I Spy

The series was also unique in that star Robert Culp routinely wrote, and sometimes directed, episodes of the show. solarhotwatersystem.net Bill Cosby won three Emmy Awards for his role as the wise and witty Rhodes Scholar-secret agent Alexander Scott. The show was a huge international hit that piggybacked off of the success of the James Bond film series.

It is an old saying that a pebble can start an avalanche---keeping with that metaphor, this show had an effort more like a large boulder. A smart, articulate, black hero, who as a bonus was both funny and patriotic. There is great value in puncturing stereotypes, and this show both did that and reduced the fear of the other. In addition to Bill Cosby's Alexander Scott, it provided roles for a large number of black actors (at a time of almost no blacks on television) as both heroes and villains---and even the villains challenged stereotypes. If Alexander Scott had been merely deadly and tough (which he also was) then it would not have done much to reduced fear of the different. But Scotty was funny, likable, and absolutely trustworthy---someone everyone could be comfortable with. Cosby has gotten a lot of grief---both on I Spy and his later shows-- for not being "black enough" in speech patterns or other ethnic cultural identifiers. Particularly in 1965, being non-racial (which in fact a lot of people are) was a more powerful statement.As a bonus the show is funny, as well as reasonably smart and nuanced for the genre. It also was willing to show communists as bad guys---something even James Bond films were too cowardly to do.:-) Let me add to the call from other posts ---- BRING ON SEASON THREE!!!

I am glad hulu.com is making I SPY available online. I get I SPY locally in North Carolina but with the Digital TV on windy days and most lately the reception has been bad. So I am able to watch the ones I have missed.Great Show - highly recommended.Maybe Hulu.com will get some other classic spy shows. Some of the best were Secret Agent Man, Mission Impossible, The Avengers, and The Man From Uncle as well as I SPY!Thanks Hulu.com! :)