In 1981, I was living in Kingston, Ontario, I had fallen in love with Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Return of the Jedi was still a long ways off!! Television, of course, still continued to entertain me, and Stephen j. Cannell was right there keeping an occasional evening occupied with his take on…
Category: Bellisario & Cannell
Airwolf (1986) – Wildfire and Discovery
String (Jan-Michael Vincent), Dom (Ernest Borgnine) and Caitlin (Jean Bruce Scott) take on more dangers this week! First up is Wildfire penned by David Westheimer, which aired 11 January, 1986. This is a kind of just say no to drugs story that seemed prevalent in the 1980s, heck, even Star Trek: The Next Generation…
The Rockford Files (1979/1980) – Just a Coupla Guys and Deadlock in Parma
After 6 seasons, I’m now on the final two episodes of this landmark series. And while the first episode is a bit of a let-down in terms of a story for Rockford (James Garner), you can definitely see a blueprint for a show that helped define 21st century television (though it started in 1999)….
Airwolf (1985) – The Deadly Circle and Where Have All the Children Gone?
Stringfellow Hawke (Jan-Michael Vincent) gets himself into all manner of trouble in this week’s double installment. First up is The Deadly Circle, written by Robert Specht, with an original airdate of 30 November, 1985. Families of former comrades-in-arms are being grabbed by Vietnamese soldiers intent on extracting revenge for the destruction of their village…
The Rockford Files (1979) – No-Fault Affair and The Big Cheese
Rita Moreno is back again as Rita Capkovic in the first episode up this week. No-Fault Affair was written by Juanita Bartlett, and originally aired 30 November, 1979. The phone gag this time around features someone calling thinking the number was for dial-a-joke. Rita has aspirations of becoming a hair dresser, she’s been to beauty school,…
Airwolf (1985) – Annie Oakley and Jennie
Canadian legend Art Hindle plays Carl, a thief, who steals a laser called a mongoose from The Firm in the first episode up for review this week! Annie Oakley was written by Carleton Eastlake, Rick Kelbaugh, and Harold Stone with an original airdate of 16 November, 1985. String (Jan-Michael Vincent) is planning a quick getaway…
The Rockford Files (1979) – Nice Guys Finish Dead and The Hawaiian Headache
Cannell himself wrote the first episode up this week, and it may in fact be my favorite one of the season, as it sees the return of Tom Selleck as Lance White, and James Whitmore Jr. as gumshoe obsessed Freddie Beamer. Nice Guys Finish Dead originally aired on 16 November, 1979, and featured a phone…
Airwolf (1985) – Crossover and Kingdom Come
More high-flying action this week as Stringfellow Hawke (Jan-Michael Vincent) flies Airwolf into more danger! First up is Crossover, written by Elliot West and airing 26 October, 1985, this episode sees String working alone to bring a father daughter team over from Czechoslovakia, to the U.S. through Mexico. The pair are defecting and have…
The Rockford Files (1979) – Only Rock’n’Roll Will Never Die: Part 2 and Love is the Word
Private investigator James Rockford (James Garner) continues his investigations this week, with the follow-up part to Only Rock’n’Roll Will Never Die. Airing on 19 October, 1979, and written by David Chase, the story continues with Jim’s search for the missing record producer. The phone message was from a nice little old lady who’s moving,…
Airwolf (1985) – And a Child Shall Lead and Fortune Teller
String (Jan-Michael Vincent), Dom (Ernest Borgnine) and Caitlin (Jean Bruce Scott) have their hands full this week as Airwolf takes to the skies again! First up, Larry Linville guest stars as the baddie in And a Child Shall Lead. Originally airing on my birthday, October 12, 1985, and written by Stephen A. Miller, this…
The Mind Reels 