The Fall Guy

Another classic teatime viewing experience from Glen Larson. Totally mindless, relaxing formulaic Larson stuff. The success and longevity of his series prove that old formulas work and this 5 year series was no exception. Colt , Howie and Jodie (most male viewers reason to watch!) were to the 80's what Xena is to a new generation.

Lee Majors could have been a burned out 70s star during the 80s much like Burt Reynolds and John Travolta, but the former Six Million Dollar Man resurrected his career yet again with "The Fall Guy". Majors played Colt Seavers, a working class Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a bounty hunter. You gotta love a TV show that was brave enough to have it's star walk around with a name like "Colt". The Fall Guy was full of manly macho bravado, right from the iconic opening lyrics, where Colt gets into full country cowboy mode and laments his status as a Hollywood stuntman. Even though that song is clearly grounded in the late 1970s, with it's references to women such as Sally Field, Cheryl Tiegs, Bo and of course Farrah, it continues to play effortlessly well across the decade. You understand the plight of Colt Seavers. He does all the dirty work for guys like Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford (more 70s stars), but he never gets the girl. It always felt right that Lee Majors would sing about celebrities from the 1970s anyway, even in an 80s TV show. Nobody questioned it, it was like oh wait it's Lee Majors singing, well of course he would be singing about Farrah, Bo and Clint Eastwood in 1984.

This isn't the best written TV show, but for a Glen Larson show it sure is. The concept of Hollywood mixing in with bad guys is a hit out of the park. The creators can always give the audience that extra double wink with what they're doing, after all Colt Seavers is a Hollywood stuntman. It's mind bogglingly enticing to wonder what Stephen J. Cannell (a far better writer who was an 80s TV tycoon that specialized in action-humor) could have done with this show. I'll admit nostalgia plays a huge part in my fondness for The Fall Guy. I can actually remember when this show first aired back in the early 80s. I was 6 years old, and this series was sure bet for Wednesday nights. It even had it's own set of Colt Seavers action figures and toy pick truck modeled after the one Lee Major's used on the show, so you knew this show marketed itself at children as well as adults.

There's something so magical about '80s TV, that even silly TV shows like The Fall Guy can

Both seasons of this show offer good, undemanding entertainment with a nice blend of action and humour. Perfect viewing for a Sunday afternoon, or whenever you want to relax & be entertained by a TV show, I'd say.

Good idea to have a trio (sometimes quartet) of main characters – this brings a nice interaction between a group of regular characters which fills out the show and gives it an extra lift, adding personality to the show (a regular writer's technique, but always good to see it in action and working as well as it does here).

Some episodes also feature circa 1980s Country music on their soundtracks – though some of this was changed for the DVD releases because of copyright - so the show can be pretty easy on the ear too!

The Fall Guy was just one in a whole list of classic 80's fare such as The A-Team, Dukes of Hazzard and Knight Rider. It featured Lee Majors as bounty hunter Colt Seavers and he was joined by his sidekick Howie Munson who was a bit naive at times. They were also joined by the beautiful Heather Thomas who played Jody Banks.

Like many 1980's action shows The Fall Guy was not to be taken seriously. The plots were crazy, the characters were crazier, the stories were rather mad at times and what can I say about the stunts-they were out of this world. Week after week Lee Majors topped his stunts and did things such as jumping from a plane without a parachute and jumping from tall bridges into water below.

Highly enjoyable series-but when will anyone release it onto video?

Sure, this show had holes in it, it is cheesy, but I loved it. In Junior High I grew up on this, and it influenced me greatly. I can not watch boring sit coms, which maybe have 2 sets, or even cheaper made reality tv shows. Do I really care who gets voted off the island , or can keep their hand on a rock for 2 hours. After years of watching Colt drive through a china shop with his truck, use the trailer part of the truck which is used to move cars as a ramp, use a a rocket pack and hang onto the side of a chopper. All in a hour show! This show raised the bar high. My wife hates Heather Thomas. and says she's there for her anatomy, with her lines "Colt he's got a gun or "Oh Colt." Howie was funny, and added good comedy. The Unknown stunt man theme was great. I loved the time some thugs beat up an identical truck to Colt's and he drives off with the real one and these 2 huge guys leaving the bar say, "hey what did you to my truck." Speaking of trucks I think that truck must have started the SUV craze, with the imprint it left on many 30 and 40 year olds minds. I love the Mad comic spoof on this show. A must watch.