Quote:
Originally Posted by tdvance
I'm thinking, for example, of James Bond--"try the book Instant Japanese" Oh--I already know Japanese. Or Magnum PI who seems to know everything about everything that turns up on a case.
|
I'm a fan of Magnum in the same way many here are of
Star Wars or
Star Trek. As such, I'm obligated to respond to that last bit.
Nuh-uh. He was constantly going to Higgins, or Rick, or Mac (later Maggie) for information, usually needing to make some sort of deal to get the information or help.
As for this particular one, I tend to think it as a case of the right person for the job. Sure, in a series it can get way over done, but how long would MacGuyver have lasted if he couldn't make a bomb out of a pine cone and three strips of duct tape, and some candle wax? He'd be dead before the opening credits.
If its done well, it can be part of the gimmick of the show.
Hudson Hawk (which I despised) had the premise where a cat burglar would sing to himself to keep time. He knew the run time of a lot of older songs, so a guard that passed a certain point every 11 minutes 45 seconds, was two "High Hopes" and one "Would You Like to Swing on a Star". I did like that idea.
Another case would be "Remington Steele", where every case was similar in some way way to a movie he watched as a kid.
I also like the Tarrantino ramblings that go no where most of the time. It makes the characters feel a bit more like people. Done poorly, it's almost painful.
As for Jack Black. If is in the movie, but not the star of it, I can tolerate him. I even liked him in King Kong. But in anything where he's the star, it's like he's trying really hard to be that kind of zany that Robin Williams would be if he were to cut way back.