Monday, November 05, 2018

Who won the battle of Kennesaw Mountain?


In the realm of copying, the television show "Amos Burke: Secret Agent" occupies an unusual place. The producers took an existent show,
Burke's Law, starring Gene Barry as Amos Burke, from a plotline involving a rich Los Angeles police captain to one involving the same character, now a "secret agent." Counting on the trend of popularity of other secret agent shows, including Man from U.N.C.L.E., the re-vamp, with the copied theme, quickly failed.
Going back to the fall 1965 TV schedule, Amos Burke (ABC) was on Wednesday at 10pm, opposite I Spy on NBC. The Wild Wild West, a spy show set in the 19th Century western US, was in the top 30 at 7:30pm on Friday, and Man from UNCLE was Friday at 10pm, and in the top 20. Get Smart, Saturday at 8:30pm, was also in the top 20, opposite Secret Agent. Honey West was Friday at 9pm.

In the episode -- Or No Tomorrow --, first aired December 15, 1965, Burke attempts to "test" the cover
of a fellow agent by asking "Who won the battle of Kennesaw Mountain," as if that question has a
definite and obvious answer. The questioned agent deflects by saying history is not her thing. The battle of Kennesaw Mountain saw more
Union than Confederate losses, but the Confederates were unable to stop Sherman from taking Atlanta, and marching to the sea. Maybe a tactical victory for the Confederates, but overall a loss. Contemplate also the Battle of Monocacy in Jubal Early's march to Washington.

In the previous episode -- The Man's Men --, Burke looks for a radioactive dye on suspects by using an infrared flashlight.
The show contains lines such as "I don't drink with lobbyists" and (of Washington DC) Truth is not the most popular commodity here. The villains, who all end up dead, are a lobbyist, a political columnist and a Senator's wife.

Although Amos Burke: Secret Agent died quickly, one of the last episodes of Burke's Law spun off Honey West. (Who Killed the Jackpot?)




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