The series officially begins, riding the wave of its lead-in, DYNASTY's fourth season premiere. Compared to the grandeur, glamor, and scope of the pilot movie, this opening episode was a letdown. I had to adjust expectations for the week-to-week series. The three headline guest stars are the dapper and distinguished Hollywood veteran Stewart Granger; Richard Hatch, a few years out from BATTLESTAR: GALACTICA, and Tracy Nelson, a few years shy of FATHER DOWLING (her future costar Tom Bosley was this very season winding down his decade of playing Mr. C. on HAPPY DAYS).
The winning formula is presenting three standalone stories all set in the St. Gregory Hotel. This week's serious even harrowing story concerns Christine's secret admirer escalating into a psychopathic stalker. The heartwarming story targeting a younger demographic features pregnant runaway bride Tracy Nelson. And the third story carries on the tradition established by Pernell Roberts and Shirley Jones in the pilot of older folks finding love; in this case, Anne Baxter reuniting with an old flame, Stewart Granger.
I didn't like the stalker story primarily because it required Connie Sellecca to shudder and shriek, to cower and cry, and overall to be an odious and off-putting character. It was simply too great a leap from the fawning assistant aspirant of the pilot to this (understandably) stressed woman barking at colleagues and screaming at Peter. Perhaps this story would have worked better had it come later in the season after the character of Christine was more firmly established. For viewers who missed the pilot, this was not an awesome introduction to the character.
Another failing of the story was the early and suspense-puncturing reveal of the stalker's identity. That first phone call where we see his mouth and hear his voice was a dead giveaway. The scene of the stalker slipping a note in Christine's pocket elicited an eyeroll because (a) that's a difficult stunt to pull off unless one is a skilled pickpocket, and (b) couldn't Christine have recollected who was in the elevator with her and narrowed the field of suspects? And I'm overlooking the forced coincidence of her writing a note and stuffing it in her pocket just before the stalker slips another one in, allowing Christine to find it within moments.
The trick with the stereo was effective, but it brought to mind a similar scene in a much better variation on this theme of a stalker employing psychological warfare tactics against a victim: a 1973 episode of HAWAII FIVE-O called "The Listener."
The Tracy Nelson story was lightweight. Even the immortal Dickens couldn't have engineered the coincidences driving this plot, from Dave and Megan recognizing her as someone's kid sister (Hey, San Francisco is just a big small town, right?) to a canceled hotel room bought, paid for, and freely available for a couple days. Okay, it was a cute story with a happy ending, but haven't we all seen this scenario played out many times before?
Adding considerable heft and heart to the show was the second-time-around love story of Victoria and Tony. Well written and well played, it was my favorite of the storylines. I had high hopes that Stewart Granger would accept Victoria's offer and join the cast. Alas, such was not to be, but a happy memory was created to be cherished by both parties for years to come. The story was also silver lined with WWII history, such as Tony being a veteran of the RAF and a POW camp survivor. (And am I the only one who found the story prescient of the 1993 Anthony Hopkins film REMAINS OF THE DAY?)
This story also served to introduce the audience to Victoria Cabot, and she wholly won me over. I mean, Bette Davis who? Mrs. Trent received dutiful acknowledgment with a passing reference and quick cut to a framed photo, but by the closing scene with Victoria and Peter on the staircase the series was securely Anne Baxter's. In fact, I'd argue it was Baxter's from the moment she winsomely brushed off bellboy Dave's crashing into her with the mildest of reproofs.
The casting director must like cartoons because two prolific voice actors appear: Michael Bell and Alan Oppenheimer. Bell's role as a red herring is miniscule but he makes the most of it. Oppenheimer played Dr. Seigler and enjoyed small roles in both the Sellecca and the Nelson storylines. His chrome-domed Dr. Seigler character will make two more appearances this season, which season is off n' running and getting shakily steady on its feet.
PS: The title is a misnomer because the "blackout" was confined to only three floors and was incidental to the bigger story.
Another PS, this one laced with snark: Peter tells Victoria he conducted an unsolicited investigation on her old flame (upon whom he's apparently eager to pour cold water). Hmm, maybe Peter should have dedicated such dogged detective work to vetting his own staff?
The winning formula is presenting three standalone stories all set in the St. Gregory Hotel. This week's serious even harrowing story concerns Christine's secret admirer escalating into a psychopathic stalker. The heartwarming story targeting a younger demographic features pregnant runaway bride Tracy Nelson. And the third story carries on the tradition established by Pernell Roberts and Shirley Jones in the pilot of older folks finding love; in this case, Anne Baxter reuniting with an old flame, Stewart Granger.
I didn't like the stalker story primarily because it required Connie Sellecca to shudder and shriek, to cower and cry, and overall to be an odious and off-putting character. It was simply too great a leap from the fawning assistant aspirant of the pilot to this (understandably) stressed woman barking at colleagues and screaming at Peter. Perhaps this story would have worked better had it come later in the season after the character of Christine was more firmly established. For viewers who missed the pilot, this was not an awesome introduction to the character.
Another failing of the story was the early and suspense-puncturing reveal of the stalker's identity. That first phone call where we see his mouth and hear his voice was a dead giveaway. The scene of the stalker slipping a note in Christine's pocket elicited an eyeroll because (a) that's a difficult stunt to pull off unless one is a skilled pickpocket, and (b) couldn't Christine have recollected who was in the elevator with her and narrowed the field of suspects? And I'm overlooking the forced coincidence of her writing a note and stuffing it in her pocket just before the stalker slips another one in, allowing Christine to find it within moments.
The trick with the stereo was effective, but it brought to mind a similar scene in a much better variation on this theme of a stalker employing psychological warfare tactics against a victim: a 1973 episode of HAWAII FIVE-O called "The Listener."
The Tracy Nelson story was lightweight. Even the immortal Dickens couldn't have engineered the coincidences driving this plot, from Dave and Megan recognizing her as someone's kid sister (Hey, San Francisco is just a big small town, right?) to a canceled hotel room bought, paid for, and freely available for a couple days. Okay, it was a cute story with a happy ending, but haven't we all seen this scenario played out many times before?
Adding considerable heft and heart to the show was the second-time-around love story of Victoria and Tony. Well written and well played, it was my favorite of the storylines. I had high hopes that Stewart Granger would accept Victoria's offer and join the cast. Alas, such was not to be, but a happy memory was created to be cherished by both parties for years to come. The story was also silver lined with WWII history, such as Tony being a veteran of the RAF and a POW camp survivor. (And am I the only one who found the story prescient of the 1993 Anthony Hopkins film REMAINS OF THE DAY?)
This story also served to introduce the audience to Victoria Cabot, and she wholly won me over. I mean, Bette Davis who? Mrs. Trent received dutiful acknowledgment with a passing reference and quick cut to a framed photo, but by the closing scene with Victoria and Peter on the staircase the series was securely Anne Baxter's. In fact, I'd argue it was Baxter's from the moment she winsomely brushed off bellboy Dave's crashing into her with the mildest of reproofs.
The casting director must like cartoons because two prolific voice actors appear: Michael Bell and Alan Oppenheimer. Bell's role as a red herring is miniscule but he makes the most of it. Oppenheimer played Dr. Seigler and enjoyed small roles in both the Sellecca and the Nelson storylines. His chrome-domed Dr. Seigler character will make two more appearances this season, which season is off n' running and getting shakily steady on its feet.
PS: The title is a misnomer because the "blackout" was confined to only three floors and was incidental to the bigger story.
Another PS, this one laced with snark: Peter tells Victoria he conducted an unsolicited investigation on her old flame (upon whom he's apparently eager to pour cold water). Hmm, maybe Peter should have dedicated such dogged detective work to vetting his own staff?
