Another from bland land of formula TV

Press, 18 December 1985, Page 18

Another from bland land of formula TV

F

Ian Hutchison

It’s all sun, fun and guns in the private detective world of “Riptide.” It is another one of those American action-adventure programmes, so similar in formula to others that it makes one think they are all penned by the same person. Whoever this person is, he or she is about as original as navel fluff. Indeed, he or she may not even be a person. He or she might be a computer! Somewhere, someplace in the bowels of the American dream machine, there sits a computer specially programmed to punch out print-outs of scripts which conform to the current tried and true formula of action-

adventure television series.

By all accounts “Riptide” is another of its bland products. The evidence is as

overwhelming as the smell of rotten eggs. Take helicopters for example. “Magnum P.l.’s” T.C. has one. “The A-

Team’s” mad Murdoch has one and A. J. and Rick of “Simon, and Simon” will no doubt soon be putting an order in.

As decreed by the computer, “Riptide” has one too. Admittedly, it is not the same as the others. It is a sort of pink flying elephant. No matter which way you look at it, though, it is not — which is a pity. At least flying around in a pink elephant would have been original. Helicopters (and no doubt flying pink elephants too) require pilots, and the best pilots, of course, are exVietnam. Indeed, almost everybody in these series, including “Riptide,” are direct from the ex-Vietnam war shop. They must be doing a roaring business. It is the season of celebration — of old wars lost especially. Following the formula, “Riptide’s” heroes are your run-of-the-mill regular looking hunks. They have broad shoulders, square jaws and

all their own teeth. The exception is Murray. As a main character and a “man,” he is a wimp. He

eats quiche, wears 'Clark Kent glasses, falls over a lot and laughs in such an original and endearing way that it almost saves “Riptide” from the bland land of formula telvision — almost, but not quite. What is needed is for the plug to be pulled on the computer. In another genre, the “cops ’n robbers” genre, the programme catching the eye and pulling the ear at the moment is “Miami - Vice.” It is far and away the best thing of its kind on television at present It is a veritable banquet of visual delights. One can quite happily just feast on th colours alone. The juxtaposition and contrast of pink, yellow, orange and green pastels within the frame is a constant source of pleasure. In addition, there is a great range of fashion

clothes to enjoy. They are exotic and sensuous. So too is the programme’s sets and decor. Everything shines, gleams and glistens in a high fashion way which only money can buy. And everybody has the good looks of fashion models (you need them to wear the fashion clothes properly.) Enhancing and celebrating this sensuous environment is the “arty” camera composition. Everything is framed as though it were to be hung. Every scene, every shot is composed as though it were an artistic statement on its own (some of which occasionally are). For these with particularly voracious appetites, there is also the music to revel in. It is contemporary, main-line stuff, hurling the Show along at a speed which surpasses supersonic. In aural terms, it is as sensuous as the visuals.

Needless to say, the programme is very slickly put together. It is a fine example of the extended video clip. It is a . programme which foregrounds the visual and the aural. It is a programme where form surpasses and overcomes content. As such, it is a telvision hedonist’s delight and nothing more.