Tenspeed and Brown Shoe

In my opinion this is Stephen J. Cannell's greatest creation. The series was kind of a -What if Jim Rockford split in two? The shy, dream-laden private-eye want-to-be and the accomplished con artist team up to solve various mysteries. Goldblum and Vereen are cast perfectly. This was television fun at it's best with the homage to the pulp detectives and the MacGyver of disguises. The villains were typical Cannell with mobsters to motorcycle gangs, but these two heroes made the endings, for me, much more satisfying because of the clever characters. Saddest is how this series was miss-scheduled by ABC and destroyed in the ratings by CBS.

This was one of the most creative shows ever to appear on U.S. TV. The chemistry between Jeff Goldblum and Ben Vereen was perfect for this type of dry, understated comedy. I hope some enterprising cable TV programmer picks it up and re-runs it one day soon. I believe it will find a new and bigger audience 20 years later.

I am a picky guy when it comes to TV shows, but just a few episodes were enough to establish this show, a show before its time, as one of my all-time favorites. I was absolutely befuddled when I discovered it was cancelled! It was a groundbreaking show with style, verve and heart. What else would you expect with the class of Vereen and Goldblum? They seemed destined to be famous sidekicks, forever at odds in their view of everything! The network didn't realize the value of what it had, ergo the inevitable mismanagement.

The odds are not good for this show ever being issued on DVD, in my opinion, despite its accomplished cast, because the TV promotion machine did not establish sufficient fan base. And there weren't enough episodes to pick "the best of." But if a DVD became available, I would sure buy it.

A too short series that was pure Stephen J. Cannell at the height of his television career.

The hardboiled private eye excerpts from a series of mysteries that had Cannell's photograph on the back; the peculiar and wonderful relationship between the main characters; the longing for a different life; it all added up to a wonderful series that should have lasted for much longer.

Jeff Goldblum was wonderfully befuddled, yet earnest in a most endearing way. Ben Vereen was tolerant and amused, drawn to this most unlikely private investigator.

The humor was unusual and the scripts did not pander to the lower level. It was a most wonderful year that ended way too soon.

An email from SJC himself states that he hopes to release it on DVD...someday. I think someday has arrived, boss. If you can release Renegade, you can release this one. Please?

You'd think that a series with two accomplished actors would be available on DVD based upon the current offerings of 70's and 80's material. Conceptually, I think this could work as a current movie vehicle. I think the comedic chemistry between Goldblum and Vereen was great. I never knew of the Simon and Simon or the Moonlighting link. Upon hearing that knowledge, I can reflect that I liked those shows as well. Once again, writing in the category of "things which will never happen", those are two other shows which I'd like to see published on DVD. I suppose Moonlighting perhaps has enough of an appeal and following where it may be available.