Friday’s “paradise gained” news

Film

British TV

  • Rick Edwards and Peter Mitchell to star in C4 comedy pilot [subscription required]
  • BBC and France TV to co-produce eight-part Death in Paradise

US TV

Classic TV

Old gems: Honey West (1965-66)/The Girl From UNCLE (1966-67)

The Girl From UNCLE

In a way that almost seems like I plan these things, this week we’re going to explore two trends I mentioned not so long ago: “Me, too!” and “More please!”

Back in the 60s, spies were the rage in both the UK and the US. Pre-eminent on TV in the US was The Man from UNCLE, with other shows like I, Spy vying for attention. Top of the pile in the UK was The Avengers, originally starring Ian Hendry and Patrick Macnee, but soon dropping Hendry for a bevy of feminist action heroines including Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale and Diana Rigg as Emma Peel.

Of course, success breeds “Me, too!” and “More please!” and soon networks in both the UK and the US were looking to replicate the successes of these shows.

Cue the obvious Avengers/Cathy Gale knock-off, the judo-performing Honey West, and The Man From UNCLE spin-off The Girl From UNCLE and their relatively average 60s title sequences.


Continue reading “Old gems: Honey West (1965-66)/The Girl From UNCLE (1966-67)”

Random Acts

Random Acts of Ali Larter: Maternity cover by Christina Applegate

Myne

Despite our Ali trying her very best to be random while pregnant – creating the most iconic Lucky moment of the decade by buying an MYNE Paula blouse – this week’s maternity cover is being provided by the also-pregnant Christina Applegate, who’s created a pre-natal pole-dancing DVD and invented the word Seducidence. That’s pretty random, Christina.

Have you seen Ali Larter or one of Ali’s sub-contractors acting randomly? If so, let us know and we’ll tell everyone about it in “Random Acts of Ali Larter

Thursday’s “resurrected 70s kids show” news

Film

British TV

International TV

US TV