oprlvr33 We watched this on the new cable as kids, and loved every moment. What prepubescent kid didn't. Parker Stevenson and teen-idol Shaun Cassidy in the boy-detective lead roles of Frank and younger brother Joe. Then soon introducing the Poseidon Adventures, Pamela Sue Martin as Nancy Drew. It all worked and flowed brilliantly. Parker was already a seasoned young actor, and Shaun played his own role well. Not to mention the Powers included his vocal talents later into the series. The guys played well off each other. And when coupled with Nancy on certain episodes, the three truly meshed. Watching it today as an adult, most of the episodes flow decently enough, though some scenes or dialogue appear to drag in certain places. But that may well have been the original editing. Overall, this classic '70s series has retained its original charm, and is well worth watching and re-watching.

AaronCapenBanner That opening credits theme and use of books, then later a maze, is most effective in introducing this series of updated adaptations of Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew books. Nancy Drew having been filmed before in the late 1930's with Bonita Granville in a series of four films. Parker Stevenson, Shaun Cassidy, and Pamela Sue Martin were good choices for the title characters. The first season was quite good, especially Nancy Drew: 'The Mystery Of Pirate's Cove' was best.Second season was where things went wrong, especially for poor Nancy! First, the creators decided to team them up in a pair of silly episodes; when Pamela Sue Martin abruptly quit the series as a result, since she was credited as "guest star" on a series as much hers as theirs!(Wow!) She was then recast(!) with another actress, who tried, and was pretty, but looked nothing like Pamela, so that became a big mistake...Not to mention Nancy's friend George was recast, and not only was her other friend Ned recast, he was reintroduced as if he never existed before! (Huh?) I hate it when producers think we viewers are dummies with no memories! Third season dropped Nancy altogether, and didn't last long. Whole series is on DVD, and is worth watching for the first year, and nostalgic reasons.

Edward Brian Looking back at the Hardy Boys episodes, it is amazing that they could get by with such poor scripts and mediocre acting. But one has to remember that the entire success of these shows was based on the teen idol appeal of Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson. These boys weren't acting; they were performing acts of S & M (standing and modeling). As long as those blow-dried, pouffed-out hair don'ts were perfect with every hair in place, nothing else mattered. It is amusing to note that the boys still had perfect hair after deep sea diving, laying comatose in a hospital, and having the %$# kicked out of them. The vision of Shaun running through a fire engulfed room with soot on his face and perfect hair stretches credibility to the limit. What is even more ridiculous is how the Hardy Boys were crammed into very tight pants, leaving NOTHING to the viewers' imagination. Even the most brain-dead preteen could quickly figure out that Shaun dressed to the left and Parker dressed to the right. (And neither boy had anything to be ashamed of in that department.) The Nancy Drew episodes were less popular in their day, but the acting and writing was far superior to that of the Hardy Boys. Unable to play the teen idol card, Pamela Sue Martin actually had to act, and her talents in that department were almost as sizeable as what the Hardy Boys were not hiding in their pants. Pamela was also much less preoccupied with perfect appearance. She actually allowed her clothes to get dirty and her hair did occasionally get messed up. But Martin's most astounding feat was climbing up ladders, running down alleys, and jumping across rooftops in 3-inch heels. This makes her a much bigger super-heroine than Wonder Woman.

juho69 When I was eleven or twelve, I fell madly in love with The Hardy Boys! I was an avid fan of the television series starring Parker Stevenson and Shaun Cassidy. Recently, I have been able to enjoy the series again on American video.The series was based on the 'Hardy Boys' books by Franklin W. Dixon, although was largely updated for the 1970s. Frank and Joe Hardy were the eighteen- and seventeen-year-old sons of Detective Fenton Hardy (Edmund Gilbert). They lived in the fictional coastal town of Bayport in Massachusetts. Although both their parents featured in the books, in the t.v. series they had no mother and were cared for by their stern but loving Aunt Gertrude (Edith Atwater), their father's sister. In the first season of the series, the boys were still at school and most of the action took place in Bayport.(Also, their hair was shortest in this series and suited them best!) In the second season, the mysteries took them to more exotic locations such as Hong Kong, Acapulco and Africa. By the third series, the boys were in their early twenties and working for the F.B.I. They were joined on some mysteries by girl detective Nancy Drew (almost certainly the future Mrs. Frank Hardy), played first by Pamela Sue Martin, then by Janet Louise Johnson (whom I preferred). The casting of Parker Stevenson and Shaun Cassidy as Frank and Joe was near-perfect as they complemented each other handsomely (pun certainly intended!) Parker Stevenson as blue-eyed Frank was very much the leader, taking the initiative and making the decisions most of the time. He tended to be headstrong but was more reserved emotionally than his younger brother. Shaun Cassidy played Joe as tending to be in his elder brother's shadow and adopting a rather cynical view of matters. Although Joe generally conceded to Frank, he was more than capable of taking initiative and working independently (one example being his selfless rescue of a little girl from a fire in 'Arson and Old Lace'). He showed emotion more readily than Frank (such as in 'Dracula' when their father was seriously injured).Edmund Gilbert's role as Fenton Hardy tends to be overlooked although he was a real sweetie. He was dedicated to his work but always found time for his sons. Firm but benevolent, he admonished Frank and Joe when necessary but was equally ready to console them. The Hardy men made a very close family unit and I think this is what I liked most about the series. Most of the adventures featured Frank and Joe becoming involved in one of their father's cases. The Hardys were intensely loyal and were always there for each other. This was perhaps best shown by their mutual devastation and subsequent joy in the episode 'Sole Survivor' from the second season. (It made me cry. Watch it to find out what happened!)After 'The Hardy Boys', Edmund Gilbert tended to be heard rather than seen in his acting career. During the 1980s and 1990s, he voiced dozens of films and t.v. programmes. He died from lung cancer in May 1999 aged sixty-seven. Parker Stevenson has continued to appear in films and t.v. series, including as Craig Pomeroy in 'Baywatch'. He was married to Kirstie Alley and they had two children. Shaun Cassidy acted and sang for a while before turning to producing and writing. He has married three times and has four children.Although it looks rather dated now, 'The Hardy Boys' is still a most enjoyable adventure series to watch. The plots were well thought out, combining action, mystery, emotion, a little romance, good supporting roles and, often, twists at the end. And - Parker Stevenson and Shaun Cassidy had such lovely smiles and were just so CUTE!