Happy Anniversary!

Today is the second anniversary of this blog! It’s hard to believe it’s been going that long.

It’s been such an intriguing two years of rediscovery. I’ve gone from detesting Deputy Sampson to adoring him, and from hating season 9 to being fascinated by its merits (for the most part). I’ve become familiar with many of television’s classic character actors and can now recognize them the moment they appear, on Perry or other shows. I’ve examined writing for the Perry characters in quite a few strange adventures. And through my interest in Perry actors, I’ve discovered many new and wonderful television series and some movies.

I’m wondering what the next year of the blog will bring, Perry-wise. I want to keep discovering the uncut episodes and post about what’s missing from the syndication versions. It will be a bittersweet moment when I’ve seen every available uncut episode.

I will most likely start posting about the television movies every now and then. And according to MeTV’s current schedule, the first two weeks of their “Made-for-TV Movie” deal on Friday nights will be devoted to two of the Perry television movies. Unfortunately, it looks like they will not be airing anything in any particular order, but if the movies don’t follow a timeline I suppose that doesn’t really matter.

The first one that they will air will appear on September 6^th. It’s from 1989. I will try to see the very first television movie, from 1985, before that time and post about it.

I know I want to keep writing fiction about the characters. The other day I was thinking I’d like to do at least one piece, maybe more, from Sergeant Brice’s point-of-view. I really like him, the quiet policeman whose presence is usually taken for granted. He’s a calming presence, an old, familiar friend who is there through all the changes in the police department. No matter who takes the main reins, Sergeant Brice is always there to help him out.

And I still have to figure out how to resolve the tangled mess of The Malevolent Mugging. I know exactly what the problem is, which is that while I knew what I wanted the bad guys to focus on doing to Amory in the second half of the story, I don’t really know why they’re doing it. I did a version of this storyline in a role-play in the past, but the motivation in it won’t work for the story version. So I’m puzzling over that.

I’m also wondering how Deputy Sampson’s past will connect with everything. I know that it’s supposed to; I didn’t just throw it in there in order to show my imagined backstory for him. (Even though I was excited to share it!) Part of me had considered that maybe the missing boy should turn up as the Big Bad of the criminal organization they’re fighting, but I don’t really want to do that. It would be too sad, and Sampson would definitely blame himself for the kid getting off on such a wrong path. I have another, cheerier idea that I will probably use instead, a ray of hope in the middle of their drastic problems. Or, on the third hand, I might not bring the boy into it at all, but leave his whereabouts a mystery and just focus on Warner Griffith being bent on revenge over the disappearance.

For this week, I’m wondering what I can do that’s different and unique for the William Talman and Wesley Lau memorial tributes on the 30^th. I have at least one idea, but I don’t know if it will work out.