How violent was this series?
Was it "Kill Bill" violent (Gory violence)? Or was it "Legend of the Drunken Master" violent (Blood-less violence)?
shareWell in the terms of actual violence Mannix contained violence and action too.
But yes it was quite violent on occasion and moderatly violent some of the times.
But compared to the excessive violence today Mannix is tame.
These shows today have to use violence as a hook otherwise nobody would watch them.
But take away the violence and what do you have ?
Not much actually !
Mannix and others like it did use violence to spice things up a bit.
But on their own merits they had enough to make things work.
Good acting and story line.
In terms of violence, "Mannix" certainly ranks somewhere between "Murder, She Wrote" and "Third Watch." --But, then again, maybe that's not saying very much; after all, most other detective shows fit somewhere into the gammit between those two extremes.
But "Mannix" probably sets two records, which haven't been touched in years....
First, there are those numerous staircase, stairwell, fire escape climaxes, which find Joe Mannix's defending himself high atop flights of steps in nearly every episode. While other detective/police/crime shows use staircase plots, "Mannix," no doubt holds the record for the most ever instances in series television.
Second, Peggy, his secretary, often finds herself kidnapped, in--what?--about half of her episodes?, thus probably awarding her the crown of the most kidnapped character in television history.
Add to that the fact that Joe Mannix got pistol whipped & KO'd nearly every episode.
Wonder what his CAT scans look like.
Watch 'em Abe, I seen 'em do some things!
The violence was not gratuitous, if that is what you mean. Rather, I think it was utilized in service of the plotline of each episode. It was a gritty, intense series and for there to be little or no violence would not only have been implausible but would have made for a very dull series that would not have lasted as long as it did. I'm sure the physical confrontations were a very big part of why people enjoyed this show as much as they did.
shareFor the time (late 60's early 70's), it was a violent show but in today's market it would be rather tame. However, it dealt with violent crime and violent people so a certain amount of violence had to be expected.
Maybe because of all of the outrage raised by anti-violence groups during that time it's two main successors, The Rockford Files and Magnum P.I, were a little less violent.
I always wondered how many times someone could get shot in the shoulder without losing it's use. It seemed like Mannix got shot in the shoulder ever other week.
My favorite episode was in the first season, when Mannix ends up enclosed in a strait-jacket at a mental hospital. He starts making like Houdini, exhaling, inhaling and and trying to contract his arms, but gets interrupted, and spends the next 15 minutes head-butting and kicking bad guys (and one bad gal) left and right. Connors musta been in great shape, because at one point he hurls himself across a bed, lands on his feet and rams into a guy coming through the door. It was done in one shot, so it was definitely Connors, not a stunt man. There's even some humor at the end, when Mannix's client (a wealthy ex-mental patient) starts kissing and hugging her psychiatrist (don't ask!), and they've forgotten all about Joe, who's still in the restraints and trying to get their attention!
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Connors musta been in great shape, because at one point he hurls himself across a bed, lands on his feet and rams into a guy coming through the door. It was done in one shot, so it was definitely Connors, not a stunt man.
I read on wiki that Mike Connors played basketball for UCLA's John Wooden. MC's nickname was "Touch". I guess he was quite the athlete back in his prime.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Connors
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He was known as Touch Connors when he started in films.
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