ACTION

1999 ***** 299 mins. (13 episodes approx. 23 mins. each)

This is, in my opinion, the best television show of all time. First aired on Fox in 1999, this groundbreaking series was way ahead of its time. Only eight episodes were aired, originally ("Pilot", "Re-Enter the Dragon", "Blood Money", "Blowhard", "Mr. Dragon Goes to Washington", "Twelfth Step to Hell", "Strong Sexual Content and Adult Themes", and "Lights, Camera, Action!"). The other five episodes were aired on FX sometime later when all 13 episodes were aired as a marathon. After many years of fighting over money issues, this wonderful show is finally available on DVD, "Uncut & Unbleeped!" Of course, it would have been nice if there was an option to watch the show how it was originally edited on television, but beggars can't be choosers.

The show centers around a movie producer named Peter Dragon (Jay Mohr), a writer named Adam Rafkin (Jarrad Paul), a former prostitute (and Disney child star) named Wendy Ward (Illeana Douglas), and their new film titled Beverly Hills Gun Club. This show dives right into the heart of Hollywood, making many great references (the Stanley Kubrick reference in the last episode is a favourite) and revealing a lot of truths about the industry (in an exaggerated way, of course). Every episode is as hilarious as the one before it.

Why, then, did this show get cancelled?

Well, Fox aired it on Thursday nights between 9.00 and 10.00 (the time altered each week, it seemed). Either way, it was up against NBC's "Must See TV" Thursday nights, and NBC, up through that time, owned Thursday nights with shows like Frasier and Friends. Why Fox didn't try another time slot is beyond me. I'll tell you, though, finally seeing the 13th episode, I was so furious that we'll never get to find out what happens next. Just remember that it was supposed to be the season one finale and that seasons typically end with cliffhangers . . .
On television, edited episodes were rated TV-14 or TV-MA; contains strong language and sexual content.

NOTES:
Starring:
Jay Mohr + Illeana Douglas + Jarrad Paul + Jack Plotnick + Buddy Hackett

Guest Stars:
Sandra Bullock ("Blowhard") + R. Lee Ermey ("Dragon's Blood", "Love Sucks", "Lights, Camera, Action!", and "Dead Man Floating") + David Hasselhoff ("Mr. Dragon Goes to Washington") + Salma Hayek ("Re-Enter the Dragon") + Keanu Reeves ("Pilot") + Scott Wolf ("Twelfth Step to Hell")

Created by
Chris Thompson

Episode Writers and Directors:

"Pilot" - Written by Chris Thompson, Directed by Ted Demme
"Re-Enter the Dragon" - Written by Chris Thompson, Directed by John Whitesell
"Blood Money" - Written by Don Reo, Directed by Bryan Gordon
"Blowhard" - Written by Don Reo, Directed by John Whitesell
"Mr. Dragon Goes to Washington" - Written by Ron Zimmerman, Directed by Danny Leiner
"Twelfth Step to Hell" - Written by Will Forte, Directed by Gil Junger
"Dragon's Blood" - Written by Adam Hamburger & David Hamburger, Directed by Adam Bernstein
"Love Sucks" - Written by Jim Vallely, Directed by John Fortenberry
"Strong Sexual Content and Adult Themes" - Written by Don Reo, Directed by John Fortenberry
"Lights, Camera, Action!" - Written by Adam Hamburger & David Hamburger, Directed by James Parriott
"Dead Man Floating" - Written by Dave Jeser & Matt Silverstein, Directed by Larry Shaw
"One Easy Piece" - Written by Will Forte, Directed by Don Reo
"Last Ride of the Elephant Princess" - Written by Jim Vallely & Ron Zimmerman, Directed by Vahan Moosekian

Other Films with:
Ted Demme - Beautiful Girls
Illeana Douglas - Alive
R. Lee Ermey - Apocalypse Now (uncredited), Full Metal Jacket (billed as Lee Ermey), and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Buddy Hackett - The Little Mermaid (1989)
Salma Hayek - Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Jay Mohr - Jerry Maguire
Keanu Reeves - Bram Stoker's Dracula, The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, and Something's Gotta Give
Motion Pictures
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