long as the NBA continues to defer to advertising nerds and suits on Madison Avenue to promote certain players (i.e. LeBron) above the game itself, it isn't going to be back to where it was before David Stern took office.
A week ago, the Mets designated pitcher Aaron Laffey for assignment, and he eventually returned to Toronto, where he was promptly torched by the Yankees in an emergency start over the weekend. On Monday, Laffey opted for free agency, ending his 2nd go-round with the Blue Jays. Do the Mets take him back? I doubt it very seriously. The black cloud of misfortune hanging over Citi Field just won't go away, as evidenced by the Mets' current losing streak, referenced earlier. Even though the National League East standings are now starting to look the way they were meant to, save for the top 2 spots being reversed, it hardly seems stable.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Classic TV: Quincy, M. E. (1976)
Originally a component of the NBC Mystery Movie, Quincy, M. E. became far more successful as a stand-alone series, lasting 7 seasons before ending in 1983.
It had been a year since The Odd Couple ended when Jack Klugman was cast as the mono-monickered Dr. Quincy, a coroner who ended up helping the police solve murders. Helping the good doctor in the lab was his assistant, Sam (Robert Ito), while in turn, Quincy was both a help and a bit of an annoyance to Lt. Monahan (Garry Walberg, who appeared with Klugman occasionally on Odd Couple). As you could tell from the open, Quincy was also a ladies man, but producer Glen Larsen decided to put an end to Quincy's wandering eye by giving him a wife (Anita Gillette) near the end of the show's run.
To be sure, the CSI franchise wouldn't exist today if it wasn't for Quincy opening the door for viewers to get a look at how important forensic sciences are to police work.
Here is the open:
Rating: A.
It had been a year since The Odd Couple ended when Jack Klugman was cast as the mono-monickered Dr. Quincy, a coroner who ended up helping the police solve murders. Helping the good doctor in the lab was his assistant, Sam (Robert Ito), while in turn, Quincy was both a help and a bit of an annoyance to Lt. Monahan (Garry Walberg, who appeared with Klugman occasionally on Odd Couple). As you could tell from the open, Quincy was also a ladies man, but producer Glen Larsen decided to put an end to Quincy's wandering eye by giving him a wife (Anita Gillette) near the end of the show's run.
To be sure, the CSI franchise wouldn't exist today if it wasn't for Quincy opening the door for viewers to get a look at how important forensic sciences are to police work.
Here is the open:
Rating: A.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Classic TV: Star Trek (1966)
In the mid-60's, the television landscape was dominated by comedies, variety shows, and crime dramas. Westerns were gradually fading out. Science fiction was making an inroad, thanks in large part to Irwin Allen's Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea & Lost In Space. Batman, which bowed in January 1966, re-opened a doorway for comics fans that had been closed after The Adventures of Superman had ended 8 years earlier. Spies were taking over, be they serious (The Avengers made their American debut in '66) or not (Get Smart).
Into this mix came perhaps the most famous science fiction series of them all, Star Trek. Creator Gene Roddenberry even went so far as to compare his series with the Western, Wagon Train, which, admittedly, was a bit of a reach. However, the "five year mission" of the USS Enterprise initially lasted three, as a shrinking viewer base convinced NBC suits to end the series in 1969. Of course, you know the rest of the story, how syndicated reruns led to the resurrection of the series as a movie franchise, and Paramount eventually made 4 more series, including one prequel series, to keep the brand active.
But, let's go back to where it all began. Today's generation might think of William Shatner for those goofy Priceline ads, but before Trek, the Canadian-born Shatner was already an accomplished character actor, having made the rounds of shows like The Twilight Zone. His characterization of James T. Kirk, Captain of the Enterprise, came across as being what James Bond would be like if he had to lead a team. It seemed that it was news if Kirk didn't hit on some alien babe in a given episode. In contrast, Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), the rational Vulcan second-in-command, routinely stole the show, being order to Kirk's brand of chaos. Kind of like the older brother having to calm his sibling's frat-boy urges.
When the series was in weekday repeats in the 70's, I must've seen every episode at least 3-4 times each. I do have my favorites, but I couldn't find them on YouTube. We must, then, settle for Roddenberry's take on the counter-culture movement of the period, as Skip Homeier and a young Charles Napier guest star in "The Way to Eden", one of the rare cases where Lt. Chekov (Walter Koenig) gets the girl........
Edit, 5/19/23: Here's the intro we all know:
It can be said that the mission was allowed to continue when Paramount reached a deal with Filmation to produce an animated version of the series, 4 years after the original show ended, once again on NBC, but only 21 episodes were produced over 2 years, and, thus, it can be suggested that the paperback novels released in the interim period between the original series' end and the release of the 1980 movie, helped complete the mission.
Rating: B.
Into this mix came perhaps the most famous science fiction series of them all, Star Trek. Creator Gene Roddenberry even went so far as to compare his series with the Western, Wagon Train, which, admittedly, was a bit of a reach. However, the "five year mission" of the USS Enterprise initially lasted three, as a shrinking viewer base convinced NBC suits to end the series in 1969. Of course, you know the rest of the story, how syndicated reruns led to the resurrection of the series as a movie franchise, and Paramount eventually made 4 more series, including one prequel series, to keep the brand active.
But, let's go back to where it all began. Today's generation might think of William Shatner for those goofy Priceline ads, but before Trek, the Canadian-born Shatner was already an accomplished character actor, having made the rounds of shows like The Twilight Zone. His characterization of James T. Kirk, Captain of the Enterprise, came across as being what James Bond would be like if he had to lead a team. It seemed that it was news if Kirk didn't hit on some alien babe in a given episode. In contrast, Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), the rational Vulcan second-in-command, routinely stole the show, being order to Kirk's brand of chaos. Kind of like the older brother having to calm his sibling's frat-boy urges.
When the series was in weekday repeats in the 70's, I must've seen every episode at least 3-4 times each. I do have my favorites, but I couldn't find them on YouTube. We must, then, settle for Roddenberry's take on the counter-culture movement of the period, as Skip Homeier and a young Charles Napier guest star in "The Way to Eden", one of the rare cases where Lt. Chekov (Walter Koenig) gets the girl........
Edit, 5/19/23: Here's the intro we all know:
It can be said that the mission was allowed to continue when Paramount reached a deal with Filmation to produce an animated version of the series, 4 years after the original show ended, once again on NBC, but only 21 episodes were produced over 2 years, and, thus, it can be suggested that the paperback novels released in the interim period between the original series' end and the release of the 1980 movie, helped complete the mission.
Rating: B.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Weasel of the Week: Jeff Loria
The owner of the Miami Marlins certainly deserves to be (dis)honored this week.
More than 10 years into his stewardship of the Marlins, Jeff Loria has proven to be the absolute worst owner in the National League. I'd say in all of baseball, but apparently there are heirs apparent to the egocentric throne of the late George Steinbrenner there, too. Anyway, Loria is exploiting the lack of managerial experience at the major league level of current Marlins skipper Mike Redmond, a former player who has a World Series ring (2003) from his previous tour of duty with the team. According to Yahoo!, Loria insisted on flipping pitchers Ricky Nolasco and Jose Fernandez for a Tuesday doubleheader at Minnesota, making Fernandez, a rookie, a higher priority than the veteran Nolasco, who reportedly has already demanded a trade. Small wonder, of course, that the Marlins, as expected, occupy the basement in the NL East while Atlanta, and not Washington, threatens to run away and hide, while the defending division champion Nationals have to jockey for position with------the Mets! (like, whodathunk?)
Loria considers Fernandez to be a personal pet project, but he fails to understand that most owners should be heard but not seen. The Steinbrenner brothers aren't craving the back pages in New York, like their father did almost to the point of obsession. The Cubs & Braves, to name two, are owned by corporate interests (Tribune Corp. & Time Warner, respectively) that don't feel it necessary to make knee-jerk decisions on what amounts to "luxury" holdings, if you will. Loria, on the other hand, is like the spoiled rich boy with the shiny toy that he feels needs to be attended to as much as possible, and at all costs. Loria has alienated the fanbase time and again with his impulsive fire sales, such as the one that started in midseason last year when Hanley Ramirez was dealt to the Dodgers, but he doesn't care. However, by undercutting a rookie manager who likely knows more about the team's needs than Loria does, Loria is setting himself up to face additional apathy, not from his team----Lord knows that's building as we speak----but from fellow owners who probably feel sorrier for the players at this stage.
Let's face it. Owning a sports franchise ain't rocket science, but Jeff Loria, this week's Weasel, ain't a Rhodes scholar, either.
More than 10 years into his stewardship of the Marlins, Jeff Loria has proven to be the absolute worst owner in the National League. I'd say in all of baseball, but apparently there are heirs apparent to the egocentric throne of the late George Steinbrenner there, too. Anyway, Loria is exploiting the lack of managerial experience at the major league level of current Marlins skipper Mike Redmond, a former player who has a World Series ring (2003) from his previous tour of duty with the team. According to Yahoo!, Loria insisted on flipping pitchers Ricky Nolasco and Jose Fernandez for a Tuesday doubleheader at Minnesota, making Fernandez, a rookie, a higher priority than the veteran Nolasco, who reportedly has already demanded a trade. Small wonder, of course, that the Marlins, as expected, occupy the basement in the NL East while Atlanta, and not Washington, threatens to run away and hide, while the defending division champion Nationals have to jockey for position with------the Mets! (like, whodathunk?)
Loria considers Fernandez to be a personal pet project, but he fails to understand that most owners should be heard but not seen. The Steinbrenner brothers aren't craving the back pages in New York, like their father did almost to the point of obsession. The Cubs & Braves, to name two, are owned by corporate interests (Tribune Corp. & Time Warner, respectively) that don't feel it necessary to make knee-jerk decisions on what amounts to "luxury" holdings, if you will. Loria, on the other hand, is like the spoiled rich boy with the shiny toy that he feels needs to be attended to as much as possible, and at all costs. Loria has alienated the fanbase time and again with his impulsive fire sales, such as the one that started in midseason last year when Hanley Ramirez was dealt to the Dodgers, but he doesn't care. However, by undercutting a rookie manager who likely knows more about the team's needs than Loria does, Loria is setting himself up to face additional apathy, not from his team----Lord knows that's building as we speak----but from fellow owners who probably feel sorrier for the players at this stage.
Let's face it. Owning a sports franchise ain't rocket science, but Jeff Loria, this week's Weasel, ain't a Rhodes scholar, either.
George Jones (1931-2013)
It has just come across the news wires, and there will be much mourning at the Grand Ole Opry this weekend.
Country icon George Jones passed away at the age of 81, leaving behind a lifetime of classic hits, either as a solo artist or in duets with Tammy Wynette. You could probably recognize the hits just by the titles alone. "He Stopped Loving Her Today". "White Lightning". "The Race is On". I believe it would be fitting to present a 1985 hit that recalls when country music was at its pop culture peak in the 60's & 70's, as Jones references Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and others in "Who's Going To Fill Their Shoes?":
Country icon George Jones passed away at the age of 81, leaving behind a lifetime of classic hits, either as a solo artist or in duets with Tammy Wynette. You could probably recognize the hits just by the titles alone. "He Stopped Loving Her Today". "White Lightning". "The Race is On". I believe it would be fitting to present a 1985 hit that recalls when country music was at its pop culture peak in the 60's & 70's, as Jones references Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and others in "Who's Going To Fill Their Shoes?":
Rest in peace, George.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Musical Interlude: Rock & a Hard Place (1989)
I have never really been a big time Rolling Stones fan. In fact, I can count the number of Stones songs I like on my hand and leave room for a finger or two. One of those songs is "Rock & A Hard Place", the 2nd single off their 1989 CD, "Steel Wheels". Nearly 25 years later, the Stones are still going strong, easily the most durable of the British Invasion bands of the 60's, as they celebrated their 50th anniversary last year.
Uploaded by the band's officially authorized YouTube channel:
Uploaded by the band's officially authorized YouTube channel:
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