Episode 116 - The Dave Who Saw the Jon and Steves

This one definitely goes in my 'worst title ever' pile.

This episode was originally a 90 minute one that was cut down to an hour for syndication.   We will talk about the 90 minute version.  Hopefully we get through it in a reasonable amount of time. (I clearly write these things before we start).

David Chase did this one, and it seems that every episode he runs gets closer and closer to the Sopranos.  This one has George Loros returning as Anthony Boy, who we first met in the two parter 'To Serve and Protect'.

Oh hey and there's Joey Aresco from Black Sheep!

The B plot has Jim trying to get out from under an IRS audit. 

This plot is not as complicated as we've seen before, but it's made up for by how good the  episode was.

Apparently this is a 90 minute one because of torrential rains in California.  At least IMDB says that, but who knows when it comes to IMDB.

I keep saying this, but this really is a Proto Sopranos episode.  

mp3 download

Episode 115 - Steve, Jon and Dave are One More Than a Deuce

Long trip for the title this week.

Both Jon and I have been in the Rockford Fires this week.  Thank you.

Sorry about the Cylon voice, I'll have it sorted by next week, hopefully.....  Here's an update, just after getting off of the call I fixed it.  Here's a podcasting tip, don't update your interface's firmware and control software just before recording.

When I see the name 'Mills Watson' in the credits I'm happy.

This is an episode that doesn't like Mondays.

As expected, and consistent with the character and the actor, Jim Rockford takes his civic duty very seriously.  Or (unlike the actor) he pretends to anyway.

His father on the other hand....

OK, maybe not THAT seriously.

The whole time through this episode I kept thinking of John Bassett, former owner of the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL... (seriously)

Man this is an elaborate plot.

A bit of ickiness from Jimbo this week.

Interrogating someone in a garbage can is a thing of beauty.

This had a long and involved denouement scene as the plot had to be explained.

mp3 download

Episode 114 - Dave Isn't Sure About Steve and Jon's Guilt

Long trip for this week's title, not much of a payoff either.

A couple of MASH connections this week.

A heck of a lot happens in a short period of time in this episode.

We get out 39th '200 Dollars a day plus expenses' in this one.

The fact that the stuff Val designs is supposed to be the height of hip (and it was!) shows you how truly odd tastes got into the late 70s.

I like the background on Jim, that he almost married Val etc.  Rocky talking about how he would dance with her daughter, that resonated with me.  I think that Garner might have been thinkng about Gigi while he was doing that scene, you could see some real emotion on his face.

Val is a touch, oh let's go with manipulative.

Some fun guest stars this week as well.

Car chase with a helicopter!  

mp3 download

Episode 113 - The Academics and the Exploding Fonzie

You gotta be a fan of the podcast to get that title.

We've got the FBI.

We've got the ATF.

We've got the LAPD.

We've got USCG.

Sadly no BB King, BBC or Doris Day.

We've got the DIA, wait, not the CIA?  Well whatever, but we've got an alphabet soup of agencies this week.

Classic bungling federal agencies in a 70s show, a clear sign of the times.

The selling bad weapons thing, that happened, more than once.  Not just weapons either.  There's a subplot in the TV show 'The Americans' about this.  

mp3 download

Episode 112 - Steve, Jon and Dave Aren't Really Fashion Plates

Jon often calls me a fashion faux pas.  I have no idea whey, but it fits with the episode.   It's probably also true, but that's neither here nor there.

Rene Auberjonios! 

WK Stratton!

Erin Grey!

Directed by Ivan Dixon!

I've used too many exclamation points in this post!

Yeah a pretty good set of 70s guest stars.

Making fun of fashion is fun, especially in 1979.

I almost always use a picture of Jimbo, but this week's screenshot is Odo getting ready to toss wine into a French guy's face.

Lots of disco references this week.

Big story this week is the US and the PRC normalizing relations.  It was a big, and surprising, deal.  

mp3 download