The leader of a small Middle Eastern country has been diverting the funds from agricultural assistance provided by the West and plans to use it to purchase military aircraft. The money is squirreled away in a foreign bank. If Mundy can get his hands on the account book, the West might get their money back and preserve the peace. Mundy hopes to use his cover as a fashion designer to get close to the country's First Lady. After gaining her confidence, he'll have access to the leader's home and the account book.
Overall, Totally by Design isn't one of the best episodes, but it's still fun enough. The heist is enjoyable, but, other than one detail, it isn't particularly memorable. That detail is the clever use of a small rabbit to assist in the theft. Mundy's fashion designer cover is a facet of the episode that worked for me. He's quite good, though I'm not sure how believable he is. I think he needed to do more than drape fabric over his client's shoulder. Finally, I enjoyed the little twist at the end. Without some unexpected assistance, Mundy would have surely been caught.
Another real plus for Totally by Design is the supporting cast. It's exceptionally strong. While the names John Van Dreelen, Oscar Beregi, and Ron Soble may not be overly familiar, their faces certainly are. All were rock solid character actors. The usual pattern in It Takes a Thief is for Mundy to woo a Woman of the Week. Here, it's Tina Louise of Gilligan's Island fame. Unfortunately, she's not very good and is upstaged at every turn and in every way imaginable (acting, poise, beauty, etc.) by the older Mari Blanchard. This, unfortunately, was Ms Blanchard's last role. She gives a very engaging performance and is unquestionably the highlight of the episode.
Overall, Totally by Design isn't one of the best episodes, but it's still fun enough. The heist is enjoyable, but, other than one detail, it isn't particularly memorable. That detail is the clever use of a small rabbit to assist in the theft. Mundy's fashion designer cover is a facet of the episode that worked for me. He's quite good, though I'm not sure how believable he is. I think he needed to do more than drape fabric over his client's shoulder. Finally, I enjoyed the little twist at the end. Without some unexpected assistance, Mundy would have surely been caught.
Another real plus for Totally by Design is the supporting cast. It's exceptionally strong. While the names John Van Dreelen, Oscar Beregi, and Ron Soble may not be overly familiar, their faces certainly are. All were rock solid character actors. The usual pattern in It Takes a Thief is for Mundy to woo a Woman of the Week. Here, it's Tina Louise of Gilligan's Island fame. Unfortunately, she's not very good and is upstaged at every turn and in every way imaginable (acting, poise, beauty, etc.) by the older Mari Blanchard. This, unfortunately, was Ms Blanchard's last role. She gives a very engaging performance and is unquestionably the highlight of the episode.
