Nonureva Really Surprised!

Tacticalin An absolute waste of money

Patience Watson One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

mppeck85260 The first season of Wiseguy was by far the best, mostly due to Spacey. For all you Kevin Spacey fans, if you have never seen his performance in this show, it is a MUST. I had not been exposed to him until then, and his performance had me mesmerized, hooked, wanting more. Because of his performance in this particular show, I made it a point to see many of his other works over the years. If you are a Spacey fan, make it a point to watch the reruns of the first season of Wiseguy. (It's probably on DVD...somewhere). This show in general, especially the first season had some additional memorable performances also by Ray Sharkey and Joan Severance. I so looked forward on Wednesday nights to the show and only wished it had survived at least a few more years.

Victor Field An absolute cracker of a cop series, "Wiseguy" only occasionally had stand-alone episodes, for the most part telling its stories in arcs that could run for up to 10 episodes; it's not every show that ends its first season with the hero being arrested by his partner! (Obviously they were just doing their jobs, but still...)With the great triple act of Ken Wahl as Vinnie, Jonathan Banks as his friend and partner McPike, and Jim Byrnes (pre-"Highlander") as liasion Lifeguard - a rare television role for the handicapped in that his affliction was never even mentioned - the best arc by far was the first one with Sonny Steelgrave (the late Ray Sharkey), which occupied practically the entire first season; then the incestuous Proffitts - my first exposure to Kevin Spacey as the mad Mel ("Only the toes knows...") and the staggeringly sexy Joan Severance (pre-Black Scorpion) as his equally disturbed sister Susan; the enigmatic Roger Lococco (William Russ, better here than on "Boy Meets World"); even the venture into the music world was effective. Stephen J. Cannell and his team of writers and directors spun gripping and tense tales of the battles between good and evil, bringing you so close into the world of Vinnie Terranova that you found yourself sympathising with the heavies without ever turning against the people who were, after all, the good guys - kudos to them all, but especially David J. Burke and Stephen Kronish. The show also boasted one of Mike Post's greatest ever themes; heavy brass and strings instead of rock'n'roll or synths set the tone perfectly.So effective was this series that I can even forgive the degeneration of the show in its third year, when Ken Wahl's squabbles with the producers began to affect the end result; as far as I'm concerned, the episodes with Steven Bauer don't exist. (As for the TV movie, the less said about that sorry affair the better.) "CSI"'s Carol Mendelsohn used to write for this show; she hasn't lost her touch.The series is airing in repeats, it seems; not to be missed.

Angeneer Great storylines, great acting, great drama. I still think the Vinnie - Sonny interaction was monumental. I was hooked on it from the first episode. Perhaps it is because I was younger, but I still haven't found a series who would overwhelm me so much.

blanche-2 Wiseguy was one of the best shows of the '80s and probably one of the best dramas ever produced for television, ending only, I believe, because of the many infirmities/injuries suffered by Ken Wahl. The gorgeous Wahl was surrounded by an excellent cast that included Jonathan Banks, Jim Burns, and, over the years, George Petrie, Patti D'Arbanville, Gerald Anthony, etc. - anyone brought on the show was a winner. Wiseguy proved a breakthrough for Kevin Spacey and Joan Severance, whose story arc was probably the most powerful the series offered - right up there with the Sonny Steelgrave (Ray Sharkey) story arc. I'm glad to see it's being re-run now - it's a pity there aren't more episodes.