PIONEERS OF TELEVISION: CRIME DRAMAS


Pioneers of Television on PBS tonight will feature crime dramas. I’m looking forward to seeing Desi Arnez (The Untouchables), Bruce Geller (Mission: Impossible and Mannix), Stephen J. Cannell (The Rockford Files), and Art Scott’s hero, Jack Webb (Dragnet). I’ve found the previous episodes of this series full of unexpected facts and stories. Very entertaining and enlightening! Check your local listings for the time in your area.

34 thoughts on “PIONEERS OF TELEVISION: CRIME DRAMAS

  1. Deb

    Desi Arnaz was on “The Untouchables”? I learn something new every day.

    I watched a recent episode of this program which covered TV westerns. A real trip down memory lane: Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The Big Valley, The High Chapparal, The Rifleman, Have Gun, Will Travel, etc.

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  2. Jeff Meyerson

    I think his company produced it, Deb.

    I’ve seen promos but haven’t seen any of the actual shows. Maybe tonight (if it’s on in Florida).

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  3. Patti Abbott

    Saw the science fiction one, which was fun. Somehow missed the westerns but will catch this. Thanks for the reminder.

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  4. Todd Mason

    The SF one might’ve been fun…but boy it was enervating, as well. The Western and Crime Drama items are shallow but not too shabby, certainly in comparison.

    Jeff, you are absolutely correct–THE UNTOUCHABLES, like STAR TREK, was a DesiLu Production. And, yes, it’s playing in Florida…it’s the PBS network feed, so your local station (or one of them in multi-station PBS markets) is likely to have it.

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    1. george Post author

      It’s 13 degrees here (zero with the wind chill), Patti. People have taken to throwing water into the air and watching it come down as ice. Strange thing become fun, indeed.

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  5. Todd Mason

    Well, as I noted here:
    http://socialistjazz.blogspot.com/2011/01/preview-pbss-pioneers-of-television-sf.html

    …there were Vastly too many ways the SF episode was utterly inept. But even I found a little value in the non-Mumy members of the LOST IN SPACE cast getting a chance to talk about their experiences with that intentionally terrible series. (Mumy’s continuing engagement with fan-favored series has meant even the only mildly-interested, such as myself, have occasionally heard from him over the years…less so, for me at least, his castmates.)

    The other episodes, with their unfortunate tendency to speak only with on-camera talent, are again disappointing to that extent but at least aren’t as ignornant about their subject matter…although there are the occasional howlers.

    Some of the footage, including from tonight’s episode:
    http://www.pbs.org/opb/pioneersoftelevision/video/

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    1. george Post author

      I’m surprised this DVD set is already available, Todd. Usually, the progression is that PBS broadcasts the episodes and then they appear on DVDs in the stores.

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  6. Todd Mason

    I suspect they figure that it matters less with a set like this…the sales won’t notably suppress the ratings that PBS is theoretically not That concerned with, anyway.

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    1. george Post author

      As government support for PBS melts away, ratings are going to be Very Important, Todd. The “no commercials” policy will suddenly go away and PBS will look a lot more like A&E.

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  7. Drongo

    George, 13 degrees seems pretty good now. In my town, it was -12 last night, and may hit -20 tomorrow. I am reconsidering my decision not to have a wife or a dog.

    Tried that water trick this morning, and it really does work.

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    1. george Post author

      Yes, if it’s cold enough, that water-to-ice trick really works, Drongo. We’re under a Winter Storm Warning right now. It looks like we’ll be hit with 15-20 inches. Have you considered an electric blanket?

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    1. george Post author

      I enjoyed the episode, Jeff. It brought back plenty of memories. I wish there had been some coverage of 77 SUNSET STRIP or some of the lesser-known crime dramas.

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    1. george Post author

      I fired up my snow blower just to make sure it was ready to go tomorrow morning, Rick. As long as the power stays on, we’ll have heat.

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  8. Patti Abbott

    I can’t put this on my blog because it draws nuts, but does it seem to you that public employees rather than bankers are taking the fall for this economic mess.

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    1. george Post author

      The Governor of NY State announced today massive cuts in public employees, Patti. Our union will let us know later this week what the budget cuts will mean to community colleges, but clearly there will be cuts. The bankers buy “political protection” with their campaign contributions so they’re safe.

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    1. george Post author

      I was never a big MANNIX fan, Jeff. I’m with you: I wish they’d done 77 SUNSET STRIP or some of the more obscure crime dramas like BOURBON STREET BEAT.

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  9. Richard R.

    1. I was disappointed with the show, very narrow focus (was it all NBC programs?) and they missed a lot but took time to show plenty of Angie Dickenson skin. They mentioned Quinn Martin once then never went back to his many shows.

    2. Patti & all, yes, absolutely. The Councils, Boards of Supervisors and such bodies want to paint the public employee as fat cats feeding at the public trough and ripe for major pay and benefit cuts. I spent 36 years working for the County Dept.. of Social Services (“Welfare Department” when I started) and made less than equivalent jobs in private sector my whole career. Now they want to cut my pension and medical benefits. I don’t get a lot and by god I earned what I do get.

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    1. george Post author

      Retirees are always attractive targets for budget cuts, Rick. Yet the people who trashed the economy get million dollar bonuses. The system is broken.

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    1. george Post author

      I think the series would be more effective if the producers of PIONEERS OF TELEVISION presented a series of episodes: CRIME DRAMAS OF THE FIFTIES, CRIME DRAMAS OF THE SEVENTIES, etc.

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  10. Jeff Meyerson

    Rick, Jackie always says that was the trade-off: you make less money in public service (and often get treated like crap) but you get the benefits and pension when you retire. It’s certainly true in her case.

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    1. george Post author

      Reneging on retirement benefits has a long tradition, Jeff. Just ask the retired steel workers and GM workers. As the states face bankruptcy, they’ll go after the pension funds.

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  11. Beth Fedyn

    Since I wasn’t working Tuesday night because of the blizzard, I got a chance to watch this. What a great series! And when did those folks get so old?

    Reply

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