WERE SEASONS 1-4 THE BEST ?

There were a lot of good episodes seasons 1-4, but there were some outstanding episodes in seasons 5-8 as well. Downhill All The Way and Seven Days in the Death of Sargeant Brown come to mind. Also Down Two Road, when Mark graduates from law school.Elizabeth Baur took few episodes to hit her stride, but I think of her as more of the average person whose character had a longer relationship with Ironside. He knew her as a child. Barbara Anderson was also good. I wonder what the series would have been like had she stayed.

I think season 1 thru 5 was it's prime. The last three were good though I was'nt too kean on all the singing during the opening credits when they would show the episode title, guest stars & credits. I loved the views of San Francisco that they showed all the time along with jazz artist Oliver Nelson's jazzy, unique music score. I hope "ME TV" starts running the episodes again soon. Ironside was one of my favorites.

Of course the underlying question is: why does the Ironside series excel (in comparison with all those other ones, like Mannix, The Rockford files, Cannon, Hawaii-Five-O etc.). For me Ironside has two qualities: the texts are often witty, and I like the location, the social enlightenment of San Francisco in the mid-sixties. The spirit of the time is full of hope, and the episodes show people with an open mind, not only hippies, but especially the less radical elements, who stayed within the system and tried to reform it. In the first season the atmosphere of change is almost tangible. Unfortunately in the second season the interest of the script writers seems to have evaporated. Ironside himself becomes less recalcitrant and provocative, which perhaps makes him a nicer person, but also somewhat boring. Imho the quality of the second season has fallen off. Nevertheless, there are still some jewels to be found. Obviously the first season defends ethical positions. In the second season this is continued for instance in the episodes "The sacrifice" and "A matter of love and death", that seem to advocate legal abortion under certain circumstances. And "Robert Phillips vs. the man" is about racial conflicts. "Reprise" criticizes the death penalty (which in some USA states apparently is there to stay). Eve: "But that is barbaric!" Ironside: "Then do something about it". The episode "Up-down-even" warns against the use of marihuana. And "Rundown on a bum rap" cries shame upon class justice. If you are looking for humour, it is also there. For instance, a reporter asks: "How risky is the operation?" Ironside: "I'll let my doctor quote the morning line on that one". Another one: the marshall says: "Even the docs figured that he never would walk out of that hospital". Ironside: "Some do, some don't". Marshall: "Well, it's up to you". Or a drunkard: "Where is your friend in his wheel chart?" Ed: "Oiling his wheels". Yet another one: Ed: "What would make you think that we could do it now?" Ironside: "I appreciate that editorial we" Ed: "Well maybe the royal we is rubbed off". Sometimes the joke is nonverbal: a woman says: "Why are people supposed to drink? To forget. It doesn't work". Ironside rides towards her (this may be a find of Burr himself). It is still interesting. But the energy and the spirit have faded somewhat.

I prefer Eve to Fran, and I prefer the team dynamic with Eve rather than Fran. However I do like the way that the show developed over time. I feel that the later episodes often have more depth, and the show increasingly developed its own individual identity over time. The first season, whilst good, doesn't have much to distinguish it from other cop shows (beyond the central cop-in-a-wheelchair conceit of course). They tried new things as time went by, and that was good too. I liked Mark finishing law school, and becoming a cop, getting more involved in the cases. I liked the greater amount of screen time that Ed got as time went by.

So it's an awkward question to answer. I wish Eve had stayed, but that wasn't to be.



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"I find concussion quite invigorating."

[deleted]

Two of the best episodes were in season 6. "Seven Days in the Life of Sgt. Brown" and Downhill All the Way". Barbara Anderson was good, but I tend to like Elizabeth Baur, because Fran and Ironside seemed demonstrate a closer friendship, since Fran knew Ironside as a kid.