> I was just doing a tidy up of my Randall and Hopkirk site, when I
> noticed how many episodes are rated as average or below.

> The 60s series is a programme I enjoy very much, but I'd never
argue
> it's especially great television. Of them all, I had eleven
episodes
> marked as average, and three below-par... that's over half the
series.

> Are others like me, that you can regard the series as fluff, but
> enjoyable fluff?

I do not disagree at all with what you are saying...I am not at all
afraid to admit that a significant part of the R&H(D) franchise's
charm is the cheese factor. It is more prevalent in the original
series, thanks to not only the writing in parts, but also the effects
at times. I say 'at times', because apart from the usual strings
attached to items and all, I find the effects to not be nearly as bad
as some general reviews I read claimed they were. Considering how
primitive special efx were back then, I think they did a dynamite job
with what Marty's ghost can do...and I'd go as far as saying that I
like the take on Marty's abilities, and really, the concept of the
character better in the original than the remake. But, that's a
whole 'nother post.

But going back to the writing...the more I've watched of the original
series AND ESPECIALLY the more interviews and articles I have read,
the more convinced I've become that the series would not be nearly as
good as it turned out if it were not for the cast who portrayed the
main characters. If it was someone other than Mike Pratt or Kenneth
Cope or even Annette Andre in their respective roles, the series just
would not have worked as well as it somehow did, and still be fondly
remembered and enjoyed by people like us. Truly a case of the actors
taking diamonds in the rough and smoothing them out, at least most of
the time (there were still plenty of flaws...*cough*the Foster
Brothers (and really a great chunk of that episode), among
others*cough*). That said, both Pratt and Cope are easily among the
most underrated British cult actors ever, in my not-so humble
opinion, for it takes a bit of talent to make the very best of at-
times highly iffy writing like what the series got for a good chunk
of its episodes, particularly the overall plots.

Caroline

Epitaph: A Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) Network -
http://www.vivadieci.net/other/randh/