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Post by Myrtle Groggins on Oct 28, 2005 3:41:06 GMT -5
If I recall correctly, the McMillans had more than one kid. At least, the Mrs. (real life Susan Saint James) had at least two pregnancies during the series run, but we only saw one baby, the second one. The first kid disappeared, the the second kid disappeared, along with the mother, and Police Commissioner McMillan was on his own. His maid was still with him, I believe, at least for a time, or maybe not, seems he was quite alone in the last season or so. The first maid was played by Nancy Walker, who played Rhoda's mom, Ida Morgenstern on MTM and Rhoda. Also, Martha Raye played the maid's (Walker) sister, Agatha, and was on McMillan as a substitute housekeeper in at least one episode, or she took over for Walker in the final season. I think I'll have to look this up because I might be wrong, but I do remember a pregnant Mrs., then the next season, no kid. Very strange. Even stranger was when the wife evaporated completely, along with the only child we saw or didn't see (I think it was a boy). I watched the show because I love mysteries and because I liked Susan Saint James (loved her previously in The Name Of the Game and its predecessor Fame is the Name of the Game) and Nancy Walker. Btw, the maid's name was Mildred (Nancy Walker).
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Post by Lauryn on Oct 28, 2005 17:59:52 GMT -5
Thanks. That's a very interesting article, not just for pointing out the classic timelessness but for the marvelous insight into how they were both role players and that's why they intrigued each other. Very nice find, this writer's opinion. I find myself nodding in agreement on Laura's fatal attraction to role playing and fake-artists. Doubly interesting in light of her youthful fascination with circuses and the like. Despite the juggling act (of Steele and Co. conning the outside world and sometimes each other in the bargain) this stuff can be wearing, though, as a steady diet. There's as much in Laura's make-up to suggest that she prefers life a bit more pinned down -- all that fear of spontaneity in "Etched" and her leanings towards stalwart fellows with a work ethic like Wilson and Westfield. She may well end up sabotaging that kind of "normal" relationship but who's to say things would be any more lasting, really, with a man of Steele's type? She seems ever to be pulled both ways. Even the scene cited in "License" where she tells Murphy breathlessly "Don't fight it!" you sense that she's a bit surprised at her own daring. I have to part company with the idea that one of the things that made the first season superior was that Laura was the more dominant of the two. Sure, there are those somewhat trademarked scenes when Steele trips over the furniture and Laura's detective savvy saves the day, but there are others when it's exactly backwards, as in "To Stop a Steele" where Laura is practically begging for him to become involved, "so appropriate for a jewel robbery", etc. (It all presages the argument at the end of "Puzzled Steele." So what if I have more expertise / who cares if I have the superior skills?) Of course Steele is not a bona fide detective, and is a wild card, but Ace is quite right that equality, case-solving opportunity and otherwise, is evident from the beginning and long before season two. The idea that's he's mostly just window dressing, second billed (as per screen time), or even just the "sex object" (as delicious as that last thought is) is to ignore all the facts in evidence. The appeal of the first season lies, for me, in the writing, and in two characters on an equal, though unconventional, kind of footing. What I vicariously enjoy from that time is the sense of excitement Laura gets from the high wire act that is working with Remington Steele. A Steele that walks and talks and is meddlesome and mettlesome and mysterious. I do miss that headlong attraction they had for each other. I think they put the brakes on it too much as they headed into the second season to make the show fit a more predictable Hart to Hart atmos. and to put up more sexual barriers between them.
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Post by Myrtle Groggins on Oct 30, 2005 3:32:18 GMT -5
I can't agree with the conclusion of the article that the 2nd season is what marked the change in their "power" -- the evolution to that change was pretty evident all though the first season. It started significantly as early as "Though Shalt not Steele" and by "Circulation" it was glaringly obvious. I have to agree with you here. The article was great until he got to the last paragraph. Yes, the tide was changing during the first season. We saw the faux Steele making astute observations and coming to very good conclusions before the first season was complete. We also saw less and less of Murphy, a sign that the unique and unusual Laura/Steele team was taking off with the writers as well as with the viewers. Steele was definitely becoming a competent and true detective before the middle of the first season. I think the turning episode was Your (You're) Steele The One For Me when he realized that he honestly wanted to learn the business and it was no longer a 'boy chases girl' game to him.
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Post by sparklingblue on Oct 30, 2005 6:48:40 GMT -5
I can't but agree with you both.
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Post by clervaux on Oct 30, 2005 17:10:11 GMT -5
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Post by just me on Oct 31, 2005 22:20:03 GMT -5
When will they have the results?
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Post by steeleinc on Nov 1, 2005 11:53:46 GMT -5
I went to my local Best Buy to get the new Star Wars DVD and lo and behold! there was Season 2 of RS! I thought it was due to be released on Nov. 8! It wasn't even advertised in any of the ads in the Sun. paper. It *wasn't* on sale, but I bought it anyway. Though I'm glad and relieved they put SZ on the cover, the cover is a major disappointment. It looks so cheap and tacky. RS deserves much better.
Debra
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Post by Ace on Nov 1, 2005 12:25:47 GMT -5
I went to my local Best Buy to get the new Star Wars DVD and lo and behold! there was Season 2 of RS! I thought it was due to be released on Nov. 8! It wasn't even advertised in any of the ads in the Sun. paper. It *wasn't* on sale, but I bought it anyway. Though I'm glad and relieved they put SZ on the cover, the cover is a major disappointment. It looks so cheap and tacky. RS deserves much better. Debra Congrats on your acquisition. I guess Best Buy is being naughty. Or maybe they want people to buy it before it goes on sale. As for the cover, I really don't like it and unlike the 1st season (it may be unfair but it's GORGEOUS), as I've said before, it won't be facing frontways off my DVD shelf. Ace
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Post by Stefanie on Nov 1, 2005 13:33:19 GMT -5
It *wasn't* on sale, but I bought it anyway. Though I'm glad and relieved they put SZ on the cover, the cover is a major disappointment. It looks so cheap and tacky. RS deserves much better. Debra Debra, I'm so happy for you. Would you scan the back view for us? I'd like to see the pictures they used this time. It's a such a shame that they didn't put Stephanie on the first season cover so I'm relieved she features now season two. I hope that amazon is so fast again with the delivery to Germany.
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Post by Stefanie on Nov 4, 2005 15:38:54 GMT -5
On the flip side of disc 1 is a short featurette called "Steele Action". featuring stars Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan in new on-camera interviews it is a revealing look at the stunts and action sequences featured in season 2 of the show. We learn among other things that the production used Zimbalist's actual house as a location for her characters house in the season opener. Apparently when the mock up of the house explodes it left Stephanie quite upset as it was modeled after the exterior of her house
In another sequence in which Stephanie shares an aquarium tank with a whole bunch of sea snakes the animal wranglers sewed shut the snakes mouths, but didn't bother to do that for second unit (leading to one person getting bit). Apparently Zimbalist was so busy trying to act underwater that she didn't even notice the snakes until getting out of the tank and finding one was still on her back and in another in her hair.
Pierce Brosnan does not seem to have lost any enthusiasm for the role (in stark contrast to his biting comments on the James Bond role this year) and we learn that the two lead actors did most of their own stunts - although Zimbalist's feet apparently (according to the actress) still have a bone to pick with the show for all the running she did in high heels. Source
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Post by Ace on Nov 4, 2005 15:54:43 GMT -5
Good to see SZ participate in the new featurette interviews. I wonder if the PB ones are new as well and if so what state was his facial hair in. And wow, look someone at CBN manages to take a swipe (with typical inacuracy) at PB about Bond even in a Steele review. How unusual. Ace
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Post by curious george on Nov 6, 2005 23:34:33 GMT -5
A pox on Target! They aren't offering a $5 gift card this time around with purchase of season 2, as they did with season 1. Meanies.
cg
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Post by Ace on Nov 7, 2005 0:08:42 GMT -5
But Target is giving the $5 gift cert for Beavis & Butthead. If you want to make an in person purchase Best Buy is selling it for $27.99 (they had a sale on the first set for Reward Zone buyers for $19.99 but not this time around) Currently Amazon.com and DDD have the best price on the net. Amazon: $27.99 (no tax/no shipping) If you want to wait DeepDiscountDVD is probably having their 20% off sale again later this month. They're selling RS 2 for $27.89 -- so the price would be about $22 (no tax and free shipping)
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Post by curious george on Nov 7, 2005 0:27:53 GMT -5
Oooh! Oooh! Really? I don' t like the idea of waiting, but I really really like the idea of saving money. ;D Do they always do that in November, or what? Geez, I have got to catch up on what I already have but haven't watched: let's see, that would be three or four of the boxed Fred and Ginger set that came out fairly recently; the whole second season of The Pretender; (I am so excited to see that TVonDVD says Season 3 is already lined up!!)....hmmm... Dave, Lilies of the Field, Random Harvest, Holiday Inn, Broadway Melody of 1940, parts 2 and 3 of Raiders of the Lost Ark, to name a few. And of course Season 9 of M*A*S*H is coming out soon. Maybe over Christmas break (especially since it doesn't look like anyone will be getting me the $1500 Warner Bros. set). ;D Shall I hope for heavy snow but no power outages as a good excuse to be a mega-couch potato? Past time for this little monkey to be in bed. ::yawns hugely:: cg
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Post by Ace on Nov 7, 2005 0:42:46 GMT -5
They usually have the DDD sale twice a year, once in Spring and the second in late Nov/ early Dec. There's no set date though. But you seem to have LOTS to occupy your viewing time. I've been catching up recently on some I've had for months and in one case over a year ago- Laura, Captain Blood, Rear Window I still have tons of other I've bought or been given that I've yet to watch even once. Still--- I want my RS DVDs I didn't pre-order RS this time since I had to wait a week for it anyway. I have a gift card for Barnes & Noble but their price is always fluctuating so I'm waiting for it at least $29,99 otherwise I'll buy the set elsewhere and use the gift card on soemthing else for X-Mas shopping.
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Post by Stefanie on Nov 7, 2005 4:11:38 GMT -5
Poopy does the happy dance.
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Post by sparklingblue on Nov 7, 2005 5:08:56 GMT -5
Congratulations!! I'm glad to read that this time SZ also participated in the featurettes.
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Post by curious george on Nov 7, 2005 11:11:51 GMT -5
You think? Have never seen Captain Blood; Laura is good but I don't own it; and Rear Window is one of the best of the best of the best, sir! (name that quote) I am appalled to find that I do not yet have RW on DVD ~ could have sworn I did ~ but when looking for that I also realized I have yet to watch my DVD of Casablanca. I think I feel a long, high-need-for-bed-rest illness coming on. Don't we all? Of course, I do have the $5 gift cards from when Season one came out...might just have to dig those out. I know what you mean. Decisions, decisions. I have a $25 Amazon certificate to use, but it's hard to narrow things down. I may give it to my husband along with my wish list. cg
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Post by Guest on Nov 7, 2005 11:27:35 GMT -5
Hi. Sorry for posting in the wrong thread but I've got a quick and quite silly question which I can't get it out of my mind and I need some help from you guys... In which episode did Steele started wearing the gold bracelet? Was it in Season 2 or 3? Thanks in advance. Yay my Season 2 is shipping soon from Amazon. Can't wait for it to arrive.
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Post by Ace on Nov 7, 2005 13:50:15 GMT -5
I can't recall when Steele didn't wear the ID bracelet (which I think was silver). Good question. CG, you have never seen Captain Blood? That's just sad. It's a magnificent film, and hard to believe it's 26 yr old Errol Flynn's first lead role. It's his best role, maybe even in better than Robin Hood. Oh, the book is wonderful as well.
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