The Makings of a Good P.I. Show - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T08:09:59Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/537324:Topic:21618?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A21762&feed=yes&xn_auth=noSpencer for Hire had it's mom…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-06-14:537324:Comment:483982007-06-14T04:46:16.259ZMichael C. Jacobshttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Griftwriter
Spencer for Hire had it's moments, and I hear good things about the series of films based on Parker's Jesse Stone novels, who is now that I think about it, not a P.I.
Spencer for Hire had it's moments, and I hear good things about the series of films based on Parker's Jesse Stone novels, who is now that I think about it, not a P.I. I generally enjoyed Magnum, b…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-11:537324:Comment:222282007-04-11T04:30:26.061ZJeremy Lynchhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MysterLynch
I generally enjoyed Magnum, but it was hit and miss. Each season would generally have a couple of episodes that were very good.
I generally enjoyed Magnum, but it was hit and miss. Each season would generally have a couple of episodes that were very good. I take your point about bagga…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-10:537324:Comment:220352007-04-10T22:20:53.091ZGerald Sohttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/gerald986
I take your point about baggage, David, but I also think--given the dwindling time shows have to make an impression--the name recognition could help. Paul mentioned the number of P.I. shows being pitched this season. I wonder how many of those are wholly original.
I take your point about baggage, David, but I also think--given the dwindling time shows have to make an impression--the name recognition could help. Paul mentioned the number of P.I. shows being pitched this season. I wonder how many of those are wholly original. We've been watching ANDY BARK…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-10:537324:Comment:218342007-04-10T16:51:50.092ZDavid J. Montgomeryhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/davidjmontgomery
We've been watching ANDY BARKER and it's mildly amusing, but its legs are shorter than my daughter's. I think it probably would have been canceled already, if not for NBC's anemic line-up and the show's relationship with Conan O'Brien. Too bad, too, because I think Andy Richter is very funny.<br />
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PI stories are just so difficult to do well on TV. For one thing, you need an awful lot of good cases. If you're burning through plots at a rate of 24 per season, you've got to have some damn creative…
We've been watching ANDY BARKER and it's mildly amusing, but its legs are shorter than my daughter's. I think it probably would have been canceled already, if not for NBC's anemic line-up and the show's relationship with Conan O'Brien. Too bad, too, because I think Andy Richter is very funny.<br />
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PI stories are just so difficult to do well on TV. For one thing, you need an awful lot of good cases. If you're burning through plots at a rate of 24 per season, you've got to have some damn creative writers in order to make it work.<br />
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I also think that the genre is so ripe with cliche -- and so implausible in general -- that it's very tough to do it on screen and not have if seem either silly or, at the least, antiquated. We have different expectations when we watch a TV show or film than we do when we read a book, I think.<br />
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As for which character I'd like to see... I'd prefer it be an original creation, rather than an adaptation of a book. At least if you're starting with a fresh scenario and characters, you don't have to deal with the built-in baggage of a book series. As I told Gerald on his Crime…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-10:537324:Comment:218202007-04-10T16:37:55.522ZJackBludishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JackBludis
As I told Gerald on his Crimescene list. Andy lasted less that five minutes with me.
As I told Gerald on his Crimescene list. Andy lasted less that five minutes with me. I agree with you re: Magnum.…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-10:537324:Comment:217742007-04-10T15:51:05.650ZPaul Guyothttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PGuyot
I agree with you re: Magnum. Selleck is always engaging for me, and that went a long way, but there could have been so much more with that show and character. I think a lot of why I watched it was because it was the only PI thing going in the 80's. <br />
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After ROCKFORD, HARRY O, BANACEK, and PETER GUNN, then I'd list MAGNUM.
I agree with you re: Magnum. Selleck is always engaging for me, and that went a long way, but there could have been so much more with that show and character. I think a lot of why I watched it was because it was the only PI thing going in the 80's. <br />
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After ROCKFORD, HARRY O, BANACEK, and PETER GUNN, then I'd list MAGNUM. I'm ambivalent about MAGNUM.…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-10:537324:Comment:217622007-04-10T15:23:48.084ZGerald Sohttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/gerald986
I'm ambivalent about MAGNUM. I never fully "got" the character's mix of macho action and juvenile humor. I read that Magnum was originally planned as a James Bond-type with a girl on each arm, but Tom Selleck wanted to play someone more flawed and Bellisario changed things around. Magnum had personality for sure, and that's half the battle, but I don't like the way he always seemed to be mooching off Rick and T.C. Not to mention Robin Masters.<br />
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Can't beat Magnum's theme song or locale, of…
I'm ambivalent about MAGNUM. I never fully "got" the character's mix of macho action and juvenile humor. I read that Magnum was originally planned as a James Bond-type with a girl on each arm, but Tom Selleck wanted to play someone more flawed and Bellisario changed things around. Magnum had personality for sure, and that's half the battle, but I don't like the way he always seemed to be mooching off Rick and T.C. Not to mention Robin Masters.<br />
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Can't beat Magnum's theme song or locale, of course, and Selleck has been great in other things. John Rickards' Alex Rourke bo…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-10:537324:Comment:217362007-04-10T15:07:03.547ZSandra Ruttanhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Sandramre
John Rickards' Alex Rourke books - I'd love to see made for tv movies (I think that's the format they'd best suit, not a tv show).
John Rickards' Alex Rourke books - I'd love to see made for tv movies (I think that's the format they'd best suit, not a tv show). I always thought Lehane's Ken…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-10:537324:Comment:217332007-04-10T15:06:07.999ZPaul Guyothttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PGuyot
I always thought Lehane's Kenzie and Gennaro would make a great series. I was LA last week and heard GREAT things about the Affleck-directed movie GONE BABY GONE.<br />
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Rockford was easily the best PI series. I think Magnum did a wonderful job of using voice-over. Peter Gunn was brilliant for its time, imo. I still love watching those.<br />
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I think the two most underrated PI shows ever were HARRY O, and BANACEK. I'd rank them ahead of Magnum.<br />
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I really hope ABC gives MARLOWE a chance this fall, and…
I always thought Lehane's Kenzie and Gennaro would make a great series. I was LA last week and heard GREAT things about the Affleck-directed movie GONE BABY GONE. <br />
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Rockford was easily the best PI series. I think Magnum did a wonderful job of using voice-over. Peter Gunn was brilliant for its time, imo. I still love watching those. <br />
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I think the two most underrated PI shows ever were HARRY O, and BANACEK. I'd rank them ahead of Magnum. <br />
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I really hope ABC gives MARLOWE a chance this fall, and doesn't muck with it too much. From what I've seen so far, it could be good, but only if there is little network interference - something that will only happen if it's an immediate ratings grabber. <br />
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It's funny how cyclical the biz is. I pitched a single lead PI idea all over the place in 2004 and 2005, and was told across the board that the PI show was dead. Now, this development season there are a bunch of PI shows, most of them lousy.