Seven episodes in writer Lee David Zlotoff brings us full circle with Choice Cut. First airing on 14 February, 1981, the episode sees Frank Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) dealing with a hostage situation in a supermarket, not entirely dissimilar from what happened in the first episode. In fact, it’s the same hostage takers! They went…
Tag: james sikking
Hill Street Blues (1981) – Politics as Usual, and Can World War III Be an Attitude?
Series creators Steven Bochco and Micheal Kozoll pen Politics as Usual which first aired on 22 January, 191. The presidential visit is on the horizon, and Howard (James Sikking) is less than thrilled with how Captain Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) is handling the situation and negotiating peace treaties with the local gangs for the walking…
Hill Street Blues (1981) – Hill Street Station, and Presidential Fever
When I was a teen every time I came across Hill Street Blues I would find myself stopping to watch it, and would even set the VCR to record it (when I remembered to). I always found it interesting in the way that it worked to show the police officers of the Hill Street precinct…
Mission: Impossible (1972) – Committed, and Bag Woman
The IMF are taking on the criminal underworld (again) in Committed. Written by Arthur Weiss from a story by Laurence Heath this episode first aired on 22 January, 1972. It seems Nora Dawson (Susan Howard) is the only one brave enough to testify against crime boss Chandler (Bert Freed). Unfortunately for her, it seems Chandler…
Mission: Impossible (1970) – The Innocent, and Homecoming
This week, we have a pair of episodes that feature a couple of recognizable guest stars, who went on to become series regulars on M*A*S*H, and The Innocent features a cool new title music arrangement, and it took me a moment to recognize him, but Sam Elliott as IMF agent Doug. Written by Marc Norman…
Outland (1981) – Peter Hyams
Peter Hyams writes and directs this galactic update of the classic western, High Noon, that sees Sean Connery stepping into the Gary Cooper role of a lone marshall awaiting the arrival of men who are coming to kill him. With a visual look that seems to marry it with the universe of Alien (aided by…
M*A*S*H (1972/1973) – Edwina, Love Story, and Tuttle
The first pair of episodes up this week have some similarities, especially when aired back to back, and I have to wonder if that was intentional, or just the way the series was made. Edwina was written by Hal Dresner and first debuted on 24 December, 1972. The story centres on a calamity-centric Edwina (Arlene…
Point Blank (1967) – John Boorman
Lee Marvin and Angie Dickinson headline the next stop in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book as we return to the Thriller & Crime genre. Marvin is Walker, a criminal left for dead when he is double-crossed by his partners, Reese (John Vernon) and his own wife, Lynne (Sharon Acker). He sets…
The Rockford Files (1979) – Kill the Messenger and A Good Clean Bust with Sequel Rights
Jim Rockford (James Garner) is in for a lot of fun this week. First up is Kill the Messenger, written by Juanita Bartlett. This one aired 27 October, 1978. The phone gag features a very early version of phone tag. Dennis (Joe Santos) is getting ready to take his lieutenant’s exam, and is suffering…
The Mind Reels 