Absolutely amazing

A Brilliant Conflict

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Previous to Charlie's Angels the only female private detective I recall from television was Honey West with Anne Francis. Anne was certainly a sight to behold, but the male of the species got to gawk at three lovely beauties, all working for the never seen Charlie but with the voice of John Forsythe issued them their weekly case.Only Jaclyn Smith lasted the entire run of the show of the original female operatives. Kate Jackson and Farrah Fawcett were the other two original angels. Farrah was the breakout star, I can well remember that any kid whose hormones started to speak to him spoke the name of Farrah Fawcett. So what did she do but leave the show after one season for a career that never quite got off the ground. Proof of that her Jill Monroe character was guaranteed two or three guest appearances in succeeding years.Other angels included Shelley Hack, Cheryl Ladd and Tanya Roberts. The only other regular was David Doyle as Bosley who functioned like Higgins did for Robin Masters on Magnum, PI. I'm convinced Bosley was gay or he would have made some kind of move on one of the angels.Charlie's Angels featured beautiful women who competed and well in a man's game of private detective. I don't think Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler or Mickey Spillane ever figured on PIs like these.

Three beautiful women (Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith and Farrah Fawcett) are the only employees of a detective agency run by the unseen Charlie (voice of John Forsythe) and his helper Bosley (David Doyle). Every week these women went out to solve laughably obvious crimes and never break a nail or get one hair out of place. Just like real life huh?:) This came on TV when I was in high school and it was trashed (for good reason) by the critics but was a HUGE hit. The ratings went through the roof and this started the Farrah Fawcett phenomenon of the late 1970s. Also, for its time, this was pretty sleazy. The women all wore very tight and/or revealing outfits and in one episode ("Angels in Chains") they were sent to a prison camp, forced to strip and sprayed with disinfectant! There was a huge outrage over this show but the rating were incredibly strong. It was also originally broadcast at 10:00 at night so the kids couldn't see it (I was 14 and I remember being angry that I couldn't watch). However the series toned down the scripts and it was put on at 9:00 with (I believe) the second season.Now this show WAS sexist to a ridiculous extreme but it did show strong female characters solving crimes each week. Of course they used every opportunity they had to get them in bikinis too:) Fawcett walked out after the first season (to become a movie star--which never happened) and was replaced by Cheryl Ladd. Then Jackson was fired (she rightfully complained that the scripts were "sh*t") and was replaced by Shelley Hack. Then SHE was fired and Tanya Roberts stepped in. By the time Roberts joined the series was seriously dying in the ratings and was cancelled right after.I watched it every week for the first few seasons. Being a closeted gay teenager I wasn't watching it for the women or the acting (which was terrible) or the scripts (pretty bad). But the show was beautiful to look at and was pleasant in a no-brain sort of way. You could relax for an hour and not think at all:) But, after Hack joined, the series just got dull. This was not Hack's fault--the scripts just got plain boring! I stopped watching around then--that's around the time the ratings dropped steeply. They tried to pump life into the series by introducing another detective agency run by Toni (Barbara Stanwyck) and she has three hot guys solving crimes! However that was only for one episode. Also this is known as starting "jiggle" TV. So I won't say this is any masterpiece but it was fun to watch.

By far, 3 of the baddest women of the seventies. They were endlessly amazing, from their ability to perform whatever undercover occupation they were given, to staying beautiful throughout all the fights. There was amazing things about all of them, how Kelly always managed to have that tiny camera that took pictures of everything, how Jill's hair never lost it's curls, how Sabrina's voice managed to crack in a funny, cool way. Sabrina was the intellectual , charismatic angel, there was no way you could hate Sabrina Duncan, they were all smart but she was the brightest one, her brains got them out of many troubles. Like in Angels in Chains, it was her idea to pour the gasoline to confuse the dogs. Kelly was the sweet, streetwise angel, she grew up in an orphanage and knew every trick in the book, including how to get to an informant. Like in Dirty Business, she had the guy making the Little Bo Peep porn eating out of her hands. Jill was the beautiful, athletic angel, like in Angels on Wheels, and numerous other episodes like Ladykiller, and The Mexican Connection, she was pure athleticism and breathtakingly beautiful. They were smart, resourceful women who weren't just beautiful, they were smart and efficient, and they always got their man(or woman). I think my favorite part of the show was when that "de de de deeee" music would play, that would signal that you have been had by an angel. I have most of the episodes on DVD. The movie was okay, but Barrymore, Diaz, and Liu don't do these women justice.

Charlie's Angels has always been and will continue to be my favorite TV show. A show with females in the lead as detectives? Flipping their hair, wearing fabulous clothes and being desired by men every week? I got it. Okay, now let's get down to the nitty gritty. By far and large most mild or avid "Angels" fans will fight tooth and nail defending seasons 1 - 3. These seasons starred Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett-Majors ( as she was known then ), Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd. Get over yourselves. These seasons felt so typical to me. Almost cookie cutter. Farrah ( my least favorite Angel ) was bubbly but in an annoying, nails on a chalk board way. Kate was far too masculine-esqe for the show. I am all for not wanting to be a bikini clad bimbo but c'mon. Cheryl Ladd never really gelled until season 4. With Kate out of there she had more of a chance to shine. Jaclyn Smith grew as an actress and was so gracious, lovely, composed, elegant and focused. Season 4 & 5 introduced my favorite Angels. The cultured, intelligent, tough, classy and gorgeous Shelley Hack ( Tiffany Welles ) and the even tougher, sexy, street raised and and flame-haired Tanya Roberts ( Julie Roberts ). These two are always put down, overly criticized or just plain forgotten. Neither were to blame for the downfall of the series. The show by the end of the 3rd season was down to the Top 30 and slipping. This was before Tiff & Julie joined rank. The shotty, poor, cringe enducing scripts and poor management of the show are to blame. Even Jaclyn and Cheryl have gone on record numerous time defending Shelley. As she seems the most beaten up. Some say she took the show to serious. When in reality it was the opposite. She didn't look at the show with such grandiose ideas like everyone else. Personally, I preferred the class and sass of Shelley & Tanya. They beat the stereo-type of the initial Angels. And also with Tanya the producers finally got the brunette, blonde & red-head they had wanted since the conception of the show. I ask you to take an unbiased look back at seasons 4 - 5. There are many wonderful qualities you may have missed.