Reviews (3)

Wrapping candy, fake nose on fire, having a baby and more!
This second volume in the "Best of 'I Love Lucy'" collection begins with two of the show's classic comedy moments. "Job Switching" (Episode #36, September 15, 1952), is the classic episode of "I Love Lucy" that I always show to my television classes so they know what a classic sit com looks like. Ricky is tired of the way Lucy spends money without regard for where it comes from, so the boys and girls switch places: Lucy and Ethel will get jobs and Ricky and Fred will do the household chores. One of the greatest moments in television history comes when Lucy and Ethel have to work a conveyor belt in a candy factory. Elvia Allman is the supervisor ("Let 'er roll!") and Amanda Milligan, an actual candy dipper at the Farmer's Market in Hollywood is, uh, the candy dipper. Meanwhile, Ricky is ironing stockings and making rice while Fred bakes a cake. "L.A. at Last" (Episode #114, February 7, 1955) finds Lucy and the Mertzes heading for the famous Brown Derby restaurant while Ricky heads to the movie studio to begin working on "Don Juan." Here is where Lucy has her legendary encounter with William Holden in the booth behind her. Tired of being gawked at while trying to eat, Holden decides to stare at Lucy instead, making her so nervous she end up setting her false nose on fire. To set the record straight: Lucy getting her nose on fire WAS in the script, but her decision to dunk her nose into the coffee was an AD-LIB (she was supposed to take the nose off before dunking it).

But Lucy could make you cry as well as laugh. "Lucy is Enciente" (Episode #45, December 8, 1952) finds Lucy feeling run down and visiting the doctor, who tells her that she is going to have a baby. Having dreamed of this moment for over a decade of marriage, Lucy wants the moment to be absolutely perfect when she tells Ricky so Ricky is passed a note that there is a woman in the audience who wants to tell her husband that they are expecting and wants Ricky to sing "Rock A Bye Baby." Ironically, when Lucy and Desi were filming the climax, they got caught up in their own emotions when th and both started crying. The scene was considered ruined until it was screened and they discovered it was impossible not to cry watching the happy couple. This final scene is one of the most beautiful moments in television history. Just thinking about it gets you choked up.

"The Ballet" (Episode #19, February 18, 1952) is one of the better episodes where Lucy tries to get into show business. Ricky has an opening for a ballet singer and a burlesque comic in his show. So, of course, Lucy tries out for both parts. Finally, there is my favorite Ethel episode, "Ethel's Hometown" (Episode #112, January 31, 1955). On their way to Hollywood the Ricardos and Mertzes stop in Ethel's hometown of Albuquerque, where they discover that everyone things that the former Ethel Mae Potter is the big celebrity. As Ethel performs her famous number "Short'nin' Bread," the other three upstage her behind her back. For some reason, living outside Albuquerque when I first saw this one just added to the enjoyment. Go figure. Get both of the volumes in the "Best of 'I Love Lucy'" collection and you will have what most everybody agrees are the four funniest moments in Lucy history PLUS the biggest tear jerker!

All "I Love Lucy" episodes celebrate 50th Anniversary.
In this decade, every episode of "I Love Lucy" will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Every episode is still funny as funny as it was when they first aired. The shows are good. The shows are wholesome. They are healing and warm and will make you feel good. Buy them on VHS or DVD today.

Ethel May Potter- We Never Forgot 'Er!
This is a great video that showcases the genius of Lucille Ball in her first television series, "I Love Lucy (CBS, 1951-1957)!

The first episode "Job Switching" is a classic. The men and women change places, with Ricky & Fred being the homemakers, and Lucy & Ethel getting a job. This episode is famous for the scene in which Lucy stuffs her face with chocolates.

Another episode on this volume, "LA at Last" is also a classic. In this episode, Lucy meets William Holden at a famous restaurant in less-then-favorable conditions. Ricky later brings him home, and hilarity ensures. Lucy even sets her (plastic) nose on fire!

"The Ballet" and "Lucy is Enceintre" also two great episodes.

Last, but certainaly not least, is "Ethel's Hometown". The gang, on their way to LA, stops at Ethel's hometown (Also Vivivan Vances) of Alberque (I know I mispelled that :D). Her father and the town are in an uproar of happiness over seeing her, since they believe she is going to be in a movie, when in reality it's Ricky. The gang takes great measures to humiliate Ethel, and hilarity ensues! So remember, "Ethel May Potter-We Never Forgot 'Er!") ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Vitameatavegamin, Grape Stomping, Harpo Marx and more!
Volume 1 of the "Best of 'I Love Lucy'" starts off with the classic "Lucy Does a TV Commercial" (Episode #30, May 5, 1952), Ricky is set to host a TV variety show and Lucy wants to do a live commercial for (all together now) Vitameatavegamin. Although she fails to win Ricky's support after staging a mock show inside their television set, Lucy arranges to get the gig anyhow. She starts off great, but the problem is that Vitameatavegamin contains 23% alcohol and with each rehearsal Lucy gets progressively drunker and funnier. Lucille Ball considered this the best bit, and one of the hardest, she ever did. Next we have the wonderful grape vat scene from "Lucy's Italian Movie" (Episode #150, April 16, 1956). The Ricardos are in Europe when an Italian movie producer tells Lucy that he wants her in his new film, "Grapola Pungente." Finding out the title translates as "bitter grapes," Lucy takes this literally and heads for the nearest vineyard where she has a memorable encounter with Teresa Tirelli stomping grapes in a vat. So right off the start, you have TWO of the THREE funniest Lucy routines (and the Candy Factory sketch is on Volume 2)!

The other three episodes might not all be classics, but they are still very, very funny. "Lucy Does the Tango" (Episode #173, March 11, 1957), finds the Ricardos and Mertzes investing in 200 laying hens. All you need to do is hear the situation and you know that Lucy is going to end up with end up with egg on her face. Okay, egg on everything. In "The Freezer" (Episode #29, April 28, 1952), Lucy and Ethel buy a new walk-in freezer. But when they grossly overestimate its capacity, they are suddenly in the meat business. Of course, as soon as you see that walk-in freezer you know Lucy is going to get locked in it. Finally, we have Lucy's legendary encounter with "Harpo Marx" (Episode #125, May 9, 1955), which showcases Lucille Ball's physical comedy in a great scene with the beloved silent Marx Brother. The mirror sequence between the two was apparently a pain to shoot (and reshoot), but worth the effort just to see the two famous "redheads" go at it.

All "I Love Lucy" episodes celebrate 50th Anniversary.
In this decade, every episode of "I Love Lucy" will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Every episode is still funny as funny as it was when they first aired. The shows are good. The shows are wholesome. They are healing and warm and will make you feel good. Buy them on VHS and DVD today.

Best of Lucy Volume 1
This tape is a great with 5 of the top 10 episodes.

In Lucy Does a Commercial, laugh your self silly as Lucy asks if you "pop out at parties" and "are unpoopular".

In Lucy's Italian Movie, see Lucy soak up the local "blue" color.

In Lucy Does the Tango, The chicken business gets the best of the fantastic foursome. Wait until the finih of the dance.

In The Freezer, learn how big 2 sides of beef really is and see Lucy the Ice Queen.

In Harpo Marx see the talents of lots of stars drop by to visit Lucy and Ethal's friend Caroline while Lucy does "other things".Then see the real Harpo Marx and "Lucy Marx" mirror each other.

lucy
i personally have not seen the video yet. with the 50th anniversary of the show and all and because lucille ball was a wounderfull actress and she did it so beautifley. so if this is dedicated to the women of comedy. it will be the best video yet. Lucy would have enjoyed it so why dont you? ... Read more

Reviews (3)

TOO Funny
I grew up with Johnny Carson, even before the Tonight Show. I thought he was funnier than anyone I'd ever seen as a kid. The expressions on his face! This is classic. Good for the soul, good for the mood. Good prescription for anyone who appreciates Carson and those old innocent funnies. I rented this and laughed for the whole hour...had to rewind to make sure I didn't miss the next joke!

Funny!
This video has one of the funniest scenes I have ever seen in my life. Ed has a few too many and gets a little loose-tongued. Guaranteed to make you laugh! This video is a must for your home video collection.

The best of the series - laugh until the tears come.
This is Johnny Carson at his best. I drag this video out when I am sick or feeling down. It never fails to make me laugh to the point of tears. His genuine cleverness is a delight to view. This is Vol. 1 - the early years. It's a charge just to see the change in styles, music, comedy and who's who! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Both the televison pilot and the first Fleisher cartoon
Volume 1 on "TV's Best Adventures of Superman" has the first and last episodes of the syndicated television series starring George Reeves that ran from 1952-1957. "Superman on Earth" (Episode #1), written by Richard Fielding, tells the story of how the infant Superman was rocketed from the dying planet Krypton to Earth, where he was raised by a kindly couple, the Kents (renamed Sara and Eben for some reason). When he grows up Clark Kent gets a job as a reporter at the Daily Planet, a great metropolitan newspaper, while Superman makes his first appearance and rescues a man from a dirigible. Then in "All That Glitters" (Episode #104), Superman's friend, Professor Pepperwinkle, has figured out how to transmutate base metal into gold. Of course, crooks force the professor to make lots of gold for them, but it seems the professor has an even bigger secret. He knows how to turn any man into a Superman. This final episode, directed by George Reeves and filmed in color, was written by Robet Leslie Bellem and Whitney Ellsworth. Phyllis Coates plays Lois Lane in the pilot while Noel Neill had the role from the second season on, Jack Larson is Jimmy Olson and John Hamilton rules as Perry White. As a very special treat, in between these two episodes is the first Superman cartoon by Dave Fleisher, which was nominated for an Oscar in 1941. The cartoon provides a brief explanation of Superman's origin (this time he is raised at an orphanage), and then we are introduced to what would be the standard format for this cartoons: Lois Lane goes off on an assignment, gets into big time trouble, and is rescued by Superman. Clearly, this first volume is the one to have if you are only going to have one Superman tape in your collection (the "Superman and the Mole Men" two-part episode/movie would be the second).

Wish these were still on TV...
This is it! That great first episode when Superman comes to Earth. Great fun, good fiction, campy directing. Who could ask for more. There is a cartoon between 2 George Reeves episodes. The cartoon is clever but not nearly as much fun.

Must see television !
This stuff is the basis of the 50'S! Reeves was the #1 hero of his generation. You should see this historical footage. ... Read more

Amazon.com

He's a supersuave special agent. He has an arsenal of custom-made high-tech gadgets. Women find him irresistible. James Bond? No, James West, from the fondly remembered genre-bending TV series The Wild, Wild West, starring Robert Conrad as a frontier 007. Posing as "the dandiest dude that ever crossed the Mississippi," West and his partner, master of disguise Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin), foil diabolical plots to, primarily, take over the world. This boxed set rounds up three vintage episodes from the series' inaugural 1965 season. In the pilot, "The Night of the Inferno," President Grant himself recruits West, "the finest underground intelligence officer we have," to stop a revolution. Guest stars include Suzanne Pleshette as the proprietor of, um, a gambling house and Victor Buono as the mysterious Wing Fat. In "The Night of the Double-Edge Knife," Cheyenne Indians are blamed for a series of attacks on railroad workers. Guest stars include Leslie Nielsen (playing it straight as an exiled Army general with a grudge), Katharine Ross, Elisha Cook Jr., and Drew's dad, John Drew Barrymore. "The Night the Wizard Shook the Earth" introduces the villain who would be West's most elusive nemesis throughout the series, the diminutive Dr. Miguelito Loveless (Michael Dunn). That's Richard Kiel, better known as Jaws on The Spy Who Loved Me, as his henchman. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The West takes on a new look
I remember when I first started watching these (way back when). It was unlike any western I'd ever seen or would ever see. The creativity of this series is phenomenal. The humor is subtle, the action is spectacular, and the gadgets...oh those crazy gadgets...were way ahead of their time. Spielberg probably picked up a few pointers from this one. Just wish I had a train like James and Artemus had. Travel taken to a whole new level of comfort. The movie with Will Smith doesn't even come close to the same level as the series. The movie was just a showcase for Smith. The series is a showcase for creativity at its finest. Guaranteed--you won't waste you money buying these.

WILD WILD WINNER!!
These episodes are very good! They reflect a mass of James West's tools and gadgets and the story lines are done very well! Well written. I'm a big James west fan and will tell you that among all episodes, these are very good and would go well in any Wild Wild West collection.

I know it's crazy...but it's true!
I'll never being tired to see all of wild-wild west TV episodes. Why? Because of Robert Conrad! Conrad was so amazing inthis film...I couldn't imagine the film without him...even Will Smith couldn't replace him for the big screen version. The most important part that I like most is.....when Robert Conrad is Shirtless. Waw....you can see his athletical body and hairy chest of him. Of course...because he's so handsome (when he was young)...it seems that he's the sexiest man that I've ever seen.

WILD, WILD WEST, BETTER THAN THE MOVIE
I LIKE THIS TV SERIES, BETTER THAN THE MOVIE THAT MOVIE WAS A DISASTER IN ALL FRONTS, ROBERT CONRAD IS WONDERFUL, & THE CAST IS GREAT.

An absolute MUST-SEE set of episodes!
I thought all three episodes were really great. They all possess the elements that make watching these volumes an absolute priority. The videos bring out the 007 in West and the master of disguise in Gordon. The episodes are action packed and dig deep into the rare science fiction which is amazingly and marvelously applied to the 1865 setting making "The Wild Wild West" the best western ever. That's just my opinion. Watch the episodes and see for yourselves. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

this episode
This video has two episodes that are highly ranked of my favorite episodes. The seal is my second favorite. BUY THIS DVD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tense, as usual
Of the two episodes in this video, the best is The Seal. It is always great to watch the IMF in action. In The Seal, an ancient and sacred seal has been stolen from an obscure country and in the interest of obtaining their favor in the Cold War, it is the team's duty to return the seal.

While this is an earlier episode, you can tell the show was hitting its stride. All the elements are there: timed sequences, the fake accents, a magician, hiding in equipment to gain entrances, fake ids and what is always best - watching the team psych out their prey.

I do not recall having seen this episode and I was surprisingly tense watching this show...there is so much going on and you know there is always the unexpected surprise. This show had everything including a trained cat! Don't miss it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Culled from 30 years of material, this collection of moments from The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson contains some of most inspired bits of lunacy ever recorded. Whether cajoling with Hollywood's biggest stars or normal folk with special talents, Carson was a master of finding the right joke, with timing second to none. Along with bits of his opening monologues, skits, and early standup appearances from the likes of David Letterman and Eddie Murphy, there are many highlights with perhaps the perfect Carson guest--exotic animals that stole the show. This collection was released shortly after Carson's reign ended in 1992. Although most of the tapes of his first decade are lost, there are plenty of highlights from the '70s through the '90s. Also included is Carson's touching and historic "Final Show," which finds the host simply talking to his audience and showing highlights--or just the faces--from his years on the set. Although many followed--and a few have even succeeded--Carson's Midwest charm made him the king of TV in a period when America was defined by television. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The Man Behind the Desk
In today's era of David Letterman and Jay Leno, younger generations should remember that Johnny Carson (along with his "Tonight Show" predecessors Jack Paar and Steve Allen) defined the talk-show format which made late-night television an enduring and immensely profitable enterprise. From 1962 to 1992, Carson reigned supreme as a comedian and broadcaster. Unlike Letterman and Leno, Johnny did his homework when it came to nightly conversation. No matter who sat on the couch, he remained an astute and observant host. "The Ultimate Johnny Carson Collection" is an expanded three-DVD set of "Tonight Show" highlights selected by Johnny himself, with the welcome addition of his final two programs. The set also includes the 1982 NBC special "Johnny Goes Home" -- a nostalgic, affectionate look at Carson's return to his hometown of Norfolk, Nebraska. Loaded with extras (and some recently discovered film clips from the early 1960s), the DVD collection provides first-rate material at a reasonable price. If this set leaves you wanting more, the six-DVD "Timeless Moments" series is highly recommended -- allowing viewers to see previously unavailable Carson monologues, interviews and sketches in their entirety.

Still the King!
As one of the millions that sorely miss the wit and wisdom of Johnny Carson, I was especially pleased to receive this "best of" DVD collection. The three DVD's feature the best moments from the show - divided by decade - from the 60's through the 90's, and also include the complete second-to-last show (with Bette Midler and Robin Williams) and the final show, along with a documentary on Johnny I had never seen before. The remastering quality is great. There is a fun little short film called "Danger Johnny", and one of the most interesting things about the DVD's are the ISO CAMS, that allow you to pick the camera angles to view some of the programs. You can even view scenes from Johnny's perspective. The menu options are terrific, and the packaging very deluxe. If you are a fan of classic television, this is a great addition to your library - and I plan to send them as gifts to family members I know miss Johnny too.

Disappointed
I was disappointed with this set. It doesn't give you a sense of what made you love Johnny, really. There is minimal development of the material. A couple of gags would be OK, but gag after gag left me feeling empty. Maybe Johnny is not the right person to toast with snippets; his charm came from watching an entire show, or was built up over months, years. Likewise his skill as an interviewer is lost in the short clips. Had I known, I would have taken on a pass on this purchase. Furthermore,the production is rushed and uncreative.

There will never be another...
Watching this set of dvds left me with a sense of melancholy and loss. Like spent youth and good times/people gone by. This will not... it cannot... ever happen again. Carson was a master of the Late Nite format in a very special time in our history. It was a time when true stars walked the Earth. Real S*T*A*R*S like Dean Martin, Bob Hope, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, etc. would show up on the Tonight Show to trade quips with Johnny and we knew that we were in the presence of greatness... not foul-mouthed little Irish gits like Colin Farrell whose every second utterance is a four-letter swear-word, or the assorted giggling bimbos and boring, scuzzball, here-today-gone-tomorrow boy bands who frequent the Leno show. This rather pricey 3-disc extravaganza will take you back home and leave you wanting more. BEWARE though! The set is advertized as over 7 hours long and that is not the case. Here is the breakdown: BEST OF THE '60s & '70s (48 mins), BEST OF THE '70s & '80s (46 mins), BEST OF THE '80s & '90S (52 mins), JOHNNY GOES HOME (47 mins), SECOND LAST SHOW (32 mins), FINAL SHOW (35 mins). I work it out to just about 4 and a half hours on 3 discs. Mind you, the packaging, picture quality and menus are superb. Definately worth a purchase, but my advice would be to shop around for the best price.

Will Never Be Equaled
A wonderful look back at 30 years of late night class. It just goes to show what an awesome talent Johnny was and how far late night TV has declined. The picture and sound quality is excellent, and the extras are good, too. Johnny's 1982 special where he visits Norfolk is fun to see again as well. My only gripe is that the music montage from the last show is missing, but this probably has to do with getting all the clearances from the artists, which can be difficult. Highly recommended for all us baby-boomers who grew up with the one and only King of late night. Johnny......WE MISS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A pioneer of America's first frontier came to life every week for years--now you can relive his adventures with Daniel Boone: Premiere Episode. In "Ken-Tuck-E," Fess Parker as our national hero must take territory from the natives in order to prepare for war with the British.Along the way, we meet his family, friends (including Ed Ames as Mingo), and enemies as "Dan'l" fights, talks, and sings his way through scrape after scrape. Though some of the characterizations might offend modern sensibilities, if viewed in context the show can be seen as respectful (except possibly to the British and raccoons). This classic episode shows why Daniel Boone stayed in living rooms for so long--charm and adventure go a long way in this country. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (10)

THE DAYS OF YESTERYEAR
As several have said, Fess Parker was a better Daniel Boone than a Davy Crockett. Oh well, he was Davy only four or five times, and Daniel about SIX YEARS. Practice does make perfect. This is a good video for nostalgic reasons and fairly believable acting. If you are a historian who nitpicks about accuracy, then don't watch. It was amazing to see Plains TeePees intermingled with East Coast wigwams. Some of the tribal costume was out of place as well. Oh yes, some of the "Indians" needed a little more berry juice for complexion.
Other than that, this is an excellent video. It is very family oriented(Daniel does not take the Indian wife that is offered to him because Becky is waiting back home), his family always runs to meet him, and gets angry if he has to leave again. He tells stories to his children, and sings to the Missus.
Yes, there is some violence and killing and probably excessive, but Dan'l doesn't kill unless it is to protect someone, and tries avoid it if possible.
These things just are not done in films today, and if they are attempted they just don't have the same spirit.
This video(may there soon be more!!) also gives our children a chanced to see a program that excited us when we were young. everyone has seen all the Peanuts cartoons, and odds and ends of famous sci-fi, but this is a simpler life video.
It is also great to see familiar faces we haven't heard from in years like Ed Ames, and did anyone notice George "Goober Pyle" Lindsay up on the stockade wall during the battle?
AHHHH for the days of clean, if very inaccurrate historical stories. Yes we were very prejudiced in those days, but I think things like this were the beginning of racial acceptance.

Dan'l Boone living large on the frontier of Ken Tuck E
"Ken Tuck E" is the pilot episode for "Daniel Boone," which originally aired on September 24, 1964. Fess Parker, who had become famous in the 1950's playing Davy Crockett for Disney, became even more successful as American frontiersman and folk hero Daniel Boone. Technically a "Western," the series was set in the 18th century, right before the American Revolution, when the "west" was the North Carolina-Tennessee-Kentucky! In this pilot episode Dan'l gets his friends, both Indians and settlers, ready to fight the British. Ed Ames co-starred as Dan'l's Indian friend, Mingo, while Patricia Blair played Rebecca Boone, Veronica Cartwright was daughter Jemima, and Darby hinton son Israel. The show also featured Albert Salmi as Yadkin and Dal McKennon as Cincinnatus, the tavern-keeper of Boonesborough. This first episode is certainly representative of the series, which focused on Boone's encounters with friendly and hostile Indians, his pioneering exploits, and his relationship with his family. I know I am not alone in thinking that Parker made a better Daniel Boone than he did a Davy Crockett.

great family entertainment
I agree with the other reviewers, this is great family entertainment that you aren't ashamed of letting your kids and family see. I think all the baby boomers and even some of the kids of today would enjoy seeing this series on DVD or at least VHS.

Please pass this on to the ones who decide what is coming out next on video.

danel boon
simply one of the best tv shows of the 60s down to earth and very entertaining. i have been in search of i think a disney daniel boone when he was not married to rebbeca but was on his way to discover ken-tuck.i seen it on tv in the mid.60s but that was it. so far iam unable to fine.it stared fess parker and ed ames.

Great tape Wonderful Return to the Past
One of the best TV Shows of the 60's. I hope more Fess Parker Daniel Boone shows will be available.This was pure entertainment.I have wondered for years why this program was not out on tape. During those years we watched it every week. Those were heroes you could cheer for. I would like to own all the Daniel Boone TV shows.I hope Amazon.com will be able to offer more of these. Harry at Vidayo did a top notch job getting the tape to us. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Man from uncle are great
The first one is a little more wild than i like but the second on is the best I have seen.They are great guys I like it that the good guys always win at the end.

George Sanders steals Vol 2 in great dichotomous style
Why 5 stars you may ask? This volume really shows us the dichotomy that existed between the First and Second Seasons of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." television series. "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." was a great extension of the James Bond cinematic phenomena created in the 60s. "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" and the follow-up "The Yukon Affair" couldn't be more different in tone. But that's what made this series so dynamic. George Sanders steals both episodes.

An UNCLE classic
The first show on this video is the sparkling Gazebo in the Maze affair, featuring the talented George Sanders as Squire G. Emory Partridge. This one is a classic example of how good this show was to begin with. The dialogue is crisp, and not to be missed are Jeanette Nolan's wacky Edith Partridge and Leo G. Carroll in biking attire! Written by Dean Hargrove, who should've done more episodes, this one has the kind of dialogue in it that made the show so popular. Illya is kidnapped by the Squire, who has a grudge against UNCLE, and it's Napoleon to the rescue (well, sort of, since he promptly gets captured as well). The classic line from this one is when they are escaping through the maze, while being chased by a gamekeeper and a very large, nasty looking wolf. When the gamekeeper accidentally is attacked by the wolf, Illya murmurs, "bon appetit!" Definitely a keeper!

The second title brings back the squire, minus his wife, for a less clever episode. It's okay, but it definitely lacks the sparkle of the first. However, Illya manages to kiss the cute little Eskimo, and both agents wind up in the hospital. Not as clever or as imaginative as the Gazebo affair, but not as silly as some of the third season episodes, either.

Gazebo in the Maze and Yukon Affair
Though "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" and "The Yukon Affair" are something like a two part episode, "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" appeared in UNCLE's first season while "The Yukon Affair" appeared in UNCLE's second season. If you read on you'll find out why I'm only giving this volume only 3 stars.

Episode 27 "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair": A long time ago, Napoleon and Illya stopped the plan of Squire G. Emory Partridge (George Sanders) to control a small country in South America. Now he wants revenge. He kidnaps Illya and lures Napoleon to his manor in Eastsnout. He captures Napoleon and wants to have Napoleon and Illya convince Mr. Waverly come to Eastsnout to try to bring UNCLE down. They refuse though and Partridge, together with his wife Edith (Jeanette Nolan), torture Napoleon and Illya. Peggy Durance (Bonnie Franklin) helps them escape fortunately. The only thing is, the dungeon is right in the center of a maze in which it is filled with all sorts of deadly traps.* Great episode with a great plot. In the second season of UNCLE, they made it so Partridge returned again, in The Yukon Affair. I definitely prefer this first one with Partridge though. The part when Napoleon, Illya, and Peggy are trying to get out of the maze is really exciting, especially with Partridge, his henchman, and a wolf looking for them.

Episode 43 "The Yukon Affair": Sqire G. Emory Partridge (George Sanders) has returned and has acquired in Alaska a large quantity of Quadrillenium X, a very heavy metal with high magnetic powers which THRUSH wants. Napoleon and Illya are sent there to try to stop him but are immediately captured by Eskimos, but are saved by the chief's daughter Murphy (Tianne Gabrielle). Partridge and his niece Victoria (Marion Thompson) again capture them though. Will Napoleon and Illya be able to escape and find the cache of Quadrillenium X? * Weak and stupid plot, not very high up in my list of favorite UNCLE episodes. The scene in the beginning where Illya and Napoleon are in UNCLE headquarters is the best part of the whole episode, the rest is just too silly.

George Sanders returns twice as G. Emory Partridge
Volume 2 in the "Man from U.N.C.L.E." video collection features George Sanders as that most urbane bad guy, G. Emory Partridge in a pair of episodes from 1965. First up is "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair" (Episode #27: April 5, 1965), where it turns out that Partridge has not really been dead these seven years since last the boys saw him. Partridge kidnaps Kuryakin as a trap for Solo, with the aid of his strange but deadly wife, marvelously played by Jeanette Nolan. Dean Hargrove and Antony Ellis wrote the script for this above average episode, based on a story by Ellis, while Alf Kjellin was the director. Partridge returns in "The Yukon Affair" (Episode 43: December 24, 1965), although I am sad to report Mrs. Partridge does not make an appearance this time around. Like most sequels it is somewhat disappointing, especially since Sanders and Nolan were such an interesting tag team. Anyhow, Partridge tries to kill Solo with a big rock and then Waverly sends the boys off to the Yukon to track him down. While this certainly gives a whole new meaning to the idea of the Cold War, this is an okay episode that is just not as good as "Gazebo." In both of them the cheif charm is the way Sanders proceeds to do his evil deeds with such charm and grace. Marc Siegel wrote the "Yukon" episode, which was also directed by Kjellin. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Set 2 in The Avengers '67 includes more episodes of the long-running British television series at its creative peak of great writing, color filming (for the first time on the show), and flawless chemistry between actors Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg. This batch includes six episodes on three tapes, including the unstoppable-corpse mystery "The Living Dead"; the cheeky, killer-feline story "The Hidden Tiger"; the finishing-school drama "The Correct Way to Die"; the scary "Epic"; and the Agatha Christie-like "The Superlative Seven." --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Quirky, Stylish, and Outlandishly Classic
Opening sequence: Close-up of two champagne glasses, one standing, one on its side; camera pans back; John Steed (Patrick MacNee) enters stage left, wearing an impeccable suit and a bowler hat, with an umbrella dangling from one arm; he carries a champagne bottle; camera pans back and right; Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) enters stage right, wearing a pastel body suit and carrying a chrome-plated pistol with bone grips; she shoots the cork out of Steeds champagne bottle; he shows no surprise; he draws a small sword from the handle of his umbrella and uses it to flip a carnation from a vase over to Mrs. Peel; vibrant, upbeat music plays throughout the scene.

Does this give you an idea of the style, quirkiness, and love for the unexpected and slightly outrageous that was the trademark of this series? Steed and Peel were agents were British Intelligence, and each episode dealt with some threat to British national security and/or the keepers thereof. The writers had a penchant for outlandish and just-beyond-credible stories. No matter how outrageous, Steed and Peel were seldom taken off-guard, never flustered, and, of course, always able to somehow overcome the obstacles presented to them.

In this particular set of three tapes (six episodes), Steed and Peel (it's Mrs. Peel, but I don't think we ever see or hear mention of Mr. Peel) deal with a group of spies, living underground, using slave labor, and training an army of infiltrators in "The Living Dead"; there is a very big and very mean cat prowling, and killing intelligence agents in "The Hidden Tiger"; when foreign spies start getting killed, Steed and Peel team up with their foreign (Soviet?) counterparts to identify and stop the third party in the game, in "The Correct Way to Kill"; there is a problem with disappearing corpses and an unkillable super-spy-gone-rogue in "Never, Never Say Die"; Emma gets kidnapped and unwillingly cast in a maniacal directors very lethal movie, with Steed eventually joining in to help out, in "Epic"; Steed is invited to a strange party that is really a try-out for a genetically-enhanced superhuman killing machine, up for sale, in "The Superlative Seven", with Emma joining the party, to help save the day, near the end.

Steed and Peel, Fantastic Duo !!!
One of my favorite adolescent shows and also as an adult. Patrick Macnee as the charismatic John Steed and the beautiful Diana Rigg as Mrs. Emma Peel do a great job as this British secret agent team (Diana Riggs also played a Bond girl in Her Majesty's Secret Service released in 1969-see this movie). I believe Mrs. Peel has a doctorate so is very smart and is also a crack shot. See Mrs. Peel's self defense techniques. Steed is also an expert in several weapons. They are called into action whenever there may be a threat to England's internal security. The threats are what is one of the great surprises in this show and at times very unusual. The plots are very good and are very unique most of the time. I have seen most of the shows with Mrs. Peel and she and Steed make a gtreat pair. Their intellectual abilities are great especailly when they must solve problems. Watch this series as it will definitely be well worth the entertainment. The two shows in this video, The Correct Way to Kill and Never Never Say Die show very good plots. This series will grow on you!! Watch It. You won't regret it!

I prefer the earlier ones
I personally think the earlier ones are much better. The 65's and the 66's. Though this a great set. The attractive Mrs. Peel played by Diana Rigg and the humorous Mr. Steed played by Patrick Macnee. Together they are superb. This set has such epsiodes as The Living Dead, The Hidden Tiger, The Correct Way To Kill, Epic, and The Superlative Seven. This is a pretty good set.

Witty and humorous
"The Avengers," of course was really a comedy series with a few deaths thrown in for good measure. . . even so, the episodes are a welcome break from the vulgarity that passes as humour these days. The recent feature film is rather hopeless in comparison (similar to the ruining of the Saint in its feature presentation). Of course, Honor Blackman, not Diana Rigg, was the first actress to play Steed's partner.

Makes So Much of Today's TV Look Pallid!
This review could stand for any of the sets.

So often when one sees a show again, after years of fond memories, the actual show is a letdown, if not an absolute disappointment. So few shows, after all, hold up after thirty-odd years! And though these shows are undoubtedly "Sixties" in look and feel, it doesn't date them, but adds to their allure. And that allure is still as potent as ever. It shows what high production values, intelligent, witty, literate scripts, fine acting, and above all the superb lead pair of Patrick MacNee and Diana Rigg, and their inimitable chemistry, can accomplish. Each is like a mini-feature film. If the plots sometimes are a bit far-out and far-fetched, if some of the special effects or gadgetry wouldn't pass muster today, nevertheless these films haven't lost a whit of their enjoyability or appeal. And they defined stylishness then, and still are unsurpassed in stylishness now! The unflappable urbanity and resourcefulness of Steed, and the wry wit and smouldering yet utterly controlled sexuality (and intellect!) of Mrs Peel, are a combination that has never been bettered. And the lackluster recent filmization of the series shows how much credit has to go to the original series' two stars and production/writing team, because the series outdoes the film by a parsec. Kudos to those responsible for releasing these gems on video! Now a whole new generation can discover them! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Noteworthy Entry for the Mission: Impossible Collector
THE CONTROLLERS is the first entry in Mission: Impossible's fourth season and features a semi-plausible plot and a somewhat larger cast than the previous seasons. In the two-part episode, the IMF must prevent a scientist from unleashing a mind-controlling drug. THE CONTROLLERS is a good edition to the post-Bain/Landau Mission: Impossible T.V. series, but there is a chemistry that seems to be missing. From a technical standpoint, the series stands out as the first appearance of Dina Merrill as Meredyth and a post-Star Trek Leonard Nimoy as Paris. An enjoyable edition to the series. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Maybe the best T.V. comedy of the early Sixties; very smart!
Car 54, Where are you? is an extremely clever, absolutely hilarious sitcom about the misadventures of the officers in a mythical precinct in the Bronx circa 1961.

Vaudeville style humor and intelligent writing are the trademarks of this series.

Fred (Herman Munster) Gwynne, and Joe E. Ross are the stars. Their contrasting personalities and intellects are the central point of the humor.

The first episodes, (Vol. 1) are about the funniest videos this fan has ever seen. The staccato silliness, and the absurd situations make for great 25 minute viewing.

Currently, Amazon carries Vol. 1 - 6. It would be a real treat to find the subsequent seasons which added Al Lewis (Granpa Munster), and Larry Storch of "F Troop" fame. Lewis as one of the officers, and Storch as the town drunk.

All in all, one could do a lot worse for $8.99. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

best cult series
i think the bunker is a excellent episode which has a lot going for it.It is a Playdon adventure, personally my favorite writer Bain and Landau are excellent,the only thing that got me was the masks.having two on at the same time is a bit implausible.Otherwise a great episode a must-see for all mission fans!

FINE EPISODE FROM SERIES THAT BROKE THE MOLD
Mission: Impossible is the TV series that broke the mold and proved that an exciting show that doesn't insult the intelligence of the audience can still be very popular. During the 1960's when MI first appeared, most action-adventure series contained a large helping of car chases, fist fights and shoot-outs. Although, in the first season's episodes, we still see some elements of these things, by the second season they had pretty much disappeared and the emphasis became on out-thinking the enemy. It even got to the point that if someone had to be "liquidated", the IMF maneuvered the bad guys into doing it themselves (another major motivation for reducing the amount of violence in the show was the climate of disorder in the United States during this period including the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr, widespread opposition to the War in Vietnam plus the rioting in the major urban areas of the US caused by the racial unrest of the time). Another factor in the success of the series is the music which has become legendary that was written or inspired by Lalo Shifrin. Many scenes consisted of Barney connecting up wires or tinkering with some mechanical device and yet, the musical background kept up the tension and prevented the scene from becoming boring. The two-part episode on this tape was written by Paul Playdon who wrote some of the best stories for the series. There are plenty of clever gadgets and escape-proof prisons plus the presence of a hired assassin from a third country whom the IMF is not in control of to keep any MI fan occupied for two hours. The only reason I gave the story only 4 stars instead of 5 was because of the use of masks (someone even wears two masks at one time!) which I find rather implausible, but it is great entertainment in any event. I hope that more episodes will become available for purchase in the future!

IMF team has to rescue scientist and his wife. Undetected.
A scientist is held captive. He is to perfect the missile. Only the scientist knows what to do. If he is not to do it. His wife will be executed. Also in sub-plot. A assassin is hired to kill the scientist so he can not finish his work. The IMF team has a gaget that might work. Wil they rescue the scientist in time. END ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The two classic Brady Bunch Marcia, Marcia, Marcia episodes
We are not talking lofty standards here when we recognize the fact that this particular set of episodes from "The Brady Bunch" contains two of the show's signature episodes from the perspective of American pop culture. The common denominator here is the oldest female Brady, Marcia (Maureen McCormick), in what are clearly her two most famous misadventures. "Getting Davy Jones" (Episode #61, December 10, 1971) has Marcia promising to get teenage hearthrob Davy Jones of the Monkees to sing at her school prom. Unfortunately, this appearance is news to Davy. Good thing this is a television comedy otherwise this would end badly for Marcia. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia gets her comeuppance in "The Subject Was Noses" (Episode #90, February 9, 1973), when she gets hit in the nose with a football. The nose swells up like a balloon and because of the disfigurement Marcia's boyfriend Doug Simpson (Nicholas Hammond) ditches her. Obviously no great loss, but it sure bothers little miss vanity. For fan's of neglected sister Jan this has to be the most popular episode of "The Brady Bunch" ever. You do not have to like these episodes let alone "The Brady Bunch," but you do have to at least know about them as touchstones of pop culture. P.S. Pay attention to the guest stars besides Davy Jones on these episodes and their importance in television history. The first one has Marcia Wallace, who went on to success on "The Bob Newhart Show" as receptionist Carol Kester and who know provides the voice for Bart's teacher Edna Krabappel on "The Simpsons." Nicholas Hammond from the other episode ended up as television's "Spider-Man" after being one of the Von Trapp children in "The Sound of Music."

Girl, look what you've done to me ....
Classic Brady! Do you know any girl who, not only got a rock star to play at her prom, but got a date out of him? Only Marcia could pull this off! I remember when it originally aired in the 70's and had dreams of meeting the infamous Monkee (OK, I was 6 years old and hadn't discovered "Tiger Beat" yet). The clothes and hairdews alone make the episode (check out Davey's dorky mananger and Marcia's groovy poncho). On a footnote: did actually meet Davey 15 years later during a Monkees Reunion, a disappointment. Better on tape, than in person.

Of course it's stupid fantasy...
and this video is worth the money just to hear the black girl in the Davy Jones episode ask Marcia (referring to Davy) -- all excited and bubbly -- "is he as neat as he looks?" Yeah, right. I like the end of the episode when Marcia and Davy stand side by side, and you can get an idea of just how short Davy is - he is shorter than Maureen McCormick. The "oh my nose" episode is pure fantasy -- and as for Marcia episode it's right up there with the Romeo and Juliet and braces episode --the family that paints together? Marcia's swollen nose disappears overnight? The Big Man on Campus asks Marcia out? She ultimately chooses Charlie the awkward delivery boy? And in the former episode, Marcia enters Davy's recording studio -- while he's recording no less -- without any problems? If you ask these questions then you definitely won't enjoy it. If you don't care about reality...then this is the best! Crank up "Girl" and drive your neighbors nuts!

A Great Show For Its Pure and Utter Stupidity
The Brady Bunch is a guilty pleasure of mine. It's ridiculously cheesey and stupid and unrealistic, but it's a great show to watch and make fun of. Plus it's a good show to help cheer you up, or to watch when you're sick.

Still, it's pretty stupid. I mean (everyone knows this already) the Brady family is SO perfect, what with the dad always giving horrible speeches everytime the kids say something mean to each other (they don't much, though), but most of the time he just does the ridiculous speeches for no reason. The kids are terriblly happy all the time, and the situations they always get themselves into are just plain dumb!

Carol Brady (Florence Henderson) is only there to say stuff like "Oh, Mike," or "Your father's right." The kids are all very one dimensional yet fun to watch. Alice does nothing but say dumb jokes however I respect Ann B. Davis as an actress (not that she is one anymore).

Of course everyone also know that the late Michael Reed dispised this show, and he had good reason, especially with the way his character acts. Everyone seems to regret starring on this show! Serious. Just watch the E True Hollywood Story on The Brady Bunch, and see. Susan Olsen (Cindy) sais she's been stereotyped ever since. Barry Williams (Greg) claims it's now very hard to get a job, and Florence Henderson sais the show was to unrealistic, and so on.

Still, you gotta love the show. How can't you? The people that hate this show have no heart. I'm mean, it's a horrible show, but it's a wonderful show! Sound strange? Sorry, but come on, even you people who bash it here really love it, and you know it. Why? Because it's really entertaining, and some episodes are actually GOOD (the Hawaii episode early in the show).

Don't buy these DVDs, the show is on all the time. But do buy the Brady movies, they're hilarious!

Later

Don't knock him!!
For Pamela, I'm sorry David didn't fulfill your dreams. He is really a wonderful guy - YOU should try to make EVERYONE happy for a while and see how you do at it! David would feel terrible that he hurt your feelings. I've gotten to know him in the last few years, and he is sweet, charming, kind and considerate. Whatever happened at the concert you attended, he had his reasons for his behavior. He's not perfect - but then neither are ANY of us!! Please don't defile his character. He gets enough S**t from fair-weather fans who don't "know" him . He's a very special guy!! Give it another try - things will work out better next time!! Believe me, it's worth the effort!! ... Read more

Reviews (73)

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street 2 KA
Rod Serling was a very odd person. He went to school to become a P.E. Teacher and ended up wrighting over one hundred stories for T.V. One of these stories is Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. This story, as you've probably guessed, takes place on Maple Street. The characters Charlie, the annoying, smart-mouthed neighbor, and Steve, the actually intelligent neighbor, are two of the lead characters in the story. I think that if Charlie had only listened to Steve a lot of bad things wouldn't have happened.
I don't think this story was very realistic. In a real neighborhood people would go crazy just because the power went out and they certainly wouldn't think it was aliens that did it. People would say, "Oh, there goes the power again." Not "The electricity's off!!"(669). Oh no! The powers out! What are we going to do? (sarcastically) The electricity goes out in our neighborhood at least once every other month. Most people would be in side all day so only about three people would have seen the U.F.O. and they would have been kids. Who would believe them? I think the people in the story really over reacted.
There were a few parts of the story that were unbelievable, like when Mr. Goodman's car started. That was really weird. I really didn't see that coming. There was also when Pete Van Horn got shot. I didn't think anything like that would happen. I knew the ending couldn't be happy. The Twilight Zone never is. The stories always seem to be so tragic. What was Rod Serling thinking? He must have been a troubled child. Any way; I can't believe that Charlie actually thought that Pete Van Horn was a monster. "You killed him Charlie. You shot him dead!"(679) How dumb could he be?
I didn't really pick this story. Ms. Chabot told us to read it. I liked it though. I think it's funny to watch old science fiction shows. I laugh at the cheesy acting and the corny special effects. You can see the strings holding them in the air. I thought it was funny how one little boy made all the neighbors think that aliens were attacking their neighborhood. Nobody would believe that now-days. Maybe people were more easily convinced of those things fifty years ago.
I think the video Monsters Are Due on Maple Street and the teleplay Monsters Are Due on Maple Street are a lot the same. They used most of the same lines and used the same camera angles. Just like this line, "What was that? A meteor?" The story took a lot longer to read though. The video was only a few minutes. The book took days. It had more detail than the video did. Just like when they showed the space ship. You could see at least five strings coming off of it. Every body in the class laughed. It was really funny.

4jk
Rod Serling was a former boxer and a future PE teacher. He takes a path uncommon to jocks and science fiction. He wrote a movie called "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street." The characters in this movie are: Charlie the wise-cracker know it all, Steve the wise one, Don the laid back one, Tommy the kid who knows what's gonna happen, Sally his mother, and Pete Van Horn a scientist. You don't here a lot about Pete Van Horn because he leaves Maple Street at the beginning of the movie because he goes to another neighborhood to see if the power is on there. It all happens on Maple Street, USA.

My feelings as I read this book were that I couldn't understand why everybody was fighting and blaming each other. It's like you wanna yell " Jiminy Christmas." It's like what Rod serling said, "The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, and prejudice to be found only in the minds of men. For the record, prejudice can kill and suspicion can destroy and a thoughtless frightened search for scapegoat has a fallout all its own for the children... and the children yet unborn.
Pg [684.]

I wonder why the town is so peaceful, now and days you see kids about 13-16 on the street smoking, drinking and doing drugs. You might see parents telling there kids there grounded and then later you see the kids sneaking out the window. I mean come on who in the right mind would believe that? "Maple Street, U.S.A., late summer. A tree-lined little world of front porch gliders, hopscotch, the laughter of children, and the bell of an ice cream vendor." Pg [668.]

My favorite part of The Monsters are Due on Maple Street, is when everybody was accusing each other of who where the aliens. Everybody was bickering and fussing about this and that and everything that was going on. Tommy came running up the street yelling an alien is coming, so Charlie took his shotgun and shot what was coming up the street. It was Pete Van Horn, Charlie shot Pete Van Horn. [He swings the gun around to point it toward the sidewalk. The dark figure continues to walk towards them. The group stands there, fearful, apprehensive, mothers clutching children, men standing in front of wives. Charlie slowly raises the gun. As the figure gets closer and closer he suddenly pulls the trigger. The sound of it explodes in the stillness. There is a long angle shot looking down at the figure, who suddenly lets out a small cry, stumbles forward onto his knees and then falls forward on his face. Don, Charlie and Steve race forward over to him. Steve is there first and turns the man over. Now the crowd gathers around them.] Pg 679.

I felt that the book was good. It was very weird I wonder what's going to happen to all of the other people in the book. I wonder if the aliens are going to take over the whole world. Like hypnotizing all of the animals in the whole world to attack and kill all the people in the world except for one person to tell them how all humans lived and the aliens will all move down to earth and start living like humans. Then the whole world will never be the same again. Are you wondering what happened to that one guy? Well they kept him alive, and hypnotize him to think that the aliens are really humans and he married an alien, which he thought was a human. Are you wondering what happened to the animals? Well there alive to but the aliens experimented on them and mixed all of them up. It is freaky dude. I just hope that one of you aren't the one left not killed, because if I were I would just not feel right but I couldn't feel right because I would be hypnotized. Well I change my mind I would want to be the one left behind because I would act like I was hypnotized then I would get some weapons and kill all the aliens in the world. Then I would search all over the world and try to find pieces of the people that were killed then I would go to a lab and clone everybody so that all the people in the world would be back to life but they would be clones but I still would be happy because all of my friends, teachers, family members and other people in the world would be alive. But before I could clone people I would have to read the manual on how to work the cloning machine, then after I read that I would have to read the manual on how to clone people. Then I would fix all the animals back together. Wow! Sorry got off the subject there. Well the book was good I like it a lot I hope you like it to. So you have to read "Monsters are Due on Maple Street"

1VJ
"The Monsters are Due on Maple Street," is a classical episode of the Twilight Zone. I like how it showed that we can be prejudice and suspicious. It's also interesting how all the "monsters", or aliens, had to do was flick on and off a few lights to scare the people. Then the rest was the peoples own doing. The movie is very dramatic, and is almost exactly the same as the teleplay. The fact that it is in black and white makes it even more intense, in my opinion. The video and the teleplay both had the same scene of fright where the lights go out and nothing works. This then goes on to mass confusion, foreshadows the coming of aliens, and shows the weak points of the human race.
The plot advances with chaos. The people get scared and confused. They blame each other for having something they don't. This causes mass confusion and general panic. Things only get worse after that. One thing happens after another. The suspicious grows and the people get paranoid, until someone is killed. This person was Pete Van Horn. "You killed him, Charlie. You shot him dead!" (679)
As the plot advances they also foreshow what will come. The aliens are the ones who cause all the lights to fail, but the humans are the ones who became suspicious. This foreshadows the doom of the humans. The aliens plan to go from Maple Street to Maple Street and do the same to cause the fall of humans. "Then I take this place... this Maple Street...is not unique."
Rod Sterling's theme for "Monsters are due on Maple Street" is you shouldn't be too quick to judge people. Or be suspicious of people who have things you don't. Chaos supports this theme in showing how easily we can become suspicious of others. Then from there chaos and mayhem come. The theme could also be a kind of moral. "They pick the most dangerous enemy they can find... and it is them selves" (682) I think this quote is a good quote to describe the theme.
I think "Monsters are due on Maple Street" is really great. It has a wonderful plot. When I read the teleplay, I thought it was just like the other Twilight Zones. (I have seen a few others. One was about a man being in isolation.) I really enjoyed the Monsters are due on Maple Street. The teleplay was almost exactly like the movie or visa versa. My favorite part in this one was at the end where the sudden quietness is shocking. Then the aliens come and start talking, and it fades out to Sterling's face and he said his "And this is the Twilight Zone." I also like the beginning/ending songs. In conclusion I think the teleplay and the movie were both equally interesting.

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street 1KC
" The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street"

Rod Serling, a screenplay writer for MGM in the 1950's wrote many famous science fiction teleplays, movies, Broadway shows, and television entertainment shows. Serling has won multiple Emmy awards for his work. He wrote 92 twilight zone episodes that were aired on CBS. They became one of America's most recognized, and most popular television series.
Some of Serling's most famous writings include: "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" and "Time Enough at Last". "Time Enough at Last" was written in 1959. I do not know when "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" was written but I assume it was around 1959.
Rod Serling died on June 28th, 1975. He died during a coronary bypass operation in Rochester, New York. Rod Serling's stories of aliens and super natural happenings are entertaining for all to this day. His name will live on in science fiction history forever.
"The Monsters are Due on Maple Street", a teleplay and television entertainment show, was written by Serling in the nineteen fifties'. I love how Serling describes les Goodman's car starting up with no one in it (673). This event brings chaos and unproven assumptions. Other things, such as flickering lights, happen all down Maple Street. They are mostly all blamed on Les Goodman because of his insomnia. These things bring complete and utter chaos.
Confusion breaks free when all of the lights and appliances down Maple Street turn off and stop working (668-669). This advances the plot to confusion. Chaos doesn't come until Les Goodmans' car starts up with no one inside. People turn wild as new and crazy things happen down Maple Street. Sound effects in this section of the teleplay are screams, crying, and gunfires.
Other crazy things happen down Maple Street. Lights flicker, appliances turn on and off, and again chaos starts up (683). Mostly these things are blamed on Les Goodman. They think he is an alien because his insomnia sometimes wakes him up. So to occupy himself he takes walks at night and claims to be looking at stars. But the families all down Maple Street think he is looking for his alien friends. This foreshadows who is behind all of the chaos and confusion.
I thought Rod Serling's teleplay, "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street", was very realistic when referring to human nature. Even though it is believed that alien or outer space life forms are not real. The car starting then produces this assumption.
I thought it was interesting how Serling never gave a definite ending to "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street". He never gives a definite ending to the teleplay. I just assumed the chaos went on until every human life on Maple Street was dead or confused for their lifetime. Even though I am not into science fiction writings, I really enjoyed "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street". I would call this science fiction movie and teleplay one of the best from the 1950's.

1OE
The Monsters Due On Maple Street

"The Monsters Due On Maple Street" was probably the only kind of movie that was supposed to be scary back then. Since I'm in the year 2003 that movie was pretty dumb, but back in that time it must have been awesome. The aliens looked really dumb with those two antennas. I liked seeing all the fake shooting and killing. I can now see how far we have come with movies since then. The movie was confusing until the alien started to talk. They told their plan of taking over the Earth by flickering some lights and making some stuff mess up. When they said that, it put all the pieces of the movie together, and foreshadowed that the human race would end because of prejudice.
I think the way he ended the movie was great. He told about the plan and makes you think, could that happen to us? That is how he advanced the plot, he told the story about the alien's plan and then had them talk and tell how everybody is the same. He had the aliens take off saying they were going to take over the world just by sitting down. Then left for another place to terrorize.
When the aliens talk it foreshadows the Earth in complete destruction. Dying because of them assuming that their friends are the enemy, when really they are the most dangerous because they terrorize people as innocent as them. When the aliens talk they say the theme of how people can be so prejudice. "They find the most dangerous enemy they can find............and it's themselves" (682). It is the probably the best and easiest plan the aliens have ever come up with.
The theme in this story is not to be prejudice. My part advanced the theme by talking. The aliens tell their plan about using prejudice to destroy the humans. As much as that sounded stupid, it was smart. The aliens could actually make their plan work, and that is what The Monsters Due Maple Street shows. About everyone has a little bit of prejudice inside him. After reading the story, realizing the theme, and thinking about it, you will think could that happen to me?
The book and movie are so close to each other. You can read from the book and they will say almost all of the same lines in the movie. That is what helps me relate to the movie. I can just see if the picture was same in the movie as in my mind. In other movies they are far off from the book, so it changes the whole view of the story. The author picked a great way to show how everyone can be so prejudice. When I read the story I also was prejudice. I thought Charlie was the alien, but as I found out nobody was. That surprised me a lot. This was the first book that showed that nobody was the bad guy, and that made the story's end great. ... Read more

Amazon.com

According to one Avengers-appreciation Web site, three of the seven episodes contained in this three-volume boxed set--"Too Many Christmas Trees," "A Surfeit of H20," and "Dial a Deadly Number"--rank among the 10 best episodes from the series' Mrs. Emma Peel era (a fourth, "The Hour That Never Was," is ranked in the top 20), making this the perfect chaser to The Avengers '65 Set 1. "What nasty situation have you got in store for me this time?" Mrs. Peel asks in "The Man-Eater of Surrey Green," another of the vintage, black-and-white episodes from the series' breakthrough fourth season, which introduced Diana Rigg in her signature role. The answers make for diabolically clever entertainment in classic Avengers tradition: a "herbicial" plant from outer space (in "The Man-Eater"), matrimonial matchmaker assassins (in "The Murder Market"), a rainmaking vintner (in "H20"), and a brainwashing dentist (in "The Hour"). "Christmas Trees" alone is worth the price of the boxed set. In this haunting episode for all seasons, Steed is plagued by deadly nightmares that have begun to come true. Outfitted at one point as Oliver Twist, Mrs. Peel proves herself to be the woman of our dreams. Each volume is also available separately. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Steed Pours Champagne - Emma Sparkles
The best thing about The Avengers is that the series is so diverse, a random grab of any half d