I Spy - Season 1
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Movie Reviews of I Spy - Season 1
Movie Review: I Spy Once Again
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this as a gift for a man who loves The Cosby Show and loves Bill Cosby. He had never heard of the show and enjoyed it very much. He was pleased that I gave it to him.Movie Review: I SPY - SEASON 1
Summary: 5 Stars
THE BEST!!!!!!!! SEASON 1-3 BUY THM ALL YOU WILL BE VERY HAPPY YOU ALL DID!!!!!!!!THE COMEDY SIDE IS GREAT TOO!!!!!!! ENJOY EVERYBODY!!!Movie Review: great set
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great set. A must own for classic tv fans. I havent seen it since the early days of Nick at Nite about 2o years agoMovie Review: I Spy
Summary: 5 Stars
Great show. My 22 yoa son watched the entire 3 seasons thought it was fantastic.Movie Review: Sheldon Leonard presents . . .
Summary: 4 Stars
I Spy became part of the 60's spy craze, when it debuted in 1965. Tennis player Kelly Robinson (Robert Culp), and his trainer Alexander Scott (Bill Cosby), are undercover operatives of the US Government. Traveling the globe, the stylish duo bring a cool swagger to the world of international espionage. Much about I Spy was unique, paramount was the pairing of a Caucasian and African-American as leads in a series, a first for television.
To the sound of Earle Hagen's rousing theme, the importance of producer Sheldon Leonard is made clear from the start, as show's credits feature Leonard's name before stars Culp and Cosby. Sheldon Leonard, was a giant in the industry, as producer of `The Dick Van Dyke Show', `The Andy Griffith Show', "The Danny Thomas Show' and numerous other hit programs. In casting Bill Cosby, Leonard is credited with breaking the color barrier in television.
Also far from the norm, was the way I Spy was produced. After being involved with comedies, Leonard wanted to go in a new direction. His vision was to get away from the soundstage, and produce an action series featuring exotic foreign locations. Leonard's methodology was for the film crew to work at a foreign locale for an extended period of time, shooting the footage for a block of episodes. When this task was completed, the crew returned to America to shoot the required studio shots to complete them. During the run of the series, the many foreign locations used included Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Greece, Italy, Morocco and Spain.
Stars Culp and Cosby were two very attractive, athletic guys, who had marvelous chemistry together. Though race was a part of what was happening, it was not acknowledged or mentioned. It was clear from the start, that Kelly and Robinson were equals. Coming from standup comedy to his first acting role, Cosby experienced a meteoric rise to stardom. Culp was a veteran actor, looking to expand his talents in other directions, including screenwriting and directing.
I Spy was generally low key, without a lot of wild chases, crazy gunfights, excessive gadgetry and raving criminal megalomaniacs. While there are elements of reality, the writing does not always holds together well. Kelly Robinson, supposedly a tennis player, rarely has anything to do with the game, and Alexander Scott, does even less as a `trainer'. Shooting multiple episodes on location, making sure they got everything they needed, and then returning to Hollywood, maintaining continuity, and then finishing them up, must have been a huge undertaking. Scripts needed to be written, locations found, and episodes cast, before the cameras could even roll. The production ran into unique logistical problems and cultural issues while working abroad, that added to the challenge. The stories are mostly good, but given these conditions, it's understandable if things slip a bit at times.
One of the most interesting and informative aspects of this set, are the commentary tracks by Robert Culp provided on four episodes that he wrote. In them, we learn how Culp secretly wrote scripts for I Spy, and how he manipulated management to get them into production. There is much that is of interest to fans. Culp, nearing 80, is extremely honest, reflective, and passionate in his remembrances of people and events, some 40 years ago. Revealing and touching at times, he definitely has things that he wants to get off his chest, particularly in regards to Sheldon Leonard, who passed away in 1997, and with whom Culp had his differences. Unfortunately, there is no contribution from Bill Cosby. Like the sound of one hand clapping, it is a void that is deafening. It would have been so cool to have them both together again.
Action, intrigue, humor, beautiful women, and exotic locations are all a part of I Spy. With all three seasons now available at bargain prices, fans should not hesitate. The image quality of the remastered episodes is pretty good considering their age, and the Culp commentaries are a nice bonus.