Sun 28 Nov 2010
A TV Series Review by Michael Shonk: REMINGTON STEELE, Season One.
Posted by Steve under Reviews , TV mysteries[6] Comments
REMINGTON STEELE. Season One: NBC, 1982-83. Created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. Cast: Laura Holt: Stephanie Zimbalist, Remington Steele: Pierce Brosnan, Murphy Michaels: James Read, Bernice Foxe: Janet DeMay.
This endearing but lightweight series was at its best in Season One in every way but ratings.
The premise of a female PI creating a fictional male boss so people would accept her as a PI was a timely one. While female PI’s had existed for a long time, even mystery readers were then adjusting to the new independent female PI such as Kinsey Milhone (Sue Grafton) and V.I. Warshawski (Sara Paretsky).
Remington Steele, named for a typewriter (yes, it was that long ago) and a football team, was originally meant to remain fictional. NBC insisted the part be cast, and a romantic comedy mystery with the roles reversed developed.
Writing for the series was at its best during the first season. Experienced showrunner Michael Gleason lead a staff destined to create their own series. Joel Steiger (Jake & the Fatman) won the Edgar award for Best Episode in a TV series for “In the Steele of the Night”. Other writers included Glen Gordon Caron (Moonlighting) and Lee David Zlotoff (MacGyver).
The characters were never more believable. Why wouldn’t a con man and a thief (think Cary Grant in It Takes A Thief) give up that life to have fun chasing Laura and accidentally catching bad guys?
Laura’s reaction to the mystery man was what many young women were going through in 1982 as they chose between a career and marriage. Bernice the secretary meant there was someone in the office to deal with clients while everyone else was off solving mysteries. (This would not be true in coming seasons.)
The acting from stars Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan to the guest stars was of the high quality one expected from an MTM Production (Hill Street Blues, St. Elsewhere, etc).
The relationship between Laura and Remington usually featured them battling each other to see who solved the mystery first. Whatever chemistry between the two worked best during this season.
This was the season I developed a crush on Laura Holt, identified with Remington Steele, enjoyed the comedy mysteries, and saw the potential for another special TV series from MTM Productions. While next season’s move from Friday to Tuesday and NBC wanting more slapstick action made the series a hit, it was at the cost of much of what made Remington Steele special during season one.
Oh, if you decide to view an episode of Remington Steele, watch for the MTM kitty salute to a famous detective at the end.
November 28th, 2010 at 5:59 am
Yes, as the years passed, the antipathy between them became apparent. But Season One was especially good.
November 28th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
A very enjoyable series.
November 28th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
I thought it was damaged goods after the first season: the addition of ex-FBI agent Mildred Krebs (Doris Roberts) to the staff ruined the shows basic concept.
Mildred of course actually believed Steele was legit and that he actually ran the firm as the boss. Mildred seemed to always in the office and Remington kept pointing out to Laura that therefore she (Laura) no longer could order him around.
I think that the reason Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan’s chemistry eventually became so strained was not so much that Brosnan became the break-out star, but because the feminist slant of Season One was destroyed. Zimbalist became his Gal Friday and her Laura just a supporting character…
November 28th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Rick, the Mildred character annoyed me as well. Here is a world famous detective agency with an expensive office they closed so the secretary can help solve the mysteries. The premise that Laura never got respect for her work because she was a woman was plausible, but Laura paying someone to disrespect her never made sense.
As for Stephanie and Pierce. Stephanie had earlier rejected the part but reconsidered. Then she was to be the only star of the show. After she signed, NBC decided it wanted a male co-star. You can imagine how any actor would take that news. The two were very different people with very different backgrounds. It was those differences not how much they liked or disliked each other that really shaped their chemistry.
November 28th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Patti, just visited your blog and I am honored you took the time to comment here. I wish you and all your family well during these times and the future.
November 28th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
I was aware of the change in plans that sold the show but I actually thought Stephanie Zimbalist’s exasperation of being stuck with Pierce Brosnan’s unwelcome presence on the show first season played right into the strength of the concept of Remington Steele’s presence being unwanted and resented by Laura Holt.
After the addition of Doris Roberts (who I never liked beforehand and have since found annoying in everything I’ve seen her in) the whole tenor of the show changed.
And I hate how giving the female character her comeuppance and relegating her to second-class status brought the show its success, and what THAT says about the American TV audience’s taste at the time…