mrwiseman-1 Reviews

Little House on the Prairie: May We Make Them Proud: Part I (1980) Season 6, Episode 18

The Most Famous Little House Ever...

[7/10 · 22 August 2013]

***Spoilers ahead***

This episode was, and always will be, the most talked about episode of Little House on the Prairie. To be honest, the show never did shy away from controversy. Here Albert's bad choice to smoke leads to the death of Mary's baby and Mrs. Garvey. (The actress who played Mrs. Garvey did NOT want to leave the series...but was given one of the most famous death scenes in TV history). The series also tied up the historical problem of Mary having a baby when the real Mary never married or had children.

Heartbreaking, the episode deals with how even minor mistakes can have major repercussions. Difficult to watch for today's more sensitive viewers, LHOTP taught empathy to my generation...I wish more kids today would watch the series.

Discussions afterwards could include: 1. Do you think if they fire had not happened that Albert would have thought his sneaky pipe smoking was 'no big deal'?

2. How would you have handles the situation if you had been Albert?

3. Could you forgive Albert if you were Mary? Would you want to be forgiven if you were Albert?

4.Fire safety: What is our family's plan if there is a fire in our house/apartment?

Screen Two: Northanger Abbey (1987) Season 3, Episode 7

Horrid

[1/10 · 23 September 2008]

It is a sad sorry state that leaves me, a fan of both Jane Austen and BBC period dramas, unable to say anything good about this adaptation of Northanger Abbey. Sadly I bought my copy of this 1986 version without reading reviews…I clearly should have investigated.

The best way to describe it is a production directed by someone who saw the film Amadeus about 20 times to many. The music all saxophone and synthesizer was complete rubbish and ruined the period milieu.

The acting was terrible. The lead actress seemingly believes staring bugged eyed conveys innocence. It merely makes her look perpetually surprised, which hardly fits every scene. The lead actor only is slightly better, although he is lit sometimes so badly that he comes off a sort of frightening leader of an 80s rock band. In fact the whole production seems to be directed to be a music video rather than a wonderful Austen film. I seriously wonder about the availability of drugs in the UK in the 1980s…yes, it is that sort of film.

If you have choice invest you money in the 2007 Northanger Abbey…100% better.

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (2001–2007)

A Highly Underestimated Mystery Series

[10/10 · 14 May 2007]

The BBC Series is based on novels by Elizabeth George and original scripts. The stories are about two seemingly mismatched London detectives. He is the polished DI Thomas Lynley the eight Earl of Asherton, and his parter is Barbara Havers a sloppy, working class DS. His colleagues think he is a rich, spoiled, golden boy who is a detective as a hobby. She is thought to be difficult and unmanageable. Both have troubled home lives and both are overly dedicated to their jobs. They bicker and they fight, but all while a real respect grows.

I really great series that has yet to get the respect it deserves from the BBC. It is fun to watch this partnership that was thrust upon them by their bosses (with the hopes of getting rid of both of them),click right from the beginning. If you watch it from the pilot "A Great Deliverance" to through to the most recent series, you can see the partners' relationship really develop nicely. In many ways they are more alike them different. Both use the job to avoid the problems in their personal lives. Some even argue that the actor have brought romantic chemistry to the TV show that is not in the books.

Really worth seeing.

Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983–1987)

Danger, Intrigue and Grocery Day

[10/10 · 22 June 2006]

One of the best "fish-out-of-water" series ever filmed. Amanda King is an ordinary Arlington, Virginia housewife. Divorced for a year, dating a weatherman, living in her house with her boys and mother, she seems to be ...normal. However, while at train station, a mysterious man gives her a package and tells her to hand it "to the man in the red hat." Moments later he is chased down by some unsavory characters. It isn't long before Amanda King finds the man she trusted is Lee Stetson, spy. Soon, she finds her self drawn into his work, and darn if she isn't a natural! Only she has a problem; her family cannot know what she does for a living.

So "normal" Amanda King becomes a secret spy, and is partnered with dashing lady's man, Lee Stetson. Along the way Lee and Amanda become quite a team...and mix in a little romance.

This series is to me one of the best, and most satisfying, romantic series to ever be on TV. Unlike other 80s...(and shows today) the characters avoided the "back and forth" romance where the writers would make you frustrated by plots intentionally keeping the leads apart. Instead on Scarecrow and Mrs. King, the relationship between Lee and Amanda, "naturally" evolved from reluctant co-workers, to friends, partners, lovers, and married couple. It is a shame this series did not get a proper ending. Over 23 years later Scarecrow and Mrs.King is still my favorite show.