Dragnet

Well, I liked this show from it's initial outing on Sunday nights on ABC Television. It was in a great time slot, and I liked the chemistry on the show. Plus, the Dick Wolf factor is there. Gritty, ripped from the headlines sort of stories.

But, ABC has decided to tinker with the formula. Change the title of the show, move it to Saturday nights, and remove one of the leads. I liked Ethan Embry, a lot. I'd love to know why he was dropped from the show.

I will continue to watch, as I like Ed O'Neill, and the whole concept of the show. I'd like to see a tie in, perhaps with some of the other Dick Wolf family of shows, like what was done with "Law & Order/Homicide" in the 90's. Tie all four of the Wolf shows together in a week long plot.

Might be fun to see Katey Sagal turn up on a show, too. "Awwww, Pegggggg!" But that might be just too much.

Watch It!

I was stunned after watching the Pilot of Dragnet. I have seen most of the episodes of this "new Dragnet" and it is really ingenious. I liked O'Neils representation of Joe Friday. He performed absolutely convincing and showed his range of variation. Besides Josef Bolz as Martin the "Psycho" was very convincing in his performance. I can only recommend on "Dragnet". You will enjoy great actors in unaccustomed roles. Awesome. Unpredictable. Fascinating. I bite my time during every commercial! I am big fan of the new Dragnet. It is my personal favorite appearing of O'Neil and Bolz. I hope we are going to see more of them ! I am still impressed :)

This show takes a cast of top-notch pros (like Lindsay Crouse and Erick Avari, just to name two) and uses their talents to the hilt.

The storytelling is taut and well-paced, the secondary characters very well-written (check out Cleo the hooker in "Silver Strangler").

In a word, I like this show.

What began as an outstanding updated version of the classic cop/detective show was picked and hacked at by TV executive dolts until it finally bore little or no resemblance to the original, and did away with a central character.

TV executives are absolutely clueless. The show did not instantly get top rating, and therefore Mr. Moneybags or Mr. Big Cigar or whoever over at the network called up and said, "Change it so we get more sponsorship and I can afford to put another wing on my chalet in the south of France. Oh, and my wife wants a solid gold Maserati for her birthday."

If they had left the show alone, it would have gained steam and become a very successful series. Instead, they ruined it and then threw it away.

Ed O'Neil was excellent as Joe Friday.

I've only seen a couple episodes of this new Dragnet, but so far it looks like the show does have promise. I'm particularly impressed with the job Ed O'Neil is doing as Joe Friday. The Friday character is the exact opposite of the Al Bundy character that O'Neil previously played on Married..,With Children, but he manages to give an convincing performance as Friday. It takes a real good actor to play an idiot, then turn around and give a serious performance. This is especially true given the fact that O'Neil has Jack Webb's shoes to fill.