McMillan e signora

This show definitely was inspired by the Thin Man. This was a very light hearted detective show and Rock Hudson and Susan St. James were a perfect match. Forget about all the revelations that came up after Hudson's death. Just look at the show for how well it was written. Also, Nancy Walker and John Schuck gave the show its perfect comic relief as Mildred and Enright respectively.

Re the comment: "I was surprised that posters mentioned Hudson's homosexuality as somehow influencing perception of this show in hindsight. Hudson was gay; Mac wasn't. If straight men can play gay characters, why can't the reverse be true? Why must someone's private life interfere with a role?" I was merely responding to the one reviewer citing Hudson being gay and then characterizing Mac & Sally's relationship as "sexless." After seeing the pilot again on the recently released DVD, I can say it was anything but! The two characters seem to be hugging, kissing, making out, etc., almost all the time (there's even a rather risqué - for 1971 TV - scene that has a clearly naked Susan St. James taking a shower behind a fogged stall window).

Ahh, memories of watching this series aged about 11 and having a crush on Susan St James, her pushing Judy Carne to one side in the process. Of course the early 70's was a great time for classic US 'tec series, Kojak, Columbo (to quote Harry Nilsson) and many others, but this show doesn't appear to have gone into the permanent re-run rotation like so many of its contemporaries. There could be any number of reasons for this, some clear (it has dated quite a lot) and some perhaps not so clear, although its template has been reused since, most notably in "Hart To Hart".

Naturally it's not as good as the child in me remembers, the story, at least of this early episode being somewhat formulaic and the direction very flat and reactionary.

That said, I liked Hudson in the part and he doesn't appear to be coasting as much as his history might have entitled him to, while St James still has that quirky charm going for her, even if she does scream a lot. There's a nice frisson between them, loved-up as we say here in the UK, whch added some spice to proceedings. Nancy Walker, later Rhoda's mum, is watchable as ever as their feisty house-maid and moon-faced John Schuck is Hudson's runabout foot-soldier.

The Frisco locations are fine, the humour is gentle and while I guess there's not a lot of dramatic tension on show, it still reminds me fondly of Sunday afternoons as a kid in from the rain, with nothing better to do.

Though its co-rotators, Columbo and McCloud (while others came and went), seem like better shows, I have a soft spot in my heart for McMillan and Wife. Susan St. James and Rock Hudson made a wonderful couple, and the show did sport one of my all-time favorite episodes, "The Easy Sunday Murder Case," in which June Havoc's dog is kidnapped. Havoc describes her precious purebred Pekinese - Mac doesn't think there's anything distinguishing about the dog, so Havoc offers a photo of her husband. "Why would I want that?" he asks her. "Oh," Havoc says, "they took him too." A great episode with a stellar cameo by Wally Cox.

Hudson himself was surprised when the show was expanded to two hours, commenting at the time, "It doesn't hold up for 90 minutes." But for its many fans, it really did, in part because of the great cast. Nancy Walker as Mildred nearly stole the show every time she was on, and John Shuck was the lovable Charlie. Mildred Natwick made several appearances as Mac's mother, and Martha Scott played Susan St. James' mom.

I agree that the disappearing baby was very confusing - Mac and Sally were very involved with one another and the producers didn't want to spoil that, but on the other hand, when were they going to have kids, and if not, why not? They should have been left childless, since the baby was only mentioned in passing.

When Susan St. James and Nancy Walker left, the show was never the same and it was a downer to have Sally and that mysterious baby killed in a plane crash.

I was surprised that posters mentioned Hudson's homosexuality as somehow influencing perception of this show in hindsight. Hudson was gay; Mac wasn't. If straight men can play gay characters, why can't the reverse be true? Why must someone's private life interfere with a role?

This show was one of the rotation of the NBC Mystery Movie which also featured Columbo, McCloud, Night Gallery, etc. It's two main stars made the show go.

Rock Hudson played Comissioner McMillan very well. Susan Saint James as his slightly goofy, sexpot wife Sally, added a spark that flew between her, Hudson, & the audience. Susan was the type of woman that teenage boys fell in love with. Good thing she didn't realize when this show was on or she'd have been in jail. All us teenage boys when this show ran wanted her (at least most of us).

Even when the scripts mystery was a little lacking, Susan & Rock would make it seem fresh. John Schuck & Nancy Walker both provided excellent cast support as well. Really enjoyed these years ago & now the DVD's are coming out. We never realized when we were young the privilege we had of watching this good a series.

I never took my eyes off Susan. This show always pleased its fans.