Thirty Seconds Over Little Tokyo

[herald7]

Ack, I guess with the holidays I lost track of the episodes. Well I do love this episode for the beginning where Ralph is worrying about tenure and Pam is insulted by Bill's egg head comments, lol.

Also noticed that Ralph immediately springs to action when they're held up at the restaurant. In the past he and Bill would have had an argument about it first, lol.

[MelMac]

I have to admit, save a couple of minor fight bits here, this is one of my LEAST favorite episodes. It just felt convoluted as far as Ralph's tenure - not that I don't mind him NOT having it, but a superintendent would've just removed Maxwell, not forced Ralph to do explain why a friend of his was doing there to begin with when he's CLEARLY not welcomed by said teacher (It was IMHO painfully obvious that this was an invasion on Bill's part).

It also irritates me a guess because this was the last episode they aired on ABC and we get a final shot of Ralph with his hands over his eyes because he backs up into the principal's car. I mean... it was too cheesy.

Honestly - and this to me is hard to say - I actually rank it below "GAHeroine" - which isn't my least favorite episode to begin with, but still... it was pretty bad.

[Maxwell - F.B.I.]

I'm with you.

This is actually my least-favorite episode of the entire series.




(OK, not counting Heroine - the second-half of that was beyond awful for me)

[MelMac]

The only saving thing about "GAHeroine" IMHO compared to this episode was that "GAHeroine's" plot overall at least fit the way the show was: they WERE going to rescue animals (which we saw in "Desparado" which was a decent episode), and in the script there were more aspects that we'd normally see in the original series.

(that said, it was executed horribly and I maintain that Mary Ellen Stuart was the WRONG person to cast in the role of Holly).

In "30 Seconds" you have Ralph and Bill trying to stop ninjas and killer laser beam guns.

That may be why I felt the whole Tenure thing was so fake and forced - especially the final scene, because the ninja thing was so ... well... "Green Hornet" (Van Williams and Bruce Lee version - corny but played straight), that the stuff we'd expect more as Ralph dealing with and working to solve both issues (the tenure) was out of place.

Then again - I don't know HOW you'd find a situation that would correlate Ralph's normal situation of having a tenure meeting to a situation that would need the suit to solve.

[Maxwell - F.B.I.]

I agree.

I swear, on some of those later third season episodes, it SO looks like they're just 'going through the motions' - and this ep would be a great example of that (sadly).

[mmderdekea]

I liked this episode. I liked the overly grateful Asian fellow with his hedge decor, and kitchen reorganization, I liked the action, I loved the humor (Bill thinking Ralph's suit was in his briefcase), I liked the way the plot developed. If I can believe in little green guys flying around handing out magical suits, I can believe in a laser gun. This one is just good fun for me.

Aside from Bill being GORGEOUS, GAHeroine was crap all around for me. Not even in the same ballpark as this enjoyable episode.

[MelMac]

Apr 26, 2012 13:35:12 GMT -5 Maxwell - F.B.I. said:

I agree.

I swear, on some of those later third season episodes, it SO looks like they're just 'going through the motions' - and this ep would be a great example of that (sadly).

I agree - and I think if there was ONE advantage of the third season being put on DVD in production order instead of aired order, this shows it clearly.

Up until 30 seconds, the shows were rather strong and still close to the humor of the first two seasons.

But 30 seconds onward, save Desparado IMHO, they really did feel like going through the motions.

[MelMac]

Apr 26, 2012 13:35:12 GMT -5 Maxwell - F.B.I. said:

I agree.

I swear, on some of those later third season episodes, it SO looks like they're just 'going through the motions' - and this ep would be a great example of that (sadly).

I always felt that the one advantage of the third season being put on DVD in production order instead of airing order is that we do get to see this quite clearly. You can tell that the shows were stronger up to this episode then really took a nosedive. Mind you I do like "Wizards and Warlocks" and "Desparado," but most of the stories after thsi particular episode were not strong.

You could tell, especially with "Vanity," "Space Ranger" and "30 seconds" that there was less and less money used. "Vanity" was the most obvious - and I still wish they had rewritten the ending as they knew that it was going to be the final episode made to have all three characters in the scene.

The final fight between the ninjas and Ralph and the kidnap scene where poor Ralph has to duck in the bubblebath to not get caught or harmed were my favorites of "30 Seconds." The rest... I could care less.

[Maxwell - F.B.I.]

Jun 7, 2012 23:04:26 GMT -5 MelMac said:

But 30 seconds onward, save Desparado IMHO, they really did feel like going through the motions.

Agree with you also about Desperado.

To me, that episode could have easily been from Season 2, as the GAH 'magic' was still there, no doubt.