CENTENNIAL

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mrsl
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CENTENNIAL

Post by mrsl »

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Is anyone else enjoying this replay of Centennial like I am? For one thing, it's a treat to watch it with no commercial breaks since it's on the Western channel on Encore, for two, it's like seeing it for the first time after all these years, surprising since I was in my late twenties when it was on originally, but now, thinking about it, I realize it was on on one of my Bingo nights.

Anyway, thank goodness I have the "record 4 things" option on my DVR because I get so involved in Centennial, that I just let the other stuff just be recorded, and watch the next day. Speaking of that, those of you who retire early at night and don't stay awake long enough to see it, it is repeated the following morning.

The only problem I have with it is, this is before we awakened to what a lousy thing we did to the American Indian and he was still being put in a bad light when this was filmed, rather than the understanding we have today.

The filming of the scenery is marvelous, and the acting is quite top notch, although it's amusing to see some of the actors so young and nowadays they are playing grandfather parts, if they're not already passed on. Mark Harmon was a real cutie then as was Gregory Harrison and a few others. In all, it was a very entertaining mini-series. It's odd how instead of an actual mini-series, we now have regular weekly shows like Scandal which has a continuing story through-out the whole season.

I'm sure it will probably be on On Demand sometime next month after all of the episodes have been shown just as they did with North and South a while ago. Catch it if you can, you might please yourself and see how network acting was down back 30 years ago.
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Anne


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* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *

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movieman1957
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Re: CENTENNIAL

Post by movieman1957 »

I have the DVD set and watched it earlier this summer. I was pleasantly surprised to see it playing. I have always enjoyed the series. I think it is well done and mostly wonderfully performed.

I think the last segment is the weakest. Maybe it is the "current" time setting but I think mostly it is that the show takes on more of a lecture or position than in the previous episodes. I know they always stressed the importance of the land and its preservation but it was done more by the way the characters lived. An hour of David Jansen pontificating on things and Robert Vaughan's smarmy character as the capitalist in the room in their debates only slows things down.

Up till then it is great television. A huge endeavor for its day.

P.S. I have already seen it listed on Comcast's OnDemand.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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mrsl
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Re: CENTENNIAL

Post by mrsl »

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movieman:

The last two parts are on tonight, but I have a vague memory that the final episode was kind of lame. I'll see tonight.
Anne


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* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *

]***********************************************************************
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mrsl
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Re: CENTENNIAL

Post by mrsl »

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While I agree the 'pontification' and the 'capitalism' are a bit tiresome, they are both given as an entreaty to the audience to 'please be aware' of what they are doing to the earth. Oddly enough, those writers have proven to be correct on all counts haven't they? Most politicians are more interested in how much money they can make from their own states, and not in the least caring about global warming, which is no longer a fear but an actual fact.

Beyond that, I have to admit David Janssen looked mighty good, I don't know if he really looked like that or if it was makeup, but in any case he looked fine. Actually the last two episodes were a minor recap of the entire 7 weeks. I personally liked it because it reminded me of a couple of things I had forgotten, and wondered how people got to where they did eventually.

Again, I recommend that if the opportunity arises, take advantage of it and watch this epic if you never saw it before, and even if you did, I'm sure you won't recall all of it, and it is really worth it.
Anne


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* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *

]***********************************************************************
stuart.uk
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Re: CENTENNIAL

Post by stuart.uk »

There were some great moments, one was Blue Leaf left to die by her tribe in the freezing cold, because her husband was dead and I assume because she was passed child bearing age. Yet she was still young enough to do something with her life.

There were a lot of 2nd marraiges.

Clay Basket-Pasquinel and McKeag
Levi-Elly and Lucinda
Charlotte-Oliver and Jim
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mrsl
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Re: CENTENNIAL

Post by mrsl »

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In case anyone is interested, Centennial will start running again this Sunday on one of the Encore chanels. If you've never seen it, give yourself a treat and DVR it each time it's on.
Anne


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* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *

]***********************************************************************
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mrsl
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Re: CENTENNIAL

Post by mrsl »

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Earlier we mentioned pontificating and here I am again doing just that, but even after watching last year, knowing I had never seen the very first episode when Robert Conrad (Pasquinel) traveled the river and made frienemies with the Indians, I made sure I sat down this time to see it, and there I was again, entranced by the whole darn series. Yes I watched each and every episode again and again enjoying it as much as before. Of course I love history, and get irritated constantly by the plight we left the original Americans in. It's amazing how so much of what was written back in the 80's is still holding true today. During the course of the 15 episodes, we hear Irish brogues, Chinese mis-pronunciation, English proper, Dutch accent, and Australian, as well as Mexican, yet we thought the Indians had no right to this land we called our own . . . HA. Nobody seems to realize that WE are the immigrants and yet we try to "protect" our borders (gee, I wonder what accent the writers of the Constitution had). No, I didn't mean to get on that tack,

Once again, it's over now, but if it is running on your On Demand, or if you can get the entire series from Netflix, I urge you to do so. This is a show you can easily sit down with your family and watch and discuss during dinner (those of you who are still lucky to have family dinners, I mean).
Anne


***********************************************************************
* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *

]***********************************************************************
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movieman1957
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Re: CENTENNIAL

Post by movieman1957 »

A couple of months ago I stumbled on a Richard Chamberlain interview on The Academy of American Television. They talked for a bit about Centennial and he fond memories of it but couldn’t remember Robert Conrad’s name. It is funny to think even after what must have been 25 years you would forget something like that. It was an interesting interview.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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