Pepper (Angie Dickinson) is ordered to protect a political candidate who's in favor of law & order, safe neighborhoods, and decency. That's all you need to know to figure out how this is going to play out. This law & order candidate is (surprise!) an evil person who resorts to setting up opponents for crimes and attempting blackmail (beginning back when she was in high school with Pepper). Amelia Boyer (Laraine Stephens) is aided in her nefarious schemes by bright young couple, June & Jim Brennan (Susan Blanchard & Daniel Benton). Don Galloway, in his second appearance on the show, plays Amelia's opponent, the incumbent, Councilman Grant. Although the writer doesn't provide us any information as to *his* politics, he doesn't need to: It's very clear Councilman Grant represents a cardboard cut-out of the good guy opposing the heinous law & order candidate. Hollywood's been doing it since before this show, and is still doing it today. It certainly would make for a nice change if they ever made the law & order candidate the good guy!
Reviews
65 Reviews
Some great performances by the guest characters
7 April 2024
Michael Burns plays the young, eager policeman Danny Powers, newly promoted to detective. Lt. Crowley (Earl Holliman) and the other detectives are skeptical, but Pepper (Angie Dickinson) thinks they should give him a break. She tries to counsel patience, but Powers rejects her advice. Willy Jaques (Paul Williams) is his amazing snitch, who he thinks will be his ticket to a fast ride to the top as a respected detective. But Willy is running a more-complicated double game, and Powers ends up with egg on his face. Willy's accomplice in his schemes is a sleazy (but very distinguished-looking - and sober!) lawyer, Foster Brooks. Along the way, Willy bumps off the equally distinguished-looking Louis Nye when he realizes Willy was scamming him. (Tip to all TV characters: Never turn your back on a bad guy -- Somehow, they *never* learn!) Pepper and the gang are left to sort everything out.
If it weren't for John Larroquette, nobody would be watching.
21 March 2024
From the start, Night Court already had one comic in the cast, the annoying & often-incomprehensible Lacretta (Donna Gurganous), who spews out her lines too fast. But it seems like when the writer's strike ended, every show was sent a memo that they needed to shoehorn *more* b1ack people into their cast. So they let the excellent Kapil Talwalkar (Neil) go, and replaced him with another comic, Nyambi Nyambi (Wyatt), who also is annoying & often-incomprehensible. Then for good measure, they added a third comic, Gary Anthony Williams (Flobert). He at least can speak properly but I don't find him particularly funny. Or necessary. As one reviewer said about his only Season 1 appearance, He "is meant to be quirky and funny. We found his lines to be stupid and his one performance banal."
Finally, as another reviewer noted in a first season review: "Did you know that most laugh tracks recycle laughter from audiences from decades ago, even from TV's Golden Age, so chances are we're listening the laughter of dead people." That's the funniest line I've heard connected to the new Night Court!
If only the time off on the writer's strike had made them better!
21 March 2024
I agree with another reviewer that they've done a good job with Steven Weber's character, Dr. Archer, turning him from a jerk into a more complex, humane doctor. Oliver Platt (Dr. Charles) & Dominic Rains (Dr. Marcel) are still likeable. The show has finally moved on from that glitchy robot-surgery storyline, but now we have what will undoubtedly be a tediously drawn-out storyline about Sharon's husband having Alzheimer's. OTOH, it *is* an issue that many people are dealing with, albeit with many different permutations.
And now I see what they are doing with the introduction of Zola: Get rid of wh!te, ma1e ginger doctor and replace him with a female, ethn!c doctor to be the doctor who's always causing trouble and going too far because he always believes he knows better than anyone else. She was on a crusade against one pharmaceutical company, that 'succeeded' (although not really), so now she's on a crusade against the replacement pharmaceutical company. That storyline also continues, although it is already proving tiresome. As usual, the writers would rather focus more on the 'business' of medicine and less on the actual medicine. All this is typical of the myriad Dick Wolf (a/k/a "the George Soros of TV") shows on the air today.
And now I see what they are doing with the introduction of Zola: Get rid of wh!te, ma1e ginger doctor and replace him with a female, ethn!c doctor to be the doctor who's always causing trouble and going too far because he always believes he knows better than anyone else. She was on a crusade against one pharmaceutical company, that 'succeeded' (although not really), so now she's on a crusade against the replacement pharmaceutical company. That storyline also continues, although it is already proving tiresome. As usual, the writers would rather focus more on the 'business' of medicine and less on the actual medicine. All this is typical of the myriad Dick Wolf (a/k/a "the George Soros of TV") shows on the air today.
Fascinating, well-constructed, engaging episode.
15 March 2024
Although 2 people wrote excellent reviews about this episode, there are some other things to mention. This clever, well-constructed episode was written by Sandor (Sandy) Stern, who must be a bright, interesting man. Growing up in Canada, he was interested in writing. Thanks to an uncle (a doctor), who suggested that medicine might offer more involving experiences for an aspiring writer, he went to medical school (oh, sure, go to medical school, no problem! - apparently it wasn't). Thereafter, he opened up a general practice, all the while writing on the side, but eventually demand for his services allowed him to give up the practice of medicine, write full time, and move to hollywood. Ultimately, he moved into directing, then producing as well. He also wrote the 2-parter Ironside episode "Check, Mate and Murder," not surprisingly set in Canada, involving French separatists in Quebec.
Further, as another reviewer wrote about an earlier episode, the writers seemed endlessly inventive (without resorting to redundant plots) at putting Ironside in situations where he had to get himself out trouble alone. That continues here, with Ironside setting up numerous ingenious traps, some of which he didn't even have to use. And Ironside's spoken confrontation with the perp is emotionally devastating - for the perp. If only today's hollywood writers were nearly as skilled now as they were then!
Finally, I don't recognize this opera, it must be somewhat obscure. It sounds Germanic, maybe Carl Maria von Weber or Giacomo Meyerbeer? Anyway, as yet another reviewer alluded to, if I'd been that woman sitting behind Ed at the opera while he was constantly whispering, I'd have conked him on the head to shut him up!
Further, as another reviewer wrote about an earlier episode, the writers seemed endlessly inventive (without resorting to redundant plots) at putting Ironside in situations where he had to get himself out trouble alone. That continues here, with Ironside setting up numerous ingenious traps, some of which he didn't even have to use. And Ironside's spoken confrontation with the perp is emotionally devastating - for the perp. If only today's hollywood writers were nearly as skilled now as they were then!
Finally, I don't recognize this opera, it must be somewhat obscure. It sounds Germanic, maybe Carl Maria von Weber or Giacomo Meyerbeer? Anyway, as yet another reviewer alluded to, if I'd been that woman sitting behind Ed at the opera while he was constantly whispering, I'd have conked him on the head to shut him up!
Let's hope this episode is still factually inaccurate!
11 March 2024
I see this is one of the lower rated episodes but no one has written a review to explain why. Perhaps because it has what we'd like to believe is a *hopefully* highly implausible plot. It starts with Nipsey Russell playing an informant desperate to avoid a third strike by informing the detectives of a stolen car ring. When they get a warrant to raid the place, they end up finding a cache of guns. The feds, led by Monte Markham, then come storming into the case, heavy handed as usual. We'd like to believe it's hollywood exaggeration, but nowadays, in 2024, we're not so sure. Their actions promptly get poor Nipsey killed, which angers Detectives Pepper & Crowley (who promised him he'd be safe), causing them to continue to investigate. If that weren't enough, Pepper gets hauled before an *open* Congressional committee to provide all the information she has collected on all the shell companies behind the gun-running ring! Seriously?! Again, we'd like to believe our representatives would not be so stupid. Again, nowadays, we're not so sure. But, not surprisingly, the Press, and a couple of bad guys, including Adam West, attend the hearing. The bad guys are understandably alarmed. Dane Clark leads them in trying to clean up the mess. Finally, Monte comes to his senses, and works WITH Pepper & Holliman.
Having noted the lack of a review, and a low ranking on this episode: once I decided to write a review, I ended up highly enjoying the episode, hopeful-improbabilities aside. It had a humor and a great cast, including Phil Leeds, a wonderful character actor, who provides some of the humor as 'Abe the Deli Owner.'
Having noted the lack of a review, and a low ranking on this episode: once I decided to write a review, I ended up highly enjoying the episode, hopeful-improbabilities aside. It had a humor and a great cast, including Phil Leeds, a wonderful character actor, who provides some of the humor as 'Abe the Deli Owner.'
2-Parter Conclusion Uninvolving
5 March 2024
Okay, watched the second half. I think the first was a bit better, but the second has the advantage of wrapping up the plot threads. But at least I have learned that the boss is John Swift (Henry Ian Cusick). He's been in a number of things, including 'Lost'. And the guy playing 'Boom Boom' (Sharif Atkins), who looked so familiar, was from ER. As someone noted in the trivia section, actor Frederick Koehler, who plays serial killer Henry West, was "Chip" on Kate & Allie. That was a good show. It's nice to see he has lost a fair amount of weight, although he's generally stuck playing baby-faced, whacked-out bad guys. I see they are keeping it open about whether Sam, the guy from NCIS LA (LL Cool J) will be staying on. I just assumed he was, since NCIS LA is no more (I think), and this looks like a pretty good gig. The 2 lesbians are continuing their inappropriate workplace behaviour. Didn't they take their office's mandatory DEI/workplace behaviour training? Or, as members of said "DEI," are they exempt from it? Last, this 2-part season opener was written by 2 of the 3 "creators": Jan Nash & Christopher Silber. Not that that is a noteworthy achievement; the writing on this show, like most shows today, is pretty lame. It doesn't look like they used their time-off while on strike productively.
Ack! Too crowded!
5 March 2024
Good grief. Cast of thousands! I had watched the first season, but never got very invested in it. Tuning in after the writer's strike (which clearly wasn't nearly long enough), I tried to sort the regulars out. Very diverse cast which somewhat works in a place like Hawai'i, unlike all the other shows which shoehorn them in, in ridiculous, highly unlikely ways. Of course, I recognized the woman boss, the guy from NCIS LA, and the computer geek, who to me is the only interesting character. Then, to remind me, they had a tall blond and a short, dark Arab share a kiss *in the office!* Oh yeah, lesbian characters, check, that rings a vague, annoying, inappropriate-work-place-behaviour bell. Other than that, they all ran together. Maybe the creators should have each character wear a badge with their name prominently displayed... ? It really would help. As the episode went on, I found the plot to be somewhat engaging. Then I found out it was the first half of a two-parter. So I guess I'll tune in next week.
Adoption scams persist in popping up
22 January 2024
This was a compelling episode involving pregnant teens selling their babies to a sleazy California/Mexico "adoption agency" who then sells those babies on to desperate couples. Of course, the problem of these couples and the selling (or stealing) of babies still exists today, worse now that abortion is easily available. The 2 main bad guys at the agency are Robert Horton as Armitage and Jeane Byron as Rita. Also involved is a disgraced ex-Doctor Wyness (Paul Lambert) who lost his license and had been put in prison by Pepper (Angie Dickinson). All effectively portray convincing characters.
Their scam comes onto the police radar (and ours) when Valerie, the wife of a policeman, Sam Dorin (Dale Robinette), is in a fatal small plane accident. Valerie was flying back from Mexico after checking out the clinic where the babies are born. Also in the crash were 2 young girls who had just given birth, and the pilot (who was supposed to be flying back alone) who'd been slipped a Mickey Finn because he was getting too greedy. The wife had learned of the "agency" from her friend Cindy (Kim O'Brien), pregnant by a married man. And Cindy actually answers a question all the viewers would have been yelling at the screen by then: Why didn't Sam and his wife just adopt *her* baby?! She actually has a pretty good answer.
And, surprise!, as in every show ever made, grieving cop Sam is told to stand down from the investigation, but instead goes out investigating his wife's murder by himself and almost gets killed. But then, contrarily to every other show *I've* ever seen, the Mexican police officer, Lt. Garcia (Armando Silvestre), is actually polite and helpful to Lt. Crowley (Earl Holliman)! That certainly made for a nice change.
Their scam comes onto the police radar (and ours) when Valerie, the wife of a policeman, Sam Dorin (Dale Robinette), is in a fatal small plane accident. Valerie was flying back from Mexico after checking out the clinic where the babies are born. Also in the crash were 2 young girls who had just given birth, and the pilot (who was supposed to be flying back alone) who'd been slipped a Mickey Finn because he was getting too greedy. The wife had learned of the "agency" from her friend Cindy (Kim O'Brien), pregnant by a married man. And Cindy actually answers a question all the viewers would have been yelling at the screen by then: Why didn't Sam and his wife just adopt *her* baby?! She actually has a pretty good answer.
And, surprise!, as in every show ever made, grieving cop Sam is told to stand down from the investigation, but instead goes out investigating his wife's murder by himself and almost gets killed. But then, contrarily to every other show *I've* ever seen, the Mexican police officer, Lt. Garcia (Armando Silvestre), is actually polite and helpful to Lt. Crowley (Earl Holliman)! That certainly made for a nice change.
I like the character of Effie, but . . .
14 January 2024
This Christmas show could have been fun, but I join other reviewers bemoaning the awkward grafting of today's "sensibilities" onto early 20th Century society. IMDb has a section for "Anachronisms" and really this whole show should be put there now. *This* episode's biggest anachronism was the scene with Effie Newsome, George Crabtree, and the butler. They have Effie arranging to sleep in the same room as George by the simple expediency of telling the butler that she and George were recently married. Oh, okay, that's cool then! This just would not have happened back in whatever year this is supposedly set in, 1910-ish. Forget about fooling the butler, what about everyone else there who knows they are not married?! Seriously, such a thing was JUST NOT DONE back then - or for many years thereafter as well. I gather this show was written by Paul Aitken, since the other 2 names listed under "writer" are shown in the full credits as developers of the show: R. B. "Bob" Carney and Cal Coons. Regardless, they should all know better, and Aitken can't be that young and dumb since the trivia listing for him says: "He was awarded the 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal from the Canadian Governor General for his services to Canada." Murdoch Mysteries is reminding me more and more of another Canadian period-piece show, "Frankie Drake." set in the 1920's. I liked the actress Lauren Smith and started to watch, but it was clear all they were doing was using period clothes and sets, the actions and speech of all the characters were thoroughly modern day. I don't know if the people behind Murdoch Mysteries are trying to rewrite history or are just too lazy after all these years to do any real research about the times their characters supposedly lived in.
Don Galloway makes a great guest star.
28 December 2023
A young officer, who was about to be married the next day to another officer, Karen Kelley (Susan Blanchard), is killed during a gang fight. Lt. Buckles (Don Galloway, of Ironside fame) comes in as an overly by-the-book officer to lead the investigation. A young man, Bobby Romero (Chu Chu Malave) is quickly (mis)identified as the shooter, and Galloway is heading an all-out search to find him, figuring a quick arrest can be his chance for advancement. He is the poster boy for the phrase: "My mind is made up. Don't confuse me with the facts."
Sgt. 'Pepper' Anderson (Angie Dickinson) and Lt. Bill Crowley (Earl Holliman) are not at all convinced Romero is the right culprit. But they are repeatedly shut down, criticized, and redirected by martinet Galloway. Poor Crowley spends the entire episode fuming over this idiot. I have a temper too, so I know how it is, but it's funny to watch Holliman's performance, he does a great job. Dickinson gets in a funny bit of her own. When Galloway quotes the bible to Holliman about curbing his temper, Dickinson quotes back a relevant bit of scripture to him: "Only a simpleton believes what he is told. A prudent man checks to see where he's going." Galloway is left with no response. It's an excellent moment.
Meanwhile, both Galloway's and Romero's own actions make things worse. In spite of that, Pepper & Crowley still manage to sneak in some of their own investigation on the side. Holliman speaks to a kid from the barrio, who says it was the cops's friend who was killed, so why should he care? Holliman gives a wonderful speech to him, explaining why he *should* care and why it matters to him, and that the officer was not out patrolling some ritzy neighborhood, instead, he was there, protecting the kid and his family and neighborhood from harm. Pepper & Crowley persevere and eventually determine who the real shooter is. As you might expect (and you'd be disappointed if he didn't), Galloway hogs all the credit for capturing the correct shooter.
Sgt. 'Pepper' Anderson (Angie Dickinson) and Lt. Bill Crowley (Earl Holliman) are not at all convinced Romero is the right culprit. But they are repeatedly shut down, criticized, and redirected by martinet Galloway. Poor Crowley spends the entire episode fuming over this idiot. I have a temper too, so I know how it is, but it's funny to watch Holliman's performance, he does a great job. Dickinson gets in a funny bit of her own. When Galloway quotes the bible to Holliman about curbing his temper, Dickinson quotes back a relevant bit of scripture to him: "Only a simpleton believes what he is told. A prudent man checks to see where he's going." Galloway is left with no response. It's an excellent moment.
Meanwhile, both Galloway's and Romero's own actions make things worse. In spite of that, Pepper & Crowley still manage to sneak in some of their own investigation on the side. Holliman speaks to a kid from the barrio, who says it was the cops's friend who was killed, so why should he care? Holliman gives a wonderful speech to him, explaining why he *should* care and why it matters to him, and that the officer was not out patrolling some ritzy neighborhood, instead, he was there, protecting the kid and his family and neighborhood from harm. Pepper & Crowley persevere and eventually determine who the real shooter is. As you might expect (and you'd be disappointed if he didn't), Galloway hogs all the credit for capturing the correct shooter.
Frothy Fun!
28 December 2023
This one was a fun episode to watch, as long as you are good at putting your common sense and knowledge aside (granted, pretty much a prerequisite for viewing this show). Someone is trying to kill him, so Jonathan gets a disguise from the best: Frank Westmore, renowned Hollywood makeup artist, turns him into his "Swiss uncle." Contrary to what some others think, it's so good that the other characters wouldn't see through it. They know he's related to Jonathan so there would be a certain amount of resemblance anyway. And people generally aren't that great at faces (and a lot like me are incredibly *bad*), perhaps because, understandably, they are more focused on themselves.
As others note, Jennifer is her usually bubbly self in spite of her husband's "death" - on this show *nothing* gets the Harts down for long! This is also 1 of 11 episodes with Lee Wilkof as Stanley Friesen, and having Stanley along is always a big entertainment plus. OTOH, having Max as the spokesman for Hart Industries to announce his death struck me as quite odd and inappropriate. His unpolished persona is wrong for that role, but then the writers had to give him *something* to do in this show. Peter Mark Richman, a well-known actor accomplished at playing sinister bad guys, plays a fine one here as greedy lawyer Owen Grant. Royce Applegate is also fun to watch as Richman's accomplice, good old Oklahoma boy "Billy Ray Thompson," who's not really cut out for murder. But as we know, "the love of money is the root of all evil" . . .
Last, there is the excellently forged will in which Jonathan leaves everything to Billy Ray. No one even considers that California, quite famously, is a community property state (as are 8 other states). This applies not just to divorce, but death. And even if a wife is left out of a will (an "omitted spouse"), she is still entitled to her "widow's share." No, Billy Ray, hold on, you would never have been taking over anytime soon!
As others note, Jennifer is her usually bubbly self in spite of her husband's "death" - on this show *nothing* gets the Harts down for long! This is also 1 of 11 episodes with Lee Wilkof as Stanley Friesen, and having Stanley along is always a big entertainment plus. OTOH, having Max as the spokesman for Hart Industries to announce his death struck me as quite odd and inappropriate. His unpolished persona is wrong for that role, but then the writers had to give him *something* to do in this show. Peter Mark Richman, a well-known actor accomplished at playing sinister bad guys, plays a fine one here as greedy lawyer Owen Grant. Royce Applegate is also fun to watch as Richman's accomplice, good old Oklahoma boy "Billy Ray Thompson," who's not really cut out for murder. But as we know, "the love of money is the root of all evil" . . .
Last, there is the excellently forged will in which Jonathan leaves everything to Billy Ray. No one even considers that California, quite famously, is a community property state (as are 8 other states). This applies not just to divorce, but death. And even if a wife is left out of a will (an "omitted spouse"), she is still entitled to her "widow's share." No, Billy Ray, hold on, you would never have been taking over anytime soon!
An engaging mystery with an excellent cast
4 December 2023
This was a very enjoyable episode; I can't recall one I liked better. I think it was because of the large, excellent, believable cast of suspects, confined in a small space with only Mac to figure it out. I didn't miss the '& Wife' at all and, never being a huge Mildred (Nancy Walker) fan, was happy to have Martha Raye fill in quite well as her sister Agatha. I did wonder why poor John Schuck was so little seen, though. Perhaps it was just because of the storyline, credited to Pat Fielder, Richard Bluel, and the deservedly acclaimed Steven Bochco. I'm glad I didn't read either the plot summary or the other review first because they both contain what I would consider spoilers.
Here, Mac is looking forward to his long-awaited vacation to Hawaii. He is sitting happily in first class along with a number of airline executives. But Mac was followed onto the flight by the persistent, pushy, and nosy reporter Carol (Julie Sommars), who has been trying to interview him. However, her focus quickly changes when a passenger is murdered.
Leslie Charleson from General Hospital plays the poor, put-upon stewardess Ginny Lindauer. Russell Johnson (a/k/a 'The Professor') is Carl Jensen, one of the airline executives. Ed Nelson is the sort of Captain (Glen Wyler) you'd like to have on your flight: professional, competent, radiating confidence. Singer Jack Jones is Johnny Barton, the lover of Anna Meridio (Tisha Sterling), who is the ex-wife of airline head Charles Meridio (Robert Webber). However, Meridio's cunning plan to poison his ex-wife with a cyanide-laced champagne bottle goes astray, thanks to a still-thirsty drunken passenger Harry Court (Henry Beckman), causing him to die instead.
As Mac is investigating Court's death, he lights up a cigarette - so at least with all of today's problems and our current administration's 'Chicken Little' view of the world there is *one* thing in life that's gotten better. Mac has an interesting conversation with a passenger (James Dobson?) who had been with the coroner's office before he was a pharmacist. He told Mac you can't smell cyanide while it's in the wine bottle, you only smell bitter almonds after the cyanide interacts with animal or human flesh. I'd never heard that before. Then as if that's not enough, the plane develops grave engine trouble, necessitating a return home. And that's not even the end of everyone's problems! I'll just say the denouement in the VIP lounge was well done and satisfying.
Here, Mac is looking forward to his long-awaited vacation to Hawaii. He is sitting happily in first class along with a number of airline executives. But Mac was followed onto the flight by the persistent, pushy, and nosy reporter Carol (Julie Sommars), who has been trying to interview him. However, her focus quickly changes when a passenger is murdered.
Leslie Charleson from General Hospital plays the poor, put-upon stewardess Ginny Lindauer. Russell Johnson (a/k/a 'The Professor') is Carl Jensen, one of the airline executives. Ed Nelson is the sort of Captain (Glen Wyler) you'd like to have on your flight: professional, competent, radiating confidence. Singer Jack Jones is Johnny Barton, the lover of Anna Meridio (Tisha Sterling), who is the ex-wife of airline head Charles Meridio (Robert Webber). However, Meridio's cunning plan to poison his ex-wife with a cyanide-laced champagne bottle goes astray, thanks to a still-thirsty drunken passenger Harry Court (Henry Beckman), causing him to die instead.
As Mac is investigating Court's death, he lights up a cigarette - so at least with all of today's problems and our current administration's 'Chicken Little' view of the world there is *one* thing in life that's gotten better. Mac has an interesting conversation with a passenger (James Dobson?) who had been with the coroner's office before he was a pharmacist. He told Mac you can't smell cyanide while it's in the wine bottle, you only smell bitter almonds after the cyanide interacts with animal or human flesh. I'd never heard that before. Then as if that's not enough, the plane develops grave engine trouble, necessitating a return home. And that's not even the end of everyone's problems! I'll just say the denouement in the VIP lounge was well done and satisfying.
Exposition, Exposition, Exposition!!!
8 November 2023
I agree with everyone else here who rates this as one of the better Season 8 shows since it avoids the incessant lecturing and moralizing by Quincy (& the new wife), to the detriment of the crime solving the show is supposed to depict. This is one of the rare shows that *does* focus on crime solving. Not sure of the timing, but definitely by this last season Jack Klugman had seized control of the show after ousting Creator & Producer Glen Larson, whose focus was entertainment for the viewing public. But hollywood has only gotten much worse over the years. Viewer entertainment is way down on the list of what they want to present: It falls well below casting overly diverse actors, showcasing alternate lifestyles, and writer's presenting their leftist views and causes as the only right answer to everything.
So, while happily this show does focus on crime solving, my biggest complaint is related to that by another reviewer about all the people arriving and having no way to keep them all straight unless blessed with a photographic memory. Unfortunately, I was not. But to me, the worst part was the *last* 5 minutes of the show where Quincy's exposition comes thick & fast, and impossible to process because he's already on to more circumstance-heavy exposition. Once he was done, I could have thought it through and put it all together, but why bother? Still, way more entertaining than the rest of Season 8. And the best part was Emily's adroit line about Aida and the elephants, that was funny.
So, while happily this show does focus on crime solving, my biggest complaint is related to that by another reviewer about all the people arriving and having no way to keep them all straight unless blessed with a photographic memory. Unfortunately, I was not. But to me, the worst part was the *last* 5 minutes of the show where Quincy's exposition comes thick & fast, and impossible to process because he's already on to more circumstance-heavy exposition. Once he was done, I could have thought it through and put it all together, but why bother? Still, way more entertaining than the rest of Season 8. And the best part was Emily's adroit line about Aida and the elephants, that was funny.
June Allyson guest-stars at her old home
31 October 2023
This was one of my favourite episodes. The plot was cleverly executed, with the finicky wine security expert Cecil (Garth Wilton) setting up an elaborate system to protect the Hart's wine cellar containing their valuable collection. It was complete with a back-up generator to ensure the wine always stayed at the proper temperature, as well as an alarm system alert to Cecil's company ('Grape Guard'). This all came into play when the Harts were in their weekly deadly danger.
June Allyson guest starred as Max's wealthy pen pal, and it was great to see her since her appearances had become less frequent. Her acting was somewhat subdued, but then that's what the part called for. I was fascinated to learn that the exterior of the Hart's house was the home where Allyson and her husband actor/producer Dick Powell lived, and that it was Robert Wagner, a friend of Dick's, suggested using the exterior of the house as the Hart's home.
Anyway, Max never thought Allyson would turn up because she was afraid to fly. Ah, but as my mother would say: Take the train! She does, and shows up on short notice. The Harts pretend to be Max's servants since he had fabricated his life in his letters, claiming all the Harts' stuff as his own. Of course, Max gets too far into the part, becoming an obnoxious, constant-bell-ringing employer. However, the funniest part was the scenes where Jonathan & Jennifer were acting as servants. Jonathan, especially and quite humorously, bore the brunt of Max's over-zealousness. The fight scene in the cellar, complete with Cecil and his assistant, was very funny as well.
June Allyson guest starred as Max's wealthy pen pal, and it was great to see her since her appearances had become less frequent. Her acting was somewhat subdued, but then that's what the part called for. I was fascinated to learn that the exterior of the Hart's house was the home where Allyson and her husband actor/producer Dick Powell lived, and that it was Robert Wagner, a friend of Dick's, suggested using the exterior of the house as the Hart's home.
Anyway, Max never thought Allyson would turn up because she was afraid to fly. Ah, but as my mother would say: Take the train! She does, and shows up on short notice. The Harts pretend to be Max's servants since he had fabricated his life in his letters, claiming all the Harts' stuff as his own. Of course, Max gets too far into the part, becoming an obnoxious, constant-bell-ringing employer. However, the funniest part was the scenes where Jonathan & Jennifer were acting as servants. Jonathan, especially and quite humorously, bore the brunt of Max's over-zealousness. The fight scene in the cellar, complete with Cecil and his assistant, was very funny as well.
I really hope this depiction of the California Parole system is NOT accurate!
19 October 2023
Sergeant Ed Brown's fiancée was murdered years ago, and Tom Dayton (Bill Bixby) was convicted of the crime. Now, after only 7 years, he is paroled. Insanely (well, it *is* San Francisco) no one seems to have a problem with this, but Ed is convinced that Dayton will assault &/or kill another woman in future.
In what I found a truly amazing opening scene, the lawyer for the convicted killer of Ed's fiancée brings said murderer Dayton to Ironside's office. Dayton, out on parole now, wants to apologize. The lawyer chastises Ed for not being "forgiving" or welcoming the murderer of his beloved fiancee with open arms!
Then Ed goes to talk to the psychiatrist whose report helped convince the board to decide to grant Dayton parole. Asked about Dayton's prognosis, the psychiatrist (who has diagnosed him as a "sociopath" and "a psychopathically aggressive dependent" {!!!} said they've fixed things because, since he has a problem with women bosses, they got him a job with a male boss! Of course the first thing that happens is a situation similar to that which led to Ed's fiancee's murder: His "male boss" has an emergency at home, so a female supervisor for another department comes to fill in. It comes to her attention (again, like with the 1st woman boss), that he was doing a lousy job, and she, too, took him to task for it. Voila! Another woman violently assaulted.
But Dayton has an alibi. The Chief and his team come up with a scheme to determine the truth. Everyone watching that scene knew what they doing: the cast, the crew, the audience, Dayton's lawyer, etc. But Dayton was so focused on the subject that *he* didn't see it. So, for this show, it's frustrating at first, but ultimately satisfying!
In what I found a truly amazing opening scene, the lawyer for the convicted killer of Ed's fiancée brings said murderer Dayton to Ironside's office. Dayton, out on parole now, wants to apologize. The lawyer chastises Ed for not being "forgiving" or welcoming the murderer of his beloved fiancee with open arms!
Then Ed goes to talk to the psychiatrist whose report helped convince the board to decide to grant Dayton parole. Asked about Dayton's prognosis, the psychiatrist (who has diagnosed him as a "sociopath" and "a psychopathically aggressive dependent" {!!!} said they've fixed things because, since he has a problem with women bosses, they got him a job with a male boss! Of course the first thing that happens is a situation similar to that which led to Ed's fiancee's murder: His "male boss" has an emergency at home, so a female supervisor for another department comes to fill in. It comes to her attention (again, like with the 1st woman boss), that he was doing a lousy job, and she, too, took him to task for it. Voila! Another woman violently assaulted.
But Dayton has an alibi. The Chief and his team come up with a scheme to determine the truth. Everyone watching that scene knew what they doing: the cast, the crew, the audience, Dayton's lawyer, etc. But Dayton was so focused on the subject that *he* didn't see it. So, for this show, it's frustrating at first, but ultimately satisfying!
Quincy Moralizing & Hazing Laws Tightened
18 October 2023
I side with everyone else here who gets fed up with the incessant lecturing and moralizing by Quincy, to the detriment of the crime solving the show is supposed to depict. I blame this on Jack Klugman's seizing control of the show and ousting Creator & Producer Glen Larson, whose focus was on entertainment for the viewing public. Interestingly, hollywood has only gotten much worse over the years. Viewer entertainment is way down on the list of what they want to present: It falls well below casting overly diverse actors, showcasing alternate lifestyles, and presenting the writer's leftist views as the the only right answer to everything. However, I admit this show did interest me. Unlike others, I haven't seen Ordinary People in many years, so it did not affect my perception of the show. Everyone faces death in their family at one time or another, and the sudden disintegration of the family sadly reminded me of when my father suddenly died, my siblings were grieving, and we were quarreling over matters as we never had before.
One reviewer mentioned a hazing incident in Florida, and since people love to make out that everyone who lives in Florida is an idiot, I wanted to point this out: Florida has one of the toughest hazing laws in the nation. In 2005, Florida passed the Chad Meredith Act, for a U of of M student who drowned in a hazing death in 2001. Governor Jeb Bush signed the law. The law made hazing a 1st-degree misdemeanor and a 3rd-degree felony if a victim was seriously injured or died. Then, in 2019, the Florida Legislature unanimously passed Andrew's law which strengthened the 2005 law after an FSU student died from a 0.447 blood-alcohol level from drinking an entire fifth of Wild Turkey bourbon. Governor DeSantis signed the law. Among other things, the 2019 law closes some loopholes from the first law and provides for prosecution of hazing that causes permanent damage, including holding fraternity leaders criminally liable for any hazing that occurs under their watch, even if they weren't present. Other states have made changes as well. So, preachiness aside, Quincy was actually making a valid point.
One reviewer mentioned a hazing incident in Florida, and since people love to make out that everyone who lives in Florida is an idiot, I wanted to point this out: Florida has one of the toughest hazing laws in the nation. In 2005, Florida passed the Chad Meredith Act, for a U of of M student who drowned in a hazing death in 2001. Governor Jeb Bush signed the law. The law made hazing a 1st-degree misdemeanor and a 3rd-degree felony if a victim was seriously injured or died. Then, in 2019, the Florida Legislature unanimously passed Andrew's law which strengthened the 2005 law after an FSU student died from a 0.447 blood-alcohol level from drinking an entire fifth of Wild Turkey bourbon. Governor DeSantis signed the law. Among other things, the 2019 law closes some loopholes from the first law and provides for prosecution of hazing that causes permanent damage, including holding fraternity leaders criminally liable for any hazing that occurs under their watch, even if they weren't present. Other states have made changes as well. So, preachiness aside, Quincy was actually making a valid point.
Monte Markham Makes a Great Star Turn
15 October 2023
We open with Bill (Earl Holliman) and U. S. District Attorney Landon (Phillip Terry) convincing a reluctant witness (with his back to the camera) to testify against the syndicate, assuring him relentlessly that they can safely protect him. Finally, he turns around and agrees to do it. It's Joey Marr (the then-ubiquitous Monte Markham, with a mustache). Bill's team are tasked with getting him back safely without any real information as to what's really going on. Next, Pepper (Angie Dickinson) and Pete Royster (Charles Dierkop) are picking up Markham up at the airport, posing as his wife and brother-in-law. Things immediately start going downhill, including Styles (Ed Bernard) who's tailing them, getting his car run off the road by the 2 thugs Bert (Pepper Martin) & Bruno (Cliff Carnell) who are tailing the trio. Later, Royster is put out of commission as well. Pepper & Markham rent a crummy Pinto station wagon that everyone calls yellow. But it looks lime green (o.k., maybe chartreuse) to me! The Pinto also manages to get put out of commission without *any* help from Bert or Bruno - it's just a lousy car.
Pepper & Markham hole up in a cheap hotel for the night. Then they disguise themselves as best they can. Luckily, Dickinson has a couple of wigs - one platinum blonde, the other brunette. Which does she choose? Why the blonde one of course, making her look absolutely no different! That was funny and made for a bit of nice, perhaps unintended, comic relief. While killing time in the hotel, Pepper & Markham have a nice chat, share a kiss, and Pepper learns that Markham is not what he seems. When she goes down to the hotel bar, her platinum blonde wig does help Pepper convince a lecherous Bus Tour Driver (Med Flory) to add them to his other obstreperous tour members so they can escape Bert & Bruno.
The show ends with a shocking plot twist I definitely did not see coming. In fact, I was convinced it was a fake-out. But nope, it wasn't.
Pepper & Markham hole up in a cheap hotel for the night. Then they disguise themselves as best they can. Luckily, Dickinson has a couple of wigs - one platinum blonde, the other brunette. Which does she choose? Why the blonde one of course, making her look absolutely no different! That was funny and made for a bit of nice, perhaps unintended, comic relief. While killing time in the hotel, Pepper & Markham have a nice chat, share a kiss, and Pepper learns that Markham is not what he seems. When she goes down to the hotel bar, her platinum blonde wig does help Pepper convince a lecherous Bus Tour Driver (Med Flory) to add them to his other obstreperous tour members so they can escape Bert & Bruno.
The show ends with a shocking plot twist I definitely did not see coming. In fact, I was convinced it was a fake-out. But nope, it wasn't.
When in Trouble, Get Ironside, Pronto!
13 October 2023
This was a very enjoyable episode. Why? Because it's one of those rare occasions where the victim goes straight to Ironside for help the minute she realizes there is a problem. This smart cookie, a produce-company owner, doesn't wait until it's almost too late. Apparently, the mob is looking to get into her business as a foothold for broader schemes. Fronting for the mob, the villain's plans keep failing, but he is undeterred, and keeps coming up with new ploys to get the victim to do what he wants her to do. But Ironside is there every step of the way to keep the scoundrel's chicanery from succeeding. After failing with the mother, the crook targets her son, a young attorney who, realistically, is struggling to get his practice going. (Even back then there were too many lawyers and certainly nowadays a law degree often isn't worth a heck of a lot. Got a smart kid in your family? Tell them *not* to go to law school, go into tech, computers, medicine, something actually useful to society!). Anyway, notwithstanding the thug's tenacity and increasing villainy, he of course is foiled by Ironside. Doesn't everyone wish *they* had an Ironside they could go to for help?!
Bad guy William Windom comes by his just desserts.
18 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This was a well-done episode. It deals with a situation that existed then and still exists today: Young teen girls, often runaways, getting into the hands of unscrupulous people who either entice them into pornography with drugs and money and the promise of stardom - or, even worse, selling them into sexual slavery. William Windom ('Ted Adrian') is appropriately sleazy here, although appearing quite respectable on the surface (and he has a lovely head of full gray hair!). Unfortunately, one of his young "finds" overdoses and dies.
Kathy Rigby has a funny bit as a police trainee who looks too *young* to go undercover!, so Kathleen Quinlan gets the assignment and does it well. This also gives Angie Dickinson ('Sgt. Pepper Anderson') a believable opportunity to go undercover as a procurer, although her cover story turns out not to be as solid as it should have been - alerting Windom to the fact she is not who she says she is. The best part is when the police storm the basement where Windom is holding Dickinson captive. He shoots at the police right through the middle of the door leading to the basement, but another officer breaks a window down below and shoots Windom at the top of the stairs. He bounces off the wall and does a neat flip over the railing! A very satisfying conclusion.
Kathy Rigby has a funny bit as a police trainee who looks too *young* to go undercover!, so Kathleen Quinlan gets the assignment and does it well. This also gives Angie Dickinson ('Sgt. Pepper Anderson') a believable opportunity to go undercover as a procurer, although her cover story turns out not to be as solid as it should have been - alerting Windom to the fact she is not who she says she is. The best part is when the police storm the basement where Windom is holding Dickinson captive. He shoots at the police right through the middle of the door leading to the basement, but another officer breaks a window down below and shoots Windom at the top of the stairs. He bounces off the wall and does a neat flip over the railing! A very satisfying conclusion.
Cartoon Vigilantes
5 September 2023
It's funny to see how far back it's been that Hollywood has portrayed people concerned about law and order as cartoon villains: Here, as ridiculous, outlandishly acting vigilantes who flash red neon signs: Warning, these people are dangerous and have a warped view of society! Really, there is not a bit of subtlety in how they are portrayed. Ironside insists the cops need no help fighting crime. Yet in the ensuing 50 years, crime and the breakdown of society has only gotten much, much worse. I like Ironside, I really do, but even the best shows have the occasional clunker, and this is one of them. The writers are capable of good, nuanced writing in a way that few writers can do today, but all of that talent is missing here. One-note buffoons do not make for good villains. Or a good show.
Still not a comedy & not as daring as they think it is.
4 September 2023
Finally back to watching the show. I missed a few episodes thanks to a misbehaving AT&T DVR. Sadly, it has not become any more of a comedy than it was before. And it's astounding to believe this show requires *nine* Executive Producers, as well as a number of lesser producers!
I don't know who some of these characters are, mostly those who are new, and a couple I recognize but can't recall their back story. But thank goodness they've added an African heritage friend and made the daughter gay, otherwise they wouldn't meet the diversity standards now required by Hollywood and its British counterparts. But it's funny to think that the daughter's sub-plot has actually become quite hackneyed. I've seen it countless times, and now it's just boring.
I'm writing this because no one else seems to be writing reviews and, more importantly, there was actually a funny bit! Friend Darren is over at Ally's & Paul's, and he pays £500 to an Uber- or Uber-like driver to drive his phone around London so that his wife (and 13-year-old twins "from 'The Shining' ") can't track him. Now *that's* funny!
I don't know who some of these characters are, mostly those who are new, and a couple I recognize but can't recall their back story. But thank goodness they've added an African heritage friend and made the daughter gay, otherwise they wouldn't meet the diversity standards now required by Hollywood and its British counterparts. But it's funny to think that the daughter's sub-plot has actually become quite hackneyed. I've seen it countless times, and now it's just boring.
I'm writing this because no one else seems to be writing reviews and, more importantly, there was actually a funny bit! Friend Darren is over at Ally's & Paul's, and he pays £500 to an Uber- or Uber-like driver to drive his phone around London so that his wife (and 13-year-old twins "from 'The Shining' ") can't track him. Now *that's* funny!
Eva Gabor & William Windom make a great team!
2 September 2023
I loved the cast for this one, especially the skillful acting of Eva Gabor and William Windom. They both gave the episode a great comedic touch. I enjoyed Eva's short-lived grief and her quick reversion to the wine-drinking, meat-eating woman she was before she met her newly married, newly deceased crook of a husband. And Windom played someone fairly different from his usual roles - generally an upstanding businessman type, even if sometimes he turned out to be the bad guy. But here, he was kind of a clumsy, bumbling, fool in love, who was not always the most astute.
Then there was the always reliable John Fiedler, who explained the interesting concept of a "Hollow Tree" bank account. Granted, the finale was quite silly, but Hart to Hart can get away with this type of nonsense when it's done in such an amusing way!
Then there was the always reliable John Fiedler, who explained the interesting concept of a "Hollow Tree" bank account. Granted, the finale was quite silly, but Hart to Hart can get away with this type of nonsense when it's done in such an amusing way!
A sterling performance by Paxton Whitehead
26 August 2023
We learn early on from CIA agent William Dean (Kene Holiday) that the fictional Martin Sole was created by the CIA to smoke out a double agent, Patrick Burke (Paxton Whitehead). Dean's partner, Alex Cain, was the body Jonathan found at the start of the show. Max recognizes, and Dean admits, they got the idea from a Cary Grant movie (North by Northwest). I hope people think Mr. Holiday looks like a "William"; I think he does.
Anyway, this episode was elevated by the fact that the villain was played by Paxton Whitehead, a wonderful English character actor, with a quintessentially British name. And, of course, Received Pronunciation English accents always add to a villain's portrayal. Well, any portrayal really, he was adept at comedy as well. I was sorry to read Mr. Whitehead passed away this year (2023), but he had a lovely, long, distinguished career, so we will be able to continue to enjoy his performances.
Anyway, this episode was elevated by the fact that the villain was played by Paxton Whitehead, a wonderful English character actor, with a quintessentially British name. And, of course, Received Pronunciation English accents always add to a villain's portrayal. Well, any portrayal really, he was adept at comedy as well. I was sorry to read Mr. Whitehead passed away this year (2023), but he had a lovely, long, distinguished career, so we will be able to continue to enjoy his performances.
I wish I had a discerning palate!
24 August 2023
This one is about wine, a good topic for an episode since an upscale product like a fine wine seems like a logical fit for the high-flying Harts. I know very little about wine, and I definitely don't have a palate for it. All red wine tastes basically the same to me, as does the white. And I'm sure there are plenty of wine snobs who go more by the label than by their actual ability to tell the differences in taste. But I know there *are* wine connoisseurs who can discern very fine distinctions in wine. This makes sense since I've discovered that humans are able to recognize more than 10,000 different odors. And flavours are identified as a result of complex chemical mechanisms, with our own ability to taste being genetic in nature. (So, thanks, Mom & Dad!)
This is also a plot not unknown for this show - criminals who don't know when to quit. It's one thing to bump off a relative "nobody," but then to cover the first murder up, they keep killing (or trying to), generally more prominent people, usually up to and including the Harts, as if they won't bring down massive scrutiny on themselves and all the murders that they could never get away with. Now, granted, if all the cops were as clueless as Richard Shull's "Lt. Gillis," character, they might have a chance, but police detectives did not get to *be* detectives by being so dumb. On the plus side, Lt. Gillis is not so arrogant that he refuses all help from the Harts, so perhaps he is aware of his limitations.
I did enjoy seeing the evil doers get their comeuppance!
I did enjoy seeing the evil doers get their comeuppance!
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