Spenser: For Hire

I never liked VEGA$ very much, never read any of Parker's books, had never heard of Parker before, and found myself watching almost every episode of SPENSER only because TV GUIDE described it as a conventional cop show. (Not that VEGA$ was unconventional, but SPENSER was the first such show I ever watched without considerable parental guidance.) What I didn't expect were Spenser's delightful literary meditations. They (along with the beauty of Barbara Stock) made this show not just a rite of passage (for me) but one of my all-time favorites.

However, there was one Shakespearean passage I waited to hear and never did. Given Spenser's apparent compassion for all those involved in his cases, when he had to kill someone or witness a scene of massive killing I kept waiting for him to quote Fortinbras' lament for both the innocent and the guilty dead at the end of HAMLET:

"Take up the bodies. Such a sight as this

Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss."

Fans: Quite often I go on-line to check for the much anticipated release of this intelligent detective series. So far my face is dragging the ground. I loved this show when it was on and could not for the life of me understand why it was canceled. Let us not go there. So shows the fans just loved seemed to generate no love with the network Execs. I guess wit, intelligence, and great plots are not where we are going. And by the way only the the late Robert Eurich could ever play the character of Edmond Spenser, and Avery Brooks as Hawk. Never knew if Hawk had another name, like Jason, or Daniel etc.

But if there is a petition we can sign to try to get Spenser: For Hire on DVD somebody please point the way, and I will be sure to add my name.

How to wrap up in summation thoughts and feelings for what started out as viewing a tremendously enjoyable series that has led to a desire to know the Spenser universe as well as creator Robert B. Parker? Two words: Intelligent, non-pandering. Every so often the rarity of a great ensemble cast manages to translate story-to-screen week-after-week in a way that induces the viewer to come back. Robert Urich as Spenser brought an intellect mind to the P.I. genre as no one had prior and his partnership-friendship with long-time associate Hawk (as played by Avery Brooks in the role he shall forever shine in [versus his "Deep Space Nine" stint] displayed, without ever coming right out and stating it, that men being close with other men is not only O.K.- it (friendship) is what life is all about (and that you don't discuss it- you live it AND accept it). The third ingredient, Spenser's paramour, shrink Susan Silverman (as played by the ravishing Barbara Stock) makes for a group of impenetrable smarts and savvy to tackle the most twisted of crimes and criminals. Spenser's police associates, Sergeant Belson (Ron McLarty) and Lt. Quirk (long-time renown actor Richard Jaeckel) complete the team- and... the complement. As portrayed in the novels, they each ultimately are part of a crime-fighting machine, only not in the TV-formulistic manner. One doesn't feel as though the producers of the show have a checklist being annotated during planning and blocking meetings. Stories feel real, with a human flair versus a TV production mill affair. Being set primarily in the Massachusetts-centered New England, and MUCH of the time on location also gives the series a freshness. Invariably "Spenser for Hire" will air in re-runs again. My recommendation: watch it, then go get the novels (there are now 20+). As for the "TV movies" that were on and produced by Lifetime- they are just O.K., each came directly from a Parker Novel (with screenplays authored or co-authored by the creator himself) but other than Urich and Brooks, the remaining principles are cast with different people and the "magic" never quite propagated. But even change can be surprising- which is what I am hoping the upcoming new A&E production of one of the more recent Parker novels, "Small Vices" will be.

Forget Sherlock Holmes. Forget Magnum. Robert Urich was Spenser (with a "s" like the poet) and his legend lives on. Spenser shaped a generation of viewers by his interpretations of character and integrity. Urich was the best and so was the character.

Spenser for Hire played on the ABC Friday night line-up at 10pm (pst) following O'Hara and Starman. The show had a grass roots following that protested its initial cancellation during the mid 1980s.

On a scale of 1 - 10, this show is an 11. Spenser displayed the wisdom of a poet, the tenaciousness of a tiger, and culinary talents of a chef all wrapped up into the body of an ex- policeman turned private investigator. He even boxed as part of his exercise. What more of a tough, clever, fast-talking bulky investigator who will turn any thing or one over to solve a case?

If you ever had an interest in mysteries (Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew) as a youth, then this series is something you may start to view, teenager through adult.

Great, really great - in my opinion one of the best Crime-TV-Series ever made. Robert Urich plays - again - a private investigator who solves his cases with help of his friend "Hawk" (Avery Brooks, "Ben Sisko" from "Deep Space Nine"). I have not seen one episode of this TV-Series which was boring. Great stories, quite enough action, social aspects - and of course two really superb playing actors (Robert Urich, Avery Brooks). That's what makes this TV-Series from the 80's a classic one.