What I mean is that there are many many elements in this tremendous episode. First the paintings mystery and then the pistoleros scheme, and I don't speak about the John Doucette character who seems to be a kind of outsider...yes, there is something unsual here, if you compare to the other épisodes and the Dr Loveless purpose rather not so clear. But why not? That's a W W WEST episode after all. And I appreciated the way one of the gunfighters - McCoy - is presented, in the saloon, as if he was the hero, when he shoots the tough guy in black.
7 Reviews
Taking fantasy to an extreme
robert37504 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
WWW delves even further into fantasy in this one, with Dr. Loveless being able to literally create alternate realities in paintings using "metaphysics". I asked myself why he didn't simply create a reality to his liking, but then I realized that the answer was that doing doing so would not alleviate his insane obsession with West.
Dr Loveless At His Arrogant Height
DKosty12322 October 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This episode of Wild Wild West has one of the more imaginative plots in the series. Dr. Migalito Loveless outdoes all that is physical and makes himself a place within the art world. West in the meantime gets to fight with the fastest guns in the history of the West.
The show begins with an impossible crime committed right under the noses of West & Artemus. It seems impossible how it is accomplished. Then West gets on the trail almost by accident of his most famous foe. Loveless is setting up his crime using a lot of unique Science and the human imagination. He makes a statement about his genius to West when revealing what he has done and finishes his dialog with the statement "And you just don't find much of that around anymore." The scenery, use of cameras and paintings to illustrate themes within the story are done uniquely within the context of the plot. How about ordering a Chinese dinner with food & waiters from an authentic painting of a Chinese scene? According to Loveless, these waiters are the best with their tongs.
Arte is the first to meet the real McCoy, and later tells West that "he couldn't hold my liquor." As usual, Arte is in a couple of characters in this episode. He dresses as the Real McCoy only to have the real one sober up and show up to face Arte & West.
For some reason I find this one of the most enjoyable Loveless episodes. The ending is neat in that Loveless hides himself in a painting so that West & Gordon can't find him. Because there is a whole collection, they have the entire collection crated and loaded on their train. In the final close out, the audience can hear little saws working on one of the painting crates to free Loveless for his next encounter with West.
The show begins with an impossible crime committed right under the noses of West & Artemus. It seems impossible how it is accomplished. Then West gets on the trail almost by accident of his most famous foe. Loveless is setting up his crime using a lot of unique Science and the human imagination. He makes a statement about his genius to West when revealing what he has done and finishes his dialog with the statement "And you just don't find much of that around anymore." The scenery, use of cameras and paintings to illustrate themes within the story are done uniquely within the context of the plot. How about ordering a Chinese dinner with food & waiters from an authentic painting of a Chinese scene? According to Loveless, these waiters are the best with their tongs.
Arte is the first to meet the real McCoy, and later tells West that "he couldn't hold my liquor." As usual, Arte is in a couple of characters in this episode. He dresses as the Real McCoy only to have the real one sober up and show up to face Arte & West.
For some reason I find this one of the most enjoyable Loveless episodes. The ending is neat in that Loveless hides himself in a painting so that West & Gordon can't find him. Because there is a whole collection, they have the entire collection crated and loaded on their train. In the final close out, the audience can hear little saws working on one of the painting crates to free Loveless for his next encounter with West.
If a picture paints 1000 deaths..
ShadeGrenade31 December 2013
Warning: Spoilers
John Kneubuhl's 'The Night Of The Surreal McCoy' is unique in two respects; firstly, there is no female lead, and secondly, it presents possibly the most outrageous concept ever seen in the series. The Herzburg Crown Jewels are stolen from a Denver gallery, a guard murdered, and yet there is no sign of a break-in. Jim and Arte are baffled. Noticing that a painting in the gallery is fake, they follow the owner - 'Axel Morgan' ( John Doucette ) - to his ranch. His safe contains the stolen jewels. Jim is attacked by three men who have apparently appeared out of nowhere. Arte escapes, but Jim gets captured and taken to Morgan's boss - Dr.Loveless!
The evil cherub has found a way - using sound waves - to transmit people into old paintings, and by donating these to galleries can pull off amazing robberies. Jim must battle a gang of gunfighters inside a painting of a deserted western town, while Arte tries to pass himself off as the legendary 'Lightning McCoy' ( John Alonzo ). It is the outrageousness of the central premise - almost Pythonesque - that makes this so much fun to watch. I bet no-one would have the nerve to do anything like it today.
The evil cherub has found a way - using sound waves - to transmit people into old paintings, and by donating these to galleries can pull off amazing robberies. Jim must battle a gang of gunfighters inside a painting of a deserted western town, while Arte tries to pass himself off as the legendary 'Lightning McCoy' ( John Alonzo ). It is the outrageousness of the central premise - almost Pythonesque - that makes this so much fun to watch. I bet no-one would have the nerve to do anything like it today.
Best of the West
aramis-112-80488011 February 2023
Doctor Loveless returns in one of the better episodes of the series (nothing new there; the good doctor seems to inspire superlative writing).
A country's crown jewels, on tour in America, disappear impossibly from a museum. Investigating, West follows the threads to the mansion of a big cattleman, whose houseguest is the diminutive genius, Doctor Loveless. But what is he up to? And why is the cattleman, who has an impressive art collection, donating fakes to palaces, museums and even banks around the world?
A delicious episode that operates perfectly from stem to stern. And it has one of the best endings ever. Pay attention!
If this episode has a flaw it's the absence of beautiful female companionship. Dr. Loveless himself is without his usual lovely consorts.
This lack, however, which proved fatal in other episodes, is hardly missed. Instead, we get moments like that when West is a prisoner (as usual) and sees Gordon coming downstairs in disguise. I'm probably misinterpreting it but I see his stare as, "What is he got up as?"
Brilliant ideas are scattered through this truly steampunk episode. Unfortunately, going deeper into the story would be a spoiler to anyone who hasn't seen it.
A country's crown jewels, on tour in America, disappear impossibly from a museum. Investigating, West follows the threads to the mansion of a big cattleman, whose houseguest is the diminutive genius, Doctor Loveless. But what is he up to? And why is the cattleman, who has an impressive art collection, donating fakes to palaces, museums and even banks around the world?
A delicious episode that operates perfectly from stem to stern. And it has one of the best endings ever. Pay attention!
If this episode has a flaw it's the absence of beautiful female companionship. Dr. Loveless himself is without his usual lovely consorts.
This lack, however, which proved fatal in other episodes, is hardly missed. Instead, we get moments like that when West is a prisoner (as usual) and sees Gordon coming downstairs in disguise. I'm probably misinterpreting it but I see his stare as, "What is he got up as?"
Brilliant ideas are scattered through this truly steampunk episode. Unfortunately, going deeper into the story would be a spoiler to anyone who hasn't seen it.
A great episode for this series
oscar-3529 October 2011
Warning: Spoilers
*Spoiler/plot- 1967, Dr. Loveless perfects traveling through paintings through a bogus Wellington's painting thanks to a sound device activated by a his tuning fork to steal national painting treasures to get money millions to profit one of his schemes. Dr. Loveless again tries to eliminate Agent West by having West face the seven fastest Western gunmen alive including gunslinger, Lightnin' McCoy.
*Special Stars- Michael Dunn, Robert Conrad, Ross Martin, John Doucette
*Theme- When there's 'West' on the case, there's hope.
*Based on- Steam punk novels and secret agent craze of the early 60's.
*Trivia/location/goofs- This features a great recurring guest character: Dr. Miguelitto Loveless. This is the first Dr. Loveless show without Antoinette, his loving sidekick and main lady. Mr. Martin poses as a fake menacing Lightnin' McCoy.
*Emotion- A great episode for this series. This episode idea is charming and typical of a man of culture as Dr. Loveless and foretells about Season 4 of this series. I love the scene in the saloon when "McCoy" comes down the stairs and walks past Jim. You aren't quite sure if he's figured out it's Gordon yet. And there are some great lines as well. One line I like in particular is during the street fight involving Artie and Jim are behind the wagon. Jim says "What happened to the real McCoy?" Artie's reply, "He couldn't handle my liquor". John Doucette is masterful as Axel Morgan and he's at his best as Dr Loveless' partner/heavy.
*Special Stars- Michael Dunn, Robert Conrad, Ross Martin, John Doucette
*Theme- When there's 'West' on the case, there's hope.
*Based on- Steam punk novels and secret agent craze of the early 60's.
*Trivia/location/goofs- This features a great recurring guest character: Dr. Miguelitto Loveless. This is the first Dr. Loveless show without Antoinette, his loving sidekick and main lady. Mr. Martin poses as a fake menacing Lightnin' McCoy.
*Emotion- A great episode for this series. This episode idea is charming and typical of a man of culture as Dr. Loveless and foretells about Season 4 of this series. I love the scene in the saloon when "McCoy" comes down the stairs and walks past Jim. You aren't quite sure if he's figured out it's Gordon yet. And there are some great lines as well. One line I like in particular is during the street fight involving Artie and Jim are behind the wagon. Jim says "What happened to the real McCoy?" Artie's reply, "He couldn't handle my liquor". John Doucette is masterful as Axel Morgan and he's at his best as Dr Loveless' partner/heavy.
Surreal McCoy
donhol11 August 2018
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