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richiezoom
Reviews
Hawaii Five-O: Samurai (1968)
Yeah, could have been better, but...
The sheer charisma of Montalban is there in every scene however the casting of him is way off. I too thought the actor was 'Dr. No' due to the eye makeup, but the smooth diction of Ricardo corrected that belief in 15 seconds flat ! The more I see of him the more I like.
That death on the witness stand is THE first time I've seen that portrayed. I was fooled into believing it was a ploy to cast doubt on her testimony. Good catch, McGarrett !
And yes the last three minutes show just how tight a script can be written. Nice job. 6/10.
The Wild Wild West: The Night of the Doomsday Formula (1968)
"Nobody sings off-key like you, Artie"
Yep, this is the episode with that over the top caterwauling by our hero and by now, very comfortable in his role and disguises... Artemus.
I rate this episode a 9 just for that... a must see.
The plot is thin but it gets the boys moving. Other episodes have a more complex thread (and more fistfights) but this one has our Artie chewing the scenery with distinction.
So don't think, just sit back and let K. McCarthy & his henchmen attempt a huh? scheme with only West & Gordon to stop them. /
M*A*S*H: Deal Me Out (1973)
"I'm taking a red chip, that's a house call."
Gotta love it. They boys get together and play poker with assorted amusing interruptions... showing the writing abilities and the acting chops of the entire producti just on group. Timing, reactions, editing... it's all here. With the bonus of no Margaret Houlihan to wreck the mood !
And as a bonus, limited maudlin Hawkeye commentary and surgery prowess lets us sit back and enjoy the cast when they're just 'goofin'... not when a serious crisis comes up and changes the whole mood.
" Thanks for seein' me, Sidney".
M*A*S*H: War of Nerves (1977)
Better than many of the 'fluff' episodes....
Gotta like every episode with Sidney... this one goes to the top in my book. Shows what happens when he doesn't 'save' someone and how he takes it. Love the last bit when the FR. Mulcahy arrives for a visit, a well done piece of writing and acting with a role reversal to boot.
Yep, the soldier patient that Sidney worked with is none other than 'Danny Noonan' of Caddyshack fame. I was surprised to see him... seems like everyone came thru PostOp as a nod to their acting accomplishments (or something ! ).
The bonfire is a good idea too, with all cast members tossing something on it. Potter throws his DESK... Henry Blake got his stolen ! Episode covers some ground that was ready for examination, as the writers didn't just mail it in... 'bout time.
Miami Vice: Bushido (1985)
Solid episode featuring Olmos
As the years progress, I have become more interested in the other aspects of Miami Vice rather than just the plot. We all enjoyed it during its initial run and occasional rerun, but now... 30 years later (yikes) character development, set design, etc become more interesting.
Such is my vantage point for this episode, seen recently as a part of COZI TV's current rebroadcast of all the MV's in seasonal order each night. Castillo's character is further filled in with a story of friendship, shared dangers, honor and loyalty... setting us straight on what makes this guy tick. What a life this guy has experienced ! This episode has it all, without being a total Don Johnson vehicle. Even a non-fan will like it. /RZ
Evil Dead (2013)
Bruce, you produced this ?
Yikes, I gotta believe you did it for the money as this bodily fluid fest ain't got any humor or a nod to the original. Just plenty of prosthesis 'torture porn'.
If you saw the originals back in the day, best pass on this one... I wish I had..... We panned it back then, ah but little did we know what was in store for us pioneers years later..At least this was a free viewing !
Holes in the plot, check. Inane dialogue, check. Obvious frights,check.
Overall rating has fallen to 6.3 as of this writing, me thinks the ballot box has been stuffed to still be that high.
Sam, please tell us the new 10 episodes are gonna be great. Us early adopters are ready.../RZ
Hell on Wheels (2011)
Came aboard late but...
I'm liking what's there.
AMC pushed the series pretty hard early on, turning me off. But curiosity came calling last year (season 4) so a 2 episode viewing got me hooked. Watched almost all the back episodes online and came away with these impressions: Taut writing, solid character development, interesting sets, believable dramatic events and actual acting ! Bravo !
I'm partial to the details and Production Design gets it right: Clothing, hardware, the fresh cut lumber in Cheyenne's buildings, AMC may have a historian or two on staff.
Finally. it's nice to see Colm Meaney in a substantial role, far from Star Trek's transporter console. Carry on Chief ! /RZ
Miami Vice: Little Miss Dangerous (1986)
This is what you want, this is what you get....
Saw this episode for the first time since the 80's (!)
It just dragged me in because I could only vaguely remember how it all fits together... what a treat with a large screen TV & 5.1 sound. All the little bits that made this show a winner back in the day are here:
Music zeroed in to each sequence
Story basics laid, built on previous character actions
Suspense (need I say more ? )
Color of night in Miami
and more......
Yeah I know that picking the episode apart is easy 30 years later (a dirt bike in Miami??) but that last 7 minutes are IT. View it just for what it is: a cop show episode... sit back & let it swallow you up, you'll 'get' it. /RZ