Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Forgotten TV: BUFFALO BILL (1983-84)



BUFFALO BILL was on TV for a year and a half in the mid eighties. Dabney Coleman played an egotistical, often obnoxious, TV show host. Geena Davis and Joann Cassidy also starred. If you prefer likable characters, this was not the show for you. Obviously Brandon Tartikoff did not because he cancelled the show precipitously and has said it was his biggest mistake . This show was copied by THE LARRY SANDERS show a few years later. Loved both of them but found BUFFALO BILL a bit more lovable due to his buffoonish antics.  Coleman never quite found the perfect vehicle for his talents. A shame.

14 comments:

George said...

I liked BUFFALO BILL, too. But its quirky plots and Coleman's acerbic humor isn't for everyone.

mybillcrider said...

Great show. Loved Geena Davis.

Anonymous said...

I must admit, I knew about this show, but never saw it...

Todd Mason said...

I'd suggest SLAP MAXWELL was similar and even better.

Sergio (Tipping My Fedora) said...

I do remember watching a few of these at the time - wow, that is going back a bit though, I've seen LARRY SANDERS much more recently though so much admit, sticks much more int hemmer. Were Coleman and David slightly reprising their roles from TOOTSIE do you think?

Gerard said...

I bought the DVD set for my library nine years ago but it has only gone out 28 times.

Tony Brubaker said...

Max Wright is a fairy, the bloody dirty little poof.

Debbie Rochon said...

Patti, what about "The Slap Maxwell Story" (1987) that was Dabneys finest hour and even more suited to his 'unique talents' than "Buffalo Bill".

Tony Brubaker said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
pattinase (abbott) said...

Tony-but you were subbing your words for mine. And the only thing you ever talked about was sexual,in nature. Ju

Tony Brubaker said...

Patti, i now realise that this is very much "a nice blog", most of the other blogs i visit and leave comments on are a thousand times more vitriolic and offensive than I supposedly am. You can turn the comment moderation off again, i wont bother you anymore. I still like you and this blog though. Once again my apologies.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Thanks, Tony. And if you ever want to join in the discussion in a friendly way, I will gladly post your comment.

Dana King said...

I was a big fan of both of Coleman's shows. He was perfect, but the shows were ahead of their time. He'd have been the biggest star on television had either of these been on the air ten or fifteen years later.

Graham Powell said...

I think it was not this series but Slap Maxwell, but there's a scene where Coleman comforts a young boy by telling him about the time his (Coleman's) dog died. At the end the boy says, "But you got over it, right?"

Coleman looks at him and says, "Never."

Just a perfect little scene. You're right about Coleman, he never found the right vehicle. Much like Charles Grodin, though he had Midnight Run.