Riptide

We have seen detective and pi series over and over, but this one has a certain wit to it. Just don't take it too seriously.

What I was familiar with this show gave me the sense that this Stephen J.Cannell-produced show--created hard on the heels of past successes such as "Rockford Files" and "The A*Team"--was supposed to be somewhat of a expansion of the "LAid-back Vietnam Vets become P.I.s in Warm Climes" dynamic that was first floated out by the much more successful "Magnum P.I.". As such,it was an easy to watch(though not particularly an improvement upon the much more viscerally satisfying "A*Team")hour of TV that didn't,alas,register as strong as the show(or shows)it was cribbed from. The trio of vets(Joe Penny,Perry King and Thom Bray,all securely locked into careers now as guest stars and/or TV-movie staples)live by a Marina,operate a helicopter and take on varying cases. I'm figuring this show will pop up on TVLAnd before too much longer,assuming it hasn't already.

...I just got to when it comes to "Riptide". I hadn't seen the show since it's original airing back in the mid 1980's, and while browsing on Amazon, I saw the season one DVD set for $8.99. I decided that, at that price, I couldn't pass it up. Since I was an adolescent when I originally viewed the show, I wasn't sure whether I'd still like it or if it will have suffered with age and become "cheesy" and unwatchable. I'm happy to say that after watching the first 13 episodes of the show, I'm glad I took the plunge again.

The show is fresh and vibrant and gleans with a cheeky, almost child-like essence. The stories are interesting, gripping, and best of all, action-packed and exciting. It's no mystery why the show is so good; it was created by Stephen J. Cannell, one of the greatest television writers in history and creator of such hit shows as "The A-Team", "The Rockford Files", and "21 Jumpstreet". The characters, as in all Cannell creations, are interesting and likable, and pop off the screen in a larger-than-life way.

"Riptide" centers around the Pier 56 detective agency run by friends Nick Ryder (Joe Penny), Cody Allen (Perry King), and Murray "Boz" Bozinski (Thom Bray). Nick and Cody are your typical p.i. jock-types who rely on their strength and machismo, while Boz is a "computer geek" who uses science and technology to assist Nick and Cody in their investigations and is the voice of intellect and reason of the group. Unlike most P.I. shows of the era, "Riptide" took place mostly on the water which kept the show fresh.

In all, it wasn't the best show of the era, but it certainly is one of the most underrated and easily one of the most forgotten. It is fun and fresh and worth a view, especially if you've never seen an episode or haven't seen one in a long time.

I haven't seen the show since it aired back in '84, but that was the era when personal computers was being introduced. The 'computers' and geek-speak on Riptide fascinated me, as we were already using the IBM PC at our business, and Riptide tried to use computers as a supporting element in the show.

Unfortunately, the world of real computers was just a little too new for the writers. I recall Boz explaining how he'd obtained some vital bit of information to the guys: "Well, I downloaded it using ASCII..." But, hey, they tried.

I don't think one mystery was ever explained: where did these Magnum/Airwolf wanna-be PIs get the cash to run both a yacht AND a helicopter?

Sure, there was Magnum PI, the A-Team, Remington Steele and Simon & Simon, but to get your PI fix you had to get with Riptide. No show during the PI era captured our imagination and entertained our wit better than Riptide. You know all those personal slave robots we were promised way back in the 1980's? It's here on Riptide. Ever wanted to be a freelance PI living on a yacht, driving a convertible vette', scoring with the Cali beach chicks and running a chopper around Southern California? It's all here. In this show we see the immortal and genius acting of Perry King. We see Joe Penny before he was Jake next to the Fatman. We see Thom Bray before he fell off the face of the earth or joined a cult and changed his name to Sunflower. This was absolutely my favorite show when I was 14, and when you're 14 your favorite show means something to you. You identify with it, you even kind of embody it. Riptide was for the discerning PI fan whereas A-Team was for moronic, mindless action-junkies infatuated with Mr. T. Only chicks watched Magnum, and Simon & Simon was but a mere blip on the PI radar. When will Hollywood realize I will never pay $75 for the Full House DVD but will gladly part with the funds for my childhood?