Sea Hunt: Dead Man’s Cove featured Leonard Nimoy as the primary guest star. Nimoy was on the show quite a bit. In this outing, he’s a man who claims his wife died accidentally while they were skin diving. There’s about a five minute scene where he’s …

Highway Patrol: Dead Patrolman focuses on the search for the killer of a California Highway Patrol officer. The police have a description of the car, but need to track down the driver. The owner, a woman, says she loaned her car to someone else. She’s actually …

The Treasure of Sierra Madre Street was episode eleven of the 1980 TV series called Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, starring Jeff Goldblum as private detective, Lionel Whitney, and Ben Vereen as his con man partner, E.L. ‘Tenspeed’ Turner. Here are a few observances about this show.
–Loved the opening …

As crazy as it sounds, the tenth episode of the 1980 private detective show, Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, was called simply Untitled. That’s one way to solve a problem when you don’t know what to call an episode. The series stars Ben Vereen and Jeff Goldblum, both …

Tenspeed and Brown Shoe: This One’s Gonna Kill Ya is the ninth episode of this Stephen J. Cannell drama about a private detective and his very unlikely partner in helping people. This episode has Lionel Whitney trying to solve a cold case. Lionel loves to fight for …

Tenspeed and Brown Shoe: Loose Larry’s List of Losers was the eighth of twelve regular episodes of this Ben Vereen and Jeff Goldblum series that was a fine mix of both drama and comedy. Both actors are simply superb and because their comedy styles are different, they don’t …

Stephen J. Cannell is the power behind the 1980 series, Tenspeed and Brown Shoe. For whatever reason, he decided to make the titles extremely colorful and long, as in real long, much of the time. In this seventh episode, I think he outdid himself. The title …

Ben Vereen and Jeff Goldblum return for the sixth episode of this 1980 show, known as Tenspeed and Brown Shoe: Savage Says: “The Most Dangerous Bird Is the Jailbird.” These ‘Savage Says’ titles refer to novels which Lionel Whitney (Goldblum) reads all the time. The hero of …

Tenspeed and Brown Shoe: The Millionaire’s Life aired originally in March 1980 and was the detective show’s fifth outing. By now, we’re pretty comfortable in the unique relationship that is building between Lionel Whitney (Jeff Goldblum) and sometimes con man, E.L. ‘Tenspeed’ Turner (Ben Vereen).
This episode actually shows …

Episode number four from Tenspeed and Brown Shoe is another one of those long, crazy titles. It’s called The Sixteen Byte Data Chip and the Brown-eyed. Below are a few thoughts about this March 1980 episode.
–For once, the romance was turned around. In the first three …

From 1980, Tenspeed and Brown Shoe: Savage Says “What Are Friends For?” was the first one not directed and written by series creator, Steven J. Cannell, and it showed. While the essence of the wonderful characters of E.L. ‘Tenspeed’ Turner, played brilliantly by Ben Vereen, and Lionel Whitney, …

Sea Hunt: The Birthday Present was another show that featured star Lloyd Bridges’ oldest son, Jeff. I did have to chuckle a little early on in the program about Jeff’s portrayal. When we first see him, he’s on a dock, crying his eyes out. That’s what …

Highway Patrol: Anti-Toxin revolves around a very urgent theme. Of course, today it would be handled more expediently due to our technology, but when this show was produced, options were more limited. What happens is that a ten year old boy is in need of a rare …

This third season episode of Have Gun - Will Travel revolves around a painting of a woman that hangs in the saloon/hotel of a town named Bonanza. Our hero, Paladin (Richard Boone), arrives in the town and while enjoying a drink admires the painting of a woman. …

Have Gun - Will Travel: The Ledge was a bit different than what we normally see from this particular western series. Richard Boone stars as the man in black, Paladin, a gunfighter for hire who also has a sophisticated side. We didn’t see any of that in …

I’m not really a fan of Will Smith or his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, but there wasn’t anything else on TV on Monday, May 17, 2010, so I tuned into Oprah and ended up spending a pretty enjoyable hour learning about the Smith family and how they live. Remembering …

Oprah gets some A-class interviews and she landed a couple of good ones for this Wednesday, May 19, 2010 episode. The first half hour was devoted to rock singer, Bret Michaels. Now, I’ve never thought twice about this man until he went on Celebrity Apprentice this season. …

The beginning of the Star Trek legacy was back in 1966 with a pilot produced by Gene Roddenberry called The Cage. No one could imagine that this would be the birth of a legendary show that would last well beyond Roddenberry’s lifetime. In the mid-eighties with the …

I’ve seen those shows a zillion times, and I have clear cut favorites of ones I enjoy watching and ones that are viewed with reluctance. Star Trek: Charlie X is one of the latter episodes. Nothing against guest star Robert Walker, Jr., but he just annoyed me …

Star Trek: The Man Trap has never been one of my favorite episodes. It’s an early episode from the first season, but I think it’s the romance angle that didn’t appeal to me.
Here’s what I like and don’t like about this 1966 show.
–They mystique is gone quickly as …

The Cage is the original pilot for the legendary Star Trek television series. Written by creator Gene Roddenberry, it’s the true beginnings of this science fiction classic. However, there are many differences between it and the show that is now so recognizable to millions.
I actually like the …

From October 1966, Star Trek: Mudd’s Women is one of the more entertaining episodes. I actually prefer the follow up from the second season, but nevertheless, this is one of the shows that people tend to remember. A few of the things that stand out for me …

William Shatner gets to have some acting fun in Star Trek: The Enemy Within, portraying Kirk in two different ways. The events surround a transporter malfunction that caused Captain Kirk to turn into two people. Actually, what it does is take his stronger self and makes it …

Now here is a fun science fiction TV show. Star Trek: The Naked Time lets us really have some good times with the Enterprise crew. It all happens because they end up infected by a disease which causes them to become more emotional and carefree. These …

Though it didn’t air first, this show was the first one completed after The Cage. In essence, it was the second pilot for Star Trek. It has a very appropriate title, too — Where No Man Has Gone Before. It has some terrific guest star power, …

Star Trek: This Side of Paradise is one of the most well known episodes in which we see another side of the rational and logical Mr. Spock, played so aptly by Leonard Nimoy. It’s safe to say that this Spock is not like the normal Vulcan we see. …

Star Trek: A Taste of Armageddon is an interesting episode that tackles the futility of war and becoming complacent with the costs of war. The Enterprise visits a world where war is coldly conducted by computer. As shocking as it seems, when a hit is made and …

Star Trek: Space Seed is one of the more memorable shows, especially since it is what spawned Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. It employed a number of interesting elements, including the possibility of cryogenics, as in placing bodies in suspended animation and then restoring them at …

Most everyone who knows me knows that I’m not a fan of Stargate Universe. Okay, I hate the thing, but I’ve had to watch a few episodes in order to see Michael Shanks, who is a terrific actor and my #2 personal all time favorite actor. That’s …

Medium: It’s a Wonderful Death is another show that had a very nice season ender. The show narrowly escaped cancellation, or so it’s believed as of this writing. Actually, while I like this show, one thing I’ve consistently thought about it is that Patricia Arquette’s character of …

Ghost Whisperer: The Children’s Parade is potentially a very nice series ender. It wasn’t filmed that way, or then again, maybe it was. The show has been cancelled by CBS, though there are rumors that ABC might pick it up. All of that just happened, though, …

Here’ another classic episode, one that is so very Star Trek. Harry Townes as Reger is the main guest star in Star Trek: The Return of the Archons, from February 1967.
I also love the concept of the show’s beginning with the Enterprise investigating the disappearance of a ship …

Captain Kirk (William Shatner) has his hands full when he has to defend himself in Star Trek: Court Martial. He’s accused in the negligent death of one time friend, Lt. Cmdr. Ben Finney. The friendship ended when Kirk wrote up a negative report on the man. …

I’ve always liked Star Trek: Tomorrow Is Yesterday, an episode where future returns to the past. In this outing, the Enterprise goes back in time to the late 1960’s Earth. It’s a neat twist.
Roger Perry normally bores me in his roles, but I like this portrayal of …

The draw for me in this edition of The Virginian, called Show Me a Hero, was a nice strong cast of guest stars. This was a show that was done away from Shiloh Ranch. The last couple had been ensemble episodes, and I’d enjoyed those, but now …

Star Trek: Arena is another solid show that is so enjoyable to watch. I’ve always remembered this show. Okay, well, as a Trekker, I remember them all as I’ve seen them all more times than I can count. However, this one sticks in the mind more …

Have Gun - Will Travel: The Hatchet Man is from the third season of this western series. It’s a half-hour of Chinatown, which is something they did from time to time. Following are a few of the thoughts and observations I had about this outing.
–Even the fight …

Oh my goodness, it’s Trelane! One of Star Trek’s most intriguing, mischievous, and rebellious little boys is seen in this episode called The Squire of Gothos. William Campbell played the colorful role, and in doing so was one of the best guest stars ever in the original …

Star Trek: The Galileo Seven is a good one. It’s another that deals with the issue of prejudice aimed towards Mr. Spock. It’s odd that so many would harbor ill will in his direction, but it’s constant throughout the series. The catalyst for the drama here …

Star Trek: Shore Leave is an absolute classic. There are many great elements of the story, and in actuality, from the first time I saw this as a child back in 1966, I have kept one line of this show with me. It’s a line that struck …

Star Trek: Balance of Terror introduces earthlings to the Romulans. It does so by pulling on our hearts because the show opens with the one and only time that we almost saw a wedding on the ship. It seems odd to me that the couple to be …

Quite frankly, Star Trek: The Conscience of the King isn’t a show I really like to watch that much. I won’t necessarily turn it off if it comes on, but it’s not one of those episodes that makes me excited when I realize it’s coming on, nor is …

Star Trek: The Menagerie: Part II concludes this action. The Menagerie incorporates much of The Cage, the original pilot for this science fiction series. It was a great idea, and it fueled the desire for The Cage to be released as a show of its own. …

What do you do when you have a perfectly good pilot that has never been seen by a TV series’ audience? You incorporate it into the show the viewers are watching. That’s what Gene Roddenberry did back in 1966. His first pilot for Star Trek, the …

Star Trek: The Corbomite Maneuver is one of my all time favorite Star Trek episodes of any of the series. It’s the essence of what Star Trek, and space exploration, is all about. That’s why it’s so wonderful.
Though this show aired in November of its first season …

From November 1966, this is the story of an escaped prisoner from the maximum security penal colony where the Enterprise is dropping off supplies. The prisoner is Dr. Simon Van Gelder (Morgan Woodward), and he has his own story to tell about his imprisonment, if anyone will believe …

Kim Darby plays the title role in Star Trek: Miri. Darby has a distinctive look. I call it pouty. She is always strong and sure, and her voice is equally so. She has a presence around her that makes her stand out. I always …

Gene Roddenberry’s love, Majel Barrett, was originally supposed to play Number One, the second in command of the Enterprise. That’s how it was in the original pilot. When that didn’t go over with network executives, she became a blonde and was reduced to a love-starved nurse named …

Highway Patrol’s 34th episode of its first year on the air was called Art Robbery. It’s aptly titled since it revolves around a group of men who cause a wreck intentionally and then steal several valuable works of art. Fortunately, the driver is able to get away …

Sea Hunt: Killer Rock opens with deep sea diving expert Mike Nelson in a business suit headed for a meeting with a woman named Evelyn Hodges. She owns a company that wants to take on a dangerous ocean job that is, at the least, explosive.
Lloyd Bridges stars as …