Mannix - The First Season
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Movie Reviews of Mannix - The First Season
Movie Review: Yes, we have a man available.....Mannix!
Summary: 5 Stars
I rarely give five stars to an older TV show. Especially, since I have a guilty pleasure of buying 60's and 70's shows from my childhood just to peak back at what I was watching then. Mostly after season or rarely two, I've satified my curiousity and move on. When I bought Mannix season 1, I was primarily fueled by combination of having it on my list for long time and not seeing any espisodes for at least twenty years.
As Gomer Pyle would say, "Surprise Surprise Surpise!" I've viewed about 15 episodes over the last few weeks and so far, I've enjoyed each one not just for the memories, but for qualities and uniqueness of the show. Like a lot people, I had never seen season 1 originally, and CBS never repeated them after season 1 because of the storyline change. Mike Conners plays the rogue detective with a genuine warts and all quality that is engaging and different than the standard detective faire of the day. He's totally politically incorrect - a product of all the social norms of the post WWII era. Yet his sense of his own moral code and his rebuke of simply being another cog in the interact agency wheel, have almost a counterculture quality to them - he both represents 'the man' and yet fights the rules, structure and authority figures at the same time. Joesph C. in his one season role as his boss does a really nice job, but as Mannix evolves, no boss can hold him down (bye Joe).
The quality of the prints, writing , directing, etc has already been praised enough in the other reviews. I agree with them.
One element I found personally interesting, was the highly praised opening title sequence. I think I started watching the show as a child in season 2 or 3, and always wondered where all the show images came from in the title - now I know, Season 1.
Simply put, it you want a highly quality example of a 60s/70s detective show that still will hold your interest today...we have one man available.....Mannix!
Movie Review: Sizzling '60s action show
Summary: 5 Stars
The first season of TV's "Mannix" (1967-68) is a detective show that was several notches above the rest. To begin with, it's cool, like Steve McQueen-meets-noir cool, with a taciturn, Chandler-esque hero Joe Mannix (played by Mike Connors) who takes threats, setbacks and violence in his stride. Mannix doesn't mind taking a few knocks if he can crack the case and get his licks in at the end. He's also an old-school crime-buster at odds with the modern methods of the gigantic company he works for (Intertect) -- instead of relying on computers, high technology and space-age science, Mannix prefers to use shoe leather, bare knuckles and moxie.
Very hip for its time, the show was also very stylish and surprisingly experimental, full of wild, artsy, almost avant garde camera work, and sleek scripts that didn't rely too heavily on explanation and exposition, as did many TV shows of the era. The list of guests stars in this first season is impressive as well, including great character actors and A-listers such as Neil Diamond, Karen Black and Rona Barrett. A fresh-faced, clean-shaven kid named Tom Skerritt shows up in the same episode that features the soon-to-be-legendary psychedelic band Buffalo Springfield (featuring Stephen Stills and Neil Young) as the house band of a seedy Sunset Strip go-go club. It's a very "Sixties" show, in the best meaning of the word -- folks who enjoy James Bond movies, Steve McQueen, or even "The Avengers", will find a lot to cheer about here.
Plus, this was back in the day when TV studios still knew how to program a real *season* of entertainment: with 24 full episodes, this 6-disc set will keep you on the edge of your couch for many, many nights to come. Bring on Season Two! (Joe Sixpack, Slipcue film reviews)
Movie Review: Excellent acting, writing, directing . . . .exciting! Lots of fun!
Summary: 5 Stars
Great to see Mannix back. Mannix features consistently good writing, music, and acting. The episodes shot both in the studio and about L.A. are well paced and directed. In example, unlike Rockford who is always getting the crap kicked out of him, never getting paid, has terrible friends, has bad luck, is hated by the police - Mannix usually comes out on top and even has a little romance. He's a little like an American James Bond. The music is mostly orchestrated and recorded by live musicians and not computers like CSI and most of todays shows. The music is also sophisticated in the sense that it is jazz big band oriented and not elevator rock like a lot of 60-70s shows were. As for the Jim Rockford comparison, you can see in the early episodes (season one) where the idea came from for Rockford as several episodes have Mannix having a lot of bad luck and cops giving him a hard time. As a big fan of Rockford I can only say that Mannix is a nice contrast because it's more escapism oriented. That said, let's face it nobody can have as consistently bad luck as Jim Rockford! Conversely, Mannix features a lot more kinds of action than Rockford - Rockford's action was primarily car chases - which gets a little old. Anyway, I own all of Rockford (including one movie collection) and hope they release all the Mannix episodes. This was 60-70s television at its best. Mannix also featured far more guest stars then Rockford. Today's shows simply don't compare to either. Thank you CBS for releasing this excellent and truly exciting series!Movie Review: Waited A Long Time For This
Summary: 5 Stars
While growing up, Mannix was one of my favorite detective shows. This show had it all, decent writing, good stunts (with lots of old time fisticuffs--I had forgotten how often poor Joe's melon was pistol- whipped--ah, the life of a private eye), and good acting by Mike Connors (who I think actually looks like a private eye), Joseph Campanella, and as I recall in the following seasons by Gail Fisher and Robert Reed. Because of the quality of the show and the large number of episodes, I had been stumped as to why the show took so long to materialize on the DVD market. But hey, good things are worth waiting for and Mannix is one. I read a Mike Connors interview in the Washington Post a year or so ago and even he was mystified by the slow move to DVD. I had forgotten most all the episodes from that first year so watching them was like seeing them for the first time. I found myself getting tense watching many of the shows, wondering how Joe would escape, but he always did--of course with a few bumps and bruises and occasional flesh wound. He even did one episode in a leg cast (was it a real injury from a stunt, which he did himsef?). The DVD also includes an interesting interview with Mike Connors and Joseph Campanella (both still look great!) and intros for each episode by Mike Connors. For the price, you get the entire first season, which is a good deal (many only give you half a season). Now, bring on the other 6 seasons!Movie Review: Mannix - The First Season
Summary: 5 Stars
What a terrific series. I remember Mannix from my childhood (every Saturday Night sitting in front of the early color TV's). The first season is awesome, with a great theme and crazy fashions. When you look back at the series you note some of the things that the new shows like CSI and others are carrying now. Joe is of course the king of cool, by taking on cases that his boss (Lou) doesn't believe the firm should be involved with due to not fitting the computer's profile. Imagine that "profiling" in the late seventies. Needless to say the show really picked up when Joe went "inde" and Gail Fisher was added. The first season stands on it's own merits and set the standard for one man "team" was able to right the wrongs and stand up for justice. Checking out that big Oldsmobile (which appears to be a company car - Lou drives one also), you just have to wonder what the gas would cost today. The thing that I (and others) will always remember about Mannix is he could take a good beating - he got one in every episode. Finally, Mike Connors (the guy who was there from the start) giving us an intro into each episode is way cool. If you don't own it, get it. When you do get it, notice the (what was then) innovations for TV detective shows - such as computers, mobile rotary phones, etc. Mannix the spice of the seventies.