No Antoinette, but Lightning McCoy
Jul 2, 2013 14:45:59 GMT -5
countmanzeppi, Lone Rider, and 2 more like this
Post by zimmerman on Jul 2, 2013 14:45:59 GMT -5
TNOT Surreal McCoy is a series of firsts and lasts in the ten-episode Loveless saga: it is the first episode to not feature Antoinette, and Michael Dunn's elegant singing. It is also the first episode in which Loveless becomes more passionate on seeking revenge on James and Artemus for all of the many times that they have thrawted his grand plans ;D!
Sadly, this is the last WWW episode to be written by the creator of the good Doctor, John Knuebehl. He was getting ready to leave the series when, as the story goes, he wrote this episode as a favor to one of Michael Garrison's secretaries, who came up with the original idea and concept for this episode which Mr. Knuebehl nailed to perfection, as always, with his unique writing style. .
I think that this is also the first WWW episode to be largely shot in its entirity at The Barkley house. To think what would have happened if Nick, Jarrod, Heath, Audra, and Victoria had discovered the renovations that Loveless had done to their house; I know for one that Nick would have a fit ;D!
We may not have Nick Barkley in this episode, but we do have a cattlemen with an attitude, in the form of Axel Morgan, who donated the Western painting that hangs in front of the Herzburg crown jewels, and apparently, had a major part in saving the good doctors life and getting him back on his feet: "I found you in that mountain cave half-starved. I took you in. I poured money into your experiments." I really enjoy watching this confrontation between Loveless and Axel: the latter rants and loud-talks, while Loveless pretty much ignores him with malevolent glee, playing around with his tuning fork. Love the passionate exchange that Loveless fires back at him as well: "Mr. Morgan, I will not be bullied. I realize that a lifetimes association with cows does not prepare one of the ways of a gentleman, and I know that buying up paintings, and requiring the reputation of a great patron of the arts does not guarantee good manners, but you could try, Morgan. I am the key to more wealth, more power, than any man has ever had since the beginning of time."
Unlike Loveless, Morgan wants to do James in right away, while Loveless tries to stop him because of his and James' long-standing "Friendship" .
As always, the scenes between Michael Dunn and Robert Conrad are outstanding, and we have some great quotes from Loveless, like these:
"A yen for your thoughts, Mr. West."
"I shall never die, Death is too ordinary. The humilation would kill me."
"Mr. West, you are so droll sometimes."
"#7 will keep you company until you get better, than you will feel worse."
As many other people on the board have already commented on, Artie is charming and outstanding in his initial meeting with Lightning McCoy, and his disguise as the faux Lightning McCoy is quintiessential Western bad guy, making him much more dangerous than the real McCoy actually is ;D! I really like Artie's conversation with the real Lightning McCoy, and how he says, with a touch of delight in voice, that he is Miguelito Loveless' "Right Hand Man." It is also refreshing to see the bad guy get knocked out with Artie's drink that has "got the kick of a mule." For someone who claims to be the fastest gun in the West, he apparently is no match for expert marksmen James West, who kills the "Real McCoy" with one shot!!
As CalGal has commented, this is one of the few episodes that no females appear at all. The bar is also closed when Loveless, James, and #7 enter. I still do not understand why #7 got guard duty instead of #2. The ensuing Western showdown in the street with our heroes and #s 2 through 7 provides some excellent Western action into this particular episode.
This is one of the few epsiodes that I have watched since I started writing these reviews wherein I noticed some key plot holes: we do not know if Axel Morgan was killed by James' explosion or if he somehow escaped, plus we do not know if the Oriental hatchet men were ever caputred after the pictures were sent to the vault. Oh well, fanfic fodder, perhaps. .
I am not sure if these people ever saw this episode, but if they did, it was probably a profound influence on Herb Alpert when he was planning the Tijuana Brass special, "The Brass are Comin'". and I also wonder if Artie's Lightning McCoy disguise had a profound effect on Clint Eastwood when he was making his classic spagetti Westerns like "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" and "Hang 'Em High."
Also, the only time in the series that Loveless is captured and on the train with the boys--but not for long, of course .
Did you notice that Loveless acquired some of Dr. Faustina's equipment when he created his transporter? ;D.
As always, James has some absolutely wonderful fight scenes in this episode as well.
Overall, a very enjoyable, Western-themed episode of WWW with a great Loveless twist.
9 out of 10 from me .
Sadly, this is the last WWW episode to be written by the creator of the good Doctor, John Knuebehl. He was getting ready to leave the series when, as the story goes, he wrote this episode as a favor to one of Michael Garrison's secretaries, who came up with the original idea and concept for this episode which Mr. Knuebehl nailed to perfection, as always, with his unique writing style. .
I think that this is also the first WWW episode to be largely shot in its entirity at The Barkley house. To think what would have happened if Nick, Jarrod, Heath, Audra, and Victoria had discovered the renovations that Loveless had done to their house; I know for one that Nick would have a fit ;D!
We may not have Nick Barkley in this episode, but we do have a cattlemen with an attitude, in the form of Axel Morgan, who donated the Western painting that hangs in front of the Herzburg crown jewels, and apparently, had a major part in saving the good doctors life and getting him back on his feet: "I found you in that mountain cave half-starved. I took you in. I poured money into your experiments." I really enjoy watching this confrontation between Loveless and Axel: the latter rants and loud-talks, while Loveless pretty much ignores him with malevolent glee, playing around with his tuning fork. Love the passionate exchange that Loveless fires back at him as well: "Mr. Morgan, I will not be bullied. I realize that a lifetimes association with cows does not prepare one of the ways of a gentleman, and I know that buying up paintings, and requiring the reputation of a great patron of the arts does not guarantee good manners, but you could try, Morgan. I am the key to more wealth, more power, than any man has ever had since the beginning of time."
Unlike Loveless, Morgan wants to do James in right away, while Loveless tries to stop him because of his and James' long-standing "Friendship" .
As always, the scenes between Michael Dunn and Robert Conrad are outstanding, and we have some great quotes from Loveless, like these:
"A yen for your thoughts, Mr. West."
"I shall never die, Death is too ordinary. The humilation would kill me."
"Mr. West, you are so droll sometimes."
"#7 will keep you company until you get better, than you will feel worse."
As many other people on the board have already commented on, Artie is charming and outstanding in his initial meeting with Lightning McCoy, and his disguise as the faux Lightning McCoy is quintiessential Western bad guy, making him much more dangerous than the real McCoy actually is ;D! I really like Artie's conversation with the real Lightning McCoy, and how he says, with a touch of delight in voice, that he is Miguelito Loveless' "Right Hand Man." It is also refreshing to see the bad guy get knocked out with Artie's drink that has "got the kick of a mule." For someone who claims to be the fastest gun in the West, he apparently is no match for expert marksmen James West, who kills the "Real McCoy" with one shot!!
As CalGal has commented, this is one of the few episodes that no females appear at all. The bar is also closed when Loveless, James, and #7 enter. I still do not understand why #7 got guard duty instead of #2. The ensuing Western showdown in the street with our heroes and #s 2 through 7 provides some excellent Western action into this particular episode.
This is one of the few epsiodes that I have watched since I started writing these reviews wherein I noticed some key plot holes: we do not know if Axel Morgan was killed by James' explosion or if he somehow escaped, plus we do not know if the Oriental hatchet men were ever caputred after the pictures were sent to the vault. Oh well, fanfic fodder, perhaps. .
I am not sure if these people ever saw this episode, but if they did, it was probably a profound influence on Herb Alpert when he was planning the Tijuana Brass special, "The Brass are Comin'". and I also wonder if Artie's Lightning McCoy disguise had a profound effect on Clint Eastwood when he was making his classic spagetti Westerns like "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" and "Hang 'Em High."
Also, the only time in the series that Loveless is captured and on the train with the boys--but not for long, of course .
Did you notice that Loveless acquired some of Dr. Faustina's equipment when he created his transporter? ;D.
As always, James has some absolutely wonderful fight scenes in this episode as well.
Overall, a very enjoyable, Western-themed episode of WWW with a great Loveless twist.
9 out of 10 from me .