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LOST!! STAR WARS!! ROCKFORD!! THE AMERICAN FUTURE!! HercVault!!

Published at:  Jan 22, 2009 2:54:49 AM CST

SPOILER ALERT !!



I am – Hercules!!




“The Rockford Files’” final, 1979-1980 season was abruptly cut to just 12 episodes due to James Garner’s back and knee ailments. (Apparently four sixth-season episodes were scripted but never shot.) Garner would not return to the Rockford role until a series of eight TV-movies aired between 1994 and 1999. For all its brevity, this final season was nominated for six Emmys, including one for best drama series and one for James Garner. Stuart Margolin won for the second year in a row the best supporting actor in a drama series Emmy for his work as the weaselly Angel Martin.

Series mastermind Stephen Cannell penned the season premiere, “Paradise Cove,” which forced Rockford to serve as night watchman for his own trailer park. It was the only episode to co-star Mariette Hartley, who was making a series of Polaroid commercials with Garner at the time. (For her trouble she was nominated for an Emmy.)

The second Cannell-scripted episode, “Nice Guys Finish Last” 6.7) could be the funniest “Rockford” ever to see air, bringing together from two separate prior episodes gallant P.I. Lance White (Tom Selleck) and goofus detective Fred Beamer (James Whitmore Jr.). (If you ever wondered why Cannell didn’t create a Selleck series instead of the rather less gifted Don Bellisario, know that is wasn’t for lack of trying. Cannell wrote and produced two pilots starring Selleck and Whitmore (!): 1978’s “Gypsy Warriors” (about a World War II special forces operation in German-occupied France) and 1979’s “Boston and Kilbride” (about a team of private investigators). Neither pilot went to series. “Magnum P.I.” began its run in 1980.

Cannell also scripted 6.8, “The Hawaiian Headache,” a war-vet caper that explored Rockford’s Korean War backstory and may have served as a template for Cannell’s “The A-Team.”

Rita Moreno reprises her Emmy-winning role as hooker Rita Capkovic in 6.9, “The No Fault Affair.”

“Sopranos” creator David Chase kicks in 6.6, “Love Is The Word,” in which Rockford learns the gorgeous blind psychoanalyst he’s been dating since the middle of last season (Kathryn Harrold) is actually engaged to somebody else.

Chase also contributes the series’ penultimate episode, “Just A Coupla Guys,” a sequel to his fifth-season mobster episode “The Jersey Bounce.”

The set appears to be extra-free.


“Moonlight” is no “Angel,” but what could be?

A supernatural hourlong from writer-producers Ron Koslow (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Trevor Munson (“Lone Star State of Mind”), “Moonlight” follows a convertible-driving Los Angeles vampire private detective (Australian Alex O'Loughlin) who falls for a blonde young mortal (Britisher Sophia Myles).

(“Moonlight” did, for the record, have “Angel” co-creator David Greenwalt on staff as showrunner for a few weeks; he moved on, citing health concerns.)

Jason Dohring turns up in a supporting role as a very old vampire, as if to remind us he played a supporting role on “Veronica Mars,” a much better Southern California P.I. series. Rudolf Martin guest stars in the pilot as a faux vampire, as if to remind us he played Dracula on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” a much better contemporary Southern California vampire series.

Had “Angel” never existed, it’d still be easy enough to identify “Moonlight” as generic, substandard television. Nothing in it feels fresh or inviting; it’s refried Anne Rice, dumbed down for broadcast, unevenly acted and hobbled by leaden wit.

Go buy "Angel," which is smarter, cooler, funnier and has its own pee-pee demon.

USA Today said:

… When it comes to grand-scale theft, it's hard to be more obvious than CBS' vampire-detective drama, Moonlight. It's basically Angel without the search-for-a-soul underpinnings that gave Angel depth, and with a more ponderous script and less adept cast. OK, so maybe it isn't Angel after all. …


The New York Times said:

… the producers are onto a conceit that seems purely accidental. Vampires with a conscience are like cheerleaders in habits: what precisely is the point? … “Moonlight” demands that we question the grounds for its existence. …


The Los Angeles Times said:

… It seemed a perfect marriage, a modern "Night Stalker," appealing both to fans of "Buffy" and of "CSI." But something got lost between concept and execution, and instead of suspense we get silliness, as if the creators (Ron Koslow, Trevor Munson, Chip Johannessen) were determined to use only the clichés of both genres. …


The Chicago Tribune said:

… a very terrible show. Actually, "Moonlight" is almost in the "so bad it's good" category. There are any number of nearly entertainingly bad things to pick apart, if you enjoy that sort of thing. The direction is flat-out awful (there are many choppy shots from bizarre, if not inexplicable, angles). Much of the dialogue is groan-inducing, the acting by some of the guest actors is jaw-droppingly wooden, and I guessed who the villain was way before the halfway mark. …


The Washington Post said:

… The most disappointing thing about this sanguinary pretty boy is that show creators Trevor Munson and Ron Koslow decided to make him a private eye. Oh, jeez, another one? And that means yet more murders and the solving thereof on what's clearly become the Criminal Broadcasting System, all crime all the time. When the narration changes from vampirical studies ("when you live forever, the past always catches up with you") to private-eye cliches ("a murderer was loose in the city"), one's heart may sink. The producers appear eager to avoid what makes their show unique. … It doesn't go quite far enough into uncharted territory but gets off to a basically promising start nonetheless, and executive producer Joel Silver (of "Lethal Weapon" and "Die Hard" fame) has seen to it that the show has a classy, snazzy surface. …


The San Francisco Chronicle said:

… just flat-out awful … may well be the worst new fall show. … It's just heinous. Absurd, laughable, painful to watch - you name it, "Moonlight" has it all. Woeful acting? Check. Cheap effects? Check. Worst writing of the new season? Check. Predictability? Pretensions? Faint imitations of superior shows? Someone at CBS shouldn't just have their neck bitten, but sliced through, for this one. …


The Seattle Post-Intelligencer said:

… an example of evil rendered poorly. It's another one of those way-out shows CBS is hoping will make viewers sit up and take notice. This vampire detective show (sorry, can't resist this) is one that first bites, then sucks. Hard.…


The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said:

… displays none of the depth of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" nor the romance of Lifetime's Canadian import "Blood Ties." Instead, "Moonlight" is just a weak, generic private-eye drama with a vampire story overlay; it's "Angel" with much less creativity and more familiar, conventional plots. …


The Boston Globe said:

… As Mick St. John, vampire gumshoe, O'Loughlin is a flatliner. He sleepwalks through "Moonlight," … Much of "Moonlight" is amateurish, but nothing is more amateurish than the artificial chemistry between O'Loughlin and Myles, who looks like Kate Winslet. They exchange lines of dialogue with a stilted rhythm and no natural flow. Not that the script offers much to inspire an actor. The procedural case in tonight's episode is dashed off and obvious, as the pair investigate a professor obsessed with vampire mythology. …


The Hollywood Reporter said:

… gives short shrift to crime solving. In the two episodes provided for review, criminals are barely more than one-dimensional comic book villains. Instead, the focus is on the dangerous and forbidden relationship between Mick and Beth and his efforts to keep his past a secret. Whether there's enough material there to knit together a series remains to be seen. …


Variety said:

… the series makes scant use of its undead hero's abilities, while burdening him with a clunky Raymond Chandler-style narration … in the early going, he's more Mannix than Lestat, and other than a physical resemblance to Kate Winslet, Myles' damsel is a poor construct, owing both to the character's cliched nature and a rather uninspired performance. … does little more than serve up another moldy procedural with a splash of crimson, one which might finally prove that the easiest way to kill a vampire is with apathy.



On the day Barack Obama is inaugurated as president, Warner Home Entertainment trots out the 1997 miniseries “George Wallace,” a look at the segregation-happy longtime Alabama governor and four-time presidential candidate who once vowed, with God as his witness, “I will never be outniggered again.”

Crazy facts about Wallace: he won the endorsement of the NAACP in his first, unsuccessful run for Alabama governor in 1958 (while his chief opponent was endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan) – and his 1983–1987 term as governor saw a record number of African-American appointments to government positions.

A year before she got naked in “Gia” and two years before “Girl, Interrupted” made her a movie star, 21-year-old Angelina Jolie earned an Emmy nomination playing Wallace’s second wife Cornelia (who, wackily enough, was the niece of Big Jim Folsom, the longtime Alabama governor Wallace defeated for governor in 1962).

The miniseries was nominated for eight Emmys (including outstanding miniseries) and won three (for Gary Sinise, Mare Winningham and director John Frankenheimer).







Herc’s Popular Pricing Pantry







Last week a season of “Lost” cost $47.99. At the moment each of the first four seasons is $29.99!! (50% Off!!)


The first six seasons of “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” each just fell to $19.99!! (50% Off!!)


Last month a season of “24” went for $39.99 or more. Right now ALL of the first six seasons are $19.99!!


“Wonderfalls,” from the guy who created “Dead Like Me” and “Pushing Daisies,” is down to $19.99!!


You can now pick up a season of “Weeds” in HD for $17.95!! (40% Off!!)





TV-on-DVD Calendar





Last Week
Alvin and The Chipmonks: The Chipettes
Alvin And The Chipmunks: A Chipmunk Valentine
Benny Hill: Best Of
Ben 10: Alien Force 1.x Vol. 2
Captains and the Kings
Dallas 10.x
The Henry James Collection
House of Payne Vol. 3
Little Britain USA 1.x
The Lost Gods
Lovejoy 4.x
Make 'Em Laugh: The Complete Miniseries
Man Vs. Wild 2.x
Matlock 2.x
Mr. Mike's Mondo Video
Nature Tech
Reba 5.x
Saxondale 1.x/2.x
Skins Vol. 1
Stargate: The Ark of Truth (Blu-ray)
SuperSwank 1.x
10 Items Or Less 1.x/2.x
Tess of D'Urbervilles: The Complete Miniseries (2008)
'Til Death 2.x
Walker: Texas Ranger 6.x
When Weather Changed History
When Weather Changed History (Blu-ray)



This Week


The American Future: A History


Back At The Barnyard: Cowman


Children of the Stones: The Complete Miniseries


Criss Angel Mindfreak 4.x


Emergency 5.x


George Wallace: The Complete Miniseries


Jonathan Creek 3.x


The Last Detective: The Complete Series


Little House on the Prairie: Country School


Little House on the Prairie: Prairie Friends


MGM: When The Lion Roars


MI-5 Vol. 6


MonsterQuest 2.x


Moonlight: The Complete Series


My Three Sons 1.x Vol. 2


Paranormal State 2.x


Powerpuff Girls: The Complete Series


The Rockford Files 6.x
This American Life 2.x


Waking The Dead 3.x



January 27
All-New SuperFriends 1.x Vol. 2
America's Dumbest Criminals
The Beiderbecke Affair
Blossom 1.x/2.x
Cheers 11.x
The Girls Next Door 4.x
The Girls Next Door 1.x-4.x
Invaders 2.x
The Love Boat 2.x Vol. 1
MANTIS: The Complete Series
Meerkat Manor 4.x
Pink Panther Classic Cartoon Collection
Scooby-Doo Where Are You? 1.x Vol. 1
SpongeBob SquarePants: Spongicus
Teddy Ruxpin: Come Dream With Me - Complete Series
Voltron: Vol. 7
You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown



February 3
Afro Samurai II: Resurrection
Afro Samurai II: Resurrection (SE)
Afro Samurai II: Resurrection (Blu-ray)
Becker 2.x
Bewitched 7.x
Columbo 1990
Dave's World 2.x
Jon & Kate Plus Ei8ht 3.x


Mystery Science Theater 3000 Vol. 14
Night Court 2.x
The Partridge Family 4.x
Tom and Jerry Tales Vol. 6



February 10
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Mystery of the Easter Chipmunk
Curious George: Monkey Collection, Vol. 1
Curious George: Robot Monkey and More Great Gadgets
Faerie Tale Theatre: Brothers Grimm
Faerie Tale Theatre: Funny Tales
The Fat Albert Easter Special
Friday The 13th 2.x
A Haunting: Demon Angels
A Haunting: House of Fear
Kennedy: The Complete Miniseries
Life With Derek: Let The Games Begin!
Living With The Mek
Melrose Place 5.x Vol. 1
New Detectives 1.x/2.x
One Foot In The Grave 5.x
One Foot In The Grave 6.x
Phineas & Ferb Vol. 2
Route 66: 11 Producer's Picks <--- NEW!!
Shaun The Sheep Vol. 2
Simon & Simon 2.x
Tales From The Darkside 1.x
Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job 2.x
Wild At Heart 1.x
Wizards of Waverly Place Vol. 2



February 17
The Beverly Hillbi


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    Readers Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 3:04:58 AM CST

    Alan Davies Is Serious!

    by robram89

    That's just...wrong.

    "There's just one! It's called THE MOON!"

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 5:42:34 AM CST

    moonlight and angel

    by bouncy x

    not sure if its really fair to compare those two, yes they're both "vampire detective" shows but angel was so much more fantasy/horror oriented. with all the demonds, different dimensions, spells etc... i think a more fair compairison would be Forever Knight. they were both "vampire detective" shows with more emphasis on the cop aspect than the supernatural. either way the show didnt impress me much but mom loved it and her bday is coming so there ya go, a present for mommy. lol

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 6:25:12 AM CST

    Not best price ever!

    by davebaxter1989

    Here in Britain a large chain called Woolworths closed down and I got this for £13! Whats that like 30 bucks? Cant beat it (Also got The Godfather for cheeeap).

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 6:52:07 AM CST

    Horrible cover for Clone Wars!

    by napolean solo

    Looks like Terrahawks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 8:33:59 AM CST

    Anybody think that...

    by mistahtibbs

    Bryan Cranston on the "Breaking Bad" cover looks a LOT like Gary Oldman in the Nolan Batman movies?
    Anyone?
    Or is it just me?
    MT

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 9:31:32 AM CST

    Herc is Amazon's BITCH!

    by judge briggs

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 9:50:27 AM CST

    MALE COWS DON'T HAVE UDDERS!!!

    by nasty in the pasty

    Jesus.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 10:03:28 AM CST

    Not only do they not have udders, they aren't cows

    by shepard wong

    They're bulls.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 10:38:11 AM CST

    That's just it..."UdderMAN?"

    by nasty in the pasty

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 12:23:32 PM CST

    NEXT WEEK:

    by mrfan

    The final season of Cheers. Finally!!!!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 2:23:41 PM CST

    Fuck!

    by charlie_allnut

    I missed the Soprano's sale yesterday. FUCK!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 2:42:25 PM CST

    HOW OFTEN DO THESE SALES HAPPEN

    by burgerking

    I only started buying off Amazon and should get Lost s4, when will another sale like this come along!??!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 2:59:23 PM CST

    I posted this last week....

    by nofate

    but the Herc Vault got archived faster than I can remember. Coincidence? You decide. So here it goes again...

    Did you know that since Amazon does not charge a sales tax, you are supposed to report what you purchased to the IRS?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 4:56:11 PM CST

    Spooks is called MI5 in the US?

    by jackalcack

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 4:56:51 PM CST

    Also...

    by jackalcack

    ...Alan Davies is an utter cunt.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2009 8:17:40 PM CST

    damn you herc

    by palooka_boy

    Now I've bought Band of Brothers, Iron Man and The Warriors. I've got student loans to pay off, man!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 1:31:34 AM CST

    I HAD to buy it

    by memento108

    I'm near-broke, but shit that's a good price. And it's good enough to own twice.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 5:00:32 AM CST

    jackalcack

    by dingbatty

    Yes, because "spook" used to be a common racial slur in the US. It's use as an epithet for a secret agent or secret service agent is less common.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 5:39:59 AM CST

    ANDY RICHTER RULES THE UNIVERSE! FINALLY!

    by uncle stan

    This title will be released on March 24, 2009.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 7:21:06 AM CST

    Hey Herc,

    by nikkishiver

    When does the Shield Season 7 come out?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 7:48:40 AM CST

    Whiny Bearded Jack Sherpard wants to know...

    by the mcpoyle clan

    "is there going to be a Lost talkbaaaaaack?1.21.09--Night of Red Herrings. Lost and Damages both!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 9:15:37 AM CST

    Problems with Herc's Articles...

    by hillvalley

    1.) His pages take a significantly longer time to load because he wastes so much space posting the same pictures up more than once. Is he that concerned that I missed the Amazon link for Rockford Files the first time I scrolled passed it?2.) Why, oh why, do I need to know what every f-ing reviewer from here to Timbuktu thinks of some show I never heard of that Herc doesn't even like? It's bizarre, every week there's some show or dvd that will have 20 reviewers' comments while higher profile releases get short blurbs. Or the DVD reviews have plot synopsis for every episode and details on every special feature (spoiling everything you could possibly get out of said features while he's at it).Roger Price of the Miami Herald says: "Shut the hell up already!"Milo Bloom of the Bloom Picayune says: "...the author needs to get his head out of his ass. Nobody cares if Time Magazine agrees with him about some show that's made for tweenage girls."Tad Ghostal of the New Stanton Times said: "Why isn't Herc this thorough with shows people actually give a damn about?"Haywood Jablomi of the East Bumblefuck Press says: "I think you get the idea."Stupid McPoopants says: "I don't care if you get the idea, here's another 8 people who agree with me!" And so on...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 9:30:13 AM CST

    Whats HD?

    by harosa

    This Extras is on regular DVD right? I see the word HD and i thought they were on BluRay. And why post so much on a show u hate and then dissuade people from buying it to boot.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 10:18:46 AM CST

    I'M SICK!!!

    by fico

    Of waiting for the LOST talkback!!!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 10:33:52 AM CST

    The Zeta project.. really?

    by rickslamu2

    I thought it was an interesting when it was started on BATMAN BEYOND. But when he got his own show that was just an animated THE FUGITIVE. Without the stopping to have sex with hot babes he meets along the way. I guess that why he had RO!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 11:32:34 AM CST

    love that Venture brothers cover

    by durhay

    Those Atari games had some sweet covers.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 12:25:38 PM CST

    No Lost Talkback?

    by machthree

    Its Wednesday, first Lost in like years - no talkback???

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 1:18:46 PM CST

    EXOSQUAD!

    by skidmarkedundies

    HELL YEAH!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 2:04:23 PM CST

    didn't think venture bros could

    by logicalnoise01

    top their season 2 packaging. I was wrong...DEAD wrong and yeah WTF no lost talkback?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 2:16:17 PM CST

    No Lost talkback = Crime Against Nature

    by dapper swindler

    Unacceptable. Unbelievable. It's like...a surgeon leaving micromachines inside a chest cavity during surgery - it just ain't right.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2009 10:56:31 PM CST

    One of the best Rockfords

    by old school dc

    . . . was "Love is the Word." The closing freeze-frame captures so well the essence of Jimmy -- he just couldn't catch that break, and he was too good of a guy to manipulate the system for his own gain. I didn't know Chase was the writer -- early talent shining through.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 22, 2009 11:11:09 AM CST

    Great...

    by diverdan

    Now I can't get the Room 222 theme song out of my head! Of course Karen Valentine is in there too so guess I shouldn't complain.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 22, 2009 3:52:01 PM CST

    My Three Sons!!!

    by puddleglum

    lol Thank god for Nick at Nite when I was a kid, or I might never have seen MTS!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 22, 2009 8:43:34 PM CST

    THE ROCKFORD FILES (TRF)

    by red dawn don

    THE ROCKFORD FILES (TRF). I already bought seasons 1-5 and I own the book about the show. I guess I'll buy season 6 as well. Seems less valuable with only 12 episodes. I missed the original run on NBC friday nights. As a teen back in the 1970's I was always out on friday night sewing some wild oats. Tom Selleck as LANCE WHITE was a real hoot. He had everything fall into his lap while Rockford always struggled. I always saw MAGNUM PI as just a weak copycat of TRF set in Hawaii. TRF won an emmy but noone associated with the show could remember which episode was submitted. I wonder if they still do not know? One of my favorite episodes was "The Psychic Wore Cashmere." I predict that these season 6 DVD's are stored somewhere near water. That last sentence only makes sense if you remember that particular episode.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 23, 2009 5:18:09 PM CST

    Herc, thanks for The Wire and Deadwood heads up

    by soylentmean

    I bought both through the provided links here on AICN so I guess that adds some dough to the ol' coffers of Harry & crew. Now I'll finally get to see what all the hype is over The Wire and the price for Deadwood was the first truly acceptable price for 36 episodes of Al Swearengen awesomeness.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 23, 2009 5:18:53 PM CST

    COUNT DUCKULA season 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    by soylentmean

    I forgot to gripe this week. Sorry for the inconvenience.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 24, 2009 9:48:34 AM CST

    Red Dawn Ron-Quickie Nirvana

    by isom35

    was the Rockford ep submitted for best show (I seem to recall) when TRF won the emmy for series.

    Reply to Talkback

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