My MV TV Guides!

[ViceFanMan]

6 minutes ago, wolfie1996 said:

I don't think it helped that DJ wanted to move on and he probably made his feelings known. Very sad though. It still had possibilities I feel.

True...lots of times TV show actors that become immensely popular want to go do movies instead. However, lots of times that doesn’t end up happening. But, I also think he saw the proverbial writing on the wall...that the show was going to be canceled fairly soon, and he was needing to move on. 

If they had had better scripts, better production management, and all of the actors were still invested in it, I do feel the show could’ve gone on a couple or even a few more seasons.   

[wolfie1996]

3 minutes ago, ViceFanMan said:

True...lots of times TV show actors that become immensely popular want to go do movies instead. However, lots of times that doesn’t end up happening. But, I also think he saw the proverbial writing on the wall...that the show was going to be canceled fairly soon, and he was needing to move on. 

If they had had better scripts, better production management, and all of the actors were still invested in it, I do feel the show could’ve gone on a couple or even a few more seasons.   

So true..and it was poetic justice I feel that he didn't become the mega movie star he expected to. Have you seen any of the films he  was leading man in following MV? Oh dear... problem is, they don't realise how much of their popularity  sprang from the very attractive characters  they played. Once they are playing different people this link disappears and people can lose interest. You only have to look at the Startrek phenomenon to see that. I didn't see Leonard Nimoy, for instance, deluding himself that he should be playing a variety of different roles ....Nash Bridges was fairly successful, they say (I never felt tempted to watch it) but he himself I'm sure created this to get himself back in the public eye. What a shame though. But he has always had a big opinion of himself...

[ViceFanMan]

23 minutes ago, wolfie1996 said:

So true..and it was poetic justice I feel that he didn't become the mega movie star he expected to. Have you seen any of the films he  was leading man in following MV? Oh dear... problem is, they don't realise how much of their popularity  sprang from the very attractive characters  they played. Once they are playing different people this link disappears and people can lose interest. You only have to look at the Startrek phenomenon to see that. I didn't see Leonard Nimoy, for instance, deluding himself that he should be playing a variety of different roles ....Nash Bridges was fairly successful, they say (I never felt tempted to watch it) but he himself I'm sure created this to get himself back in the public eye. What a shame though. But he has always had a big opinion of himself...

 I’ve seen a couple of his films, that he did after MV. They were okay.  I think Don had had so many previous show failures before MV, that when MV took off, so did his ego, LOL. However, that’s fairly typical for most Hollywood people...especially when they have their first taste of actual stardom. 

[wolfie1996]

59 minutes ago, ViceFanMan said:

 I’ve seen a couple of his films, that he did after MV. They were okay.  I think Don had had so many previous show failures before MV, that when MV took off, so did his ego, LOL. However, that’s fairly typical for most Hollywood people...especially when they have their first taste of actual stardom. 

I sincerely hope you don't mean "The Hot Spot" among them? I saw that  and gave it a crap review on IMdb, it's the  sort of film guys who buy magazines off the top shelf will enjoy..... That one Word of Honour wasn't bad though eminently forgettable, I couldn't buy the Harley Davidson one as the dvd won't play on my machine, but The Long Hot Summer wasn't bad (but that was 1985 I think,) apart from having a totally unbelievable  romance interest! William Russ was good in that. Haven't seen any of his other stuff except that latest "comedy" Kenan (saw an excerpt) and that was enough. Yes, I sort of like him in some ways but he's no Sonny, more's the pity  No principles, I suspect.

[ViceFanMan]

30 minutes ago, wolfie1996 said:

I sincerely hope you don't mean "The Hot Spot" among them? I saw that  and gave it a crap review on IMdb, it's the  sort of film guys who buy magazines off the top shelf will enjoy..... That one Word of Honour wasn't bad though eminently forgettable, I couldn't buy the Harley Davidson one as the dvd won't play on my machine, but The Long Hot Summer wasn't bad (but that was 1985 I think,) apart from having a totally unbelievable  romance interest! William Russ was good in that. Haven't seen any of his other stuff except that latest "comedy" Kenan (saw an excerpt) and that was enough. Yes, I sort of like him in some ways but he's no Sonny, more's the pity  No principles, I suspect.

No, lol. I’ve seen “Guilty as Sin” and another one he did with Melanie Griffith...who by that time he was married to again. 

[wolfie1996]

2 minutes ago, ViceFanMan said:

No, lol. I’ve seen “Guilty as Sin” and another one he did with Melanie Griffith...who by that time he was married to again. 

Haven't seen that one. Yes I believe they did make a couple of films together while married before separating again. Though I can guarantee  she's kept herself part of his life throughout the time they've known each other- probably as a "family friend"/mother of one of his kids role now. I wonder what his wife thinks about that. Though I'm pretty  sure said wife is under no illusions about him  and keeps him on a short rein  You see she's holding the cards now (to use a mixed metaphor), 20 years younger, mother of his three youngest kids and (I've read) is quite wealthy. He does cultivate those with  wealth and influence....

[ViceFanMan]

4 hours ago, wolfie1996 said:

Haven't seen that one. Yes I believe they did make a couple of films together while married before separating again. Though I can guarantee  she's kept herself part of his life throughout the time they've known each other- probably as a "family friend"/mother of one of his kids role now. I wonder what his wife thinks about that. Though I'm pretty  sure said wife is under no illusions about him  and keeps him on a short rein  You see she's holding the cards now (to use a mixed metaphor), 20 years younger, mother of his three youngest kids and (I've read) is quite wealthy. He does cultivate those with  wealth and influence....

“Paradise” was the movie I was thinking of, and yes they still have contact & from what I’ve read or heard in the media, I think they seem to get along well enough. In my opinion most Hollywood marriages or relationships don’t last...the industry is not family or personal friendly. But, that’s their private life, and their business. 

[Robbie C.]

13 hours ago, wolfie1996 said:

But I can't help wondering WHY there was no overall supervision of the scripts and plots before they were finally used.

Because at the end of the day Mann was really only concerned with the visuals (this becomes very obvious when you compare MV to Crime Story, which was his pet project). Dick Wolf had a much heavier hand on the writing side, which is why (IMO) you see the shifts you do in the later seasons. Of course, Wolf has his own issues with continuity and the like. Chicago PD is sort of a textbook on how not to do some things....

[wolfie1996]

16 minutes ago, Robbie C. said:

Because at the end of the day Mann was really only concerned with the visuals (this becomes very obvious when you compare MV to Crime Story, which was his pet project). Dick Wolf had a much heavier hand on the writing side, which is why (IMO) you see the shifts you do in the later seasons. Of course, Wolf has his own issues with continuity and the like. Chicago PD is sort of a textbook on how not to do some things....

Ah, I never saw Crime Story (not shown here  I don't think) but I see what you mean.......:(

[pahonu]

14 hours ago, wolfie1996 said:

But I can't help wondering WHY there was no overall supervision of the scripts and plots before they were finally used.

There are script supervisors on series like this, but they are focused on continuity within the episode, like the actor was holding paperwork at the start of the scene and then put it down on the desk behind them.  They are super detail oriented with lots of note taking, but once an episode is done, they move on to the next script and don’t really look back.  I think the script editor and/or executive script editor would be more responsible for what you’re describing here.  They also have lots of other responsibilities to make sure the script is ready for filming beyond long term continuity.  I think there are at least two things to consider.

First, production simply wasn’t as concerned with long-term continuity at the high level of detail expected today.  In this era, there were very few people scrutinizing the show the same way as we do now. Viewers watched an episode live or taped it on VHS if they couldn’t, then likely taped over it after viewing.  There wasn’t the type of binge watching through multiple seasons that streaming and DVD’s make possible today.  When five seasons was actually spread out over five years, viewers simply didn’t remember high levels of detail.  Spotting flubs was far more difficult to do.

Second, I looked at the crew of the series in more detail and there was a lot of turnover in executive script editors and script editors during MV’s five year run. None lasted for much more than a season.  That turnover would really place long term continuity back in the hands of the producers.  I don’t think the term “show runner” was even used then.  I never heard it used in the early 90’s when I was in production.  A show runner is really a producer with the final creative decision. There are many other producers on a series, and other above-the-line creative-types who also contribute to each episode.  Most of them were likely much more focused on finding new storylines and new directions to bolster the show’s ratings.  They certainly gave much less thought to old episodes and continuity details that might not fit perfectly. 

Edited April 5, 2021 by pahonu

[wolfie1996]

7 hours ago, pahonu said:

There are script supervisors on series like this, but they are focused on continuity within the episode, like the actor was holding paperwork at the start of the scene and then put it down on the desk behind them.  They are super detail oriented with lots of note taking, but once an episode is done, they move on to the next script and don’t really look back.  I think the script editor and/or executive script editor would be more responsible for what you’re describing here.  They also have lots of other responsibilities to make sure the script is ready for filming beyond long term continuity.  I think there are at least two things to consider.

First, production simply wasn’t as concerned with long-term continuity at the high level of detail expected today.  In this era, there were very few people scrutinizing the show the same way as we do now. Viewers watched an episode live or taped it on VHS if they couldn’t, then likely taped over it after viewing.  There wasn’t the type of binge watching through multiple seasons that streaming and DVD’s make possible today.  When five seasons was actually spread out over five years, viewers simply didn’t remember high levels of detail.  Spotting flubs was far more difficult to do.

Second, I looked at the crew of the series in more detail and there was a lot of turnover in executive script editors and script editors during MV’s five year run. None lasted for much more than a season.  That turnover would really place long term continuity back in the hands of the producers.  I don’t think the term “show runner” was even used then.  I never heard it used in the early 90’s when I was in production.  A show runner is really a producer with the final creative decision. There are many other producers on a series, and other above-the-line creative-types who also contribute to each episode.  Most of them were likely much more focused on finding new storylines and new directions to bolster the show’s ratings.  They certainly gave much less thought to old episodes and continuity details that might not fit perfectly. 

Very well explained and thank you! Of course we regard production of series like this very differently as viewers  these days as you say. I do remember Supernatural went downhill  somewhat when Eric Kripke left after the first 5 seasons (it was only meant to run for five), the show remained good overall for another five seasons but like MV, it became patchy in quality. Don't even ask about the third five (though even they have their fans  ) It's a complex affair, obviously, keeping a show's head above water as it were, and probably involves  too many people to guarantee  they're all doing the "right" thing. An excellent insight into the mechanics of creating  such shows, and I appreciate it.

[Paul K.]

Very cool publications! Being from the Netherlands myself, I found this spring of 1986 issue of the Dutch magazine Club Veronica: