Spenser: For Hire

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.

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.

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.

What can I say? This series captured the essence of the Spenser novels, written by the one man selected by the Chandler estate to finish the unfinished Philip Marlowe novel (Robert B. Parker). Robert Urich's portrayal of Parker's updated version of "the last good man" is unmatched, and I can't imagine any other actor in this role. Avery Brooks brings out the human side of Hawk, whose humanity developed in the Parker novels. Even Susan, although played by an actress far too young for the role, works.

All in all a fine tribute to Parker and his best known character.

Here's what can happen when intelligent people put together a show and keep up the quality thru its run. Spenser, though it only lasted three short seasons was a witty, intelligent, and suspensful show. The chemistry between Ulrich and Brooks (Spenser and Hawk) made the show...It was shown those two guys (while often dissagreeing about things) genuinly respected and cared about each other. The show was superbly shot in and around Boston, though a few locations (the abandoned Navy Yard especially) were used a bit to often, but at least it was Bosten, and not LA. The only weak link was Barbara Stock. Her continual "hampster in heat" acting mared the series, and Carolyn MacCormick (as Rita Fiori) was a far more interesting love interest for Spenser. Like "Harry-O" (w/ David Janssen) Spenser's adventures ended far to soon.