Remington Steele

Way back when TV shows actually told good mysteries and didn't just show "reality" we had a little gem called "Remington Steele." Starring Pierce Brosnan (pre-Bond) and Stephanie Zimbalist the show revolved around a detective agency. The twist was "Remington Steele" was a made up character in the show. Laura Holt (Zimbalist's role) invented him because a name like that on the door brought in the business. Of course when Brosnan shows up and sort of "becomes" Remington things get very interesting. The first season really has some great shows in it and the chemistry between the leads is wonderful. I highly recommend the show to all mystery and detective fans who like shows that make you think a little - and are fun too!

The 007 films are no doubt fun, but their attempts at comedy (which are admittedly not their focal point) are sad compared to the physical comedic ability and the facial expressions Brosnan exhibited on "Remington Steele." And Zimbalist was a great co-lead, as opposed to in other shows, where the female played second string. I believe this show's premise would still work today, tweaked a bit to satisfy those people still fighting for that one amendment - what was it? The main things that wouldn't work would be the hairstyles and the clothing - but those will probably come back in a decade or two. At any rate, this show is a classic.

I loved Remington Steele back in the 1980s and videotaped many of the shows. I recently found those tapes again and have been watching them more critically this time around. I still love most of the shows, but now I think I understand why. Where else can you find a show nowadays where the star of a show is a bright, independent-minded entrepreneurial woman who finds a bright, warm, sensitive, and gorgeous man that pursues her more for her mind than her body? Where else can you find a show nowadays where the female lead deals with feminist issues and doesn't allow herself to be sexually exploited or even to take issues of sex and commitment lightly without being naive or a prude? Looking back on it, there was more romantic comedy than mystery or drama in most of the shows, but the main characters were very appealing, as was their dilemma. I'd love to see more shows like it on the air today.

Here's a little known fact. Remington Steele obsessives, like myself, cannot bear to even mention the unfortunate 5th season of this series. To cut a long story short, male lead Pierce Brosnan was on the brink of being officially declared the new 007 (replacing Roger Moore) but NBC ordered more Remington Steele episodes and Timothy Dalton got the licence to kill instead. Brosnan returned to TV for a shortened, unsatisfying 5th season.

So, if we ignore the fifth and concentrate on the previous four seasons, what do we have? An excellent series, very much of its time, with a premise that just wouldn't stand up today! Can you imagine a show in these politically-correct days where a woman invents a male boss to attract business? Stephanie Zimbalist starred as Laura Holt, the woman behind the man – an attractive, spunky, fiercely independent private investigator. Pierce Brosnan played the handsome and mysterious thief-with-no-name turned eponymous super sleuth. The sexual chemistry between Laura Holt and Remington Steele was the driving force of the show but it had so many other plus points too. The first episode (License To Steele) sets the tone which future shows followed: an exciting mystery, tight plotting, fine script, a stylish feel and explosive sexual tension between the two protagonists. This was an absolute pre-requisite in the 1980s. Everyone was either doing it, or nearly doing it, or talking about doing it: Cheers' Sam and Diane, Moonlighting's Maddy and David, Scarecrow and Mrs King's Scarecrow and Mrs King(!) and Laura Holt and Remington Steele were no different! The writers of Remington Steele delighted in torturing their audience, keeping us guessing as to when the two would finally consummate their on-again, off-again rocky-romance as they ran around solving crimes. The series finished in 1987 but the plethora of websites dedicated to it and fan fiction inspired by it, is testament to its enduring appeal. Remington Steele? 100% pure class.

The DVD release of this show has allowed me to go back and visit an old favorite. I had not seen the episodes since their very first run, so I was curious if I would still like the show and still derive the enjoyment from it that I remembered the first time through. Well, good news: the show was just as good as I remembered it, and had held up well for being 20 years old. Pierce Brosnan displayed the charm that made him one of my favorite TV stars, and his chemistry with Stephanie Zimbalist was still excellent. The shows themselves are extremely well-written. Unlike shows on TV today, this show didn't talk down to you; the characters were sophisticated and spoke like they were well educated, not like they hung out at the bar all the time. The wit hasn't been lost, either; I laughed through many of the episodes I watched. This was like catching up with an old friend. I can't wait to see the second season!