Top 13 Shows That Want Out (Part Three)

(This is the final part of a list of the top 13 shows I want to see on DVD.  If you haven't read the first two parts, beginning in last week's Vault #13, I recommend you do so before going any further.  Part one can be seen here, and part two is here.)

One day, in my high school English class, I started a list of every cartoon series I had seen in my life until then.  Part of my reason was boredom, while the other was curiosity--wondering what I could remember, and how far I could take this.  I exceeded 400 entries by the end of the day.

In writing this list, I am reminded of that instance.  Altogether, I am reminded that I have watched way too much television.  At least I've enjoyed it.  Here are my favorite shows that need to be on my DVD shelf.

4) Babar

Babar, the king of the elephants, is one of the most enduring characters in children’s fiction. Created by Jean de Brunhoff in 1931 and maintained by his son Laurent after his death, Babar is alternately depicted as a boy learning how to be a fair and just ruler, and as an adult monarch passing those lessons on to his children later in life.

The story goes that Babar was a small elephant living in the wild with his mother, until she was murdered by a poacher. Babar was rescued by a kindly old lady who brought him to Europe and taught him the ways of man. He returned to the jungle and formed an animal civilization, with the aid of the Old Lady, who returned with him, and his friends, including his future queen Celeste.

Canadian animation studio Nelvana adapted the storybooks into an acclaimed HBO series in 1989, as well as a full-length feature film that year. The show was faithful to its roots and gentle toward its audience, but more than anything else, it had a sense of childlike wonder and sincerity missing from many cartoons of its time.

Being a fan of the books, I eagerly embraced the show as a child. Recently, I happened upon it again, with reruns of the show being shown occasionally on NBC’s Saturday morning “Qubo” lineup. Gordon Pinter’s soothing, noble delivery as Babar welcomed me back like an old friend. Oh, to be eight again!

Babar: The Movie is available on DVD, and totally worth watching.  The movie details the origins of Babar's kingdom and his defeat of the wicked rhino King Rataxes.  However, the series has not been released in North America yet. I think it’s about time the King of the Elephants arrived to take his home video throne.

3) Spenser: For Hire

I was already a big Robert Urich fan by the time The Lazarus Man premiered, and it was all because of Spenser: For Hire. Based on Robert B. Parker’s long-running series of detective novels, the series premiered on ABC, starring Urich as the titular detective. Spenser was a Boston-based private eye who had once been a boxer, and later a cop. He’s a tough guy with a sharp wit, and also a good cook. I guess that makes him a great catch; or it would, if the beautiful Susan Silverman hadn't already hooked him.

Spenser: For Hire was arguably Robert Urich’s most popular television series, and much of it was his doing. Robert Urich was television’s most likable leading man, and Spenser was tailor made for him: charismatic and intelligent with disarming kindness, yet rough around the edges and hard enough to get the best of any foe.

The other main reason to watch the show was Hawk, played by the always exceptional Avery Brooks. The streetwise Black sidekick was nothing new in television then, but Brooks was magnetic like no one else I’d seen on TV. He was smooth and stylish, but behind his roguish demeanor lay a quiet menace.  Nonetheless, he gained Spenser’s trust and respect through the run of the show. The enigmatic Hawk was popular enough to earn a spinoff, called A Man Called Hawk. Though short-lived, reruns have been seen as of late on cable television.

Some years after Spenser: For Hire ended, Urich and Brooks reunited for a quartet of TV movies, which were released to DVD. The series still awaits a release, and I’d be first in line.

2) Cupid

Before Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas created Cupid, a charming little show starring Jeremy Piven in his first leading role in a series. Piven’s Trevor Hale was a man who claimed to be the legendary god of love. According to Hale, the gods stripped him of his powers and cast him down to Earth.

The twist is that Hale is first seen in a mental hospital, which casts doubt on his story. Certainly his therapist, Dr. Claire Allen (the alluring Paula Marshall) is skeptical about the whole thing, especially Trevor’s claim that he must unite 100 couples in order to regain his powers and return to Olympus.

Critics liked to call Cupid a romantic comedy X-Files, with Piven’s fast-talking and faithful Trevor perfectly matched with Marshall’s reserved, cynical Claire. Of course, their falling in love seemed inevitable; in fact, Thomas revealed that they would have been the 100^th couple had the show run its course. Then again, we’ll never totally know.

Or will we? Back in 2007, ABC asked Rob Thomas to develop a new Cupid series based on his original show. Essentially a reboot, the new series features Bobby Cannavale as Trevor and Sarah Paulson as Claire. It debuts Tuesday, March 24 at 10 p.m. Will the new series raise interest in the original? Will we see the original Trevor Hale strap on his quiver on DVD? I hope so.

1) Vengeance Unlimited

Some of you might be familiar with the TNT original series Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton as the leader of a band of thieves who target bad guys that profit from the suffering of the innocent. It’s a fun series with a great cast, but the concept was already memorably executed about eleven years ago, with Michael Madsen in the lead role and spearheaded by Eyes and Profit creator John McNamara.

Vengeance Unlimited starred Madsen as Mr. Chapel, a mysterious man who approached those who’d been wronged by the rich and powerful. He offered to get even for them, for the tidy fee of a million dollars…or a favor to be done at any time. Given the reaction of those he revisited when they fulfilled their duty to him (they reply, “Thank God!”), it may be safe to assume the million dollars might have been an easier fee to pay.

I can imagine McNamara describing the show’s hook in his pitch: “Imagine if Mr. Blonde worked for the good guys!” Mr. Chapel isn’t totally removed from Madsen’s iconic Reservoir Dogs character. He often appears reckless and eccentric, like Vic Vega--however, he always has a plan. Madsen can effortlessly switch from cool and snarky to frightening in the blink of an eye, confirming his perfect casting. Co-starring as his confidant and partner was Kathleen York, perhaps best known as an Oscar-nominated songwriter at this point (she wrote and performed Crash’s nominated song).

Vengeance Unlimited was scheduled against Friends right out of the gate. Not surprisingly, it couldn’t grab a foothold over the popular sitcom. Later, ABC moved Cupid to Thursdays, into the timeslot following Vengeance Unlimited. The two shows comprised my favorite block of television, but they couldn’t save each other, and were canceled.

There aren’t many shows I’ve enjoyed as much as Vengeance Unlimited, which makes the lack of a home video release all the more painful. While I’m not holding my breath, I still hope just a bit. One day, Mr. Chapel may return. God help us all.