Top 10 TV Action Heroes of All Time

TV Guide recently released its list of the 24 greatest action heroes on TV in the history of the medium. Here is one viewer’s opinion of the 10 best action heroes on TV of all time, based on too many years of watching television…

The Top 10 TV Action Heroes of All Time

10) The Lone Ranger (Clayton Moore, The Lone Ranger, ABC, 1949-1957)
9) Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter, Wonder Woman, ABC, 1975-1979)
8) Xena (Lucy Lawless, Xena the Warrior Princess, syndicated, 1995-2001)
7) Nikita (Peta Wilson, La Femme Nikita, USA, 1997-2001)
6) Emma Peel (Diana Rigg, The Avengers, ABC, 1961-1969)
5) Jaime Somers (Lindsay Wagner, The Bionic Woman, ABC/NBC, 1976-1978)
4) Steve Austin (Lee Majors, The Six Million Dollar Man, ABC, 1973-1978)
3) MacGyver (Richard Dean Anderson, MacGyver, ABC, 1985-1992)
2) Superman (George Reeves, The Adventures of Superman, syndicated, 1952-1958)
1) Batman (Adam West, Batman, ABC, 1966-1968)

The Mentalist / Red John storyline ends in disappointment

Well broadcast television disappoints again. All the best shows are still on cable.

After six years of developing the Red John serial killer storyline on The Mentalist, it came to an unsatisfying conclusion. The way the Red John story was built for the first four years of the show was fantastic. Things slipped story-wise in season five and the start of season six, and now that it has supposedly concluded with Patrick Jane killing Red John, I’m feeling let down. Too much of the back story does not make sense at this point. Sherriff McAlister as Red John doesn’t fit. The few times we heard the serial killer’s voice just doesn’t jive with how McAlister was played by Xander Berkeley and how the sheriff’s lines were written. I’m supposed to believe that McAlister changed his voice that much? Nah.

I expected more from the The Mentalists’ writers and producers. The idea that law enforcement was somehow involved with Red John is kind of shaky and doesn’t add up. A better way to go, after the end of season three, might have been to develop some of the law enforcement characters as possible Red John suspects, but in the end have him not be in law enforcement. The whole “Blake Association” idea doesn’t make much sense or add to the story at all.

The Mentalist was pretty good with weekly stories that were wrapped up in an hour. The Red John story left much to be desired.

Ah well. At least Justified and The Americans will be returning in January 2014. On the FX channel – cable TV, of course.

The All Time Best Theme Songs for TV Shows

A television show’s theme song can be an important aspect of the program, often setting the mood of the show. TV Guide recently released its list of the 60 best theme songs for TV shows in the history of the medium. Here is one TV viewer’s opinion of the 20 best TV theme songs of all time, based on too many years of watching television…

20) Laverne & Shirley (ABC, 1976-1983)
19) The Sopranos (HBO, 1999-2007)
18) Star Trek (NBC, 1966-1969)
17) The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (NBC, 1962-1992)
16) The Greatest American Hero (ABC, 1981-1983)
15) Sesame Street (PBS, 1969-present)
14) Get Smart (NBC, 1965-1970)
13) The Flintstones (ABC, 1960-1966)
12) Dallas (CBS, 1978-1991)
11) The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS, 1970-1977)
10) Cheers (NBC, 1982-1993)
9) Batman (ABC, 1966-1968)
8) Happy Days (ABC, 1974-1984)
7) Gilligan’s Island (CBS, 1964-1967)
6) The Andy Griffith Show (CBS, 1960-1968)
5) Welcome Back Kotter (ABC, 1975-1979)
4) Hawaii Five-O (CBS, 1968-1980)
3) M*A*S*H (CBS, 1972-1983)
2) The Jeffersons (CBS, 1975-1985)
1) Hill Street Blues (NBC, 1981-1987)