[Downunder Dan]

I doubt I need to point out that Nervus Pervus is loosely based on Elvis Presley, the character of Sergeant Tuesday might need some background. There was a very popular TV series named Dragnet, a police procedural that was also highly regarded in terms of its story content, of which we were assured "Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent." Its lead character was Sgt Joe Friday. It began as a radio drama in 1949, and became a TV series in 1951. And the radio series was remade in Australia in 1952, so would have been fresh in Australian memory when this comic was published. You can hear the first Australian episode at https:www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/asset/96252-dragnet-episode-1-big-revenge (NFSA is the National Sound and Film Archive of Australia)

Link to the comment: The Purple People Eater

[crashryan]

Wow! I never knew Dragnet was re-created in Australia. I've always liked the show. The radio and early TV episodes anyway. In later years the series became obsessed with them crazy hippies and kind of spun off the rails. I'm surprised that the Australians simply re-recorded the American scripts and made no attempt to localize the show (Sergeant Joe Friday, Victoria Police?). It's set in Los Angeles and everyone speaks "Los Angelese." They'd have saved a lot of money just playing the original transcriptions.

Anyway the actors are good. Frank Waters isn't as grating as Jack Webb, the downside being you can't make fun of his delivery. The biggest problem is that a chorus of French horns won't cut it. Dragnet ain't Dragnet without Dom Da Dom Dom!