M Squad

The opening scene was one of the best in TV history. Every week you saw the grille of Lee's '53 Ford come wheeling around a city corner and the words 'M SQUAD' flashing onto the screen as the car is coming into full view. It got you ready for a great police adventure with a character that could only be played by someone of Marvins' persona. He had the tough guy role down to a science - better than Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas or Jack Lord.

Marvin had a way of speaking to the criminal element (or anyone he didn't like for that matter) that caused them to stop and reflect on the probable outcome of an escalated confrontation with him. As a kid, I tried to copy that poker face and steady sure voice that caused the bad guys to back down. Never quite got the hang of it; there will only be one Lee Marvin.

Hoping that some day these episodes are reproduced - it was TV at its best.

"When I was a child around 7-8 years old I loved the police series that came on in the 50s Highway Patrol, The Lineup, San Francisco Beat,Mike Hammer, but I think that M-Squad was my favorite. Lee Marvin was DANGEROUS as Lt. Ballanger. But the sound track of Count Basie was what made me watch this show every week, and made me a life long Basie fanatic. I hope somebody will put all 117 episodes on video because I would certainly buy all of them.

Lee Marvin became and remains one of my favorite actors because of this series. As a kid I eagerly awaited Friday nights at 9:00 (EST) on NBC. Frank Ballinger always got the bad guy, and we got to hear some really cool music along the way. The late fifties and early sixties were a golden age for TV cop shows and TV music -- this show was one of the main reasons. After much travail, I have managed to obtain a rare videocassette of two episodes, and even rarer, a copy of a CD reissue of the sound track LP. Great stuff! The "Police Squad!" opening credit sequence, and the characters of Frank Drebin and his boss, were lifted (lovingly, I am sure) from this show.

M Squad is probably the only true film noir TV show ever shot. It was done with low camera angles and the most intense black and white photography with surprising lighting. As few shades of gray as possible were used. It needs to be viewed on a b/w TV for the full effect. It is an important work, and if the series still exists, it should be shown on PBS. Very intense drama. A good antidote to the sugary sweet shows like (two of my true favorites) Leave it to Beaver and Father Knows Best. Good shows, but the fifties were nasty, and the TV shows that you find on G4 or Nick are just not representative. It was a show that made the viewers uncomfortable, I have read. I a very thankful that my parents never took those parental rating seriously (yes, they had them then).

There's no way you could ever truly "get" "Police Squad" or any of the "Naked Gun" movies without seeing "M Squad." When you see "Police Squad" or "Naked Gun", you know it's satire, but satire of what? You realize it must be satire of old police dramas, but very pointedly, it is satire of THIS PARTICULAR police drama. They broke the mold on film noir police dramas with this one.

This was no sissypants show. It was made for men who appreciated real men - the perfect vehicle for Lee Marvin as Frank Ballinger, tough Chicago detective. With his low-voiced police growl and tall lanky tough-guy look, he dealt with Chicago bad guys with frank talk, force and the point of his snub-nosed revolver.

This show would have a difficult time airing today due to its lack of political correctness in the violence department. However, it would be fun to see another run on cable.