Shark Bytes

I loved the television show, and I loved the cast, especially Michael Cole. Part of what made the show so good was the chemistry between the characters and the actors. Yeah, some of the stuff doesn't hold up to the scrutiny of today's standards, but a lot of the stories were pretty bold for that time. Talking about the war in a positive way when Vietnam was such a big issue. Showing a cast of different races hugging and caring for each other in 1968 was a big deal at that time. Drugs, abortion, Agent Orange, racism, etc., were pretty novel ideas to put on a television series in the late 1960s. Before that it was Dragnet and comedies. Whether people give the show credit or not, the Mod Squad paved the way for other cop shows and some of the racier sitcoms like All in the Family. People were more open to those issues by the mid-70s - just as Mod Squad was going off the air.

Also, I don't think the show was canceled because of low ratings. It was canceled because the cast opted to end the show after five years.

Harlan Ellison, in his book "The Glass Teat" does a pretty hilarious dissection of 'Mod Squad', for which he wrote an ep or two (being Harlan Ellison, he also includes a draft of one of his scripts, which he--as per usual-- treats as Great Art traduced by the Hollywood troglodytes, but which really isn't very good), and what a real shuck product it was, middle aged producers trying to crank out a product that was supposedly 'hip' and 'with-it'. God knows, viewed today by anyone who has any real recollection of that time period, 'Squad' really is hopelessly laughable claptrap, though possibly not as bad as most of the stridently anti-drug stuff Nancy and Ronnie Ray-Gun pushed to have Hollywood crank out in the Eighties. Somewhat of a time capsule, though largely in an inadvetent sort of way.

I know some posters think this was the "establishment" trying to con kids, but in reality, it was pretty cool. First of all, it was one of the first shows to have a black guy in a lead role, along with the white folks. And you can see that Linc is the actual "leader" of the group -- keeps his head and keeps the other two together. It addressed a lot of the social issues of the era, especially the first couple of seasons. Was anti-Vietnam, anti-gun. It was a pretty cool show. Granted, I was probably square back then, and am pretty square now, I guess, but a recent rewatching of the entire series reminded me how much I loved it and loved those guys. It got more run-of-the-mill in the final season, but never jumped the shark. The 1999 movie stunk, though.

I loved this show. Clarence Williams III was beyond cool. The quietest TV character ever. The other 2 were pretty quiet too. Guess that made them cool.

THE MOD SQUAD ruled! What a great TV show this was. Great opening credits, great theme song, and great stories. "One white...one black...one blonde." Clarence Williams III was the sexiest thing on TV. This show didn't jumpt the shark until they made that dreadful movie with Giovanni Ribisi, Claire Danes, and Omar Epps. But the show itself never jumped. Great television.

The show was hilarious: establishment TV geeks trying to create a "hip" cop show to suck in the 60's teens. The promos were classic. Does anyone remember "THREE HIP COPS ON A SOUL BEAT"? Now that's priceless. Or how about the promo showing Linc getting tossed out of a speeding car. The rest of the group rush to his crumpled form yelling "Linc! Are you okay?" Linc looks up at them and says.. "Bad trip man." What a hoot!!

By season four I stopped watching because I thought the story lines were getting repetitive. But I never got tired of Clarence Williams III saying "Solid."

Coolest theme song and action sequence opener even if you didn’t like the program! Dah-da! Bah-da-da Bah-da! Bee-deet dee-dee de-deet dee-DEEH! And so on with the groovy organ and the gang running! Then their boss whips the door open like he’s saying “Caught-yah!” at them! I don’t think Peggy Lipton HAD to exude much acting talent in her early days – she was an “it” girl for the era that I always though was so cool and cute; but if I re-watched the shows now I’d wonder if I’d mind it or not! Funny example of that charisma if anyone has ever seen a copy of her “singing debut” on “Hollywood Palace”! Sammy Davis Jr. gives her a big build up… “She’s hip, she’s now, she’s where it’s at…!” Then she does a HORRIBLE off-key rendition of “Just a little lovin’, early in the mornin…” with back-ups and a Ryan O’Neal clone that sashays in from the background until they’re together dancing (also not one of her capable talents back then)! As far as the movie goes, I would have to wonder if any of its lead cast was even BORN yet when the show ran?! Plus “Kevin Arnold’s weird pal (Phoebe Buffet’s weird half-brother) re-inventing himself as a hot new Hollywood property???

One Black, One White, One Blond--that was classic. And so was this show, for its first two seasons. Hey, I was a kid who DESPERATELY wanted to be an older 'hippie' like my bro Linc--Clarence is a fine actor who still works all the time. Mike Cole doesn't work as much but should. Peggy (ex Mrs. Quincy Jones) was great to look at, but even as a kid, I knew she couldn't act. But about halfway through the run, I started to realize this was a 'square's' (read: network exec) callous attempt to 'reach' me and my generation. A previous poster was more articulate than I on this point, but I, too, realized the 'ideals' of the 60s were morphing into something else--which I STILL can't define. I have no interest in seeing the film. But it would be interesting to see the original cast reunite in a NON Mod Squad project.

The movie was terrible. The show was o.k. I remember that I watched it, but I can't remember any particular episode. My problem was that Julie was supposed to be so sexy and all she ever wore was jeans. To be sexy in the 60's she should have been in mini skirts all of the time and go-go boots half the time.

When the Woody Wagon went over the edge, I cried and so did my generation. We realized that, as 8 year olds, the sixties were officially over and we were to inherit the seventies from uncaring hippies striving to sell themselves out. The funky sixties were over, the sexy seventies had begun. I mean, what teen-agers could afford a Plymouth Baracuda, unless they were drug dealers or narcs. The Woody Wagon was the last cool car ever.

THIS SHOW JUMPED THE SHARK DURING THE LAST SEASON. EVERYONE LOOKED CATATONIC EXCEPT FOR "CAPTAIN GREER". "PETE, LINC, AND JULIE" LOOKED LIKE THEY SMOKED TOO MANY JOINTS THEN.

One of the first attempts by a Studio in the 60's to be "Hip" and "With It" with the hippy crowd: in spite of that, this was still a pretty cool show. And does anyone remember the COOL TV promo for this show? "They're cops on a soul beat... Mod Squad!" YEAH!

This show was never very good. Neither the mod parts nor the squad parts were convincing. Every cliche of cop/action shows of that era were trotted out. Peggy Lipton had long straight hair, yes.

The TV show was great, the movie sucked. Not only did they cast it with a bunch of never-weres and put in a lot of unnecessary violence and profanity, but they killed off Adam Grier! What is up with that? I practically stopped watching it at that point. They also could have cast at least one of the original members in a cameo role, not that it would have helped. The show, however, will always be...SOLID!