Simon & Simon - Season One
The half-hour documentary about 1980s television that accompanies thisSimon & Simon - Season Onebox set does the show itself no favors. By profiling several other series of that era, it putsSimon & Simonright in its proper perspective: i.e., not as inane as, say,The A-TeamorKnight Rider, but nowhere near as cool or ground-breaking asMiami Vice, as engaging asQuantum Leap, or as charming asMagnum P.I.. Not that this series about private investigating brothers A.J. (Jameson Parker) and Rick (Gerald McRaney) Simon is bad; like '80s San Diego, where it takes place, it's pleasant, laid-back, and not especially sophisticated. The rapport between the mismatched siblings has a certain roguish charm (A.J., the younger one, is fairly strait-laced and fastidious, while Rick is his loose cannon foil) that's reflected in the overall tone, as the brothers, who aren't exactly at the top of the heap in their profession, pursue killers, kidnappers, computer hackers, crooked concert ticket brokers, and such. But overall, this is tame stuff, even considering its tongue-in-cheek intentions. It's hard to imagine that viewers used to the higher production values, more graphic and intense content, and "keeping it real" vibe of new millennium cop dramas will be riveted bySimon & Simon's relentlessly lightweight and low-tech style; the sets are cheesy, the writing is drab, the villains are one-dimensional, and aside from the two stars, the acting is by and large on a Grade B level. On the other hand, those who abhor today's TV for the very reasons mentioned above might well prefer a gentle walk down memory lane and/or a slice of undemanding escapism, and this basic four-disc, 13-episode set will surely provide it.--Sam Graham