It was some kind of a sixth sense that told me to hold off on buying The Fugitive Season 2 Part 1 when I saw it my local retailer. I dunno what it was...DVD Spidey-sense maybe? But it was in my hand...I looked it over, somewhat happy that the set was out already...but for some reason, I put it back on the shelf...it was Gunsmoke Season 2 Part 2 that I came home with.

I tried to evaluate my strange behavior...had I forgotten a technical issue regarding the DVD that I might have read while half-asleep earlier in the week? Paul Mavis's review had pointed out no outstanding issues about the release. So why had my left hand picked up the DVD and my right hand returned it to the shelf? I rechecked Mavis's review on DVDTalk. Wait...he's now added a disclaimer link to the review...I click on it...oh my, the Fugitive fans are in one heck of an uproar!

The company that is releasing the sets has removed ALL of the music in Season 2 and replaced it with new scoring.

The only original music left is in the opening and ending credits. They didn't just trim out a pop song or two to save licensing fees. They have totally redone the soundtracks to every episode in the set. It's no longer the same show that gained the love and respect of viewers over these decades. The long wait for the DVD releases didn't pay off--now we are stuck with a first half of Season 2 that has been altered in a very unacceptable way. We showed our support by buying Season 1 (which oddly enough, kept the same music intact that was ripped away from the Season 2 release), and this is what we get.

And that's not all. In an attempt to hide the fact that all of the music was replaced, the company digitally altered the end credits of each episode:
The original end credits.
Same end credits, 2008 version.

The company thinks they have us, the consumers, the lovers of classic television, in a bad spot. In their plan, we have to buy it, regardless of what they do to it, or else they won't put out the remaining season sets of the show.

As passionate as I am regarding pure and unaltered releases, I can forgive an occasional snip, a small tweak or such for legal purposes. I'm a reasonable person. But this is totally unacceptable.

I'm taking a stand. I'm not buying such radically altered versions of classic TV shows. If the company decides to not release anymore seasons because of low sales, I don't care--I'm not buying them anyway. When they choose to release them properly, only then will I continue buying them. If we give in to their fiscal blackmail, even worse surprises are in store for us in future releases.

(Thanks goes to Stephen Bowie's Classic TV History Blog for the end credit screencaps.)

As I find the time to watch classic television shows from start to finish, I also find the time to analyze the episodes from different angles. What's being presented on the screen doesn't always tell the whole story; there are a lot of things implied and a lot of things unmentioned, and conclusions can be imagined that make sense from a certain perspective but may or may not be intended by the shows' creators. It's possible to not accept everything presented at face value...I like imagine that many creators have very fertile and devious imaginations of their own and that they do things that not every viewer will catch without a bit of reflective thought. Of course, looking around the corners as I watch a series is just a side-hobby of mine, and not to be taken too seriously.

I've now watched the first half of Season 1 of The Fugitive. I hadn't seen any of the episodes for many years. I wasn't disappointed as I watched these...most of the episodes were very good and very entertaining. The show is one of the truly great series of its time. And naturally, I have a few observations about the series so far.

Where is the pilot?
From the first episode, we are thrown right onto The Road with Richard Kimble. I understand why pilots might be kept buried out of respect to a show's continuity...there are often major changes forced by the network after buying a show's pilot. But The Fugitive's origin story is critical for this series, so why couldn't they have reshot it? The opening intro serves to explain the backstory of what happened, but it really deserves its own episode. Parts of the pilot were obviously used in episode 15, "Home is the Hunted", which only made me wish to see it in its entirety. I'm also disappointed that the pilot was left off of the DVD set.

Exactly who is this Narrator?
Without the pilot episode, we are forced to accept the words of the narrator as truth. But who is this omniscient narrator and how does he know everything? Can we be sure that the narrator knows the truth to begin with? Does the narrator have his own agenda?

What have I learned from watching David Lynch's movies?
I've learned that what we see on the screen is often only what the character thinks is happening, and it might have little basis in reality. Without the pilot episode, we have no real proof that Kimble didn't kill his wife. We have only Kimble and the narrator's words to go upon, and perhaps the narrator is the voice in Kimble's mind as he justifies his past and present actions. Lt. Gerard seems to be a very capable detective and a man of the law...surely there was evidence of the killer and Gerard found it. The "one-armed man" can certainly be an invention of Kimble's mind that even Kimble believes at times.

Where is this man with one arm?
Apparently, Kimble believes he is everywhere. One of the main reasons for Kimble's traveling about the country is to find the one-armed man. There seems to be no logical source for clues as he does this; after the Second World War and the Korean War, I'm sure that anywhere he went he might find a person with one arm. In some episodes, the one-armed man is hardly in Kimble's thoughts at all. In "Ticket to Alaska", Kimble seems to have given up on this snipe hunt, and is enjoying a nice cruise in the name of making big money up north.

Is Kimble really a doctor?
We have no actual proof of this either. He certainly has a basic knowledge of medicine, but perhaps the story he often tells about just being a Korean War combat medic is the real truth. In "Home is the Hunted", he returns to see his family; his brother is an underachiever and envious that Richard is the apple of their dad's eyes. Is all of this part of Kimble's delusions? Is it Richard that is really the black sheep of the family and he only imagines that he is a real doctor?

Breakin' the law! Breakin' the law!
Okay, even if he's telling the truth about all of this, he's still going to prison for the rest of his natural life even if declared innocent of killing his wife. His rap sheet grows with every episode. Resisting arrest, assault, assaulting officers of the law, hit and run, theft, blackmail, driving without a license...just to name a few I've noted so far.

Where's the kid with the banjo?
In "The Other Side of the Mountain", Kimble finds himself caught up in some hillbilly monkey-business. We learn that future Marine DI Vince Carter has a few family secrets that would shame even Gomer Pyle. I suspect these West Virginians are even related to Amos "Grampa" McCoy in some way, but he doesn't want to talk about them either.


Can I meet director Andrew McCullough?
He was an amazing director. He took the most potentially dark episodes, filled them with absurd characters, and made them over-the-top black comedies that are thoroughly entertaining and palatable. Script-wise, it seems that "See Hollywood and Die" would be a totally unwatchable episode--two mad killers, a dead old man, a dead sheriff, a kid threatened, and a woman taken hostage with nothing but rape and death to look forward to. But McCullough has a strange talent of bringing the whole thing to such an unbelievable level that it's a lot of fun to watch (he did the same thing with the equally absurd "Vincent 'Mad Dog' Coli" episode in Season 1 of The Untouchables). Even when his scenes aren't trailing off into neo-realist territory, McCullough stills adds strange touches that defy being categorized. I can only imagine the screen-directions he was giving to Brenda Vaccaro to entice her to pick her nose during one of the driving scenes.


Is the frog the key to understanding it all?
In the early episodes, the opening intro (just after the train wreck) features a frog before we see Kimble making his escape through the swamp. Then, the frog is gone in later episodes. Then, it comes back. I'll let you know when I come up with the meaning of all this.


Thanks for reading, my friends! Enjoy Spring, but watch out for twisters and snakes.

Before I move off of this level, I'll take the opportunity to write a few words about the South's most enduring icon. Robert Edward Lee (1807-1870) remains a hero to many in the South, a symbol of loyalty and complete devotion. Throughout his life, this humble man rose to the top of every circumstance, and no weight was too much for him to carry on his shoulders. After graduating (second in his class) from West Point Military Academy in 1829, Lee served in the US Army, fighting in the US-Mexican War in 1847. From 1852 to 1855, he served as the superintendent at West Point, until called back to active duty, which included commanding the forces which terminated the John Brown raid at Harpers Ferry in 1859. He served as commander of the Army of Northern Virgina, the Confederacy's most important army during the War Between the States, and finished out his years as President of Washington College (now called Washington and Lee University).

Lee was the son of Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III, a Revolutionary War hero and governor of Virginia. Lee married Mary Anna Randolph Custis, the great-granddaughter of Martha Washington.

Lee is certainly best remembered for his brilliance in the War of Northern Agression. Union general after Union general fell after matching up against Lee--McClellan, Pope, Burnside, Hooker...and it took Grant over 10 months and an overwhelming army to bring an ending to the Lost Cause. It's almost impossible to believe that the under-equipped and under-manned South could have held out in a war against the total might of the Federal government for so many years, but it did, partly because of the strategies and tactics of Lee.

Prior to his troops' invasion of Pennsylvania in 1863 (which culminated in the Battle of Gettysburg), Lee issued General Order No. 72 to his generals, which forbade the seizure, theft, or destruction of private property in enemy territory, and that anything taken must be authorized and paid for. Compare this requested conduct of troops in areas of enemy civilian populations to the scorched-earth policies of Yankee invasions of Southern territory, such as General Sherman's sacking and destruction of Georgia. This, in itself, tells a lot about Robert E. Lee: "I cannot hope that Heaven will prosper our cause when we are violating its laws. I shall, therefore, carry on the war in Pennsylvania without offending the sanctions of a high civilization and of Christianity."



To the amusement and perhaps disbelief of the rest of the country, Arkansas (along with several other states) officially recognizes Robert E. Lee's birthday on the third Monday of January. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette always runs a full page editorial about Lee every year, written by editor Paul Greenberg, Pulitzer Prize winner. The biggest controversy is that Lee's birthday happens to fall on the same day that Martin Luther King's birthday is recognized, and both are celebrated on the same day. I should point out that Lee's birthday was officially signed into law in 1947, long before any such ironic controversy existed.

Most of the country will never understand why we continue to honor Robert E. Lee. His core beliefs and the ways he undertook to reinforce them are things that require a bit of study and thought. Mostly, Lee was a patriot, both in his heritage and his commitment. He saw the Union in the same way that the original Founding Fathers saw it...as a confederation, with the right of every state to seek the destinies of their own choosing. Lee was loyal to his own country, the State of Virginia, and would live or die with it. I think it's a quality that will never be understood by most people, especially in this era of revisionism and intolerance.

Robert E. Lee's farewell address to the troops in 1865:
After four years of arduous service marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources.

I need not tell the brave survivors of some many hard fought battles who have remained steadfast to the last that I have consented to this result from no distrust of them.

But feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the loss that must have attended the continuance of the contest, I determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen.

By the terms of the agreement, officers and men can return to their homes and remain until exchanged. You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from a consciousness of duty faithfully performed; and I earnestly pray that a Merciful God will extend to you His blessings and protection.

With an unceasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your Country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous consideration for myself, I bid you all an affectionate farewell.

R.E. Lee Genl

It's a common viewing experience to see talented actors here and there, and then wonder why their careers stalled just when they were seemingly poised to keep climbing the ladder of success. Hollywood is a fickle, political monster, and for every Clint Eastwood there must be a hundred just-as-talented people who are slipped into obscurity. One can ponder the issue when it comes to Vic Morrow's acting career, but even more puzzling is the subject of Morrow as director. In my opinion, Morrow was an amazing and gifted director, one who had a lot of unusual ideas and took a lot of chances when bringing a script to life.

Vic Morrow got his start by directing 6 episodes of Combat!. As an Emmy-nominated star of a hit TV series, he had enough pull to get the opportunity, starting with Season Two's "The Pillbox". It was a taut, insightful episode that required a delicate touch by the director to keep it from spiraling down to cliche melodrama. Morrow pulled it off, and in such a way that his career as a director was established and guaranteed. By the time that Season Four's two-part "Hills are for Heroes" came around, Morrow was able to do anything he wanted from the director's chair, and the result was spectacular.

"Hills are for Heroes" may be the best episode of any television show from the 1960s that I have ever seen.

The episode plot is deceptively simple: the platoon must clear a road by destroying two German bunkers on high ground that overlook the area. Unfortunately, the platoon has no support--no artillery, no air cover, no armor--it's basically a knock-out-the-bunkers-with-what-you-got suicide mission. Lt.Hanley must follow his orders to take out the Germans, and attack after attack, the platoon is whittled away as soldiers are left dead on the open, steep approaches to the bunkers. Every star shines in this episode as their characters face an almost certain death as they are forced to perform their duties as soldiers. The script was written by the gifted Gene L. Coon, and Vic Morrow took it to another level with his own talent as a director.
This simple closeup is actually a three-shot, with two other characters interacting in the background. Morrow used a lot of deep-focus techniques that pushed the technological limits of his cameras.

Most hour-long TV episodes had a five day shooting schedule. As a two-parter, the expected shooting schedule would have been 10-12 days. Accounts differ, but the actual time used to shoot this episode was between 18-20 days. Morrow also used up to five cameras for some scenes, an unlikely practice for a TV show at that time. Basically, Morrow handled the production like it was a feature film, despite the worries and pressures from the budget-minded producers. Morrow had his way in every aspect of making this episode.
Wide-angle shots like this were rarely used on TV except as a master for scenes' opening set-ups. Morrow used a lot of these wide-shot scenes, as if he was making a feature film.

Most directors learn their techniques by working their way up through the ranks. When a person becomes an assistant director, they usually film second-unit scenes in a conservative way. They seem to get in a habit of not taking risks that often carries over into their careers as directors. In contrast, Vic Morrow learned to direct by watching people like Robert Altman, and when it came time for Morrow to direct, he wasn't boxed-in with the standard, conservative ideas of how a scene should be shot. He was full of imagination, and put it to great use. But, he had the sense of not going too far and not being too arty. It was a perfect balance of technique and imagination.
This could have been just a simple three-shot dialogue scene, but Morrow makes it unsually interesting and atmospheric by showing their worn, muddy boots.

The Rolling Camera Shot
At the end of Part One, a soldier gets shot. Time seems to stand still as he strikes a pose of crucifixion (remember a similar scene in Oliver Stone's Platoon?), and then the POV switches to the mortally-wounded soldier himself. The camera rolls down the hill and we see the world through the dying soldier's eyes. Assistant Director Georg Fenady, on the episode commentary, said that it wasn't the first time that a camera had been rolled, but it was probably the first time it had been used on television.



The Actors
AD Fenady, usually a man of few compliments, also praises Morrow for how he managed to get such brilliant performances for every character. Fenady says that Morrow was the quiet type of director...he took actors to the side and discussed performances one-on-one. Fenady pondered what Morrow might have been saying to them to achieve this.
Normally a stoical man of steel, Rick Jason tears up as his character considers the human effects of following his orders.

But Still Learning
Some techniques are refined through experience, and sometimes Morrow did slip up. A common mistake is using a camera-lock on a scene that requires a panning movement. If an actor moves to the side and speaks to the same side, poor composition results if the camera doesn't pan. If the director doesn't have enough coverage for editing, it calls for a reshoot or else the sloppy work has to be used. By the way, Georg Fenady made the same mistake in the first episode he directed in Season Four as well. The camera should have panned to avoid this poorly-blocked composition.
Unfortunately, I did it too in one scene from The Hole, and didn't notice until after the editing stage. But, I'll just tell critics that Vic Morrow and Georg Fenady did it on Combat! as well!

Why didn't Vic Morrow's career continue upward as a director? He directed 2 feature films: Deathwatch (1966) and a spaghetti western in 1970, A Man Called Sledge. His acting career seemed up and down after Combat!, and maybe that had an effect on his directing opportunities. With his big acting break on Twilight Zone: The Movie, it's possible that his career might have started moving upward again in both areas.

But, we'll never know.

I picked up Season 2 of The Real McCoys at good price recently. I hadn't seen the show in decades, so I really didn't know what to expect. As I watched through the 39 episodes, I was surprised at how well the show was written and the overall high quality of almost every episode...it's rare for a comedy series to have such a strength from episode to episode. For the most part, the cast was very talented and perfectly suited for the characters. It certainly helped to have an actor of the stature of Walter Brennan, winner of three Academy Awards, playing the main role of Grampa McCoy, and Crenna and Nolan do outstanding jobs themselves.

Luke has an unusual way of selling shoes to strange women in "Luke Gets a Job"

There are moments when the show is laugh-out-loud funny, and often, it's Grampa's over-the-top antics and his odd mumbled phrases that are the most hilarious. Although it's not polite to laugh a physical handicap, even Grampa's odd flap-and-hop gait is amusing...that's how it's played, like a "silly walk" from the classic Monty Python skit.
Barbara Stanwyck has an uncredited part in "The McCoys Visit Hollywood". Grampa reminds her that the change he left on the restaurant table is for the waitress.

Of course, modern viewers can quickly point out the show's reliance on stereotypes in many situations. Kate, the wife whose work never ends; Pepino, the immigrant laborer; etc...etc...it's a field day for the politically correct, as are most classic productions. Forget about all that, and just enjoy the show...the truth is, the show is probably a very accurate portrayal of farm life at that time. Don't worry, 40 years from now, people will look at our own perception of social righteousness and shake their heads at us too.
It's one of those familiar-but-can't-place-her guest star moments in "Grampa's New Job". Yep, it's Irene Ryan.

And, there's the unintended funny moments. There are times when the dialogue makes use of words that have different connotations these days. In "What's Family For?", Grampa decides that Hassie is being neglected by the family, so they go with her to the local hang-out, Benny's Malt Shop. A sample of the dialogue:

Grampa: Hassie, ain't this the place you come every Saturday night with your gang?
Hassie: Yes, Grampa, but...
Grampa: Well, sure! We'll all go in and get high but only with your family, see?

The words "gang" and "high" seems to have been used differently in those days!

Hey, these kids do seem high!

And, I loved those few moments when Kate got out of her domestic-chores clothes and let her hair down. Obviously, her work never ended...
Huh huh, huh huh...boing!

Season 2 gave me a glimpse of a television show that was incredibly focused and well-written on a level that few modern shows reach. Maybe the current-day writers should watch a few of these episodes while they are still on strike.