Old TV Review: Chameleons (1989)

Chameleons (1989) is a TV pilot by Glen A. Larson (of Knight Rider and A-Team fame) that I’d been looking for off and on for years, and finally stumbled on again on YouTube thanks to a sharp-eyed TV fan on DeviantArt. It was made, shown, and yet turned down as an ongoing show by both American and international networks. Sometimes it’s interesting to check out things that didn’t work, and try to figure out why, so you don’t make the same mistakes. (As a writer and human being of course you’ll make entirely different ones, but hey.)

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Some Cool Old Shows

Okay, might be very frantic and busy today, so setting up some entertainment in advance. Here’s some neat shows I’ve found dating back to the 70s and 80s; great for trying to get back to storytelling basics Hollywood’s forgotten!

Sanbiki ga Kiru! (j-drama) (1987)

A Problem with Series: Failure in the Second Half

There’s an oddity I’ve noticed after watching a bunch of c-dramas. It has to do with length. Basically – if the series finishes in 25-30 eps, it’s likely to be good and have a coherent story. If it goes much longer than that, say 40 or more – it’s likely to turn into a mess.

TV Series Review: Liu Yong Pursues the Case

I’m only about half through; there are 45 episodes total. But so far I’d give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. If you’re looking for an older lead than most in a series that still has plenty of just-slightly-fantastic wushu action, definitely check this c-drama out!

Liu Yong himself is like what Lt. Columbo might have been like in the Qing Dynasty. And any character that successfully evokes the disheveled detective is worth watching.

TV Series Review: Fox in the Screen

Don’t mind me, I’m just here for Yu Yan.

Ahem. I’m giving Fox in the Screen (aka 屏里狐, Ping Li Hu, The Screen Foxes) about 3 out of 5 stars. Because this is a stunning example of having a neat concept and potentially interesting characters and not being able to tell a coherent story.

TV Series Review: Strange Hero Yi Zhi Mei

AKA The Vigilantes in Masks (2011, sometimes listed as 2010). Five out of five stars here, you can tell when the plum and cherry blossom scenes are green-screened but the rest is very well done, and the story just rocks.

I know I’ve mentioned that the Imperial Coroner would make a fun Leverage cross, but if you’re looking for “Leverage in Ancient China”, this is the series that so far comes the closest.

TV Series Review: Your Highness (2017)

I’m giving Your Highness a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars, despite the horrendous quality of the available English subtitles and a bit too much bathroom humor for my preference.

(Yes, seriously horrendous. “Double repair” when the actual translation should be

TV Series Review: My Heroic Husband

I’m about half through this Chinese costume drama, and I think My Heroic Husband is awesome and entertaining in the five out of five star rage. With one caveat: bear in mind I also shamelessly love Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody.

TV Series Review: Maiden Holmes

Thirty-two episodes of adventure, romance, and detective work.

TV Series Review: Kingmaker: The Change of Destiny

Five out of five, flat out. This series is awesome. Want politics, ratcheting tension, and romance, but hate the senseless violence and overblown sex that so often gets filmed along with it?