21 replies to this topic

[Xenobia]

Some of you may not know this...and some of you named Jim will probably not care....but today, October 1st, is the 20th Anniversary of the premiere of the US television series "Remington Steele."

Why am I mentioning this here? For those of you who are too young to remember, Pierce Brosnan's first big break was the starring role on "Remington Steele," playing the title character.

In brief, Laura Holt, a young private detective, and her partner, Murphy Michaels, were not getting much business at their agency, so they created a decidedly mascueline and more exciting superior, Remington Steele -- from the name of the office typewriter, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Holt and Michaels suddenly found themselves very popular....so popular in fact they are asked to guard a set of rare royal blue lavalite jewels. A successful jewel thief is on the scene, ready to steal said jewels, until he discovers Laura's deception. Always an opportunist, that thief, Harry, becomes Remington Steele, supposately just for that one night...but there is something to Miss Holt that keeps his attention, and he decides to stay.

Originally, Harry was only supposed to be the PR man for Holt and Michaels...the face of the agency, nothing more, but slowly, the newly made Remington Steele works his way into the agency and Laura's heart.

And so Mr. Steele and Miss Holt (the actor playing Murphy left after the first season, and was replaced by Doris Roberts, who played the devoted secretary Mildred Krebs) solved crimes, while never quite solving the problems that kept them apart, for four and half seasons on NBC.

Yes, this is the show that kept PB from the role of Bond in 1986 (it is that half season that did him in), and yes he and his co-star Stephanie Zimbalist were not always the best of friends, but despite all the problems, they were able to produce a very funny, very classy show.

What I would like to do now is have all the RS fans join with me in celebrating this anniversary by sharing with the CBN community their favorite episodes. If you don't remember the titles, that's OK...just try to tell us the part of the plot.

My top three would be:

1) Sealed With a Kiss (the very last episode)
2) Red Holt Steele (frequently considered to be the best of the series)
3) Hounded Steele

And if that post is true, and a certain actor does happen upon this post...

Happy anniversary Pierce. Thanks for giving us twenty years of amazing entertainment...and here's hoping you will give us twenty more.

-- Xenobia

[Bryce (003)]

Xen - All wonderfully put.

I can recall a few episodes at best.

- The second season opener in Mexico (and the score during Pierce's para-sailing is FRWL!)

- The last episode.

- The two featuring Maj. desCoin (sp?)

Lastly, during the classic wrap up confrontation with all the suspects present, when someone would ask Steele a question which he clearly didn't know (and was often surprised by - some great comic timing in young Pierce there) he'd always respond by gesturing to Laura or crossing the room with "Ahh yes. Miss Holt, please explain."

Good fun.

Miss Emanuele, please continue.

[Xenobia]

Bryce:

You are refering to, in order:

Steele Away with Me
Sealed with a Kiss
Steele Framed and Elegy in Steele

And for those who care to see Cassandra Harris as someone other than Countess Lisel, please catch

Women of Steele
Steele Searching, Parts I and II

-- Xenobia

[Bryce (003)]

Originally posted by Xenobia
....And the two part fourth season opener...whose name escapes me.-- Xenobia

That the same one which has poor Laura sleeping in customs until Mildred can arrive on the next flight w/ her passport?

[Mourning Becomes Electra]

Interesting summary Xen, but as Ms. Pendantic I must point out, Murphy wasn't Laura's partner he was her subordinate, it was her agency alone and the thief wasn't "Harry" per se, he never had a name. Harry was something we found out he was called later on in Season 2, along with Michael, Douglas and a several other names.

Scary to know that the time between RS's premiere and now is the same as was between Dr.No and RS... that just can't possibly be right, 20 years cdn't possibly have past.

Favorite Episodes (or some of my favorite episodes):

Thou Shalt Not Steele
Steele Hearts
To Stop A Steele
Steele Your Heart Away
Steele At It
Have I Got A Steele For You
Steele Trying
Premum Steele
Forged Steele
Beg Borrow Or Steele
Sensitive Steele

And to keep this Bond related, Bond references in Steele:

Signed Steele And Delivered

Steele turns around taking Laura with him. "Can we caucus?" They walk back into the kitchen. "What the *hell* are you doing?"

"WHAT did you want me to say? I'm sorry Mr. Quarry, you're *wrong*. Remington Steele *can't* help you because there *is* no Remington Steele. Obviously there's been some kind of mistake, he needs some help. Someone to *contact*, whoever it is that you contact in a situation like this and ..."

"And, and, and, and, and what? These are secret agents we're talking about. *Bombs* Poison darts. Big fat guys with deadly hats they throw at your neck." Steele makes short, sharp jabbing motions at his neck with his hand, which he transforms into a wave when Laura points to Sheldon approaching from the hallway.


Steele Your Heart Away

"They're gaining on us!"

"Get into the back and throw the oil drums into their path!" he tells her.

"Right!" Laura replies, turning to the back of the cart, only to stop. "Oil drums? There aren't any oil drums!"

Steele looks confused. "There were in From Russia With Love!"


Steele Away With Me

They break into a shed as Mildred gushes. "That is the most- inspired plan I have ever heard of in my life. I mean, the sheer brilliance of it, the total daring. The element of surprise that is so crucial to any rescue-Only someone like you would think of that."

"Only because it's insane," Steele says, his equipment at the ready, "Not to mention suicidal." He indicated they should go to the shore, and Mildred follows, still gushing.

"I can't believe this is happening to me. Any of it. I mean, it's like a- a dream. It's like a fantasy. It's like a James Bond movie." Steele is laying something out on the sand as she continues. "Oh, you don't know what a dull, drab life I've led, Mr. Steele. It was so colorless. I mean, adding and subtracting figures all day long, these columns. I guess I just have a flair for drudgery." She helps him with what looks to be a parachute.

"Okay, Mildred," he says, taking her to the water where a small motor boat waits. "Now, Mildred, you're certain you've operated one of these boats before?" She stops. "Mildred? Say something. Anything. Lie if the moment calls for it!"

She tells him, "Well, when I was a kid, in the summer, we used to have this little putt-putt."

He puts on the harness. "Putt-putt."

"Yeah. A little two horsepower putt-putt. My brother and I used to putt-putt around the lake on it." She looks out at the water. "Well, it's gotta be on the same concept," she tells him.

He waves her toward the boat. "Alright, Mildred, take it out several hundred yards, and then head toward Pepe's. And for God's sake, keep a constant speed."

"You got it," she tells him, heading toward the boat.

"And remember, the instant we get to Pepe's cut the rope!"

She gets in the boat as Steele looks heavenward, as if wondering what ever possessed him to do this. The chute comes up, and Mildred takes off, sending Steele into the air. When they get close to Pepe's she cuts the rope, freeing him.

He lands inside the compound, silently taking out a guard by landing on top of him. Releasing the harness, the starts searching the area. He takes out another guard with an elbow to the throat.

Steele At It

After dark, two people in wetsuits swim out to the Beau Geste and climb aboard. There's a party on the boat.

"Not a bad move," Laura comments, beginning to remove her suit.

"Goldfinger. Sean Connery, Gert Frobe, United Artists, 1964. He looks down the deck, revealing his tux under the wet suit.

[Mourning Becomes Electra]

Ah the psuedo rip off Bond music during the parasailing in Steele Away with me.

Bryce, that was Blue Blooded Steele where Laura follows him to England when he lies about Daniel being at deaths door while trying to put an end to an old scheme about passing himself off as the long lost heir to a Duke. Some absolutely silly but fun stuff entails with the murderous English Nanny and a stuffed bear named Pookie.

Cassandra Harris was in Thou Shall Not Steele (season 1) and Steele Searching I & II ) season 4 opening. (oops Xen already said that)

[Jim]

Uh?

[Blofeld's Cat]

As much as I liked "Wilkinson Sword" (well it was a blatant ripoff) when it was on I'm sorry that the studio wouldn't let the producers go in the direction they wanted to because I feel Moonlighting was much better.

:: BC awaits thunderbolts and lighning up the tail ::

[Jim]

How many of those nine lives have you got left? You're going to need them all.

Steele yourself for a kicking. Oh, the punnery!

[Xenobia]

No thunderbolts...at least not for BC...although if I were you Jim, if you get hit by lightening, expect to hear the FYEO theme to be playing while it happens.

Now, as for BC's comments...he is absolutely right. PB and SZ actually gave an interview, in what they thought was the last season, where they both complained about the direction RS took, while lamenting about how wonderful Moonlighting was....because someone from RS had left the show to create said Moonlighting.

And in the version of Tempered Steele that I have read (I have the script), Laura asks RS if she should call him Harry in private.

-- Xenobia

[Mourning Becomes Electra]

Xen, in Tempered she asks him what his name is, he tells her to pick a name any name he's probably used it and she tells him he looks like a Harry. But she never uses that name when talking to him, it's always Mr. Steele. One suspects when they finally consummated their relationship it was still Ahhhhh Mr. Steele.

As for Moonlighting, it was fun for about the first 2 years and completely rancid for the rest of it's run. "A Womb With A View" anyone? UGH! But at least it gave Willis a head start for the nauseating Look Who's Talking flicks.

[Xenobia]

I never said I liked Moonlighting...I am just repeating what PB and SZ said about the show.

Interesting that Miss Holt picked Harry for Mr. Steele...it is the one he seemed most comfortable with...and the one his father called him.

As for the consumation....you mean she didn't moan, "Oh James..." Oh wait...wrong series. ;-)

-- Xen

[RayBros007]

What about the one when they first got the Arburn? You know the really nice car in which everyone who owned it did the dirty? That's one of my favorites...

[Mourning Becomes Electra]

Love Among The Steele Everyone BUT Mr. Steele got lucky in that car! LOL

[RayBros007]

Oh yeah... BUT... if you check out this website www.lovesteele.com and srcoll down and find the story titled "Love Among the Steele: An Addition" I think he DOES get lucky!

[Mourning Becomes Electra]

LOL, poor Mr. Steele, only in fan fiction!

[Xenobia]

Oh tell me this Lady Elektra:

Do you think Mr. Brosnan and Miss Zimbalist (because we all know she hates being called "Ms." ;-) ) could stomach doing a proper love scene with each other?

Me thinks not.

-- Xen

[RayBros007]

Well, now that you've mentioned it IMO not really... We could always imagine, right?

[Mourning Becomes Electra]

If Brosnan could do it with Ms. Hatcher I'm sure he could stomach Ms. Z. But the likelyhood of a reunion movie without a sword to his throat.... less than nil!

[Turn]

If my memory serves me correctly, I was there for the Steele premier. I remember being drawn to it because he seemed like one of the few suave Bond-like characters on television at the time. Nighttime soaps like Dallas and Knots Landing were big at the time and escapist shows were few and far between.

I only remember watching the first season on the original run. I can't remember if it moved time slots or I just lost interest. I think when they got rid of Murphy and Miss Fox (or was it Miss Wolf; Steele always made her mad by getting it backwards) it lost something. But not having seen a lot of them after that, it's hard to make a clear judgement on that. I do remember people immediately saying Pierce would make a good Bond.
I did catch a few episodes when it was on the Family Channel or another cable network in the late '80s.

The episodes I remember were:
-I think the one Cassandra Harris was in as a rival cat burglar and Steele and Laura have to break into a museum or something with a pressurized flloor. I remember her wearing a hat in there.
-One where Laura strips for some business guys who run around shouting "Acupulco". Hey, I was like 15 at the time.
-One I saw later on where some arch enemy and his daughter set death traps for Steele. It reminded me a lot of the Prisoner episode The Girl Who Was Death.

My question is why isn't this show on now? I haven't seen it in years and you would think somebody would cash in on the new Bond movie by putting it on somewhere. I've got like 300 cable channels and this is nowhere to be found. If they can play The Cosby Show and Cheers into the ground, why not give Steele a chance to build a new fan base?

[Mourning Becomes Electra]

Turn actually it just finished a daily 2 year run on PAX in the U.S. several months ago. You'd be surprised how many young fans it now has. Before that it was on A&E, before that CBN. There were also runs of it on CBS late night in the early 90's and some local stations. Rarely is it off the air for more than a year or two at a time. It's also been one of the most syndicated shows around the world over the last 15 years. There are RS fan pages from Japan, Germany, South America etc. Interestingly the one place it's never been shown much is the U.K. where it was never a hit when it first aired.

But since Fox now owns it and is distributing/promoting Bond internationally you'd think they have it in synidication currently to capatalize on Bond or better yet issue it on DVD since they're issuing everything else on DVD. There's a petition on line for that actually.

Oh and those episodes are:

Thou Shalt Not Steele (with Cassandra Harris)
Vintage Steele (Laura stripping in the winery)
Elegy of Steele (DesCoine and his creepy daughter, and the episode where PB most likely contracted Bells Palsy from jumping in the filthy L.A. reservoir)

[Xenobia]

For those who would like a place to discuss Remington Steele, I mostly definately reconmend:

http://websteele.com/elr/

This website is called "Everybody Loves Remington" and is a very well kept fan site, that includes a discussion forum (not unlike the one here at CBN in terms of organization), lots of pictures, and links to other RS related sites.

-- Xenobia