The 1960s seemed the era of "silly comedies". Shows that feature an idiot or idiots as main characters, they get themselves into mischief because of their naiveté, and get out of it due to pure luck. Officers Gunther Toody and Francis Muldoon of the 53rd Precinct in a little show called Car 54, Where Are You are no exceptions. Toody and Muldoon have hearts of gold, but little in their heads. Each episode seems to revolve around these two looking to do something nice for somebody, but there's always something they either overlook or don't know about, or somebody else interferes and blows it out of proportion, and the whole misunderstanding usually ends in the boys achieving their goal. Other characters on the show include Captain Paul Block, head of the 53rd, a man who strives to be recognized as the best police captain ever to don a badge, and he seems to only slightly tolerate Toody and Muldoon. Leo Schnauzer, one of the more sharper characters, in terms of both wit and brains, and of course, Toody's loud-mouthed, under-appreciated wife, Lucille. Schnauzer has an annoying wife too: Sylvia, who really loves to chew the scenery every time she's on screen.The premise of this show is supposed to be about two dumb guys, or rather one dumb guy and one who is not as dumb, but in fact, everybody is an idiot. This is never more clearly defined when there is an episode featuring Mrs. Bronson. Apparently the episode with her in the first season was so funny, they decided to repeat the premise twice in the second. Bronson is a woman who ignores what is said to her and instead preys upon her speaker's conscience. She is infuriating as a character, because it shows just how stupid everybody is, even more-so than Toody and Muldoon. Why did they think that concept was worth doing three times?! It was barely funny the first. Now despite their stupidity, Toody and Muldoon get the job done. They are portrayed as two of the nicest guys in New York, and given the reputation of the NYPD, it's nice to see a good side to them. They act how cops should: look to solve problems in ways that don't include brute force. However, most episodes of Car 54 don't really center around the boys doing police work...I guess that's why the title asks where Car 54 is. These two are usually trying to help a friend in need, trying to find a gift for Captain Block or Lucille, or try to solve a complicated case that's so simple a child could do it... in fact, there was an episode where one did!The series was created by Nat Hiken, who had just come off The Phil Silvers Show, or Bilko. Co-starring was Joe E. Ross who went on to play Toody on Car 54, opposite Fred Gwynne as Muldoon. Gwynne and co-star Al Lewis, who played Schnauzer, went on to The Munsters. Interesting bit of trivia there. Car 54 was decommissioned in 1963, because the premise was really wearing thin. The last few episodes of Season 2 were more annoying than funny and removed from any facet of reality. Then in 1994, some people thought it would be a good idea to make a movie out of it. And they did...and it sucked. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be a remake or continuation. Al Lewis re-prised his role of Schnauzer, opposite David Johanssen as Toody. No explanation is given whether or not this is the original Toody's nephew or the same character. If so, why is Schnauzer now old, and why is Anderson, a background cop in the first season, now captain? If this were a remake, they'd need a Captain Block to play off Muldoon and Toody. Regardless, the movie was god-awful, and I think Nat Niken, Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynne would be grateful they didn't live to see it. As for surviving cast members today, I believe Charlotte Rae is the sole-surviving cast member, but I could be wrong. So regardless of its flaws, its absurdity and often times stupidity, Car 54 was a pretty good show. I watch it every Sunday morning when it comes on, and that theme song is catchy as hell! I recommend Car 54, if you're into this kind of thing.

Easily one of the funniest sitcoms in television history. Everything about this show worked -- from the superb, rapid-fire writing and lightning-fast editing to the absolutely flawless cast performances. Way, way, way ahead of it's time, every FRAME of every episode of "Car 54" dazzles and delights. You watch and are amazed that so many perfectly crafted and performed gags plus so much story and vivid characterizations were crammed into every 22 minute outing. It's hard to pick a favorite episode, but one of the best features non-actor game show host Jan Murray judging an all-cop barbershop harmony contest in which every quartet entered sings the same song: 1910's "By The Light of the Silv'ry Moon." Murray's resulting slow descent into insanity is unbelievably funny and marked the high water mark of his career. After the high-rated show won an Emmy in 1963, everyone connected to "Car 54" expected it to be picked up for a third season -- but that never happened. Why? Because the wife of NBC's head at the time loved "The Virginian" -- and insisted that her husband expand that western to 90 minutes. That meant something 30 minutes long had to be dropped from NBC's prime-time schedule. Unbelievably, they chose to axe "Car 54" -- the best show on NBC at that time. Series star Fred Gwynne moved on to "The Munsters" and brought along his best friend from the "Car 54" cast, Al Lewis. Joe E. Ross teamed with Imogene Coca to star on the short- lived series "It's About Time." Both of those shows, of course, were enormous steps down from the brilliant insanity of "Car 54." The cancellation broke the heart (and creative drive) of eight-time Emmy winning series creator and chief scriptwriter Nat Hiken. After "Car 54," Nat's only major project was "The Love God," a minor Don Knotts movie. Hiken died of a heart attack in 1968 at age 54. The only good thing about Nat's early passing was that he didn't have to wince like the rest of us did when his "Car 54" concept was ruined by the producers, writers and cast of the insultingly bad 1994 feature film version. Of the original TV cast, only minor players Al Lewis and Nipsey Russell turned up in the movie via cameos (even though other original cast members were still around). Lewis later said he knew the film version was crap but needed the money.

Car 54 was the funniest show ever to grace the airwaves. The acting was dead-on perfection and the writing far superior to anything we have on-air today. The funniest episode involved a parrot that Captain Block had for years but was unable to teach it to talk. After one day with our heroes, the parrot ends up saying "I hate Captain Block", repeatedly. This is the funniest show I have ever seen! My husband first showed it to me shortly after I came out of the hospital for surgery. I laughed so hard that I thought my stitches would pop and I had to beg him to shut it off until later! If you have never seen this show you are in for a tremendous treat!! I love this show; when will it come on DVD? I can't wait to show all the episodes to our children.

I was much too young to enjoy this when it was on (I was 3 when it went off the air) but was blessed to see it on Nick at Night. I wish they would bring it back again or if it's on DVD, I must have it! This show about two 'hard working' New York City cops was witty and intelligent. Many of my generation think of the sitcoms of the 1950s and early 1960s and picture simple, basic and not terribly funny humor. Picture "Small Wonder" in black and white. This show had heart and some very clever writing. The simplest of everyday situations that a cop can face were turned into comedy gold. It was the "Barney Miller" of it's day. If any of you dear readers ever get a chance to see any of these episodes, check out the one where Toody and Muldoon have a chance to go out fishing on a boat. The lengths they go to to arrange their schedule so as to be free to go out, and the ONE thing that fouls it up are complex and hilarious.The cast was wonderful as well, and of course they would be, otherwise this terrific writing would have been wasted. It's not.