Sour old grump Jonas (a marvelously cantankerous performance by M. Emmet Walsh) retires from his job and has a hard time figuring out what to do with all his newfound spare time with his sunny spouse Anita (a delightfully spry and chipper portrayal by Audra Lindley). Driven around the bend by the many animals Anita dotes on around the house, Jonas decides to take up taxidermy as a hobby. Director Mary Lambert, working from a compact and witty script by A. Whitney Brown, Battle Davis, and Randolph Davis, relates the entertaining story at a constant brisk pace and adroitly mines a sharp and funny line in playfully dark offbeat humor (said humor gets sicker and more sidesplitting as the show unfolds and culminates in a real whopper of a terrifically twisted final shot). The sterling acting from a capable cast helps a whole lot, with the always dependable Walsh a particular stand-out as one incredibly bitter, unappealing, and foul-tempered curmudgeon. Martin Garner lends fine support as annoyingly hale'n'hearty neighbor Roy. Peter Stein's crisp cinematography gives this episode an attractive bright look. Nicholas Pike's jazzy score keeps things bubbling along. An enjoyable tongue-in-cheek closer for the second season.
Review of Collection Completed
