HAVING previously written a review/overview of the now Classic TV Series; getting a chance to watch and keep a copy of the 'pilot' , while knowing what it is and its importance to success to the entire run. The previously posted write-up; being a combo of the ½ dozen episodes we have on video, combined with our oft rosy recollections from the original run on NBC Sunday evenings, that do justice in bringing out the overall feeling generated.
LUXURY is the only term which describes the opportunity to get up close and personal with the installment; being afforded the opportunity to put it under a high-powered microscope. Dissection and analysis of any and all aspects of the half-hour kick-off are rendered possible and reality; at once becoming both boon and bane to the comedy.
WHEREAS the excessive analysis and opinionating can be a real counter-productive endeavor, especially in comedy; much like the Science & Study of Biology, a certain amount of dissection is found to be necessary and proper. (After all, Schultz, a analyzing why we laugh is a determent to laughing at all.) AS for the pilot episode, "Car 54, Where Are You?: Who's for Swordfish? (#1.1)" Original airing 9/17/1961, we must say that if we didn't know we were watching the premiere installment, we wouldn't have known. It was so well crafted as a kick-off that it appeared to have all the attributes of what would have been "just another weekly episode"; albeit, of a well established and rollin' along, hittin' on all cylinders.
THIS, we believe, is a credit to the creative team of Mr. Nat Hiken (Creator/Writer) and Terry Ryan (Co-Creator/Writer); for they knew both what the wanted to do and what had to be done in order to make the Pilot (and in turn the Series)succeed. The Production walked a fine line in both establishing the characters; as if they'd actually been partners for years (as in the premise of the storyline) and still maintaining an amusing, yet grabbing, pilot story.
OUR STORY
.Long time partners on the job, off-duty New York City Cops, Gunther Toody (Joe E. Ross) and Francis Muldoon (Fred Gwynne) are spending their day off fishing. Although they have "Champagne Tastes and Beer Pockets", being only able to afford a row boat rental; they dream of going out for the day on the Atlantic is a Luxury Cabin Cruiser. Finding out that a fellow Cop at their 53rd Precinct has a brother-in-law who owns one big boat and goes out fishing regularly. The show's 30 minute span was taken up with all of the conniving, the work schedule switching and the seemingly successful conclusion.
PLAIN, simple and masterfully done; this was it, the first episode. In addition to this simply presented, yet brilliant rendered story plot line; there was only one other task that Mr. Hiken & Company had to do.
AND that was to at least begin to establish the character and the relationships of the various players who would be regular members of the CAR 54 Reparatory Company. Judging from the end results, they succeeded brilliantly. We are treated to top notch, seemingly well established characters as: Captain Block (Paul Reed), Officer Anderson (Nipsey Russell), Off. Nicholson (our friend, Hank Garrett), Off. Nelson (Jim Gomley), Off. Steinmetz (Joe Warren), Off. Wallace (Frederick O'Neal), Off. Reilly (Duke Farley) and many others.
THE HIKEN COMINE managed their second TV Series Success; coming on the heels of Phil Silvers as SGT. BILKO. Many thought that in many ways, CAR 54 trumped BILKO; although the earlier series had a much longer run.
ME buddy Schultz and I tend to prefer CAR 54; for after all the overall length of the series isn't everything. We like to think of it as being "Quality", rather than "Quantity!" Ain't that right, Schultz?
POODLE SCHNITZ!!
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