Category: Movies & Television (Videos)

SUMMARY:                RUNNING TIME: 51:00 Min.

First airing on ABC-TV on March 5, 1983, Don Weis directed this episode.  Concurrently depicted, a newlywed couple (Oakes & Boomer) blissfully seeks out romantic immortality while a middle-aged spinster lands a dream date with her favorite Hollywood celebrity. 

Specifically, the young Westons find a magical lagoon is a portal into an alternate reality where an ancient civilization still exists on a remote island.  As it ominously proves for one of them, supposed immortality is indeed sold for a steep price. 

Meanwhile, at risk of losing his iconic James Bond-like role to a teenager, aging action-film icon Burt Hunter (Ely) resorts to manipulating his biggest fan, Margaret Winslow (Dee), to persuade the franchise’s disinterested producer (Landsberg) into saving his career.  Tattoo and a young girl (Spelling) contribute to an adoring Ms. Winslow’s unlikely romance with her self-involved heartthrob.

Mr. Roarke: Ricardo Montalbán

Tattoo: Hervé Villechaize

Diana Weston (“Eternal Flame”): Randi Oakes

Alex Weston (“Eternal Flame”): Linwood Boomer

Maatira (“Eternal Flame”): Stella Stevens

Ra-Mas (“Eternal Flame”): Alex Cord

Vaal (“Eternal Flame”): Nicholas Worth

Soldiers (“Eternal Flame”): Uncredited

Maidens (“Eternal Flame”): Uncredited

Margaret Winslow (“A Date With Burt”): Sandra Dee

Burt Hunter (“A Date With Burt”): Ron Ely

Various Party Guests (“A Date With Burt”): Uncredited

John Pike (“A Date With Burt”): David Landsberg

Christy (“A Date With Burt”): Tori Spelling

Yvonne (“A Date With Burt”): Terri Lynn

Stuntmen as ‘Pretend Thugs’ (“A Date With Burt”: David Cass Jr. & John Tuell

Additional ‘Thug’ Stuntmen (“A Date With Burt”): Uncredited

Island Dancers: Uncredited

Island Inhabitants: Uncredited

Note: Worth later played one of Montalbán’s evil henchmen in 1988’s The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad.

REVIEW:

Reminiscent of a seven-layer dip, melted cheese oozes throughout this inane episode.  Aside from producer Aaron Spelling’s glaring nepotism casting his young, pig-tailed daughter, one is left with a middling pair of love stories struggling to remain watchable. 

Both storylines serve up laughably clichéd pap, including a long-lost Egyptian/Greek/Roman civilization appearing freshly-minted from some second-rate Hollywood costume-and-prop department.  Most likely, viewers are lucky to tolerate a single viewing.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                       3 Stars

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SUMMARY:                 RUNNING TIME: 22:00 Min.

First aired in syndication on November 17, 1987, this episode was directed by Masakzu Higuchi.  At Tombstone, Arizona, celebrated Western novelist Dewey LaMort (spoofing Louis L’Amour) is the guest of honor for a press conference announcing a new Old West theme park.  Yet, the restless ghost of Wyatt Earp interrupts … appropriately enough, at Boot Hill cemetery.  Earp’s fast-shooting ghost has no intention of giving up Tombstone to anyone.  It’s time to call in the Ghostbusters!

Upon their arrival in present-day Tombstone, the team (including a stowaway Slimer) splits up and faces ambushes from a spectral Earp and his re-materialized allies (brother Virgil & Morgan, along with “Doc” Holliday).  Ultimately, the Ghostbusters reckon that the trigger-happy Earp faction intends to replay the ‘Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.’  Yet, what can the team do in self-defense standing in for the hapless Clanton Gang outlaws?

Dr. Peter Venkman (and either Morgan or Virgil Earp): Lorenzo Music

Winston Zeddemore (and either Virgil or Morgan Earp): Arsenio Hall

Dr. Egon Spengler, “Doc” Holliday, & Mayor of Tombstone: Maurice LaMarche

Dr. Raymond Stantz, Dewey LaMort, & Slimer: Frank Welker

Wyatt Earp & Boris Mealey: Jonathan Schmock

Janine Melnitz: Laura Summer

Note: Although a gun is seen in Earp’s holster, the Earps & Holiday use their hands to simulate guns for their rapid-fire ‘ghost bullets.’

REVIEW:

On its surface, the premise practically duplicates a lesser Star Trek: The Original Series episode: “Spectre of the Gun.”  Like that Star Trek episode, again Wyatt Earp and his faction are conveniently the cold-hearted bad guys, regardless of actual American history.  Yet, upon a comparison of entertainment value, “Ghost Fight at the O.K. Corral” ages far better. 

Specifically, this Tombstone-themed episode sports more accurate historical research (including appropriate visuals for Wyatt’s squad) and, most obviously, a far-superior script where the Ghostbusters are forced into a defensive mode.  With the voice cast in terrific form, the much-better-than-expected “Ghost Fight at the O.K. Corral” merits a chance for re-discovery.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:        6½ Stars

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SUMMARY:                       RUNNING TIME: 45:00 Min.

ABC-TV first broadcast this mid-season episode on January 13, 1979.  Mr. Roarke and Tattoo host this week’s guests: a young heiress who wishes to contact her dead twin brother through a séance; and a blue-collar fisherman brings along his down-to-earth wife to explore life as an instant multi-millionaire. 

Meanwhile, Tattoo has inadvertently ‘stolen’ a pony from somewhere on the island.  Also briefly seen is another guest (a mild-mannered news reporter, no less) living out his dream as Superman – though the character’s name is never stated, presumably for copyright purposes. 

Mr. Roarke: Ricardo Montalbán

Tattoo: Hervé Villechaize

Clare Conti (“Séance”): Eve Plumb

Todd Conti (“Séance”): Uncredited (possibly Eve Plumb)

Victor Conti (“Séance”): Leslie Nielsen

Eddie Loomis (“Séance”): Ross Bickell

Denise Morot (“Séance”): Stepfanie Kramer

Claude Morot (“Séance”): Joseph Hacker

Eva Capos (“The Treasure”): Shelley Fabares

Joe Capos (“The Treasure”): George Maharis

Party Guests (“The Treasure”): Warren Munson, Doug Banks, & Dorit Renier

McCloud (“The Treasure”): Michael Fox

Rancher: Don Megowan

Island Dancers: Uncredited

Island Inhabitants: Uncredited

‘Clark Kent:’ Uncredited

REVIEW:

Though Montalbán and Villechaize are in reliably good form, their guest stars fail to bring their A-game or even their B-game.  “Séance’s” plot thread presents some dark turns, but this supernatural potboiler is mediocre to the hilt.  Still, the outlandish spectacle of two explosive séances solving a murder-mystery is better viewing than “The Treasure.” 

When one sees Fabares & Maharis’ casually-dressed couple actually go scuba diving without equipment (aside from a single mask), “The Treasure’s” quality control instantly sinks with them.  This get-rich-quick fable is so predictable and illogical that the entire cliché-fest becomes virtually unwatchable. 

In particular, there shouldn’t be viewer sympathy for Maharis’ self-absorbed and nasty Joe Capos, i.e. as to how monetary wealth can be corruptive and why a happy marriage offers far greater wealth.  The only sympathy that should be extended is to co-star Fabares for being stuck with a crummy script.

As for Tattoo’s pony, this minor side story is mildly charming, as are the Superman/Clark Kent sight gags eliciting a quick chuckle.  The insurmountable problem, however, is that two ridiculous storylines suffer from undeniably dreadful acting.  Ironically, it makes sense that Nielsen’s cynical uncle would be this episode’s most believable guest character.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  3 Stars

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