This review contains spoilers.
After having some mixed feelings about the previous episode, 'Black Pearl', I wasn't sure if I was completely looking forward to the next episode or not. I needn't have worried – 'Legends Are Forever' renewed my faith in the series, being one of the single best episodes of the show's one season run.
The story is penned by Mark Jones. Often I find Jones's work a bit generic and uninspired (particularly some of his scripts for 'The A-Team'), but he seems more at home here, and delivers a really enjoyable tale.
William Lucking (a very regular 1980s TV guest star, who many people my age will identify as Colonel Lynch in 'The A-Team') puts in a great, charismatic performance as Jake's old friend, Grady Dancer. So it comes as somewhat of a shock that Grady actually dies at the end of the story, as the character had much more mileage left in him (although he does appear in "flashback", in 'Honor Thy Brother' a few stories later.
However, Donald P. Bellisario obvious saw the potential in the character, and moved him to the modern day, with Lucking playing a virtually identical character, Sam Hunter, in the third season (1983) episode of 'Magnum, p.i.' called 'Two Birds of a Feather', a backdoor pilot for a series based around Hunter (see my review for that episode for more). The pilot didn't sell, although Bellisario did take some of the basic elements of the adventures of an ace pilot, and work it into 'Airwolf'.
Anyway, character connections aside, 'Legends Are Forever' is a pretty darn good story. It is much better paced than some of the other episodes (as my other reviews will reflect, I feel that sometimes episode pacing was a little *too* slow for its own good), and have lots of enjoyable moments.
The reunion fight (!) between Jake and Grady is fun in a vintage "comic-book TV" sort of a way, and it's amusing how Louie stands and both cheers them on, and totes up the damage, as the knockabout brawl continues.
Speaking of Louie, it's nice to have him more at the centre of the proceedings for once, not just stuck back at the Monkey Bar. Sarah takes a back seat for this one, only appearing at the beginning and end, but it's nice to see another character getting slightly more time in the spotlight for a change.
The story does not really sag at any point, with some good action sequences (even if the Goose low flying over the rope bridge, to scare the natives away, is quite clearly back projection, and would look far more realistic nowadays). As mentioned previously, Grady actually dying at the end is quite expected; watching this for the first time without knowing the outcome, you'd be forgiven for expecting the cure to be found just in time.
His final scene was nice – and I wonder if Jake really *had* Solomon's gold, or if he just said it to put Grady at peace?
Either way, this is a great episode, and another example of why it was such a shame that 'Tales of the Gold Monkey' only ran for one season. At time of writing (February 2011), this ep is the highest rated story of the series here on this site, and although there are others that I also really like, it would probably be in my Top 3. I give this one 10/10.moreless
AIRED:
A former Flying Tiger asks Jake's help in finding the fabled lost treasure of King Solomon and help him to provide medical support to those who need it.
 Jeff MacKay |
Corky |
 Stephen Collins |
Jake Cutter |
 Caitlin O'Heaney |
Sarah Stickney White |
Roddy McDowall |
Bon Chance Louie |
 William Lucking |
Gandy Dancer |
Guest Star |
Badja Djola |
Oomupwah |
Guest Star |
Les Jankey |
Gushie the Waiter |
Recurring Role |
Ahmed Kalane |
The Bartender |
Recurring Role |
Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
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NOTES (2)
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Series creator & producer Donald P. Bellisario saw potential in the character of Grady Dancer, and moved him to the modern day, with William Lucking playing a virtually identical character, Sam Hunter, in the third season (1983) episode of 'Magnum, p.i.' called "Two Birds of a Feather", a backdoor pilot for a series based around Hunter. The pilot didn't sell, although Bellisario did take some of the basic elements of the adventures of an ace pilot, and work it into 'Airwolf'.
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This episode was dedicated to the memory of director Larry Doheny. This was shown at the end of the episode.
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11/22/081
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Bring it back
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Season 1 Episodes
See AllEp 21
Mourning Becomes Matuka
Ep 20
A Distant Shout of Thunder
Ep 19
Boragora or Bust
Ep 18
Naka Jima Kill
Ep 17
Last Chance Louie
Ep 16
Cooked Goose
Ep 15
Force of Habit
Ep 14
High Stakes Lady
Ep 13
God Save the Queen
Ep 12
Ape Boy
Ep 11
The Sultan of Swat
Ep 10
The Late Sarah White
Ep 9
The Lady and the Tiger
Ep 8
Honor Thy Brother
Ep 7
Once a Tiger...
Ep 6
Trunk From the Past
Ep 5
Escape From Death Island
Ep 4
Legends Are Forever
Ep 3
Black Pearl
Ep 2
Shanghaied
Ep 1
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