The Master

I thought that the first couple of episodes of "The Master" (later released as "Master Ninja I') had some nice moments. Lee Van Clief may have been far too old, flabby, and frail to physically convince the audience that he could be a ninja master (amazing how "he" lost his gut whenever the stunt double stood in for him in the black ninja costume) but he did project a certain old school machismo and he could always deliver a good line. Yes, Demi Moore stuck out like a sore thumb in episode 1, and the wheelchair chick and the dancer from episode two delivered some of the worst lines in the history of television, but still...There were some decent stunts (for a TV series) and some energetic sword fights and a few decent attempts at wry East-meets-West humor. It was never 'great' the way "The Fugitive" was great, but it didn't actively suck...at first. And episode 2 had one great line (even though Van Patten flubbed it): "I knew the Master would find a way to get me up on a tightrope sooner or later." Given the situation, it was pretty funny.

The problem lay in the fact that a) the producers rapidly ran out of ideas after the first few episodes, reducing the show to a buddy version of "Then Came Bronson", and b) Timothy Van Patten's mush-mouthed delivery and frozen faced acting got old quick and c) there was very little chemistry between the two lead actors. Anyone who wasn't a male adolescent with an obsession with martial arts would find very little to interest them, especially since the series producers watered down the 'ninja' content extensively - they seemed to be trying to increase the series' appeal to American audiences, but they only alienated that core element who was only watching the show for the ninja action in the first place.

Especially annoying was the fact that Van Patten was supposed to be some kind of "Tiger Beat" teen-idol and had a different love interest in every episode, but the lack of chemistry between him and his female of the week was apparent even to a blind man. To be fair to Van Patten, the writers put him in some incredibly contrived situations and gave him some very dopey dialog to convey his hipness...I'm not sure Cary Grant could have pulled off some of those scenes.

Although I spend a lot of time thinking about and practicing martial arts, I gave up on this series by episode 4, and every time I checked in on it for a minute or two (as the season wore on) I found even less to keep me going back. It looks like everyone else agreed, and the show sank without a trace. Too bad...but the series was a day late (to cash in on Bruce Lee) and a dollar short (wasn't willing to live up to the potential of its concept).

This series will always live on in my memory despite my not having seen it for a number of years. Sho Kosugi was well cast as the ninja bad guy. It is such a shame that he never became a greater star, but such is life. However, the casting of Lee Van Cleef as the good ninja was just pitifully unrealistic. Whilst a fine actor, it required too much of a suspension of disbelief to believe he could do any of the martial arts maneauvers he was supposed to. He was just plain too old.

That said, I have many a fond memory of this series. No doubt, were I to watch them again now I would find many of the episodes cringe-inducing (just like some of the original Star Trek series). But still worth a look at on a rainy day.

I remember my excitement, as an 11 year old at the time, when I learned that "The Master" TV series was going to come out on TV. At the time I was really into Bruce Lee movies and just about any Kung Fu/Ninja related movie or show I could find. Of course the same year saw the release of "The Karate Kid" so this was just a great year if you were a fan of martial arts.

Unfortunately this series didn't live up to the hype. But for me, it still holds a place in my heart because it happens to be the very first show that I ever taped with a VCR - a beta-max no less! I remember watching parts of that first episode over and over again as I marveled over my newfound ability to rewind and replay video.

All these years later I can see that the show has no real legacy and was cancelled after just 13 episodes. If you watch this movie, it is really just the first 2 episodes of the series.

I remember the series well... An, the memories.. only back then I

didn't realize how preposterous the whole thing was - Van Cleef looked more like a 90 pound weakling than a NINJA . He looked old and tired... But I LOVED him... VanPatten was the one miscast... NO Chemistry!! Be sure to see the last episode (If you can find any of them, I did on VHS)... The Master is back on an old West movie location, and feels right at home.. in fact he says so.. nice touch to end the series... Now that i'm old too, I wish I could move like the Master but then... that was a stunt double... Van Cleef you hombre.. rest in peace... you didn't seen at all out of place as a Ninja master but then... I never saw you as a old west Cowboy first! I loved this series!! Look

on VHS

I am groaning as I write this but during the early '80s with all the ninja craze as as a kid who practiced and loved karate, I loved this show. I never knew who Lee Van Cleef was prior to this TV show but my father did. He remember Lee in all the spaghetti westerns and would laugh that the villain of the cowboys was a good guy ninja now.

You have to wince at some of the shows you liked as a kid but, you know, thats what makes the memories of your childhood so amusing if your lucky.

Now, I am older and a father, and I appreciate actors like Lee more than the pinheads in Hollywood making $20 million + a picture. Actors like Lee kept us entertained and made guys like Clint Eastwood ("For a Few Dollars More") and Kurt Russell ("Escape From New York") look so good.

When he died in '89 it gave me pause. He deserves to be remembered and I won't forget this weird funny show he did that kept me glued to the screen with all it's oddball fantasy.

The 13-year old boy in me gives this a 9 star rating and a 10 star rating for the beady-eyed, hawk-nosed actor who played the lead.

Rest-in-Peace, Lee, you are remembered.