If writers ruled the world, they would maintain total creative control of their work from the page to the screen. For the majority of writers, this is not that world. Countless writers see their precious creations distorted in ways untrue to their characters or that just don’t live up to their visions. Most would argue, those are just the lucky ones. Mickey Spillane, however, would call those writers chumps. After seeing his iconic hardboiled detective Mike Hammer brought to life in films like Kiss Me Deadly, Spillane grew agitated with iterations of his hero he viewed as less than perfect. Instead of just cashing the checks, he took up the mantle of Mike Hammer himself. However, before he did that, TV audiences got two seasons of 39 episodes each. Mickey Spillane might not have been satisfied himself, but for everyone else it’s a pretty enjoyable mystery series, overshadowed only slightly the series which came later on where Stacy Keach played the iconic role.
Each week, audiences were treated to a gritty detective mystery led capably by Darren McGavin as the titular hero. By no means did he do a poor job playing the part, but it’s not impossible to understand how Spillane might have been less than thrilled with the somewhat neutered TV approach to the hero, where much of the swagger and cynicism is dialed down in favor of cranking out a weekly 26-minute mystery accessible to the universal 1958 viewing public.
The episodes look pretty great for their age and there’s not a single episode whose quality has suffered to a level detrimental to the viewing experience.
DVD Bonus Features
There are no extras, but if you’re a big fan of Mike Hammer or Mickey Spillane, you should pick up the Criterion Collection edition of Kiss Me Deadly which has tons of extra content about Spillane and his work.
"Mike Hammer: The Complete Series" is on sale September 20, 2011 and is not rated. Crime, Mystery. Directed by Richard Irving, Boris Sagal. Written by Mickey Spillane. Starring Darren Mcgavin.
