Crap TV

America has a lot of TV. A stack. And just like in Australia, some of it is great, some of it is crap.

Those bad commercials that Clive James shows sometimes really do exist. One for "Instrumental Gold" had us alternately laughing and reaching for the barf bags.

One the best times we had was watching a really really bad cop show. It's been on in Australia, and I hope to see it again, it was such a laugh. The show is none other than "Walker, Texas Ranger".

Maybe I've been spoiled with good cop shows (such as Phoenix and The Bill) but this show appeared to fulfil just about every cop show cliche ever.

Chuck Norris plays Walker. He drives around in his pick-up truck taking on armed crims single-handed, not even calling for backup when he gets into a car chase. Rather than end in a crash like most real car chases do, the crims conveniently drive into a paddock and make a run for it. During a quick gun fight (in which none of the baddies bullets are able to penetrate the car door) Walker shoots one of them in the foot so he can be interrogated on the spot.

I don't remember the names of other major characters in this episode^*, but there was the evil politician who is determined to close down the Texas Rangers - until of course his daughter is kidnapped and they rescue her. There's the beautiful attorney who represents the Rangers and is probably shagging half of them between episodes. And there's Walker's partner, though they seem to spend very little time together.

So while the bumbling uniformed cops mess everything up, Walker, who has naturally been ordered off the case, ends up finding the crims, and using his ESP powers manages to find where the politician's daughter is hidden!

I'm definitely going to watch this show again when I need a good laugh.

^*(This episode was called "Deadline", shown 13 Apr 1996 according to the episode guide)

Staying with rellies

In-flight shopping

Toxic Custard Hits The States