reb-warrior Reviews

Family Ties: Beauty and the Bank (1986) Season 5, Episode 5

Alex should have been fired.

[5/10 · 1 May 2024]

As much as I love and enjoy the character of Alex P. Keaton, I just can't give him a pass on this one. Maybe it's because of how things are in current times vs the 80s. However, I think in that time period this would have still been considered unacceptable by society. Indeed many of the characters saw Alex's behavior as a real problem.

Alex was disrespectful to his new female boss from day one. As time went on, he engaged in sexist, patronizing, and even sexually harassing behaviour.

To. His. Boss.

He really should have been dismissed on day one. Alex is republican and so therefore maybe his atrocious behaviour does go along with that ideology. This isn't me. This is what is shown in the show. He has a really low view of a woman's place in the world, especially in the workplace.

They gloss over this, after all, Alex is the central draw to the show, by having his boss work things out with him and Alex, apologizing and changing his opinion of working for a female boss, and she forgiving him. But this was all a little weak. A real lesson would have been him being fired. It's a comedy show so they just keep it light and everything resolved.

Anyway, not my favourite episode. I didn't like Alex very much here. He was cringe-worthy. Very weak to have his boss forgive his disgusting behaviour. 5/10.

Family Ties: O'Brother: Part 2 (1987) Season 5, Episode 14

Middle age crisis or just a fella doing what he has really always wanted.

[8/10 · 1 May 2024]

This is a review of both parts 1 and 2 as I cannot tell where I left off and started. It's all one to me.

I initially thought Steven and the family were over-the-top reacting to Steven's brother getting divorced. I mean that happens all the time, right? Alex wants to reject the idea because it seems impossible to him since Rob is a Republican. Lol.

However, upon seeing the second part, I think it does make sense for Steven, Elyse and the kids to be hurt. Rob and Maureen were married for 25 years with the kids growing up with her as "Aunt Maureen." She is part of the family and a close friend and still their aunt(IMO) despite her and Rob getting divorced. Andy is funny because he is so little and has never met Maureen before and keeps asking who is his Aunt Maureen. Lol.

Rob appears to be having a midlife crisis. Going out dancing and dating younger women. But it struck me as interesting when Rob said he has never lived on his own. He did everything his parents wanted. By the book, so to speak. He was never able to be true to himself about the things he loved and wanted to do. He did what his parents wanted him to do. I do fault the guy, however, for the way he ended his marriage, by simply walking away and not addressing his responsibilities, especially to Maureen and his children.

My favorite line which made me laugh out loud was when Steven said he could not go out with Rob and his date because he was making tapioca. Lol. I had forgotten how square and funny he was. I just started doing a rewatch on Pluto TV, watching the channel. So I'm all out of order. Anyway, I haven't even heard of tapioca since the 80s myself. We used to eat it all the time in my family. This show really takes you back in time. 8/10.

Baywatch: Charlie (1997) Season 8, Episode 5

They didn't have to do this episode

[8/10 · 24 April 2024]

They didn't have to do this episode based on a dying kid from cancer. They didn't have to have the real-life kid, Charlie Hayes, on the set as his last wish. They didn't have to cast Michael Cuccione, who had cancer in real life, as Charlie. But they did. They did. They did. They could have went with a lighter fluffier camera ogling hot bodies episode as usual. But they didn't. Even though that was their winning formula. I give the producers and the show credit for doing this episode which is one of the better ones in the later seasons.

A big huge damper for me was April. I just thought she was so awful to her mother and by extension, to her brother.

Maybe the real Charlie Hayes was on to something given his last wish was to visit the Baywatch set. There is an inherent goodness about the characters. And the characters do save lives, sometimes bringing them back from "death." Mitch, Hobie, and the rest of the gang were wonderful to Charlie. The character. That was really nice and heartwarming to see.

Bittersweet seeing the real Charlie at the end on the set. Looks like the cast really made him feel welcome and cherished. He passed away. Sad to also learn that Michael Cuccione, who played Charlie, also passed away years later.

Anyway, one of the rare times when I wonder whether this show may be underrated. As I myself don't have a wonderful view of the show and only gave it a 5/10 overall. However, this episode deserved higher than that. 8/10.

Baywatch: Lost and Found (1996) Season 6, Episode 18

It's illegal.

[4/10 · 18 April 2024]

Jessie a wheelchair-bound person, wants a walkway or ramp to be built on the beach to lead to the water. CJ tries to figure out different ways to help him. He's only in town for 5 minutes and so wants the thing built right away. He gets frustrated that it can't be done. Then says he is exercising his 1st Amendment right to protest by handcuffing CJ to his wheelchair.

All I could think was that it does not say you are allowed to hold other people captive in the 1st Amendment. Let alone an essential worker such as a lifeguard who may be prevented from a rescue. What he did is illegal. And wrong. They should have totally edited this scene out. It made Jesse, who otherwise appeared to be really intelligent and witty, seem very stupid. I mean it wasn't even a publicity thing. No reporters or cameras or anything.

His call to have the water accessible for wheelchair users is important. However, his execution sucked. You don't give a place 5 minutes to comply and expect the thing to be built in 1 second. This is something he should have been working on months or years before to achieve. He didn't need to be living there and could have worked afar with the disabled community in LA.

The other story with the Vietnamese girl was ok but very cliche, and I think done a lot in TV shows in the 80s. Though, I did like how Mitch and Caroline helped.

There was a sexy building a special wheelchair video montage with Cody and CJ. All I could do was laugh and roll my eyes.

4/10.

Baywatch: Sail Away (1996) Season 6, Episode 17

Did not agree with Mitch's decision about Joey.

[4/10 · 17 April 2024]

I didn't care what the grandparents said, or their so-called story about Joey's mother, Kyla, as a teenager. The fact is, they legally disowned her. It wasn't that she just left and never came back. Or, that the parents simply cut her off. They. Legally. Disowned. Her.

They took legal steps to do this with their only child. Kyla did not leave her child to them to look after in the event of her death, but to Mitch. I think that says a lot. Like maybe the grandfather wasn't being honest when he told his "sad" story to Mitch. I don't care about the credit card story. In fact, given that she was 17, I would say there was a lot they could have done to protest any charges. I mean they disowned her because of money??? I found it interesting he described her as a difficult child and teenager. Blaming his dead daughter entirely. Taking zero responsibility. I mean why on earth did their child end up this way if they were such good and loving parents? I don't care if he jumped in to save Joey. After all, he knew Hobie was there and Mitch was on his way. Hokey and contrived to do this in order to push the idea Joey must go with him. I mean, the issue of raising a child and who is the right person to do that is more complex.

I also felt Mitch betrayed the trust he built with Joey. To hand her off to virtual strangers when he had the opportunity to keep her. Let them have visits, then. No regard for Joey's feelings or Kyla's last wishes.

I had like the father/daughter connection of Mitch and Joey and found it kind of magical. It's not like Joey had to be in every episode if the show kept her. I mean, if this was the issue? Mitch is too busy to raise a kid? It would make him look bad as a character? They could have written around that and came up with something. I also liked that Hobie loved her and took to being a big brother to her right away. Sometimes in life, you make your own family. It's not always about blood. People telling an alleged sad story, does not a good parent make.

Joey will probably end up doing exactly what her mother did when she gets older. Given that the grandparents must have been inept, possibly abusive parents to Kyla. There is a missing piece of the story regarding her as a child/teenager. And the fact she did not leave her child to her parents speaks volumes. Huge red flags, IMO.

There was some other story about a race with some of the other lifeguards. I did not pay much attention to it as it seemed boring and stupid. Anyway, I found the Joey story and how the show got rid of her disappointing. 4/10.

Baywatch: Rescue Bay (1994) Season 4, Episode 18

The show makes fun of themselves

[7/10 · 10 April 2024]

I found another decent episode. Funny, because the show is literally making fun of themselves.

A producer gets the idea to make a show called "Rescue Bay," about lifeguards after seeing some rescues on the beach and Garner capturing a criminal. He pictures babes and actions.

First of all, I always find it funny when any TV show does a show about movies/filmmakers/actors. The characters in the show often look down on the whole process, the actors, and the accuracy. To me, this is hilarious because they are basically talking about themselves.

Here it seems they acknowledge that Baywatch is about hot babes and guys, in swimwear and crazy action with not the greatest acting or stories. They get this big muscled-bound foreign Schwarzenegger-like guy to play a character who is based on Mitch. CJ gets picked to play Stephanie Holden over actual Stephanie, who wanted to play herself. All because she is blonde and very curvaceous. Matt and Summer are played by pretty glam soap opera characters. Billy Warlock, Yasmine Bleeth, and John Allen Nelson are a few actors who came from soap operas. I believe there were many more as regs, recurring, and guests.

There are a few jokes about network television and syndication. Notable, because after the first season, NBC had cancelled Baywatch and then the show continued in syndication and became a huge hit.

Everything about the TV show that the procedure wants to make is exaggerated a little more than the show already exaggerates itself. For example, Garner's character is over-the-top in personality and policing. It's funny.

Anyway, I appreciate an episode like this that admits that even they get it and know what people say about them. 7/10.

Baywatch: Submersion (1993) Season 4, Episode 8

Actual pretty good one where the primary focus is a rescue. No camera ogling of "hot bods" which is good.

[8/10 · 6 April 2024]

I'm surprised by this one. The entire focus was on a rescue. For once I do not believe I caught the camera ogling "hot bods" as is the usual with this show. So in a way, it was kind of refreshing for this series.

Mitch goes to save two brothers who have never swum the ocean before. Earlier he had befriended them. He found out the younger brother, Bobby, was about to have his 10 birthday. Later Mitch plays a little frisbee with them and says to play in a less crowded area.

CJ was looking after another incident and Mitch had to clear a surfer away with a surfboard when he noticed the two brothers struggling in the water. They had gone after the frisbee that landed in the ocean. Anyway, to sum it up Mitch had to make a choice to save one brother first. Unfortunately, the other brother, Bobby, went under before he could get to him too.

Pretty good scenes catching Mitch's conflict in the water and Bobby calling out to him for help, which would later haunt Mitch. Later more great scenes and the boy is found and then the CPR attempts and shocks. No pulse and no breathing. Later at the hospital he does get a pulse and is breathing but remains unconscious and in bad condition overall.

Mitch blames himself tho he cleared and is said to have made the correct decisions. I thought Hasselhoff did a pretty good job expressing his emotions of guilt and anguish. I also really like Hobie comforting his dad.

I think a weak point was the mother who blamed Mitch for not rescuing her son. Where was she and the dad? Nobody said it. Stuff happens I guess. I also heard her say to the older brother in blame "You were supposed to be looking after him." How must that make the older brother feel? The little boy wakes up at convenient timing when Mitch and Stephanie go to the hospital to give him Hobies' lucky marble, which is when the little boy's fingers start moving. It's a miracle! Uh, boy. Then the mother all of a sudden is hunky dory about Mitch and admits he rescued the boy. I'm glad Stephanie pointed out earlier to the mother that Mitch saved both of them including her older son.

I think it might have been more interesting if the little boy didn't make it and the mother stayed angry at Mitch. The emotional impact of that. But this show is too light to go that way.

Anyway, for a show that is usually so superficial with not-great acting, and the camera usually ogling hot bodies, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself liking this one that was focused only and solely on difficult rescue. Really focused on the business of being a lifeguard and the emotional impact of a child submersion and the possible death and/or not recovering. 8/10.

Baywatch (1989–2001)

Beachside Escape with Mixed Results

[5/10 · 27 March 2024]

The series is set against the backdrop of Southern California's stunning coastline. It's appealing in its summery vibe, escapism, and adventure feel.

One of its strengths lies in its visual appeal. The cinematography shines, showcasing the beauty of the California coast with sweeping shots of sandy beaches, crashing waves, and picturesque sunsets. The show did a pretty good job depicting rescue procedures in the water and after the person is rescued. One of the things I want to mention is the amazing job they did filming in water. My understanding is that filming "water scenes" can be incredibly difficult. Yet somehow this show pulled off amazing shots of that, the rescues, underwater, surfing, etc. Another strength for some may be how incredibly light the show is. Some may see it as not to be taken seriously and to simply enjoy the ride, despite terrible writing and not great acting.

There are shortcomings. The show's overly dramatic plotlines and bad acting, especially in later seasons, don't help. The emphasis on showcasing "hot" individuals in swimwear, can admittedly be visually appealing but at the same time seems superficial and sexist toward both men and women.

To be fair, real-life lifeguards did dress like that, and it's at the beach, so the public does really dress like that. You can't fault the realism in that. But the camera ogles people in swimwear, panning up and down individuals. And some scenes, especially the music video montages were set up like sexy photoshoots. Anyway, the flip side is that these scenes may also be a positive for viewers. Just being honest here about what the show tapped into.

The storylines weren't that great. They could be soapy and overly dramatic. Tons of plotholes and lag in stories. Given that the acting wasn't that great, it could make a scene cringeworthy or frankly, laugh-out-loud hilarious at how badly an actor delivered a line and/or their over-the-top facial expression. The music video montages while visually appealing at times, seem like a filler for lack of anything to write.

I think David Hasselhoff and the producers were genius in what they did when they ran this show in syndication after it was cancelled by NBC. I don't know for sure, but I can't help but think that this type of model influenced more shows to air this way, including my all-time favourite show, Xena Warrior Princess. For that, I may owe them a huge thanks.

Anyway, the show offers a beachside escape and adventure appeal with mixed results. Its visual aesthetics and portrayal of rescue procedures are really good. The filming of water scenes are amazing. It's very light. However, it is lacking in writing, acting, and thematic depth. 5/10.

Bonanza: Day of Reckoning (1960) Season 2, Episode 7

I just have to remember it's 1960 Hollywood

[5/10 · 20 March 2024]

I hardly know what to say about this one. I know it's 1960, so I guess I can give some leeway as to the portrayers of Native Americans not being actual Native American actors.

As it is, Matsou and. Hatoya along with other Indian characters don't seem very accurate, IMO. It's a common misconception that Native Americans did not farm. But they, in fact, did. As for the attack, it was Buffalo Bill who said "Every Indian outbreak that I have ever known has resulted from broken promises and broken treaties by the government." That is missing here. I believe that Matsou himself would never have willingly cut his long black hair no matter what. I believe their hair was considered a symbol of pride, strength, and identity.

I think what is also missing is the actual true aspects of Native American culture. When the story begins they have left their tribes and his wife followed the bible.

Ben and his family as the great white saviours couldn't see how helping Matsou and his wife this way would lead to bad consequences. They basically tried to turn them white. Even calling Matsou, Matt.

The commendable part about this episode is that Ben and his sons stood up against bigotry against Native Americans and genuinely wanted to help. Unfortunately their "help" ends up in death and tragedy. Don't get me wrong. I do like the idea of Ben somehow helping/rewarding Matsou for saving his life. But his solution was the wrong answer. 5/10.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)

Endearing comedy.

[7/10 · 20 March 2024]

It's not laugh-out-loud hilarious. I mean there were a couple of those. It was more subtle.

Poor Paul Blart is an underdog, clumsy, and always seems to lose out. But he's a good person, a good father and son, and is a superstar on the Segway. Basically, it's set-up so you root for the guy to defeat the bad guys and get the girl. The unlikely, over-weight hero. I think that's the appeal.

Kevin James does a great job playing a character very opposite of his brash, confident, Doug character from King of Queens. I really liked Raini Rodriguez's character of Maya. She adored her dad and championed him all the way through.

Anyway, I thought it was nice and funny, and charming. A family could watch it. No bad language. It's a light comedy and fun. 7/10.

The Young Riders: Bull Dog (1990) Season 1, Episode 19

I thought Ambrose was a funny endearing character

[8/10 · 18 March 2024]

I thought Ambrose was a funny endearing character. He was so eager to be in "the Wild West." For him, these were his happiest days.

I love the way Ambrose 'Bulldog' grew on the gang and eventually became a cowboy. He kind of grows on the audience too, I think.

In the end, he saves his hero, Hickok, which results in a sad ending for him. I found Brolin's acting here at the end a little ott.

This episode was 100 percent about the guest character, played by Fisher Stevens who did a good job in the role. A little nerdy, but endearing. There wasn't any significant story for the main characters. You know, as in being centric about one of them, which is more usual with this show. Yes, Ambrose admires Jimmy, but all the mains were featured pretty equally.

Another example of the corruption of people in authority doing wrong for greedy land grabs of indigenous people's lands. It's not just fiction. This sort of thing is well-documented.

Anyway, an enjoyable one that is mainly light all the way through except for the ending which is indeed sad. 8/10.

Bonanza: The Mill (1960) Season 2, Episode 4

Weird episode

[4/10 · 14 March 2024]

Tom, a wheelchair-bound man is manipulated by a farmhand, Ezekiel, into thinking there is something going on between his wife, Joyce, and Adam. Then with Ben.

First of all, how does a farmhand get away with all of this? Tom doesn't even like him. Nobody ever heard of firing their own employee before? It was so odd how Tom and Joyce put up with him.

Ezekiel feeds into Tom's jealousy of Adam. Suggesting there is something going on between Adam and Joyce. So this seems to be the premise of the plot, right? But wait, out of nowhere in a sudden flipflop, it then turns out Ben replaces Adam as the one Tom becomes jealous of. Thinking that now Ben and Joyce have something going on. But wait, out of nowhere suddenly Joyce and Ben kiss thereby, making Ezekiel and Tom right. Now suddenly Ben and Joyce are in love. It's weird. Lol.

I kind of wanted Tom to not be killed. I wanted to see his sense of horror once he was sober, at what he had done, gambling away his home and his wife to Ezekiel. And how he was manipulated. They didn't even bother to show when Tom was killed. What exactly was the altercation? How did Tom finally man up to Ezekiel? All of this took place over two days. Lol.

This ain't no Othello. It's Bonanza for goodness sakes. So no.

I don't know what this was. Just a weird episode where everyone was acting odd. This would be a skip-it if I did another rewatch. 4/10.

Murdoch Mysteries: Preacher Jimmy Wilde (2024) Season 17, Episode 16

Such an interesting episode that twist things around. Ted Atherton is a scene stealer.

[8/10 · 13 March 2024]

A flamboyant preacher from south of the border shows up with his revival group and a murder takes place.

To be honest the murder mystery itself was just ok. But it was the main suspect, James Wilde, who dominated the screen in the episode. Great job by Ted Atherton. He is sort of an evangelical only very honest about being a sinner. Lol.

Interesting play on what Wilde was doing and how the Catholic Priests did not like him. He actually made some good points about the differences and similarities between the two worshipping styles. This is where the twisting takes place. Also, on who the actual murderer turns out to be.

Wilde does seem a charlatan, yet he seems to believe in everything he is saying. Frankly, he's kind of funny. At the end when Murdoch goes to confession, you can't help but be reminded of the points Wilde made about Catholicism.

Murdoch made a good point by pointing out to Wilde, that if people really need God, they will seek him out and they don't need Wilde interfering.

Anyway, I thought this was a really interesting episode with a great performance by Atherton, who may have captured correctly, modern-day religious proselytizers.

Bonanza: Death at Dawn (1960) Season 1, Episode 32

Adam was right. Tense episode.

[8/10 · 6 March 2024]

This is actually a very tense episode. Ben is being held hostage so that Farmer Perkins can be released from being hanged. Perkins is a cold-blooded killer. I didn't quite get why Sam Bryant was so keen on saving him. It's not like that man cares about anyone. All are disposable to him. Just arrogance, I think. Thinking he could do anything he wanted and get away with it. God complex? Mobster mentality.

The best part was Adam struggling with what to do. Joe and Hoss were gun hoe to find Ben or let Perkins go. But Adam felt that Bryant would not kill Ben if they went ahead with the hanging. It was a psychological game. The 3 bros argue over it. Ben, who is held hostage, finds out Adam intends to go through with that hanging and is pleased. Having realized there was no way Bryant would hang him because then he would be proven to be a killer and hunted and hanged himself. Ben even says of Adam's intent, "It's what I would do."

I kind of wanted to see a moment of shocking realization on Perkins' face before he was hanged, that it was really happening. He was just so smug. Seeing him be not smug would have been satisfying.

I enjoyed seeing Bryant's fanboy get taken down. But not before he took out Bryant. He was another smug little twerp. I did enjoy seeing his disappointment though, when Bryan walked Ben back into town, having not gone through with hanging Ben.

Would have liked to have seen Joe and Hoss tell Adam he was right, or even Ben say how astute Adam was at reading people and what a good play it was. 8/10.

Bonanza: Bitter Water (1960) Season 1, Episode 29

Jelly much, Todd?

[6/10 · 3 March 2024]

I think what bothered me most was there was no comeuppance for Todd. I mean, he may have been influenced by his future dad-in-law, Len Keith. Yes, Keith did lie to Todd, but only around the second half about the plague and his man getting shot. But before that, Todd was all in for his hatred against the Cartwrights. Despite growing up as neighbours and his father having friendly business agreements with them. When does Todd take responsibility for his own behaviour and actions?

Todd was badmouthing Ben and the Cartwrights to anyone who would listen-then led a posse to a dangerous confrontation with Ben and the gang. After everything is sorted out, Todd doesn't even apologize to the Cartwrights nor his fiance for his behaviour. Everything ends all peachy keen.

I kind of wish his fiance had dumped him. I mean if he acted like that, how would he be after getting married? Especially since he is so gullible.

Otherwise, the episode is decent enough. 6/10.

The Young Riders (1989–1992)

Forgotten western gem from back in the day

[8/10 · 29 February 2024]

I was only 17 years old when this first aired back in 1989. A lot of the Westerns in the 80s had these same old guys that always seemed to be in Westerns. But not this one. It had young beautiful people which appealed to my 17-year-old self.

I just finished doing a rewatch after all these years. It's on Roku.

It's about the Pony Express, which only lasted 18 months and was also near the Civil War start. Which was detrimental to the series length and only lasted 3 seasons of 67 episodes. Although, ironically longer than today's streaming series which tend to have short seasons.

The series consists of Teaspoon, Kid, Hickok(wild Bill Hickok), Cody(Buffalo Bill), Buck, Ike, Lou, Emma, Sam, Rachel, Noah, and Jesse(Jesse James).

Teaspoon played perfectly by Anthony Zerbe, was my favorite character. He was charming, cranky, wise, and colourful. Just an all-around likable fella.

My two next favourites were Buck and Lou.

Buck, played by Gregg Rainwater, was half white and half Kiowa. He was in constant conflict walking two worlds. I also loved that he was so spiritual. I loved his friendship with Ike. He was such an interesting character.

Lou, played by Yvonne Suhor, bucked gender norms by pretending to be male so she could ride with the Pony Express. But as the only girl in the gang, I found her endearing with her glasses and always trying to pull off being male while longing to be very female. She had great scenes with everyone, and I often felt she was sort of like the conscience of the gang. I was so sad to hear the actress passed away a couple of years ago.

Hickok is played by Thanos. I mean Josh Brolin. I think his character had the most centric episodes and screen time. Which was kind of disappointing at times because I wanted to see the more of other characters. Or, let me put it this way, I like it when the whole gang is together in a story backing each other up.

Cody, played by Stephen Baldwin, was pretty much the clown of the gang. Always joking and carrying on.

Ike, played by Travis Fine, had a unique role, in that his character was mute. So he conveyed a lot through gestures and facial expressions. He was Buck's best friend and knew Indian sign language.

Kid, played by Ty Miller, was the all-American clean-cut-looking character always trying to do what was right. I mean they all did, but he was the most vanilla. He had great chemistry with Lou, and their romance was an endearing journey throughout all 3 seasons.

Noah, played by Don Franklin, was a free slave and another interesting character who had a lot of conflicts trying to fit in and at times clashing because he was black. He was not in the first season and came on for the last two.

I liked Emma and Sam. Emma, played by Melissa Leo, would go on to win an Oscar later in life. She was really a very good actress in this series. Sam, played by Brett Cullen, was the marshal who often got the help of Teaspoon and the gang in many situations. They were only there for the first season. Not sure why the actors left.

Rachel, played by Clare Wren, came on in the second season as a mysterious woman who took over as mother of the house from Emma. She was kind and caring.

Jesse, played by Christopher Pettiet, was the infamous Jesse James. He was actually my least favourite character. A hothead and not very likable and frankly annoying. He didn't come on until the last season. I think the actor did a good job with what he was given, but I just didn't connect with the character at all. I read the actor passed away at a very yound age. I was so sorry about that.

This series is light, and not gritty and dark, which is fine by me. Each episode wrapped up nicely. There were themes of bigotry, and racism, especially against blacks and Indians. The approaching war kept getting mentioned as a backdrop to the series. There were also a lot of themes of empathy and compassion, which I think is very important, especially in today's world.

I thought the storytelling was good and the riders were likable. There was a warmth there that I really appreciate, even more today.

The series did not look cheap. You can tell they had a good budget. I mean, the town setting, the horses, the extras as townspeople, the costumes.

I love that there was so much dirt. The riders always dirt on them. You can even see dirt flaring up into stagecoaches. I love this because it seems realistic. The west was rough and dirty. All the riders had scraggly long hair. The Kid was the only clean-cut-looking one.

I was always a little concerned about the horses. There were a lot of stunts with the horses, sometimes seeing them fall on the side, and I wondered if the horses got hurt or died. I hope not. I never heard anything like that.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the rewatch. It was kind of a guilty pleasure back in the day as I appreciated the young beautiful cast. Now I appreciate other things so much more. 8/10.

Bonanza: The Fear Merchants (1960) Season 1, Episode 20

Mirrors what is going today.

[10/10 · 24 February 2024]

I was struck by how much this episode is mirroring what I see going on in the world today. Jimmy, a Chinese teenager is accused of killing a white woman whose family he works for as a stable hand.

Before the main plot above happened, there was a would-be politician, Gene Evans, who was running for mayor, stirring up the populace using fearmongering against the Chinese as his main platform issue. Saying stuff like the Chinese are taking jobs away, and how he wanted a "clean" town as mayor. This led to Hop Sing getting beat up on his way home for simply being Chinese.

The woman killed, was killed by her father in a struggle with a gun. Gene somehow manages to convince the father that Jimmy is to blame. The father goes along seemingly, almost brainwashed. Kind of what cult-like leaders do. They convince people to believe in something that is not true. Unfortunately, some people are gullible and can't think for themselves and go along with it such as the father and the rest of the town. Jimmy is cleared, but not before 3 people are killed, including the father who wanted to tell the truth.

Anyway, I thought the episode did a great job showing racism, and discrimination, and how politicians engage in racism and fearmongering to create platform issues. Vilifying an entire group of people. Creating fear and hate against them. All for a political agenda. This is happening today against groups of people. 10/10.

The Young Riders: Spirits (1991) Season 3, Episode 9

Doesn't seem to know what it's about.

[5/10 · 24 February 2024]

Kind of a weird one where it seems to me it doesn't know what it is about.

It starts off with horse thieves, then it appears that Stolder is an alcoholic and Rachel is reluctant to be near him. You wonder if Rachel had an alcoholic boyfriend or something in the past. Then it turns out Rachel was the alcoholic. Then she and Stolder get drunk. It appears they sleep together. Or Stolder took advantage. Or she was raped by him, especially given her bath in the tub. But then it turns out, according to him, nothing happened. It feels like a scene is missing or something. Throughout all this, there are romantic vibes between the two. He turns out to be not a great influence on Jesse. He reacts violently when drunk. Then he saves the day. After shooting Jesse that is.

See what I mean? It doesn't know what it is. Is it an alcoholic story? Is it a rape story? Is it a romance story?

The was some fun stuff like with the gang trying to break in a colt. This would be a skip-it episode if I were to do another rewatch. It's not awful, but not great. 5/10.

The Young Riders: The Presence of Mine Enemies (1991) Season 3, Episode 5

Sadness as one goes away. Life changing moments. Missed opportunity?

[10/10 · 23 February 2024]

I love the friendship of Ike and Buck on this show.

Ike played by Travis Fine never said a word on the show, yet he conveyed so much emotion with his gestures and facial expressions. I love that he finally found love. I thought Emily was spunky and tough. The actress did a fine job in the role.

I kind of hate that they killed Ike off, but at the same time, the impact on the gang was powerful, especially on his best friend, Buck. These were great touching scenes of Buck with Ike as he lay dying and later when Buck is praying for Ike via his Kiowa beliefs.

Buck killed Neville. In cold blood. The first one of the riders to do something like that. This was a powerful scene with Buck's angry determined face and then with Teaspoon confronting him. Great job by Gregg Rainwater. He crossed a line as Teaspoon had warned and worried Buck would do.

Here's where I think there is a missed opportunity. I feel like Buck had a powerful change in his life, not only when he lost Ike, but when he killed Neville in cold blood. He was such an interesting character walking in two worlds, and struggling with that. I love that he was a spiritual character. I think he could have made for a great spinoff. The show was ending soon anyway as the Pony Express only lasted 18 months in real life, and since Buck is a fictional character, it left room for all kinds of possibilities. They could have written whatever they wanted. Ah well, it's too late now. But the potential was there.

Anyway, one of the best episodes in the series. I will be doing a title review once I complete my rewatch. Don't miss the next episode as we see a little more of how Buck is dealing and find out more about his history with Ike. 10/10.

The Young Riders: The Noble Chase (1991) Season 2, Episode 19

It was ok, but the rest of the gang is missing. Only Hickock

[6/10 · 21 February 2024]

This started out in the first few minutes of the episode with the whole gang, but then quickly turned Jimmy-centric for the rest of the episode. I like Jimmy, but there are a lot of Jimmy-centric episodes in the series and I think he gets more lines and screen time than the others. I love the ones where the whole gang is on a mission, standing up for each other, and helping out together.

Instead, we get Jimmy and these two other guys I don't care about for the entire episode. Although, I will say that Chase with his quirky persona was the best thing about this episode.

The plot itself involving the motivations of Chase was complex and interesting. I rooted for the guy.

It did get a little tired though with Colter having Chase, then Jimmy, then Colter, The Jimmy again, repeat, repeat. I felt like this time could have been better spent having the rest of the gang investigating ulterior suspects/motivations for the robberies which would have backed up, later, Chase's claims.

FYI, the series is currently streaming on Roku. I'm watching again after 30-plus years. No missing episodes.

Anyway, not my favorite, but was still ok. 6/10.

Swiss Family Robinson (1960)

Kind of awful now.

[3/10 · 1 February 2024]

I watched this last night. I haven't seen it since I was a child. It doesn't hold up well.

The family is just so darn cheerful given their circumstances. It's by Disney, so I guess that explains that.

The big bad pirates were brown people. The wonderful good guys were white people. There was a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie about how it may be offensive in its depiction of other cultures. So even Disney knows. You know, I could overlook this, given the context of its times. I have overlooked these types of things in other movies. But the movie had other issues.

One of the things that bothered me the most was the treatment of animals. I could not stand that self-entitled little kid, Francis. "They're my dogs." "That's my elephant." "That's my monkey."That's my tiger." One of the first things the kid does is jump on a turtle on the beach and try and ride it.

They use a turtle to pull a boat in. It's ok because it was the turtle's idea, I guess. The kid tries and catch an elephant by trapping its foot. Essentially staking it out for a tiger. Who was only doing what tigers do. Then they sic the two big dogs on the poor tiger. Both the tiger and the dogs could have been killed or injured. The elephant is so grateful it was saved that it agrees to be a slave worker for these people. Where is the elephant's family???

Later they have a stupid race riding a zebra, ostrich, and mule(goat). In the opening, the father does not want to take the birds on the ship with them and grabs them by their necks tossing them out. The zebra initally ended up being trapped in quicksand which was then a potential food source for other animals. Fritz saves it and the zebra agrees to be a slave allowing poor tired weak Roberta to ride it back home. Too bad for the other hungry animals that may have a family to feed. They trap the tiger in a pit so it can kill the pirates.

I just thought the treatment of animals was horrible. And I'm not even referring to behind-the-scenes. Although, from what I hear, that is pretty atrocious. But before I knew any of that, it's the way the characters treat the animals. What we see on screen. The characters treat the wild animals like they are there for their pleasure. Entitled, ownership, abusive. Disgusting.

Some positives in the movie, are the overall look of the movie. Nice scenery. The treehouse was cool. Then fight with the pirates near the end was intense. Their booby traps were cool.

They didn't do any exploring of the island. They took a boat to explore it that way. Kind of dumb given the waters are very wavy and high.

They all decided to stay and colonize the island except Ernst who is going off to university. They will be part of colonizing the island now. Oh, joy.

There was a series back in the 70s of Swiss Family Robinson. The Canadian version. It was only one season. But it ran for years and years in reruns. I loved it. I found it a few years ago and rewatched it. Talk about a difference. Here the family respected the island, environment, and animals. Indeed there were even lessons learned about animals and the environment. About what was important. About everyone pitching in to gather food and protect the resources and how precious they were. All the kids did little jobs. I remember thinking the series still has family values and taught important lessons about life, animals, and survival. This movie had none of this. It was just silly.

Anyway. I found this movie kind of awful to watch now. 3/10.

The Golden Girls: Ebbtide's Revenge (1990) Season 6, Episode 12

My Baby is Gone

[10/10 · 13 January 2024]

Touching episodes where Sopha lets go of her shame about Phil's cross-dressing and realizes it was ok to love him. It may be hard for some to understand Sophia's view of Phil, but she was from an older generation that followed a traditional culture.

We learn she felt shame about Phil's cross-dressing and wondered what she had done to make him that way. She blamed his wife for not fixing him. The fact is, he was just different, but he was a good man, husband, and father.

Estelle Getty did an amazing job showing her grief for her son at the end. It seemed so believable and such a real moment. I love that Rose was the one who used her skills as a grief counsellor, not to mention a St Olaf's story to finally get Sophia to open up. Blanche and Dorothy are visibly shaken as they watch Sophia break down and finally cry. Great job by all the actresses.

The episodes was still hilarious at times, yet they had this touching sad ending. We finally learned a little bit more about this never-seen enigmatic character of Phil, who was mentioned many times throughout the series, usually laced with humour. It's an episode about acceptance and love.10/10.

Prey (I) (2022)

Naru is kind of awesome

[10/10 · 2 January 2024]

What a difference a few years make. I only saw the first two Predator movies back in the day and then a really awful movie in 2018.

I think what makes this movie special is Naru's story. We are with her the entire time therefore see her struggle, see her contemplating, and watch as she figures things out. We root for her and want her to beat the Predator and also be successful within her village as a hunter. The film did a great job of getting us on her side. In fact, she had character development right before our eyes.

Sometimes I was a little confused at how young the hunters were. There didn't seem to be any older more mature hunters. The hunters all appear to be teenagers, though I am not completely sure. Young adults, perhaps.

I think there is a survivalist aspect as Naru uses her skills to track and heal wounds. The Predator is also tracking.

I don't think acting by anyone was incredibly strong. And the talking sounded, I don't know, too modern American....? For the Comanche in 1719. So these things kind of took me out of it here and there. But eventually, you get past that.

At times I was frustrated with Naru. She was so smart and she was right. Her instincts were spot on. But sometimes she seemed a little inept too. I think this is deliberate and we watch her work her ideas to better methods as she figures the Predator out. It was also frustrating that no one listened to her. They were dismissive. Again, I think deliberate because the audience knows she is right and the filmmakers want us on her side.

I think all the actors have indigenous lineage and that is pretty amazing and wonderful. I love seeing indigenous culture in movies. But what I like here is that it is a story about them. What I mean is, I think many of their own stories have been lost to time and erasure. Mainly what is usually told is all connected to white settlers. I've often wondered what are their stories before the Europeans came. They must have them right? We just don't know what they are. Not that this is a true story but I like that it is so focused on them. Like a legend.

This movie does have French Canadian trappers. But they are not the focus. I kinda didn't mind that the Predator wiped them out. Lol. I especially love that Naru caught that scummy one and staked him out as bait. Karma is a B.

I wonder what happened to the Predator's ship. I love the closing credits with the paintings. That does show 3 alien ships over the village. I wonder what that means?

I thought it was beautifully directed with beautiful scenery. I also love the quietness of it. There's not a ton of dialogue. It's quiet. I like that.

I would love to see more movies like this where indigenous people in North America are the focus, especially in early history, even if it's within the sci-fi/fantasy genre. This is a rewatcher for me. What I mean by that is that I can see myself rewatching this over and over again. I tend to do that with shows and movies I really like. 10/10.

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire (2023)

Well, it seemed like a mishmash of a lot of scifi and fantasy stuff.

[7/10 · 31 December 2023]

Well, it seemed like a mishmash of a lot of sci-fi and fantasy stuff. Marvel meets Star Wars. Throw in some Nazi Germany(that's what Noble looked like and his soldiers), plus some Roman Empire(Noble wants a senate seat), and probably some Greek Mythology, plus some mystical stuff. To top it off, there is the rag-tag team of rebels against the empire.

There's so much stuff going on, one has to ask if there is such thing as too much fantasy, too much sci-fi? Like really overkill of it. Trying to get so many ideas in from those genres. Every cliche, every trope, every mean stare.

I did like the surrealness of it all. The look of it was eye-compelling. I like that it took me away from the real world for a little while, tho there are real-world themes, about war and destruction, about compassion, about power and authoritarian rule, about the power of technology.

The acting at times was not the greatest. Lots of wooden expressions, and weak line delivery right when you need powerful line delivery. Then again some of the lines are very cliche. But other times the acting was ok. But we are not here for the acting, are we?

Some things:

Maybe they should have taken that gigantic bird to fight the realm. Plus the spider lady thingy. Just saying.

Wasn't Kora kind of dumb to trust Kai so quickly and easily?

Jimmy was probably the most interesting character and there was barely any of him. Is he like C3PO? Or Vision(Marvel)? Or some other?

The rag-tag team idea is very cliche.

Anyway, I didn't hate it and will probably watch the second part. However, there isn't anything original here. At the end of the day, it's just an action/adventure and sci-fi/fantasy flick. You can't take it seriously. But it was escapism for me and was interesting enough to keep me there for a couple of hours. 7/10.

The Golden Girls: Old Friends (1987) Season 3, Episode 1

How do they write something so touching and sad and yet have lots of humour? It's magic!

[10/10 · 30 December 2023]

This is such a touching and sad episode. Sophia befriends a man down on the boardwalk on the beach. They meet up all the time and have a beautiful friendship.

It's so sad to realize that something is wrong and that Alvin has Alzheimer's. Estelle Getty hit all the right emotions and expressions. Sophia's conversation with Dorothy is so touching as she realizes what Dorothy is trying to tell her, tho she could tell something isn't right. How sad was it to see Sophia sitting on the bench alone at the end. Teary eyes.

I love seeing Dorothy look out for her mother. I mean she does it all the time but a lot of that is laced with humour.

Then we have some hilarious stuff with Rose, Blanche, and Dorothy. A little girl is holding Rose's bear, Fernando, hostage. Lol. This was so hilarious. I love how Rose got her bear back.

Anyway, I was left wondering how an episode so touching and sad could also have a lot of humour too. It's the magic of talented writing and great performances. 10/10.