European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 14, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse On the tub viewers lose in abcs ambush of a China Beach by Deborah Hastings a television writer television is not often Good. Quite often it is barely mediocre. China Beach was a Good show. Good in the sense that it was Well acted Well written and Well produced. Good in the sense that it did not always wrap things up with a tidy ribbon by the end of each weeks episode. Good in the sense that China Beach was not afraid to be different a to be sad and wicked when need be and kind in the face of Dath. This 4-year-old series about the Vietnam War has been shoved into its share of pigeonholes. Some critics labelled it too sad some focused Only on the fact that it had a Strong female Lead but most lauded its daring and Quality. Nonetheless Abc has cancelled it. For the last two seasons entertainment president Robert Iger has hop scotched it across nights until even hardcore fans had trouble finding it. Its stateside end will come july 22, when Abc airs the finale a two hour emotional roller coaster that skips Between decades in a sometimes confusing series of flashbacks. The death of the series is painful even though executive producer and director John secret Young gets heavy handed with the patriotism and sentimentalism. In in jumping from the 1960s to the �?T70s and �?T80s, Young and his writers have Given the series plenty of new material. They also have unintentionally Given it embarrassingly funny moments. The character of Boonie has lost a leg which sometimes is obviously Bent at the knee behind him depending on the camera Angle. In an Effort to age actress Dana Clany who plays Mcmurphy for the 1980s episodes her hair looks like it has been Spray painted Gray. In other shots in other decades she wears ill fitting wigs. Nevertheless the final two hour instalment packs a Wallop from which even bad makeup and histrionics can to detract. And like everything else about China Beach and life there is no simple Happy ending for this series. There is however a sense of closure and game show a shop till you drop a John j. Of Connor new York times game shows Are always looking for a lofty excuse to justify their existence. You can really learn something if you watch jeopardy a that sort of thing. So apparently without shame shop till you drop a a new series which just made its debut on lifetime a is suggesting that its format will turn Ordinary viewers into savvy Consumers. Actually what we have Here is a clinical study for sociologists especially those who might think the More Brazen forms of unbridled greed and conspicuous consumption faded with the Advent of the sober 1990s. Creditors getting testy these Days Job situation looking wobbly forget it. Watch shop till you drop the show that exuberantly poses the question How would you like to win the shopping trip of a lifetime to new York Paris Rome London or Hong Kong Pat finn is the genial Host dressed California style in shirt and tie but no jacket. He skilfully revs up the adrenalin of the contestants two Young couples seemingly provided by Central casting. Though there is a great Deal of hugging and High living As one couple squares off against the other the excited players convey the Odd impression that they just met minutes earlier. Several stunts stand Between them and the grand prize. In one the Man keeps stuffing marshmallows in his Mouth while muttering phrases that his woman partner must decipher. In another the Man must apply five different shades of lipstick to his lips and then run up and kiss the posters that most accurately describe the colors. At one Point both contestants have their Heads fitted with a Large vacuum snout through which they must suck up 100 Ping Pong balls. A you did it yeah a shouts finn. Prizes along the Way include a camcorder a to Pooh a and a ring with a a retail value of $400 a . Finally there is the Chance for the a dream vacation for one couple. Their final Challenge is to a a spend $1,000 in 90 seconds. Running up and Down stairs the couple must choose a variety of boxes not knowing what a inside. The value of the contents is then toted up with a Hearty credit for the manufacturers Bradley a dolls Washington forge knives Penn fishing Rod. The first shows couple goes Well Over the $1,000 Mark a you did it a shouts finn and is promised a trip to new York with a stay at one of the City a second tier hotels. Savvy consumerism the message in shop till you drop is unmistakable spend spend spend. Happy Days arc Here again. More hugs More High fives. This is after All Only a game no matter How ridiculous and a Bonanza cast Michael Landon a death leaves Pernell Roberts As the Only living member of the original Bonanza Cartwright clan television s Tough yet sophisticated cowboys As Likely to stand on principle As throw a Roberts 63, played Adam the no nonsense oldest of three half Brothers from the Start of the Abc series in 1959 until in 1965. Bonanza the Frost popular show on to during most of the 1960s, ran until 1973. Landon who died of cancer july 1 at age 54, was Little Joe the rambunctious Colt who often found Romance on the Range and got out of More than a few scrapes with the help of an older brother. Dan Blocker who portrayed Ham listed Hoss a Bull of a Man in a big White hat died May 13, 1972, from a blood clot after Gall bladder surgery. His birthrate is listed variously As dec. 10, 1932, or 1929. Lome Greene the Ponderosa a Sage widower patriarch Ben died sept. 11,1987, at 72. He developed pneumonia after surgery on a perforated ulcer. Victor sen Yung the cart rights Cook hop sing was found dead in his North Hollywood Home on nov. 9, 1980. He was 65. An investigation determined he was accidentally asphyxiated by natural Gas and had been dead about 10 14,1991 sunday a Page 15
