Customer Reviews

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), Set 1

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Welcome to the world of Randall and Hopkirk, Deceased. I can remember when I was very small how this series was once ran on my local TV station in the States as My Partner, The Ghost. At the time it seemed very somber and I can remember feeling a little uneasy from the general mood of each episode.....ok, I was scared. Boy, I never knew how good I had it until I purchased the first volume of this treasure trove! R&H is an interesting alternative to the other popular series of the time such as the Avengers, the Prisoner (despite its mere 17 episode run), I Spy, and the Man From U.N.C.L.E. For my money it's also got the coolest theme song going-but then I'm prejudiced in favor of the harpsichord. I think what set this series apart was the seedy approach it took to fighting crime. For the most part, the villains are not megalomaniacal masterminds trying to deep-six their own country. These guys usually go the route of murder and the stakes are usually some small financial potatoes, relatively speaking. Also, our heroes are always just barely making ends meet; they always seem to find another case just in the nick of time to avoid bankruptcy for another episode. Additionally, the character of Jeff Randall is more of an anti-hero than anything else-his priorities are money, women, and keeping the job afloat; somewhere in there is a sense of justice mixed in, but it's very low on the priority scale! But in my opinion, the nervous, anxiety-fueled character of Marty Hopkirk (played by Kenneth Cope) and how he interacts with his live partner, Jeff, as well as deals with the day-to-day stresses of the job (such as murder!) is what drives this series. Need other reasons to try this series? How about the pristine transfer! I agree with the Great Lakes reviewer that Marty the ghost is sometimes difficult to see, but that could've just been because of back-then production shortsightedness. There are extras: a cool picture gallery, and a nice little History Channel ditty. A&E get a truckload of thanks for championing this forgotten series and giving it the resurrection it so richly deserves! Now about the Night Stalker series?????

Has anyone bought this that didn't have vague fond memories of watching this (My Partner the Ghost) as a child? I too am in that boat.
I feared watching this might spoil my memories. Fortunately I find I had fine taste as a youngster, because this show was very enjoyable as an adult. This time around it seemed less eerie, and was more nostalgic, campy fun.
This is the story of a pair of detectives, Jeff and Marty, one of whom is murdered on a case. Thankfully the only sad part in the series happens right away. Marty promptly returns to help Jeff, and also keep an eye on his widow Jeannie, now working in the office with Jeff. Naturally part of the fun is that only Jeff can see Marty (with a couple rare exceptions).
The premise holds up, thanks to actors who seem to have just the right touch, and the show is as entertaining as it sounds.
The stories are all pretty light, even when murder is involved. The plots are kind of small-potato Avengeresque. A plotting, sinister, bad-guy taking over an inheritance, rather than a mad/sinister agency attempting to take over the world.
The fact that one of the private detectives is a ghost leaves an anything-can-happen feel. While a lot of far-out adventures occur, it never goes beyond the great-beyond for supernatural storylines. In other words, they don't get into sci-fi (aliens), or horror movie type(vampires) plots. It happily sticks to a private-eye mystery show with a fun twist.
I enjoyed this as much as when I caught some Ellery Queen and Banacek re-runs a few years back (other long-lost childhood detective heroes).
I have seen this was released in England as an entire set of 26 episodes. We know the next 13 are out there, so come on A&E, put them out already.

Where is Set 2? This series brings back many memories when it aired as My Partner the Ghost in the states years ago. I would complete the collection. I don't really know why, but I thoroughly enjoy watching these episodes repeatedly.

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased),known as My Partner The Ghost in the US, is an off beat British TV series that ran for 26 episodes in 1969-1970. Starring a cast of relative unknowns it aired originally to mostly indifference before quietly being cancelled. But like many things re-runs of the show fuelled an interest that turned it into something approaching "cult" status, (although I don't share quite that level of enthusiasm)

Jeff Randall and Marty Hopkirk are two financially struggling private investigators in London. In the first episode Marty Hopkirk is murdered, giving rise to the basic premise of the show. He returns at intervals,now in white suit, invisible and inaudible to only Randall. Now, ghosts appearing to only the main character are not really a totally original idea in drama or comedy, but ghosts appearing to private investigators in swinging '60s London, yes that's original!

Perhaps the main flaw is that Randall& Hopkirk (Deceased) is neither a drama or a comedy, it treads the middle ground but it doesn't really excel at either. Admittedly I found the episode where Randall is held at a psychiatric hosptial and hypnotised quite amusing, but don't expect Monty Python here. The drama too is somewhat predictable after the first epeisode; Randall is called upon to investigate some "shady" dealings with somewhat cheesy villains, or gets involved in it accidentally, there's a bit of dialog, a bit of action, a bit of sexual tension with Hopkirks widow (well,maybe it's a all a bit too wholesome to read much into that!), Marty shows up at various points and almost invariably uses his "ghostly" powers to help Randall out of trouble. Of course a lot of shows follow formulas (wasn't Star Trek about beaming down to planets, Kirk snogging alien women, the guys in red shirts getting wasted and Bones commenting on the current vitality of prone figures?) And for the mystery side, well it's probably closer to the Hardy Boys than Columbo.

To me, the main appeal of the series is,and I know this might a bit harsh, in it's "kitsch" factor. Even when they showed this series back in 1988 a big part of the appeal was in seeing what things were like back then."Hey look at the cars with square edges! Look at the London streets, look at the suits, the terrible hairstyles, the weird interior decorating. Tape to tape recorders? Groovy!" It does a sort of naive escapist charm to it if you're in the right mood but it's largely a sense of nostalgia for a long gone era that makes me want to watch this series. It's not in a kind of sniggery Austin Powers way though, having just missed the 1960s by 2 weeks, it's genuinely interesting to see what I missed!

I first watched this series known as "My Partner The Ghost" on channel Nine in Los Angeles in the mid seventies. I was thrilled to finally find it and purchase for viewing. Not only is it entertaining, it is a historic representation of London in the late sixties.

This was one of my favorite shows from the 60's, and I bought Set 1 as soon as it was released, and have been waiting somewhat impatiently ever since for Set 2. When is A&E going to grace us with the rest of the series?

But where is the rest of it? Delightful British import from the late 60's, an adventure detective show that is also funny, sweet and sad all at once. I purchased set 1 a few weeks ago and have watched several episodes over and over again. It holds up very well for a 30+ year old program. So, A&E, where is Set 2??!!

Lisa

I remember this series fondly as "My Partner the Ghost" on TV in the early 1970's. Watching these episodes brings back great memories--though I originally watched them on a black and white TV. Some of the episodes are great (the mind-reader episode, for example) while others are cute but not compelling. The color on these DVDs is superb, and the clarity is very sharp. Therein, however, lies one problem: the picture is so bright and sharp that one will want to adjust his or her TV to soften the picture. In fact, the contrast is so severe that in most scenes Marty's white suit seems just a white blur. Also, in one scene Jeanie is wearing a bright yellow outfit that looks like a yellow blob--only when she turns sideways do you notice the front of the dress has buttons. That said, this is a MINOR problem which is quite easy to ignore, as flesh tones are not affected. The acting is top notch by both the 3 principals and the extras--and look for actors that pop up in other later Britcoms such as "Are You Being Served." All in all, this is a great set of DVDs of a beloved show far too long unavailable in the US. It gets only 4 stars due to the intense brightness and sharpness of the picture, but some will prefer the wonderful picture clarity/sharpness. Lets all hope that the last 13 episodes will be issued soon. Thank you, A&E!

I hadn't thought about Randall & Hopkirk (deceased) for about 25 plus years.
Then I see it has been released as a DVD set.
I am thrilled.
I have so many great memories of this show in the early 1970's.
In my area, it was on Channel 40, WHYN TV either on Saturday or Sunday. It was re-named "My Partner, the Ghost", in the USA.
The "main title" the music were terrific.
Since we had black & white television, I have never seen this in color.
I hope to own this DVD set in the near future.
As I recall the two men were quite clever, and the show was full of fun & wit.
For us Americans, this was one great British Invasion~

Randall and Hopkirk is a real gem of the 60's Brit TV. Good scripts, funny situations and actors, lovely Anette André, just pure magic. Bad transfer, special effects dated, but who cares?
I don't understand why it didn't have a second season.