Lucky_Ladybug (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ladybug_archive) wrote2016-02-18 11:22 pm
ladybug_archive) wrote2016-02-18 11:22 pm
Entry tags:
Weird....
The episode of The Saint that was the initial blueprint and inspiration for The Persuaders! is one of the few I haven't seen. The summary said that Simon had to team up with a Texas oil baron and I believe it said something about them not getting along well. I figured the Texas character would be obnoxious, as that seems to be a rather unfortunate stereotype of Texas oil barons, and that constant arguing would be annoying. And since I only had enough time to watch some of MeTV's currently posted episodes before they switched them out for others, I let that one drop in favor of others.
Naturally, I am curious about it now. I went to look for it on YouTube, even though I knew that would likely be fruitless. Any MeTV shows generally do not turn up on YouTube. And MeTV, although it still has The Saint episodes online, is only in season 2, so it will be a long time before they get to that one. They probably don't play well anymore anyway; they haven't ever since MeTV changed their videos to take up more memory. Ugh. Even people with more recent computers have trouble, so for once it isn't just me.
I did find a couple of clips and watched them. And I have to say, my initial thoughts were right: the character is extremely obnoxious. He keeps talking about having so much money he's drowning in it and he has to spend just to keep breathing. And he says other weird things like that and seems to put a high priority on money. Danny, by contrast, is playful and cute and while he kind of seems like he doesn't always know what to do with so much money, he isn't always bragging about it and waving his wealth in people's faces. It's easy to forget sometimes that he's a millionaire. I don't recall ever being particularly annoyed by Danny. This Rod Houston character is instead stuck-up and seemingly shallow. (Although in one little bit he seemed slightly naive and that was kind of cute.) I suppose if I ever get to see the full episode, I'll see the character become more likable by the end. (I hope.) But I have to say, I am so glad they decided to change the American character to a streetwise New Yorker for The Persuaders!. And that regardless, they altered his personality. Somehow I just honestly can't see The Persuaders! becoming a beloved cult favorite series had the American character acted as obnoxious as the one in The Saint episode. It almost seemed like they combined elements of what would become Brett and Danny in Houston, with the Brett elements being seemingly more into having money, while Simon played the character who doesn't seem to put as high a value on money (parallel with Danny). While Brett often makes it clear about his wealthy background, etc., however, he isn't bragging and hence, usually doesn't come off as obnoxious about it as Houston does. I guess that's the (admittedly a bit stereotypical) aloof and cool British elements of the character.
What was interesting, however, was seeing the parallels with the first Persuaders! episode. The clips I watched had the idea of the two car-racing through the streets, although it didn't end up working as well as it did for The Persuaders! characters. And they talk about the plan in The Saint, whereas on The Persuaders! it's all silent and they just seem to know what the other is thinking about the race. Then the other clip has them in a casino and Houston gets Simon into a game he doesn't like playing, which I assume may be the parallel with Danny trying to get Brett to have a drink in a way he doesn't like. The clip cut off before I could find out what happens. I do know, however, that they end up having a fight in the casino, just like Brett and Danny did. I wonder who instigates the fight on The Saint. Simon seems more inclined to start fights than Brett does, but on the other hand, only if the other person probably deserves it.
And I have the most weird and bizarre dreams. It was another house dream this time, and it was about 3:30 in the morning in the dream, and even though it was of course still dark outside and I was going to bed, I opened the curtains in front of the glass doors on the deck. (WTH.) That part of the house looked somewhat similar to reality, but not quite, as the area outside seemed to be a little more high-class and .... jungley. Tall, tall grass and plants hanging over the fence and half-obscuring the other yards. (Although we have one bush/tree that has exploded enormously since we moved in.)
Then I went in my room and was trying to rearrange books and things in order to go to bed. I wanted to dust off a wardrobe and put some big books on top of it. Then I discovered that someone set up these ... bizarre and dangerous traps of wooden boards that would fall down and swing around and I had to be careful to avoid them just to get into bed. They were right around the bed. Apparently they had been set-up by ... Kemo. The house was a mansion and Kemo and Croquet were working security there. I found Kemo and bawled him out for his bizarre security. I was certain he was working against me, not for me, and I tried to lock the door ... only there was another way in from a long passage to the side of the door and some woman on the staff came to get me because they wanted to talk further about the matter and I went with her and got lost somewhere in the basement, which the tunnel also led to.
Just ... WTH, mind? Kemo and Croquet? Of all people, why them? I haven't even watched any Pegasus episodes of YGO in ages, although I was briefly thinking of it just the other day. But just ... seriously, oy vey. I really don't think Kemo would be that stupid.
Naturally, I am curious about it now. I went to look for it on YouTube, even though I knew that would likely be fruitless. Any MeTV shows generally do not turn up on YouTube. And MeTV, although it still has The Saint episodes online, is only in season 2, so it will be a long time before they get to that one. They probably don't play well anymore anyway; they haven't ever since MeTV changed their videos to take up more memory. Ugh. Even people with more recent computers have trouble, so for once it isn't just me.
I did find a couple of clips and watched them. And I have to say, my initial thoughts were right: the character is extremely obnoxious. He keeps talking about having so much money he's drowning in it and he has to spend just to keep breathing. And he says other weird things like that and seems to put a high priority on money. Danny, by contrast, is playful and cute and while he kind of seems like he doesn't always know what to do with so much money, he isn't always bragging about it and waving his wealth in people's faces. It's easy to forget sometimes that he's a millionaire. I don't recall ever being particularly annoyed by Danny. This Rod Houston character is instead stuck-up and seemingly shallow. (Although in one little bit he seemed slightly naive and that was kind of cute.) I suppose if I ever get to see the full episode, I'll see the character become more likable by the end. (I hope.) But I have to say, I am so glad they decided to change the American character to a streetwise New Yorker for The Persuaders!. And that regardless, they altered his personality. Somehow I just honestly can't see The Persuaders! becoming a beloved cult favorite series had the American character acted as obnoxious as the one in The Saint episode. It almost seemed like they combined elements of what would become Brett and Danny in Houston, with the Brett elements being seemingly more into having money, while Simon played the character who doesn't seem to put as high a value on money (parallel with Danny). While Brett often makes it clear about his wealthy background, etc., however, he isn't bragging and hence, usually doesn't come off as obnoxious about it as Houston does. I guess that's the (admittedly a bit stereotypical) aloof and cool British elements of the character.
What was interesting, however, was seeing the parallels with the first Persuaders! episode. The clips I watched had the idea of the two car-racing through the streets, although it didn't end up working as well as it did for The Persuaders! characters. And they talk about the plan in The Saint, whereas on The Persuaders! it's all silent and they just seem to know what the other is thinking about the race. Then the other clip has them in a casino and Houston gets Simon into a game he doesn't like playing, which I assume may be the parallel with Danny trying to get Brett to have a drink in a way he doesn't like. The clip cut off before I could find out what happens. I do know, however, that they end up having a fight in the casino, just like Brett and Danny did. I wonder who instigates the fight on The Saint. Simon seems more inclined to start fights than Brett does, but on the other hand, only if the other person probably deserves it.
And I have the most weird and bizarre dreams. It was another house dream this time, and it was about 3:30 in the morning in the dream, and even though it was of course still dark outside and I was going to bed, I opened the curtains in front of the glass doors on the deck. (WTH.) That part of the house looked somewhat similar to reality, but not quite, as the area outside seemed to be a little more high-class and .... jungley. Tall, tall grass and plants hanging over the fence and half-obscuring the other yards. (Although we have one bush/tree that has exploded enormously since we moved in.)
Then I went in my room and was trying to rearrange books and things in order to go to bed. I wanted to dust off a wardrobe and put some big books on top of it. Then I discovered that someone set up these ... bizarre and dangerous traps of wooden boards that would fall down and swing around and I had to be careful to avoid them just to get into bed. They were right around the bed. Apparently they had been set-up by ... Kemo. The house was a mansion and Kemo and Croquet were working security there. I found Kemo and bawled him out for his bizarre security. I was certain he was working against me, not for me, and I tried to lock the door ... only there was another way in from a long passage to the side of the door and some woman on the staff came to get me because they wanted to talk further about the matter and I went with her and got lost somewhere in the basement, which the tunnel also led to.
Just ... WTH, mind? Kemo and Croquet? Of all people, why them? I haven't even watched any Pegasus episodes of YGO in ages, although I was briefly thinking of it just the other day. But just ... seriously, oy vey. I really don't think Kemo would be that stupid.
no subject
...That jungly house you described in your dream totally reminds me of one of the mansions in the second Luigi's Mansion game. It was actually my favorite one of them, heh.
...And wow, Kemo and Croquet. Huh. Maybe they were being controlled by the Orichalcos or something because yeah, they seem to smart for that. Eep.
no subject
LOL. Awesome. Well, the yard was jungly, not the house itself.
Although if they were being controlled by the Orichalcos, that's even scarier.
no subject
That's neat that The Persuaders was inspired by another show and you can go back and see the relevant episode now, kinda like going back and watching a pilot episode after the fact, only even more of an early concept. The oil baron character does sound super obnoxious, though. It's one thing to have a character bragging about money and another thing to have that be the character's primary characteristic as it sounds like it was here.
I got a good chuckle out of your weird jungle house dream! Lol, kimo and Croquet, how random. I guess your subconscious was still thinking about those episodes?
no subject
Indeed, it's very interesting! But yes, it was very obnoxious. You make a good observation: the wealth did seem to be Houston's primary characteristic, at least in those clips. Hopefully he got better later in the episode.
LOL. Apparently so! Very strange.