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Reviews
Lovejoy: The Lost Colony (1993)
What they thinking about...
What were they thinking about when they wrote and filmed this episode? This was the absolute worst episode not only in the Lovejoy series but in this genre. As Lovejoy fans from Day 1 and Americans, were could not believe our eyes and ears while watching this trash. It was clear that somebody across the pond somehow thought that movies and TV shows like Deliverence and The Dukes of Hazzard were somehow the norm on this side of the pond. After surviving this garbage episode, we are not sure if we should continue on to the final season of Lovejoy. Skip this double episode at all costs. Yuck. We still have a bad taste in our mouths from last nights viewing of this.
Midsomer Murders (1997)
A tale of 2 Midsomers
Hard to believe that this show is now in its 25th year. Most of the earlier shows were good to great. The later shows are not good at all. Midsomer has been going downhill for years. However, it has finally hit rock bottom between the weak writing along with all this more recent woke garbage. When a show needs to check the right boxes for the sake of checking those boxes, why bother? This show is beyond toast at this point. We give up. At least the earlier shows are still around...for now. We won't waste our time anymore with the later shows. Time to put Midsomer out to pasture.
Northern Lights (2006)
boring and repetitive
All the episodes are basically clones of eash other. Fight between the buddies, annoying sisters and everything is better by the end. Don't get me wrong. It is an okay show but that is about it. The writing can be better.
Adam-12: Log 14: SWAT (1970)
Just plain stupid
I am a fan of this show and over the years I have seen just about every episode. Yeah, I know this is not intended to be 100% realistic and these 2 guys handle more of a variety of calls in 30 minutes than a typical team would handle in a weeks time.
Having said the above, this episode is just plain stupid. A sniper takes over a city block and Reed & Malloy are designated by Mac to be "SWAT 1" at the scene. They are given bullet proof vests and assault weapons and just like that, they become experienced SWAT troops to bring down the sniper. Enough said. This episode bites. Some things are so bad that they are actually good, if you know what I mean. This is not one of them. ZERO STARS for this episode.
All Creatures Great & Small (1978)
A tale of 2 shows
A tale of 2 shows. The way I look at this show is to divide it into 2 segments: Series 1-3 and Series 4-7.
Series 1-3 was truly a special show bordering on perfection. The characters and plots were fresh while series 4-7 was truly average at best. The remaining characters and repeated plots became stale.
The show after series 3 could not compete with itself. Yes, Hideous Helen (as my wife and I call Lynda Bellingham) from series 4 on was a part of the problem. However, the main problem was that series 1-3 was so close to being perfect but series 4 on was just an average show. They were repeating previous show plots with very little changes for example and the charm was gone. And Tristan missing from the bulk of the later episodes was another big problem.
We are big fans of ACG&S but what we have here are basically 2 different shows: Series 1-3 is a TEN and Series 4-7 is a FIVE or SIX tops. Thus, the show taken as a whole is around a SEVEN AND A HALF or EIGHT at best. Still a quality show but it dragged on way too long.
Series 1-3 will live forever in my memory as being one of the special shows to hit the little screen.
Hustle: Silent Witness (2011)
5 marks--may be a record for the Hustle Team
Hustle is a great show and this is a very solid episode with the gang conning 5 different marks in the 60 minute episode out of at least $100,000 each.
It starts out with the gang conning a group of Japanese investors trying to buy up the great landmarks of jolly old England.
Next the main con of the lady (if you can call it a lady) running the model agency who ripped off Eddie's niece.
Then the finale of 3 greedy pigs who make a donation to the gang.
This episode was very solid and fast paced. I guess it was a typical episode. Throw in a sixth & seventh mini cons (no money involved) in support of the above referenced 5 different cons for good measure.
I missed this show when they shut it down while it was still on top. Hope they have a special or 2 but I doubt it. Nothing wrong with a show going out at the top.
Meet My Mom (2010)
A feel good movie
I don't write many TV related reviews. In fact I have not written one in many years. Having said that, I was clicking my way through the 350 or so FIOS channels on this rainy and cold day and caught in progress (I missed the first 10 or so minutes but it was easy enough to pick up the plot) this movie on the Hallmark Movie Channel. The HMC is not one of my favorite channels and I always thought of it as an LMN type channel with silly plots with outrageous detours along the 2 hour route.
What a pleasure watching a movie for a change without cursing, screaming, sex, etc. OK so it has a nice predictable ending but it was even nicer the way they got to the ending. How great it is to sit through a 2 hour movie without the usual distaste along the way. See it for yourself.
Last of the Summer Wine: It's Never Ten Years (2008)
Best of Compo
How can anyone not like a Best of Compo cut and paste episode? If you don't appreciate this episode for what it is, you can not be a true fan of the show.
OK, so it has not been 10 years since Compo died as the title indicates. It's closer to 8 years if we go by transmission dates of the shows or 9 years if we go by when Bill Owen actually died. Either way, this episode was long overdue. This is the first time in 8 years that Compo's image was seen on the screen again and he even gets credited in the opening and closing credits.
The 30 minute episode starts off with Cleggy realizing that today is the ten year anniversary of Compo's death. Nora (off screen) is doing something nasty to Alvin. Alvin visits Cleggy & Truly who go on to describe some of Compo's misadventures that he shared with either Nora, Cleggy or Truly throughout the years. The first half of the show focuses on the relationship between Nora & Compo. The second half of the show focuses on the relationship between the boys & Compo.
Many memorable clips of Compo are included in this special but naturally many, many, many more were not part of this special. However, how is it possible to sum up Compo's 27 or so years on LOTSW in 30 minutes or less? You can't!!! So sit back and enjoy, "The Best of Compo".
New Tricks: Wicca Work (2006)
Is it magic or witchcraft?
A coven of witches. A sex crazed warlock who ends up murdered--10 years ago. Jack keeps seeing visions of his dead wife. Jerry & Brian turn to tea tasting--unfortunately (or fortunately depending how you look at it) for them, the tea is doped up courtesy of their local witch. Brian's wife gets an all night workout. Where can I get some of that tea? A psychiatrist is not helping things out here either by withholding info from the team. And just how does Jack end up in the tree at the end? Not your typical episode of New Tricks. However this show is so good otherwise that if you treat this episode as the Halloween episode (as our local PBS station did), it's not that bad after all.