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Reviews
Fantasy Island: Loving Strangers/Something Borrowed, Something Blue (1981)
Nothing made sense
As I watch the series in order, this is one of the worst episodes so far. Both storylines were dull with no one to really cheer for, and neither made sense.
The first story has an older couple, happily married, yet they want to risk losing all memory of each other to see if they met now as strangers, would they still fall in love? Immediately after they become strangers, Jane Powell, the wife, gets swept away by Caesar Romero. They get along great and he's good to her. Whenever she meets up with her actual husband, Peter Marshall, the conversations are awkward and there's no indication either of them are attracted to each other at all. Marshall gets hit on right away by a very young, blond, fit woman who pretty much throws herself at him. He doesn't seem all that interested in her either. At the end of their storyline, Tattoo, playing Cupid, shoots his one love arrow into the sky, and magically the couple regain all their memories and love each other again. What does that prove? Powell's character even said in the beginning, she wanted to feel butterflies again of first love - and she didn't feel that at all - she didn't really care for her actual husband when they met as strangers, and when she was swept off her feet by Romero, they didn't love each other either. So that whole story was unsatisfying.
The second storyline has a young, attractive couple wanting to get married. As soon as the bride-to-be sees some guy from her past following her, she calls off the wedding. There's some big secret about her past, that we never really find out what the big deal is. She has a scummy ex-boyfriend? Is that it? In the end, the groom-to-be admits he knows all about her past b/c he's in politics and they get married in a very gaudy night wedding.
The whole thing just wasn't fun to watch at all, and to me, neither storyline or fantasy made much sense.
Fantasy Island: Rogues and Riches/Stark Terror (1980)
Dolly Read steals the episode
As a big Little House on the Prairie fan, I was excited to see Melissa Sue Anderson here, although her storyline wasn't very interesting and pretty anti-climactic. The fact that she was rendered mute because of her mother's death, seemed a bit dumb watching her communicate with people but refusing to talk. At one point even signing "thank you", although I don't think she signed anything else. The end result was kinda sad, but still made her mother's death seemed like such a waste even though it was an accident (although still caused by someone even if indirectly).
The second story itself wasn't real interesting either, but I did enjoy seeing Robert Goulet here in a fun role as the man who would rather live in the 1800s. Watch for Dolly Read in a very sexy scene as she eats ribs all-the-while easily seducing John Schuck - worth watching the episode alone just for that!
Fantasy Island: The Lady and the Longhorn/Vampire (1978)
Jack Elam - scene stealer!
The Dracula part of this episode sounded promising, but to be honest, was hard to pay any attention to as it was just dull. Robert Reed as a vampire - not even on Fantasy Island could I believe that!
The better story, was Eva Gabor's - who I find charming and delightful to watch. She has a scene with her niece explaining why she has to get married to "a jerk" and I thought the scene was very tender and showed she really could act. The best part was Jack Elam, who always provides comedic relief in anything I've ever seen him in so it was great to see him as a potential mate to Eva who couldn't be more opposite of him! The scene where they're sitting around the campfire and he's singing is worth watching this episode for alone!
Overall, I thought this was one of the better episodes as I am watching them in order - the storylines really haven't been great so far, but really depends on the guest stars and I thought Eva & Elam made this a good one to watch.
The Andy Griffith Show: The Mayberry Chef (1968)
Couldn't they eat the leftovers?
Although this episodes centers around Aunt Bee, Opie shines in his comedic lines and delivery, and saves the episode.
We've seen this before - Aunt Bee is wanted for tv (or other opportunities in previous episodes that takes her out of the kitchen), Andy & Opie are left to fend for themselves and can't. Andy, while a capable man in almost every other sense, is practically helpless in the kitchen. I'm surprised they couldn't find some women - (where's Clara?) to at least take turns cooking for the boys, since everyone is usually eager to help out. Or why Andy & Opie couldn't eat the 2 meals Aunt Bee cooks for tv every night, and have them as leftovers the following night for supper? But then, that would allow Aunt Bee to do something outside of the home, and we can't have that.....I also would've thought that Andy might've bought tv dinners at the store, as he & Opie sat in front of the tv with their supper on little trays. Or that he might've got some food from the diner, as they have had to do in the past. (Apparently though, the diner is only good for lunch or a bite after a movie with Helen, but never for supper!) And whatever happened to the Chinese place in town Aunt Bee bought and sold not too long ago?
I didn't much care for this episode as it seems like the ideas have been used before, but as I said, Opie was great and adds a few laughs.
Music and Lyrics (2007)
Cool music, annoying dialogue
The previews made this movie look really funny & cute. I was really disappointed when I watched the movie, as it was neither funny nor was it cute. The music was highly enjoyable, especially the music video for "Pop, goes my heart" as it really captured the 80s MTV era. Drew Barrymore's character was just plain awful. She rambles stupid things about nothing, acts nutty in a way that seems to make her try too hard to be endearing when she's anything but, and I chuckled one time during the entire film. Hugh Grant was delightful, the chick from Third Rock from The Sun was also fun to watch, but the talented Brad Garrett had very little to do in the movie & his presence was a waste of talent. The dialogue involving Hugh & Drew was very grating on the nerves as it was just so rambling, unfunny, and annoying.
Your best bet is to download the music and skip the film unless you're a die-hard Hugh Grant fan.