JACK OF ALL TRADES

Jack Stiles is an agent for the American President.

President Thomas Jefferson, to be exact, who served from 1801 to 1809 as the third person to hold that office. 

We are told the basic concept of the adventures of Stiles in the words of the theme song sung with considerable gusto and pride at the beginning of each episode:

"In eighteen-hundred-one the Revolution had been won

And Uncle Sam's favorite son had a job he needed done

Which brought Jack to a lady, both beautiful and smart

Who found his mix intriguing-a scoundrel with a heart!

From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli

There was never a leatherneck braver, a Daring Dragoon is he

He'll halt the bold advance of Napoleon's attack

There ain't a French or pirate rogue who don't know Jack!

From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli

Sailin' round the bloody world to defend democracy

And when ya need a fightin' man ya'd trust ta watch yer back

Just ask the bloke right next ta ya-it's... Jack!"

Okay, there are some important facts left out of that Emmy-nominated ditty. Namely that the location for the escapades is a French colony in the South Pacific, one that the President is worried about due to the expansionist tendencies of the then French leader, Emperor Napoleon, a far more diminuitive fellow than we thought (according to this rendition of history) who actually spends a fair amount of time on the island.

And that he will be forced to work with a British agent named Amelia Rothschild. And that while Stiles is very much a seat-of-his-pants type of agent, making it up pretty much as he goes along, Rothschild is a by-the-book operative who clashes with Stiles on virtually anything.

Oh, there is also the fact that Stiles likes to work out his frustrations by occasionally donning a black cape and a large black eye mask and a tri-corner hat and ride around on his trusty steed battling his enemies using the moniker, the Daring Dragoon (think Zorro but fighting French colonists instead of Spanish ones).

Good Lines:

- Said by Jack in a rebuttal, "I do not prance. I swagger."

Take a tremendous amount of slapstick humor, throw in more sexual innuendoes and double entendres than you would imagine possible in 22 minutes of air time, a whole heapin' helpin' of fart and bodily function jokes, and an incredible number of anachronisms and you have this far-too-short action comedy.

Plus you have Bruce Campbell. As a tremendous fan of his since his Evil Dead days through his stint as Sam Axe on Burn Notice, I have had an affection for this man's banter for years and this show put him front and center.

The show makes no sense, of course, and is not to be watched for anything other than amusement but it is still a spy adventure so it definitely fits. And on occasion can bring about a series of fits - of laughter at some times and groans at others.