Why did Hart to Hart last such a relatively short period of time? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 03-16-2024, 07:36 PM

It wasn’t very good - The series was formulaic, dull, and neither of the two leads could spark much interest in themselves or the series. There are many episodes where their dog (Freeway) and their majordomo (Max) are more interesting than the leads…or that episode’s story.
Robert Wagner has never been too appealing as a lead - For a guy who has been hired to star in a number of television series, there’s something lacking in Robert Wagner that fails to keep him on air too long. His character on this series was the “rich, suave, playboy” that Wagner specialized in, but this time he has a wife. Not much character range and not much interest from television audiences.
Stefanie Powers was bland - Powers was popular with television productions during the 1960s and 1970s, but she was never really popular with audiences. She occupied a niche between pinup cheesecake and legitimate actor, and there really wasn’t a lot of interest in performers within that gap. Powers didn’t add much to the program and occasionally her “chemistry” with Wagner seemed to falter, especially in the last season.
It was essentially a far less interesting Thin Man homage - Wagner and Powers didn’t have the talents or the charisma that William Powell and Myrna Loy did, and audiences had seen better, elsewhere.
The death of Natalie Wood - During the filming of the series, Wagner’s then-wife, actor Natalie Wood, died under rather odd circumstances, after an argument at night on their rented yacht. While the ABC and Aaron Spelling (the network and the show’s producer) stood behind Wagner, the matter always haunted the series in the background. Wagner was never arrested for Wood’s death; however he’s never been forthcoming about the matter in a way that would have “reassured” audiences and so he subsequent projects have met with mixed levels of success.

Fallon97 · 07-07-2024, 08:24 PM

Actually, I love "Hart to Hart." And I think Robert Wagner and Stephanie Powers had great chemistry. They were magical together.

biffbronson · 07-08-2024, 08:45 AM

What a slam of one of TV's most compelling and generally well-written series of its time.

Those are highly inaccurate assessments of the appeal of Wagner and Powers. They were in no way unappealing or bland. Such bias on the part of the writer, 2 of TV's most effective stars yet he dismisses them without a second thought. I was attracted to Powers back then and I know many women and gays were in love with Wagner. Their chemistry was fine. And Natalie Wood's death has nothing to do with an assessment of the series - it's a low blow to Wagner's reputation; he's highly regarded among Hollywood stars.

03-16-2024, 07:36 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,493	Why did Hart to Hart last such a relatively short period of time? Hmmm…. It wasn’t very good - The series was formulaic, dull, and neither of the two leads could spark much interest in themselves or the series. There are many episodes where their dog (Freeway) and their majordomo (Max) are more interesting than the leads…or that episode’s story. Robert Wagner has never been too appealing as a lead - For a guy who has been hired to star in a number of television series, there’s something lacking in Robert Wagner that fails to keep him on air too long. His character on this series was the “rich, suave, playboy” that Wagner specialized in, but this time he has a wife. Not much character range and not much interest from television audiences. Stefanie Powers was bland - Powers was popular with television productions during the 1960s and 1970s, but she was never really popular with audiences. She occupied a niche between pinup cheesecake and legitimate actor, and there really wasn’t a lot of interest in performers within that gap. Powers didn’t add much to the program and occasionally her “chemistry” with Wagner seemed to falter, especially in the last season. It was essentially a far less interesting Thin Man homage - Wagner and Powers didn’t have the talents or the charisma that William Powell and Myrna Loy did, and audiences had seen better, elsewhere. The death of Natalie Wood - During the filming of the series, Wagner’s then-wife, actor Natalie Wood, died under rather odd circumstances, after an argument at night on their rented yacht. While the ABC and Aaron Spelling (the network and the show’s producer) stood behind Wagner, the matter always haunted the series in the background. Wagner was never arrested for Wood’s death; however he’s never been forthcoming about the matter in a way that would have “reassured” audiences and so he subsequent projects have met with mixed levels of success.

07-07-2024, 08:24 PM	#2
Fallon97 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2007 Location: America Posts: 1,268	Actually, I love "Hart to Hart." And I think Robert Wagner and Stephanie Powers had great chemistry. They were magical together.

07-08-2024, 08:45 AM	#3
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,281	What a slam of one of TV's most compelling and generally well-written series of its time. Those are highly inaccurate assessments of the appeal of Wagner and Powers. They were in no way unappealing or bland. Such bias on the part of the writer, 2 of TV's most effective stars yet he dismisses them without a second thought. I was attracted to Powers back then and I know many women and gays were in love with Wagner. Their chemistry was fine. And Natalie Wood's death has nothing to do with an assessment of the series - it's a low blow to Wagner's reputation; he's highly regarded among Hollywood stars.