I always remember The Fall Guy's invasion on the British TV screens in the 1980s and the typical things added in with the classic opening of "The Unknown Stuntman" song. In fact, this goes to Lee Majors from his earlier stint starring as Steve Austin in Six Million Dollar Man to another Glen A. Larson creation of "The Fall Guy" about the unknown stuntman and so-called bounty hunter Colt (Coltrane?)Seavers. The plots generally worked out fine from starting with Colt's "on screen" stunt work to usually hunting down and tricking criminals whom evade justice being centred mostly in and around Los Angeles with sidekick assistant from a slightly flustered Howie and sparkling Jodie. I like the course of the action scenes, some stunts with the use of a large wheeled pick up and Colt armed with a gun that he normally uses on a film set and fires just blank shots. Some well known guest screen names have appeared on some episodes and quibbles aside, some of the scenes were quite funny when Colt goes knocking on somebody's door usually only to get an edgy and unfriendly welcome along with some of the endings were when Howie outspokenly blew Colt's chances of meeting a girl together with an unplugged food vending machine. Some of the lyrics from The Unknown Stuntman are funny and the most funniest is when it goes; #I might roll a brand new car#. Ha Ha Ha. I wonder how many have rolled about in a brand new car.
25 Reviews
Man, this is just straight-out fun!!!! yeee-haaahhhhh!!!!
jamesbarnshaw1 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
This is just plain fun for me. it is funny,serious & sometimes violent. the perfect afternoon show to lose yourself for an hour. i never got to see lee majors in the 6million dollar man. so this is my first real experience with him (apart from a few film roles). you can never take this series to seriously, its just so entertaining. E.G - just watched an episode where colt,Jodie & Howie, along with some stunt men buddies, break into devils island Mexico to rescue an old flame of colts. colt and his stunt men friends jump out the back of a helicopter on motorbikes!!LOL Jodie throws fake bombs and smoke grenades out of a moving helicopter LMAO!!! and Howie punches his way through the Mexican soldiers. Man its so implausible but thats what makes it soo entertaining. get some friends, some joints (or beers) & settle in for some laughs thrills and spills!!!!!!!!! hell yeahhhhhhhhhhhhh.
What a tv show, so much memories
htep9 June 2021
He's the unknown stuntman, that makes Eastwood look so Fine
gah01511 June 2007
Lee Majors could have been a burned out 70s star during the 80s much like Burt Reynolds and John Travolta, but the former Six Million Dollar Man resurrected his career yet again with "The Fall Guy". Majors played Colt Seavers, a working class Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a bounty hunter. You gotta love a TV show that was brave enough to have it's star walk around with a name like "Colt". The Fall Guy was full of manly macho bravado, right from the iconic opening lyrics, where Colt gets into full country cowboy mode and laments his status as a Hollywood stuntman. Even though that song is clearly grounded in the late 1970s, with it's references to women such as Sally Field, Cheryl Tiegs, Bo and of course Farrah, it continues to play effortlessly well across the decade. You understand the plight of Colt Seavers. He does all the dirty work for guys like Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford (more 70s stars), but he never gets the girl. It always felt right that Lee Majors would sing about celebrities from the 1970s anyway, even in an 80s TV show. Nobody questioned it, it was like oh wait it's Lee Majors singing, well of course he would be singing about Farrah, Bo and Clint Eastwood in 1984.
This isn't the best written TV show, but for a Glen Larson show it sure is. The concept of Hollywood mixing in with bad guys is a hit out of the park. The creators can always give the audience that extra double wink with what they're doing, after all Colt Seavers is a Hollywood stuntman. It's mind bogglingly enticing to wonder what Stephen J. Cannell (a far better writer who was an 80s TV tycoon that specialized in action-humor) could have done with this show. I'll admit nostalgia plays a huge part in my fondness for The Fall Guy. I can actually remember when this show first aired back in the early 80s. I was 6 years old, and this series was sure bet for Wednesday nights. It even had it's own set of Colt Seavers action figures and toy pick truck modeled after the one Lee Major's used on the show, so you knew this show marketed itself at children as well as adults.
There's something so magical about '80s TV, that even silly TV shows like The Fall Guy can
This isn't the best written TV show, but for a Glen Larson show it sure is. The concept of Hollywood mixing in with bad guys is a hit out of the park. The creators can always give the audience that extra double wink with what they're doing, after all Colt Seavers is a Hollywood stuntman. It's mind bogglingly enticing to wonder what Stephen J. Cannell (a far better writer who was an 80s TV tycoon that specialized in action-humor) could have done with this show. I'll admit nostalgia plays a huge part in my fondness for The Fall Guy. I can actually remember when this show first aired back in the early 80s. I was 6 years old, and this series was sure bet for Wednesday nights. It even had it's own set of Colt Seavers action figures and toy pick truck modeled after the one Lee Major's used on the show, so you knew this show marketed itself at children as well as adults.
There's something so magical about '80s TV, that even silly TV shows like The Fall Guy can
Cheesy good
VetteRanger15 April 2023
LOTS of us were Lee Majors fans coming out of the 60s and 70s. From his first big splash as Heath Barkley through the Six-Million-Dollar Man, Majors entertained us with his good looks and leading-man charisma. I can say that even as a guy. LOL
The Fall Guy was a great idea. Combining stunts with the first popular bail-bond agent concept. This was years before that long-haired guy in Hawaii. ;-)
"Howie" was more irritating that entertaining, but the show survived that, and ran a surprising five seasons. I'd have given it two, and that's probably how long we watched it before it ran it's course with us. Now we've picked it back up where we can binge it, and we'll likely watch all five seasons now. The episodes were entertaining but forgettable, so we'll be surprised at the stories all over again.
The Fall Guy was a great idea. Combining stunts with the first popular bail-bond agent concept. This was years before that long-haired guy in Hawaii. ;-)
"Howie" was more irritating that entertaining, but the show survived that, and ran a surprising five seasons. I'd have given it two, and that's probably how long we watched it before it ran it's course with us. Now we've picked it back up where we can binge it, and we'll likely watch all five seasons now. The episodes were entertaining but forgettable, so we'll be surprised at the stories all over again.
I could never really deal with Steve Austin in this
whatch-179315 May 2021
Heh, the show is ok, but I grew up with The Six Million Dollar Man from a very young age. When this started I was 11 or so, and probably vaguely understood acting and actors, but it still seemed so weird :).
But it's certainly good to see that Lee Majors was continuing to have great success.
But it's certainly good to see that Lee Majors was continuing to have great success.
Fun, entertaining show with action & humour aplenty
TonyAtTheMovies29 July 2014
Both seasons of this show offer good, undemanding entertainment with a nice blend of action and humour. Perfect viewing for a Sunday afternoon, or whenever you want to relax & be entertained by a TV show, I'd say.
Good idea to have a trio (sometimes quartet) of main characters – this brings a nice interaction between a group of regular characters which fills out the show and gives it an extra lift, adding personality to the show (a regular writer's technique, but always good to see it in action and working as well as it does here).
Some episodes also feature circa 1980s Country music on their soundtracks – though some of this was changed for the DVD releases because of copyright - so the show can be pretty easy on the ear too!
Good idea to have a trio (sometimes quartet) of main characters – this brings a nice interaction between a group of regular characters which fills out the show and gives it an extra lift, adding personality to the show (a regular writer's technique, but always good to see it in action and working as well as it does here).
Some episodes also feature circa 1980s Country music on their soundtracks – though some of this was changed for the DVD releases because of copyright - so the show can be pretty easy on the ear too!
Excellent show!
Alsmoviereview9 December 2019
An excellent much loved show from my childhood that I still enjoy today. Great storylines and action. It still doesn't have a full complete release on DVD or Blu Ray (only the first 2 seasons with no plans to release the rest, apparently down to poor sales, really?), which is criminal considering pretty much every 80s show, even the rubbish ones have. I hope someday soon I will be able to watch the later seasons again.
The glorious 80s, when a season really meant 24 episodes - man up!
safenoe25 September 2016
The Fall Guy represented an era when actors and actresses really had to earn their pay by getting ratings across 24 episodes in a season, unlike now where a season can run for 8 episodes and rate 1.5 on a good night, and be considered a "critical breakout success" because they cover "politically correct" agenda items. Of course due respect to those who do that kind of 8 episode work.
The Fall Guy was one of the best of the 80s and it's an era that in some ways reflected the glory days of Reagan-Bush (the Bush Sr), with no action spared, an incredibly attractive Heather Thomas (she should have got her own show), and Lee Majors being The Man. No time for being distracted by social issues if you know what I mean.
The Fall Guy was one of the best of the 80s and it's an era that in some ways reflected the glory days of Reagan-Bush (the Bush Sr), with no action spared, an incredibly attractive Heather Thomas (she should have got her own show), and Lee Majors being The Man. No time for being distracted by social issues if you know what I mean.
OK Fluff and Passable Action Comedy
quitwastingmytime16 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Not Shakespeare, not even Gunsmoke. It was a show built around stock footage of stunts from lesser known Hollywood films.
So the show had Majors for his adolescent fans. It had a cheesecake male and female to lust after. Neither "actor" was ever heard from again after this series.
The main thing it remains known for was setting off the trend of country western fans with ridiculously jacked up that would tip over while turning. The hick version of overpriced rims on your car.
So the show had Majors for his adolescent fans. It had a cheesecake male and female to lust after. Neither "actor" was ever heard from again after this series.
The main thing it remains known for was setting off the trend of country western fans with ridiculously jacked up that would tip over while turning. The hick version of overpriced rims on your car.
What a "Guy"....
Mister-64 July 2000
Ahh, the '80s - what a decade: big hair, faded denim, ankle-high boots...and that was just Heather Thomas alone!
"The Fall Guy" was a guy's show, plain and simple. Produced by action-meister Glen Larson (along with TV shows "Battlestar: Galactica", "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century", "BJ and the Bear" and "The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo"), it followed the same tried-and-true formula of lots of action, explosions, fights, tough guys doing tough things...and, of course, beautiful women.
They had the tough guys covered with "The Six Million Dollar Man" himself Lee Majors as Colt Seevers (See? Even a tough name!), a stunt man who moonlights as a bounty hunter.
His partner is nephew Howie Munson (Doug Barr), a guy who is a semi-genius (having been in countless colleges) and fancies himself a stunt man also, in spite of the fact that he ends up getting the worst of the situation usually.
And then there's Jody Banks (the blossom of womanhood herself - Heather Thomas), who was as rough and tough as they come, but looked a HECK of a lot better in swim-wear than her fellow stunt men!
Every week they were bringing felons back to justice, saving towns from outlaw bikers, fighting against evil UFOs, finding themselves surrounded by beautiful women and, every once in a while, big name guest stars (Buddy Hackett, William Conrad, Barry Newman, Richard Burton (!!!), Shecky Greene) - even Roy Rogers came by for two shows! What talent!
No wonder it stayed on the air as long as it did; it had everything a male chauvinist pig could want in a TV show. Even, for a few seasons, Markie Post (and if you've never seen Markie in a bikini, you HAVE to watch this show!!).
It lives on in syndication and, naturally, finds new generations of fans every time it's on. So, join the legion of fans who forever cheer, "Viva la "Fall Guy!" - you won't be alone.
Ten stars and a set of gold-plated elbow pads for "The Fall Guy" - and let's hear it for that Fall GIRL!
"The Fall Guy" was a guy's show, plain and simple. Produced by action-meister Glen Larson (along with TV shows "Battlestar: Galactica", "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century", "BJ and the Bear" and "The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo"), it followed the same tried-and-true formula of lots of action, explosions, fights, tough guys doing tough things...and, of course, beautiful women.
They had the tough guys covered with "The Six Million Dollar Man" himself Lee Majors as Colt Seevers (See? Even a tough name!), a stunt man who moonlights as a bounty hunter.
His partner is nephew Howie Munson (Doug Barr), a guy who is a semi-genius (having been in countless colleges) and fancies himself a stunt man also, in spite of the fact that he ends up getting the worst of the situation usually.
And then there's Jody Banks (the blossom of womanhood herself - Heather Thomas), who was as rough and tough as they come, but looked a HECK of a lot better in swim-wear than her fellow stunt men!
Every week they were bringing felons back to justice, saving towns from outlaw bikers, fighting against evil UFOs, finding themselves surrounded by beautiful women and, every once in a while, big name guest stars (Buddy Hackett, William Conrad, Barry Newman, Richard Burton (!!!), Shecky Greene) - even Roy Rogers came by for two shows! What talent!
No wonder it stayed on the air as long as it did; it had everything a male chauvinist pig could want in a TV show. Even, for a few seasons, Markie Post (and if you've never seen Markie in a bikini, you HAVE to watch this show!!).
It lives on in syndication and, naturally, finds new generations of fans every time it's on. So, join the legion of fans who forever cheer, "Viva la "Fall Guy!" - you won't be alone.
Ten stars and a set of gold-plated elbow pads for "The Fall Guy" - and let's hear it for that Fall GIRL!
The Fall Guy
jimmybarrett-254749 December 2018
Best Theme Song Ever!
gusfaute27 September 2017
Fall Guy was a really fun show. Lee Majors is great. Also I think he must have had a seriously big horse shoe in his pocket because he just went from hit show to hit show from the 1950's through down to the 1980's, The Big Valley to The Six Million Dollar Man to The Fall Guy... even now he is on Ash vs. The Evil Dead and looks about the same as he did in the eighties! The show has a lot of great action in it. If you like 1980's era cop shows and car chase scenes especially where the cars flip and smash and blow up, this is a great show for you.
But there is also a surprising amount of comedy in this show and it still holds up as funny and entertaining although the stories and action scenes are pretty dated and not as slick as you would see in shows today. Lots of hot ladies and guest stars galore too.
But there is also a surprising amount of comedy in this show and it still holds up as funny and entertaining although the stories and action scenes are pretty dated and not as slick as you would see in shows today. Lots of hot ladies and guest stars galore too.
Great Show!
jasonw-4395818 January 2022
Back when television wasn't so much reality... This show was a little far-fetched at times, but it was TV. Nowadays, people want everything to be so much in reality. I liked the plot, the actors, and I felt like I knew them and could relate to them. I would recommend this to anyone as a good, must-watch tv show. I just wish the last three seasons were available on dvd.
Great if you're 13 years old
nitestar957 February 2022
I remember watching this when I was in primary and jr high; it was terrific. Then I started watching it in reruns as an adult, and boy, what a letdown. Let's just say that it was terrific when I was a kid, much like so many other shows. But it loses a lot, when it basically comes down to watching dumb people doing dumb things. You know, the type of stuff where you think to yourself, 'What kind of an idiot would do that?'
Yes, It's great if you like such things starring people who specialize in doing things preceded by 'Hold my beer, watch this'. Dumb and dumber. Lots of sophomoric humor, if that's what you enjoy. On the up side, it will keep your middle school nephew entertained quite well.
This show raised the Bar.
mm-392 June 2003
Sure, this show had holes in it, it is cheesy, but I loved it. In Junior High I grew up on this, and it influenced me greatly. I can not watch boring sit coms, which maybe have 2 sets, or even cheaper made reality tv shows. Do I really care who gets voted off the island , or can keep their hand on a rock for 2 hours. After years of watching Colt drive through a china shop with his truck, use the trailer part of the truck which is used to move cars as a ramp, use a a rocket pack and hang onto the side of a chopper. All in a hour show! This show raised the bar high. My wife hates Heather Thomas. and says she's there for her anatomy, with her lines "Colt he's got a gun or "Oh Colt." Howie was funny, and added good comedy. The Unknown stunt man theme was great. I loved the time some thugs beat up an identical truck to Colt's and he drives off with the real one and these 2 huge guys leaving the bar say, "hey what did you to my truck." Speaking of trucks I think that truck must have started the SUV craze, with the imprint it left on many 30 and 40 year olds minds. I love the Mad comic spoof on this show. A must watch.
Excellent and Enjoyable Show!
shaferm-2272413 November 2023
I have Always enjoyed this program and it is nice that it is still around and in demand on d.v.d. I enjoyed watching Lee Majors every week in the 1970's Six Million Dollar Man and was happy when he came back with this terrific show. It is down to earth fun without the Garbage Of Today. Today is all about murdering people and these kids now supposedly adults, get off on watching their fellow man get his head cut off or shot up? This was never meant to be a major drama as some with No taste are calling it Cheesy. There are a few different meanings to that word and I feel that it is being used Wrong. This is a cut and dry program of a man that does stunt work and Bounty hunting to pay the bills in between gigs. It is lighthearted and each week it makes a point of having fun yet also getting the bad guy. It shows that hard work and honesty between friends and the law does pay off and the good guys in the world Do have a place. Lee Majors is still around today in his low Eighties. Lee has worked with some big time actors and actresses. He also played in The Big Valley western with all of those Great people don't forget. I highly recommend this show if you want to kick back, relax, laugh and have Fun without people getting murdered every moment. If That is your thing, Go To A Mental Hospital or Watch Something Else!
Trivia: The creation of The Fall Guy - How and why it came about.
dfent899812 February 2011
Some time back I was visiting David Sommerville, lead singer for the 50's doo-wop band The Diamonds ('Little Darlin'/'Why Do Fools Fall In Love') who was at the time, living in David (Kung Foo) Carradine's shack (literally) above Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills. Looking around I joked with him that he must have stolen the idea for the outdoor bathtub from the opening credits of 'The Fall Guy' where Lee Majors is seen soaking with a stogy clenched firmly in his teeth. I was informed it was quite the opposite -
David was hired to do the music for a couple of TV specials chronicling the life of stuntmen by his friend and fellow composer; television producer Glen A. Larson. Shortly after, David began writing in anticipation of another installment of the series which never saw the light of day. While vacationing at Glen's place in Hawaii, he'd discovered the unused sheet music buried in his guitar case and as he began playing he caught Glen's attention. Wheels spinning, he changed the original name in the opening verse to Farah; "Well, I'm not the kind to kiss and tell but I've been seen with Farah", and picked up the phone -
As fate would have it, the 'The Six Million Dollar Man' had just been canceled so, with Majors on the other end they sang him the (soon to be theme) song; 'The Unknown Stuntman' and the television series 'The Fall Guy' was born. Now, about that bath tub -
Having been to the quirky Carradine/Sommerville "ranch" with it's tree-house house, outdoor plumbing and combination horse stables/guest quarters, Glen thought it was the perfect setting for the residence for his new lead character; Stuntman/Private Investigator, Colt Seavers..... Only in Hollywood!
David was hired to do the music for a couple of TV specials chronicling the life of stuntmen by his friend and fellow composer; television producer Glen A. Larson. Shortly after, David began writing in anticipation of another installment of the series which never saw the light of day. While vacationing at Glen's place in Hawaii, he'd discovered the unused sheet music buried in his guitar case and as he began playing he caught Glen's attention. Wheels spinning, he changed the original name in the opening verse to Farah; "Well, I'm not the kind to kiss and tell but I've been seen with Farah", and picked up the phone -
As fate would have it, the 'The Six Million Dollar Man' had just been canceled so, with Majors on the other end they sang him the (soon to be theme) song; 'The Unknown Stuntman' and the television series 'The Fall Guy' was born. Now, about that bath tub -
Having been to the quirky Carradine/Sommerville "ranch" with it's tree-house house, outdoor plumbing and combination horse stables/guest quarters, Glen thought it was the perfect setting for the residence for his new lead character; Stuntman/Private Investigator, Colt Seavers..... Only in Hollywood!
One Of The Many Classic 1980's Shows
Big Movie Fan27 May 2002
The Fall Guy was just one in a whole list of classic 80's fare such as The A-Team, Dukes of Hazzard and Knight Rider. It featured Lee Majors as bounty hunter Colt Seavers and he was joined by his sidekick Howie Munson who was a bit naive at times. They were also joined by the beautiful Heather Thomas who played Jody Banks.
Like many 1980's action shows The Fall Guy was not to be taken seriously. The plots were crazy, the characters were crazier, the stories were rather mad at times and what can I say about the stunts-they were out of this world. Week after week Lee Majors topped his stunts and did things such as jumping from a plane without a parachute and jumping from tall bridges into water below.
Highly enjoyable series-but when will anyone release it onto video?
Like many 1980's action shows The Fall Guy was not to be taken seriously. The plots were crazy, the characters were crazier, the stories were rather mad at times and what can I say about the stunts-they were out of this world. Week after week Lee Majors topped his stunts and did things such as jumping from a plane without a parachute and jumping from tall bridges into water below.
Highly enjoyable series-but when will anyone release it onto video?
"Great to grow up w/"
treyevan31 January 2006
Simply put, this is one of the best series a boy could grow up watching. Good ol, rowdy fighting, truck driving, red-neck woman watching entertainment. Though it lacked any true story line, the show made up for it in every other aspect. Unlike all of these reality shows that I can't seem to get off my TV. We need a new show that focuses on a regular blue collared no B.S. kind of MAN with morals, big truck, and beautiful blonde assistant.
I would love to see the show available on DVDs. I do however have mixed feelings about a remake of the show. Some things shouldn't be altered. However, if there is one made, I need to get on the ball and buy a truck like the one Colt had,(love to have one anyway) but now the price value more than triples after a movie is made w/ a great vehicle.
I would love to see the show available on DVDs. I do however have mixed feelings about a remake of the show. Some things shouldn't be altered. However, if there is one made, I need to get on the ball and buy a truck like the one Colt had,(love to have one anyway) but now the price value more than triples after a movie is made w/ a great vehicle.
Classic Eighties Primetime TV
JamesPP4 March 1999
Another classic teatime viewing experience from Glen Larson. Totally mindless, relaxing formulaic Larson stuff. The success and longevity of his series prove that old formulas work and this 5 year series was no exception. Colt , Howie and Jodie (most male viewers reason to watch!) were to the 80's what Xena is to a new generation.
One of those few...
arkay23 June 2002
80s shows that you can still enjoy today. This cannot be said about many of the other shows out there at that time (Knight Rider, A-Team, all the ones I can't even recall anymore). Got to love that title tune sung by Lee himself as well :)
Comparing to Zena is harsh
davidcarr14 August 2001
Fall guy was a show with mediocre acting, sometimes cheesy plots, and yes, much appeal was the scantily dressed women. But I liked it. And I did not at all like Zena. I think there is a major difference that has not been addressed. Even though most of these episodes of Fall Guy were kinda cheesy, they had a morality factor that is lacking in most shows now. These guys were usually trying to get the bad guy, help the good guy, and survive themselves. I would like to think that was a large part of the appeal. And the fact that who was good and bad was very obvious was also a big part of it. It made the destruction, violence, and hot women all the better. Zena of the 80's?...Thats a little rough. Ok, thats my 2 cents.
DC
DC
The BEST action-adventure series of ALL TIME!!!
Supesbaby17 August 2004
I have been a fan of this series for a long while. It is a recipe for ultimate entertainment:...start with a dash of real man macho stunts, throw in a pinch of T & A sex appeal, add a big-ass explosion or two, mix with some genuine humour and saute with some classic one-liners and super surprise guest stars. Bake for an hour and top off with a car chase and crash. Voila! You are in for a real treat.
This show may never be mistaken for a Shakespearean drama, but it sure is a lost classic in it's own right. This show is NEVER dull. Be thankful that Al Gore or John Kerry never made an appearance(though it was edited by Howard Deane in season four). Some episodes were downright gripping, poetic and contained a powerful message such as "A Hundred Miles a Gallon"(lost love and a look at a road not traveled by Colt), "The Life of Riley"(the heartbreak of a child abduction with excellent acting and unique direction to boot), "Trauma"(the tragedy of losing someone you care about) and "Boom"(a serious and hard look at terrorism...years before 911 or the Oklahoma City bombing).
There were also certain episodes that had non-stop action and thrilling pacing like "Death Boat", which was a humorous opposite to "The Love Boat." This second season show was loaded with incredible eye-popping stunts such as a semi truck utterly destroying a house, a pickup truck and a car(with a fishing boat in tow, no less) blowing up a gas station after a crash into the fuel pumps, a boat chase and gun battle that leads to a boat bursting into flames and igniting, a car chase on a winding cliffside road between a convertible and Colt hanging from a HELICOPTER by a ladder(as seen in the opening titles in season 2-5) which climaxes with the car going over the edge of a cliff and falling apart upon impact of the rocks AND MORE!!! Hell, most feature films these days don't give you so much raw energy!
I could go on and on since I own every episode on video and I currently have 90 uncut 16mm film prints of this series of 110 episodes(I count them by the story, not the hour...hence the 2 hour episodes "The Fall Guy" and "Colt's Outlaws" are counted once and FILM is the ONLY WAY to fully appreciate this fine and underrated series, I might add), but in closing I will say that I am perplexed as to why garbage shows such as "Macgyver" and "Knight Rider"(by Glen A. Larson, who created The Fall Guy, natch) are currently seen on TWO DIFFERENT cable networks taking up airtime while a true original sits on the shelf collecting dust. At the time that I type this on August 17th, 2004 U.S. President George W. Bush is engaged in a tense Presidential re-election campaign. Most in Hollywood are against the President. Perhaps those out in California at Twentieth Century Fox see a similarity between the no nonsense take-charge character Colt Seavers(who has been called a "cowboy" in several episodes just as the President has) and the President and they don't want his southern sense of action to become popular until after the 2004 U.S. election? Just a theory.
TRIVIA QUESTION: What is Howard "Howie" Munson's real first name?
This show may never be mistaken for a Shakespearean drama, but it sure is a lost classic in it's own right. This show is NEVER dull. Be thankful that Al Gore or John Kerry never made an appearance(though it was edited by Howard Deane in season four). Some episodes were downright gripping, poetic and contained a powerful message such as "A Hundred Miles a Gallon"(lost love and a look at a road not traveled by Colt), "The Life of Riley"(the heartbreak of a child abduction with excellent acting and unique direction to boot), "Trauma"(the tragedy of losing someone you care about) and "Boom"(a serious and hard look at terrorism...years before 911 or the Oklahoma City bombing).
There were also certain episodes that had non-stop action and thrilling pacing like "Death Boat", which was a humorous opposite to "The Love Boat." This second season show was loaded with incredible eye-popping stunts such as a semi truck utterly destroying a house, a pickup truck and a car(with a fishing boat in tow, no less) blowing up a gas station after a crash into the fuel pumps, a boat chase and gun battle that leads to a boat bursting into flames and igniting, a car chase on a winding cliffside road between a convertible and Colt hanging from a HELICOPTER by a ladder(as seen in the opening titles in season 2-5) which climaxes with the car going over the edge of a cliff and falling apart upon impact of the rocks AND MORE!!! Hell, most feature films these days don't give you so much raw energy!
I could go on and on since I own every episode on video and I currently have 90 uncut 16mm film prints of this series of 110 episodes(I count them by the story, not the hour...hence the 2 hour episodes "The Fall Guy" and "Colt's Outlaws" are counted once and FILM is the ONLY WAY to fully appreciate this fine and underrated series, I might add), but in closing I will say that I am perplexed as to why garbage shows such as "Macgyver" and "Knight Rider"(by Glen A. Larson, who created The Fall Guy, natch) are currently seen on TWO DIFFERENT cable networks taking up airtime while a true original sits on the shelf collecting dust. At the time that I type this on August 17th, 2004 U.S. President George W. Bush is engaged in a tense Presidential re-election campaign. Most in Hollywood are against the President. Perhaps those out in California at Twentieth Century Fox see a similarity between the no nonsense take-charge character Colt Seavers(who has been called a "cowboy" in several episodes just as the President has) and the President and they don't want his southern sense of action to become popular until after the 2004 U.S. election? Just a theory.
TRIVIA QUESTION: What is Howard "Howie" Munson's real first name?
best of the magnum clones
shipes_j20 July 2006
in a time that was mostly spent remembering pop culture of the sixties and seventies....the eighties have sneaked in now as a nostalgic frame capturing its own spot of fame and remembrance...largely due perhaps to all the sick programming that we have to endure nowadays on the tube..,,,so in turn....the shoot em up action shows prominent in the eighties have taken on a fresh and longing escape from "reality TV"
starting with magnum and the dukes of hazzard...the stage was set for the copycats to go to work....and in the same egg on your face kind of humor...the fall guy compliments sellecks mannerisms well....it makes you respect colt all the more that he is victimized and has to play it by ear...all the while making a serious set of circumstances seem somehow comical...
its an all too familiar trend in TV...one hit produces an onslaught of dups....but in the case of the fall guy...it was done with clever taste and style even though the general theme was on action and adventure...like so many of the eighty TV shows...ending with the most outlandish....the A team.......which basically saturated the genre and closed the door on it..
the bottom line is that I like the series much more now than I did when it was on network TV.....I don't know why someone hasn't decided to do a movie of it like they have with so many other TV series.....
starting with magnum and the dukes of hazzard...the stage was set for the copycats to go to work....and in the same egg on your face kind of humor...the fall guy compliments sellecks mannerisms well....it makes you respect colt all the more that he is victimized and has to play it by ear...all the while making a serious set of circumstances seem somehow comical...
its an all too familiar trend in TV...one hit produces an onslaught of dups....but in the case of the fall guy...it was done with clever taste and style even though the general theme was on action and adventure...like so many of the eighty TV shows...ending with the most outlandish....the A team.......which basically saturated the genre and closed the door on it..
the bottom line is that I like the series much more now than I did when it was on network TV.....I don't know why someone hasn't decided to do a movie of it like they have with so many other TV series.....
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