Description

Tully High School seniors Richie, Joey and Perry run with a gang called the Wanderers in the Bronx. The time is fall 1963 but their experiences are universal: falling in love, surviving in school and defending turf against rivals like the Fordham Baldies, the Del Bombers and the Ducky Boys. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

The original Boys from the Bronx........
"The Wanderers" is a class act and a stylish movie that has a brassy toughness to it that is both infectious and moving. It was probably overshadowed on it's release by the other gang movie of 1979 "The Warriors", but "The Wanderers" easily holds an equal footing as an excellent period piece of working class lives in 1963. The film centres around the lives of a gang of young boys in the Bronx in mid 1963 coming to terms with friendships, school, girls and other gangs. Ken Wahl ( a promising actor who for some reason never quite made it to the big time !! ) plays a great lead as the smooth talking and charismatic, Richie, the leader of the Wanderers. Richie is struggling to maintain his gangs strength and position in the local neighbourhood as well as juggling his many relationships with different girlfriends. He meets a young and attractive Karen Allen whilst out on the streets with his buddies, and from there another relationship develops. Allen plays her role with style, and even though Allen is not a great beauty, she has that unmistakable feminine charm, especially when that wonderful smile lights up her face.

What makes the movie all the more interesting is the way it goes behind the scenes into the home lives and the hopes, fears and dreams of some of the gang members. We see Joey's artistic talents put down by his fearsome, aggressive father...we see Turkey struggle with his own identity within the different gangs...and we see Richie forced to take responsibility for his actions near the film's conclusion. Backing the movie up, is a dynamite soundtrack containing some top numbers including "Stand by Me", "Runaraound Sue", "Soldier Boy" & of course "The Wanderer" !!

A movie that has charm & talent, and stands up to repeated viewings with ease...if you haven't seen it already....catch up with "The Wanderers" soon !!

LEAVE THE KID ALONE....and let him watch this movie!
These were the OLDEST''TEENAGERS''since the Sweathogs!I mean,not one looked at least 18.That said,this is a wanderfull movie.The music,the acting,the chemistry,the atmosphere,everything worked.it had drama,comedy,horror(enter Ducky's Boys),action,and a love story(even though Terror's a lil too old for her!)The plot is basic gang rivalry set in the age of the do wop.We are introduced to the core members of a local gang,the Wanderers.Not a drug dealing,neighborhood wrecking gang.But the loveable,wiseguys you find bowling and hanging out.Tension mounts between rival gang the Del Bombers and the battle is set.Calmer heads prevail and the fight turns into a football game,which turns into a bonding inspired fight.There are subplots;1 Wanderer stealing anothers girlfriend,1 Wanderer becoming a traitor,the home lives of 2 Wanderers,to keep the pacing just right.I am glad to see this on DVD.Too bad theres no extras.Anyway,theres no question youll enjoy this movie,but would you ever mess with the Wongs?

a era we all wanted to live
I seen this movie at the theatre when it was released,
because it starred a guy i went to high school with
ken wahl.

this historical aspect on what gang life may have been like
in 1963, sorta a serious west side storey.

i also boight the soundtrack album and now have it
on cd as well.

good movie for a saturday afternoon

A VERY ENJOYABLE FILM.
"The Wanderers" is the kind of movie that you don't expect a lot from it before you watch it, but after the movie is over, you feel that seeing this film was the right choice, because it's incredibly amusing. In fact, "The Wanderers" is one of the few films that can make that the audience cares and feels interested for the life of the teenagers portrayed in the movie, "The Warriors", "West Side Story" and "American Graffiti" are some films that have that quality too.

All the characters in "The Wanderers" are very human and believable, some performances are slightly better than others, but overall all the cast is uniformly well in their roles. Definitely "The Wanderers" is a very recommendable movie, the characters, the situations and the script (based in a Richard Price's book) are very good. This is an enjoyable movie from beginning to end.

THOSE GUYS LOOK LIKE A BUNCH OF PRICKS WITH EARS
this has got to be one of the greatest gang movies ever made along with The Warriors. the best part of the movie is the big fight at the end in the football field. Joey's dad was kickin some major A** ! I like how all the gangs got together in the end to help each other out. Goes to show that in the end besides our differences, were all just a bunch of squirrels trying to get a nut. the soundtrack for this movie is off the hook too ! ... Read more

Description

Organized Crime Bureau (OCB) undercover operative, Vincent Terranova returns to his mafia roots by exploiting his reputation as Sonny Steelgrave’s right-hand man to finish the job he began: bringing down la familia. But it isn’t long before he is inadvertently drawn into a war between his stepfather, Don Aiuppo and heir apparent, Albert Cerrico. Terranova’s problems go from bad to worse when after upon learning that he is the target of retribution by factions within the U.S. government who are seeking revenge for his involvement in exposing an illegal operation. A conspiracy involving counterfeit Yen and the attempt to cause severe distribution in the Japanese economy is attributed to him. He suddenly finds himself battling power brokers who make people like Steelgrave and Mel Profitt seem insignificant by comparison.Vinnie’s principles are shattered as he is becomes embroiled in the struggle for his very life and career. His world is on the verge of collapse and the only person he can turn to is his OCB field director, Frank McPike, who will go to hell and back to help an innocent man. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After the intense "Sonny Steelgrave" arc of first-season episodes, the producers of Wiseguy faced the challenge of topping themselves, and they did it by casting a relatively unknown New York stage actor named Kevin Spacey, who proceeded to chew up the scenery as only a future Oscar®-winner could. But Spacey's not the only reason for the giddy success of the "Mel Profitt" arc, which finds OCB agent Vinnie Terranova (Ken Wahl) teaming up with sociopathic assassin Roger Lococco (William Russ) in an effort to infiltrate the global drugs-and-guns empire of the Proffitt siblings Mel (Spacey), a "manic-depressive genius with acute paranoia," and his codependent sister Susan (Joan Severance), who keeps her incestuously devoted brother happy by injecting home-brewed narcotics between his toes (hence giving Spacey his trademark line, "Only the toes knows!").

TV audiences in 1988 had never seen such a twisted sibling relationship, and there's plenty of eccentric chemistry between Spacey and then-newcomer Severance, who later developed a loyal male following as a B-movie sexpot. Completing their triangle of terror is Russ, playing Lococco as a tormented Vietnam vet with a massive chip on his shoulder, luring Vinnie into a life of luxury and lethal behavior, thus complicating matters considerably for Vinnie's covert handlers McPike (Jonathan Banks) and Lifeguard (Jim Byrnes), who grow increasingly worried as Vinnie gains Mel Profitt's hard-won trust. The quality of these 12 episodes remains consistently high as the Profitts reach "psychotic critical mass," leading to Mafia connections and a new direction for Vinnie's loving mother (well-played by Elsa Raven). Through it all, Wahl (who proves himself a man of few words in a sparse one-episode commentary) maintains his strong presence as a leading man, generously allowing Spacey's rising star to shine. Wiseguy still had some highlights in its future, but the "Mel Profitt" arc represents the series at its best. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The Profitt Arc Soars!!!
Wiseguy was truly a ground-breaking entrant into the episodic world of television, and the first "arc" featuring Sonny Steelegrave took the viewer on an emotional rollercoaster. Just as we were getting off of that "ride", along came the Mel Profitt arc to throw us back onto the 'coaster! Kevin Spacey burst onto the scene with an amazing performance as the brilliant, psychotic criminal mastermind, Mel Profitt. His "balance", sister Susan, (the sexy Joan Severance) was herself twisted by her own genius and inability to distinguish right from wrong. Her familial attraction to Mel drove her to both protect him emotionally yet dispense his heroin "as needed" (0nly the toes, knows...), with more than a hint at familial lust, displaying the ongoing duality prevelent in this arc. Vinny Terranova works for the OCB and poses as a criminal...Roger Lacocco (the great William Russ) poses as a criminal and actually works for a splinter group of the NSC (?)...Mel Profitt is a criminal genius and an emotional cripple...Susan Profitt is his counter-balance and emotional guide, yet is herself an emotional cripple as well, waiting for Vincent's strong embrace to take her away from it all...words won't do these episodes justice, so please, run, don't walk, to purchase this DVD series. You won't be sorry!

only the toes knows.....
OCB boss assigns his top agent Vinnie Terranova (Ken Wahl) to investigate Roger Lacocco (the always brilliant William Russ), they have no idea where the thread will lead them. In quick time, Vinnie learns Roger is the strong arm for the Profitts - Mel and Susan (Kevin Spacey in a tour d force performance and Joan Severance). They are a brother and sister (a little too close perhaps to Vinnie's eyes), but they are big business of the shady kind. Vinnie works his way into Mel's confidence and into Susan's desires, causing Vinnie to have to tip toe around both profits very carefully. Vinnie, for a hardened OCB agent, never can see to keep his distance from the people he is sent in to bring down and ends up emotionally involved. As the drugged out insanity of Mel seems to grown more paranoid, Vinnie finds it harder to keep that emotional balance - AND HIS LIFE - as Mel does not like his sister getting too close to any man.

Somewhere along the way, only Roger seems to be quite sane and able to distance himself, but even that will be tested as his past going all the way to Vietnam is dragged into a military plot to throw over the leadership of a small island.

It keeps you guessing, the acting and writing is Telly at it's best. With super performances by all, along with the droll Jonathan Banks as Vinnie's immediate boss, this is one that bears repeat viewing. But then so do all the WiseGuy arcs...cannot wait for the Winston Newquay Arc with the magnificent Tim Curry!! Bring them on already!!!

Excellent Drama
This was an arc of outstanding quality. I find some of the official reviews a bit misleading. While this arc starts about the Profits, the writers were smart enough to realize their strange quality would only last so long. About the middle of the arc the focus starts to shift to Roger. But this focus is so slow and subtle! I can remember as a teen watching each week for Roger and being sure that something was happening with that plot. How wonderful for the audience to be treated to not one, but two complex stories in one arc and not be insulted by a poor transition. There were at least 5 wonderful plots here, two major, three or four minor, but all wonderfully realized. So if a possibly incestuous couple isn't your cup of tea, don't let that stop you from watching this outstanding arc.

I also think that people should know that this is not straight crime drama, it is more like the story of Vinny so we follow him along but aren't bored by the more formula parts of the tales of an FBI agent. This show never takes the "law and order" type formula of crime, arrest, trial, jail, and the good guys aren't always good but they aren't bad in the more cliche' ways I have seen in other dramas. Everyone in this show is a human first and agent, crime boss, etc second.

Buckwheat
Stephen Cannell's "Wiseguy" is the ground breaking crime drama that set the stage for numerous lesser television series that followed, including the Sopranos. Fine writing supported by excellent acting.

Never...
Never in your life will you ever see acting like this in a television series! Kevin Spacey, Joan Severance, William Russ, Jonathan Banks and Elsa Raven and others shine like newly minted dimes in this incredible show. Elsa Raven, a likeable, grandmotherly actress, seems to be every casting director's idea for a chubby, middle-aged mama, except for her turn as Gertrude Stein in "The Moderns".

I caught about three or four episodes of the "Sonny Steelgrave" arc of this show just channel surfing and noticed how intense and gritty the acting was. I watched for about four episodes. THEN the Mel Profitt arc started, and it was a roller coaster ride from then on! Spacey chews the scenery like a piranha as the paranoid, charismatic and reputedly brilliant Mel Profitt, an enfant terrible of organized crime who runs his empire of weapons-trading and illegal drugs with the help of his sister, Susan, played by the gorgeous and talented Joan Severance.

Stephen J. Cannell must have been on one of those legendary rolls that writers, specifically TV, movie and sci-fi writers, get on sometime, becaue he has everything covered here....humor, pathos, psychoses, sociopathology, charisma, situations, and a VERY good sense of governmental corruption. Sadly, he never equalled his work on "Wiseguy" again, and never got the same quality of cast for any of his other projects on TV. "Wiseguy" was one of a kind.

Kevin Spacey's take on Profitt is unlike any protrayal of a crime boss you've ever seen...he parlayed him as self-educated, witty, playful, unpredictable and moody, and it was done perfectly! As the unassuming Vinnie Terranova, Ken Wahl is very unsuspicious in his role as an FBI mole, in this case, perhaps developing too much of an affection for his targets, Mel and Susan, (a major fault of his in the other arcs as well). He is especially enarmored of Susan, who is truly good-looking, as in supermodel, and much saner than her squirrelly brother. She also seems to be attracted to _him_. As a mole for the OCB faction of the FBI, he takes quite a bit of guff from Mel, who scares the bejeebers out of him in one scene early in the arc where he plays Russian roullette with Vinnie over his sister's attraction to him. It is hinted, throughout the arc, that there is an unnaturally close relationship between Mel and his sister.

Vinnie and Mel actually become best buds eventually, despite this, believe it or not.

The odd thing about this whole arc is that Vinnie was actually supposed to investigate another major player in the piece, a Roger Lococo, played by William Russ, who eventually led him TO Mel and Susan.

Severance handles herself beautifully throughout, but really shines when Mel finally dies "A Viking's Death" near the end of the arc, and she is left alone to run his vast organization. Susan mentally collapses when Russ' character, the scheming Roger Lococo, another government mole (CIA) sucked in too deep, leads her to believe that Mel might still be alive. She deludes herself into thinking that she and Vinnie are going to have a baby, complicating Terranova's mission when she can't communicate with FBI officials and has to be committed. Severance, unfortunately, like too many talented ladies in my long list of gems, had a career that went nowhere after "Wiseguy". She essentially became window dressing for a few totally mediocre films and was cast as social director in a lame revival of "The Love Boat". In the "easter egg" interview on the 4th disc of the DVD set, she also, apparently, has bleached her hair blond recently. CHEZ INFAMIE!! She looks like one of Charlie's Angels with that towheaded mess! Please, Joan, go back to brunette!!

Roger Lococo, I might add, worships the ground Mel walked on, a very bad thing when you're supposed to be investigating somebody for the government. If there is any character anywhere near as unpredictable or dangerous as Spacey's Mel Profitt in this arc, it's definitely Russ' Roger Lococo. William Russ, oddly enough, ended up playing a sitcom dad for six years on a show called "Boy Meets World" after his run on "Wiseguy", but here, he gives Spacey his only real acting competition, though everybody's good.

Jonathan Banks plays Vinny's ascerbic immediate boss, Frank McPike. Jim Byrnes, a man who has a knack for being in interesting TV shows, (he was also in the "Highlander" series later on,) plays Vinnie's mole's mole, "Uncle Mike". People like Clyde Kusatsu and Franklyn Seales are also in this arc, to good effect. Kusatsu plays one of Vinnie and Frank's colleagues and Seales is very good as a hot-tempered associate of Mel's who turns on him.

Through it all, the acting, music, writing and production values are pure top notch CBS....cinematography is typically good CBS dramatic, with saturated colors and excellent scene composition. An urban sophistication no other network has been able to duplicate is apparent as well, and NO OTHER NETWORK had anything during this period in the eighties to equal it: not "L.A. Law", not "Twin Peaks", NOTHING was ever like the Mel Profitt arc of "Wiseguy"! I became a fan of this show from the moment I saw the first Profitt episode to the last series episode with Wahl in it. Unfortunately, they tried to foist another actor on us in place of Ken Wahl in the last two or three episodes of the fourth season, and it just didn't work, and "Wiseguy" was history. Damned shame, too. The same thing happened to "Moonlighting" and "The Equalizer", the only shows even close to being in its class.

After the Mel Profitt arc, there were arcs starring Jerry Lewis as a 7th Ave. garment manufacturer. Ron Silver played his hotheaded son. Paul Winfield, Patti D'Urbanville and Tim Curry were feuding record producers and Robert Davi was a REAL "wiseguy". None of these arcs were as gripping and entertaining as the Mel Profitt arc of this show. I might go so far as to say that even the revered Sonny Steelgrave arc wasn't as good! Honest!

If you appreciate good television crime drama and terrific acting, you could do MUCH worse than buy this entertaining arc of one of the best crime shows ever on television...

"Only the toes knows..." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A silly comedy that shines - thanks to its stars
Let me start by suggesting that you buy, not rent, this movie, because you might well find it too silly at first, then you'll surprise yourself with the urge to watch it over and over again. Yes, with a plot that's nothing better than a good episode of "Three's Company", the cast and crew deserved all the credits to make "The Favor" one of the most entertaining comedies reflecting various facets of love and marriage. Except for Elizabeth McGovern (who shines in almost every role given to her, especially in "Men & Women, Stories of Seduction"), other actors seemed to deliver their best performances here: Harley Jane Kozak, Bill Pullman, Larry Miller, the Orti sisters... I give this film 5 stars, one of which goes to the screenplay that's full of hilarious one-liners, so wisely interwoven with simple but thought provoking dialogues (the conversation between Bill Pullman, Harley Jane Kozak and Leigh Ann Orti in the "kitchen scene" being my favorite one).

Family Pleaser
This movie was "adorable". After seeing this movie and loving it, I had to take it to the rest of my family and watch thier reactions. It's a keeper. The plot is yes, a little corny and yes, a little silly. But, the cast was well positioned in thier characters. The thing that most amazed me was how sweet the artist character in this film was. Previous to my awareness of Brad Pitt, I thought he was wonderful. And after I realized it was him I had seen in this movie...I had to see it again and yes....again.

A Delightful Romantic Comedy
I found this movie to be one of the best romantic comedies of all time. It has an outrageously funny storyline coupled with fine performances by sexy Bill Pullman and sultry Elizabeth McGovern. A must see for any Pullman fans! ... Read more

Amazon.com

With the release of Wiseguy on DVD, one of the best TV series of the 1980s gets a new lease on life. Long before Donnie Brasco brought similar drama to the big screen, Ken Wahl brought charisma, credibility, and chutzpah to his small-screen role as Vincent Terranova, a handsome 30-year-old agent with the FBI's Organized Crime Bureau. As conceived by cocreators Stephen Cannell (of The Rockford Files and The A-Team fame) and Ken Lupo, Wiseguy followed an innovative "story-arc" structure, allowing Vinnie's deep-cover missions to last only as long as necessary to bring each case to a sensible conclusion. Since copied by countless TV shows, this unique approach to storytelling attracted a devoted following of viewers addicted to the self-contained plots that forced Vinnie, his sourpuss OCB handler Frank McPike (Jonathan Banks), and disabled covert liaison Dan "Lifeguard" Burroughs (played by double-amputee Jim Byrnes) to achieve their objectives within 6 to 10 hourlong episodes.

Season 1, Part 1--the first of six Wiseguy DVD sets--includes the entire nine-episode arc (plus pilot) in which Vinnie infiltrates the New Jersey mob family of Sonny Steelgrave, a silk-suited kingpin played by Ray Sharkey in his finest TV role. Their brotherly relationship poses a moral dilemma for Vinnie (giving the arc its dramatic core and primary source of suspense), and Wiseguy earned its reputation as a well-written series that favored character-driven tension while providing the requisite pulp fiction (i.e. occasional murder and mayhem) that kept viewers and advertisers happy. While the DVD packaging gives bogus equal billing to Annette Bening (who appears here in one pivotal episode), her pre-stardom appearance is indicative of the show's consistently high standards in writing, casting, and stylish direction. The styles may be dated (including poodle-puff hairdos for women, including Bening), but there's not a weak episode in the bunch, including the stand-alone shows (involving domestic crises for McPike and Burroughs) that allowed character growth beyond the story-arc structure.

After the intense "Sonny Steelgrave" arc of first-season episodes, the producers of Wiseguy faced the challenge of topping themselves, and they did it by casting a relatively unknown New York stage actor named Kevin Spacey, who proceeded to chew up the scenery as only a future Oscar®-winner could. But Spacey's not the only reason for the giddy success of the "Mel Profitt" arc, which finds OCB agent Vinnie Terranova (Ken Wahl) teaming up with sociopathic assassin Roger Lococco (William Russ) in an effort to infiltrate the global drugs-and-guns empire of the Proffitt siblings Mel (Spacey), a "manic-depressive genius with acute paranoia," and his codependent sister Susan (Joan Severance), who keeps her incestuously devoted brother happy by injecting home-brewed narcotics between his toes (hence giving Spacey his trademark line, "Only the toes knows!").

TV audiences in 1988 had never seen such a twisted sibling relationship, and there's plenty of eccentric chemistry between Spacey and then-newcomer Severance, who later developed a loyal male following as a B-movie sexpot. Completing their triangle of terror is Russ, playing Lococco as a tormented Vietnam vet with a massive chip on his shoulder, luring Vinnie into a life of luxury and lethal behavior, thus complicating matters considerably for Vinnie's covert handlers McPike (Jonathan Banks) and Lifeguard (Jim Byrnes), who grow increasingly worried as Vinnie gains Mel Profitt's hard-won trust. The quality of these 12 episodes remains consistently high as the Profitts reach "psychotic critical mass," leading to Mafia connections and a new direction for Vinnie's loving mother (well-played by Elsa Raven). Through it all, Wahl (who proves himself a man of few words in a sparse one-episode commentary) maintains his strong presence as a leading man, generously allowing Spacey's rising star to shine. Wiseguy still had some highlights in its future, but the "Mel Profitt" arc represents the series at its best. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wiseguy - Change in themes
I just finished the Sonny Steelgrave arc and was disappointed with only one thing. In the last episode of the Arc, when Sonny and Vinnie are in the theater, they changed the background music from the original. They kept Good Lovin', but replaced Nights in White Satin with some nondescript instrumental track. Other than that, the set was great! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Paul Newman stars in this harsh portrait of a police station ina crumbling neighborhood. Newman plays John Murphy, a veteran policemanwho's been on the force long enough to be tired, but not so long thathe's lost his idealism. The plot is loosely tied to the arrival ofConnolly, the new precinct captain (Edward Asner). Is he a crusaderwho's going to finally whip a corrupt, apathetic force into shape, oran interloping by-the-book bureaucrat who can't possibly understand theneighborhood and will do more harm than good? The movie is gratifyinglyambiguous on this point and many others. While Newman's character isalmost by default the hero, he is far from perfect--most all the majorcharacters get complex personalities, just like real people. The Bronxitself is given complex, thoughtful treatment as well, full of bothoverwhelming problems and hope for the future. Fort Apache, theBronx also has action sequences, but doesn't make the mistake ofreveling in violence. Here, black and white are far less defined and,consequently, far more satisfying. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Obscure Classic
This is a classic film that hardly anyone that I know have ever heard of. This is a shame since this is a movie that has hardly any of the cliches that clog up so many police dramas. Paul Newman stars as a cop who tries to enforce the law without engaging in violence against suspects. This sets him at odds with other officers including the new precinct captain played by Ed Asner. This is the heart of the movie and it leads to a surprising conclusion.

A script, acting and directing job that adds up to on excellent movie.

A little hokey, but a solid film with great performances
Good cop films are really important, and this is an excellent portrayal of the human side of law enforcement. What a find. It's a very convincing, gritty New York drama, something that is always appreciated. One of the film's strengths is its ability to shift from comedic moments into harsh tragedies, and in this sense feels like an accurate reflection on real life. Newman is absolutely convincing in his top rate performance, as is the rest of the cast. Which brings us to the plot - it's solid, but not dazzling. You have a sense it is trying to be a tour-de-force about police mentality and corruption but falls a bit short. But, for the rest of the film's strengths, this can be overlooked. Highly recommended.

pam grier is hot
pam grier makes me want to go out and bang a junkie

Just fair
The script was a little hokey and the overall movie was nowhere near as good as I remembered from when I was 7 and saw it in the movies.

Having said that, Pamela Grier was much better than I remembered her being. Her ... hooker with a razorblade smile defined my opinions on females for a long time to come.

BRUTALLY REAL
THIS FORGOTTEN CLASSIC DELIVERS A NUMBER OF GUT PUNCHES.....MOST NOTABLY DANNY AIELLO PITCHING THE GUY OFF THE ROOF,RACHEL TICOTINS OVERDOSE AND THE PROSTITUTES MURDER AND DISPOSAL OF IN A ORIENTAL RUG[WE NEVER SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BODY UNTIL THE END, BUT PAY ATTENTION, IT DOES TURN UP,AFTER ALL]. PAUL NEWMAN IS AT HIS BEST HERE,BUT SADLY THIS MOVIE IS SELDOMLY SEEN TODAY.THE BLASTED OUT NEIGHBORHOOD DEPICTED IS DESOLATE, AND THE POLICE STATION DOES APPEAR TO BE AN OASIS AGAINST SOME OF THE SENSELESS MADNESS WE SEE IN THIS GREAT,UNFORGETTABLE MOVIE...... ... Read more

Amazon.com

With the release of Wiseguy on DVD, one of the best TV series of the 1980s gets a new lease on life. Long before Donnie Brasco brought similar drama to the big screen, Ken Wahl brought charisma, credibility, and chutzpah to his small-screen role as Vincent Terranova, a handsome 30-year-old agent with the FBI's Organized Crime Bureau. As conceived by cocreators Stephen Cannell (of The Rockford Files and The A-Team fame) and Ken Lupo, Wiseguy followed an innovative "story-arc" structure, allowing Vinnie's deep-cover missions to last only as long as necessary to bring each case to a sensible conclusion. Since copied by countless TV shows, this unique approach to storytelling attracted a devoted following of viewers addicted to the self-contained plots that forced Vinnie, his sourpuss OCB handler Frank McPike (Jonathan Banks), and disabled covert liaison Dan "Lifeguard" Burroughs (played by double-amputee Jim Byrnes) to achieve their objectives within 6 to 10 hourlong episodes.

Season 1, Part 1--the first of six Wiseguy DVD sets--includes the entire nine-episode arc (plus pilot) in which Vinnie infiltrates the New Jersey mob family of Sonny Steelgrave, a silk-suited kingpin played by Ray Sharkey in his finest TV role. Their brotherly relationship poses a moral dilemma for Vinnie (giving the arc its dramatic core and primary source of suspense), and Wiseguy earned its reputation as a well-written series that favored character-driven tension while providing the requisite pulp fiction (i.e. occasional murder and mayhem) that kept viewers and advertisers happy. While the DVD packaging gives bogus equal billing to Annette Bening (who appears here in one pivotal episode), her pre-stardom appearance is indicative of the show's consistently high standards in writing, casting, and stylish direction. The styles may be dated (including poodle-puff hairdos for women, including Bening), but there's not a weak episode in the bunch, including the stand-alone shows (involving domestic crises for McPike and Burroughs) that allowed character growth beyond the story-arc structure. It's all good, apart from a dispensable gag reel and commentaries by Wahl (on his two favorite episodes), who says little of interest between long gaps of silence. (He promises more on later DVDs, so Wiseguy devotees are advised to keep listening. Next up: the "Mel Profitt" arc, with guest star Kevin Spacey.) --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Great Show, Poorly Produced DVD.
Wiseguy was one of the best and innovative dramas of the 80's. The writing was intelligent, and surprisingly realistic for the 80's. The acting was terrific. Ken Whal (Vincent Terranova), Johnathan Banks (Frank McPike), and Jim Byrnes (Lifeguard) give outstanding performances and Ray Sharkey's (Sonny Steelgrave) performance is nothing short of brilliant. This show stands the test of time - it is as watchable today was it was 16 years ago.

Unfortunately, this DVD appears to have been produced as cheaply as possible. Each episode is one chapter, so pressing the next button on the remote takes you back to the menu. The original soundtrack is gone. The memorable scene with Sonny and Vinnie in the bar in 'No One Gets Out of Here Alive' does not have the same impact with generic elevator music as it did with 'Nights in White Satin.' The first 3 disks contain all 11 episodes of the Steelgrave Arc. There is audio commentary by Ken Whal for 2 episodes 'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell' and 'No One Gets Out of Here Alive'. The commentary has long gaps of silence, but is worth listening to for hard core fans of the show. The 4th disk has interviews with writer/producer Stephen J. Cannell and actor Johnathan Banks, 2 episodes completely unrelated to the Steelgrave Arc, and a gag reel. The episodes are 'People Do It All the Time' which focuses on Uncle Mike's relationship with his pregnant daughter, and 'Meet Mike McPike' which focuses on Frank's relationship with his ailing father. The gag reel was about 7 minutes and had a couple of funny scenes, but the majority of it was actors screwing up or forgetting their lines and then saying the f-word. The 4th disk seemed like they were just throwing stuff together to fill up space.

5 stars for the show. 1 star for the DVD.

It's Aged Well
I haven't seen these episodes in about 15 years, so it took me one or two hours to get re-accustomed to the mid-80s style of TV. Once the story gets rolling, however, I found that I enjoyed it as much as I remembered. Ray Sharkey's performance is extraordinary.

Like other reviewers here, I was waiting for "Nights in White Satin" in the last episode, and until I checked here, I was wondering if perhaps I remembered it wrong. Well, it's a relief to find out my memory hasn't deteroriated yet. However, it's a shame that music rights issues still cause so many problems.

I wouldn't be too quick to blame the Moody Blues, or any other artist. Very often the artists have nothing to do with these decisions. Also, the producers very likely wanted to include the original songs, but the licensing demands may have made the cost of production prohibitive...yes?

In the last few years, especially since DVD was introduced, film and TV productions routinely negotiate the music rights at the time of production, so that it doesn't become an issue in future video releases. Since this wasn't a practice in earlier days, we unfortunately get stuck with compromises like this one.

Frankly, I always thought the use of "Nights in White Satin" was somewhat bizarre and incongruous, since it's such a romantic piece... but that's doubtless why I remember the original scene so well. I guess I'm lucky that's the only change that I notice (it is pretty glaring).

From what I've read it's not the creative people (like Stephen Cannell or the Moody Blues) who put up these roadblocks. There are plenty of greedy "suits" who control the rights, and a director or producer may not be able to say "boo" to them. (They're probably the kind of people Sonny Steelgrave hangs out with...)

For me it's worth it to have these shows in my collection. It's fun to revisit the days when a story "arc" was something new (it's become the rule today). The writing and acting are first-rate, and as for the music... well, the original theme is still catchy!

great entertainment
it's 2004, and i rented the box set, and this is the 1st time
ever seeing the series, I work 3 pm to 11 pm for the last 20 yr's, so i missed out on a lotta tv series.
ken wahl and i went to the same high school, he graduated
3 yrs ahead of me, good to see a hometown guy do good.
law enforcement practices were a little short changed.
seems like showing i.d. cards, yr supposed to believed as a cop, and dealing with mobsters, working 1 man un marked car's
when ya know yr a thorn in the side of a local capo.
it was entertaining, and the arch storey line went well.

NO music=no buy
Without the original music, the DVD is a no buy

LACK OF ORIGINAL MUSIC HURTS
This show was way ahead of it's time and cast perfectly. The first season's two arcs stand up to ANY mob-related story ever put on film. I was a huge fan and could not wait to purchase this DVD collection, but when I read that they would not spring to pay for the music used in the AWESOME climax, I lost interest quickly. Ken Wahl explained on www.kenwahl.com (before it went AWOL) that the producers thought it was too expensive to use the music, yet the charged more for this DVD box set than any other similar set. It's almost like they decided to double-whammy the fans by not paying for the songs, but making the fans pay more than usual. Thanks, Steve C!! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

sophomore film indeed not a jinx
i am not exactly sure why this film didn't do well but i rather found it entertaining and actually better than many of the films ms.midler would do later on. let's just say upfront the musical numbers here would not go down as anything special but that alone shouldn't have kept the film from being sucessful. the film features the diving miss m doing exactly what she is best at and that is making us all laugh. you will hoot, you might howl, and it's assured you will be charmed by her magnetic performance here which shows she was able to more than pull her weight in this film. whether or not you believe ken wahl's performance or even mr. torn, you will love ms.midler and with good reason too. for those of us who believe ms.midler was best when she was less vulgar and a bit more subtle but nonetheless a jewel to behold, this is the film for you. in this cute but somewhat black comedy, we find ms. midler playing a lounge singer traveling from town to town with her abusive hubby played by mr.torn is a part which i thought he pulled off rather well. not to mention ms.midler's black cat which i thought was absolutely adorable. we find mr. torn following a blackjack dealer from town to town as he has somehow managed to jinx the youngman. as fate would have it, the blackjack dealer and bette meet, fall in love, and devise plans to get mr. torn out of the big picture so to speak. the end results are often witty, clever, and always unpredictable. for a surprising and entertaining early bette vehicle, this one was not nearly as bad as the reviews have clearly suggested. give it a chance folks !!!

Bette Midler is hilarious!
This movie was terrible, and so was Ken Wahl. But every time Bette opened her mouth, I couldn't control myself. I loved it when the tumbleweed hit her, and the way she said "I love you, pumpkin" to her cat. Her and Miss Nina should have their own movie! She really did save this truly awful movie, and because of her I am able to laugh through most of it.

Bette saves the movie!
I think that Bette should have gotten better reviews and better publicity on this movie! The movie itself is flat but Bette saved it!

This movie was a jinx!
Bette tried hard for this movie, and even though I am her biggest fan, I have to say this movie was bottom of the list. I did'nt see a plot, or even point in it. Same with Scenes From A Mall. We all know she can do better than that.

BETTE JINXED!
In this film, the full-legth motion picture follw up to THE ROSE, Bette is less serious than THE ROSE and not as funny as her follow-up DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS. There was more drama behind the scenes to this movie than the movie itself. Based on the movie DOUBLE INDEMNITY with Barbra Stanwick, a story of how a woman tries to kill her husband, collect the money and run off with her new love. Bette adds a little humour to the role. The highlight, of course, is the shower scene with her dead husband and black humour. If you're a Midler fan, it would be interesting to see her in this film in her early comic stages. But don't expect the comic genious in the string of hits to follow:DOWN AND OUT..., RUTHLESS PEOPLE and OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE. ... Read more

Description

When OCB agent, Vincent Terranova is assigned to investigateassassin, Roger Lococco, neither he nor his superiors are aware that Lococco is workingfor international arms and drug dealer, Mel Profitt.More importantly, Lococco iscarrying out a covert and illegal assignment for an errant branch of the CIA working tooverthrow the government of a developing country Disc One: Independent Operator, Fascination for the Flame, Smokey Mountain Requiem,Player To Be Named Now (Ken Wahl audio commentary) Disc Two: Merchant of Death, Not for Nothing, The Squeeze, Blood Dance Disc Three: Phantom Pain, Dirty Little Wars, Date with an Angel Disc Four: Bonus Episode: Aria for Don Auippo, Extra Features ... Read more