Change Your Image
francespen
Reviews
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Chrysalis (1998)
New life
Some very critical and disparaging comments about this episode. Yes the characters of Jack, Patrick and Lauren could be annoying and to us odd, but they have spent all their lives in an institution so can't be expected to act like other folks. But they all cared enough for Sarina for them to ask their friend Julian for help to bring her out of her catatonic state and be 'normal', well as normal as anyone who had been genetically enhanced could be. It turned out she was very intelligent, of course she would be, but still needed to learn abut the world around her and the people in it. The scene when she met for the first time proper Jack, Lauren and Patrick was very moving, their delight, even Jack, was very visible. Didn't she have a marvellous voice! She was very astute on picking up on people's emotions too as demonstrated when she met Odo, Nerys, Miles and Ezri. And charmed the socks off them. Though not Quark, as she would have had him broke in a week. Julian had transferred Sarina's cared to another doctor so he wasn't breaking any ethical rules. I'm guessing she was an adult so he wasn't breaking any other kind of rules? It was expecting too much for her to feel the same way as Julian, she had no experience of the world which she needed to do first before of thinking of any kind of a relationship. It was a tender and fitting goodbye.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: His Way (1998)
Odo has his happy ending
Ye Gods some on here are right miseries! What on earth - or should I say - DS9 - is wrong with a bit of light heartedness now and again? Odo was really getting into the groove 'playing' the piano and he seemingly did get in a little practice with one of those lovely ladies. I loved it and that ending and kiss!!!
Viewpoint (2021)
Some people want quick solutions
I agree tashadaviesjj. The clue was in the outline of the story - surveillance - so no screaming tyres, no car chases, no running after suspects. The watcher needs patience - not just us - but the actual people doing it. Everyone now wants things sorted out in a couple of days, which doesn't always happen. One thing did amuse me though did none of these folk have curtains/blinds at their windows therefore allowing anyone to be able to see straight into their home.
Tales of the Unexpected: The Turn of the Tide (1983)
Woeful
For a top notch ex criminal lawyer Slade was incredibly dumb! He kills his partner in his car by garroting him so there would be blood everywhere. He then puts heavy chains round him, echoes of Marley, before he gets him out of the car and has to drag him down to the beach. He ought to know a dead body would be a dead weight - no pun intended - with or without chains. He then decides to give him a piggy back, then rather than disencumber himself at the shore wades into the ocean with his ex buddy on his back so of course he can't free himself as he can't get a grip on the guys hands. What was with that ending, the guy, who gave the impression he could have been the North Side stabber was an innocent family man, and then his daughter was seen playing with the murder weapon, a cheese cutter while his wife was twittering on about not having a camera on her to take a photo of it. A really naff episode. Camera work and lighting was awful.
Tales of the Unexpected: Down Among the Sheltering Palms (1983)
Unexpected and sad
I know it's been years since poolandrews posted on here, but I have to disagree with their opinion about it being the 'worst' one. It could have gone any way during the story. I didn't suspect it until I saw him walking wearily up the stairs in the Hotel, definitely not his home, that his 'lost' Doris was still his wife. She may have been living in the States since the end of the war, but it is possible she would still have her English accent. I'm also of the opinion it was a sad ending, Gerry was reminded by Carol of how Doris was when he first met her, leading you to think either he'd lost her or she had died. Shame we never got to find out why she had turned so bitter. Geoffrey Bayldon's, who will always be Catweazle to me, character gave the viewers the other side of what some Brit's thought of Yanks during the war, his sister had a bad marriage to one. We also saw Christopher Fulford, who is a familiar face on TV now in one of his early appearances.
Tales of the Unexpected: In the Bag (1982)
IF HE WAS SO GOOD
OK Sam is a super safe cracker and never been caught so why when he and Cara broke into her ex's place were neither of them wearing gloves, there were dabs everywhere! Hers may not on on file but it's likely his are.
Tales of the Unexpected: Run, Rabbit, Run (1982)
Ashes to ashes
I wasn't expecting that ending! A novel use for them I must say.
Has poolandews really never heard of Leslie Caron, where have they been all his/her life? Guess what poolandrews I am disagreeing with you. She is a very well known French actress especially known for GIgi and Daddy long Legs. Rather insulting for him/her to call her natural French accent awful seeing as it her own I found it just right for her character.
Tales of the Unexpected: The Eavesdropper (1982)
Had me guessing
I do have to ask before I start what is safenoe's obsession with having to drag politics into each of their reviews?
There is the old saying evesdroppers never hear good about themselves but in this case Moira thought it applied to her husband. He may have been a bit distant, but Louise said her Don had asked his wife for a divorce when Moira's Don hadn't so it should have given her pause for thought. Her obsession overtook her which ended badly.
Tales of the Unexpected: A Glowing Future (1981)
Rather flat
I agree with omendata, it was bad. The only unexpected thing about it would be when Patricia opened the trunk! He did have some good stuff though.
Tales of the Unexpected: The Flypaper (1980)
OMG!
I must have seen this many years ago, but forgotten it - how you could forget a story like that! A couple of reviewers mentioned about not talking to strangers, but Sylvia didn't talk to the stranger, she tried all she could to avoid just that.
Even now young girls and boys have to travel a distance from their home to school and back but now a majority have mobiles so not quite the danger as Sylvia found herself in.
Alfred Burke was on top form back when he seemed type cast as a villain/bad guy, he had that look and bearing about him. Long, of course, before he became a hero as Marker. Did wonder why he kept being referred to as old, but he was 62 when he played that role, not ancient, but would be old to Sylvia. He was keeping tabs on her as he must have done with the previous girl, he did follow her home and looked through her window. The brief thought crossed my mind that Vera was the killer, after all the cops didn't know if it was a man or woman. Then the gulp moment when Vera opened her door to let Herbert in!
Stephanie Cole as the cold Miss Harrison and Peggy Thorpe-Bates aka Mrs. Rumple as the equally cold grandmother made you really feel for Sylvia. She had only lost her parents two years before yet gran expected her to be over it.
Not just Myra Hindley and Fred and Rose West who were serial killer couples, had that reviewer - they can't have been English going by their comment 'maybe you have to be English' not heard of Bonnie & Clyde?
A very chilling episode set in the peaceful English countryside. where it is so more safer than the rough inner cities.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Our Man Bashir (1995)
OO SO GOOD
I really enjoyed it, you'd never believe it was all set in the holosuite. Loved the sneaky and not so sneaky Bond references. The now what would be seen as sexist request by Bashir that Honey Bare take off her glasses and loosen her hair I didn't mind at all, that was then. I would have liked to know if Julian told Ben and co about 'their' adventures. If, as was suspected, Sisko and the others were floating about in the ether somewhere could it be part of them were acting out what they would do give the chance. Kira as a Russian spy, Dex as a top scientist etc? Rom came to the rescue again.
Tales of the Unexpected: Neck (1979)
Did he, didn't he?
Not much I can add, Lady Turton was utterly unlikable so thoroughly deserved her humiliation as to her image was everything. Her husband - Basil - wasn't as dumb as she thought he was. Joan Collins was on top form - Alexis Carrington in waiting in fact.
Tales of the Unexpected: Lamb to the Slaughter (1979)
Perfect murder
Whenever I see any murder murder mystery series be it Columbo, Midsomer, Vera and there is no murder weapon to hand I always think of this episode. What a perfect way to dispose of the weapon than getting people to eat it. One up on using an icicle which can leave a puddle. I think today it would be blunt force trauma as cause of death. Of course they didn't haven't the forensics we do now, cops trampling all over the place, didn't seem to pin point time of death. Hubby did come across as very cold, he was going to leave his wife when she was heavily pregnant, his new lady would have been welcome to him if he'd lived. Those curtains could have driven anyone away, sign of the times with that decor. She was very convincing, getting herself a good alibi and giving the lamb a good while to thaw out. A real touch of nostalgia seeing the grocer weighing out the spuds and veg - sigh. There was indeed a time when Brian Blessed was less shouty. Always a memorable episode to me.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Abandoned (1994)
Borg v Jem'Hadar
Watching this I was reminded of Hugh who had been separated from the Borg collective and the Star Trek crew realised they could change his mind set. In that case it worked, but sadly not this time - the genetic engineering was far more sophisticated. I noticed he knew Odo was a Founder when he first saw him, kneeling before him so something else already in his make up. I felt for Odo when he realised his efforts had been in vain. The lad was who he was.
Not much has changed then regarding the age difference between young men/women. Even in the 24th century the fact that Mardah was 20 while Jake was only 16 had people raising their eyebrows and had Ben concerned she may be leading him astray. Shame we never saw her again, she seemed a lovely, intelligent lady.
The Fugitive: Approach with Care (1966)
Tragic ending
I agree with Dawlish03 - Willie wasn't 'gunned down', it was an accident. Maybe fbm72751 wasn't looking when that happened. What did surprise me was that no-one thought to ring for an ambulance or try and help him in any way, Willie was hit in the top right side of his body, had an artery been hit which meant there was no chance he'd survive? They all just stood about, one cop went looking for Richard Kimble but otherwise nothing. None of them were medically trained apart from Richard Kimble and he'd already gone. I'm a Brit too.
Noose for a Lady (1953)
RUBBISH TITLE FOR A VERY GOOD FILM
The title could have put many off but if they had stuck with it they would not have been disappointed - I wasn't. We do have to remember when it was set so need to ignore the fact most of the folk were upper middle class and looked down on others like Rigg. Dennis Price was believable as the cousin of the accused having shrugged off his cad image, though not sure he could have got away with some of his actions nowadays, he was very bullying towards Vanessa and Upcott, he caused his stroke and the sergeant just stood there. John Hallam would nowadays be classed as a sociopath and it would have been interesting to know how he found out all those secrets. The big surprise for me was having the lovely Esma Cannon as a vicious, nasty gossip who had abandoned her sister who had fallen by the wayside. She certainly was cast against type as she normally played timid little souls always being bullied by Peggy Mount. Very Miss Marple/Hercule Poirot ending with the 'usual' suspects gathered in one room. I have to admit it did come to me who had done it part the way through. I did guess what Upcott's secret was and Vanessa and her aunts. Nothing to do with the film or course but Simon Gale bigging up Uganda does now seem out of place, but back then it was OK if you were white and in a good job like he was. You felt you ought to warn him to make the most of it.
Midsomer Murders: Written in Blood (1998)
MIssed film connection
Saw this again recently and enjoyed it as much as I did first time round even though of course I know now who-dun-it. Along with the nods to Psycho - preserved body and Rebecca with Anna Massey revisiting Mrs. Danvers there was another one Honoria doing her version of "Here's Johnny!" from The Shining.
Murdoch Mysteries: The Devil Inside (2017)
Return to the dark side.
That was indeed a dark episode after episodes that had in comparison been so light hearted, and explains the 'excerpts' listing in the credits. Gilles had a brilliant mind so sad he put it to such an evil use. One thing puzzled me how did he know about Roland and how did he get him from his dad?
Shetland: Episode #5.5 (2019)
tension building up
You have to admire Zezi, she never gives up, she's one strong young woman. I do have a feeling who is behind it, but I may be blinded by the fact the last time the actor played an unassuming character he turned out to be the chief bad guy so I'm not saying anything more We are being led to believe it is Alice but I can't see that she looks after abused women and Perez didn't give anything significant away to her. It is sometimes someone who is on the periphery of the action who turns out to be the bad 'un.
Endeavour: Degüello (2019)
WONDERFUL
That is what you call an ending! As usual with Endeavour all the loose and sometimes seemingly unconnected threads all tied in together solving two (or three if you include the inferior building of the tower block) crimes. The baddies trying to bribe two of our heroes, Bright and Strange, Thursday stepping back from the dark side and Morse just being Morse. Bright has evolved so much over the series, when we first met him so dismissive of Morse but gradually coming to like, respect and trust him. The temptation for him to accept Burkitt's offer to help his wife would have been strong but his integrity held. Brilliant scene when he thought he was cornered by the two heavies but was saved by a bunch of schoolkids. Strange too had a very tempting offer. Fred really thought what he was doing would resolve the problems between him and Win. But as she told him it wasn't about the money. Bit of a shock to find out Jago was the one pulling the strings. Best bit for me was the Gunfight at the OK corral scenes, tension nicely built up, Bright wiping the smirks off the bad guys faces by telling them 'the writ doesn't extend to traffic'. Thankfully none of 'our guys' met a nasty end. Typically Burkitt turned on his 'mates'. Won't be completely easy to find their way back to where they were but they'll do it. Morse lived in a house that was used by junkies! Roll on next year!