Awesome Movie

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

One of the "Wandering Hero" shows, "Stingray" had elements that made it truly unique and special. True the hero had the traditional skill set (combat expert, demolitions, etc.) and he traveled the country helping people, but the details of this show gave it a very unique "flavor". There was no (obvious) "fugitive-factor" (ie the A-team, the Pretender, etc), in fact, it seemed as if the main character (known simply as Ray) had semi-legitimate government connections. He traveled the country in a classic car helping people. His price: a favor. This was where the show really differed, because there would be people that he had helped before doing their favors in payment, which provided his resources.Unlike most of the action shows of the '80s, Stingray did not feature constant "big battles", although there were some, it was the character and his way of solving problems that made it really special. Kind of a cross between John Wayne, James bond, and a little of MacGyver. It's a show that would do well if redone.

One of the things I admired about the show was the quality of the scripts. Not only did the plots vary considerably as to genre (mystery, science fiction, crime drama, psychological drama) but there appeared to be a concerted effort to explore different writing styles and devices.For example: I recall one episode that was a 'Mission Impossible'-style caper with a unique twist-- the first half of the show was how the caper was SUPPOSED to come off, while the second half was how disastrously wrong it (nearly) turned out. Another show featured a mystery writer who appeared to write what was happening to Ray as it was happening-- that Ray's actions and the plot were under the writer's control, not Ray's.

This was one of my favorite shows. I guess I like stories in which the good guy always makes the "clever" bad guys look like idiots and still make it believable. But then, I'm very easily fooled and was more so when I was 25 and this show was new. Nick Mancuso was convincing and the co-stars were always experienced actors such as Robert Vaughn.

This show had a sleek, polished feel to it and was very artistic in its camera techniques, yet at the same time was accessible and fun. Ray was a very heroic figure and at the same time endearingly vulnerable. You knew if he were real you could trust him, and if you were female you hoped he might spend a little intimate time with you before disappearing again into his nameless existence. I hope desperately that someone will rerun the meager few shows that got made, but until then I cherish my few episodes on tape.