1 review
The downfall of a boo hiss baddie
"Never Fool with a Gypsy Icon" follows a straightforward path - Frank Drake (Ralph Meeker) breaks out of prison and kills everyone he comes into contact with. After watching a number of Evil Touch episodes with needlessly complicated narratives, the simple story is refreshing, but its strengths rest on the shoulders of Meeker.
Meeker brings a sense of almost gleeful malice to his monstrous role, one that reminds me of the '30s and '40s Warner Brothers gangster movies. You aren't intended to root for him, as these are before the years so many shows needed to overdose on anti-heroes, but you do enjoy watching Meeker work. To his credit, Meeker also grounds the ugliness of his character when he can, particularly in a sequence where he is menacing toward a helpless older couple while trying to obtain a key.
The dusting off of the old curse storyline makes it clear where the story will end, which leads to a somewhat flabby final section, but fortunately, the very last scene has a genuine sense of justice and horror to it.
Meeker brings a sense of almost gleeful malice to his monstrous role, one that reminds me of the '30s and '40s Warner Brothers gangster movies. You aren't intended to root for him, as these are before the years so many shows needed to overdose on anti-heroes, but you do enjoy watching Meeker work. To his credit, Meeker also grounds the ugliness of his character when he can, particularly in a sequence where he is menacing toward a helpless older couple while trying to obtain a key.
The dusting off of the old curse storyline makes it clear where the story will end, which leads to a somewhat flabby final section, but fortunately, the very last scene has a genuine sense of justice and horror to it.