The Wild Wild West Revisited

Doctor Loveless is dead (alas) but his son (Paul Williams) has apparently kidnapped a lot of world leaders and replaced them with doubles. We've seen it all before.

Too bad it's another Loveless. Michael Dunn was irreplaceable. They ought to have brought back another villain or made up a new one.

Whoever was responsible didn't take the material seriously. I hate that. It's the failing of so many reunions or reboots: they either ignore the sparks that made the originals work ("The Avengers," "The Wild Wild West"--Smith and Klein) or they refuse to take the material with a straight face. But when West and Gordon reunite there's magic in the air.

And for a supposed old coot, Robert Conrad still looks in pretty good shape and takes his shirt off (if you'll forgive the cliche) at the drop of a hat.

The classic espionage TV series The Wild Wild West, which ran from 1965 to 1969 on CBS, was followed by two TV movie sequels: The Wild Wild West Revisited (1979) and More Wild Wild West (1980). The original series episodes ranged from thrilling espionage episodes to more comedic and campy ones, but the follow-up TV movies continued only in the campy and comedic vein. That was considered a let down by some fans of the series who were hoping for something closer to the more serious episodes of the show. I can understand their viewpoint, but I found both movies entertaining for what they were: a fun bit of escapism featuring the reunion of two favorite characters and the actors who played them. The chemistry between these guys can't be beat. Both movies have their weak points, but Conrad and Martin, reunited as an older West and Gordon, make for fun viewing.

The Wild Wild West lived at 7:30 (6:30 Central) on CBS / Friday nights. As I recall - for 5 years. A most enjoyable show especially for an 11 year old up through its cancellation. I must have seen all the episodes.

Now I remember in 1979 being at my parents home and watched it with my mom. We tuned it in because we liked the original. Nothing though can match laughing out loud with a parent after you are an adult.

This was done as a spoof of themselves. "Have you been sick?" No Artie why? He only went 6 feet when you hit him. West goes to pick up a girl at the saloon only to find out that she knows him because he use to date her mother.

Slam on the old age stuff - I liked it - it was what it was suppose to be. Just saw it again on DECADES TV. What a treat.

Since no one has commented on this flick, I guess I am the first one that has seen it. The tv movie doesn't quite live up to the series as far as the gadgets, but like a tradional western it has bar fights, a damsel in distress and other action, but fans looking for gadgets or huge explosions might be disappointed. Saw it on digital cable (eat your heart out, cheap cable subscribers). LOL

Ironically there was another Wild Wild West tv movie in 1980.

Though it was good to see them together again the script missed the mark. There wasn't the action and adventure just some corny jokes to cover up the fact that Jim West wasn't using his normal gadgets and fighting action. Artie wasn't up to his old self either. The Jokes were okay but it really wasn't full-blown the Wild Wild West. Too many things were missing. I haven't seen the second one yet but I get a feeling I'm going to be disappointed. I'm a big Wild Wild West TV series fan.