Miami Vice and other 80's classics.

I.J.

Have always been mad into 1980's TV shows - the whole lot of them; Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest, Hart To Hart, Magnum PI, The A-Team, Knight Rider, The Incredible Hulk, Cheers etc... Pure escapism which doesn't exist in TV today. Luckily RTE are repeating a few, (after much requesting, I must add).

However, Miami Vice is the one I have hardly seen. First caught it on TV3 in 2003 but the feckers only showed the first season. Now after 4 years I was delighted to see it returning to M&M but NTL pulled the plug on that channel a few weeks ago.

Is anybody else pissed off that NTL are screwing with us?

Reptileboy

Yeah, I recently checked out some Miami Vice episodes. I was completely blown away by the first episode. The energy and tension throughout was intense. I told a few mates down the pub about it and the all thought I was crazy. So I gave them copies of it, and next week they couldn't shut up about it. I half expected to show up the following week to see them wearing pastel coloured suits and dark sunglasses indoors.

But 80's TV, like most other eras, comes around every few years. Just look at all those Top 100 shows that Channel 4 show all the time. You can see as the commentators start to get misty eyed over TV shows they once watched. Especially Miami Vice, it still sticks in the mind as a trully brilliant show. The Sopranos and The Shield of its day.

I think it was last year that I really got into The A-Team when RTE started repeating it. It just came at the right time because I felt in the mood. And again, all my mates thought I was insane. And again, a few weeks later we were doing bad Mr. T impressions.

I think they're still showing Magnum P.I, which is just fantastic. Really brilliant acting by Selleck. It's a shame that they don't air later in the day.

I was never a huge fan of Airwolf though, felt it was a bit weak, perhaps the last in the line of hit shows about bizarre vehicles. In comparison to the ultimate daddy that is Knight Rider, I was always a Knight fan.

I give it another few years and we'll be talking about all these shows again and seeing a resurgance in interest. At least I hope.

I.J.

I agree with you on Airwolf. Never liked it much, catchy theme tune but thats it. Like you most people can't understand the liking for these old shows. I'm 23 and my friends would have been kids too when these were hits in the 1980's. But they do prove to be timeless. They were straight forward simple escapism and always had great theme tunes which is something completely gone from TV. Why can't anybody make action pumped theme tunes anymore?. I also think Cheers was the end of an era for good American sitcoms. Norm was priceless.

Big thing now though is that I am missing all of Miami Vice because that damn excuse for a digital provider - NTL - have Men and Motors taken down.

pickarooney

Started watching Magnum and Quantum Leap again a couple of weeks ago. I was surprised at how heavy the Magnum storylines were - in my memory it was all Ferraris and cheeky grins.
Oh, and I've almost got to the end of five seasons of the 80s best TV show - Moonlighting. Possibly the best mix of drama (the chase scenes!), self-deprecating comedy (breaking the 'fourth wall'!) and horror (Shepherd's outfits!) of any series since time began.

mike65

80s PI and cop shows were often 'grim' and heavy. Mind you the number of 'nam flashback' moments now looks a bit comical. I have to admit to not revisiting my youth via repeats but Magnum was always good value.

Moonlighting was so knowlingly corny I can hardly belive they got away with it looking back. Certainly better that Remington Steele mind you. "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" was always fun, Kate Jackson was one of the best at light comedy in a dramatic context.

Mike.

_Kaiser_

Never got into Airwolf at all - Blue Thunder was much better I thought (although apparently the ratings disagreed!)

Loved Dallas, Knight Rider, The A-Team, Magnum PI, TJ Hooker, CHiPs, and others I can't remember right now as well

That's the great thing about Digital though - most of these are on at the moment!

Nordie

A few more to add to the lists

Starsky & Hutch
Cagney & Lacey
Canon PI