"Remington Steele" (1982) TV series 1982-1987

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Creators:

Robert Butler
Michael Gleason

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

1 October 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

Before He Was Bond He Was...

Plot:

The cases of a female private detective partnered with a former thief who assumes the role of a fictitious detective in the business.

Plot Keywords:

Investigation | Private Investigator | Private Detective | Murder | Male Female Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Stephanie Zimbalist	...	Laura Holt (94 episodes, 1982-1987)
Pierce Brosnan	...	Remington Steele (94 episodes, 1982-1987)
Doris Roberts	...	Mildred Krebs (72 episodes, 1983-1987)

Runtime:

60 min (94 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-11 (DVD) (2006) | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

ABC Entertainment Center - 2040 Avenue of the Stars, Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

MTM Enterprises

Trivia:

During the run of the series, Pierce Brosnan was not only touted as the next James Bond, but he was also mentioned in published reports as being considered to star in a theatrical version of The Saint. This project never materialized.

Quotes:

Remington Steele: [while drunk] I rather enjoyed being a Peppler. Shame about the divorce, they were so good together, those two.
Laura Holt: They are, aren't they?
Remington Steele: Yes...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Nanny: The Car Show (#4.10)" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Theme for Laura

Wonderful Private Eye/Romantic Comedy, with Sparkling Brosnan Performance!

"Remington Steele" has become such a 'cult favorite' since it's 1982 debut that the show's many fans can recite episodes, plot lines, dialog, even the 'unrevealed' aspects of both Laura Holt and the mysterious Mr. Steele's past, and, amazingly, their futures, as well! For a show that some critics initially brushed off as a "Moonlighting" clone, the series has proved to be far more enduring, and beloved...with much of the credit going to the leads, beautiful and talented Stephanie Zimbalist, and the remarkable future 'James Bond', Pierce Brosnan. The premise of the show was clearly stated in the first season's opening credits; a brilliant young investigator, Laura Holt (Zimbalist), decides to start her own agency, but the era's chauvinistic attitude toward women prevents clients from hiring "a woman". So she invents a fictional 'boss', Remington Steele, brilliant, charismatic, but always busy on other cases, so potential clients would deal with his 'associate', Ms. Holt. The scheme works brilliantly, although, as the client list increased in stature, it became increasingly difficult to fend off their demands to meet Mr. Steele...and then HE appeared! A young, lean, enigmatic Irishman (Pierce Brosnan), initially involved in a smuggling operation (although on the "side of the Angels"), gets out of a difficult situation by declaring himself "Remington Steele", and quickly discovers the status (and available funds!) the 'Nom De Plume' gives him. Although Holt is initially furious at the pretender, an important client happily passes his business to 'Mr. Steele', and his physical 'presence', documented by the press, forces her to accept the mysterious stranger...on condition he NOT meddle in cases! Of course, the new Steele, whose passion is Classic Hollywood movies (as, indeed, Brosnan's was, as well), simply can't miss the chance to 'live out' the 'Film Noir Detective' lifestyle, creating a constant source of episode plot lines...and Holt and Steele would develop an increasingly romantic bond, as well, which would, eventually become a full-fledged romance. For many "Steele" fans, the first season's episodes are the most fun, with Brosnan less-than-competent as the master detective, Zimbalist displaying great comic timing in her reactions to his "successes", and James Read ("North and South", "Charmed"), providing a rugged sex appeal as her more dependable, skilled associate/'boyfriend'. But the Steele/Holt chemistry was so strong that Read would eventually be written out (as well as the two-dimensional secretary, Bernice Foxe, played by Janet DeMay), and a stronger character, motherly Mildred Krebs (the wonderful Doris Roberts), would be introduced as the new secretary/confidant, in the second season; her presence provided a stability that actually improved the show. So much has been written about the series, and so many legends surround it (the most famous being that NBC, on the verge of canceling the show after four seasons, upon hearing Brosnan had been chosen as the new James Bond in "The Living Daylights", quickly reprieved it for a season of 'made-for-TV' "Steele" movies, to take advantage of the publicity...costing Brosnan the 007 role, for a decade), that "Remington Steele" has achieved a fame that has far outlasted the series' five seasons. Certainly, the warmth and camaraderie of the cast and crew throughout the run made the production 'special' (unlike the frequently explosive atmosphere on the "Moonlighting" set), and there is ALWAYS talk of a 'reunion' show, reuniting Steele and Holt for a new adventure, even after a twenty-year 'retirement'! Not bad for a "Moonlighting" 'clone'!