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A tune still sings in my head from my first remembered TV theme from an old show I must have seen in cable reruns:
See if it doesn't stay with you.
who emerges from a river, knowing only that he had been running for his life and the two words:
Coronet Blue.
The series was unexpectedly popular but CBS felt it was too intellectual and cancelled it.
Sigh. TV executives.
The secret?
Converse was actually a Russian spy, trained to appear like an American.
But his training had been too good. He decided to defect.
The group of like trained Russians was code-named CORONET BLUE.
SECOND RUNNER UP IN THE C DEPARTMENT:
CHUCK
I really enjoyed the first two seasons. The third not so much.
It seemed when Chuck cut his hair, he lost his appeal in a strange way.
The last two I never watched.
The writers changed from season to season, and they forgot the secret to the Main Character's charm.
CHUCK's appeal was that he was a normal guy with an abnormal problem and ability.
When Chuck could fight like James Bond, the appeal left for me.
His best friend, Morgan, was an irritant.
Morgan as the intersect was a disaster.
And I missed his sister and brother-in-law. :-(
DID YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TV SHOW RUINED FOR YOU BY THE WRITERS?
I don't think I've ever had a TV show ruined for me by the writers, although there have been some inconsistencies that made it clear they'd changed writers from season to season. Key here is probably my generally low expectations for TV - I'm usually just pleasantly surprised. But adaptations from books to movies often disappoint. I'd never heard of either of these shows, by the way.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know these shows but Coronet Blue sounds interesting. Red Dwarf is my favourite show but it got ruined when one half of the original writing duo left. Must have been the better half.
ReplyDeleteHi Roland - interesting about Coronet Blue ... the writing goes off after a while, and becomes too predictable and I get bored. The same in some cases for documentaries that sort of becomes series ...
ReplyDeleteCheers Hilary
I never saw the first one although I did watch Chuck now and then.
ReplyDeleteWarehouse 13 was good until the writers got too corny with it.
I liked CHUCK for the first 3-4 seasons... the last was a waste... the show had gotten cancelled three times and resurrected by fans those three times. I loved Sarah and Casey.... and Chuck.
ReplyDeleteI see shows like that while mu insomnia kicks in at three a.m..
ReplyDeleteHolly:
ReplyDeleteX-FILES lost its core writers when they left to do SPACE ABOVE AND BEYOND which promptly got cancelled after one stellar season. They returned next season,. You can tell the dip in quality in the shows in the year they left. Yes, most books to movies or TV disappoint the readers. :-(
Nick:
That is why B5 stayed quality mostly -- one writer did most of the shows. I've heard great things about RED DWARF. :-)
Hilary:
I hate when greed over-rides good writing: studios want to stay with what works or dump an expensive (but necessary component to a series.) :-(
Alex:
I started with WAREHOUSE 13 seeing it had potential -- it got worse. Ouch! :-)
Jeremy:
I like the interpersonal dynamics of the first few seasons, but you're right -- it seemed to lose its way and never found the road back. :-(
Stephen:
What with my exhausting blood courier job, insomnia isn't a problem!! But I used to like late night TV surfing over the weekends when out of school! :-)
I didn't know about either of these shows. I've the writers changed for any of my favorite shows, I don't think I'd ever know about it.
ReplyDeleteChrys:
ReplyDeleteIf I am a fan of a show as well as being a writer, I always pay attention to who writes the episodes, and I search fan pages for details. :-)
I don't think anyone, including writers, fought hard enough to keep Medium on TV. I really loved that program. The writers made a big mistake when they killed off Joe and didn't allow the possibility of a return.
ReplyDeleteThe Americans sounds a little like your Coronet Blue. I like the show a lot except it is extremely violent.
I can't think of any tv show except I didn't like all the writers for SNL - they were definitely not created equal. An intellectual show is not going to appeal to the masses, for obvious reasons.
ReplyDeleteI liked Chuck too, but I'd never heard of Coronet Blue. What I have heard of is how network suits keep interfering with shows and try to make all of them blah and mainstream. No wonder most of the best series are on cable instead.
ReplyDeleteMary:
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed Medium, but with you, it was ruined for me when they killed Joe. I stopped watching then. :-(
D.G.:
I like to think the TV audiences are smarter than the studios give them credit for!
Helena:
Mainstream TV is too afraid to be bold except with sex which always wins the ratings wars. I miss the old Chuck.