Jan. 1-7, 2012 TV show club- 90s Hardy Boys- "All That Glitters"

[MacGyver]

Okay- here's the thread for the first episodes of the 1995 television series, The Hardy Boys. Whenever you get a chance during the week to watch the first episode, "All That Glitters", leave your thoughts, comments and review. 

[MacGyver]

Well, I'll just briefly say that this episode served well enough as a kickoff to the series, setting in place some locales and characters and characteristics that would play themselves out throughout the series- including Frank and Joe's favorite restaurant, F.W. Dixon's (nice reference to the author of the Hardy Boys books ) and Frank working at the newspaper, Joe being at college and being a bit of a chowhound (though of course- not nearly as much as Chet ). The mystery itself was interesting enough (a coins case- with the coins as the prize and identity theft one of the main crimes Frank and Joe are dealing with) and it set the tone for the pacing of the rest of the series- which was pretty super fast. One must pay close attention to literally just about every word to understand everything going on. Ultimately, this both hurt and helped the series to various degrees. Obviously, it hurt the series in that the mysteries could get too blurred in the storyline to really understand as they were never as fully developed as they could have been, had a longer running time for the episodes been available (like the hour long format that most non-sitcom drama/action/sci-fi, etc. shows fall into, including the '70s The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries). At the same time, the shortened length may have helped somewhat for the target base which would likely have been younger kids and teenagers reading The Hardy Boys Casefiles. The show was very much in keeping with the fast pace of the books, so it was good in that regard- but still could have used a bit slowing down somehow in my opinion- basically, it really could have used the hour long format. But- it is good for what it is- once you can accept that you won't have any really long and drawn-out mysteries (unless there's a two-parter or something), then you can move with it and enjoy it as Hardy Boys mystery vignettes.
Of course, it's ironic that the title of this pilot episode, "All That Glitters", originates from the common phrase, "All that glitters is not gold." I think some would find that as an apt descriptor/warning for this show.      

[tomswift2002]

Well one thing that I always found odd with this episode is that the ambulance and police cars look like something out of 1950's Dragnet.

[MacGyver]

Hmm- interesting...was that supposed to be a statement on Bayport being kinda poor and so still having older model cars in use? Or perhaps it was just meant as a tribute to the original series, since a lot of the revisions started coming out in the '50s...?
Or maybe they just had a low budget to work with?.... I would tend to think that maybe it was meant as a touch of the classic setting for The Hardy Boys mixed with the contemporary cases of the then-modern Casefiles world...

[tomswift2002]

Well it looked kind of odd, not just this episode, but all the other episodes, since the cars that the main characters are driving are polished to where you would expect to see them in someone's collection or a museum, but then all the other cars seen in the various parking lots, garages and streets were models from the 1980's or early 1990's.

[Hardy Boys UB Fan]

Well it looked kind of odd, not just this episode, but all the other episodes, since the cars that the main characters are driving are polished to where you would expect to see them in someone's collection or a museum, but then all the other cars seen in the various parking lots, garages and streets were models from the 1980's or early 1990's.

Was that to reflect more on the original HB series? I've seen the show and was wondering about that.

[tomswift2002]

I have no clue.  But it also made Frank's character a little unbelievable, since how many 22 year-olds would be able to afford the up keep on a 1960's convertible?

[Hardy Boys UB Fan]

I have no clue.  But it also made Frank's character a little unbelievable, since how many 22 year-olds would be able to afford the up keep on a 1960's convertible?

None as far as I know.

[MacGyver]

Maybe it was a college graduation present? Fenton must be fairly well off being a world-reknowned private investigator...

[tomswift2002]

Maybe it was a college graduation present? Fenton must be fairly well off being a world-reknowned private investigator...

But that still doesn't explain how he'd be able to afford the insurance, any repairs, etc.

[Hardy Boys UB Fan]

But that still doesn't explain how he'd be able to afford the insurance, any repairs, etc.

Which would be a lot.

[MacGyver]

Maybe Fenton's and Gertrude's mysterious "secret" brother died and left them a fortune.

[Olivia]

I like that '69 GTO convertible. At the time, it would have only been a 26-year-old car. Frank keeps it in good condition as best he can (he shows concern about it) and it's probably his only vice. People spend money on different hobbies and collections, so this is his "baby". Plus the Hardys are sort of portrayed as being a little more prosperous than the average family.

Or perhaps Fenton still pays for a lot of the house bills? Can't remember if Frank mentioned he had to pay bills in one episode.

(People also buy classic cars in non-perfect condition and fix it over time. I know one guy who does that - he's not well off, but he managed to buy an old Porsche and uses it. Plus he has a mortgage and two kids.)

Regarding the episode: I actually don't like this one that much.

[MacGyver]

I like the '69 GTO Convertible too- it was a nice throwback to the convertible that The Hardy Boys drove in the original series.
Of course, if they were basing the series on The Hardy Boys Casefiles- which, though both the Digests and Casefiles were still running at the time- it was the Casefiles series that got the photo covers from the '95 series to promote the show. (Which makes sense because the show is a bit on the fouler side- some unnecessary four-letter words fly here and there-[thankfully pretty much just from the villians- but still... I can't recall hearing any on the '70s show outside of one of the songs in "Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys Meet Dracula".] - so the show, like the Casefiles, would've been aimed at a teenage audience mainly).
  But if they were keeping with the Casefiles, then the Hardy Boys really should have been driving their van.
However, it is mentioned a couple of times in the Casefiles that Joe has a thing for old cars. (particularly in The Lazarus Plot- so maybe it was a joint thing for Frank and Joe and I'm sure Joe helps with working on the car and restoring it.) Who knows? Maybe a grateful client gave Frank a real deal on the car.

[Roani17]

Interesting! When I was a kid, I used to watch these shows with my sister. Now, I watch shows by Andy Yeatman with my kids. I was planning to add old shows to their watch list because I remember enjoying the old shows a lot with my kids. It was a fantastic time.