Tripe 2

Previously, I posted some less than complimentary comments about
Gerry Anderson's live action series "The Protectors" starring Robert
Vaughn, Nyree Dawn Porter and Tony Anholt. I'd like to append these
with some additional thoughts.

In between discs of my latest favorite show, "24," I've finished the
first of the two seasons of The Protectors with the second in my
Netflix queue. Each disc contains six 30 minute episodes which means
the action is fast paced.

I suppose it is unfair to judge an early 70s television show by 21st
Century standards. Given the context of the period in time, The
Protectors is a quirky little show with some amusing and even
interesting bits at times. As an aircraft fan, there are some really
nice vintage shots of airports and planes. One particularly cool head
on shot of a BEA Hawker Siddeley Trident with Spey's at full throttle
sticks out for me.

If you like cars, there's some great old examples. Anthony Chinn
cruising Nyree Dawn Porter (she's dead) around in a Citroen SM is
classic.

Certainly, for locations, several episodes were filmed in some very
interesting places. It was fascinating to see scenes in Paris shot
just two years before I lived there.

As for episodes, as one would expect, some are better than others. I
think my favorite so far starred Ed Bishop as a deranged and
dillusional US Army officer stuck in a nightmarish Vietnam flashback,
but in reality terrorizing and killing real people on an old, closed
circa World War II English airbase. What I love about Ed's acting
style is that he totally makes you believe in his characters because
he believes in them himself.

Robert Vaughn has an asian "housekeeper" named Suki who does martial
arts, walks his dog and even preps his bed at night. I wish I had one
of those. All I had was a Siamese cat named Suki. Turns out, the
woman who played the role is a big shot in Hollywood today.

So, if you've got some extra time and an open mind, go ahead and rent
The Protectors. I'll be sure to let you know how the second season
works out.

What's all this got to do with UFO? Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, and
Reg Hill. That's it.

Cheers,

-bob
KPIT