More cool private eyes, rousing action, character-based humor, and awesome music, as Stephen J. Cannell Week continues. RIPTIDE was a bundle of high-concept ideas. Three Vietnam vets--hunky Cody (film star Perry King) and Nick (Joe Penny, later on JAKE AND THE FATMAN) and nerd Boz (Thom Bray)--open a private investigation agency. Among the tools of their trade are their pink military helicopter, a badass classic convertible, and a robot (!) invented by Boz. Throw in screeching tires, macho chemistry among the leads, the typically light Cannell touch, and you've got a show.
Mike Post and Pete Carpenter composed the theme, which is reminiscent of the music they wrote for Cannell's shortlived RICHIE BROCKELMAN, PRIVATE EYE. What's interesting about this clip is that it also features the teaser to one of RIPTIDE's more memorable episodes. By its third season, RIPTIDE was being regularly trounced in the ratings by the new smash MOONLIGHTING, so they decided to do a parody of the competition.
This was a fun show. One of the first - or the first - crime series which made the computer and hacking into an important theme of the show. Way ahead of its time.
ReplyDeleteWait... Boz was a vet too? I don't think I ever got that out of watching the show. But then again, I don't think I've seen an episode since it reran on USA back in the late 80s/early 90s or so...
ReplyDeleteI think this was the first tv show a friend of mine worked (on the writing and production side).
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