Shark Bytes

Ok, so there's this millionaire 'odd couple'; one a blunt self-made American, the other a refined blue-blood Brit, and they kind of go around solving mysteries and fighting crime, bantering all the way. With such a suspiciously lame premise and a preponderance of familiar faces from UK TV, this one smacks a bit of 'jobs for the boys (and girls)'. Check the guest stars and you'll find that lots of old luvvies from the English thesp set earned a paycheck out of this one. Looking like the Saint gone to seed (he can barely control all that trendy longish hair), Roger Moore was a quipper not a fighter (hence the lame 'Karate' moves in his Bond films), and indeed the name of the show well describes the level of 'action'. Not without its charms, but a Day One jump, mainly for lack of an interesting enough concept to build a satisfying show around.

Was good, entertaining (if unexceptional) throughout its run, so never actually jumped. The James Bond gag in "Chain of Events" arose because the episode was directed by Peter Hunt, who had helmed the 1969 Bond film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". When the briefcase is opened the movie tie-in edition of OHMSS is prominently visible. Moore has been on the shortlist to play Bond back in 1969 (and there was at least one news story that he had been signed) so that may have been part of the joke. There's an even eerier prophetic Bond moment in an episode of the Saint called "Luella" where Roger (as Simon Templar) gives his name to a secretary as "James Bond".

As I recall, "The Persuaders!" aired on ABC-TV during the 1971-72 season (I did not know that it originated on the BBC). For better or worse, this Tony Curtis/Roger Moore vehicle became part of ABC's "Let's make movie stars into TV stars" season; Shirley MacLaine ("Shirley's World") and Anthony Quinn ("The Man and the City") also had TV series on ABC that season. The concept of teaming two actors based on their movie marquee appeal did not appeal to me. Couple that move with a deadly time slot (Saturdays at 10pm, opposite the then-popular "Mission: Impossible") and you have a show that was doomed to failure. I have since watched parts of "The Persuaders!" on BBC America and found it somewhat amusing, but I still can't shake those rumors that Curtis and Moore were barely on speaking terms during the run of the series. I guess ABC bought it in part because it was already in production, like "The Avengers".

I don't think any of you out there knows about this: the show was actually a major success in Germany. The number one reason for this was the synchronization - when translating it, they turned it into an incredibly funny show, while managing not to cut back on the storyline. Curtis and Moore rule, as do the episodes and the special atmosphere!

Didn't jump. Got cancelled due to huge budget per episode (approx. 100,000 Pounds each)! If it stayed on, Roger Moore wouldn't have gotten the gig as 007. Speaking of Bond, James Bond, I saw the episode "Chain of Events", the bad guy fakes out the good guys with a phony briefcase. When it gets opened, all that's in it is a collection of James Bond novels!!! I don't know if Moore and the producers knew he'd be Bond in 1973, but it was an interesting moment. BBC America shows The Persuaders (along with The Avengers and The Saint) on Friday nights.

"The Persuaders" never jumped! A big budget, well-written and wonderfully acted show that somehow serves as the bridge between the 1960s "Spy Craze" and the funky 1970s detectives. The early 1970s has always seemed to be a little bit of 1960s and not quite 1970s. A VERY weird time! It's great to watch Moore and Curtis, who obviously had a lot of fun working together and wearing those cuhraaaazy clothes! I also get a kick out of Roger's long hair and Tony's mutton-chop sideburns. "The Persuaders" has become my favorite show only recently because I was too busy being born when it originally aired, and only saw it fleetingly about five years ago-the episode I recall from then was "A Home of One's Own." This show was the best!

This never jumped. I just bought the entire series on DVD and my sister and I have watched an episode a day for the last few weeks and it's still as good as the day we first watched it. Sure, the fashions and the sets have dated but they are a product of their time so suit the show. But, the thing that is so good about the show is the GREAT relationship between Tony Curtis and Roger Moore. They are just perfect together - they gel exactly right. The playful banter and ribbing that they give each other is really very funny and both men have such terrific senses of humour that we've been creased up laughing at them. What wonderful fun. And the quality of the DVDs is crystal clear, too. (Ref. to the above poster - today we watched the episode where the men played their female relatives. Roger Moore played his great aunt who was stone deaf and Tony Curtis played a relative called Mrs Schwartz - his own name - being set up on a blind date. The only quibble about that was that the closing shot of Tony done up in drag was only for a fraction of a split second and we don't really get a good look at him, whereas Roger got a whole scene in which to look an ox of a lass.)

I saw the first episode on TV Heaven and enjoyed it, and a few years later Channel 4 started a complete rerun, but I gave up after a few episodes because it got a bit samey.

this show never jumped. it couldnt. when you have 2 smooth operators like roger moore and tony curtis how could it ever? i was surprised and pleased when i saw you had this show listed.i don't know anyone outside my immediate family who has ever seen this. my god i loved it

It never jumped. I picked up style tips from this show when I was supposed to be studying for my end-of-school exams. I flunked (relatively speaking) but don't regret a thing. The self-made man and the indolent aristocrat combine to chase tail (and solve mysteries) up and down the French Riviera. Lessons for life here. Learned later that Curtis was regularly snorting coke AND heroin around this time. In keeping with the character, really.

Well first of all, I'm surprised I wasn't the only one who watch this Brit show. I was ten when I first caught it, and just like the other person said, I thought it was the coolest way to live (gils, gambling, cocktails, a Dino Ferrari..) I recently saw a few shows on the Action Channel and still enjoyed them, although unfortunately not with the same eyes of a 10 year old.

I don't remember this show ever jumping. I recall it was very tongue in cheek, with a lot of winking at the audience. My only specific memory after all this time is of one episode's finish when Curtis & Moore had their mothers come over. The moms were played, of course, by Curtis & Moore in drag.

I loved this show when it first aired in 1971. I was 13, and thought that this is the way to live if you're a man and single; lots of gorgeous women, playing detective, a best friend you barely tolerate. Then I turned 14, the show started a second season, and something went amiss. Poorer scripts? Actors tired of their roles? Myself growing up? Not sure, it was too long ago, but the show definitely jumped.