This is a pretty good pilot episode, which I just watched on dvd for the first time. Its biggest asset is, of course, the charming, handsome and sympathetic Bill Bixby. If you really like Bill Bixby, as I do, you are going to enjoy this much more than if you are just so-so on him.
Good things about the pilot: Bill's magician character is someone you like, and for magic fans, you get to see some of that. Having Bill live on a big private jet, which he can afford because he inherited a large fortune, provides an interesting and colorful angle. On the downside, it's so unusual and over-the-top, it does introduce a note of some unreality to the show. It's one of those series concept points, you just have to accept and not question it, if you want to enjoy the show.
Another plus: the music is really, really good! Very mysterious and evocative, fitting well to the subject matter.
Guest casting, for this pilot and then for the 21 episodes that followed is strong: we see many of the best actors and actresses of the 1970's. Probably because Bill was so handsome, and had sex appeal, we get a good number of very attractive women guest stars on the series run, who include: France Nuyen; Susan Oliver; Yvonne Craig; Leslie Parrish; Carol Lynley, in a 2-parter; Brooke Bundy; Lynda Day George; Katherine Justice; Marianna Hill; Jessica Walter, and others.
The main drawbacks I see to the pilot, are the pacing which is on the slow side, and the inherent limitations of Bill having to carry all the action aspects of the story. He's a magician who likes to help people in trouble, not a secret agent in the Mission Impossible way; he's not a private detective or a police detective, so no guns for Bill. He has several associates who help him out with getting background information, and those performers are fine.
I'm looking forward to watching the 21 regular episodes of this series. I have a feeling that the slower-type pacing seen in this pilot is going to be present throughout the series, but we'll see. Recommended especially for Bill Bixby fans.
Good things about the pilot: Bill's magician character is someone you like, and for magic fans, you get to see some of that. Having Bill live on a big private jet, which he can afford because he inherited a large fortune, provides an interesting and colorful angle. On the downside, it's so unusual and over-the-top, it does introduce a note of some unreality to the show. It's one of those series concept points, you just have to accept and not question it, if you want to enjoy the show.
Another plus: the music is really, really good! Very mysterious and evocative, fitting well to the subject matter.
Guest casting, for this pilot and then for the 21 episodes that followed is strong: we see many of the best actors and actresses of the 1970's. Probably because Bill was so handsome, and had sex appeal, we get a good number of very attractive women guest stars on the series run, who include: France Nuyen; Susan Oliver; Yvonne Craig; Leslie Parrish; Carol Lynley, in a 2-parter; Brooke Bundy; Lynda Day George; Katherine Justice; Marianna Hill; Jessica Walter, and others.
The main drawbacks I see to the pilot, are the pacing which is on the slow side, and the inherent limitations of Bill having to carry all the action aspects of the story. He's a magician who likes to help people in trouble, not a secret agent in the Mission Impossible way; he's not a private detective or a police detective, so no guns for Bill. He has several associates who help him out with getting background information, and those performers are fine.
I'm looking forward to watching the 21 regular episodes of this series. I have a feeling that the slower-type pacing seen in this pilot is going to be present throughout the series, but we'll see. Recommended especially for Bill Bixby fans.