This episode was not up to par considering the lengthly hiatus. Gee, what an original idea going after an easy target a "big tobacco" company. "This poor man's wife smoked for 35 years and cigarettes killed her" Well duh! 35 years means she started in 1977 well after the surgeon generals report in 1964. Adds on TV stopped in the 70's. The tobacco companies set aside billions for these kinds of cases. As far as I'm concerned she should have known this was coming. No sympathy here. There are two kinds of people in this world, non-smokers and damn fools. Now the story line with the "lonely Tommy". He's lonely because he's a self-centered, arrogant ass, and only similar women are attracted to him. And finally the third storyline, yes actually did three, didn't get much time to flesh it out character-wise, the mom was dumb enough to not change the alarm code or the door locks to prevent her husbands access, resorts to a booby trap (illegal in most states), says she hadn't loaded the gun, and surprise, surprise her daughter had everyone fooled, loaded the gun shot her daddy herself. Harriet threatening to fire Adam is getting to be too much. He should just walk if she does it again. He could get hired anywhere, he's just as good as Harry.
Reviews
6 Reviews
Lame Episode
6 September 2011
While Peter Falk as Columbo is always a treat, this episode kinda stinks. First of all unless Dean Stockwell's body was discovered within 15 minutes of drowning, the thin coat of water that Robert Culp sprayed on the decking would have been long gone in Southern California by the time of Columbo's arrival. And you just knew he would use some gimmick to discover the fresh water. But to actually touch it and taste it was too much. Like the pool water that splashes onto he decking above the pool, chlorine dissipates when exposed to sunlight and heat. So, 5 minutes into it he just knows something's afoot. I mean he's good if a bit eccentric, but come on. And the ending was unsatisfying too, "ya know I've been listening to this tape for hours and I just found out it was a sound that should be there but isn't." As far as I can tell Culp has no motive for murder in the first place. The guys wife inherits and they'e not even involved. Love Columbo, but this is a very sub-par episode.
Long but beautifully filmed
7 May 2010
While not a travelogue, it nonetheless contains many stunningly beautiful images. And Buzz-kill from Atlanta, put away your thesaurus. We are not impressed. I guess all us hicks that didn't go to Harvard, (funny how everyone who went there or to Yale never fail to mention it within a couple of paragraphs as though that gives their opinions extra credibility), just don't know what to enjoy without being told. Fact is those of us who have visited several of our national treasures can appreciate them for what they are, just that, and glad that the people responsible had the foresight to set them aside before it was too late. As far as I'm concerned, this was a well made documentary and inspires me to visit some of the parks I never thought of prior to watching it. Maybe Buzz-kill should get outside more often.
Ride the High Country
(1962)
One of the best westerns out there
28 April 2010
Well everyone else has pretty much covered why this is a favored western movie especially amongst lovers of the genre. It has everything a great western has. Two legendary actors in their final great roles. I have been a big fan of Joel McCrea since I first met him on his ranch in Ventura County. If anybody wonders whether he was different in real life than the characters he played in the movies, like so many actors are, well he was the same. A real gentleman in every way and willing to talk with you to pass the time of day. I don't think you can find anybody that will say anything bad about him. I worked for a water utility company that served his ranch and one day we were installing a service on a street adjacent to his ranch, when he rode his horse over the hill to see what we were doing. Shot the breeze for awhile like he was just any other rancher, said so long and rode back home. I purposely seek out his movies and they span several genres. He's in what may be the first filming of The Most Dangerous Game, Sullivans Travels, and on and on, plus one of my personal favorites Foreign Correspondant, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. If you can find it, give it a try, you won't be disappointed. All those films show his range as an actor. In the Old Town section of Camarillo, there is a life-sized bronze statue of him sitting on a bench. A statue of Walter Brennan is nearby.
NCIS: Los Angeles
(2009–2023)
Where's the N in NCIS LA
29 September 2009
Where's the Navy part of NCIS Los Angeles? Why didn't they set the series in San Diego where there's still a Navy presence on the west coast? I truly think that the original NCIS is one of the best series' on TV, and I have been following it from the beginning well before the rest if the public 'discovered' it. While Chris O'Donnel and LL Cool J are competent actors and Linda Hunt is always worth watching, the show has no team concept. A nice addition is Peter Cambor as a profiler. I just don't really see the kind of cases involving Navy or Marine issues, maybe because there really isn't a Naval base near Los Angeles and setting it there to attract an audience is silly since the original series is set on the east coast, though filmed in Santa Clarita, and is doing alright. I'll keep watching and hope for the best, but I hope O'Donnel's character is less out of control and more steady as an agent should be, I mean he's not a teenager, though he acts like one.
October 5th. Well episode two has come and gone, still no chemistry. They are more like secret agents, and not too far removed from "Get Smart", all they need is a shoe phone and the cone of silence. The only Navy link in this one was the fact that the bad guys were SEALS, could have been any bad guys except this is supposed to be a show about the Navy and Marines otherwise they could have substituted (pick one) Mexican Mafia, Russian Mob, drug dealers, maybe Canadian Terrorists, that would be fun. They never wear NCIS ID's or in any way identify themselves while on a case, I guess they are always 'undercover'. Can't they simply investigate. They don't drive anything but convertible sports cars 'cause everybody knows that's the only kind of cars we drive here in California. The show is trying to be hip, way too much so, and their "Bat-cave" headquarters is too funny. How do people who need to, ever find it?
October 8th. At least this week's episode had a Marine, but he got killed right away when an Air Force dude was flying a Predator. Didn't take them long to play the Arab terrorist card did it? At least it was fairly interesting when dealing with the Predator, same kind they use in Afganistan. As for the two leads, a bald-headed black man and a buzz-cut white guy, both wearing ratty T-shirts, breaking down doors without identifying themselves or carrying any ID, well that's a good way to get shot by any local police, mistaking them for druggies with guns, or even by an innocent resident. Just...plain...stupid. And what's with Linda Hunt's character, doesn't do anything and is just a 'bean counter'. Since when is a Federal agency concerned about a ripped pair of pants or a ruined shirt? Beyond belief.
October 14 Well finally signs of life, some humorous banter while on stake-out, some actual investigation of the contractor(read Blackwater). Best episode so far. Linda Hunt is still completely wasted as Hetty and she even threw out a Yoda-ism at the end. Why does NCIS-LA need a bean-counting mother figure anyway? Her character is totally unnecessary. We've all discussed the ratty T-shirt wardrobe and the lack of Identification, but I was not squirming while watching it for a change. A tentative thumbs up for this episode. Maybe there's hope.
October 5th. Well episode two has come and gone, still no chemistry. They are more like secret agents, and not too far removed from "Get Smart", all they need is a shoe phone and the cone of silence. The only Navy link in this one was the fact that the bad guys were SEALS, could have been any bad guys except this is supposed to be a show about the Navy and Marines otherwise they could have substituted (pick one) Mexican Mafia, Russian Mob, drug dealers, maybe Canadian Terrorists, that would be fun. They never wear NCIS ID's or in any way identify themselves while on a case, I guess they are always 'undercover'. Can't they simply investigate. They don't drive anything but convertible sports cars 'cause everybody knows that's the only kind of cars we drive here in California. The show is trying to be hip, way too much so, and their "Bat-cave" headquarters is too funny. How do people who need to, ever find it?
October 8th. At least this week's episode had a Marine, but he got killed right away when an Air Force dude was flying a Predator. Didn't take them long to play the Arab terrorist card did it? At least it was fairly interesting when dealing with the Predator, same kind they use in Afganistan. As for the two leads, a bald-headed black man and a buzz-cut white guy, both wearing ratty T-shirts, breaking down doors without identifying themselves or carrying any ID, well that's a good way to get shot by any local police, mistaking them for druggies with guns, or even by an innocent resident. Just...plain...stupid. And what's with Linda Hunt's character, doesn't do anything and is just a 'bean counter'. Since when is a Federal agency concerned about a ripped pair of pants or a ruined shirt? Beyond belief.
October 14 Well finally signs of life, some humorous banter while on stake-out, some actual investigation of the contractor(read Blackwater). Best episode so far. Linda Hunt is still completely wasted as Hetty and she even threw out a Yoda-ism at the end. Why does NCIS-LA need a bean-counting mother figure anyway? Her character is totally unnecessary. We've all discussed the ratty T-shirt wardrobe and the lack of Identification, but I was not squirming while watching it for a change. A tentative thumbs up for this episode. Maybe there's hope.
Yet another misfire for Bones
14 May 2009
Acknowledging the attempt at a change of pace, I stopped watching after ten minutes though I kept checking back at the commercials on the program I switched to, but it never got any better. It was an opportunity for every character to make an appearance, except one. I don't watch the show to see that. I watch for the humor and repartee between the characters and the unusual cases they get involved in and eventually solve through the team effort of the whole cast. They always seem to have at least one episode per season that just doesn't work. This was that one. I know they are fighting for ratings, sometimes they are fairly good, sometimes rated lower. I don't think it really has anything to do with the quality of the show, just that it's on FOX and the only shows that stand out on that network are House, American Idol, and 24 and 24 is getting old and when AI completes its season, FOX's ratings drop as well. I enjoy Bones, have liked David B. since Buffy and Angel and have noticed Emily D. in guest spots on several older shows, one where she was the 'bad guy'. Keep up the 'good' work and I'll keep watching.
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