Most people love mysteries. The more obscure or difficult the mystery, the more allure. Combine that with a handsome actor in Peppard, and the groundwork is set for a good series. I recall reading or hearing that Banacek (the show) was often written backwards meaning the writers came up with the "answer" and then wrote most of the script around it. While there were some good episodes, I find the majority to be rather poorly acted and somewhat difficult to follow. Perhaps the "difficulty" in following & understanding the ending, is due to too many gaps in the story lines and too many red herrings thrown in that rarely are explained to the viewer. The only episode I really liked was episode 2 (season 1), "Project Phoenix." I recall watching that when it originally aired in 1972 and still remember it fairly well. I thought THAT was a clever one; I'll never look at a freight train the same way after viewing that episode's conclusion! But more often than not, I end up feeling somewhat confused. SPOILER ALERT-->In the episode I just watched, "Now You See Me...," I figured out the "bad guy" way too quickly. But how the magician's daughter did not recognize the cosmetic surgery, is unbelievable. I can tolerate (and even enjoy) Banacek every now and then just to see how the mysteries are solved. Thanks for your time!
Review of Banacek
