scenario
Agent
"We all do what makes us feel good."
Posts: 335
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Post by scenario on Mar 6, 2005 0:46:00 GMT -5
Have you noticed some often recurring themes in Stephen J. Cannell TV shows? I have always picked up on two: seriously flawed heroes and heroes that rarely or never get any credit for what they do.
For instance, many times the main character or characters are somewhat flawed or viewed with suspicion by authority figures who are in themselves corrupt or gone bad. They can never quite live up to the standards of what they do. Ralph Hinkley, The A-Team squad, the Jumpstreet cops, Reno Raines. Cops and military personnel gone bad and setting up/framing and/or pursing that one honest cop or honest military unit is a favorite Cannell story in his TV shows and novels. Good guys working from a corrupt regimen of bad guys that should in fact ideally be good guys. i.e., police officers, FBI, or military. Bill Maxwell even had one of his former captians go bad in a famous 1st season GAH episode.
It seems like Cannell is in love with the Lone Ranger concept of his heroes doing good deeds while incognito. They never get to stick around and get credit for what they do. Again Ralph Hinkley had no public persona and never got credit for what he did, The A-Team was always on the run and never got to bask in their glory too much (Hannibal was frequently in disguise), the Jumpstreet cops were undercover high schoolers, and Reno Raines did good deeds but was always pursed by crooked cops while masquerading as Vince Black. His heroes frequently even have a Tonto-like sidekick.
Agree or disagree? Thoughts?
Any more Cannell themes or story elements you can think of?
-scenario-
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PDavidson1981
Agent
I'd fly, but I haven't quite got the hang of it...
Posts: 106
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Post by PDavidson1981 on Mar 12, 2005 19:24:29 GMT -5
Well, with what I've seen in Cannell's series, there were a lot of car crash sequences...in fact, wasn't there a special on the Discovery Channel not too long ago about cars that featured Cannell?
And for the first few episodes of "The A-Team," the GAH font was used for the title and closing credits. I don't know if this applied to any other series; that's the only example I can think of.
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Post by greenguy on Mar 13, 2005 0:40:25 GMT -5
Well, with what I've seen in Cannell's series, there were a lot of car crash sequences...in fact, wasn't there a special on the Discovery Channel not too long ago about cars that featured Cannell? Really? Do you remember what that special was called? |
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PDavidson1981
Agent
I'd fly, but I haven't quite got the hang of it...
Posts: 106
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Post by PDavidson1981 on Mar 13, 2005 2:43:16 GMT -5
Really? Do you remember what that special was called? Maybe a check at the IMDb would help me... Well, it did! The special was called "When Cars Attack," kind of like a parody of "When Animals Attack." It aired in 1997 and Richard Belzer was the host. |
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Post by The J-Man on Mar 13, 2005 3:01:40 GMT -5
A significant number of Cannell's heroes were on the wrong side of the law, for all the right reasons.
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Post by Maxwell - F.B.I. on Mar 18, 2005 13:43:11 GMT -5
He really seemed to like the word "Venusian"?  |
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PDavidson1981
Agent
I'd fly, but I haven't quite got the hang of it...
Posts: 106
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Post by PDavidson1981 on Mar 30, 2005 1:09:15 GMT -5
Oh! Something else: I know Rod Holcomb directed the pilots for both GAH and The A-Team ("Mexican Slayride"); did he direct any other Cannell pilots?
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Post by The J-Man on Mar 30, 2005 10:51:11 GMT -5
Rod Holcomb directed not only the pilot of GAH, but also "The Hit Car" and "Satruday on Sunset Boulevard" that's three out of the first four episodes. His contribution to establishing the brilliant tone of the series from the begining should not be underestimated; even Culp gives him his props in his interview on the Season One DVD. Here's his imdb page: www.imdb.com/name/nm0390103/It doesn't always specify which episodes he's directed, so I'll have to pull out my video tapes later and check. Of the top of my head, he did not direct the pilots for "Tenspeed and Brownshoe" or "Stingray"; to be any more specific, I'll have to refer to my video tapes...after work. |
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Post by The J-Man on Jul 9, 2005 11:10:48 GMT -5
Any more Cannell themes or story elements you can think of? Face had one Hardcastle had one Nick Ryder had one Stingray had one Older model/Classic cars (not counting jalopies): Hardcastle's Corvette Nick Ryder's Corvette Stingray's Corvette Tom Hanson's Mustang J.J. Starbuck's Lincoln Whatchamacallit with the horns on the hood and don't quote me, but didn't one of the Hat Squad have an older model, cool sports car? Lead characters that were military veterans:Bill Maxwell (in early drafts of the pilot script: Ralph, too) Most of The A-Team Milton C. Hardcastle Wyatt Earp, III Nick, Cody, and Boz Stingray Captain Adam Fuller Frank McPike and Michael Santana J.J. Starbuck (I'm about 99% sure on that one) Sony Spoon (also only 99% sure; might only be the reserves...not that there's anything wrong with that...) Guys with no legs:Lifeguard Skates Difficult actors who wouldn't come to the set, requiring the use of body doubles and close ups that were filmed and edited in later; or major script revisions to cover their absence:George Peppard and Mr. T: most of the fourth and fifth seasons of "The A-Team" George Peppard: early scenes in "The White Ballot" Ken Wahl: the rag trade arc and the crazy town with the cryogenic institute arc of "Wiseguy" and, with all due respect to the greatest actor in the world Robert Culp: most noticeably in the second half of "The Resurrection of Carlini" and the first half of "Space Ranger". |
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Post by MelMac on Jul 12, 2005 23:14:11 GMT -5
I've only seen a few of Cannell shows, so I'm not too sure how accurate this is. From what I've seen on the "A-Team" and "The Greatest American Hero," when there's a gun fight, there is a lot of gun fire and explosions, but few fatalities. The few I know of in the two the person was shot was off camera.
Also, the good guys get injured or shot, but don't die. In "The A-Team," I know Face gets shot once, though I think the others do as well. Ralph and Bill both get shot at many times in "The Greatest American Hero." Bill I think is wounded at least eight times, though they weren't serious. Ralph gets hit many times with the suit on, so he isn't injured, but is seriously wounded once when he's not wearing the suit. All the main characters in both shows get injured (even if minor) somehow or another at least once.
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Post by The J-Man on Jul 13, 2005 12:38:51 GMT -5
Good one, MelMac: Major, yet non-fatal gunshot wounds:
The A-Team:
B.A. Baracus - "Black Day at Bad Rock", "Waiting for Insane Wayne"
Murdock - "Curtain Call", "The Sound of Thunder"
Face - "Without Reservations"
Hardcastle and McCormick:
Hardcastle - "The Birthday Present"
McCormick - "You Don't Hear the One That Gets You"
Wiseguy:
Vinnie - "Not For Nothing"
McPike - "Sanctuary"
21 Jump Street:
Ioke - "Loc'd Out"
Penhall - "Number One With a Bullet"
I can only think of one instance in which a regular or semi-regular cast member is shot and killed, onscreen, in a mid-eighties Cannell show.
Anyone know who I'm talkin' about?
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Post by The J-Man on Jul 17, 2005 16:55:20 GMT -5
I can only think of one instance in which a regular or semi-regular cast member is shot and killed, onscreen, in a mid-eighties Cannell show. Anyone know who I'm talkin' about? Am I going to have to answer my own question here? |
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Post by MelMac on Jul 18, 2005 16:54:56 GMT -5
I can only think of one instance in which a regular or semi-regular cast member is shot and killed, onscreen, in a mid-eighties Cannell show. Anyone know who I'm talkin' about? Am I going to have to answer my own question here? I've been away for a couple of days, so I haven't been able to read the question. I think the only person who fits this was Gen. Harlan Fulbright, who was one of the generals who chased the A-Team. He is show and killed onscreen in "The Sound of Thunder." |
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Post by The J-Man on Jul 18, 2005 21:25:57 GMT -5
That's right. "Bull" Fulbrite, by the way, was my favorite of all the A-Team's Military pursuers, and played to perfection by "GAH:MHHABC's" Jack Ging. Introduced several episodes into the fourth season, killed off in the fourth season finale, and only appearing in six episodes; he really brought something special to the show.
I Love fourth season 'Team! Remember the one where the The A-Team joins a country club, but Fulbrite is already a member? I'm not making this up. I could probably sit here and write pages about why I think fourth season A-Team is A-Team at it's best. More Cannell-written scripts than any other season, I think. They went just completely off the wall story wise.
Hey, how do you guys all rank The A-Team's military pursuers, from least favorite to favorite? Here's my list:
4- Colonel Roderick Decker (Lance LeGault)
3- Colonel Briggs (Charles Napier)
2- Colonel Lynch (William Lucking {GAH:IADFH})
and my very favorite, best of them all:
1- General Harlan "Bull" Fulbrite" (Jack Ging)
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Post by The J-Man on Sept 6, 2005 21:39:15 GMT -5
Any more Cannell themes or story elements you can think of? Captain Bellybuster   |
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Post by The J-Man on Sept 6, 2005 22:06:49 GMT -5
Any more Cannell themes or story elements you can think of? The Hit Car and Ralph's station wagon also turned up in an unlikely place, once...  |
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Sept 8, 2005 16:47:53 GMT -5
Good catch on the Hit Car and the station wagon...why mothball them when you can put them in a place to get all shot up?  I like the Captain BellyBuster tie in as well. Don't forget that Jack Ging was also a bad cop in the A-Team before he was promoted to the guy who chased the A-Team. |
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Sept 12, 2005 16:21:59 GMT -5
Actually, he was a bad guy twice. Jack Ging is SO versatile. |
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Sept 13, 2005 14:01:20 GMT -5
Another common element seems to be hypnotism. Bill gets hypnotized and so does B.A. He does like his little foibles. |
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Post by MelMac on Jan 26, 2006 22:05:22 GMT -5
Just thought of one
Hated flying[/u]
Ralph - Would fly pretty much when he had to, always complained about it though. Did fly with passengers (Bill, Pam, others). He did crash, but for the most part not be hurt from it.
BA - Really hated flying, mostly because Murdock was the flyer. Almost always knocked out so they could get him on the plane. (I think there was once or twice he overcame his fear to help out someone).
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