Cover Up

I certainly don't have fond memories of this series.

It was pretty cheesey back in 1985 when I first saw it. Jennifer O'Neal was as wooden in it as she was in most of her other roles, Including 'Scanners', but only Michael Ironside was really good in that movie.

This seemed to be a cross between Charlie's Angels and Remmington Steele, but wasn't as watchable as either series. It's also infamous and memorable to some, because one of it's stars Jon Erik Hexum, was playing around with a prop pistol loaded with blanks, put it to his head, and fired. Without knowing that blanks can actually kill because there is still a discharge from the weapon when fired.

Almost twenty years ago there was a show that featured an American modelling agency doing a spot, hence involved Bonny Tyler singing the theme song - Holding out for a hero - however, the modelling agency was a front for a CIA organisation. It was called Cover-Up, a tremendously enjoyable CBS action escapade series about a couple of "striking adventurers" posing as a model plus a photographer on location of their assigned missions, and the "main hero" was Jon-Erik Hexum (character's name Mac Harper) who unfortunately died in 1984. The show nevertheless continued with somewhat different Anthony Hamilton taking his place, but lasted about a year. Regardless of its cancellation, Cover-Up was one of the greatest and most stylish espionage shows from the early 1980's, and surely knocked off similar tv projects.

Was this a great piece of filmography-no, but was it entertaining-yes. Most reviews comment on the fate of Jon-Erik Hexum, and it's natural since he died on the set. The shame is if he had the training of his character, he would have known better. The great thing is his mother allowing his organs donation.

As for the show, it was a typical 70-80s shown. Beautiful women, great snipets of songs, action, story, and Hexum. Although he had limited experience, he was really a good actor and had a charisma that would have made him a great star. It would have been interesting had he lived whether the show would have gone beyond season 1 unlike Voyagers! which it too was an entertaining show much like Quantum Leap or the Time Tunnel, so it's being ended was rather unfair.

I seldom give a 10 on a review, but this series was absolutely great, in my humble opinion. The music is first-rate as well. Watching the episode where Dani is told Mac is not coming back was so poignant, there is no doubt that a bond existed between all the players. Jon-Erik's tragic demise truly hit them hard. They wrote his death into the script with grace and respect, almost reverence. I've been lucky enough to get an entire set of the show on DVD, so I am truly blessed. Jennifer O'Neill is stunningly beautiful and it is a shame we have not seen more of her in recent years. I am a fan of Richard Anderson as well, and he played his role convincingly with dignity and gentleness.

When I was a kid, I was a fan of Jon-Erik Hexum, mainly because of his show "Voyager", so I became a fan of his new show "Cover-Up", it was not Shakespeare and it could have been better but it was fun to watch, a kind of James Bond fantasy show. It was exiting, and the show did his job: entertain boys and get girls (and the mothers of some kids) in love with Jon-Erik Hexum. I was shocked to hear that the "Jon" was "playing" with a "blank semi loaded" gun and shot himself. What was he thinking!? well not much obviously!! This 26 years old man, considered on of the most photogenic men in Hollywood, still almost 20 years later, it is hard to find an actor (good actor) with his good look and great body, the man was a Greek sculpture. He had every thing to become a big screen superstar. He made just one mistake, to treat guns like toys, one thing a I leaned since very young "GUN ARE ALWAYS LOADED, EVEN IF THEY ARE EMPTY", an empty gun should be treated as the most dangerous weapon; as a fact many "accident" (the correct word is criminal negligence)are caused by guns that were supposed to be empty. I feel sorry for Jon and his family, but it would have been worst if he had aimed the gun to an innocent bystander. He lost his live, present and future. He stole happiness from himself.