Season 7!
basically continued the even keel of season 6 without being as impressive as the fifth year. Not really a huge amount to say about it that I didn't mention last time round, bar the location work being another step up as Christopher mentioned.
The bizare thing was how the pregnancy of the actress playing Cassey was handled. Rather than just having her off for a few weeks (though she seems to have more time off than is usual for an actress on paternity leave, though how many of her absences are down to pregnancy is I suppose somewhat down to conjecture, in particular the last episode doesn't have an obvious substitute for her suggesting it was planned for her not to be in it) they clearly started and ended the filing block with her but spread out the episodes in the middle as much as they could. It's interesting that a show that has previously been so cavalier about its regular cast would now be concerned enough to make sure one wasn't missing for more than a week at a time.
Barbara Anderson was perfectly fine as Mimi, and it was nice to return to the idea of these people not being regular spies. I think Paris was the last one to definately have a day job of some sort and when was the last time there was even a hint Barney ran an electronics company or Willie is a strong man? Actually, thinking about it, that's one aspect of the show's format that was pretty much underused, these folks having normal lives surrouned by people who don't know what they do is proto-True Lies/The Scarecrow and Mrs. King.
I would guess the episode introducing her was shot (and written, maybe even because they felt she'd done a good enough job to deserve a focus episode specifically about her character?) a little way into her tenure as it'd be more likely she'd have just stepped into whatever the next Cassey script was about the be filmed when the baby dropped, certainly her other shows basically made no reference to her interesting ex-con background.
I also have to say how great it was the last episode was, presumably by complete coincidence, a Barney centric one. As the character in the most episodes and played by the most consistent actor in the show it was entirely fitting the final show was a close up on Greg Morris.
Overall, I quite enjoyed the series. Yes, it could be formulaic, but that just means it's best to take it slow when watching it rather than doing a DVD binge so as not to get tired of the repitition.
It also deserves props for successfully reinventing itself as it went along, successfully morphing from the most 60's spy show possible to the most 70's undercover cop show possible. Considering this is the only big American spy/SF/fantasy show of the period I can think of to make it past 1969 (it's as if when the 70's arrived it became a random cut off switch for the genre) it not only continuing but managing to thrive is a testament to everyone involved.
I'll probably give the '80's version a go in the new year, I'm not expecting great things of it (and might make do with what's on Youtube) but it'll be worth trying at least a few episodes.
basically continued the even keel of season 6 without being as impressive as the fifth year. Not really a huge amount to say about it that I didn't mention last time round, bar the location work being another step up as Christopher mentioned.
The bizare thing was how the pregnancy of the actress playing Cassey was handled. Rather than just having her off for a few weeks (though she seems to have more time off than is usual for an actress on paternity leave, though how many of her absences are down to pregnancy is I suppose somewhat down to conjecture, in particular the last episode doesn't have an obvious substitute for her suggesting it was planned for her not to be in it) they clearly started and ended the filing block with her but spread out the episodes in the middle as much as they could. It's interesting that a show that has previously been so cavalier about its regular cast would now be concerned enough to make sure one wasn't missing for more than a week at a time.
Barbara Anderson was perfectly fine as Mimi, and it was nice to return to the idea of these people not being regular spies. I think Paris was the last one to definately have a day job of some sort and when was the last time there was even a hint Barney ran an electronics company or Willie is a strong man? Actually, thinking about it, that's one aspect of the show's format that was pretty much underused, these folks having normal lives surrouned by people who don't know what they do is proto-True Lies/The Scarecrow and Mrs. King.
I would guess the episode introducing her was shot (and written, maybe even because they felt she'd done a good enough job to deserve a focus episode specifically about her character?) a little way into her tenure as it'd be more likely she'd have just stepped into whatever the next Cassey script was about the be filmed when the baby dropped, certainly her other shows basically made no reference to her interesting ex-con background.
I also have to say how great it was the last episode was, presumably by complete coincidence, a Barney centric one. As the character in the most episodes and played by the most consistent actor in the show it was entirely fitting the final show was a close up on Greg Morris.
Overall, I quite enjoyed the series. Yes, it could be formulaic, but that just means it's best to take it slow when watching it rather than doing a DVD binge so as not to get tired of the repitition.
It also deserves props for successfully reinventing itself as it went along, successfully morphing from the most 60's spy show possible to the most 70's undercover cop show possible. Considering this is the only big American spy/SF/fantasy show of the period I can think of to make it past 1969 (it's as if when the 70's arrived it became a random cut off switch for the genre) it not only continuing but managing to thrive is a testament to everyone involved.
I'll probably give the '80's version a go in the new year, I'm not expecting great things of it (and might make do with what's on Youtube) but it'll be worth trying at least a few episodes.
