Reviews

I watched this show every week as a kid - I'm 56. I liked it a lot but being around 10 I don't think I really appreciated all it had to offer. Compared to what's on TV these days (I know this makes me sound old. OK, point taken.) the writing was very good. The interplay between Lucas & Mark was genuine; I understand they were fast friends until Connors' death. The only thing I didn't understand was why North Fork even needed a sheriff; Lucas bailed Micah out nearly every week. Oh, well....

It's running on Encore right now. I'm just glad to see that somebody in authority has realized that these old shows shouldn't be dismissed just because they were filmed in black & white. It's the quality of the product that matters. I'm hoping to see Have Gun Will Travel, The Life & Legend of Wyatt Earp, The Rebel, and other shows of this era soon too.

Growing up in Philadelphia in the '50s this was on TV every night for at least a week prior to Christmas. Somehow my sister and brothers and I never got tired of it. Even back then we could see that it was pretty primitive - you could almost see the hand making the camels 'walk' as they carried the Wise Men to Bethlehem. That was part of the charm, I think.

For the longest time it disappeared from the screen, and as I married and had children of my own I regretted that they would not be able to see it and enjoy it as I had. Then somehow our local PBS affiliate got ahold of it and started playing it during pledge drives at Christmas and offering it as an incentive to contribute a donation. That's how I got my copy. My kids were all under ten at the time and I showed it to them. After viewing it a time or two they labeled it as old fashioned and weren't interested in seeing it after that. I was somewhat disappointed, but came to the conclusion that the MTV / Nintendo generation couldn't appreciate it for what it was.

The funny thing is, last evening I was watching TV with my middle daughter - now 19 - and a notorious channel changer, and SHE had the remote. This usually means seeing maybe 5% of 20 programs instead of one whole one. Well, she switched and found The Spirit of Christmas during the Nativity segment, stopped, and we both watched it to the end - no interruptions! I didn't say anything to her about it, but it made me happy to think that maybe it reminded her of when SHE was little. I hope so.

The last thing that gets me is the unnamed host of the show with his inch wide necktie and dark suit saying that this was a gift from 'your phone company'. Pray, whatever phone company is that? Have you seen anything from MCI, Sprint, or Verizon that doesn't have an underlying "buy from me" subliminal message? No? Didn't think so! Don't hold your breath! I should know - I work for one of these guys.

It's a close race but "Taxi" noses out "The Dick Van Dyke Show" as the all-time funniest sitcom in the history of broadcast television. Well written, great cast! I've always called Michael Richards' Kramer on "Seinfeld" the illegitimate son of Jim Ignatowski. It was some breeding ground; the former cast members are still around and still busy. Danny DeVito is a success as a director & featured actor. Marilu Henner is still working and still looks good. Judd Hirsh is on both the large & small screens. Tony Danza always plays guys named 'Tony' but there have been a lot of them! My favorite moments - Louie's revenge on hair stylist Ted Danson in 'The Unkindest Cut', Jim's written test for a taxi driver's license (What DOES a yellow light mean, anyway?), Louie coming over to Alex's ex-wife's (Louise Lasser) house for their 'date' and taking off his overcoat to reveal that he's wearing pajamas! The list goes on and on! Today's politically correct atmosphere means that the old episodes are getting harder to find on tv. It's a real shame and totally unwarranted. Do you know anyone who saw the coca-leaf cookie episode and decided to take drugs because of it? Didn't think so! Niether have I!!! If you haven't seen it, look for it. There nothing remotely as good on tv today!

I saw this for the first time when I was about 10. It was and still is a very absorbing story, unless you are someone who is only interested in 'Short-Attention-Span-Theatre' type movies. I won't give away any more of the plot, but I will say this: I was a little on edge watching it on TV but that didn't stop me from sitting about six inches from the screen. At the very end the saucer takes off and very slowly shrinks to a dot in the center of the picture tube as it flies away, only to change into the words 'The End' which appear to jump right back at you. I about flew across the living room when that happened, probably just what the moviemakers wanted. Well worth seeing!!!

This is the best movie Charles Bronson ever made. He is perfectly cast as a street fighter scrambling for a few bucks to survive during the great depression. He is capably aided and abetted by James Coburn, equally convincing as his sharp, willing-to-bend-the-rules manager. Another actor definitely worth mentioning is the late great Robert Tessier as the bald bare knuckles fighter Charles must beat in his first attempt to win some real money after dispatching a few stiffs. He is perfectly cast here. I've always referred to him as the meanest looking guy I've ever seen on film. I think if he hadn't made it as an actor he might have made his living actually doing some of the things he's done on film in real life! SEE THIS MOVIE!!!