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Post by The J-Man on Aug 12, 2006 16:35:32 GMT -5
I can't deny that "The Price is Right" pales in comparison to Cannell's earlier efforts, and Maxwell simply has no tough guy scenes in it. However, I offer the following from "GAHeroine":
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Aug 12, 2006 17:19:17 GMT -5
True...and you thought Babs was a horrible writer...look at how macho she made Culp.
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Post by The J-Man on Aug 12, 2006 17:33:44 GMT -5
My favorite version of Maxwell is from "The Hit Car", where he was tough as nails, but with more of a dry humour. Preaching to the choir, Scenario, preaching to the choir...
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Post by billswoman on Aug 12, 2006 23:41:47 GMT -5
I think he's fine in The Price is Right. I love him ragging Ralph for claiming to know Cobb, I love his suggestion to Ralph that he use the suit to light the BBQ (as was pointed out, Bill likes to encourage Ralph to practice, practice, practice).
As for being a regular guy, don't forget he also bowls with coworkers.
And a sweetheart... look how he dug up that gold, just to give to Harlan Blackford. Or how he's the only one to visit Tim Lighter when the guy goes nutso and throws shots at Bill (who NEVER ONCE drew his gun to fire back).
Bill's just one helluva guy.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Aug 12, 2006 23:42:48 GMT -5
I still think his idol worship is too much. Hero worship I understand because it was well laid out in HEROES, but THIS was ridiculous.
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Post by The J-Man on Aug 13, 2006 9:29:08 GMT -5
Or how he's the only one to visit Tim Lighter when the guy goes nutso and throws shots at Bill (who NEVER ONCE drew his gun to fire back). Excellent observation! Even though we know Bill has never been one to hesitate to draw his gun and use deadly force... He never pulls his weapon on his fellow agent when he inexplicably goes nuts, even when his own life is threatened... On a related note, a friend of mine who never really cared for "GAH" watched some with me when it first came out on DVD. He commented that it was much more violent than "The A-Team", because people actually got shot on screen and killed on screen. (contrary to popular opinion, people did get shot on "The A-Team", too. Just extremely few compared to the amount of people that got shot at.)
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Aug 13, 2006 12:07:53 GMT -5
True...after all in the first season, B.A was shot and needed blood. GAH was a much more violent FAMILY show than the other one.
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Post by The J-Man on Aug 13, 2006 13:37:49 GMT -5
The example you give supports my friend's point. When B.A. was shot in that first season episode, it happened off screen. He was already shot when the episode opens. B.A. would, however, get shot again, on screen this time, in the fourth season's "Waiting for Insane Wayne".
Both times Murdock was shot, it was on screen. Same thing with the one time Face was shot.
All I'm saying is that the ratio of bullets fired versus bullets actually hitting people is way less different on "GAH" than "The A-Team".
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Aug 13, 2006 15:14:47 GMT -5
Agreed. I wonder why SJC changed it...was it because of how violent GAH was?
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Post by MelMac on Aug 13, 2006 23:43:28 GMT -5
The sad thing is, yes, people got shot in GAH, but with the exception of Ralph's one to the guy in "Divorce," none could really be considered potentially fatal. Serious, yes... but ones they could at worst be in the hospital one or two days. "A-Team" BA, Murdock and Face are all given serious, potentially fatal gunshot wounds.
(Pardon if I'm dim... but as far as deaths on screen, wasn't the ninja on "30 Seconds" the only won who died on screen from a gunshot (laser) shot on screen? The rest I know of they were either shot off screen and died on ("Capt. Bellybuster"), the car explosion ("Don't Mess Around with Jim"), or the plane crashing ("Now You See It"). )
Personally (and mind you I like the show too), I think "A-Team's" a little more violent overall because of the explosions and such. Plus, just about every episode BA had to be rendered unconscious so they could fly to their location (drugging or a blow to the head). Those are just as violent, and yes... both in reality can lead to death. Overall, there are fewer violent scenes in "GAH" in my opinion.
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Aug 14, 2006 15:06:04 GMT -5
The sad thing is, yes, people got shot in GAH, but with the exception of Ralph's one to the guy in "Divorce," none could really be considered potentially fatal. Serious, yes... but ones they could at worst be in the hospital one or two days. "A-Team" BA, Murdock and Face are all given serious, potentially fatal gunshot wounds. (Pardon if I'm dim... but as far as deaths on screen, wasn't the ninja on "30 Seconds" the only won who died on screen from a gunshot (laser) shot on screen? The rest I know of they were either shot off screen and died on ("Capt. Bellybuster"), the car explosion ("Don't Mess Around with Jim"), or the plane crashing ("Now You See It"). ) Personally (and mind you I like the show too), I think "A-Team's" a little more violent overall because of the explosions and such. Plus, just about every episode BA had to be rendered unconscious so they could fly to their location (drugging or a blow to the head). Those are just as violent, and yes... both in reality can lead to death. Overall, there are fewer violent scenes in "GAH" in my opinion. Yes...I can see how unfatal John Mackie's wounds were in the pilot...or Timothy Lighter's swan dive out the hospital room. I think GAH is MORE violent in terms of suggestion. Of course, the PRICE IS RIGHT did not have any of that violence because of course the way to beat bad guys is to WIN football games.
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Post by billswoman on Aug 14, 2006 16:25:23 GMT -5
Well, silverhammer did some careful watching, and she informs me that Bill NEVER ONCE kills someone on GAH, at least that we can observe. There's the question in Lost Diablo about the mine falling on the bad guys, and them being left there...
Sorry, I think we're drifting OT here, and didn't we talk about all this before? Kill vs. Not Kill?
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Post by HoudiniDerek on Aug 14, 2006 16:33:22 GMT -5
Well, silverhammer did some careful watching, and she informs me that Bill NEVER ONCE kills someone on GAH, at least that we can observe. There's the question in Lost Diablo about the mine falling on the bad guys, and them being left there... Sorry, I think we're drifting OT here, and didn't we talk about all this before? Kill vs. Not Kill? If people didn't go off-topic, we might have to worry about them. No, Bill never did kill anyone that we ever see or hear suggested on screen. Back on topic, I think that the PRICE IS RIGHT is a better episode than I remembered, but probably one of the weakest SJC scripts in the series.
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Post by MelMac on Aug 14, 2006 21:33:46 GMT -5
The sad thing is, yes, people got shot in GAH, but with the exception of Ralph's one to the guy in "Divorce," none could really be considered potentially fatal. Serious, yes... but ones they could at worst be in the hospital one or two days. "A-Team" BA, Murdock and Face are all given serious, potentially fatal gunshot wounds. (Pardon if I'm dim... but as far as deaths on screen, wasn't the ninja on "30 Seconds" the only won who died on screen from a gunshot (laser) shot on screen? The rest I know of they were either shot off screen and died on ("Capt. Bellybuster"), the car explosion ("Don't Mess Around with Jim"), or the plane crashing ("Now You See It"). ) Personally (and mind you I like the show too), I think "A-Team's" a little more violent overall because of the explosions and such. Plus, just about every episode BA had to be rendered unconscious so they could fly to their location (drugging or a blow to the head). Those are just as violent, and yes... both in reality can lead to death. Overall, there are fewer violent scenes in "GAH" in my opinion. Yes...I can see how unfatal John Mackie's wounds were in the pilot...or Timothy Lighter's swan dive out the hospital room. I think GAH is MORE violent in terms of suggestion. Of course, the PRICE IS RIGHT did not have any of that violence because of course the way to beat bad guys is to WIN football games. OK... I forgot about those two scenes (will probably watch an ep or two tonight before I go to bed). But, overall there were fewer fatalities, and even in this one, Mackie's wounds were inflicted off screen and you only see Lighter's jump from the second story... not him landing. And yeah, they could've been doing something like 200 MPH fastball, only this time just for personal gain and not to buy guns.
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scenario
Agent
"We all do what makes us feel good."
Posts: 335
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Post by scenario on Sept 28, 2006 21:53:41 GMT -5
The sad thing is, yes, people got shot in GAH, but with the exception of Ralph's one to the guy in "Divorce," none could really be considered potentially fatal. Serious, yes... but ones they could at worst be in the hospital one or two days. "A-Team" BA, Murdock and Face are all given serious, potentially fatal gunshot wounds. (Pardon if I'm dim... but as far as deaths on screen, wasn't the ninja on "30 Seconds" the only won who died on screen from a gunshot (laser) shot on screen? The rest I know of they were either shot off screen and died on ("Capt. Bellybuster"), the car explosion ("Don't Mess Around with Jim"), or the plane crashing ("Now You See It"). ) Personally (and mind you I like the show too), I think "A-Team's" a little more violent overall because of the explosions and such. Plus, just about every episode BA had to be rendered unconscious so they could fly to their location (drugging or a blow to the head). Those are just as violent, and yes... both in reality can lead to death. Overall, there are fewer violent scenes in "GAH" in my opinion. Yes...I can see how unfatal John Mackie's wounds were in the pilot...or Timothy Lighter's swan dive out the hospital room. I think GAH is MORE violent in terms of suggestion. Of course, the PRICE IS RIGHT did not have any of that violence because of course the way to beat bad guys is to WIN football games. I agree. GAH was more "realistic" then A-Team, getting shot and death was at least some sort of real thing to be feared within GAH's universe, while in the more cartoon world of A-Team it wasn't even much of a possibilty. And the suggestion of John Mackie's death was always a pretty violent way to start off a series such as GAH. That was just a creepy, creepy scene.
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Post by jopierce on Sept 28, 2006 22:17:32 GMT -5
I agree. GAH was more "realistic" then A-Team, getting shot and death was at least some sort of real thing to be feared within GAH's universe, while in the more cartoon world of A-Team it wasn't even much of a possibilty. And the suggestion of John Mackie's death was always a pretty violent way to start off a series such as GAH. That was just a creepy, creepy scene. Scenario has a good point.
But are you suggesting that GAH is a little bit on the FILM NOIR side? HMMM? Are you?
Well, I always thought that it was. But no one listened to me. No. Everyone sees the comedy and Ralph falling into brick walls. I see Bill sitting underneath a ceiling fan contemplating death, getting taken in by a no good woman, and beaten on by bad guys.
Oh, I also see him in a pirate suit. Go figure.
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Post by billswoman on Sept 28, 2006 23:24:11 GMT -5
Going off on that Tangent Express, I agree, in the pilot it really is a creepy, creepy scene. I remember watching the pilot again years after the fact, and that opening scene and wondering, what the heck? Then John bites it... I think a prequel to the pilot would be interesting, having Bill and John investigating these creeps, leading up to the pilot. I'm surprised Bill didn't have these guys shaking in their boots like the American Nazi Party did because of him.
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Post by jopierce on Sept 29, 2006 11:18:17 GMT -5
Have you read my drabble yet, Billswoman... it's a follow up to the Pilot, of sorts.
Ok. I also hopped on the tangent express. But I don't have the correct change. So I gotta get off this stop.
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Post by culpkatt on Oct 14, 2006 1:49:43 GMT -5
In my humble opinion, I think Culp found a new direction for the Maxwell character beginning with the 'Best Desk' episode, an episode which focused on Bill's neurotic tendencies. Culp made Maxwell more dimensional in the sense that behind the tough, macho persona (and Bill was tough) there was a vulnerable, caring side. I liked Maxwell showing concern for Ralph's students in "Just Another Three Ring Circus" when Ralph considers quitting teaching and joining the circus as a career. (I'm sure that would have went over real well with Pam.) Bill even goes as far as calling the kids to come out to the circus and promise Ralph that they'll start putting some effort in class. That was a nice touch.
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Post by prometheus74 on Nov 12, 2011 17:05:58 GMT -5
This is another episode I like a lot. The third season is off to a strong start with the first two episodes.
Maxwell is hilarious in this episode, with his fawning over Cobb. I never would've pictured Bill being star-struck with any celebrity until I saw this episode.
Some good moments with Ralph too, like when Cobb sees him in the "Long Johns". ;D
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