TV and Movies

[Oznell]

When this came up before, I hadn't seen enough episodes to give much opinion, but now that our ability to DVR is restored, I'm catching up.  On what, you say?

"Cannon"   3:00 a.m. Eastern weekdays on MeTV,  right after "Mannix".

William Conrad was a staple of the classic film and radio era-- he memorably played "heavies" in film noir and his rumbling, resonant baritone was instantly recognizable.  That voice also landed him plummy narration jobs, like the portentously intoning narrator on unforgettable TV series "The Fugitive" with David Janssen.

Jump cut to the Seventies.  He's a rumpled and retired cop with expensive tastes, and a horrible family tragedy to crawl back from.

He's overweight, smart, tough, dryly funny, and a secret "softie".

I really like his everyman quality, and the high standards and strict scruples with which he runs his private eye business.

Cannon lives in an improbably elaborate, dark and over-decorated L.A. apartment, complete with fancy doorman.  He loves to cook for friends and drives those impossibly long, shiny, fancy 70's cars.  He'll take on loser cases and is in frequent danger, so I guess the doorman and high security make sense. 

I enjoy the period California ambiance, and the fact that many old Hollywood movie stars as well as veteran TV legends were still around to make guest shots on "Cannon".    Think Anne Baxter, Barry Sullivan, Anne Francis, David Hedison, Martin Sheen, David Janssen himself, to name just a few.

If you like vintage TV of this sort-- "Rockford Files",  "Barnaby Jones", "Mannix",  etc.,  I'd suggest DVR'ing about a week's worth of "Cannon" to get the full flavor.   Or if you're an insomniac, you have something to look forward to in those wee hours...     

[qualitygal]

Was Monk on then?  Or Mannix?  I did like McMillian and Wife. Those come to mind for me.

[Group 5 minus 1]

We will get these from the library and if we like them will then purchase. Were disappointed in Cannon. We do own many others.

[Oznell]

@qualitygal, I think "McMillan and Wife" was basically the same era, followed by another "couples" detective show, "Hart to Hart" (was that maybe the early Eighties.)  If I'm not mistaken, "Monk" was later, maybe as late as the Nineties or later?

I think the Sixties and the Seventies have turned out to be my favorite period for the detective  genre.  There's a kind of relative "innocence" that is very appealing.  Thank goodness for all the retro TV channels that keep popping up!

[Oznell]

@Group 5 minus 1, you might like "Mannix".   It was probably the high water mark for such private eye shows (although I still also like the less highly polished 'earthiness' of Cannon and B. Jones)-- Mannix had high production values, was stylish, and had nice relationships among Mannix, his secretary (who didn't appear till the second season) and the various police that he worked with...

[shoptilyadropagain]

Cannon was OK but my favorite was Kojak!!!

[chiclets]

Banacek starring George Peppard.

[Group 5 minus 1]

We own Hart to Hart, Mannix,and Columbo.

[Group 5 minus 1]

Forgot about B.Jones.We own that also.

[kaydee50]

Colombo is my favorite, the episodes from the 70s and early 80s especially.  Watch the repeats repeatedly!!!  DH also like Hunter and the original Hawaii 5-0