Pour l'amour du risque

Maybe I'm easily pleased but Hart to Hart was a wonderful show. Perhaps I would only admit to watching it after drinking a huge quantity of beer but it was very watchable indeed.

The lovely Stefanie Powers was Jennifer Hart, Robert Wagner was Jonathan Hart. Their butler was Max played by the late Lionel Stander. Together, they travelled around the globe always attracting the attention of the wrong people. There was plenty of action and intrigue but despite all the danger, Jonathan and Jennifer loved each other and everything was held together by their butler Max.

It wasn't the best show ever but it'd be hard to find someone who didn't enjoy it.

Between the mostly comedic Moonlighting and the dark, gritty crime shows of the 21st century like CSI and Criminal Minds, crime series' like this portrayed the scathing wold of diabolical crime and murder without being too grim and intense, unlike crime shows of the past couple decades. Wagner's Jonathan Hart was a superhero level fighter, and also a refined gentleman, very manly, but too humble, dignified, and willing to show his feelings to be macho and Jennifer was just as plucky, self-reliant and quick-witted; the quips and cute jokes made this show much more lighthearted than other crime shows, especially today's. Their laid-back, fun-loving butler gave a good amount of the laughs with his comedic deliveries. They were very wealthy and lived a glamorous lifestyle but didn't lose sight of what mattered in life and wouldn't hesitate to help anybody. Which is why they were amateur detectives in the first place. Their wealth, plucky resourcefulness, and street smarts gave them clearance to go on any caper and often made them targets for the nefarious villains. I have wondered why they never had children, I did think that was somewhat sad: one time there was a young boy who claimed to be Jonathan's son, a situation that came together by one of Jonathan's old loves and an unstable father where they were both very kind, devoted and protective parents who grew attached to the boy in season 1. Another attractive quality of the show is their cute little shaggy dog and how he was written as one of the family and one of the detectives. Most shows don't seem to write animals as that versatile and central to the story unless the show is about the animal. The episodes write suspense together nicely with creepy two-faced characters and setups and the culprits evil deeds and preying so close by all the noble, likable heroes.

Robert Wagner (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me) "Jonathan Hart" the very nice looking self-made millionaire, with his beautiful wife "Jennifer Hart " Stefanie Powers (The Magnificent Seven Ride!) lived in this darling house along with a butler "Max," Lionel Stander (New York, New York). Max was a dream of a house caretaker, and a cook full of good intuition and love for Jennifer and Jonathan. I would welcome someone in my house like Max. He had initiative. Their cute little dog Freeway, was just adorable. The series started when I first got married and my husband and I loved watching it. I wanted to look at Jennifer's outfits, and somehow managed to get a small leather jacket like hers and was thrilled that I could dress like the millionaire Jennifer Hart. What I liked most about the show was how close the Harts were and also how very happily married. They knew each other extremely well and respected each others opinion. That is what I remembered the most about the series. The people they fought every time were incidental to the show to me, but my favorite part was to see such a happy and nice looking couple. The series was very well done full of beautiful places and beautiful people.

If you've read some of my other user comments, you'll quickly discover that Hart to Hart isn't the kind of thing I usually go for. But, surprisingly, the show works for me. A loving relationship, plenty of money, a wonderful house, nice cars, and a life filled with adventure and mystery - this is what has always drawn me to Hart to Hart.

At the heart of Hart to Hart is its two leads - Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Johnathan and Jennifer Hart. Has there ever been a more perfect television couple? It's easy to see that they were longtime friends in real life before the show started. They seem so natural together. Both are also accomplished actors and are capable of making even the most ridiculous of situations believable. And Lionel Stander as the butler, chauffeur, handyman, cook, and general do everything guy, Max, is also a real asset. Like Wagner and Powers, he came to the series with a long resume. It's a solid cast.

Looking back at some of the episodes, they may seem incredibly corny to those more accustomed to modern TV. Two people just don't find themselves in these kinds of predicaments week after week. One week you're running from drug smugglers, the next week your house is completely emptied by thieves, and the next you're recovering a priceless antique for a Buddhist temple. I could live a lifetime and never have one episode worth of the adventure the Harts experienced. And, you know what? - it's this implausibility that really makes the show work for me. I enjoy it because it is unrealistic and fanciful. Life is tough enough without having reality rear its ugly head disguised as entertainment on television. I love to turn on something like Hart to Hart (or Charlie's Angels or Wonder Woman or Banacek or whatever show you can name form this period) and be entertained, and, even for a brief moment, forget about the real problems we all face. I don't find today's reality-based television dramas entertaining - they're depressing to me.

My parents were the ones who introduced me to Hart to Hart, because they used to tape the show. It is really one of the better TV shows ever made. Shows nowadays are just really shallow. I don't agree with the fact that it's dated, because people can still relate to it, I think. Lionel Stander, as Max, is really one-of-a-kind, and adds a wonderful warmth to the screen.

Stephanie Powers and Robert Wagner make a great screen couple, and a spectacular team. Their chemistry is fantastic!

The only thing I don't think is good about Hart to Hart is the way Jennifer Hart depends on Jonathan so much, when she's in danger.