Vega$: Season 1 vol. 1

Like many people I have come to appreciate a function of the DVD format not mentioned in the design specifications: it functions as a time machine. This use of the DVD Player has become apparent as I’ve reviewed classic, vintage television series released on those shinny discs. This seems to hold especially true in the case of releases from CBS Paramount. They have one the most extensive collection of televisions series spanning the last half century of TV. Some were favorites from my childhood; others represented viewing habits obtained in subsequent decades but all have something in common; watching them again after all this time rushed me back in time as if I was seeing the episodes for the first time. The great thing about getting a review disc from CBS Paramount is like getting a surprise present; I never know quite what to expect but I’m sure it will be a whole lot of fun. One of the latest series to begin a season by season release cycle is a true cult classic: ‘Vega$’. The series ran for only three seasons from 1978 to 1981 but during that brief time the show did managed to gather a good size, loyal fan base. I have to admit I wasn’t a huge fan of the series when it was first broadcast but this was a time before recording TV programs was possible so there must have been something else opposite it. I do remember watching it regularly in the summer re-tub season and enjoying the series. Having a fresh chance to revisit the show helped me to realize this was a series that in many subtle ways was, in many subtle ways, groundbreaking. That may seem like an odd statement when referring to a relatively short lived action series like this but it did mark a mark of its own on the television landscape. This was the first television series produced in Las Vegas and the protagonist had a perchance for what was considered the cutting edge of technology back then. Watching again did invoke a welling feeling of nostalgia and it turned out to be much better constructed than I remembered.

The series was created by a young writer who would go shortly go on to make a name for himself in the action genre of both television and film; Michael Mann. Following this one the small screen were series including ‘Miami Vice’ and ‘Crime Story’. In the movies he gave us ‘Ali’ and ‘The Insider’. In short he is a person who is well versed at holding the interest of the audience and is able to infuse action without over powering the underlying story. The plots for each weekly episode entail the typical ‘A’ and ‘B’ crime of the week and also holding to the standards of episodic television of the late seventies very little in the way for larger season oriented story arcs. Usually the main story is a fairly serious crime such as grand larceny, murder and the ever popular staple of TV crime show; kidnapping. The secondary story usually provides a touch of comic relief set against a backdrop of a personal favor or quick cash job.

The main character was private detective Dan Tanna (Robert Urich). Unlike some private eyes like Jim Rockford, Tanna is able to make a fairly respectable living as an investigator. There are still money problems as he is constantly remind by his secretary Bea (Phyllis Davis) with his pile of bills and the police department recouping payment for property damage he inflicts during the course of his work. Bea also works as a showgirl frequently showing up in her costume. She needs the two jobs because she is a single mother with a young daughter. Bobby 'Binzer' Borso (Bart Braverman) fills the mandatory requirement of the goofy looking sidekick to run errands and get in trouble so Dan can save him. There appears to be an unspoken rule that the personality of the detective most be reflected by his home. Tanna lives in a large converted garage turned into what we would call loft space today. Actually he parks his car only a few feet from his sleeping area, I guess carbon monoxide wasn’t as deadly back then. Each morning a showgirl would show u[ to make him breakfast; life is pretty good for this P.I. Tanna also enjoyed his gadgets and had several that were considered high tech. He bought a telephone answering machine for $400. Now this device is no longer even readily available thanks to voice mail. The thing with this device is it literally lifts the receiver off the hook mechanical and uses a reel to reel tape recorder for the messages. One aspect of this set is looking back at what was considered cutting edge technology.

The series was part of the seventies juggernaut stable created by Aaron Spelling. He almost single handedly put the ‘boob’ in the ‘boob’ tube; not a single episode failed to feature a number of scantily dressed young women bouncing around. This may be dated but it is bright, fast moving and entertaining.

Posted 10/20/09