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StreedTV Reviews: The Fugitive #1 Fear In A Desert City (1963)

Review#5

September 4th 2022 I discovered The Fugitive on PlutoTV, the premise sounded really interesting and despite being a classic television aficionado I had never heard of this show

I fell in love with the show immediately after watching the first episode alone, it's a real shame this show is so obscure and rarely talked about and whenever it is, people are always Referring to the Harrison Ford fugitive film which I never knew existed until after I finished season 1

this episode perfectly introduces the mainstay characters like Richard Kimble & Lieutenant Gerard, David Janssen's performance as Kimble was the main reason I grew so immediately attached to the show

Kimble has an endearing sensitivity to him, he's masculine and courageous while still having a heart and sympathy for those in need and I absolutely adore that about him

Barry Morse as the fierce obsessive Lieutenant Gerard does an impeccable acting job, Gerard is less of a man and more of A force of nature as a loved one of mine put it, you can't tell right away his true intentions

all you know is that he's downright obsessed with capturing and apprehending kimble, could it be out of sadism? who knows, one of the things i noticed is that the narration is longer in the first episode

I remember that bugging me when i watched it for the first time but luckily the narration is trimmed down as the show moves along and to be transparent for a second, William Conrad's voice is very seductive and I don't care what anybody says

there's a few familiar actors present here as well, such as Dabbs Greer, Harry Townes and Barney Phillips, the antagonist of the episode Ed Welles is a startlingly realistic adversary

I've known many men precisely like him, I was raised by men like him, I was friends with men like him, I even dated a few men like him.. cold unfeeling brutes devoid of empathy that have left lasting psychological injuries...

that's what makes him so frightening, he's a very real man we all knew or could potentially meet, he's clearly insecure consumed by suspicion, leading him to be violent and destroy everything that comes his way

Vera Miles also does a fantastic acting job as Ed's vulnerable wife Monica Welles, I felt so bad for her situation and she conveys the sorrow of being in an abusive relationship perfectly

one line particular I found haunting was "his face changed" it's something you notice when someone you love deteriorates and transforms into a completely unrecognizable person.. they look the same but different in a subtle way

the music as well was incredible as ever, with a heavy usage of intense orchestral music, another thing I appreciate about The Fugitive so much is just how cinematic it is, everything from the shots, the music and the camera angles makes it feel like a feature length film

over all, this was an incredible beginning to a superlative show, I wholeheartedly consider it the Breaking Bad of the 1960s with it's immaculate writing, rich interesting characters and it's evocative themes redolent of A time when quality was valued in television

i'd like to give a special thanks to my dear friend who ordered the complete series out of the kindness of his heart so now I can have the pleasure of watching this exceptional show on my own screen, Thank You

Rating: 10/10

[xploryst]

[mad--house]

[gianluc30]

[mad--house]

[ski-ch]

one more photo

[ski-ch]

I took this photo while I was walking. Would you like a couple more photos (no refusals are accepted)

[streedtvreviews]

StreedTV Reviews: The Outer Limits #4 The Man With The Power (1963)

Review#4

I didn't think it possible but somehow this episode's quality was even greater than the last, this episode stars the immensely versatile and endlessly talented Donald Pleasence who plays the mild mannered meek Harold J. Finley

Harold is a man tread on by life, he feels insignificant in a world of celebrated and beloved figures, I can heavily relate to such a feeling, I have auspicious goals myself and hope to one day be remembered for my own talents

you sympathize with Harold's character and I consider him deeply tragic, his wife has no faith in him and there marriage is practically loveless and he feels like being a teacher is a demeaning profession

Harold signs up for an experimental operation which bestows an incredible and infallible power that enables him to telepathically bend objects at his will and his strong emotions to cause an electrical cloud to form and destroy anything in his path

he doesn't intend to harm anyone, in his day to day life he's a gentle man who means no harm but his thoughts are dark and the episode toys with the notion of what if our sinister machinations where made a reality? what kind of irreparable damage would this do?

the episode is also about the corruption of power and how absolute power can bring absolute chaos, back to pleasence's performance his acting is so genuinely incredible that he makes this entire so remarkable and masterful

his facial expressions convey such an unbridled rage and fury boiling beneath such a seemingly peaceful and kindred man, his icy glare is downright startling and I've never been so frightened by looking at someone's eyes

they're vacant, yet full blooming with pure unmitigated rage, I love how the music represents his strong emotions as well with the score rising when his wife Vera is shoved off the later by his electrical storm

this episode also stars Edward Platt as Dean Radcliffe who I recognized from The Twilight Zone & Gunsmoke, he does a suitable job, just thought I'd mention him because of his distinct booming voice

the episode has such a suffocating atmosphere of tension, the sets are obviously still quite picturesque as well matching the tone and atmosphere seamlessly, this episode was directed by a familiar name I recognized

László Benedek he also directed an episode of The Fugitive, Season 1 Episode 17 "Come Watch Me Die" which was a fantastic and enthralling story itself, László definitely has a profound talent for directing that i admire

the ending was heartbreaking and haunting with Harold succumbing to his everlasting power being consumed by it, he commits suicide by his own electrical force and the conclusion is semi-ambiguous

earlier an astronaut Steve Crandon was chosen to have the same operation and it's left unclear whether this hazardous operation was ever conducted or whether it will still proceed after Finley's demise..

the only thing I can criticize the episode for is the poorly aged effects which seems to be a running issue in the series but what can you expect it was indeed the 1960s, the electrical cloud effect was poorly composited and the bolder being lifted was clearly held on strings which admittedly gave me a chuckle

Over all this was a powerful gripping entry examining what ultimate power can do to a man and how it can strip him of his humanity, it's a character study about a man overcome by his subconscious hatred for his place in life, unforgettable episode, couldn't recommend it more

Rating: 10/10