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Newhart: Seein' Double (1990)
A Tie with the Finale as Best Episode of the Series
This episode is brilliant. It's probably my favorite of the entire Newhart series, and in my opinion one of the best episodes of any sitcom ever.
So the plot is that Michael decides to produce a sitcom pilot. This pilot will be called "Seein' Double". It will star Stephanie in a double acting role, in which she plays twin teen-age girls, much in the manner of the old Patty Duke Show. Dick will play her father. Most of this episode of Newhart is actually a screening of the Seein' Double episode that eventually gets produced. So it's a sitcom within a sitcom.
The Seein' Double show as we view it functions as a parody of sitcoms themselves. Stephanie is playing twin girls, so it contains many obviously cheaply done camera tricks to produce the illusion of there being two identical girls. (Conveniently, one girl always has her back to the camera, etc.)
But it's not just making fun of the camera tricks. The show contains every sitcom cliché which would be familiar to any person who has ever watched many older American TV shows. There's stilted dialogue that conveniently explains the set-up of the show. There is the instance of a character conveniently overhearing just the right snippets of another character's words so that they get some wildly wrong idea of what's truly happening.
If that weren't enough, there's yet another level of humor. We the audience know that Dick doesn't want to act in the Seein' Double sitcom, and Dick (the character) is not a trained actor. He's only doing this because he has to. Consequently we the audience laugh at his poorly acted performance as the girls' father.
The only slight negative could be that if you're looking forward to enjoying the troupe of Newhart characters and how they ordinarily interact, you don't get as much of that here. Chester and Jim don't appear. Neither do Larry, Darryl, and Darryl. This episode is a different animal than most.
But you can get those guys in plenty of other episodes. Seein' Double is a brilliant change of pace.
Newhart: Good-Bye & Good Riddance, Mr. Chips (1987)
Could have been better.
I am something of a Newhart fan, and I'd call this a decent episode. It's better than some, but not one of the best.
I'll assume the reader is familiar with the premise already. So we have Dick's old teacher from his childhood now teaching an adult education class, and behaving toward these adults like the traditional severe and proper elementary school teacher, and talking to these adults as though they were children. It's not realistic and that's fine. As I think of Newhart, it's not meant to be a realistic comedy. It's an exaggerated and fanciful version of real life.
But what I find difficult to accept in this episode is Dick's behavior. He is still holding a grudge against the teacher, and he reverts to very childlike behavior to exact revenge. It's out of character for Dick. It weakens the very premise that Newhart is built on, i.e. That Dick is the sensible normal person in the middle of all these eccentric characters.
Besides that, Dick's behavior was simply too silly. I couldn't buy it even as purposely exaggerated humor.
There are some bright spots here and there. George's reaction to Dick's situation were quite funny. Also, as someone who has never been an admirer of Tom Cruise as an actor, I particularly liked the subplot of Michael's imitation of Tom Cruise! Michael and Stephanie are just the kind of people who might actually "appreciate" a Tom Cruise film festival of all things. Okay, I probably stepped on some toes with those comments.
Newhart: Buy, Buy Blues (1989)
VERY Funny Episode
I have to respectfully disagree with some other reviewers here. This is not just a mildly funny episode. I found it hilarious! The scene where Stephanie and Dr. Kaiser confront each other is an absolute scream. Stephanie's lines in that scene constitute one of her best acting riffs in the whole series. It was quite a performance on Julia Duffy's part. And watching the usually calm Dr. Kaiser melt down was great.
It was very clever that there were not one but two plays on words of erotic-neurotic-erratic. And I liked the recurring gag of everyone having bought a cheap clothing item at Goodwill and how clueless Stephanie was!
Newhart: I Do, Okay? (1986)
Not one of the best
I'll join in agreement with a couple of other reviews here. Newhart is one of my favorite old programs, but this episode is not one of the best. The main thing wrong with it is that Dick is not consistent with his usual character.
The premise of the episode is not bad. Joanna was taken with the romantic ecstasy of she and Dick having a second wedding ceremony. Let's suppose hypothetically Dick had reacted to the idea civilly enough but in his usual rather deadpan manner, and had no particular opinion one way or other about any arrangement details. Let's suppose Joanna interpreted his behavior as apathy, or at least lack of enthusiasm. And he just couldn't convince her she was wrong to be upset. And every additional deadpan comment just got him deeper in trouble. That could be a good episode.
But as the episode actually stands, Dick goes beyond that and speaks rather thoughtlessly. Even rudely at times. The usual Dick can be a bit remote. But he's not a jerk. He's not a boor. I don't know what the writers were thinking. I don't know why the cast didn't speak up and say, "No, this isn't right. This isn't Dick."
There is running joke in this episode that the people who operate the greeting card store get invited to the wedding. Then we keep learning of one additional person after another who wants to attend because they hear about it from the card store people. That was the one part of the writing that showed some original flair. Too bad the rest of the writing couldn't be as good.
The Waltons' Homecoming (2021)
Not awful, but could have been better.
As a fan of the original series, I concur with most fans in that I was not too impressed with this re-make. However, I didn't think it was all bad. In fact, I think there are a few things it did well.
There is one aspect which I think was an improvement over the original series. A few characters didn't have the accent or dialect that would have been appropriate for the time and place. But of the characters who did, it was an improvement over the original show. I who was born and reared in rural central Kentucky, and I have often traveled to the Appalachian area. And I'm not young. The accent in this movie sounded authentically rural to me. As much as I like the original Waltons series, I never really felt that they had gotten the accent quite right.
The very final scene, which I won't spoil for anyone who hasn't seen this yet, was a newly added scene and quite poignant. I also liked the Grandma and Grandpa characters. In the original series, I liked Will Geer but I always thought his portrayal was overacting just a bit. This more reserved Grandpa was refreshing.
Sheriff Ep Bridges in this version was, in contrast to the gentle Ep of the original, a little heavy handed. He was a bit of a jerk, but not a monster. I could believe him as a rural sheriff.
Some reviewers criticized the fact that the house appeared to be pretty big and rather nice for a poor family. They may be forgetting that wood was the primary occupation of the Walton men. They had all the wood they could ever need for free, and they knew how to build.
That being said, I do agree with those who say the whole production looked too clean and neat. In the original series, everything looked a bit worn down and rough. It had more authenticity. This version looked more like a Currier and Ives print.
Some would defend this movie by saying that since the original Homecoming is ingrained in people's minds as such a classic, there's no way a remake could have the same magic. That's probably true. But even allowing for that, this version missed the mark. It did not have much dramatic power.
The Waltons: The Career Girl (1977)
A decent episode
I call this a good episode. It's not a great one, but a good one. The main premise of this episode is that upon graduating high school. Erin suddenly realizes she has no particular interest she wants to pursue in her life that sets her apart from the other siblings. Well, anyone who has regularly watched the series up to this point would have already noticed that! I always felt that all the siblings, Erin was the most under-written as a character.
The basic premise sounds a little like a Problem of the Week gimmick, like a plot for a Brady Bunch episode. However, as I perceived it, the "problem" isn't "solved" by the end of the episode. Perhaps mildly it is. Erin has resolved a couple of practical problems by the end of the story. But the story respects the intelligence of the viewer. Erin doesn't suddenly discover a unique interest that could compare to Jason's music or Jim-Bob's mechanical aptitude, etc. Instead, life just goes on as best it can.
Like the one other review that is posted at the time I'm writing this, I wasn't too pleased with the subplot concerning Ike Godsey. He's obsessed with the notion that John-Boy's novel is largely about him, and encourages Jim-Bob to act in a mildly unethical manner to find out. The usually avuncular Ike displays an egocentrism here that is truly out of character. If they insisted on having this small-minded subplot, at least let it come to a satisfying climax. We don't even see any reaction on John-Boy's part. I'm docking the episode one star for this.
So the main premise is not the strongest, and there's a subplot that isn't so good. Otherwise though, you will find the same warmth and good writing that you can expect from the better Waltons episodes.
The Waltons: The Best Christmas (1976)
Maybe should be called just A Good Christmas
Olivia is hoping for this family Christmas to be the best one ever. Between John-Boy perhaps leaving home in the near future, and with Mary Ellen being married, she fears this may be the last Christmas in which all members of the family are gathered together in person.
But her wish is threatened by a winter storm that causes some destruction, and leaves some members of the family and community stranded.
As typical for Waltons episodes of this period, it's punctuated by warmth and just the right dramatic moments.
But I do have one objection. There's nothing unrealistic or unbelievable about this episode. But several disasters occur (although sharing the one central cause of the winter storm) just when Olivia is especially hoping for the best Christmas. And the obvious question is: will they in fact all come together as a family for Christmas? It feels like a bit of a contrived situation.
For that reason, I can't rate this as one of the best Waltons episodes. There are others that are more complex, less predictable, and better written. But It does hit the right notes that any loyal Waltons fan rightly values.
The Waltons: The Last Mustang (1976)
One of the best episodes of the series.
This episode surprised me. From the title and the short preview before the opening theme, it appeared that this episode was going to be about a wild horse. It is, but that actually seems to me to be the B story. The primary plot thread concerns Ep Bridges has a challenger in his bid for re-election as sheriff.
What I find so good about this episode is that portrays so well the complexities of politics. I know that nowadays a television viewer can find plenty of large scale (and very good) political dramas to watch via streaming. One might think that a one hour episode about a small town local political race would be unimpressive.
But the smallness is precisely the strength here. This episode brings the complexity of politics down to the personal level of the ordinary citizen. Both John-Boy and John Sr. Think that they can accept a business favor from a smooth-talking political candidate and come out unscathed. The situation gets deep and tangled pretty quickly. This is not an episode that presents a contrived scenario whose outcome you can easily predict.
But the politics is a vehicle for a more profound theme, and that is the theme of life giving us tough choices. It's fleshed out well as regarding the dilemmas of John-Boy and John Sr. As well, there is a scene in which Ep would like to arrest someone for doing something he sees as cruel and wrong. But he doesn't do it because he sees that in fact it is not against the law.
The secondary story (at least as I perceive it) of the wild horse, it's not bad either. Quite good, in fact. Zeb's feeling of reverence for untamed nature really comes through. And the symbolism is powerful.
There is a scene that deals with branding an animal. Some viewers understandably may take exception to that. Branding is possibly cruel in the short term, but in this case perhaps serving what in the long run is a humane purpose. And the episode discusses that. Again, it's the complexity of life's dilemmas.
I'm honored to be the first to review this episode, and the first to submit a trivia item. This episode deserves more attention than it appears to have gotten. It is not a two-parter. No one dies or gets married or moves away. But it is one of the best written and most densely packed episodes of the series.
The Waltons: The Portrait (1978)
Interesting because it's unusual, but not one of the best,
I am a viewer who appreciates the Waltons highly, but I fully admit that there are some weak episodes. This episode is somewhat interesting because it is unusual compared to other Waltons episodes. It deals with a one-shot character, an artist who is a complex and disturbing man. He might well be a tortured artist in the usual sense. But he is also traumatized by war ... and ultimately a bit dangerous. The episode has an eerie foreboding tone.
There's no reason such a character couldn't appear in the Waltons' Mountains community. I can respect that the creative team was stretching to do something innovative. But they didn't quite pull it off successfully. This episode lacks the authenticity of the more down-to-earth drama that characterized most earlier seasons.
It is at least somewhat interesting to have an episode that spotlights Erin. Erin's distinguishing mark (at least in later episodes) of being "the pretty one" figures greatly in this episode. She is indeed attractive, in a refreshingly wholesome way. But I never could quite buy into her supposedly being a standout beauty. It always seemed to me like a weak attempt by the writers to give Erin some distinguishing characteristic, as all the other siblings had theirs.
But there is one thing I will praise this episode for. We see several examples of the paintings created by the artist character. I thought they were quite striking, especially the final wall mural that contained Erin. I might even play selected parts of the episode on DVD some time just to see those again. I would be curious as to what the story might be as to who actually painted them, and how the crew obtained them.
Nine seasons of The Waltons were produced, and most of it was excellent. Season 7 has some very good episodes. It also had weak ones (like this one) that mark the start of a gradual descent of quality into the unfortunately very mediocre seasons 8 and 9.
My final take: this episode has some good points. But if you're up watching some good episodes of The Waltons, you can do a lot better than this.
Perry Mason (1957)
Almost perfect, but ...
All the good qualities of Perry Mason have been well expressed by many others. Every episode is in fact a sharp, intelligent murder mystery. The legal plot points are intelligently done. I'll assume anyone reading this is aware of that, or can read others' reviews.
I don't disagree with most of that. But for my part, I would rather articulate some objections I have that keep me from completely joining in on the chorus of praises.
Every episode begins with its own cast of characters and a dramatic situation that are unique to that episode. And keep in mind an episode only lasts an hour. I find it quite an impressive feat that each episode is able to establish that.
So I'm describing a very good characteristic of the show, right? Well, that's just the thing. Every episode starts out great this way. But I'm always wishing they could just go on from there and continue with some drama with those characters. There could be embezzlement, power struggle, family drama, anything.
But instead, at some point someone gets killed. And then the point of the episode becomes simply to find out who did it. Every time, every episode. Granted, it's very well done as whodunits go. But it seems to me like so much potential wasted.
My other main objection is that it's just so linear. Every episode, Perry wins. The killer is found out and will meet justice. Always correctly. End of story.
Contrast that to a more modern courtroom show, Law and Order. Most of the time the DA and his team win. But sometimes he loses. Sometimes he wins but had doubts as to whether his victory is best for all concerned. Sometimes his assistant DA disagrees with him and wants no part of the case.
That's more complex, more nuanced, more like real life.
Plus, Perry never has doubts. He's always the smartest person in the room. He's always the one who sees the truth when no one can.
I understand the counterarguments one might make. It was a simpler world back then, or least fiction framed it that way in those days. You have to judge Perry Mason relative to its era.
And, in today's grim world that's nothing but shades of grey, it's nice to have a character who is totally pure and always right. A real hero.
I get all that. I love lots of quaint old-fashioned entertainment. That's why I watch Andy Griffith Show and read old comic books from the 1970's or before. I hate it how nowadays people are so quick to call works "dated".
But legal thrillers? That's a different animal. For that, I'd rather have something a little more gritty and real and complex.
The Waltons: The Genius (1975)
Not the most promising start , but turned out great.
The Genius is a story of John-Boy bringing a fellow student from college to stay the weekend with the Walton family. And this student is far from ordinary.
I have to admit when I started watching this episode, I was a little turned off in the first few minutes. It didn't strike me as a very original idea. It seemed a lot of TV programs in those days had an episode with a similar storyline with this kind of stereotyped character: the person who is a genius intellectually but has no social skills and no understanding of human beings at all. And of course you can predict the character either gets his comeuppance and/or learns some lessons about what really counts.
But I'm glad to say I was proven wrong. Sure, the destination was a bit predictable. But it was a great trip getting there, thanks to fine writing. There was a good deal of humor in this episode, some of it in the form of delightful surprises. The script portrayed well how there's much meaning in life that can't be explained logically.
One small criticism: the character of Lyle was maybe a bit extreme. He started college at 15. He was thoroughly knowledgeable of John-Boy's physics course material from having only "looked at" the textbook a couple. The writers could have made him someone who simply was intellectually oriented and introverted, but not at such an unbelievable level of genius. It could have told the same story but more realistically. Less would have been more.
John Walton Sr. is conspicuously missing in this episode. I would guess Ralph Waite was sick or unavailable for whatever reason when this episode was filmed, so they wrote him out. Part of the story concerns how Lyle dismisses religion as nothing more than the product of primitive minds. Naturally this causes great consternation with the family. But John Walton Sr. is the one family member who, while respectful, doesn't find organized religion conducive to his path in life. And that was a theme that came up in some other very interesting episodes. I'm imagining how the conversation could have been even more interesting if John Sr. had been at the dinner table as well. What a lost opportunity.
The Waltons: The Fledgling (1976)
Good but not a favorite
I like The Waltons very much. But when I watched this episode on DVD recently, I was mildly disappointed. Still pretty good, but it didn't seem entirely logical. John-Boy is determined to buy an old printing press, so he gets what he describes as a "full time job" to pay for it. This is while he is still going to college. And in order to save time driving home, he gets a room in a boarding house as well.
John -Boy says at the beginning that he has to make a down payment of $50 in 3 weeks. After that it will be monthly payments that he thinks he can manage, as he expects to make a profit from his newspaper which he will found once he gets the press. So that implies that this scenario of working full time and living away from home should only last for 3 weeks.
However, the family makes a big deal about John-Boy moving out as though he is leaving home permanently. Their behavior seemed out of proportion to what John-Boy was doing.
Granted, I know from later episodes that John-Boy is in fact living at home again and has his newspaper operation there at the family home. Maybe my knowledge of that interfered with my enjoyment of this episode. But even as a self-contained episode, the premise didn't quite make sense.
But I still give the episode a 7.0 because a) it has a lovely ending that makes it all worth it, and b) there's almost no such a thing as a bad episode of The Waltons from seasons 1 through 5. (But for later seasons, that's a different story!)
Shazam!: Thou Shalt Not Kill (1974)
"Nothing in this life really belongs to us ..."
As I say in my reviews for a couple of other episodes of this series, I don't defend Shazam as great television. It's preachy and predictable. But I loved it as a superhero comic book reading kid in the 1970's. Today I like it for nostalgic value. It takes me back to innocent Saturday mornings of my youth.
For what could sometimes be a hokey program, this episode stands out as one that expresses some deep concepts. Wisely, it's left as a bit of an enigma for the characters as well as for us the viewers the exact details as to why this horse's late owner willed the horse to be put down after her death. Perhaps it was love of an overly-selfish variety? That's quite subtle for a Saturday morning show.
There are a couple of small flaws I have to mention. I don't know that I can buy the legality of changing the terms of a deceased person's will as presented in this story. Nevertheless, there is an instructive lesson here for a youthful audience about respect for the law. It's also not a bad lesson about humane treatment of animals.
Also, there is also the character of Lynn, played by Pamelyn Ferdin, an actress who appeared as a guest star on quite a number of TV shows in the 70's. She looks great here as a teenage girl you can certainly believe as a horse enthusiast. But in terms of emotions, her portrayal here is a little overly tearful and heartfelt. One line of dialogue in particular almost made me cringe. Also concerning Lynn's father the sheriff, it was fine for the character to be a kind man but he was maybe a bit too sensitive to be believed.
But the character of Nick Roberts, what a deliciously portrayed bad guy! That actor nailed it.
Captain Marvel in this episode was played by Jackson Bostwick, who most fans (myself included) much prefer over his later replacement, John Davey. But unfortunately, as was the case with many of the season 1 episodes, he only makes one appearance, flying in near the end of episode to save the day.
Mentor has the last line of dialogue in this episode, and it was one of the most wonderful bits of wisdom of the entire Shazam series. I'll leave it to you to hear for yourself.
Shazam!: The Odd Couple (1975)
Unusual episode, and one of the best
I don't seriously consider Shazam to be great television from an adult's point of view. I know it's a bit simplistic. I enjoy it as nostalgia from my childhood in the 1970's. I loved the show as a kid, and I loved superheroes and comics in general.
But within that limitation, this is one of the best episodes. It's different from other episodes in a couple of ways. Others have pointed out that Mentor actually calls on the elders at one point. It also appears to be the first meeting between Captain Marvel and Isis. Isis was OK, though I wasn't especially a fan.
But what I really liked in this episode was the characters of Don and Susie. Most of the time Shazam was about teens or children. But these characters arguably could be called young adults. I could accept their chemistry as a real couple. They were earthy and believable. At the end, there's a note of sweetness in the dialogue that I like.
Plus, I just like airplanes. And this episode has them.
There's a good bit of humorous dialogue in this episode. And there's some unintended humor. A couple of fun goofs. Also, listen for the line near the end when Captain Marvel tells Isis, "You have no idea how glad we are." The actor's delivery is so flat, it's funny!
Another reviewer wrote that they couldn't see why a girl would go out with someone as annoying as Don. I agree that Don's arrogant. But that sort of cockiness is exactly what some women often find attractive!
One slight negative: Like most fans, I preferred Jackson Bostwick as Captain Marvel. John Davey is OK. But I can't help but think how much even better I would like this episode if it had featured Bostwick, as was originally intended
The Dick Van Dyke Show: The Making of a Councilman (1966)
Mystifying Episode
This is the conclusion of a 2-part episode, the previous episode being "I Do Not Choose To Run". Taking the two together as one episode, I'm guessing the writers originally meant for two eps to comprise quite a groundbreaking work of television for their era. But it didn't quite come off. The final outcome is really quite mystifying.
Rob is approached to run for city councilman. After much deliberation about whether he is actually qualified for the job and should run, he finally does decide to run. When he meets his opponent, the opponent has no charisma and a totally bland personality, yet is much more qualified in substance. Yet Rob is favored to win, apparently on the grounds of his charm and celebrity and good looks. And in the end he does win.
Along the way he questions whether a victory for himself actually serves the public well. But in the end, he appears to be glad he won ... and that's the end of it. He wins. And as far as I know, all episodes after this one went back to business as usual and ignored the fact that Rob was a city councilman. That's weird ... really weird.
As I was watching this, I was anticipating some sort of ironic twist. But it never came. Maybe it was supposed to be taken as a dark commentary on our political system, that we elect candidates based on superficial appeal rather than substance. If so, it didn't quite come off. The tone wasn't right.
I think nowadays people are far too quick to call something "dated". Young people especially like to say it a lot about older works. In my opinion, it means we're too quick to go into throw-away society mentality. But maybe this ep is dated. It may have seemed like incisive commentary in its day. But for a modern audience, we all know this about politics already.
And to top all that off, I really didn't find these episodes all that funny. There are some laughs here and there, but not like some other episodes. It felt like these two episodes didn't quite know what they wanted to be.
The Sound of Silence (2019)
A quietly great film
Once in a while a movie comes along where you know you like it, yet you're hesitant to recommend it to other people. You think it's great, but you can see where others could find it hard to get absorbed in. This is one of those.
The main character of this movie is an expert in sound, and he has his own novel theories on how sound in the environment molds human behavior. It's what this guy lives for. He's a deeply introverted guy who apparently does nothing else in his life.
This movie is slow, quiet, cerebral, and beautifully understated. I could easily see typical viewers getting maybe 30 minutes in and bailing out, because as they might perceive it nothing much is happening.
That's where they would be wrong. In fact, the sound expert character of this movie is about to undergo a series of events that will change his world forever. And yet, if you the viewer don't pay attention, you'll miss it. It's that subtle.
I can relate to this guy. I have strong feelings about sound in the environment myself, although in a somewhat different way. Often when I go into a Home Depot store or such, I wear ear plugs. It's not the general hubbub of noise that bothers me. It's the pop music these places play on their sound systems. I hate the way these retailers assume that that's what I want. I just want to buy some hardware (or groceries, or clothing, or car parts, or whatever the retailer in question sells). I don't need to do my shopping in a disco!
Bottom line, if you're hoping to find an exciting action movie or a broad laugh-out-loud comedy, then this movie isn't going to do it for you. But if you're cerebrally adventurous, if you have the sensitivity to appreciate a quietly great film, you'll be rewarded.
The Dick Van Dyke Show: It May Look Like a Walnut (1963)
Great episode?
I just got finished seeing this episode aired on MeTV as part of a tribute to the late Carl Reiner, being presented as one of Reiner's favorite episodes. I have also read that it is one of Dick Van Dyke's favorite episodes. It is a favorite episode for a lot of folks.
Apparently, I'm in the minority. I didn't find it to be anything extraordinary. I've read that it is a satire of the Twilight Zone. I appreciate that it was innovative for its time. It used dreaming as a device. As one other reviewer described it, if you walk into it expecting a normal episode of typically humorous dialogue between Rob and Laura, you'll find this episode to be delightfully off-kilter.
I get all that. And normally I hate reviewers of other works who sound all jaded and say, "Well, I have seen all these devices used before ..." yada yada. But as one person simply sitting down and watching this, I found it weird, and not in such a good way. And I didn't laugh all that much.
By contrast, the episode MeTV aired after this one was the one where Laura gets really mad because Rob used an argument they had as material for The Alan Brady Show. That was full of nuances and realistic touches in the banter among the characters. Now that is more like what I watch The Dick Van Dyke Show for.
I still give it a 7 because there's no such thing as a bad episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show. But it's not an episode I would select to watch over others.
Shazam!: Ripcord (1976)
A good episode from a sentimental favorite series
The Shazam series from the 1970's was mediocre TV by many counts. That being said, I'm old enough to have grown up with it. And I loved comics and superheroes as a kid. One one level I can look at this series and agree it's bad TV. On the other hand, I can't deny the appeal it has to me for personl reasons that I wouldn't expect others to understand. Ah, the 70's. My youth!
LIke most fans, I felt Jackson Bostwick was far and away the better Captain Marvel. This episode is a John Davey one. But of the John Davey episodes, this one is a favorite of mine, for what will undoubtedly sound like secondary reasons. One reason is that I particularly like propellor driven airplanes, and this ep features a lot of them. It features characters who sky dive.
The third season of Shazam featured musical scoring that was different than the first two seasons. This episode had some footage of planes and skydiving against pleasant mellow music. Cheesy at it may be, I honestly find it visually and aurally appealing even today. And you get to see the lightning flash followed by Captain Marvel flying around.
Now as far as story and characters go, this episode is pretty much the same simplistic predictable fare as most episodes! But it's all part of the fun. It's sweet to think there was once an innocent enough time when producers would dare to make something as simple and clean and expect it to be watched. And it was watched. I guess we're all too sophisticated nowadays.
Barnaby Jones: The Protectors (1979)
One of the best BJ episodes
This a rather unusual episode of Barnaby Jones, and one of the best. In this episode Barnaby works with a big high-tech security company who are conducting a pretty complex operation for a large company.
Some who wouldn't think highly of 70's TV might concede this is pretty creative material by the standards of that era. I'd go one better and say it's interesting by any standard. There's a lot of science in this episode, a lot of investigative ingenuity displayed. And there's a large cast of interesting characters and relationships among them. There's a very smart woman forensics specialist, unusual for that time. There's a character who specializes in customizing cars with high-tech devices (sorry, I forget the guy's name) with a vivacious southern drawl and slang to match. He had the best lines of dialogue. I couldn't wait to hear what he would say next.
I have one small criticism, and that it is in the form of a lost opportunity. Early in the episode, Barnaby and the woman forensics expert have an interesting rapport. This gal was smart. She seemed to really enjoy talking shop with Barnaby. But she was young and attractive enough for Jedediah.
Now I didn't especially want to see her and Barnaby get overtly romantically involved. It wouldn't have been in character for Barnaby. But I thought it would have been funny if she had seemed apathetic to JR, but continued to beam whenever she got to talk tech with Barnaby. Imagine how amusing it would be to see JR get all frustrated at that! But they went the predictable route and had JR plying his flirtatious charms on her and she seemed interested. That seemed to me to be a lost opportunity.
Now if you're thinking that Barnaby might seem like a fish out of water in this environment of younger, more high-tech investigators, actually it was made clear that his expertise complemented theirs. There was a nice exchange near the end where the head of this bunch essentially said they had all the sophisticated stuff, but that won't get you the good investigative instinct that only comes from experience and seasoned judgment like Barnaby's. Amen.
Barnaby Jones: A Short Happy Life (1979)
Maybe the funniest BJ episode ever.
I can't believe the review I see listed from "daveilee". I must respectfully beg to differ. I thought this was one of the more entertaining episodes I've seen. The main reason to watch it: the guest character Foxy, Betty's visiting cousin, played by actress Cassie Yates. This gal is a hoot! She's a happy-go-lucky girl who rarely stops talking, and you never know what's coming out of her mouth next. Great character. The actress definitely brought something more to it than was in the script.
At one point in the story when Betty and Foxy are being chased by a couple of bad guys, they very resourcefully get out of it with a trick that made me laugh out loud! Not too believable, but it sure was entertaining. I won't spoil it.
Now I will grant you that plot event - and a couple of others - are quite unrealistic. But look, this is 1970's prime time TV. You don't watch it for its sophistication. You watch it for comfort viewing. And for those of us of a certain age, it's sweetly nostalgic.
Some trivia: I notice from the credits that John Carter, the actor who usually plays Lieutenant Biddle, is behind the camera this time. He's the director. Also interesting to see Tom Bower as one of the bad guys, who later went on to the role of Dr. Curt Willard, Mary Ellen's husband in the Waltons.
The title of this episode refers to a plot point that ironically was barely alluded to in the episode, and which was quite superfluous in my opinion. You'll see what I mean.
Those are forgivable flaws. Watch this episode. You'll have a good time.
The Incredible Hulk: Prometheus (1980)
Good episode
I don't usually give a lengthy review of one episode of an old TV show. But it's a rainy afternoon and not a lot else to do, so I'm just in the mood. I understand Prometheus to be a favorite among fans of the Incredible Hulk series. I just watched it on MeTV, and I'd call it solid but just a bit overrated. I'll assume anyone reading this knows the basic plot of this two- part episode.
It's rightly given credit for impressive production values. Particularly at the beginning of the second hour when the Hulk has been captured and is being taken in that orange capsule into Project Prometheus' headquarters, you get a very long leisurely view of these huge complex equipment structures, with a continuous stream of scientists' communications. You have to keep in mind for a 1970's (or early 1980's ?) weekly television show, this was pretty impressive stuff. Not too shabby even by the standard of what's possible today.
Now let me make a little disclaimer here. I'm an old guy, i.e. old enough to remember watching the Incredible Hulk in original prime time broadcast. And I was in my teen and early college years then. So I tend to see entertainment from an earlier era a little differently than these young whipper-snappers on IMDb do.
But that being said, even I found the lengthy dwell on the Hulk capture a bit drawn out. I found myself thinking, "OK, it looks cool enough. I get that. Can we move on with the plot, please?" I actually fast-forwarded through some of it.
Which leads me to my second criticism. I usually find many of these older programs charming in that they take more time and don't seem in such a rush. I recently jumped the shark on watching the current Supergirl weekly series, in part because I felt it tried too hard. So much action. Everything has to be so super all the time. I have an attention span; I don't need to be continually knocked senseless to stay interested. OK, that's a review for another day. But that being said, I feel that with this episode of the Hulk if you boil the story down to its essentials, there's not really two hours worth of plot. I sometimes can get a little tired of reading presumably young impatient reviewers frequently write about old shows or movies, "The same story could have been told in less time." But in this case, yeah the same story could have been told in less time.
Plus, there are some unanswered questions. We never really find out much about why David was getting stuck between that half-Hulk-half-David state. I assume radiation from that meteor or whatever it was. I guess it's kind of nice that the episode trusts us to use our imagination. But I would have like to have explored it a bit more. And was that really a meteor or an alien probe or what?
But at the end of the day, it's a good episode if a bit flawed. Bixby and Ferrigno gave sincere performances as always. It was especially nice to see Ferrigno be given more to do. And some of the feats he performed this time were quite impressive. And as usual for this Incredible Hulk series, it had heart and made me care about the characters.
The Rockford Files: The Prisoner of Rosemont Hall (1978)
Not a bad episode
This episode has Rockford investigating the disappearance of a young college student friend and uncovering some evil goings-on behind the scenes at the young man's college campus. Ultimately Rockford ends up working with a female professor, who turns out to have been the young man's lover. The professor is not a bad character, but once the gist of her character is established there are no more surprises from her.
I'll list a couple of things that stood out to me. It was surprising to me that ultimately the title of the episode refers not to the victim of the crime (the student) but actually to the professor's career malaise.
Another scene that jumped out at me: at the funeral service of the student, his mother expresses sorrow that her son probably never knew the love of a good woman. Then the professor speaks up and tells the mother that she was having an affair with the student. Perhaps the boy's mother would ultimately be comforted in some way that at least he knew love, but certainly the funeral was not time for her to have to handle the additional shock of knowing her son had an involvement with a woman 15 years older (and improper in that she was his professor). Okay, so maybe the professor was supposed to be a doofus with no people sense. But Rockford never even scolded her for it, which I would think he would do with his characteristic common sense.
There is some foreign intrigue, and a good twist. Speaking as a fan of the series, I'd say this is a pretty good episode though not one of the strongest. However, there are episodes I would be less likely to enjoy watching again than this one. Plus, even mediocre Rockford Files still beats most of what's on TV in my opinion.
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
The emporor has no clothes
I have no clue as to why this movie was wildly praised. Well ... I take that back. I do have a clue as to why it was praised, but I just don't agree.
I'll give it some points for being original and different. You don't quite know where it's going to go, and that's a good thing. I did find Sandler's character somewhat interesting. But there seems to be this school of thought nowadays among the critics and the art film crowd that as long as you put something on the screen that defies the standard conventions then you've made a great film.
Well, I'm 100% for defying the predictable conventions. But it just isn't enough. You've also got to have a story. A movie should make some kind of statement; it should say something. It should mean something. That's where Punch Drunk Love fails.
I took some ribbing from friends for giving an Adam Sandler movie a chance. In general a typical Adam Sandler movie would be something I wouldn't be caught dead watching. But this is no typical silly "Adam Sandler movie". In fact I thought Sandler did a rather good acting job. It's a bad movie simply because it's empty of meaningful content.