Skeptical Newbie to YIJ

Vance

Vance

New member
I have to admit something, the few times I caught YIJ on TV I wasn't really impressed. The show seemed to lack a lot of the adventure and pulp spirit of the films, and seemed rather droning and a little too preachy.

Granted, I only caught a couple of episodes, and I wonder if I've been unfair with it. For someone who is pretty skeptical of the quality of the show, but curious about that aspect of the franchise, how would you guys recommend getting started?
 
Vance

Vance

New member
Okay, caveat...

Assume I'm a cheap bastard and don't want to spend $140US on DVDs to see if I want to spend $140US on DVDs. :)
 
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Ltdefense

New member
Do you have netflix? You can rent just individual discs there.

In my opinion, the ones that are the most pulpy are Phantom Train of Doom, Attack of the Hawkmen, and Daredevils of the Desert. I also enjoyed Trenches of Hell and Spring Break adventure.

I'm seeing these for the first time as the dvds are coming out, so not sure which third season episodes to recommend on the pulp front.
 
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mapso

New member
I've been watching the series in order through Netflix, and I have to say I was not impressed to begin with. The Egypt episode was just so poorly edited and handled. But I just finished watching the episode in Greece, Travels With Father, and I was impressed. The writing over the six DVDs so far has improved, and I'm starting to enjoy the series. Give it a chance! (y)
 
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Adamwankenobi

New member
Vance said:
I have to admit something, the few times I caught YIJ on TV I wasn't really impressed. The show seemed to lack a lot of the adventure and pulp spirit of the films, and seemed rather droning and a little too preachy.

Granted, I only caught a couple of episodes, and I wonder if I've been unfair with it. For someone who is pretty skeptical of the quality of the show, but curious about that aspect of the franchise, how would you guys recommend getting started?
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That's the problem a lot of people new to the show have: they come into it expecting something it was never intended to be. Audience preconceptions are really what killed the show during its original run on ABC in the early 90s.

Before the series was released, Lucas warned audiences over and over again that the series would not be like the films. He envisioned it as a coming-of-age story that deals with the important events and figures of the early twentieth century. Still, ABC marketed it as an action/adventure and the audiences were disappointed. I've always felt that many people have missed out on some of the best hours of television simply because of their preconceptions. :(

However, there is still quite a bit of adventure and explosions and all that. And as the series progresses, Indy gets older and starts to become the man he is in the films. Harrison Ford even makes a guest appearance at one point as a 50-year-old Indy reminiscing! So I recommend you give it another shot. As Ltdefense suggested, rent the series in order on Xetflix, and this time look at the series from the perspective it was designed from. :hat:
 
Vance

Vance

New member
Well, for me the issue was that it was badly edited, and boring. It wasn't just not pulpy, but it was a lot of exposition dialog. (The episode I remember most was about Mexico and the war there). I've been told that it was a bad example.

I don't have NetFlix yet, but I can look into that. :)
 
Stoo

Stoo

Well-known member
Vance said:
(The episode I remember most was about Mexico and the war there). I've been told that it was a bad example.
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If you found that episode "boring" than the you may not enjoy the rest of the series.
Ltdefense's list is pretty bang-on if you're looking for a pulp feel. They're my favourites
including "Treasure of the Peacock's Eye" which will be on the upcoming Volume 3.
You'll probably like that one!:whip:

Check the video stores. Maybe you can find one that rents the box for a few days.
It also might be worth it to check your local libraries. They might have them.

Anyway, Indiana Jones or not, it's a fantastic show and worth a shot.
 
Snakes

Snakes

Member
I've only seen a few episodes, Peacock's Eye, Hollywood, and Spring Break Adventure. Even with Peacocks Eye, I never felt as if it lived up to how it could have been. Perhaps I need to see more, but I'm not very impressed by the series. I did enjoy a few parts of Peacock's Eye, but not nearly as much as the Last Crusade opening.
 
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Dr Jones

New member
Well it's not a pure incarnate of how young Indy might have been, but to introduce younger viewers to a world of adventure and a bit of global education set in periods of time that are very interesting, ranging from the Corey episodes right to the final Flannery, then it's worth giving them a go.

It's fun to agine this is how Indy was a young man and can be fun in places, a bit padded out in others with the education lecture, but there is decent stories to them and good set peices and adventure throughout.


Go on, give 'em a try!

You might just enjoy them!

:hat:
 
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Adamwankenobi

New member
Dr Jones said:
Well it's not a pure incarnate of how young Indy might have been, but to introduce younger viewers to a world of adventure and a bit of global education set in periods of time that are very interesting, ranging from the Corey episodes right to the final Flannery, then it's worth giving them a go.

It's fun to agine this is how Indy was a young man and can be fun in places, a bit padded out in others with the education lecture, but there is decent stories to them and good set peices and adventure throughout.
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Here's an interesting Rick McCallum quote from page 43 of the book The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, On the Set and Behind the Scenes:

"The films are like a fictionalization of a real person, but in the series we're doing the "real" person. The films are completely action-oriented. They have a very, very small and minor plot - something happens and Indy has to do incredible things to save the world. What can we do for the next hour and a half to move this thing at lightning speed? Whereas the Chronicles is totally about character development. There is some action, but mostly it''s about a boy who learns about life, which is unusual for global television. Everything he learns about, from his relationship to food, women, ethics, morality, to the way he interrelates with people, he learns from the rest of the world, not America."
 
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Avilos

Active member
That is a great Rick McCallum quote. Its sums things up well.

To be very blunt I think for some of the fans critical of the show it was like they picked up an Orange, squeezed it and for some strange reason expected APPLE JUICE to come out...

For a lot of different reasons the action adventures of the films could NEVER be translated to TV. The Budget most of all. But as Rick said you could never maintain that level of excitement over a whole series. So Lucas came up with a new unique angle for telling Indiana Jones stories. Seeing him at a younger age.

I think while the movies and the TV series are very different, they compliment each other very well. For the reason that both are different. The show developed its own strengths. Its not a low budget version of the movies. I think it would have been a disaster if that had been tried. Also Corey and Sean would have been accused of replacing Harrison. Like when Buffy and Stargate was recast for tv. Which never would have worked with Indy. Instead they ad to the overall life story of the same man.
 
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Ltdefense

New member
For what it's worth, I think a lot of people downplay how good a lot of the action in Young Indy actually is. Other then Battlestar Galactica, I'm hard pressed to think of a tv show with better action sequences- the whole air balloon segment of Phantom Train is a long, exciting and fun chase scene. Plus, tons of major battles.
 
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Avilos

Active member
I agree. I hope it did not seem I was saying otherwise. When the show did wanted to do action sequences they were fantastic.
 
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Adamwankenobi

New member
Ltdefense said:
For what it's worth, I think a lot of people downplay how good a lot of the action in Young Indy actually is. Other then Battlestar Galactica, I'm hard pressed to think of a tv show with better action sequences- the whole air balloon segment of Phantom Train is a long, exciting and fun chase scene. Plus, tons of major battles.
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My favorite action scene in the series is from "Verdun, September 1916": Indy has unknowingly signed up to spy on the Germans in hopes of getting information on their next move. He sneaks across a battlefield at night, which is filled with dead bodies. Once he gets to the bunker, two soldiers are playing cards. He listens in, but eventually falls asleep. He awakes and hears them discussing the upcoming movements of the "Big Bertha" cannons. Indy accidentally causes a guard to notice him. So in a fit of panic, Indy picks up a nearby grenade, and throws it into several stacks of dynamite caes. He quickly runs away from the bunker, and the whole damn place blows up! (y) :gun:
 
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Dr Jones

New member
Nice quote from McCallum.

I have just made it passed to Corey episodes and finished SBA and LSS, the first two Flanery episodes and the range of action is far greater. It's a lot more engaging since Flanery is obviously allowed and able to perform more action pieces.

It's all crafted and portrayed brilliantly thinking about it, and for the budget they had, fine Indy adventure!

I'm about to start 'The War Years', so I know it's really going to hot up now...!

:gun:
 
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Adamwankenobi

New member
Dr Jones said:
Nice quote from McCallum.

I have just made it passed to Corey episodes and finished SBA and LSS, the first two Flanery episodes and the range of action is far greater. It's a lot more engaging since Flanery is obviously allowed and able to perform more action pieces.

It's all crafted and portrayed brilliantly thinking about it, and for the budget they had, fine Indy adventure!

I'm about to start 'The War Years', so I know it's really going to hot up now...!

:gun:
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"The War Years" has my favorite episode in it. But I won't tell ya which one yet, cause I don't want to hype it up too much. ;)
 
Flannery10

Flannery10

New member
Ltdefense said:
Just rewatched Attack of the Hawkmen, forgot how sweet that car chase escape is! Classic Indy.
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A great scene, indeed. All of the last four TV movies have some great scenes (especially Travels with Father, in my opinion) even though "Hollywood Follies" was quite weak, compared to other episodes.
 
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