Bearcats!

Ignore the current 7.9 nostalgia score. This isn't for adults. Silly plots, hamfisted action, stilted performances, repetitive low-budget camera work and soundtrack. Don't waste your time.

The short lived action-adventure series "BEARCATS!" starred Austrailan actor Rod Taylor in his second weekly television series. Produced and Created by Douglas Heyes(of "Maverick")and produced by Morton S. Fine and David Friedkin(of "I Spy")under Taylor's production company Rodcor Productions for Filmways Productions. Filmways Productions was basically a studio that was known for cranking rural comedies("The Beverly Hillbillies","Petticoat Junction",and "Green Acres") not to mention other comedies that the company produced("The Addams Family", "Mister Ed",and the short-lived courtroom drama series "The Trials of O'Brien")but this is the first time that Filmways produced a weekly series that was laced with breathtaking adventure and non-stop action. The series "BEARCATS!",produced 13 episodes for Filmways Productions and CBS-TV from September 16,1971 until December 30,1971. The show was placed on the Thursday night timeslot where it went up against the supermacy of the runaway NBC hitmaking powerhouse of "The Flip Wilson Show" and the western "Alias Smith and Jones",which was on ABC. Not bad for a series that had became one of the sleeper hits for the 1971-1972 season,even though it had a short run. Yet,"BEARCATS!" had potential.

The show was a mixture of several shows since it was set in the American Southwest around 1914 at the beginning of the 20th Century,but it had the aspects of a western but set in modern times with a hint of espionage and intrigue woven into each of the story lines. "BEARCATS!" was the story of two adventurers who traveled around looking for lucrative,difficult,and dangerous assignments. Their mode of transportation was a fancy Stutz Bearcat. Rather than charge a fee for taking on an assignment,they requested a blank check from each of their clients. After completing the job they filled in the amount according to what they felt their services were worth. Rod Taylor was Hank Brackett(the brains of the outfit and leader)and his partner was Johnny Reach,his assistant and driver of the Stutz Bearcat (Dennis Cole). Several episodes were in my opinion top notch and were the cream of the crop of action shows that exploded onto TV during the early 1970's. One episode,they were hired to find out who was setting fire to oil wells in a small bordertown;in another their task was to stop mercenaries from sabotaging medical supplies that were being shipped overseas to the Allies during World War I. To mention going uo against very interesting villains which included ruthless Mexican bandits,gunslingers,German officers in order to save the country and the world. Very good show with plenty of non-stop action,adventure and excitement. When CBS-TV cancelled this show in December of 1971,the network replaced with the greatest traversy of them all--by adding one of the worst children's shows of all time--the granddaddy of all pathetic animal shows-"Me And The Chimp"-from the 1971-1972 season,and that show lasted no more than 8 episodes.

Like others on this forum, I could not believe they canceled it.

Rod Taylor was great as a soldier of fortune around the turn of the century. Even though there was a lot of hunky beefcake for the ladies, this really was a man's show. The pairing of Rod Taylor and Dennis Cole was well-played. Rugged guy and pretty boy who both knew their stuff.

The pilot, "Powderkeg," was one of the best episodes of t.v. I have ever seen.

The series was my introduction to the Stutz-Bearcat and I've wanted one ever since. What a piece of machinery!

I'd love to see them bring the series back for another run - maybe the Hallmark channel on Saturday afternoons would be a fitting place and time.

In April, 1971, after ten years away from the small screen, Rod Taylor made another attempt to gain a permanent spot on television with the nostalgic CBS series " Bearcats !". With the story unfolding in America's dusty Southwest in 1914, it featured Taylor and Dennis Cole as characters Hank Brackett and Johnny Reach respectively, a pair of trouble shooters for hire. Loaded with period charm, the show took its name from the majestic and sporty roadster in which Reach and Brackett went about their business - a yellow Stutz Bearcat.

As with Taylor's previous series, "Hong Kong", the venture faced stiff competition when it was programmed up against NBC's well established "Flip Wilson Show" and it lasted only thirteen weeks.

"Bearcats" ! was a breezy, action - packed and entertaining production based around a novel idea which featured two excellent stars who had an engaging and believable on screen rapport. Sadly, however, the show is now remembered as being yet another of those noble efforts that fell between the cracks and ended up in the "Brilliant but Cancelled" category of television history.

Very enjoyable series that unfortunately only had 13 episodes. I am a big Rod Taylor fan & also like Dennis Cole a lot. Taylor is a professional & I don't think he's ever done anything I didn't enjoy,

The plots R a bit repetitive, action sequences are sometimes a little dicey & most episodes wrap up with a fairly perfunctory ending. Budgets are not huge either. Additionally almost every episode has some patently goofy elements be it plot resolution or action sequences in general.

Having said this, it is still immensely enjoyable to me & probably to most everyone that remembers this series with fondness. The Stutz is a great car for the series & is always displayed & utilized to best effect.

I always enjoy austere visuals, western vistas & the big open desert. All on great display here. If you enjoy early Russ Meyer and his use of existing structures as well as desert vistas it's a joy to watch this series for some of that familiar Southwest beauty. Mostly though it's a nostalgia thing for me, to see a series that's not driven by current trends be it film or entertainment in general.

I knocked off 2 stars due to the series shortcomings as stated above...they in no way however take away from its' great enjoyment factor for me nor should it for other fans. Recommended.