Round Table - The Return of ...

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

No, not what you thought when that word return appeared.  I'm talking about the Second Season of MFU. Were you already a fan when the second season premiered on NBC in 1965?  I think I was, my memories of that age are a little blurry with highlights of Beatles, Barbie Dolls and Illya.  My dad and I watched MFU together, he was always on board for that and Star Trek.  Why is it those two always seem to be simpatico?
Anyway, the Fall was about more than school and weather changes, it meant the new Fall Television Schedule.  It was the only time during the year that our family invested in a TV Guide, and the excitement of finding the shows you were going to watch and reading about the actors involved was euphoric in nature.
Which brings me back to the opening episode of the Second Season: The Alexander The Greater Affair.  It is arguably one of the most enjoyable, with much attention being given to the blond who is now the hottest thing on television, here and abroad.  With all due respect to Mr. Vaughn, when he recounts that the two of them received more fan mail than anyone in MGM history, the truth was Mr. McCallum alone received more all on his own.  Together they broke all kinds of records, but really it was the character of Illya Kuryakin that was truly revolutionizing how a hero in the 60's would look.
But then here's RV's Napoleon Solo, still suave, still handsome and still chasing girls only now it's in glorious color.  Was he more elegant in black and white?  For me he hearkens back to screen stars of the 40's and 50's... in a good way.  He reminds of men like Cary Grant, who could wear a tuxedo to McDonald's and make it seem entirely normal to do so.
Yin and Yang, blond and brunet.  The chemistry is undeniable, our infatuation with them not diminishing over time.  No matter what the movie does or doesn't do, it won't budge the original show from our hearts and minds; it won't erase the real Solo and Kuryakin.
So, what do you remember about that wonderful Fall time event and the way you waited for the return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.?

Comments

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

You hit on the great Illya moments. He really had the camera during this season opener. Napoleon really played the sleuth in this episode, figuring all the angles and squaring off against Alexander.

[lindafishes8.livejournal.com]

I remember watching from show number one. I was 11 and in love with Illya. My idiot older brothers used to critique every show. Remember the scene in the Yukon Affair when IK and NS came up out of the water in their scuba gear? My brothers noticed styrofoam floating in the water. It was supposed to be ice, of course, and to this day, they talk about it. They were SO annoying.

At least they liked to watch it with me and not try to change the channel. One of them gave me the red NFU album for my birthday. They weren't ALL bad.