Change Your Image
Flubber69
Reviews
Kolchak: The Night Stalker: The Sentry (1975)
So long, Kolchak, thanks for the memories
Finale of the greatest series that only ran for a single season. Makes me sad thinking this was the end of the line. It did finish on a high note by using a plot similar to my favorite Star Trek TOS episode. Also fun to see Darren McGavin working with his hot real life wife. There was so much talent and untapped potential involved with this show: Darren had yet to be immortalized on "A Christmas Story"; Simon Oakland was excellent as Genl Moore on "Baa Baa Black Sheep" and I'd be remiss at not giving a shout out to the amazing David Chase who would change HBO and all of television 25 years after Kolchak with the "Sopranos"!
Hawaii Five-O: Murder Is a Taxing Affair (1973)
Don Porter
Don Porter is outstanding in the primary villain role in this episode. The eclectic fusion of characters from "Gidget" and "The Andy Griffith Show" adds to the fun.
And the piece de resistance: McGarrett jumping from an HPD helicopter wearing a black cowboy hat!
Kolchak: The Night Stalker: Mr. R.I.N.G. (1975)
Nice change of pace for Kolchak
This episode skips the usual supernatural Kolchak plot themes. Instead, it goes down a path well travelled by other 1970s sci-fi TV programming: government experiments running amok. Nonetheless, this is a good take on it. Nice coincidence that it aired during the 2nd season of 6 Million Dollar Man and Darren McGavin played "Oliver Spencer" in that TV movie pilot.
Fantasy Island: The Wedding (1979)
One of my favorites
A sensitive and compelling storyline. Lots of on location filming in Hawaii. Ricardo Montalban at his very best. Even Hervé Villechaize stepped up his game for this one. I can't ask for more.
Hawaii Five-O: Engaged to Be Buried (1973)
Fun episode!
Chin gets to play "bad cop" with some bad dudes. Also super cool fusion of "CHiPs" and "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" with Erik Estrada and Simon Oakland playing a ruthless father/son crime duo!
Too Close for Comfort: Don't Rock the Boat (1983)
Feels like a backdoor pilot
Henry and Muriel travel to a friend's wedding. Dick Van Patten, his fiancé and two grown sons are the focus. Some good physical comedy. Only complaint is they didn't bring Monroe on the trip.
Too Close for Comfort (1980)
Jm J. Bullock - comedy genius
Jm J Bullock is my favorite from this show. Totally underrated comedic talent. He should have gotten a spin off because he could carry an entire series.
Fantasy Island: The Comic/The Golden Hour (1979)
Solid Fantasy Island satisfaction
Gopher and Judy McCoy make a cute couple. The story with Toni Tennielle and the convict is actually a little above average. It was also satisfying to see Mr. Roark flex his considerable muscle as the ultimate law on Fantasy Island. Totally out of left field is a pleasant cameo by Freddy Weller ("Games People Play") singing an ode to Fantasy Island. Where did that come from? Tattoo totally nails his impression of Bing. Enjoy!
Hawaii Five-O: Samurai (1968)
Solid Hawaii Five-O episode
Excellent acting and the writing represents what made this series enduringly great. Episode opens with a super-villain mobster who's seemingly always two steps ahead of the law. It takes a delicious turn into Five-O universe with plot twists involving samurai as well as the attack on Pearl Harbor. Really enjoyed it.
Fantasy Island: Birthday Party/Ghostbreaker (1979)
F Troop reunion
Really awesome fencing match between Captain Parmenter and Corporal Agarn. Nice to see them together again. Adding to the charm are barely disguised stunt doubles who do not really resemble either Ken Berry or Larry Storch.
Vivian Leigh turns in a solid performance and there's a cool cameo by Ray Malavasi.
Fantasy Island: The Stripper/The Boxer (1979)
Solid Fantasy Island episode
Does what this series did best: forced collisions between different worlds and magic was the result. This time it's Marcia Brady + Sgt. O'Rourke. Thank you Mr. Roarke.
Fantasy Island: Seance/The Treasure (1979)
Should have been the Halloween episode
Really good episode, especially the Seance story. Eve Plumb is very believable and Leslie Nielsen was great in a straight role too
George Maharis is always fun to watch and having Shelley Fabares back is icing on the cake.
This kind of episode is what made Fantasy Island a classic. I love everything about it. Enjoy it.
The Morning Show: A Private Person (2021)
Garbage episode
Would have given it 1 star but for appearance by Dave Foley. Sure do miss "Newsradio". Sigh.
This episode confirms that I'm done with Season 2. The writing is nothing but more contrived drama around identity politics. Two groups will love it: far left who will lap up the party line wokeness and the far right who will be screaming at their TV for the same reason. Everyone in the middle will just be bored.
Fantasy Island: The Flight of the Great Yellow Bird/The Island of Lost Women (1978)
Existential Fantasy Island Question
Is it really Big Foot and he had a fantasy to meet a human in the flesh? Or did a human have a fantasy to be Big Foot? Or some other unexplained phenomena?
Space: 1999: The Dorcons (1977)
Bittersweet
Very good episode. Other reviews explain why.
It's bittersweet for me knowing that this was the very last episode of the series. I love this show, even when it was it is at its worst. It's easy to bash S1999, especially through the lens of what we've gotten since it went off the air. There's been a lot of great space based science fiction including "Star Wars", "Battlestar Gallactica" TOS and reimagined, many iterations of "Star Trek", and . . . Well, you get the idea.
But S1999 rose from the primordial ooze which was 1970s programming. It's amazing it even aired at all let alone for 2 seasons. Maybe it will come back one day. Perhaps some eager beaver will reimagine a scenario where the moon, along with its inhabited base, is blasted from its earth orbit. Perhaps there will be a "Space 2099". I'll hold out hope. I'll also hope if it does get made that the Alphans will be the ones kicking butt.
Space: 1999: The Seance Spectre (1977)
S1999 correctly predicted the future. Again.
This episode is ripped from today's headlines. An unruly passenger loses their mind and leads an intrusion of the command center. They commit felony assault on crew members and surreptitiously grope Dr. Russell. All this in order to be taken to the happiest place in the solar system.
A Frontier Airlines flight from Newark to Orlando you might ask? Nope. Just S1999 once again accurately projecting future events. If Moonbase Alpha "Security" had only been equipped with duct tape and zip ties, poor Ken Hutchison wouldn't have bought the farm.
Bonus points for Maya's slapstick metamorphosis: first using a gorilla suit with a lizard head then as a 5 year old in a nightgown.
Space: 1999: The Lambda Factor (1976)
Carrie on Moonbase Alpha
A lot of dramatic tension, if you're into that sort of thing. Random Alpha technician assumes supernatural powers and unleashes violence and mayhem.
This episode is light on special effects: no Eagle action, makeup on plague victims looks fake, and something was amiss with Martin Landau's toupee. It's really dense and flat looking.
Space: 1999: The Beta Cloud (1976)
Cloudy with 100% chance of inexplicability
The cloud's voice sounds like the one at Heathrow airport warning you the moving walkway is about to end.
Tony traps the monster in a bank vault then proceeds to let it loose because he didn't check first that he killed it.
The monster was smart enough to fly Eagle 6 back to Alpha but gets befuddled and disoriented by the red alert klaxon?
The monster is about to break through a high voltage barrier. Maya and Tony are mere feet away. Tony tells Maya, "Psychon is my favorite planet". They start making out. I want him as my wing man.
Broken arm and leg? Make a bubble wrap cast. Trust me.
Bottom line: it's still S1999 so I loved every goofy minute of it.
Space: 1999: A Matter of Balance (1976)
Set cheesy level to Maximum!
Oh yeah, this episode has it all! A putative teenager who's smitten with Moonbase Alpha super stud Tony (Lynne Frederick was 22 when she appeared but doesn't come across as an authentic teenager). Villain dressed like Captain Underpants. Alien sets and costumes that manage to make "Land of the Lost" appear big budget.
But enough with the negativity. As always, and even during season 2, S1999 had uncanny prescience about futuristic time vampires. To wit:
- Maya uses what appears to be an iOS or Android device to record a video inside the alien temple.
- Tony maintains his unhealthy obsession with home brewing. I'm becoming concerned he's concealing a drinking problem under the guise of a quaint hobby and periodic comic foil.
They take 2 Eagles to the alien planet. Eh, better than nothing but left me clamoring for more.
Space: 1999: Space Warp (1976)
A must watch for any Eagle aficionado
This episode gets a rock solid "9" from me. It has nothing to do with plot, direction, acting or writing. Rather, it's entirely driven by the superb special effects work done for the Eagle hanger deck scenes.
Space: 1999: Catacombs of the Moon (1976)
The Irony Episode
Episode opens with Dr. Russell intoning blah blah blah and it's been 1,000 some odd days since the moon left earth orbit. Yet somehow the plot revolves around Patrick & Michelle, a married couple whom we've never seen before, despite there only being 311 people (or less) on Alpha. Never mind! Because the point here is Patrick isn't merely devoted to Michelle, he's utterly besotted with his angelic wife.
Thus making it all the more curious why Tony choose this episode to make a bold sartorial statement by rocking a "wifebeater". Yes, a wifebeater: the classic sleeveless undershirt representing trailer park elegance and timeless misogyny. No matter, Tony's got the guns out even when there can't be any sun out.
Space: 1999: Seed of Destruction (1976)
Mutiny!
"John" returns from an asteroid behaving erratically and irrationally. When you touch him, he feels like ice. Everyone with half a brain thinks something is amiss except Alan. He's late getting the memo. Tony calls him a "dumb kangaroo". Apparently unperturbed by this slur, Alan continues to stand behind his "Captain Queeg" until Koenig orders a shoot down of Tony and Maya in Eagle 1.
Inexplicably, "Sandra" returns to the command center this episode and it's awesome.
Moonbase Alpha "Security" maintains it's perfect record of being wildly ineffective.
Pro tip: don't watch this episode drunk. The rotating mirror effects may induce bedspins.
Space: 1999: The Taybor (1976)
Setting the record straight: plagiarism and this episode
Other reviewers posit this episode is a rip-off of the Harry Mudd Star Trek TOS episode. Oh, how wrong they are.
Fact: Harry Mudd was a straight up con artist and drug pushing pimp. Taybor is an intergalactic trader.
Fact: Harry Mudd was suave and sophisticated, flitting about the galaxy with 3 hot babes in tow. Taybor behaves like a lecherous used car salesman and molests Maya at the first opportunity.
Fact: Harry Mudd's receding hairline is clear evidence he suffers the ignominy of male pattern baldness. Taybor's purple mohawk is a clear sign of self confidence and an emblem of nonconformity.
Fact: the Taybor character is not a Star Trek rip off. No way. Taybor is a rip off from Lost in Space TOS. Yep, Taybor is the same type of campy, flamboyant villain "Lost" turned to in Season 2 to battle "Batman" for ratings. The proof is incontrovertible.
Fact: this script refers to "jumping" and "hyperspace" and does this in 1976. That's a full year before anyone heard of "Han Solo". That, my friends, can only mean one thing: this episode did not plagiarize Star Trek at all. No sir. Or madam. It means George Lucas totally plagiarized S1999 to make Star Wars.
Mic drop.
Space: 1999: All That Glisters (1976)
Quit yer bellyaching y'all varmints
Ersatz cowboy who's the dumbest geologist in the galaxy (let's stand next to this glowing rock a while BEFORE checking radiation). Check!
Dr. Helena Russel channeling Dr. Leonard McCoy ("I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker!"). Check!
Who cares! I'll take a bad S1999 episode over 90% of the rest of what's on TV any day.
Space: 1999: The Rules of Luton (1976)
Pure S1999 Satisfaction
A total rip off of Star Trek? Sure is. Big deal!
This episode has dramatic tension and a lot of action. It also provides meaningful insight on Koenig and Maya's back stories. I guess in 1975 it was conceivable there'd be a war in 1987 that was so bad it truly was the war to end all wars. From thence on, everybody just got along and did meaningful stuff like building an awesome base on the moon.
Those looking for sci-if originality will find this episode unappetizing. True S1999 fans will find it plenty satisfying. It even features the rare occurrence of Alpha encountering strange and exotic aliens who aren't fluent in the King's English.
Added bonus: a sweet "mid space" refueling of Tony's Eagle.