"Mightier Than the Sword" is another one of those episodes that is trying to say something profound. But doesn't know quite how to do it. In this case, the execution of the innocent and the unfairness of the death penalty. Part of it is that the guilt is placed on the innocent by mystical means: in this case, a cursed pen that lets crime biographer Alex Dent (Feore) write out what his victim is going to do, and then makes them do it.
And part of the "horror" is the execution by gas of the first killer, Clint Fletcher. Kudos to director Armand Mastroianni. But also to writer Brian Helgeland, who gets in a few shots at how the "press" (as figureheaded by Dent) profit from other people's misery when they write about and publicize serial killers. Helgeland also did "Crippled Inside", which was also a "message episode" of sorts. And Helgeland's 'Tales From the Crypt' episode "A Slight Case of Murder" also featured a crime novelist. Hmm, do I sense a theme from writer/director Helgeland?
Sadly, Helgeland forgets about all of this after the opening tag. He deals with both how Dent makes his money writing about the "serial killers" that he creates, and turning Micki into yet another hissing killer. Yes, Robey is good in the role as the femme fatale/serial killer. And Dent is particularly vile, having turned a protagonist into a killer. And he's subsequently hoist on his own petard.
Feore is good as always. Not as good as in last year's "The Maestro", but he makes a good villain and it's a pity they didn't bring him back more often than his two appearances on the series. It's no wonder that they recruited him as Lenoge on "Storm of the Century". If nothing, Feore's Dent appears too competent to be a hack writer before he gained the antique pen.
I also like Feore's suave evil, as opposed to the typical losers and sleaze balls that populated the show in the past.
Louise Robey plays Micki as a wild-eyed raving psycho: something that we've seen before in episodes like "Better Off Dead". We get to see Jack shaving while wearing a wifebeater, so a little something for the ladies. Or men. Johnny is his usual non-entity. Notice that it's Jack at the end comforting Micki, and Johnny is nowhere around.
The pen is a bit more subtle horror-wise than the typical antique. There's none of the body horror of, say, "Stick It In your Ear". If you're afraid of needles, you will probably cringe when Dent uses the syringe-like needle to "inject" his victims with evil.
Overall, "Mightier" has a good opening, good acting by Feore, and a good use of the antique of the week. And it's the best of Robey's performances as a hissing killer. It just doesn't do much with all of these elements.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
And part of the "horror" is the execution by gas of the first killer, Clint Fletcher. Kudos to director Armand Mastroianni. But also to writer Brian Helgeland, who gets in a few shots at how the "press" (as figureheaded by Dent) profit from other people's misery when they write about and publicize serial killers. Helgeland also did "Crippled Inside", which was also a "message episode" of sorts. And Helgeland's 'Tales From the Crypt' episode "A Slight Case of Murder" also featured a crime novelist. Hmm, do I sense a theme from writer/director Helgeland?
Sadly, Helgeland forgets about all of this after the opening tag. He deals with both how Dent makes his money writing about the "serial killers" that he creates, and turning Micki into yet another hissing killer. Yes, Robey is good in the role as the femme fatale/serial killer. And Dent is particularly vile, having turned a protagonist into a killer. And he's subsequently hoist on his own petard.
Feore is good as always. Not as good as in last year's "The Maestro", but he makes a good villain and it's a pity they didn't bring him back more often than his two appearances on the series. It's no wonder that they recruited him as Lenoge on "Storm of the Century". If nothing, Feore's Dent appears too competent to be a hack writer before he gained the antique pen.
I also like Feore's suave evil, as opposed to the typical losers and sleaze balls that populated the show in the past.
Louise Robey plays Micki as a wild-eyed raving psycho: something that we've seen before in episodes like "Better Off Dead". We get to see Jack shaving while wearing a wifebeater, so a little something for the ladies. Or men. Johnny is his usual non-entity. Notice that it's Jack at the end comforting Micki, and Johnny is nowhere around.
The pen is a bit more subtle horror-wise than the typical antique. There's none of the body horror of, say, "Stick It In your Ear". If you're afraid of needles, you will probably cringe when Dent uses the syringe-like needle to "inject" his victims with evil.
Overall, "Mightier" has a good opening, good acting by Feore, and a good use of the antique of the week. And it's the best of Robey's performances as a hissing killer. It just doesn't do much with all of these elements.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?