I like him in most stuff. And I like the concept of "The Magician". But his smug Anthony Blake makes me want to emulate most of the middle-aged bad guys on the show and punch Tony in the kisser.
Tony is all smug and know-it-all-y in this episode. Maybe it's the fact that everyone describes his background and imprisonment in such noble terms. This week it's Willoughby (Tommy Madden) who for some inexplicable reason gets voice-dubbed by Walker Edmiston. It's a really bad dubbing job, too, which sets my nerves on edge every time I hear it. Which is a _lot_ in the first third of the episode, and probably doesn't help my disposition toward Bixby any.
Part of it is Tara Talboy, who plays the most insufferable child I can remember in silver screen history. Watching her ham it up as "Princess Wexlar" and Tony treating her as a princess is like watching two hams on meathooks, swinging into each other.
The rest of the episode is... okay. It's a pretty standard "The Mob frames an innocent man for a murder." Joseph Campanella doesn't have much to do, but does it well. Ed Gilbert has some threatening moments as mobster Malone. Jerry is barely there, and Dennis even less so. Keene Curtis is good as always, although you wonder why he hangs around Tony. Lydia (Leslie Parrish) is yet another in the first half-season's group of treacherous women who secretly work for the main bad guy. Didn't we just have Susan Oliver do the same thing in "Ovation for Murder"? It doesn't help that half the time Ms. Parrish wanders around like someone hit her between the eyes with a ballpeen hammer.
One gets the impression everyone knew there was going to be a changeover. The foreshadowing that Tony is moving to a "castle" is strong with this episode. Yes, he ends up in the Magic Castle, but I suppose that spares us having to put up with more of Paula. So there's that.
But that' just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Tony is all smug and know-it-all-y in this episode. Maybe it's the fact that everyone describes his background and imprisonment in such noble terms. This week it's Willoughby (Tommy Madden) who for some inexplicable reason gets voice-dubbed by Walker Edmiston. It's a really bad dubbing job, too, which sets my nerves on edge every time I hear it. Which is a _lot_ in the first third of the episode, and probably doesn't help my disposition toward Bixby any.
Part of it is Tara Talboy, who plays the most insufferable child I can remember in silver screen history. Watching her ham it up as "Princess Wexlar" and Tony treating her as a princess is like watching two hams on meathooks, swinging into each other.
The rest of the episode is... okay. It's a pretty standard "The Mob frames an innocent man for a murder." Joseph Campanella doesn't have much to do, but does it well. Ed Gilbert has some threatening moments as mobster Malone. Jerry is barely there, and Dennis even less so. Keene Curtis is good as always, although you wonder why he hangs around Tony. Lydia (Leslie Parrish) is yet another in the first half-season's group of treacherous women who secretly work for the main bad guy. Didn't we just have Susan Oliver do the same thing in "Ovation for Murder"? It doesn't help that half the time Ms. Parrish wanders around like someone hit her between the eyes with a ballpeen hammer.
One gets the impression everyone knew there was going to be a changeover. The foreshadowing that Tony is moving to a "castle" is strong with this episode. Yes, he ends up in the Magic Castle, but I suppose that spares us having to put up with more of Paula. So there's that.
But that' just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?