MovieChat Forums > Sweating Bullets (1991) Discussion > THE REAL TROPICAL HEAT SEASONS !

THE REAL TROPICAL HEAT SEASONS !

posted 10 years ago by arno_54
10 replies | jump to latest

I've always read the same repeated mistakes about SWEATING BULLETS aka TROPICAL HEAT. Particularly concerning the number of episodes in each season ! Well, it's all written in the end credits of each episode. No, Season One hadn't got 9 episodes; Season Two hadn't 21 neither Season Three 36 ! Come on !!
TROPICAL HEAT entered in production on August of 1990. They shot 13 firsts episodes until december, completed with 9 more in 1991 : that formed First Season's 22 episodes. They were shot in Bucerias & Nuevo Vallarta, NAYARIT + Puerto Vallarta, JALISCO in MEXICO. Season One aired from April 8, 1991 to February 24, 1992 on CBS ('Crime Time After Prime Time' at 11:30 pm, on mondays). According to Sam EGAN -the Creator of the series- in an interview he gave in 1992 to the Belgian magazine 'Ciné-Télé-Revue'-, the first episode ever shot was This Year's Model (S.1 #15) which would to be considered as the 'real' TVseries 'Pilot' episode (and it was also the very first episode broadcasted in France on July 11, 1992/Antenne2 & in Germany on February 7, 1992/RTL+). So Season One was filmed in 1990 & 1991 (details below). When the show went on air, this First Season was almost completed !

The production moved then to Israel after they got an offer of shooting there about 6 millions $ ! The production resumed in Eilat (Gulf of Aqaba, near The Red Sea) in September of 1991, for 22 new episodes -aired on CBS from April 13, 1992 to March 1st, 1993.

The last Season, the Third, was shot in South Africa -surrounding Pretoria, Johannesburg & Soweto (North Province) + all beach scenes in Mauritius (at the 'Maritim Hotel'), after South Africa (by I.O. International & Safritel) almost doubled the Israeli offer in order to get them there - according to the Rob STEWART interview for 4motion (a web-site).
The production of the 22 lasts episodes began in September of 1992. They were broadcasted (aired) from May 3 to October 18 of 1993. So the Series itself was over before it stopped being aired by CBS - and so Season 3's Episodes were all shot before they started being aired !
Then, CBS cancelled the series because David Letterman came over to CBS and took their 11:30 pm slot with his 'Late Show' (cf. same itw). SWEATING BULLETS/TROPICAL HEAT ended after 3 Seasons of 22 episodes each. Well, that was the end of a Terrific Show...

The series was re-runned on syndication short after by USA Network, although it failed after only 4 episodes aired. Then it moved on Sci-Fi Channel -and local TV channels (if that's correct).

All 3 Seasons are available on DVD, on Single-Season or Complete-Series editions (TANGO Entertainment, 2005, 2007 & 2008). There's no additional material on (but the Netherlander DVD-Boxes are much more better done...).

A TV-Movie came out of two episodes (#10 & 11) of Second Season : 'CRISSCROSS : From The Files Of Tropical Heat', a re-editing of 'Deadly Switch : Part 1 & 2'. It was aired sometimes in 1996 on Sci-Fi (USA) as a one-shot -this is why this TV-Edit was made (and later in 2001 - US TV Channel unknown). A DVD got released in 2008 (BlackHorse Entertainment/Vision Films) in UK & in June 7, 2010 (Silver Series edition) in USA.

*And for All Fans (as I am): Check out the 'SLAUGHTER NICK FOR PRESIDENT' DVD : it's a 73 minutes-long documentary based on the Huge Success of the TVseries in Eastern Countries, especially Serbia & Montenegro. It was released in June of 2012 (check out IMDb for the Details).
(Rob said in the 4motion itw about a revival of SWEATING BULLETS : 'Quantum physicists tell us just about everything's possible. Is it probable ? No' !)

Here are the Details for the First Season's Episodes List -of the original order of shootings : 1: This Year's Model (August 1990); 2: Tara, Tara, Tara - 3: She & 4: Fowl Play (all 3 shot in Sept.90); 5: For A Song - 6 : Death's A Beach & 7: Hard Case (all 3 shot in Oct.90 / Arrival of actor Eugene CLARK as Sgt. Ollie Porter in episode #7); 8: Sex, Lies and Lullabies - 9: Family Affair & 10: Roll Of The Dice (all 3 : Nov.90); 11:Double Time - 12: Marissa & 13: Forget Me Not (all 3 : Dec.90). (Break in Production : exit Co-Executive Producer Charles FALZON, replaced (succeeded) by Producer Ken GORD in 1991. January 1991 : post-synchronization & voices-dubbing of the 13 firsts episodes). Episode 14: Runaway - 15: Abandoned & 16: The Mariah Connection (shot from the end of January to the end of February 91); 17: Dead Men Tell - 18: A Perfect 38 & 19: Mafia Mistress (all 3 shot in March 91); 20: Big Brother is Watching - 21: Writer Wrong & 22: Deceit (all 3 shot in April of 1991). That's the First Season's Episodes filmings order. (THANKS to Accent Entertainment Ltd. for all those informations). * None of the 3 Seasons' episodes were aired by CBS with the original shootings chronology !
GOOF : in Episode 22 'Deceit' : the very last scene -the POKER scene- was shot long before (in october of 90) : initially planned to be the opening sequence of the episode "'For A song';, it had been cuted out because they had enough sequences for this episode !
The reason why the TVseries was shot long before being aired is quite simple : CBS hadn't any free slot in the programmation before April of 1991 : that's why it only started then !!
-Also Thanx to : 4motion, Sam EGAN, Peter MOHAN, CBS and the ever-helpfull AMPASS.

[–] Mitchcraft 10 years ago

I am confused, this is the first time i have EVER heard to the show being referred to as anything other than Tropical Heat. Was there 2 version of the show or something? It wouldn't be the first time for that to happen look at Stargate which did have the same actors in each sometimes.

So what i am asking was there ever a show just called Tropical Heat? I remember watching it at the age of about 13-14 and that would have been 1994-1995 when it was aired in the UK but had to wait until about 2-3am i don't recall the exact time but i know i had to stay up late to watch them on a Friday night but as i say it was never ever referred to as Sweating Bullets even in the title on the show.

[–] arno_54 10 years ago

Sweating Bullets is the original US/Canadian title of this TV-Series, much known in Europe under the title of Tropical Heat. If think every countries in the world used a translation from this one: Tropical Heat/Calor Tropical/Tropska vrelina (or something like that !)/ and in France it was or Tropical Heat or Un Privé sous les Tropiques (depends of the channel that aired the show). But most of channels that aired this Series in the world had the title Tropical Heat IN the original tapes credits (that were used by the channels)! But on one of my DVD, on an episode of the Third Season, it shows clearly the original Logo of Sweating Bullets at the end credits, and under the girl's credits in the opening credits... Hope that helped !

[–] PatriotsRchamps 10 years ago

I am confused, this is the first time i have EVER heard to the show being referred to as anything other than Tropical Heat.

Actor Rob Stewart explained in an interview once that in the United States the title "Sweating Bullets" was used but in Europe and other parts of the world the title "Tropical Heat" was used.

I know that in the US, the expression 'sweating bullets' is widely understood and is commonly used by Americans. Urbandictionary.com defines 'sweating bullets' as: "nervousness with a touch of dread". That definition perfectly describes the life-threatening adventures of Nick Slaughter as a private investigator. It seems that the title was also meant to be a play on words since so many episodes involved "bullets" being shot at Nick.

The one question that I have always wondered is whether different titles were used because the expression 'sweating bullets' may not be as popular in other countries compared to the US. In other words, would someone in France or Serbia understand the expression? Having only lived in the US, I don't know the answer to this question.

[–] PatriotsRchamps 10 years ago

Thanks so much for posting all that information, Arno_54. I came to the message boards in an effort to try and find out when and where each season was filmed. You did a great job in providing the details.

The series was re-runned on syndication short after by USA Network, although it failed after only 4 episodes aired.

IMDb lists the 66 episodes from the first three seasons, but it does not list the four episodes for USA Network. I used to faithfully watch Sweating Bullets on Crimetime after Primetime, but I don't think I ever saw the episodes on USA Network. Do you know the names of those four episodes? If you could give me the names of those episodes then I could go to YouTube and see if they are available there.

Then, CBS cancelled the series because David Letterman came over to CBS and took their 11:30 pm slot with his 'Late Show' (cf. same itw). SWEATING BULLETS/TROPICAL HEAT ended after 3 Seasons of 22 episodes each. Well, that was the end of a Terrific Show...

David Letterman killed Crimetime after Primetime which included several TV series that I loved watching, such as Sweating Bullets. If it wasn't for Letterman, I bet that Sweating Bullets would've lasted another couple of years.

[–] arno_54 10 years ago

Hello PatriotsRchamps,

Well, Thank YOU for the explanations about the term "Sweating Bullets" in USA : I really didn't have any idea of its signification !!

The 4 episodes of the Series that were aired on USA Network were 4 episodes of the very First Season: the Channel wanted to re-run the whole series... halas... it failed after only 4 episodes aired... So there was not a single brand new episode that was shot for USA Network, only old ones...

Thanks for your words : Well, it took me around 5 years to collect all the informations about the series... I wrote mails to the original productors, CBS, Peter Mohan (its Creator), and stuff... It was a long way ! But it was hugely payed back learning all this from them. It was natural for me to share these ones with the IMBd users who are fans like I am from this long-time series !

[–] liza-39 9 years ago

Arno, thanks for your extensive detective work on the history of Sweating Bullets/Tropical Heat. As the producer and co-director of Slaughter Nick for President even I've learned a few things! Cheers! - Liza Vespi

[–] arno_54 9 years ago

Hello Liza. I first made some researches on the Internet, and then I sent mails and requests to the original producers of the TV-Series. They were really helpful as the production company in Israel; also some people who worked on Season 1 in Mexico (for the S.1 episodes shooting order). But I Thank You for "Slaughter Nick For President" : it's an extraordinary documentary of what was the Series time in East Countries. And very good memories too ! I've learned a lot of things too watching the documentary when I bought it on Amazon US. So again, Thanx a lot !

[–] RikerDonegal 8 years ago

THANK YOU so much for posting this list. I love having production order lists for shows I watch. I just watched s1e6 this afternoon, which I now know is actually episode 11. I'll reorganise the rest of my s1 rewatch accordingly.

Are their similar production order lists for s2 and s3.

In any case, thanks for this list. You made this Tropical Heat fan very happy.

http://abriefingwithmichael.tumblr.com/

[–] arno_54 8 years ago

Hi RikerDonegal,
Thanx ! I have a list for Season 2, but I don't think it's very realistic (to publish it on IMDb) as I don't have a second note about this order I had from the former Israeli production company of the Second Season.
But if I can have a confirmation, I will publish it. You'll be very surprised by the order CBS gave to Season 2 as well !! They really did a bad choice airing the episodes completely disorganized like that... The only thing that is confirmed is that episode #2.14 (the second shot in 1992) is "The Last Of The Magnificent" ! (And it was aired... one year later by CBS !!!). For Season 2 : 12 episodes were shot in 1991 and 10 in 1992. The episode #2.14 was shot in the desert of SINAÏ from February 4 to 14, 1992. The previous episode, #2.13 - "White Hot" was the first half-Season's episode shot middle of January 1992 in Jerusalem. Hope it helped ! But I don't have a production Season's Guide for Season 3...
I'm glad if I made "a Tropical Heat fan very happy" ! Again, Thank You very much.

[–] RikerDonegal 8 years ago

No worries. The s1 list will keep me going for a while. Soon be time to watch another one.

http://abriefingwithmichael.tumblr.com/