This telefilm was essentially a long episode of the series, but the series had ended. The plot concerned a death-row inmate (Stockwell) whose guilt was in doubt, and Tony worked to clear up the matter. The problems which plagued the series remained in evidence here: the elements which had made "The Commish" so likeable and comfortable to watch had departed with the various supporting cast members. This was never a show about great suspense or intricate plotting--it was about humor and human interaction.
3 Reviews
Absolute mess
moov_e_c_er13 January 2022
The plot line was all over the place. Extra characters brought in to "confuse us more"? There was no reason for this episode to be so long except to add to the confusion. If it was simply edited down it probably would have been more enjoyable. It seems like they wanted to go to a streaming service before one existed as complete departure from all parts of the show but still had main actor in it. Not sure why there wasn't quality control during this time.
Dissapointing
talaxina18 January 2004
I always enjoyed the original Commish television series. I liked the characters, and the stories. And I enjoyed the latter because they did not follow the standard pattern of other crime/mystery series on television around the same time. Matlock, Murder She Wrote, Diagnosis Murder- they all use the same plot device ad nausium. If you watch any of these shows, and they have a sexy female guest character in the cast of an episode you can rest assured that *she* did it (though she will be written and portrayed as the *only* likeable character in the guest cast until she is unmasked).
The Commish never followed this pattern; instead, the "bad guys" were known to the audience from the get-go, and the meat of the story, if you will, came in watching Tony catch them, not in trying to guess who did it. Sadly, this Commish TV movie, aired after the series ended, did away with the style of the original show, and opted for the wornout plot device used on those other shows, including making the murderer the only likeable guest character in the production.
The result is a plodding and predictable story that makes the Tony Scali character seem out-of-place, as the surrounding events play out like a poorly written soap-opera. It ruined the Commish experience for me. Thankfully, the *very* talented Mr. Chiklis has moved on to bigger and better things, with The Sheild.
The Commish never followed this pattern; instead, the "bad guys" were known to the audience from the get-go, and the meat of the story, if you will, came in watching Tony catch them, not in trying to guess who did it. Sadly, this Commish TV movie, aired after the series ended, did away with the style of the original show, and opted for the wornout plot device used on those other shows, including making the murderer the only likeable guest character in the production.
The result is a plodding and predictable story that makes the Tony Scali character seem out-of-place, as the surrounding events play out like a poorly written soap-opera. It ruined the Commish experience for me. Thankfully, the *very* talented Mr. Chiklis has moved on to bigger and better things, with The Sheild.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews