A To Z Challenge Z is for ZORRO

Zorro is one of those series which keeps coming back,  Most recently it came back in the 1990s.  What more can be said about a classic series.

A To Z Challenge Y is for Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

In the mid 1990s George Lucas brought us The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.  The series was a look at Indis' life before he became the heroic archaeologist and some of his adventures where he met people like Doctor Livingston.  The series only lasted a season unfortunately.

A To Z Challenge X is for Xena Warrior Princess

Before Ron Moore ruined BATTLE STAR Galactica and brought Lucy Lawless back as a Cylon, she was Xena Warrior Princess, who began as a character on the Kevin Sorbo series Hercules The Legendary Journey.  

A To Z Challenge W is for WEST WING

In the 1990s' there was a fictional President of the United States many wished were our actual president and we was on the weekly series THE WEST WING.  

A To Z Challenge V is for V and Victory at sea

In the mid 1980s' was a Sci Fi series that started as two mini series.  It was V.  It starred Jane Badler and Robert England and was way ahead of its time.

The second V is the main theme from the 1950 documentary titled VICTORY AT SEA  The series was a look at the naval war during world was two and featured the music of Richard Rogers.

A to Z Challenge U is for Underdog and The Man from Uncle

Back in the 1960s' there was something called Saturday Morning Cartoons, this featured a variety of shows including The Rocky and Bullwinkle show and a superhero known as UNDERDOG, voiced by Wally Cox.

This was a classic cartoon with morals and fun.  For those who remember here is the original intro.

A favorite spy show from the 1960s' starred Robert Vaughn and Ducky er David McCullam.  The series THE MAN FROM UNCLE.  They had cool gadgets and great stories that kept you on the edge of your seat.

A to Z Challenge T is for TAXI

One of my favorite sit coms of the 1980s' was TAXI.

This show had one of the most diverse casts and some of the most interesting guest stars.

Geoff Conaway later known for his appearance on Babylon 5 made his breakout appearance on TAXI and Christopher Lloyd and Danny Devito both began their careers on this series.

So sit back and remember when a Taxi ride in New York could be fun with a myriad of drivers.

A To Z Challenge S is for STAR TREK and SEAQUEST

Two sci fi series hit in my S section.

This video is from the final episode of STAR TREK Enterprise, which has been the last of the Trek franchise.  This video sums it up better than mere words could.

STAR TREK is the first, the original series from 1966 to 1970 was the first time science fiction had been done with a continuing cast and complex stories on social issues of the day.  It launched a franchise of four network spin offs, 12 motion pictures and countless on line continuations of the original series itself.


SeaQuest was Steven Spielbergs take on the classic 1960s' sci fi series Voyage to the Bottom of the sea.  Unfortunately NBC meddled with the series and it suffered terribly after the first season.  It still had some good episodes and it introduced Roy Schieder to a new generation.

A To Z Challenge R is for Remington Steele

For me this was one of my favorite detective series, the first three years were well written and the budding chemestry between Laura Holt and Remington Steele was fun to watch.  Also looking back it is hard to believe how young Pierce Brosnan was then.  

Although Bing has the actual opening from the series for all five years of its run, their videos for some reason I can not cross post to blogger.  So there is this instead.

A To Z Challenge Q is for QUARK

Back in the 1970s' was a half hour sit com that was set in space and starred Richard Benjimin.  The series was Quark and it was definitely a show that you either saw or missed.  For me it was a fun romp that in many ways was the SPACE BALLS of its day.

A To Z Challenge P is for Perry Mason

This used to air week nights at 10:P.M. locally here in Denver.  I used to stay up and watch these old black and white dramas with Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale.

I would sit spell bound wondering could Perry do it again, could he get to the truth and save an innocent person from doing time?  I would watch as Paul Drake would call in or meet with Perry with what was usually information that was not what Perry hoped for. yet somehow in the end he would berate the killer into admitting the truth,

A To Z Challenge O is for Odd Couple

This has been the most redone series of all times.  However I only ever saw the original take with Tony Randall and Jack Klugman, I just never got into all the redos of this series that followed.  I thought when I first watched The Odd Couple how silly and how funny the show was.

A To Z Challenge N is for NCIS et al and The NEWSROOM

I remember when I saw the first episode of NCIS I hated it, they were out to convict Harmon Raabb Jr of Murder and I did not want to watch any show that had characters out to get other characters.  Does that tell you how invested I was in JAG.

Over time I have become a full fledged fan of NCIS and NCIS L.A.  Because of the great acting and use of older actors in lead roles and because especially with the original NCIS it has such rich stories that keep you on the edge of your seaat like a great mystery novel, and it is so cool to see David McCullem as Ducky, he is one remarkable actor.

There is one other N which I am able to see maybe twice a year, mainly because it is a production of HBO and I only have access when Comcast does their one week watch-a-thon week.

The show is The NEWSROOM, an outstanding series set in the newsroom of a network T.V. station.  Each episode is based on a recent event that did take place and being told from the perspective of, is this event "big" enough to be covered, or the consequences of calling a political party, "The Tea Party" the American Taliban.

The cast is outstanding the writing pulls you in and for an hour you forget you are watching a television series.  

So if you have not seen this series catch it on Watch-a-thon week or rent the boxed sets.  Hell for that matter buy the boxed sets they are that good.

I do not know if these videos will be view-able here on blogger,  If not go to Youtube and look for THE NEWSROOM Opening season 1 and 2 and "The Tea Party The American Taliban.  

I find it interesting if these videos are not available it is about what the the network in THE NEWSROOM deals with censorship.  Strange world.

A To Z Challenge M is for Magnum P.I MASH MacGyver and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

One of my favorite Action Adventure series was Magnum PI.  This series never took itself all serious, there were many times this series was humorous, and yet it could be very dramatic.  Best thing was it in its own way paid positive tribute to the Vietnam vets, a group who until Magnum PI had not really had any positive images about themselves.  Great cast and to think John Hillerman, an American actor played a British character so well; or was he a British actor who played an American so well?  We may never know.

Perhaps one of the most heart felt episodes of MASH was one where Hawkeye was trying to reach his father because of a letter he had received.  This episode gave Charles a chance to really shine and be more than the boorish Bostonian he had been in most of the episodes prior.  So here's a treat 1/2 an episode with some of the best dialogue and acting in the series.  Do you have a Father or a Dad?

In 1973 A movie came out that no one knew ar the time would lead to a television series that would last 12 years, far longer than the war that the series was set in.  The movie and T.V. series of course were M*A*S*H*  It had a rotating cast of remarkable actors, perhaps one of the best was David Ogden Steirs who played Boston Blue Blood Charles Emerson Winchester.  Here is the opening theme and a surprise

My favorite spy series for many years was one, where the principal character was not always a spy.  That being MacGyver.  What is amazing is that the Myth Busters tried to bust several MacGyver innovations and failed, also this series created the term a MacGyver or MacGyverism to show you had created something out of what you had available and succeeded.  Still love seeing this in syndication.

                                   
Two T.V. series and 5 movies proves how successful this franchise has been.  Although as a T.V. Series it had only one good season and that was the first with Steven Hill as Dan Briggs as team leader.  When Peter Graves came on board it tanked until the Tom Cruise movies.

A To Z Challenge L is for LOVE BOAT

I will admit, as a young adult I watched The Love Boat every Saturday, I loved the beautiful women of all ages who would be on the show.  I also loved seeing some familiar faces again, Gavin McCloud from The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Bernie KopellSigfried from Get Smart.  Plus you never knew who the guest stars would be, who would show up that you would say Wow or oh my Gods.

A to Z Challenge K is for KNIGHT RIDER

Let's be honest, we all watched this because KITT the talking car was the cool thing, we all wanted a car like KITT and Patricia McPherson wasn't bad eye candy either.

For two years Knight Rider was fun, then it went into a tail spin and never recovered, and when it came back a few years ago, luckily it did not last past two episodes.

Here are three different versions of the opening titles, see which ones you remember.

One of these themes is not like the others, one of these themes does not belong, can you tell which before I finish this song?

A to Z Challenge J is for JEOPARDY for 200 Alex

I grew up watching as many game shows as I did dramas and comedies.  One game show I still watch is Jeopardy.  I have always loved this show and one day hope to be a champion on it.

A To Z Challenge I is for IRONSIDE

After Raymond Burr retired as Perry Mason, he found himself in a wheelchair as Chief Robert Ironside as a Police chief put in a wheel chair by an assassin.  Ironside was way ahead of its time in story telling with a bit of an edge.  Still a favorite of my old shows.

A to Z Challenge H is for HAWAII FIVE O

There is only one HAWAII FIVE O and it starred Jack Lord and James MacArthur and ran from 1967 to 1980 on CBS.  What else is there to say.

A To Z Challenge G is for GOTHAM

I have been a follower of anything to do with BATMAN, since the camp series from the 1960s, with Adam West.  I have seen every Bat movie and followed the Animated series religiously.  

Gotham is the most recent Batman themed series, except this takes place right after the murder of Bruce Waynes' parents and setting up all the principle characters and adding a new one by the name of Fish Mooney.  

It is a dark and moody series and well worth viewing.  Can hardly wait for season 2 next fall, but will have to.

A To Z Challenge F is for FLINTSTONES

I grew up watching two cartoons based off of one half hour comedy from the end of the 1950's early 1960s'  That series was Jackie Gleasons' The Honeymooners.

The two cartoons that came from this series were The Flintstones and The Jetsons.

I followed the Flintstones from their early animated cartoons, to two live action films and a recent animated movie from just the past few years.

I still think this is one of the most clever cartoons ever created and at times down right funny.

And the movie intro.  Notice that Barney and Betty as well as Pebbles and Bambam are missing from this intro.

A to Z Challenge E is for ENTERPRISE

I have been a fan of STAR TREK, since the series originally premiered back in 1966 and have followed almost every incarnation of the series from first to last season.  

The last version of the TREK universe was simply titled Enterprise and starred Scott Bakula as Captain Johnathon Archer, the captain of the prototype of the Enterprise.  The series was at times much darker but still had the foundations of TREK.

Here is the title sequence, the only TREK ever not to use an orchestral theme and the familiar "Space the final frontier..." set up for a ship named Enterprise.

A to Z Challenge D is for DALLAS

This was always one of my favorite night time soap operas and I watched it to find out who Shot JR when Bobbie Died and didn't and when Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman fought it out in the final original season.

I began to follow it again a few years ago, until Larry Hagman passed at which point it was over for me, you can not have DALLAS without JR and especially the original JR.

A to Z Challenge C is for Cheers

I watched Cheers off and on during its' run on NBC.  I was never a huge fan but I did find it to have its moments, especially when the couch was part of the series.  It also proved that Kirsti Allie (Lieutenant Saavak) in Wrath of Khan could do comedy.

International Childrens Bookday giveaway

It is International Children's Book Day. You can read more about the day HERE. 


Carole P. Roman wrote a non-fiction series, "If You Were Me and Lived in..." this combines her teaching past with her love of exploration and interest in the world around us. 


The debut book in the series, "If You Were Me and Lived in...Mexico" has won the Pinnacle Award for Best in Children's Non Fiction 2012. France, South Korea, and Norway. Rebecca's Reads has given If You Were Me and Lived in...Norway an honorable mention in the 2013 Choice Awards. If You Were Me and lived in ...France won second place. ForeWord Review has nominated If You Were Me and Lived in...France for best in children's non fiction literature 2013.


This series has followed up with several other countries with many more to come. The series is designed to show children that each respective country has different celebrations and ideas unique to their own countries but there are also many things that are the same too.


To celebrate International Children's Book Day, Carole P. Roman is giving away the entire set of her cultural series along with a choice of $25 Paypal or Amazon. Simply enter in the Rafflecopter below.


Disclosure: Chronicles From The Man Cave has been asked to promote this giveaway, received no compensation, and is not responsible for prize distribution.

The giveaway is open to US only. You must be 18+ to enter. You must respond to an email sent to you within 48 hours or forfeit your prize. Giveaway begins April 2, 2015 and ends April 17, 2015 at Midnight MST.. The winner will be chosen at random by Rafflecopter.org and all entries will be verified.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

A to Z Challenge B is for BLAKES 7

In 1978 a television series premiered in England that set the standard for all Science Fiction series that followed, not just in England but in the United States as well.

The series was titled BLAKES 7 and it was about a group of criminals fighting against a tyrannical government that used mind control and death squads to control the population.

It was dark, gritty and did not end up a happy note, but has to this day a cult following larger than even Doctor Who.

Here is a series of clips from the series to give an idea of the whit and witticism in the writing especially by one central character of Avon.

 

A to Z Challenge. April 1st A is for ADAM 12

This is my first post in the April A to Z Challenge.

For me, my life has most strongly revolved around three things since I was young, they were: Music, Television shows and Movies.

I have read, but not as much as I have been drawn into these other aspects.

So A is for 

ADAM 12.

Before there was Hill Street Blues, or CSI or NCIS there was Adam 12.  This was a half hour drama produced by Jack Webb and R.A. Cinder which paired veteran actor Martin Milner as the senior officer Pete Maloy and new actor Kent McCord as rookie officer Jim Reed.  

The series ran 7 years and showed growth and change especially in Reeds character during the run.  It left the ending open if there had been an 8th year it would have had new directions it could have followed.

Adam 12 is still considered one of the best Police dramaas' of all time by many and many have had a chance to see it again or for the first time on M.E. T.V.

This is the opening credits from either the 6th  season of the series.