Relic Hunter (TV Series) Smoking Gun (1999) User Reviews

Don't use my elevator!

[unbrokenmetal · 8/10 · 30 March 2014]

In a hotel at Chicago, Sydney discovers the secret headquarter of Al Capone. She is looking for a gun that might prove the innocence of someone's grandfather. Of course, dangers are lurking in the cellars... Her colleague Nigel meanwhile makes the acquaintance of the beautiful Lori (Michelle Nolden) and falls in love with her, rather confusing for the hotel employees who thought he's married to Sydney.

Very funny and entertaining, and I loved the shocked expression in the faces of the hotel guests when Sydney kicks two gangsters out of the elevator. This episode has nothing in common with Indiana Jones or Lara Croft - Relic Hunter developed some strengths of its own by now instead of being only an imitation of successful predecessors.

An especially good episode

[Paularoc · 9/10 · 10 November 2012]

I like the way this series opens each episode with a snippet from the past putting the featured relic in its pseudo-historical context. This entry opens in 1930 Chicago when an honest mob accountant (bit of an oxymoron, that) is set up to take a fall for a murder he didn't commit. The falsely accused accountant's grandson comes to Sydney asking her to find a gun owned by Al Capone - a gun that will prove his grandfather's innocence. The action takes place in the hotel where Capone had resided. It's all silly, great fun with just the right mixture of action and humor. Far and away the best part of the episode is Nigel's falling for a young 8th grade history teacher. They meet in the hotel's gift shop and start flirting. Nigel notices that she has purchased a John le Carre book. In the background we see a used book paperback rack and in prominent view is a Helen MacInnes book, The Venetian Affair. I hadn't thought about MacInnes in years; shame really as she was one of my favorite authors and one of the best writers of the espionage thriller - easily as good as le Carre. Her While Still We Live is a magnificent classic. Any show that pays homage, however briefly, to a such a great although nearly forgotten writer is a real winner. The Capone storyline was fun too.