Justice League: The New Frontier (2008) – Dave Bullock

Darwyn Cooke’s now iconic graphic novel Justice League: The New Frontier gets the DC animation update and brings a cavalcade of stars to the animated incarnations of some of DC’s biggest hitters. Set in the 1950s the animation style perfectly reflects that of the original comic panel art, as it follows a collection of heroes…

M*A*S*H (1983) – Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen

On 28 February, 1983, millions of viewers bid goodbye to the 4077th and its residents over the course of two hours. It’s one of those moments burned into my brain, and I remember exactly where I was and how emotionally it affected me. The only other time I was affected in the same way would…

The Manchurian Candidate (1962) – John Frankenheimer

The next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of Dr. Strangelove is Frankenheimer’s incredible thriller that still has the power to chill to this very day. In fact, it seems even more relevant today than when it was released. It’s 1952, during the Korean War. An American…

Quantum Leap (1990) – The Great Spontini and Rebel Without a Clue

After the heavier subject matter last week, The Great Spontini is a bit lighter fare (partially, though it does deal with a heartbreaking reality for families, divorce and custody battles) for Sam (Scott Bakula). Written by Cristy Dawson and Beverly Bridges, this episode first aired on 16 November, 1990. Sam finds himself as a magician, Harry Spontini,…

The Rockford Files (1976) – Return to the 38th Parallel & Piece Work

  Ned Beatty and Veronica Hamel make return appearances in this week’s installment of The Rockford Files, and Jim (James Garner) has his hands full. First up is Return to the 38th Parallel, which originally aired 10 December, 1976. It was written by Walter Dallenbach, and its phone gag features an insurance company calling to…

First Blood (1982) – Ted Kotcheff

I came across First Blood when I was a kid, it showed up on my television screen on the now defunct but never forgotten First Choice or Super Channel. I was still a little squeamish at that age, and the film had already started, so the first thing I saw was a man (with a…