Littlelep

You know that a show is very, very bad when the negative reviews are more entertaining than the show itself! I suffered through three series, but finally had to throw in the towel. Banks and his girl-underlings cat-fighting over who gets to accompany him makes me want to break the tv.

Why a well-respected member of the police force would permit his DS to speak to him the way Annie did is truly unbelievable. It appears that she might be more than ambitious; she has real mental problems. I can't figure out what she sees in Banks. The whole situation is just plain creepy.

I give kudos to those who have written negative reviews. They are spot on about Banks' expressions and weeping. How this show went on for five series is amazing! Will search for a good detective show to try to erase the memory of DCI Banks.

When the show was first available in the US, I looked forward to watching every episode. Of course, the jolt from the first lead change was disconcerting; but that was mild, because the replacement actor was so interesting.

The replacement of constables seemed to have been made with no thought as to the show's future; and a female was brought in to satisfy the demands for equality of numbers, even if the quality of the show would thereby suffer. Flor'ence, as she was called, recited her lines as though she were sounding out each syllable. She spoke in "broken English." Even when expressing a short thought, there were great breaks between the words. I wonder if she even had a screen test.

Then she became a major part of the show, and things quickly went from bad to worse. Aside from the grating, almost numbing, speech pattern, she was way too young to have the experience required for the role of sergeant. Her wardrobe for the first few episodes was an attempt to outdo her predecessor. Fortunately wiser heads nipped that in the bud.

I have watched through several series with Flor'ence because I enjoy the other characters and actors. Now that it is weitten in stone that she would be around for a long time - and even brought back after getting rid of her for a while, reluctantly I have to say farewell to Death. I hope that AI comes up with a way to cut out parts and characters so that the good parts can be watched without having to suffer through those bits that never should have been there in the first place.

Goodbye, Flor'ence, not going to miss you.

As with most long-runnieng series, the writers and production staff seem to have gotten sloppy in the third season.

In this episode, the crooks go into a jewelry store and ask to see a necklace. They are shown a bracelet. Then we are told that an outfit that fits Jennifer was intended also to fit a woman who was about a foot shorter and much smaller all around. That outfit was supposed to have sewn onto it the diamonds from a tray full of diamond necklaces. However, the diamonds on the outfit were just a fraction of those that were stolen.

There is the mandatory chase scene from series of that era, but this one varies it by being on horseback. The use of an obvious stunt double for Jonathan is laughable as are the cut-ins of him supposedly bouncing up and down on the horse. Just lazy and poorly constructed, almost insulting the intelligence of the audience.

I was surprised by the quality of the legal aspects involved in the series until I realized that it was one of Kelley's productions. The way they interwove a brief law course with conversations between the main character and his driver was very informative for the novice.

The whole first season was quite enjoyable and each episode left the viewer wanting to see more. Some of the plot's characters were a little strained, but, on the whole, each sub-plot was fascinating in itself.

After binge-watching the first season and finding it worthwhile (except, perhaps, for the last episode, wherein the loose ends were too conveniently tied up), I reluctantly started to watch the second season. My fears about second seasons always going overboard on the success of a first season were realized. It only took one scene in season two to make me switch back to Tubi, finding nothing else I wanted to watch on Netflix.

After years of using Columbo as a nightlight, and having most of the dialog of several of the episodes firmly engraved in my memory, to my amazement, I have come almost to be reviled by the character of Columbo.

Lately, my nightly choice of episodes has narrowed to about half a dozen. Some that I enjoy are left for daytime viewing because waking to episodes that follow is simply more than I can bear. Some episodes are too excruciating even for daytime viewing fare. I believe that such episodes are well known to most Columbo fans.

The funny thing about watching, or even falling asleep to, certain episodes is that one is able to study the character in minute detail, and mostly that study for me has resulted in realizing that Columbo used his position of trust to feed from the provisions of others, dead and alive, and to shame multiple Cuban-cigar smokers into sharing their valuable illegal tobacco with him.

The writers found a cutsey way to have Columbo dress, rumpled and unvaried, which was entertaining for the first few years, but which grew tiresome and totally unnecessary. His problems with his car (as often noted, which was supposed to be the same rare classic French import but was obviously a different vehicle over the seasons), grew monotonous and was used primarily to fill network time that created many over-extended episodes.

Sometime after the first few episodes, the ptb decided that the perpetual existence of a chewed-up cigar in Columbo's fingers and a perpetually-failing, broken-down automobile and his unchanging appearance in ugly, rumpled clothing were not enough to keep the viewer entertained, so they added a dog. The dog(s) that played this part were wonderful in themselves; but most of the situations in which they were included were forced and, again, basically time-fillers. In some of the dog episodes, the barking is over-the-top and unfortunately detracts from the dialogue between characters.

One characteristic of the Columbo character that should have become revolting³ for me, didn't: "One more thing." This became routine and the viewer could speak it along with Columbo. The few times he left the room without saying that phrase seemed almost incomplete.

So, to watch the many episodes where there was a decent plot and the few episodes wherein the writing and acting were superb, one always has to suffer through the main character chomping on cigars and begging and borrowing and thieving and constantly eating -- oh, yes, he must have consumed dozens of hard-boiled eggs for which he had to find a way to dispose of the shells. His intermittent naivete and clumsiness were uncomfortable to watch. I will continue to try to fall to sleep to the four or five consecutive episodes that are acceptable to wake up to in the middle of the night, but I regret that I have come to know Lieutenant Columbo too well.

Binge-watched the first nine episodes and, being totally frustrated by the ploy of the bad guys overhearing what the good guys are planning, checked to see how many episodes are still to come. Gave up on watching any more, both because there would be more and more eavesdropping and because I learned that the series was cancelled on a cliffhanger.

Anyway, I am so happy that I cut the cord, so to speak, and won't be listening any longer to a great looking lead who closely resembles Paul Newman but who has a very annoying speech defect or watching the female lead whose hair looks like string and who has a hank of that hair falling over her face. So happy I won't be watching her try to push that lock of hair back into line. Why the hair professionals didn't do something to make her even the least bit attractive is beyond me.

The other cast members were quite good, especially the daughter and the brother. The clients and their cases were above average, and the script for the courtroom scenes was exceptional. If only the lead didn't have that speech defect!

I am glad that I won't feel a loss by not continuing to watch; and I won't ever wonder what happened to the characters, because, as with so many of these shows, the network cut it off prematurely. At least respect your audience by having one final episode.

A terrific story and acting was mostly ruined by the usual Culp trait of messing up his lines and then trying to fix them without stopping filming. It probably happens because he memorizes the script and can't get his brain around the changes that occur as the scenes are redone. He simply stumbles along and the viewer holds his or her breath waiting for the wrong words to come spilling out. It wouldn't be as obvious if he just went with his first take.

This is ironic in this episode, becuse his co-star, Milland, usually has a problem with his timing. In this episode, however, Milland was able to read his lines without faltering or giving a stilted interpretation of the script.

Years ago, I watched every episode of this series. Recently, I was scrolling through tubi for something to binge watch and thought "What the heck--see if it still interests you." I DON'T know how I ever watched all those episodes back in the day. This surely is NOT one of the best shows ever, as some reviewers would have us believe.

First: What were they thinking with the leading lady and her hair? And her character just grinds on the nerves, alternating between unbelievably sweet and unrepententy stubborn.

Some of the scenarios the cops are put in are very unrealistic. The scripts are meant to tug at the heartstrings more than show cops in their true environment.

The terminology used throughout is strange, e.g., having cops say they will or won't "press" charges. Victims "press" charges; law enforcement "files" charges.

Lastly, this is a series intended to break the commonly-held notions regarding mixed marriage between Catholic and Jew. Don't know how realistic it is, but this is maudlin and out of place.

As with most series, popularity strings out plots and requires writers to take the storyline beyond the planned framework. Dr. Montgomery is grating and never lends anything to the original specialness of the show. Red hair may be captivating in itself, but not all redheads are. Good advice to producers and sponsors: let the best and most well-loved series die a natural death earlier rather than later and leave the fans craving more rather than seeking shelter from atrocities such as the writers gave us in Doc Martin.

As with many of the episodes of Lou Grant, this one is well-written and well-acted. It follows a good deal of the script of a classic movie with Bogart, Deadline. However, the episode keeps the villain's intentions in question until well into the story and gives us a brief look into the romantic side of Mrs. Pynchon; and the ending of the movie and of this episode very dramatically. Good episode, well worth watching a second time.

The series came along at the time when, like other British series, producers were forced to incorporate non-White actors into each episode. This was taken to the extreme and it is remarkable when an episode does not feature a mixed-race relationship and non-Whites in major roles. I wonder if this is typical of the locales in which the series takes place. So you take a perfectly good series with good writing and excellent acting and override it with political correctness. Sad.

The writers/director attempted to skirt the Church's stance about a priest disclosing information about a person who has confessed. The episode clouds the issue by disguising the "confession" as a search for guidance. However, a priest may not disclose even that someone has been to Confession, much less ANY facts related thereto. This certainly is not clearly represented in this episode.

Like several others who have reviewed this episode, I watched a cut that had deleted Tom's retirement announcement. I replayed the final few minutes over and over, thinking I might have misremembered where that had been. It definitely was nowhere to be seen. A shame, since that was crucial to the handing over of the reins. Just one more reason not to watch television. Read a book, instead!

I have never been so frustrated by a movie in my life! The writing and directing is sadistic to the viewer; but after watching the misery of the families and animals for a while, one feels the need to know the outcome. I don't care how special are those who wrote, produced, and directed this piece of artwork, or how brilliant the genre is to some: an audience deserves to have an outcome simply for having sat through the days of torment that have come before.

I wonder how many would watch such a film knowing that there is no resolution -- probably only those who dwell on a higher plane. If you don't realize that there is no "ending," as we did, you might search for the defect that prevented you from learning the fate of the lost travelers, as we did. And then you would just stare at the vacant screen in amazement with mouth hanging open, then ask those with you who viewed this Western: Could it be true that that is all there was to the movie?

All of which leads me to conclude that this was one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

I cut the cord months ago, so I see The Tonight Show via clips I choose to watch. I binged on the game/quiz segments and really enjoyed them, until I realized that most if not all of them contained words or phrases, etc., that had been used before. This gave Jimmy, and any guest who regularly watches the show, a tremendous advantage.

Jimmy always pretends that everything is new to him (and difficult), and you want to believe him; but after about the tenth time of seeing the same song in Charades or the same word in Password, you just want to turn it off and watch something that is honest.

Jimmy is naturally the most talented host on television. He cares (or, perhaps, as in the games, he pretends to), and his guests have great fun interacting with him. If I were ever to go back to the tube, I would definitely watch Jimmy; but that isn't going to happen soon, if ever.

If Mr. McInerny were alive, he would be rolling in his grave! (in the words of Fr. Dowling's housekeeper, Marie) How he permitted this farce of a series to use his name and character names is a true wonder.

In the early episodes, the producers basically used one location, the former office of the District Attorney in Denver, NOT Chicago, and then set up different CHEAP wooden establishing signs, such as Courthouse, Hospital, Hotel, and changed the camera angle. Also early on, the mansion that served as the home of various guest villains was the same one, from different angles -- and, by the way, the same mansion used multiple times in the 1991 Perry Mason series.

The inevitable car chases were shot one week in several blocks of the Denver Country Club area, the next week in an adjoining neighborhood, and so forth and so on. No need to move all of the equipment very far. Quick and easy. Cheap, too.

The awful portrayals of Catholic priests and a Catholic nun are the most outrageous parts of this series. The simple language of the Church is so easy to find, even for inept writers as we find here. For example, a priest does not "give" Mass, he offers Mass; and Catholics do not "have" Confession, they go to Confession.

Apparently Father Dowling does not say his Office very often, and the writers call his Office, his "Missal." We hear a lot about his busy schedule, but he seems to be on the trail of losers most of his days, and nights. He does bless himself many times, I must admit... the writers (or the director) got that right.

But Sister Steve -- what a joke! We learn early on that basically she became a nun to get out of the rough, crime-filled life she had been living. She did enjoy being a nun, though -- who wouldn't, when it involves chasing criminals, impersonating royalty, breaking into homes and businesses, and so forth? She also seems to have forgotten the daily prayers required of professed religious. The writers endowed her with the ability to change like a chameleon from her nun's habit (NOT uniform) to the lifestyle of the rich and famous or the poor and outcast to anyone in between. I know of no nun who would have the time to do such things, much less the inclination. Her former life seems not to have been left behind as much as covered up and disguised. She lies like a trooper and she ignores the Church's teaching that we should obey the law -- of God/the Church AND of the State.

Those who praise this show for its good, clean scripts are fooling themselves. Many of the episodes feature near-naked women, in places a nun or a priest probably should not be. Some episodes feature Sister Steve drinking and one episode featured an older nun over-imbibing rum in the kitchen. Just easy writing, sometimes intended to get a laugh -- at the expense of reality. Writers of television series tend to enjoy the shocking, especially regarding Catholics and what they hold sacred. What could be more sacred than the sanctuary of a Catholic Church? Yet in Father Dowling, many of the murders/killings are in the sanctuary of St. Michael's.

One episode of Father Dowling has a human "come back to earth as an Angel." First, humans do not become Angels; if their souls go to Heaven, they are Saints. Angels are a whole other type of created being. Second, as far as we know, Angels come to earth for a specific holy purpose.

Angels are incredibly marvelous creatures, intelligent and powerful, yet humble before God. An Angel sent by God with a message for a human being would never gamble or debauch, as the "angel" in Father Dowling does. This portrayal only serves to lessen the glory both of Angels and of God, who has given us His Angels to help us get to Heaven. There is no need for television writers to include such an episode, even if they are non-believers. It is just low and beneath contempt.

I have found that most series that portray Catholics intend them to be caricatures. If that was the intent of the writers of Father Dowling, they succeeded admirably! It is a great deal like a comic book come to life; but the last laugh is on the writers, producers, and directors.

Due to the pandemic, I had practically run the YouTube library dry of classic movies and English tv, so I turned to American tv series of the 1950's. Periodically I had tested The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, but this time I meant to enjoy the entire series, come what may. I don't mess around, boy. It was a revelation!

The early episodes are priceless, funny and homey. I began to skip through the years and that was my big mistake. I have always found that any series, no matter how good it begins, should never be extended past the third season. Writers have run out of the really good stuff and even repeat, directors change and the flavor of the show suffers as a result, and, most importantly, the actors get bored or act out of habit rather than imagination. New faces join the cast to add spice to the scripts, but sometimes that is a huge mistake. What is worst of all, the audience is faced with watching the actors expand in the waistline and the derriere and the men lose their hair, strand by strand, week after week.

Much of the above happened with this series. Although the men in the Nelson family never had the receding hairline problem (one wonders how Ozzie kept the same hairline over all those years) and Ricky's hair actually exploded in size, the rest of the stumbling blocks presented themselves throughout the latter seasons.

Harriet's profile remained terrific, but when she turned her back to the camera, it was just sad. In some shots, Ozzie looked as if he wore a mask -- his skin was so taut and lacked any blemishes. Perhaps the make-up in those days was that heavy (was Botox around then?); but sometimes it made him look like an et.

Ricky's friend Iggy had his family name changed after a few seasons; one wonders the reason. The addition of the character of Clara, the woman with the voice, made many episodes almost impossible to watch unless one fast-forwards through her appearances. As has been pointed out, the addition of the wives of the boys was almost by itself a death knell for the whole series.

Wish I had stuck by my motto and watched only the first three seasons of O&H. After that, the stories dragged and repeated, and one began to look at the actors and pick out flaws, and to mentally edit the scripts and notice errors in writing and reading. After the first few seasons, the series just leaves a bad taste. This family and its reflection of the times were a great idea for television, in any era. The producers just carried it on too long.

This episode is just one more in the series that keeps one wondering why he/she is watching, except that it is free of blasphemy and sex. That much is a relief! I could stand listening to it while playing Solitaire until the ending, when the cop breaks in a door that Pam couldn't even open from the inside and shoots and kills the bad guy without a second's glace at where he stood. For all the cop knew, Pam could have been in his line of fire. This went over (or under) even the low standard this series has on believability.

Maybe this was because they all -- writers, actors, directors, editors -- knew the series was over and they just wanted to get something in the can. That is where it belongs (another type of can).

In typical Hollywood style, The Mentalist, that dropped anti-Christian hints throughout, ends in what has been made to appear an extant Catholic chapel. They have the candles lit -- just a little clue, the candles are lit only during the Mass and services such as funerals and weddings, and the Easter candle (the large one next to the front pew), if legit, is very holy -- and the supposedly worst criminal in California history is fondling the Altar (at least they placed an arrangement of flowers in front of the Tabernacle in this scene, unlike the one with Jane alone).

I have to believe that this is a chapel that is no longer dedicated Catholic and is simply staged. The building itself is beautiful and is probably the epitome of what everyone thinks of as a Catholic chapel, even one that, perhaps has been there since the Franciscans settled the area. The fact that the ptb even thought of doing this scene there indicates an imbedded antipathy toward the Catholic Church, like they were having a little laugh behind what should have been a very dramatic event in this series and what turned out to be a joke itself.

The musical parts of this episode are very entertaining, and Shawn gives a great performance throughout; but I can't help but question the decision to have Juliet be the tough cop instead of Lassiter. In every episode where she is, it doesn't come off. Here, it makes Lassiter look very bored and it seems he could phone in his very small part.

The character of Joon is funny and touching and it makes one wonder how much better the later episode with Blackapella -- er, Quarterblack -- would have been with Joon instead of Drake.

I just became aware of this series, when I found it on Britbox US. The settings are beautiful and the writing is quite good. The casting of the "Baddies" did not go overboard and make them unwatchable, as in some of the British series I have tried to watch.

However, the personality of Niamh Cusack has always been disconcerting to me and she continues to be in this series. Her character, Dr. Kate, was great in the beginning, but changed almost overnight from the first several episodes. She became overbearing with everyone; and, even though she had apparently been agreeable to make the move with her husband, she became intolerant of everything that did not forward her own agenda.

The series, at least in the first season, seemed to focus on the supposed benefits of "the pill." Cusack's character promotes it, and, even when not totally supportive of prescribing birth control, makes it possible for a young unmarried woman to get it in a larger town. The village doctor has good and reasonable arguments against prescribing such a drug, but he is made to look like an antiquarian and a misfit. In the end, he succumbs to Dr. Kate, whose self-confidence from that time onward goes over the top.

It is difficult to watch the scenes in which Cusack has a large role. I find that eyes are a huge part of every character; and her eyes are obscured by her contact lenses and her maladjustment thereto. I guess I won't be watching this series through the entire run, because, even though from the comments here, I see that she will be replaced, when that happens, the show is more or less on the way out anyway. So it was fun seeing this village and I love Nick Berry as PC Nick Rowan, but that Cusack woman and her character spoil it all.

It has already been said that the four principle guest stars are horrendous, but I have to say that Ray Milland was overrated as an actor throughout his career. His timing is off and the cadence he gives to his lines is almost unwatchable. It is like he is reading his part -- in whatever medium in which he appears. In The Greenhouse Jungle, this, and the writing for the other parts, sadly make this episode a mistake. As has also been said already, watch it to say you have, and then forget it!

I haven't watched any television for a couple of years and tuned in to watch this episode on Amazon when I was running out of movies I wanted to see. I was used to seeing the women nicely slimmed down in their jeans and Western shirts, and so I was completely shocked to see both of them having exploded in girth. Perhaps I misjudge and attribute this growth to them enjoying their work too much and that both of them are actually pregnant. Hope so, because if not, it will be a long, long while until either of them will be able to bend over comfortably.

A few of the episodes have Shawn and Gus taking shots at each other; this one makes those shots on the part of Gus more personal and far more bitter, for no reason at all.

It is a big deal when Shawn and Gus have to stay behind to fill out the papers so that their "grandfather" can be admitted to the retirement community. One of the items in every such bundle of documents would have been dietary requirements. Yet later the dietitian makes a special visit with Spencer the elder to ask him about his special needs. One wonders how the administrator expected the boys to know all of the information that must have been included in that very high pile of papers.

If the client was the best friend of the missing Oswald, he would have known that he was training for the marathon and would have told Shawn and Gus. They could have searched for him without even entering Glorious Pines.

All in all, a fun episode if you don't look too closely -- especially the dance sequence. But one of the more poorly written. Shows off Bernsen's athletic prowess and pretty good body, and gives him more screen time than usual, which is fine! Silliness prevails for too much re-viewing, such as the hospital scene and the reveal. Good once or twice.

I have watched The Five from the beginning, through all of the interior changes in hosts and through the outside changes in politics. I have suffered through the Geraldo episodes and yelled at the tv (now the laptop) during the Juan segments and, recently, the Katie Pavlich segments (she loves the hunting of beautiful animals for profit and fun) and the Donna Brazille segments (she, like Juan, simply spouts the Party line -- and she blasphemed worse than anyone who has ever been on the show).

I guess my principal draw to this show, the only one I watch on tv these days, is Greg Gutfeld. He exasperates, at times; but when he is on, it is great entertainment. He has a great mind and is able to communicate what many of us feel but are unable to put into words. His quirky sense of humor is uplifting; and, even when his own laughter seems forced, he puts a smile on my face.

I have mixed feelings about Jesse Watters. He knows his politics and is tremendously loyal to President Trump. I would trust his view of the campaigns today more than just about anyone else's. His light repartee with the other panelists is fun; but at times, he goes overboard into the "sounds like that could be hurtful" category (same goes for Gutfeld and Dana).

Which brings me to Dana herself. What in the world has gotten into her these days?!? In about a week's time, she has gone from someone who was harmless and smart and who probably was given her own show too early in her tv career to someone who obviously believes that she has knowledge superior to President Trump and all of his advisors. Give me a break! Having been Press Secretary and having held a few other prestigious positions, and interviewing really smart people, does not give one leave to speak on forever at a very annoying noise level with an already very annoying voice, especially when it sounds like a lecture more than a comment. And how come she gets to opine on multiple topics each segment, with a little-girl cadence that cuts the listener to the bone?!? Then there is Jasper.... Nothing else need be said.

I had just grown very fond of Dana's part on The Five, and had even tuned in a few times to her own show. She has good opinions when kept to a minimum; but somehow she has become a star in her own mind, a genius whose words everyone should hear and take careful note of. Once she gets the floor, she is very reluctant to surrender it. And she keeps interrupting the other panelists, as if her opinion must be heard immediately.

Maybe it is the isolation that is showing on Dana. Or maybe her husband's presence and influence. Or maybe not having all of the regulars on every show. Or maybe not having the show actually be aired in the studio with everyone around a real table instead of a virtual one. In any event, a few more episodes with Dana's hysterics and with guest panelists such as Brazille and Pavlich and it will be very difficult to remain loyal to The Five. I find it helps to watch the first block and see how everyone looks for the day and then mute it until One More Thing; and then listen to the podcast for the middle blocks. That way, I can skip the weak parts and listen to Greg and Jesse and the really intelligent guest panelists.