L.A. Dragnet

Last February Dragnet premiered on ABC starring, Ed O'Neill as Joe Friday and Ethan Embry as Fank Smith. It quickly became on of my favorite shows on television. The ratings were good but not great during it's first season last year so I was thrilled when it was renewed for a second season.

The I started hearing about some changes that would be made to the show. First the title would be changed to L.A. Dragnet. I though it was a bad idea and that ABC changed the title hoping it takes off and the can create spin-offs, Dallas Dragnet, New Orleans Dragnet, and so on.

The I heard that they would expand the cast which I was concerd with because I really like the way the show was with only Friday and Smith as the leads. The episodes where they had another partner were the weakest shows of the first season.

Then I heard that Ethan Embry was leaving the show I was not to happy and I was afraid that ABC would ruin the show.

Thankfully they haven't. I watched tonights premier episode and L.A. Dragnet is as excellent as ever. Even though Ed O'Neill role has been slightly trimmed back the rest of the cast carries the show well when Joe Friday is not on screen.

I still miss Ethan Embry but I do here he may makes some guest appearances which I hope he does.

Dragnet = Excellent
L.A. Dragnet = Still Excellent

Anybody else fans of the show?

 

..well, i also was a fan of the relaunched "Dragnet", when it first aired last season..

Also must echo liking Ethan Embry..



However, i guess i found tonite's debut of the reworked "Dragnet" to be a bit of a letdown.. I mean, it was still decent, but it also seems as if they 'sold out', expanding the cast, changing the name.. All an attempt to attract the "CSI: TOLEDO" viewership..


I found i didn't give two darns about the new members of the cast.. Maybe they'll grow on me, but right now: Bring back Ethan!



(I do still enjoy Ed O'Neill as Friday.. I'll keep watching the show whenever i can just for him)

Guess i just don't like how they sold out, ya know?

 

That's what I was expecting but to me it didn't seem that way.I don't get CBS so I've never seen CSI but I'm a big fan of Law and Order so I do enjoy that style of television, but I found that L.A. Dragnet is different enough that it doesn't seem like warmed over Law and Order.

I'm really glad they didn't cut the theme song and Friday's narration. I love the Dum de dum daa...Dum de dum da daaa. God I love that.

I'm still holding out that Embry could come back full time if the show should go one for several years or the ratings slip and they bring him back.

I'm keeping my fingers cross but I think the shows going to be ok, if the ratings are good. If not I'll go but the first season on DVD and still be happy.

 

When Ethan Embry was on the show, I liked to refer to it as Dutch 2. Those who've seen the film see the connection.

 

YES! FINALLY, someone else who gets that joke!

(I've been using it since Dragnet premiered, but there are very few people who a) Have seen DUTCH and b) who know that Ethan Embry was once ETHAN RANDALL)

I always thought that was pretty funny how those two were back together again....


Strangely enough, "DUTCH" aired on my local UPN station, yesterday afternoon..

 

I just looked it up in my movie guide. So Ed O'Niell played Ethan Embry's father in a film called Dutch. Except Ethan Embry name was Ethan Randall. Do you know why he changed it?

 

..well, according to his biography at the IMDB, it claims that his birth name is Ethan Randall, but he changed it to Ethan Embry in honour of his grandfather (who's name was Embry)..

I figure it probably also has something to do with the fact that he was trying to shake being a child actor, ya know? Find that alot of actors who worked when they were young change their names as they grow up to try to.. i dunno, make people forget that they were a kid actor, ya know?

 

Ok that makes sense. Ethan Embry sounds better then Ethan Randall anyway.

 

L.A Dragnet's second episode this season was even better then last weeks. Did anybody else see it?

 

Well L.A. Dragnet has been, not surprisingly, canceled. I was afraid it would be when I heard about all the changes. Still I watched and liked it anyway. Too bad, maybe NBC could pick it up and air it after Law and Order:CI.

Also the first season DVD set has been delayed and will come out on another date to be announced later.

 

well that sucks, i actually liked that show, seeing ed oneal as a different character was great. i pray the NBC things works out...

 

I doubt NBC will pick it up, but since Dick Wolf created Law and Order and Dragnet NBC could pick it up instead of showing another Law and Order rerun or creating a fourth Law and Order series.

 

we can always hope...