CoastalCruiser Reviews

Top Chef (2006– )

Padma, please pack your mascara and go

[8/10 · 22 May 2024]

Just streamed Top Chef starting from season 1. Great cooking show that shines when the contestants are given challenges (the clock, identify spices while blindfolded, short list of items to cook with, last chance kitchen), and less so when they are given handicaps/sabotages (the clock, restaurant wars, team cooking, shortage of ingredients, promised time off that's not), which can cause a better chef to be sent home. Did I mention THE CLOCK?

The judging seems to always be in integrity, with no favorites being played. That's hard to do season after season, and the judges deserve a rarely issued pat on the back, with Tom Colicchio being the leader there. We do form a charge on the contestants do we not? We pray for some to pack their knives, and others we urge on to the finals, and if they don't make it we are heartbroken.

But not all the players on Top Chef can be sent packing. I'm talking about the staff. Season 21 is a standout for one primary reason; the exit of Padma. I was done with the "look at me, look at me" motif of this woman by season 2. In every show Padma is distracting us from the contestants with her show-as-much-skin-as-possible attire. Even during her pregnancy! Is that what being a powerful woman is all about? And afterwards we were treated with a see-I-am-skinny-again midriff show off. The camera of course went along with the Padma Parade, because, hey, s-e-x sells. But the woman's genetics make her so naturally striking she could show up sans make up, wearing a burlap sack, and look great. But nooooo, the audience had to have its collective noses rubbed in Padma's cleevage episode after episode.

And inquiring minds want to know why was hostess Padma sat at the judges table with no discernable credentials?? It was an insult to the qualified judges who earned their seat. It was so funny watching her take cues from Tom and then expressing her opinion in agreement as if it was an original thought. And it was hilarious to see Tom's look of surprise at times when Padma led with an opinion, only to have him render the opposite view. Then came the self-promotion. Trading on her looks, again, Padma came out with a cookbook at some point, and... hold your breath... frozen rice meals. Frozen rice. Wow. Nice work if you can get it.

So why did Padma finally leave the show? My theory is that although she made a reported 50K per episode, I calculate that she spent 51K on wardrobe. You can only keep that up for so long.

By season 16 Padma finally started to tone it down, although still displaying her wares whenever possible. But we could finally start to see an attractive, smart, articulate lady who made a great spokesperson for the show. There is a reported quote from her in that timeframe that had me laughing though. After growing from a size 4 to a size 10, and tipping the scales at 146 pounds (with more and more layers of makeup counteracting the weight gain), Padma is quoted as saying in response to a comment about her fat arms "It shouldn't be about what I look like at this point ...." . Right Padma! It NEVER should have been about how you looked. You're being made fun of now because you've been assaulting us with your body since day one. If Padma had put some clothes on in the early years and had stuck to hosting, not judging, I would have loved her (in the meantime Gail does seems ageless and actually has food credentials). As it is I am so looking forward to season 21 with the highly likable and super foxy CHEF Kristen Kish.

But it's been great to follow the evolution of the show. It's the innovation that kept me tuned in for season after season. The unsung heroes of the show in my view is the production staff, which pulled off great sets, locations, arrays of food, etc., etc., show after show. Their must have been a full time person just being on the phone getting permissions and lining up guest chefs. Well done folks.

(ps the title of this review is a quote from two female Top Chef cooks midway through the series who were trying to look acceptable every day while struggling through the rigors of the competition. They were ribbing Padma for looking so effortlessly good every single day.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

At the same time both fantastic... and disappointing

[7/10 · 12 April 2024]

I have watched the first installment of this masterpiece (Dune Part 1) over and over again. Maybe 10 viewings at least. Prior to this film I had always held the 1984 David Lynch version as a masterpiece as well, only a "flawed" one. No one can do strange like Lynch, and I remain so happy for Lynch's unique treatment of the story. But it is Denis Villeneuve's production that kicked the visual telling of this classic Heroes' Journey tale into warp drive. Regarding this Part 2 installment, I found myself riveted to my seat in the theater, and was positively blown away by what was unfolding on the screen.

Yet, somehow, this part 2 of the film came off as too long. I was so fatigued from the onslaught of the images flying off the screen that I found myself wishing the movie would be over soon. The story became harder to follow and I found myself tasked to keep it all sorted out. I found myself wondering if the film should have been a three parter...

Beyond that there were character treatments that pulled me out of the story. I wasn't too happy with the treatment of Chani. It didn't seem Gurney's place to be yanking her to the ground when she tried to protest. It seemed Christopher Walken's potential was wasted. The performance form Jose Ferrer in the 1984 installment was superior. And I was disappointed that Rebecca Ferguson's character was so diminished.

As the picture wrapped up, to my great surprise I found that this treatment of the Dune story was pacing itself quite like the end of the original 1984 film..... it felt like everything was rushed... muddied. The plot unfolded so quickly there was not really time to digest all that was unfolding. If Villeneuve had stuck close to the story all the above could be forgiven. But that is not so. Like Star Wars, like The Lord of the Rings, and even as with Star Trek, the telling of a brilliant story so often falls apart at some point, and we remain thankful for when it intact and unblemished.

By the way, I found that user davidmvining's and Dr_Rizi's reviews described the pluses and minuses of the movie best and I recommend reading those reviews.

The Courier (2020)

Pop culture dictates mar an otherwise interesting tale

[6/10 · 16 July 2021]

It's always a pleasure to see Benedict Cumberbatch at work. With the exception of the second Star Trek reboot -where he was miscast- the actor has never disappointed. His performance in this film is completely adequate, inside an adequately told story.

What pulled me out of this true story was Rachel Brosnahan's character, Emily Donovan. Clearly Brosnahan was picked to play a CIA agent because the actress herself comes off as very smart, and talks fast to prove it. Like with her role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, As with that role, Brosnahan lights up Emily Donovan with an obvious intelligence, informing the audience she is one step ahead of everyone else.

We first see agent Donovan in a scene where she is power walking through an office populated with mostly men. She walks with a strong yet feminine gate, sporting a highly accentuated, forward leaning tilt, as though no obstacle could deter her from her goal post. Sort of like Zoe Saldana's Lieutenant Uhura walking in to the bat at the beginning of the first Star Trek reboot (sorry for the redundant reference). It worked in Star Trek. It doesn't in this film.

I was suspicious of CIA agent Rachel Brosnahan from that point forward. This was a true story, right? Was it actually a female agent in that era that interfaced with civilian Cumberbatch's character? If so, then OK. The writers may have taken a bit of creative license with Donovan, but we can live with that. But if CIA agent Donovan had instead been a male in real life then we are faced with the script pulling off a big cheat in order to satisfy today's dominant movie goer who demands that the movie is carried by pretty young females who are smarter than their male counterparts and innately know karate.

So I looked it up. Whoops. There was no agent named Emily Donovan in the real story. "She" was a composite of several CIA agents. I suspect that those composites were mostly male, simply because that's the way it was in those ancient bygone times.

Sadly, The Courier has sold out to identity politics. Why don't I like that? Because it pulls you out of the story. It's that simple.

The Mentalist: Blue Bird (2014) Season 6, Episode 22

I Laughed. I Cried. I Kissed Six Seasons Goodbye.

[8/10 · 25 May 2021]

It's June 2021. Yet as a I near the homestretch of serial streaming this series for the first time, without having left even one review to date, I am FORCED to pen something after the shock I just received with the ending of season 6.

Let's be clear. This was a GREAT show. I really should say IS a great show, because in spite of the heart attack I just had at the news the producers committed series Hari-Kari by going all-romantic with Jane and Lisbon, there were great and laughing out loud funny moments (as usual) in the episode.

Here's the thing. I came off of a serial replaying of all 7 MONK seasons, wondering if any of the other 2000 era detective shows could match what Tony Shalhoub had done with his character in that show. That show was COLUMBO and ROCKFORD FILES good. Maybe better.

When I first saw that Simon Baker was the star of The Mentalist I was despondent. Baker had played an arrogant, smug, cutthroat financial executive in the most excellent post-2008 crisis film MARGIN CALL. Baker was so good in that movie I concluded that the actor was just playing himself. From his top of his curleylocks hair to the bottom of his effected walk, how could this guy play anything other than "smug"?

And I was kind of right. Simon Baker simply has a congenital look of smugness to his natural facial expression. But in a brilliant move Baker and the producers of The Mentalist (think, the brilliant creator of ROME, Bruno Heller), did not fight that image. They played into it!

And, to my surprise, Baker is an outstanding actor. Combined with the unique storylines of Heller, this show trapped me in and I've been enjoying the ride for all these six seasons.

But the question with a highly successful, long running series is always the same.... how long before they screw it up? It pretty much always happens. Anyone remember NORTHERN EXPOSURE? A great example of a series we came to love and trust taking its own life toward the end. So sad when this happens. For me, The Mentalist made it this far; Episode 22 of Season 6. There have of course been many missteps to date, and the reveal of Red John is controversial, but in my view the sign of a truly great show is that it can survive its foibles.

But the admission of love by Jane, and the subsequent kiss between Jane and Lisbon had me throwing up all over my TV (well, laptop actually. And I'm being metaphorical). I saw it coming but I kept screaming, "No! No! Don't do it! Have Lisbon leave the show. That would be much better. And credible. Less credible would be for her finance to be another serial killer. Like what happened to Van Pelt. Disappointing, yes. But it would not have driven the show over the cliff, Thelma and Louise style. Which is what they did the moment Jane professed his love to Lisbon.

So, am I going to watch season 7? Of course. Like a say, I love the show.

The Expanse: Gaugamela (2020) Season 5, Episode 4

It's as much about the questions that are implied but not stated

[10/10 · 31 December 2020]

First, yes, this is some of the best science fiction we have ever been witness to. The story from the books, and the exquisite multi-layered detail of of the screenplay raise the bar for all sci-fi to come. And I find it most interesting that the effects are not stamped with ILM! The producers used the right shop for the required effect. It's a new game all around.

Anyway, although it's never explicitly stated, there is a huge 600 lb. question sitting in the corner. It grows to 1,000 lbs in this episode:

"IS MARCOS INAROS RIGHT?"

Have the Belter's not been exploited for centuries? Have we seen any sign at all that Earth/Mars have acknowledged the exploitation?

This plot element of course is a metaphor for similar circumstances as on 21st Earth actual. I'm not really asking if violence, especially on this scale, is ever justified. It can't be. The real question on my mind is why Earth/Mars have STILL not woken up to the notion that they are responsible for the creation of a Marcos Inaros! It's easier to see this question in this fantasy story we are viewing. Not as easy to see in real life.

Secret Agent: The Hunting Party (1966) Season 2, Episode 18

A Bird in the Hand... is not always worth two in the bush

[8/10 · 21 January 2020]

No reviews listed for this interesting installment of Danger Man as I pen this one. In fact I was somehow remiss when first posting reviews of all the DM episodes where spy devices were used, so the gadgets listed here are in addition to the running count in my other reviews.

Drake goes undercover once again, this time as the house butler to discover who might be divulging State secrets and exactly how they are be doing it. Our hero of course completed a crash course in butlering in the first season's most outstanding episodes 'No Marks For Servility', and he has employed that guise once or twice since.

With 'The Hunting Party' We are only five B&W episodes from the end of this fine series. Yet we find a compelling story and McGoohan fully invested in his character.

In this installment Drake has a few of his now ubiquitous sticky wireless microphones, which the spy master deploys around his employers mansion. The show commits spy gadget adultery when it has us believe that one of the mics is suddenly a speaker, which Drake uses as an outdoor decoy when a hunting party tries to make him the prey.

One new spy gadget takes the form of an umbrella which doubles as a tape recorder, surreptitiously recording a conversation in the House of Commons.

Roger Waters: The Wall (2014)

A Short Comparison of Three Productions of this Masterpiece

[9/10 · 29 October 2019]

I don't know for sure how many filmed productions of The Wall are out there, but I have viewed three over the years;

The original 1982 movie titled "Pink Floyd - The Wall' followed the release of the 1979 album of the same name and was directed by Alan Parker, co-starred Bob Geldof and Bob Hoskins, with brilliant drawings and animation by Gerald Scarfe.

Then there was the 1990 post tearing down of the wall separating East and West Germany production, titled 'The Wall - Live in Berlin', which utilized different guest performers for each song.

And then we have this 2014 work, 'Roger Waters - The Wall', based on the 2010-13 'The Wall Live' concert tours.

Which one should you view? All of them, of course. The 1982 movie best Elucidated the story of Pink, matching video exposition to the songs on the album. It's a classic. The deeply moving artistry of Gerald Scarfe alone is worth the time spent.

The 1990 live concert is for me the most memorable production. The producers mixed and matched footage from several of the shows performed in Berlin and came up with what I hold as the MASTER of the masterpieces. Ute Lemper kills it vocalizing The Thin Ice. And, that dress!. The instrumental portion of the song 'Is There Anybody Out There?' is performed so beautifully on acoustic guitars by Snowy White and Rick Di Fonzo with a string accompaniment from the Rundfunk Orchestra & Choir. The piece acts as a sort of sherbet pallet cleanser before the concert shifts gears. In short order Van Morrison is assigned the duty of singing 'Comfortably Numb' and takes the song to new heights. Morrison's heartfelt vocals combined with the chorus and guitar work performed by White and Di Fonzo from opposing towers renders an unparalleled experience. If I was trapped on a desert island and could only have one video production of The Wall, this iteration would be the one.

The strength of the 2014 production is the extended backstory of Roger Water's loss of both his father (WWII) and his grandfather (WWI), which were the genesis the album. That combined with stunning cinematography and fresh awe inspiring animations make this iteration as well a must see. Snowy White was invited back, but he does not take another swipe at either 'Is There Anybody Out There?' or 'Comfortably Numb'. That work is assigned to Dave Kilminster and G.E. Smith. When you watch the 1990 video and this one it is quite clear which rendition of both tunes is superior.

The Twilight Zone: The Parallel (1963) Season 4, Episode 11

Looks at a core mystery of reality. Still topical!

[9/10 · 3 August 2019]

Have you ever had happen to you what happened to the lead character? You have one memory if a past event. And the person who shared the event has a completely different memory? And you both KNOW you are each correct.

I have had this happen so many many times in my life. Too much to write it off to one party simply having an imperfect memory. It's not just a question of parallel (two) universes. It's infinite universes.

Science has gone down this road. Remember the Heisenberg Principal, where observing a thing changes a thing? Then, Schrodinger's Cat, where it is unknown whether the cat in the box is alive or dead, as in the cat is neither alive or dead, until the box is opened and the cat is observed (actually I always thought the smell would give it away).

Now add the idea that when the cat is observed, two timelines are spawned... one in which the cat is alive and one in which the cat is dead.

I tend to believe in these notions, partially because as noted, such discrepancies have happened to me so many times. But also because the universe is not "real" We are dreaming it. Thought is real. Reality is an illusion spawned by thought. And in an illusion anything is possible. The construct of time and space, and the paradox of the beginning of time or the end of time (and space) make more sense , because in a dream you can make up anything!

The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)

A Template for All Fantasy and Sci-Fi Stories to Come

[10/10 · 29 July 2019]

Currently going through the entire series in order from start to finish. I "was" going to comment on how you'd be challenged not to find the seed of any sci-fi film since the mid-60s living in some Twilight Zone episode. But reviewer ratboy7a has covered that ground well in the review entitled 'IT'S A COOKBOOK!!!'.

Instead I would ask you to think about what the brilliant and prolific Rod Serling must have been going through when he was trying to keep TZ alive, and punch out episodes week after week. Like the work of many artists, like for example Star Trek TOS, like so many endeavors that were not recognized by enough people when the creative work was being produced, Rod could not have understood what a legacy TZ would become.

It looked like it was a struggle just to keep the show on the air, finding sponsors, tweaking here and there to garner a wider audience. Watching each season back-to-back you notice the changes they made just in the opening/closing credits. Serling's near diatribe in the first season opening credits the monologue was greatly reduced in season 2, condensed further in season 3, and even changed again mid-way season 3. Also, in the early shows Rod did not show himself on-screen. He had to be coaxed into it. Clearly the coaxing came from someone who recognized that Serling's surly but magnetic presence, and his fascinating presentation style would draw people in. It "personalized" the series in a way that compounded the show's attraction.

We love you Rod. May you rest in peace.

The Twilight Zone: Little Girl Lost (1962) Season 3, Episode 26

Comments For after You've Seen The Episide

[10/10 · 29 July 2019]

This episode, and an Outer Limits episode called 'The Premonition' where a military pilot crash lands and is caught in a time warp whereby most everyone else appears frozen in time but in fact are just moving imperceptibly slow, really put the hook in me as a child. I've remembered those two episodes all my life as trippy stories I couldn't stop thinking about.

This episode entitled 'Little Girl Lost' has a clever twist that indicate the writer was really thinking. Notice that it was written as only the dog, with its extra-sensory faculties, that could find the way back to the opening. Another writer may not have thought to add that twist, which puts emphasis on the notion that space-time in the other dimension was not equivalent to our 3-dimensional world.

Some pretty decent special effects as well, considering all they had back then for effects were stone knives and bear skins.

I love the criticism leveled in a review entitled 'Who you gonna call?' when they chastise this episode's writing for having a physicist as a neighbor. Like its impossible to have a physicist living next door. Dude, it's not like all physicist;s live in a physicist-only enclave. They're people just like you and me (or at least me) who need housing.

The same reviewer also reveals that his next door neighbor is a dentist, and he would never call upon his dentist if the same thing happened. Right dude. That's why YOUR house was not used in this episode. They needed a house in a hood with a physicist. Dude, they only had a half-hour to come up with a solution. There was no time to channel Einstein, or fly someone in from the Hadron Particle Accelerator project (which actually was being planned back in the 60s).

The bulk of the other reviews are dead on correct when they single out this episode as one of the best TZs ever.

Payback (I) (1999)

Good Movie - But Only if You Understand One Thing

[8/10 · 17 February 2019]

I know it's been years since Payback was released, but after just watching it and then reading the reviews, I have a different take than others. This is a terrible movie. No. Wait. It's a stupid movie. That's more accurate. It's a really stupid movie. For one thing you have the hero/anti-hero overcoming his foes in completely unbelievable scenarios where in fact the hero should be dead. Not Matrix-like unbelievable as with so many Matrix ripoffs were the protagonist moves in super human ways. Rather, impossible situations where the odds are stacked so badly there is just no way out, yet stretching the viewers ability to suspend their disbelief to its very limits, the good guy prevails.

Until you realize it's all in fun. The movie is so over the top it's funny. Between the film apparently taking itself too seriously, and Mel Gibson's usual tongue n' cheek performance, I was able to tolerate, and even enjoy, the film as a comedy.

Where Payback really hooked me though is when Gibson's character kills a man in cold blood. True, the man is a villain, but he is not directly a threat to Gibson at the moment, which is when the hero (or anti-hero in this case) is usually justified in killing, and the audience is forgiving of that. But in this case Mel kills a man who is wounded and lying helplessly on the floor. He shoots him in the head! Loved it!! To me this is when the film crossed the Rubicon, and I started paying closer attention.

Payback is clearly not one of Mel Gibson's best films. But there is a hell of a lot of famous actors playing some fun roles, and with Mel himself, unlike the movie as a whole, not taking himself seriously, the movie was quite tolerable. Definitely a one-time watcher though. If you need more after seeing Payback I'd recommend the original version, Pointblank with Lee Marvin. Far more nuanced, and an ending with a far more relevant point to make at the end.

About Elly (2009)

All Washington Politicians Should Be Required To View This Film

[9/10 · 4 November 2018]

Why? Because the movie illustrates that the people of Iran are just like us (Americans). They are human beings with egos and emotions and the same basic needs as Americans. If the folks that pull the strings regarding if/when America makes war on Iran see this film maybe they will get a clue.

btw - this very authentic film demonstrates once again that actors in "foreign films" so often turn in a performance more realistic than their Hollywood counterparts.

Danger Man (1960–1961)

Danger Man vs I Spy

[10/10 · 10 January 2016]

If you've never watched the "Spy TV" of the 60s you are in for a treat. Two of the ones I especially enjoyed were the American based 'I Spy' series, starring the inimitable Bill Cosby and the show's co-creator Robert Culp, and the British based 'Danger Man' series (known as 'Secret Agent' in the US) starring the enigmatic Patrick McGoohan. Comparing I Spy to Danger Man helps ferret out the strengths of both shows.

To set a context, Danger Man came out in 1960. It was pre-James Bond, pre-I Spy, and pre-most anything else in the genre. Danger Man, which began life as a ½ hour production and later morphed into a 1 hour show in 1964, launched the first of the solo, lone wolf-esk, righter-of-wrong characters with that all important ultra-cool substrate. 6'2" consummate actor Patrick McGoohan is secret agent John Drake. Just as Peter Falk fully embodied 'Columbo' (a show that received both McGoohan and Culp as guest stars) it is impossible to imagine anyone other than McGoohan in the John Drake role. As with I Spy's Kelly Robinson & Alexander Scott, Danger Man's Drake traveled the world, engaging in high intrigue across other lands and within other cultures.

And it is the traveling element that let's us draw our first distinction between I Spy and Danger Man. I Spy was shot on location! With few exceptions, Danger Man was shot in the studio, with stock footage of other countries cleverly blended in. But I Spy was truly shot on location. They actually took the crew to Italy, to Greece, to Spain and to Asia. When you're watching I Spy you are getting a glimpse of what it looked like around the world in the 60s. In my view this is one of the best reasons to go through the series. It is 'boots on the ground' realism as we follow Robinson and Scott on their world-wide adventures.

I Spy does not hold up as well as Danger Man. The latter had very tight scripts, thanks in large part to the constant involvement of the show's creator and writing contributor Ralph Smart, as well as strong input from McGoohan. This may be hard to believe but I don't think I've ever seen a bad Danger Man. I Spy on the other hand sprouted a few stinker episodes. There is one reason for this; weak writing. Robert Culp actually discusses the show's writing in the commentary track he recorded for several episodes. The concept of I Spy was great, with Culp and Cosby adeptly pulling off the playful banter that was the substrate of the show. But the thing was, the writers often didn't get it. They often wrote *under* the show (scripts were often loose and full of plot holes).

However, the chemistry of Culp and Cosby, the locations shooting with its voyeuristic look at the 60s is without compare. I don't think I'd buy the whole series, but there are some great episodes. Conversely, I do own the entire Danger Man series. If you check it out don't overlook the earlier ½ hr series. It is surprisingly well done. They somehow managed to contain an integral story arc in that 28 or so minutes. The intro of this first series also has a very Bond-like McGoohan introducing himself as "Drake .... John Drake". This, two years before Sean Connery introduced himself as Bond ... James Bond in Dr. No. It should be noted too that McGoohan was offered the James Bond role but turned it down.

The last contrasting feature I can think to bring up is the use of firearms. Patrick McGoohan, who was a very moral man and had a heavy influence on the John Drake character, rarely used a gun. He wanted a family show, with minimal violence and sex. Drake was all about brains over brawn, and thanks to great writing the gun element is not missed. Scott and Robinson are more conventional spys and are rarely caught not packing. The pair are somewhat discreet with their use of unnecessary gun play however, so I would say this difference in the shows is less about any I Spy violence and more about the extra work required by the Danger Man writing staff to get Drake out of a jam without the quick and easy plot device afforded by a gun.

Music-wise I Spy and Danger Man are on similar footing, with memorable scores for both series. The 1960-62 ½ hr Danger Man has a punchy, jazzy theme, with an even punchier theme accompanying the 1964-66 1 hr version (sold in the USA as Secret Agent, with the unforgettable Johnny Rivers theme). I absolutely love the I Spy theme as well, which rests nicely on the opening visuals where Kelly Robinson, in the blink of an eye transforms from a racket swinging tennis bum to an armed spy, taking the shot, and disappearing through the doorway formed by the upper case "I" in the title. So, a total of four themes... all of them winners (as is true of so many 60s TV shows).

ps - Given the claim made about Danger Man being one of the first spy dramas with a super cool agent, it should be noted that a black & white production of Ian Fleming's 'Casino Royale' was aired in the 1950s on live TV in America. You can find this short but excellent production included in the extras on the DVD for the 1967 parody version of (ASIN:B00005JL0I) Casino Royale starring Peter Sellers. In another interesting parallel between John Drake and James Bond, the Bond in this 50's production is an American working for the CIA. Likewise the early Danger Man series had John Drake also portrayed as an American, albeit working for NATO. All subsequent Drake/Bond characters were of course British.

Secret Agent: The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove (1965) Season 1, Episode 18

Is David Stone Patrick McGoohan?

[8/10 · 9 January 2016]

As I post this entry, every one of the other four preexisting reviews make reference to this episode being reminiscent of Patrick McGoohan's subsequent series 'The Prisoner'. In this Wizard of Oz style episode, characters from real life (ambulance crew, et al) are juxtaposed into a dreamlike fantasy that leaves Drake wondering which end is up. Somehow he copes.

But it's true. This is the most Prisoner like episode of the entire run of the Danger Man series. Besides the similarities pointed out by the others (like a #6 on Drake's apartment door), what jumped out at me, beyond the whimsical funhouse-gone-wrong motif, is the scene about halfway through with Drake banging his fist on the desk of his supervisor Mr. Lovegrove in frustration. Prisoner fans of course know this scene is mimicked in the opening credits of The Prisoner. The unnamed but soon to be 'Number six' angry man is fed up, he's had enough, and tenders his resignation.

Now, we don't have to look very far to locate any number of Danger Man/Secret Agent episodes to find a John Drake disenchanted with his superiors. Just watch the ending of "It's up to the Lady", with Drake standing frozen at the airport terminal after the escaped bureaucrat he just recovered is snapped out of his grip to face the trial that was promised not to occur. Or the end of "Yesterday's Enemies", when the spy who came in from the other side is assassinated by M9 rather than returned to England as promised. And of course there is the masterpiece "Whatever Happened to George Foster", where Drake's entire organization abandons him when he attempts to dislodge a corrupt industrialist from the country whose government the man is trying to overthrow. It's just business you know.

Drake was in fact just the kind of spy to be to be intercepted and sentenced to a term on a remote island when he had finally had enough of that demoralizing system!

So did the theme of this episode become something of a template for The Prisoner? Is fist-pounding Drake launched from here into the Village as Number 6? In later interviews McGoohan insisted that Number 6 is NOT Drake. That assertion is mitigated though upon learning that due to the legal ramifications of the show's creator Ralph Smart owning the name "John Drake", Patrick may not have been in a position to confirm the connection between the two characters.

None the less, we the audience *know* the answer, don't we? Number 6 IS Drake! So, just as McGoohan was inspired to shoot The Prisoner at Portmeirion Village in Wales after discovering the location in the very first Danger Man episode "View from the Villa" did the actor in a similar fashion take inspiration from Danger Man episodes such as 'The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove' when creating The Prisoner? It certainly can't be any more than mere inspiration because after all, McGoohan didn't write the Lovegrove episode.

Or did he? The writing credit goes to a 'David Stone'. But who exactly is David Stone? If you check IMDb, Stone has almost no writing credits, EXCEPT seven 1 hour Danger Man Episodes (including "Whatever Happened to George Foster"). Who is this guy that wrote mostly for Danger Man? My take is that David Stone may well be Patrick McGoohan. I posed this question in the IMDb forums, and someone pointed out that McGoohan did in fact write, and that when he did he would often use a pen name. So is Patrick McGoohan to David Stone possibly an analog of Samuel Clemens' Mark Twain?

Perhaps instead of asking; 'Is Number 6 Drake?' (of course he is), we should instead be asking; 'Is David Stone Patrick McGoohan?' If so, we would indeed have a direct connection between the two series. :>

Inspector Morse: Masonic Mysteries (1990) Season 4, Episode 4

Morse Meets his Moriarty

[5/10 · 29 November 2015]

It's pointless to write a review for the Inspector Morse series. Any review that, for example, chastises the Masonic Mysteries episode is heavily voted down. Apparently most folks who visit the reviews have already drunk the IM koolaid and don't take kindly to people pointing out the flaws in the episode (for me it was at the end when Lewis hears a gunshot but simply continues knocking on the front door to gain entrance. That's what I call real backup). I have not partaken of the IM Koolaid but I'm running through -and mostly enjoying- the entire series, after first discovering Inspector Lewis last year. Boy oh boy, Lewis sure put the razor in his voice after getting elected Inspector. By the way, parenthetically, is there going to be an Inspector *Hathaway* series? Sure hope so! That character cracks me up.

Anyway, regarding this episode, MM, I loved that they placed great bad guy Ian McDiarmid in the role of the antagonist. When this episode was shot Ian had turned in his two performances in the second and third Star Wars films (chronologically). He of course was buried under so much makeup in the mid-trilogy as to be unrecognizable. But I wonder if he was cast here based upon his SW performance. I'll bet a lot of folks didn't know he was in the first SW installment because even the voice under the made up face was different than here. However, Ian uses the exact same evil voice from MM later on in the third trilogy.

The other thing that struck me was that this episode was it was an analog for Sherlock Holmes' Professor Moriarty. The brilliant detectives each get out-clevered by one who is more brilliant (which always raises the question of whether evil is more powerful than good). So for me MM was quite the MMM as well.

By the way, speaking of evil, and speaking of Star Wars, what does George Lucas have to say about whether evil is more powerful than good?? Hard to say because George's commentary track, laid down for all six films, records him first noting that the dark side is NOT more powerful, but later a subsequent film has him stating it is. Alas, we are left to draw our own conclusions about the power of evil.

Although Morse actually does give us a clue... in this episode he suggests that evil may not even exist, but that evil acts do occur... Somewhat comforting, eh? Cheers.

Secret Agent: The Paper Chase (1966) Season 2, Episode 22

The Mind of McGoohan

[8/10 · 5 April 2015]

Every review of this episode posted prior to this one refers to the go-cart sequence at the end of the episode. If you haven't seen this episode you really should skip all the reviews for now (including this one), and watch it.

I actually referred to the go-cart scene in another review whilst pointing out some "Prisoner" moments in various Danger Man / Secret Agent shows. The go-cart piece is indeed very Prisoneresque. A common critique of the go-cart sequence is that it's over the top. Yes, it is. Why is that? I believe that quite often when Danger Man does go over the top -with 'The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove' being the quintessential example- we are seeing Patrick McGoohan's footprint... or should I say 'mindprint'.

Although Patrick did not write this episode he did direct it. And I suspect that either he added the go-cart scene on the fly, or, perhaps more likely, he enhanced the basic plot device of Drake escaping on a go-cart whilst directing the episode.

When McGoohan gets to cut loose you get... whimsy. The Prisoner is full of whimsy. Whimsy... and ... the rebellion of a brilliant mind that sees through the illusory and farcical motif of modern society. Patrick pulls back the curtain, revealing the irrational nature of mankind.

If Patrick had written this entire episode we may have seen even more whimsy. In fact, in my review of 'The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove' I floated the notion that McGoohan did in fact write that episode, despite the writing credit being attributed to one 'David Stone', who has NO other writing credits beyond 7 DM episodes. I suspect that folks looking for the smoking gun of a direct tie in between Danger Man and The Prisoner may find it in that installment.

Anyway, this episode under review is a great DM in all regards. Of particular interest to me was the card game. There have of course been several memorable card games staged in movies and TV. Two favorites coming to mind are 'A Big Hand For A Little Lady' with Henry Fonda, and "All Good Things', the last Star Trek TNG episode. And this card game, with Drake steering the thin skinned and feeble minded antagonist Eddie Gelb into the proverbial corner... while Eddie's girlfriend plinks soundtrack on the piano, raising tension at the critical juncture of the game... while at the same time the camera scans around the perimeter à la Brian De Palma style is another one. It's all quite delicious isn't it?

By the way, did you notice the second Beatles album on display in the cafe's jukebox at the beginning of the show? Be seeing you...

Secret Agent: I Am Afraid You Have the Wrong Number (1966) Season 2, Episode 20

Return of the Cigarette Case

[7/10 · 4 April 2015]

Before getting to the subject portended by the title of this review... for some reason while listening to the Danger Man opening theme music the thought of the Star Wars jazz band (from the bar scene) playing the Danger Man theme crossed my mind. Is that hilarious or what? Someone should do an animation of that band playing a jazzed up remix of the Danger Man theme! Would be fun, eh?

Anyway, if you've read most any other of my reviews for either the 1/2 hour or 1 hour series you know I've been documenting the various spy gadgets employed by our hero and master spy, John Drake. In this episode we get our second look at a nifty gadget that has been seen only once so far; the cigarette case that doubles as a two-way radio. This gizmo was first spotted in 'Loyalty Always Pays'.

However, in this installment of the series, the cigarette case takes on a new persona; it now acts as a receiver for the standard issue round bugging device that John is always planting here and there, plus it records the conversation! Yeah, they sort of transplanted the guts of the now ubiquitous electric-razor-as-tape-recorder into the cigarette case.

Other gadgetry seen in this episode is a cigar with a hidden cavity -which Drake places a dinky film strip in- and a compliment of fireworks and smoke bombs that the spy man triggers in order to keep six evil men from gunning him down. LOL! The ending of this particular show is pretty good. It's interesting that we see the same deluxe strongroom door used here as was used in ... you guessed it ... 'Loyalty Always Pays'.

A nice twist in this show is that Drake can't pick the strongroom door lock, and has to form a Plan B. This nuance added to the plausibility factor.

Be seeing you...

Secret Agent: I Can Only Offer You Sherry (1966) Season 2, Episode 17

Drake Takes A Beating For The Cause

[6/10 · 3 April 2015]

Not the strongest episode of the season. But worth viewing, of course.

John Drake gets in two fights in this installment, the first one leaving him with facial cuts that are seen throughout the episode. The second fight, which takes place late in the show, is probably the weakest fight scene I've witnessed in the series. And with a car full of police waiting just outside, it was unnecessary.

But although not the greatest story ever told, it's worth mentioning this episode like so many others is topical even today, in that it covers the kind of dirty tricks that countries are up to in an effort to keep tabs on what other countries are up to. In this case we are in what is probably Iraq, and the opposition wants to know what's going on in the oil industry there.

So how do you get access to the data? In episodes such as 'Yesterday's Enemies' employees are fooled into believing they are imparting information to a fellow countryman for the greater good of all. In this episode you locate a mid-level employee who happens to be naive and insecure, and play upon those weaknesses. You set up a rather elaborate sting operation that convinces the woman that a like minded "friend" is saving her from police trouble by coaxing her into imparting closely guarded secrets. It's an age old motif; Lying, cheating, and stealing. And like so many episodes, everything is working out for the opposition until master spy John Drake shows up and breaks up the party.

Anyway, we've got a few spy gadgets to cover. In keeping with the recent episode 'Dangerous Secret', spy gadgets are getting smaller and more efficient at doing double duty. Drake has a new lighter (!), and although this one does not take photographs, it acts as both a radio transmitter via a mic on the side of the lighter -which allows Drake to relay a conversation with the bad guys to the police- and it later sprouts an ear piece allowing John to employ the tiny gadget as a two-way radio to converse with the authorities. Who'd have thunk? You have to remind yourself that this was the mid-sixties, when even portable "transistor" radios stood out.

Drake plants what by this time we recognize as a standard issue tracking device (small round gizmo with a suction cup on the back and a metallic grill on the front... usually), but the receiver that picks up tracking signals from the gizmo is miniaturized to an even greater degree compared to previous models.

Be seeing you...

Secret Agent: Dangerous Secret (1966) Season 2, Episode 16

You Should Get Yourself Some Better Help!

[8/10 · 2 April 2015]

The title of this review refers to master spy John Drake's parting shot to the head of the opposition after defeating her FIVE henchman. Ha ha ha. This is the only episode directed by Stuart Burge and it's too bad because he turned in an installment laced with subtle humor. The levity, along with clean execution of well written dialog and sharp witty cuts to the next scene make this a memorable show.

If you're a fan of The Prisoner and not intimately familiar with Danger Man / Secret Agent, you might be interested in knowing that one of Number 6's catch phrases, 'Be seeing you', is uttered by John Drake several times in various episodes of the both the 1960-62 and the 1964-66 Danger Man series.

I think he gets that line off best in this particular episode. He crashes through a ceiling into a room full of bad guys, knocks one out, swipes a tape recorder full of compromising information, and as he hoists himself back through the hole in the ceiling let's go a cooly uttered 'Be seeing you'. It's hilarious.

I read that McGoohan once noted to someone that the expression, and the sign he would make forming his thumb and forefinger into a loop over his eye, was an early Christian symbol (the sign of the fish).

Now let's get down to business of what these reviews are all about and see what we have in the spy gadget department. Oh, it's a spyware bonanza this time out. First we have Drake planting an eavesdropping device remotely. In the past we have seen this done with a "fishing pole" that doubles as a bug launcher. We've also seen an undisguised rocket launcher of sorts made out of aluminum. Both of those devices used a C02 cartridge as the propellant.

But Spy Gadget Headquarters is getting more sophisticated as time goes by. Here Drake fetches a sleek dart shaped bug from a fountain pen. Then he slides open a hidden compartment on his umbrella (wow!), and slides the dart in. He unscrews the tip of the umbrella, takes aim, and fires the projectile home. An antenna eeks out of the anterior of the dart just after it finds home, and transmission commences.

But wait. There's more! Drake then retrieves a portable spy typewriter. Now we have seen his typewriter before in various guises. But this version does triple duty. It receives the transmission from the dart bug, it acts as a two-way radio for John to speak to a fellow agent, and later acts as a triangulation device to home in on a tracking device planted on a car. Wow!

So that's one, two, three, four, five, six spy devices, counting the bug on the car. It's almost too much! No wonder Drake always wins. The opposition could only muster up one pathetic, easily discovered lamp bug. Drake to opposition: "GET A CLUE!".

Be seeing you...

Secret Agent: Someone Is Liable to Get Hurt (1966) Season 2, Episode 15

John Drake: 36 ... The Enemy: 0 *

[8/10 · 2 April 2015]

In this installment our hero John Drake meets who I would term his third most formidable opponent . The other two enemies that nearly bested Drake were Lord Ammanford (played by Bernard Lee in 'Whatever Happened to George Foster?') and Rachid Noureddine (played by Derren Nesbitt in 'Sting in the Tail').

Not going to spoil the episode by giving away the punch line, or even the plot outline, but early on in the episode the antagonist kills an M9 agent and Drake is sent in to pick up the pieces. Bad guy "Volos" (picture Colonel Klink without the monocle) is sort of a truly evil, yet gentlemanly type. The various bad guys start one step ahead of Drake from the get go and this will continue with Volos outmaneuvering Drake at every turn... right up until the end of the show.

The acting here is marvelous and the production is tight and... hmm ... thoughtful. For example, when the M9 agent is killed, he is shot through the lens of the headlamp he is wearing. The subsequent closeup reveals a blackish spot around the hole in the glass where the bullet entered. Nice touch. And near the end of the show Drake has a bad limp from an injury he's suffered and is dragging his foot. At one point he bursts away from the frame (as best he can), yet as he starts down the hallway off camera you can still hear the foot dragging. He stayed in character, and they mic'd it properly!

Keep your eye on his #1 henchman (Holst). The guy is straight-faced throughout the episode, casting an unrelenting evil eye toward Drake even when he is in the background. I have this guy sized up as quite intimidating until Drake fools him into thinking he's escaped, and the supposed tough guy falls apart, fear breaking out all over his face in anticipation of getting crucified for losing his Drake. Quite delicious, and this triggers a very satisfying end to the show as Drake delivers comeuppance upon Volos.

Finally, you will see inside John Drake's bedroom for the first time (keep calm ladies), where we are introduced to his high-tech headboard. He receives his mission via videocast, while a female voice states his mission.. and speaking of "mission", this sequence is straight out of Mission Impossible. What a rip off! But wait. Mission Impossible did not come on the air until 1968... so who's stealing from whom?

Three new spy gadgets are introduced in this episode. And as usual, rather than their presence being related to the latest technological breakthroughs, the gadgets appear as necessary plot devices to the story. For the second time in as many episodes John is sporting a handy knock out gas dispenser tucked in his sleeve. He also comes up with a handy tracking device disguised as a burr which easily sticks to his victims clothing. Mated to this bug is a new tracking receiver disguised as a small clock. This trio of gadgets brings the count for both the 1/2 hour and 1 hour series up to of 36!

Be seeing you...

Secret Agent: Say It with Flowers (1965) Season 2, Episode 13

Just too good!

[8/10 · 1 April 2015]

This is a very good Secret Agent installment, with a supberb ending. The last five minutes are very "Prisoner" like, with whimsy substituting for standard issue logic. John Drake invents a unique way of turning the tables on the enemy. Peter Yates (Bullitt) successfully directs this episode.

This is one of those episodes where you have to pay attention to keep from getting confused (one of my unfortunate shortcomings), but the show is easy to navigate if you do. Just be aware that there is one actor playing two distinct roles.

In the spy gadget department, Drake has his trusty electric shaver / tape recorder at his side.

New to the series is a cigarette lighter with a cavity large enough to hold a tape from the shaver. This device was clearly conceived to give Drake a means to surreptitiously pass messages to another agent.

Another new spy gizmo is a flashlight that converts into an overhead slide projector. It's rather ingenious because you just fit an adapter on the lens of the flashlight, pop in a slide, turn on and aim the flashlight at a wall, and abracadabra; instant slide show. I can't help to wonder if such a nifty device made it to the consumer market.

Be seeing you...

Secret Agent: The Man on the Beach (1965) Season 2, Episode 12

"What's so particular about me?", he said. "You're beautiful", she said.

[8/10 · 31 March 2015]

Tonight's episode takes place at a Club Med style tropical resort. An aerial shot at the commencement of the episode frames a swimming pool shaped like a foot.

This pool would later be seen in the episode entitled 'The Man With The Foot'. Really? No, not really. But water does play an important role in this installment of Secret Agent... it's a convenient place to store dead bodies.

Peter Yates (director of Steve McQueen in 'Bullitt') returns to direct his third installment of the series. His trademark method of slowly building tension can be felt from beginning to end.

There are several Secret Agent motifs that are well played in this issue; John Drake plays one of his best undercover persona's here; a low-life. He also shows off his uncanny ability to launch people through the air when disposing of them in a fight... always fun to watch.

And there is some great chemistry between Drake and the leading femme fatale; Cleo (as in Cleopatra). The hauntingly beautiful Barbara Steele operates Cleo wonderfully; she doesn't walk... she slinks to her destination. She doesn't exactly dance.. she jiggles around a bit... slowly. She's forward when a woman would normally be coy. She's coy when affirmation is requested. And McGoohan syncs up to her mood very well. There is a covert power struggle between the two. You'll see who wins. And, you'll find out who utters the lines that titles this review.

By the way, another reviewer was commenting that this episode is hard to follow. It took me a couple of viewings to catch on myself. It is a very cohesive production but you have to pay attention to all dialog. I can also give you a tip that would have helped me, if you'll trust me not to give away too much...

You find out almost immediately that this episode is about identifying a double agent. That is Drake's assignment. There are not that many characters playing agents in the locale John is visiting, so just keep your eye on them. One character is seen both with and without spectacles. He looks very different without out glasses, so much so that I thought it was two different characters. That's what threw me off. Hope that helps you enjoy what is a pretty darn good installment of this awesome series.

Be seeing you...

Secret Agent: To Our Best Friend (1965) Season 2, Episode 11

May We See Your Spy Gadgets, Please

[7/10 · 31 March 2015]

I am befuddled here because the opposition has spy gadgets in this episode, and if you've been following my reviews cataloging the various spyware employed by Secret Agent John Drake, I've only been recording his gadgets. Hmm.. what to do?

Well let's start by covering Drake's spy gear. He shows up in this episode with his first bug sweeper; a spy device that detects the opposition's spy devices... namely, eavesdropping equipment. It's a handy little gadget that looks like a cigarette case. I would guess that its the same prop used in 'Loyalty Always Pays', which in the cigarette case was a radio receiver with an earpiece on a pull out tether. They appear to have simply swapped the earpiece tip for a bug sensor.

Drake also gets to deploy one of his exploding cigars! In past episodes we saw one other exploding cigar (Loyalty Always Pays), and an exploding pipe (English Lady Takes Lodgers). But in fact those two prior devices were more smoke bombs, and didn't really "explode". However the cigar in this episode seems to actually blow up and makes a flash of light and some noise. No real harm done though, and It's enough to allow our hero to once again daze and confuse the enemy long enough to disarm them. ;>

OK. I've decided. We're not going to catalog enemy spyware, BUT, it is worth a mention, especially in this episode. A female member of the opposition has a covert tape recorder like John's. But rather than disguise it as an electric razor (women didn't need to shave in the 60's), the gadget nerds fit the recorder into a makeup compact. Cute! The bad guys also have a big radio set for phoning home all the intelligence they've gathered. Nothing special there.

Finally... once again.. our dear spy master shows that although he avoids bedding the women on the show... he has a soft spot for them.. even if they are one of the 'bad guys'. You'll see when you watch.

Cheers

Secret Agent: Are You Going to Be More Permanent? (1965) Season 2, Episode 10

Philip Broadley Plays With Dolls

[7/10 · 31 March 2015]

Without giving anything away, there is a doll in this episode. It's used as a plot device.

Of what significance is that? None really, except perhaps for Danger Man / Secret Agent trivia buffs. You see, there was also a doll employed as a plot device in the masterpiece of an episode 'Sting in the Tail'. That's the episode where John Drake uses an assassin's femme fatale girlfriend to lure the killer to Paris in order to arrest him. The connection is that both episodes were written by Philip Broadley.

Interestingly, Philip wrote another episode, 'You're Not in Any Trouble Are you?', which starred the same pretty woman as in this episode (Susan Hampshire). And guess what significance that is, other than both episode titles ending with a question mark and Susan experiencing a migraine in each installment? Broadley again used a doll as plot device. Did this make the episodes boring? Repetitive? Certainly not! It was a different doll in each story, and more importantly the plots were quite different. I guess the writer simply found that dolls and femme fatales go well together.

In any case this is a pretty good episode. A fine example of John Drake doing what he does so well.. turning the tables on his opponents. Which brings about a very satisfying ending to this installment.

By the way, if you like romance there is a delicious dance played out between Drake and Susan Hampshire's character; Lesley Arden, when John and Lesley dine at her apartment. It's the kind of dream date that we all dream about. At least up to the point where Lesley tries to kill Drake. But that is giving something away and I promised not to. But hey... it's Secret Agent! ;>

Be seeing you...

Secret Agent: Loyalty Always Pays (1965) Season 2, Episode 6

Loyalty Always Pays - And Silly Spy Gadgets Always Rescue

[7/10 · 30 March 2015]

This episode of Secret Agent introduces three new -in this case life saving- spy gadgets. And the now ubiquitous 'cigarette lighter as camera' makes another appearance.

Drakes cuts loose with an exploding cigar (or smoke bomb, really) early on, which gets him out of a torture session. The only other time he's used that trick was recently in "The English Lady Takes Lodgers', when the device took the form of an exploding pipe.

Later on a concealed two-way radio takes the form of a cigarette case. That's new. We will be seeing a lot more of that spy gadget.

We again see a C02 powered aluminum rocket tube designed for shooting projectiles (first seen in 'A Very Dangerous Game'). The device takes on a slightly different form factor in this outing, and instead of propelling a listening device to its target, it has a compartment that Drake fills with the expended roll of film from his lighter camera. This trick allows the master spy to get the film out of a building he's trapped in, which literally saves his life.

What I found eye catching was that John actually pulled the miniature film cartridge from his lighter camera, right on screen. I always wondered how that gadget stored the pictures it takes. One rung up the credibility ladder for that one.

This is yet another decent episode in the series, punctuated by another of many ad hoc sting operations Drake puts together on the fly in order to subvert an innocent party into helping his cause.