Burn Notice Season 6

Howdy readers. Cox is still not on yet so finding alternative means to blog has been a challenge. But enough of that, howzabout the further adventures of everyone's disavowed spy? No? Too bad, we are going over that anyway. This is Burn Notice Season 6.

The Sun!!  It burns us!!!

We we last left Weston and gang, Michael was framed for a murder he did not commit, The CIA wanted answers and his balls were on the chopping block. Michael has been re-instated with the CIA and is trusted to handle missions again all the while still helping the little peoples. That is until Dead Larry (Tim Matheson) makes another appearance after escaping and faking his death in an Albanian prison that Michael set him up for his misdeeds. As Larry has always viewed Michael as a son, you can imagine Poppa's plenty pissed. With a break-in to the British Consulate, Larry is shuffled off to his well-earned demise with a focused detonation courtesy of Fi but additional explosions take the lives of guards working there and Fi blames herself. Enter head shrink/supreme jackass Anson (Jere Burns of Dear John, Good Morning, Miami, Las Vegas, Kim Possible,All of Us, Burn Notice and Love Begins) who blackmails Michael to getting the ceased funds, his personal records expunged and recruiting new agents i.e. Burn them for a new and exciting endeavor or Fi goes to Federal prison.

Split screen brings the TV show closer to you...I guess.

Watching Michael work with Anson, Fi surrenders to the proper authorities in order to get him out from under Anson's thumb.

The CIA finally on Michael's side believes him about Anson and prepares a manhunt only to watch him die from a sucking chest wound. The questions Michael had just got amplified. If Anson was in charge of this off the books black ops team then who killed him? What will be come of this concept? How many more innocents have to die to keep their secrets safe?

Naturally Michael is not alone in the search for the truth as he is backed up by Sam and Jessie, even his little brother Nate and mom Maddie. Will that be enough to keep his nearest and dearest safe while unraveling the mysteries laying ahead?

For fans of the show and the TV movie: Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe they will be happy to see what happened to the two CIA twits stationed in Columbia both Bailey and Manaro reprise after 5 years from the incident that got Sam an "honorable" discharge. Hey go watch the film if you want to know more or stick around. Maybe I will review it. That's all for now, folks and seriously give these seasons a view. Did I mention stand-up comedian/character actor and now newly added alumni to the rebirth of MST3K Patton Oswalt is in as well? 

Ta dah!  Villain.

 

Favorite Deep Space Nine Episodes: Blood Oath

Welcome back space travelers for Day 2 of Favorite Deep Space Nine Episodes and I feel this one in particular will be appreciate by all Original Series fans. Beginning Episode 19 of Season 2, carrying on with her duties Lt. Dax (Terry Farrell) hears about a drunken Klingon threatening to disembowel Quark while singing Klingon songs of victory and enjoying a holo-suite program of the Battle of Klach D'Kel Brakt, a legendary battle and victory over the Romulans almost a hundred years ago.

Koloth suffers no fools.

With a quick check down at the brig, Dax sees Curzon's old friend, Dahar Master Kor (John Colicos of Anne of the Thousand Days, Raid on Rommel, The Changeling, The Postman Always Rings Twice and Battlestar Galactica) drunk as a skunk and attempting to sober up. From Kor Dax finds out that the blood oath that Curzon swore is finally coming to light.

Nearly 80 years have passed and Kor's fellow Dahar Masters Kang (Michael Ansara of Broken Arrow, Law of the Plainsman, Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, Rambo, Assassination, Babylon 5, Batman: The Animated Series and The Long Road Home) and Koloth (William Campbell of Star Trek, Black Gunn, Emergency!, Adam-12, The Streets of San Francisco and Star Trek: Judgement Rites) shapen their blades and prepare for glorious battle and revenge for the death of their first born sons. A bandit and murderer known as The Albino (Bill Bolender of Brooklyn South, The Commissioner, JAG, The Magnificent Seven, Surface and Desperate Housewives) swore revenge on the sons of the commanding captains of three Klingon battle cruisers, as he had each first born son poisoned on a genetic level.

So then he says, "Hoover?  I don't even know her."

Kang and Koloth mourn the loss of their fallen comrade Curzon in their own way and feel that Jadzia has no place with them in their revenge but Jadzia feels otherwise as each of these men were in her previous life and much is owed to these men of valor and honor.

As these legendary and honored heroes of the Empire plot and scheme, Dax must wonder if the blood oath applies to Jadzia Dax as well as it did to Curzon Dax. Should a new host take on the obligations, duties and unfinished business of the previous host?

All three of our Dahar Masters(Legendary Warrior Status among Klingons) apprised their Original Series roles as Michael Ansara as Kang from Day of the Dove, William Campbell as Koloth in The Trouble with Tribbles and John Colicos as Kor from Errand of Mercy. Interestingly enough, William Campbell played two different characters on Star Trek as Kor and Trelane of The Squire of Gothos. Michael Ansara's voice acting is also an easy spot asGeneral Warhawk from the Rambo cartoon and Mr. Freeze of Batman: The Animated Series.

This workout is killer on the calves.

Favorite Deep Space Nine Episodes: Q-less

Greetings travelers of the Trek and welcome to Day 1 of Favorite Deep Space Nine Episodes. I really need to come up with smaller titled weeks. Today we journey to episode 6 of Season 1 of Deep Space Nine as antiquarian/archaeologist Vash (Jennifer Hetrick of Unsub, L.A. Law, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Bodies of Evidence, Profit and Buffy the Vampire Slayer) was given a lift from the Gamma Quadrant that is unheard of as no human has traveled to these remote areas outside of Commander Sisko's Federation collective. Perhaps she had other means of travel. This is Q-less.

Oh deep down you knew I would hit every show.

A month into repairs, updates and check, DS9 is finally running above and beyond its capabilities..replicators fritz not withstanding. Lt. Dax (Terry Farrell of Back to School, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Becker and Gleason) provides a mysterious passenger save haven back to the station with only Chief O Brien (Colm Meaney of The Snapper, Star Trek: The Next Generation, War of the Buttons, Con Air, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Renegade, Stargate: Atlantis and ZOS: Zone of Separation) to recognize the passenger as Vash. A former love interest of Captain Picard of the Enterprise who went off to explore ancient civilizations with none other than..Q. (John de Lancie of Days of Our Lives, Houston: The Legend of Texas, Taking Care of Business, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Legend, Star Trek World Tour, Planscape:Torment, Stargate SG-1, Star Trek: Voyager and Charmed) that omnipotent pain in Picard's posterior has made his way over to torture the Starfleet staff of DS9 and get Vash back.

Vash links up with Quark ( Armin Shimerman of Brooklyn Bridge, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Stargate SG-1, Dark Cloud 2, Onimusha 3: Demon Siege and Rachet: Deadlocked) the humble bartender/confidant trickster/smuggler/card shark and scoundrel that manages with his vast level of connections to prep an auction for some of the items Vash has lifted off worlds of the Gamma Quadrant. With most of these former civilizations gone and no one to lay claim to them, they will be sold to the highest bidder.

Quark is admiring her figure....of numbers that lines his pocket.

Sisko (Avery Brooks of Spenser for Hire, A Man Named Hawk, Roots: The Gift, Spenser: The Judas Goat, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 15 Minutes and Star Trek: Legacy) has to deal with the station going through strange power drains and even the station being pulled from orbit heading to the natural wormhole.

The clock is ticking, Q is being petulant and lives are hanging in the balance, Sisko and crew must decipher what is the cause and how to correct it. Q is especially annoying for this episode so enjoy that.

A few bits of trivia now. This is John de Lancie's one and only visit to the Deep Space Nine sets and crew. Writer Robert Hewitt Wolfe (Futuresport, Andromeda, The 4400, The Dresden Files, Riverworld and The Alphas) wrote the screenplay for this episode before it was confirmed he landed the writing staff gig for Deep Space Nine. Lucky fellow.

Dr. Bashir...boring for Starfleet.

Favorite Deep Space Nine Episodes

Howdy folks and welcome back for the week. Yes we are ready off to a rocky start as Monday got skipped altogether. Anyone reading this has a suggestion to regulate sleep patterns just a hitch better than I am already experiencing, PLEASE TELL ME. That being said I thought we would go back to TV as we cannot get enough of that. This time around I thought I would tackle another Roddenberry creation, a show that revolves around...well a world from an orbital platform or space station if you will. A show where they were not out exploring a brand new galaxy every week but rather alien life forms, phenomena, wonders and threats would crop up in their backyard.

Looks like ReinFair class rings.

I speak of course of the creation of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. We are in frontier territory as the planet Bajor has managed to fend off its oppressors the Cardasassians (So close to Kardashians, their mammalian/reptilian cousins), the fledgling government has reached out to the Federation for assistance in creating a recognized political and social infrastructure that they could defend themselves against any other would-be attackers and conquerors. Many of Bajor are divided on the Federation's involvement in their new developing government that Starfleet may not be as invited but they are here to stay... or rather until they get new orders saying otherwise.

The main attraction to this remote quadrant of space is a natural wormhole (a hypothetical connection between widely separated regions of both space and time) that can bring tourists, commerce, travelers and even powerful allies and enemies to Bajor's front door.

This week I want to share my favorite episodes of this seven year run series that was based in the timeline like as The Next Generation and Voyager. That being said, the episodes will of course span over these years, there will be spoilers for those that did not watch the series and continuity is not my cup of tea. More of a Gallifreian (DR. WHO REFERENCE) when it comes to telling tales so bear with me.

So out into that final frontier, that "Undiscovered Country" future that the Roddenberry projects were always about. Enjoy!

Projecting Mariah Carey into her skull.  You fiend!

Seasons Continue: Supernatural Season 5

Welcome back for Day 2 of Seasons Continue and yes I will get off my ass and start anew with the wonders that is the Winchester Brothers. I am sorry if I have not given them my due attention as I try to review movies and video games as well. As left at Season 3 (Yeesh, this guy is behind.) Dean had all but sacrificed his life after the Gate to Hell was opened and demon incarnations of the Seven Deadly Sins manifested about, changelings misbehaving and a pesky lot of vampires this season ended on a dark note leaving Sam alone and Dean taken to Hell. Has the journey run out of road? This is Supernatural Season 4.

Why does a Jill sandwich joke come to mind?

With Dean dead and gone, Sam continues the family mission with a reckless abandon to reason, just hurling himself into danger just so he can feel. Bobby (Jim Beaver of Adaptation, Tremors: The Series, Next, Supernatural and Deadwood), former hunter, research nut and wrangler of the doofus brothers finds Dean alive and very confused. Naturally Bobby is skeptical to believe that is the real mccoy. After a few tests he concludes that is really Dean and now what the hell happened?

All the two have to go on is these massive indentation bruises on Dean's arms and they are visited by a being of absolute power. This being claims to be an angel name of Castiel (Misha Collins of Girl, Interrupted, Finding Home, Karla and Supernatural) stating that God demanded Dean be given more life because he and Sam have so much more work to do. So rather than just taking the biblicial creature, Bobby decides to drag the boys a psychic Pamela (Traci Dinwiddie of The Notebook, Mr. Brooks, Open Your Eyes and Elena Undone) figuring out why Dean is back, what is the endgame and is God truly there?

A ghost goosed me!

We are back to the typical angst, the shared laughs and the brotherly love is back. Sam has gone a bit dark as he has gone hunting alone. Bobby has had more than his share of rotgut as bottle riddling the floors of his house. The twisted demon in a cute suit, Ruby is back to cause some havok and match wits with the boys again. The gang get messed with by angry spirits out and out blaming the Winchesters, a time travel story and even a shapeshifter obsessed with classic Universal Studios monsters.

The choir of angels is seem to be divided in carrying out plans...it is almost as if God isn't nearby to confirm or deny the angels' commands and requests. Sam and Dean are starting to wonder if this is supposed to be happening. My personal favorite episode in this season is the one where the guys are trying to convince this family to NOT move into this house of just utter damnation. It needed blood covered letters saying KEEP OUT but even that would not help any way, shape or form.

She digs me more than you, bro.

Seasons Continue

Welcome one and all back for the week and yeah I was absent Monday. Work makes it occasionally difficult. While I might love to do this for a living, I wouldn't even know where to start. Okay with that bout of ridiculousness out of the way, this week we take a peek at series past and current showing range of drama,sci-fi and even some horror. Mostly because the well was a little dry and the brain cells aren't firing up as much as it could. That being said I thought I would showcase a bit of Burn Notice, Supernatural, possibly some Angel and even Agents of SHIELD.

Have a beer.  Really it heals many a wound.

I am trying to get a new mic for Rotten Ramblin' On because... it has sounded like crap for Shawn or myself and dammit we want some quality. You guys are missing the random gems that got uttered and by God we will want to make a better show for the fans.

My main idea behind this is I have not really spoke of TV for a few months and that is lacking and shame on me. No I will not be reviewing Gotham. For me, Gotham without Batman would be as exciting as Metropolis and no Blue Boy Scout to be found. A personal choice and feel free to burn me in effigy, flame me in comments or praise my taste. So a lot going on with the blog and the podcast. Again please toss suggestions on the FB pages and rottenramblinon@gmail.com we really appreciate it all the comments. I will be setting up a P.O. Box so fans can send film requests to review. I promise I will give them all their due.

A new turn for Rotten Reelz Reviews so stay tuned.

So I hear Jake's getting off his ass and writing about us again.

Entertainment of 1976

Welcome back my gentle readers. As you know I seemed to have disappeared last week and no rhyme or reason. Well I got disconnected and it took a few days to reconnect and allowed me time to write on my detective novel so it was not time wasted at all. That being said, I am aging on Wednesday and felt I should take time to think of the games, TV and movies of the year of my birth of which is 1976. Yes, that old. With all this in mind I thought we could tackle games of yesteryear, films that may have moved us and TV that graced generations.

Travis Bickle, portrait of the sane.

With that, this week's theme is simply known as Entertainment of 1976. With from the underdog struggle that was Rocky to the disturbing visuals and evils that was The Omen, 1976 managed to find solace in the cinema, back at home and even in the arcades and roller rinks. With the re-creation of Godzilla providing action figures and the Japanese company Toei, licensed by Mattel brought 24 inch high figures known as the Shogun Warriors. Naturally, Marvel Comics jumped on the chance to give both franchises, comic books allowing further circulation. Mego balanced with DC comics, Marvel comics and popular shows of ChiPs, Starsky and Hutch, Happy Days and Planet of the Apes.

So feel free to have a nostalgia flashback with me or be amazed that such concepts happened and enjoy.

That's not Captain Stubing!  That's Mel Brooks!!!

Impending Podcast!!! Rotten Ramble On.

Hey folks!  Don't worry I am going to finish up the week's topic but right now I want to discuss the new podcast my friend Shawn and I will be on.  It's called Rotten Ramble On and basically we will be tackling interests of film, TV, adaptations from books made into TV and film and of course video games.  Yes we will do our homework, provide varied opinions on popular media culture, go completely off topic, rant, whine, bitch and possibly even moan (not in a erotic way though... depends on the guest star).   This will be an adult themed podcast which includes: Adult language, adult situations and NSWF, so do NOT let the kiddies sit in and hear what is about to play out.  We will do our level best to comport ourselves in a dignified manner as soon as we learn what comport means.

I am in the works to find folks of these different film, TV and video game genre and see if we can't set them down for an interview or two.  These are all future concepts right now but steps are being made to bring you an enjoyable, informative and squirrelly shows.  We will take requests on topics but right now we are shooting for once a month until our schedules sync up better or each of us has more free time.

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for this soon-to-be audio extravaganza!!!!

Random Picks Week: Burn Notice Season 3

Welcome to Day 2 of Random Picks Week.  I have not touched base on this particular TV series in some time and it clearly it needs addressing.  We will be reviewing the continuation of the USA series Burn Notice.   Bringing back Michael Westen and his unusual team with Sam Axe, a former Navy SEAL and now a booze hound and skirt chaser and Fiona Glenanne, a former IRA commando and Michael's ex girlfriend.   This is Burn Notice Season 3.

Ohh, no more Charlie Sheen parties... ever.

Fiona: Should we spoil them?
Michael: I have enough to worry about than killing three FBI agents.





Michael Westen (Jeffery Donovan of The Pretender, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, Touching Evil, Crossing Jordan and Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe) had just gotten out from under the thumb of his handler Karla only to meet the head man running the operations, simply known as Management.  Westen demands these people out of his life and gets his wish and tells him they will stay out of his way until he realizes how much he needs them as much as they need him.  With former colleagues selling him out, potential cake wake missions turning into disasters barely escaped, Michael tries to figure a way to take down this shadow organization that has been haunting him for three years.

Hops, hotties and humidity Mikey.  Miami has been good to me.

Aiding him begrudgingly is of course his oldest buddy Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell of Evil Dead,  Army of Darkness, Escape From L.A., Ellen, Icebreaker and Jack of All Trades) and Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar of Scent of a Woman, For Love or Money, The Three Musketeers, The Grave, Sherlock, Water Under the Bridge and The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines)  diving into more and more danger as it takes its toll on their friendship.  Michael has an admirer this time around and is finding out if Westen's burn notice is true and that he is the naughty boy it claims him to be.   Mason Gilroy (Chris Vance of Stingers, Macbeth, All Saints, Prison Break, Mental and Rizzoli & Isles) a freelance sociopath has a lucrative business opportunity for He and Michael but he has to see Michael in action as it were before he commits.  Can Westen and gang get him out of this hot water or will they boil after being burnt?

A few observations about this season.  The dynamic between Madeline Westen (Sharon Glass of The Miracle of Kathy Miller, House Calls, The Sky's No Limit, Cagney & Lacey, Honor Thy Mother and The Trials of Rosie O' Neill) and Michael flushes out problems of the past that they both must come to terms with.  Each show the other they have more warmth and depth than they normally exhibit. Michael and his estrained brother Nate (Seth Peterson of Godzilla, Can't Hardly Wait, Providence, Hard Ground and Unlucky Charms) start to mend fences and come to terms that they will never be the best of friends but they can be family.

Hmm, three more seasons, please.

Random Picks Week

Howdy all and welcome to the week.  This week I thought we will skip the staple title and just grab into games, movies and maybe a few TV shows.  Normally I would call that Grab Bag Week but I am sick of that title so this week it will be known as Random Picks Week.    So I will dig through my various films, TV and maybe a few games or two and see what we can inform and entertain you all with.

Head shot!  Yikes!

As mentioned in previous Grab Bag Weeks, this allows me to sharpen my writing skills on the fly rather than the predestined straight and narrow of a structured week.  To hone my abilities if you will and delve deeper in the recesses of forgotten films, hidden gems and maybe even a decent TV show that was cancelled before its time.

A planet were apes evolved from... ah forget it.

As always I appreciate the comments, critiques and suggestions my readers give me so keep churning those out and I promise to keep firing good and bad films, TV and various platform and PC games your way.  I shall attempt to be less biased to most but I cannot say I would give a gleaming review on anything Pokemon so my advice, skip suggesting that.   Ta ta for now!

Grab Bag Week Returns!!!

Okay folks bear with me.  My brain is behaving and I came back from a photo shoot last weekend for a Fallout cosplay so I think we can conclude that I am back in action, kids!  The biggest issue I am hurdling over is the stagnancy of my writing.  I have been sticking with particular themes as movie and occasionally TV and less and less video game reviews so I bring back the time honored tradition of the grab bag.

Fool around in the sheriff's car?

With this element in mind, I am able to break the shackles of a safe conformity week and make come across a bit frantic but the research aspect is always fun and I seem to get a lot more feedback from a write up of this nature.  I will be bouncing back to and from TV, Movies and Video Games for the simple factor is changing things up should provide a bit more fun and info for all to read.  I of course, am open to suggestions, comments and complaints about the blog so feel free to shoot me a message.

Care Package!!!

I apologize again for last week but when Cluster migraines come a-calling, I simply cannot ignore it so this is my meager attempt to get back in your good graces, have a few laughs and give you the readers something fun to enjoy.

Here's looking at you, ki... wait that's the other flick.

Larson 80s TV Week

Howdy kiddies and this week I thought we would tackle shows of yesteryear again.  The 1970s to 1990s series with the development of multiple titles and pilots by Glen A. Larson (writer and producer of It Takes a Thief, Alias Smith and Jones, McCloud, Battlestar Galactica, Switch and Buck Rogers in the 25^th Century) in order to bring quality shows…of course he did try to subject us to Automan (an AI creation that created constructs i.e. vehicles and physical presence to fight crime with) and Manimal (a professor able to transform into any kind of animal in order to fight crime alongside a cop and his Vietnam war buddy) so I cannot guarantee you will love every series Larson produced and written but dammit we will take a peek!  

Enjoy the beefcake, ladies.

From such memorial TV shows such as: Magnum P.I. to more obscure shows you may have forgotten like Cover Up and The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo. 

Ranging series from Westerns, Action and Science Fiction to offer a stimulus to the imagination to what was marketable for children and adults.  

22 TV movies had Larson at the helm producing it with what funds were allotted or what he brought to the table.  He has amazed us as equally baffled us so let us take time to review a smattering of series this week via the 1980s collection. 

I hope as always it informs and entertains.

Wil Wheaton Week

Greetings readers I have a bit of an unusual week ahead of us but this should be no real surprise for the lot of you.  I felt I would pay attention to a man who formally a child actor, stemmed away from the scenes for about 5 years only to pick it back up in his adult years.  His characters have warmed hearts, sadden many and downright annoyed others.  I speak of none other than Wil Wheaton.  

Cmdr. Riker, some wheat grass should help that bowel issue.

Now I am sure many of you are asking, “WTH are you bothering us with this, Jake?”   From voice over works, TV and film, Wheaton has managed resurrect his walk of life and carry on when many believed it improbable.  Very simply put few people outside of Jackie Coogan and Dick Van Patten have managed to salvage their careers to the lengths that Wil has and I feel we should take a glance at his works of yesteryear and today.  

Old School Week

Let's kick it.  Yeah I'm sorry and will never use that term again.  The meaning behind Old School Week is to review a movie, TV Show season or video game at random.  I wanted to get back to my routes of reviewing as I used to and frankly it is a bit more fun picking material out of a hat rather than adhering to the rigors of what I set out for the week and the week after.  So if you will indulge me on this little endeavor, I shall attempt to make it fun as always.

Better do what da man says, sucka!

Also I cannot stress enough to plug some comments or even some requests.  Not saying the well has run dry but come on people, if this lacks in anyone having fun on these reads it is you all.  Take your time and think about something fun you would like to see on here.  No rush needed but I always love a little input.

Western TV Week: Gunsmoke

Howdy buckaroos and welcome to the finale of Western TV Week.  Now given I had not seen this series prior to this write-up I got to find out all sorts of facts.  Placed in the surrounding area of Dodge City Kansas this is the first of the TV Westerns to be shown in the Midwestern states rather than the West coast.   So get your daisy suits cleaned, polish them spurs and prep for one mighty fine shindig.  This is Gunsmoke.

Hmm wonder how Peter Graves is doing.

Festus: Spoiler Dillon!!!!

Right off the first episode you get a feeling this show is going to have a sense of style to it.  It gets introduced by the Duke himself, John Wayne.  Giving praises to both the show and cast members.  Not too shabby for right out of the gate and was adapted from the same name titled radio show to television.

Deputy US Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness of The Thing from Another World, Iron Man, Hellgate, Hondo, Them! And McClain’s Law) dispenses justice in Dodge City and the surrounding areas.   Having two regular deputies Festus Haggen (Ken Curtis of Rio Grande, The Searchers, The Killer Shrews, The Giant Gila Monster and Ripcord) a cantankerous grump and Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver of Touch of Evil, Kentucky Jones, Gentle Ben, Duel and McCloud) a scrappy fellow with a good gun hand, Dillon had the authority to deputize anyone of use and wanting to serve the good folk of Dodge City and the surrounding territories.   Keeping the peace with compassion but backed up with six shooters and rifles.

Low down horse thieving...Hey is that Scotty?!!

One of notoriety in my opinion is the half breed Indian blacksmith, Quint (Burt Reynolds of Dan August, Deliverance, Shamus, White Lighting, The Longest Yard, Smokey and the Bandit and Malone) whose main role was to go into a residing town and apparently get the crap wailed out of him.  Granted Quint gave as well as he got but still lay off the poor guy.    

When the fellas are not out keeping the peace, they are taking in a show at the Long Branch Saloon to catch Miss Kathleen “Kitty” Russel (Amanda Blake of Sunny Side of the Street, Lili, A Star is Born, The Red Skelton Hour and Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge) who is quite the eyeful.  Miss Kitty is the sole proprietor of the saloon/hotel/brothel and yet was never viewed as a madam in the town’s eye but a business woman.

 

Gator McKlusky??!!!

A few points of interest I thought I would bring up.  While the story takes place in Dodge City; there are more than a few locations that look awfully familiar.  Such as Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, Paramount Ranch, Iverson Ranch in Chatsworth California and Simi Valley.  For most of the interior shots from anything to a gunfight to a bar room brawl we can surmise these shots took place in the CBS Studio Center as well as California Studios for the in-depth rafter lighting for the bar’s interior shots.

Miss Kitty takes no guff.

Also the barrage of guest stars of the show such as Claude Akins, Ed Asner, James Doohan, Barbara Eden, Leif Garrett, Beverly Garland, Jodie Foster and Dennis Hopper  just to name a handful.  Lasting for 20 years this Western truly gripped the imagination.

Western TV Week: Rawhide

Welcome back folks to Day 4 of Western TV Week and boy I sure do hope I haven’t caught you lot at the other end of the cracker barrel!  Yeah I can’t do old west colloquiums so sue me.  This fine day I thought we would saunter into a cattle drive with a stern but fair trail boss Gil Favor.  So throw a blanket on that horse before you saddle it, keep your gunpowder and your pants dry.  This is Rawhide.

 

Jeepers I hates this neckerchief!

 Gil Favor: It’s not the roundin’ up and the ropin’ and the branding of the spoiler that’s the big problem for ranchers. It’s getting’ ‘em to market-  fifteen hundred bone weary miles from the the southern tip of Texas to the railhead at Sedalia.

You know you are in good company with a fella name of Gil Favor (Eric Fleming of Joan of Arc. Conquest of Space, Fright, Queen of Outer Space and Curse of the Undead) one of the best dangnabbit trail bosses this side of the Ponderosa.   Carnswallot I can manage these comments!

Give us your lupines!!!

 With Gil is his trusted ranch hand and dead shot Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood of Ambush of Cimarron Pass, A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, Hang ‘Em High, Where Eagles Dare, Kelly’s Heroes, Dirty Harry and City Heat) and Yates’ sidekick the cantankerous Wishbone (Paul Brinegar of Hell on Devil’s Island, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, The Vampire, Copper Sky, How to Make a Monster and Country Boy). As their new herds get in and across the lands, trouble always seems a brewing.  Plenty of cattle rustlers, card sharks and crooked politicians as much as the Cartwrights…the difference being our beef cattle hands were in a new location every episode.    Not to be sticklers on a tight schedule our riders would stop to help settlers from an Indian attack, farm folk that got jumped by raiders and the occasional silver miner that was flogged away from his claim.  

 

Here are just a few notes I made about the series.   This was the competition of Paramount as a Universal Studios production and it lasted 8 years and was the fifth longest running Western show next to exceeded only by 8 years of Wagon Train, 9 years of The Virginian, 14 years of Bonanza and 20 years of Gunsmoke.     The first 3 years of Rawhide were in glorious black and white and then Technicolor reared its evil head and ensnared the show.   Locations had to vary from the standard studio lots of Universal Studios as well as Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park and Simi Valley California for most of the trail shots.  Red Rock Canyon State Park got a fair amount of use during Indian raids against the cattle hands.  Yeah the portrayals of Native Americans from 1935 to 1975 are not the most flattering.    

Well cow, did I fire 6 times or only 5?

CBS Studio Center had a fair amount of sound stages for the local towns but just watch a few episodes and you will notice more than a few similar sets per town.   This is was a big career changer for Eastwood as at the time in question he was better known for Sergio Leone’s Spaghetti Westerns.

Western TV Week: Have Gun, Will Travel

Bueno dias campers and welcome to Day 2 of Western TV Week so let’s saunter on through.  This time we move towards San Francisco to a professional gunfighter, a trouble shooter if you will.  The Enigmatic Paladin has his own calling card.  So saddle up, have an ace in the hole and have your wits about you.  This is Have Gun Will Travel.

hmm methinks this young lady is from the F-Troop tribe.

Paladin: I don’t think you got a good look at this spoiler while you had it. The balance is perfect.  This trigger responds to a pressure of one ounce.

Former West Point graduate and Civil War Veteran Paladin (Richard Boone of Halls of Montezuma, Call Me Mister, Return of the Texan, Pony Soldier, Medic, Hombre and Big Jake) has emerged from the war in favor of the finer things in life with his care free hotel room in the Carlton.  When he wasn’t enjoying a series of poker or a bottle of Dom Perignon and seats at the opera; a professional gunslinger with his business card over a picture of a chess knight piece that reads: Have Gun, Will Travel…Wire Paladin, San Francisco.   

Brisco's got nothing on Paladin!

This man was characterized as an anti-hero. I assume this is due to the fact he is constituted as a bounty hunter, gunfighter and everyman’s hero.  Traveling from town to town on horseback or by train he found his mission objectives and earned his money.  To me, he came across as a necessary evil. The final justice in a land that had no real law was at the barrel of his balanced and weighed .45 revolver, his derringer and a lever-action Marlin rifle. His marksmanship was second to none.  His training, intelligence and tactical analysis gave him a massive edge.

The only other reoccurring character is handy boy and bellhop Hey Boy (Kam Tong of The Hunters, Who Was That Lady, Walk Like a Dragon, The Virginian, Women of the Prehistoric Planet and Dimension 5) who Paladin harassed but it was good natured ribbing.

Now we discuss a few interesting notions of the show. Most of the character Paladin is shrouded in mystery.  You get the concept that he is not proud of being a soldier in the Civil War and his personal honor is greatly tarnished from this. 

 So many TV actors cut their teeth under this show and many other have furthered their existing careers such as: Ken Curtis of Gunsmoke, Charles Bronson of The Dirty Dozen and the Mechanic, Jacqueline Scott of Gunsmoke and Ironside, character actor George Kennedy of Gunsmoke, Dr. Kildare and the Naked Gun trilogy and Norma Crane of Fiddler on the Roof and They Call Me Mister Tibbs! 

Ow landed on my keys!

Once again Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, Iverson Ranch and Bronson Canyon Griffith Park were being used as background trails from horse thieves and bushwhackers.   The series was filmed in 35mm Spherical and recorded in mono for audio. Paramount once again is the production for the CBS entertainment as it was with Gunsmoke, The Jack Benny Program and The Red Skelton Show.  A darker storyline but justice always prevailed in one form or another.