BaileySEA Reviews

Another Life (2019–2021)

Worst writing ever!

[1/10 · 7 November 2021]

Katee Sackhoff was a bad actress on Battlestar Galactica, and she's monumentally bad here. The F word seems to be acceptable here, and up to 3 times per sentence. This is inane, badly executed and the poor writing hurts my ears. These characters are like the worst millennials ever conceived, entitled, immature and ignorant. I couldn't make it through episode one of the crap . Netflix needs to shop for better programming.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: They'd Already Disappeared (2021) Season 23, Episode 7

Olivia Benson's touching scene with Coroner? Forensic Pathologist

[9/10 · 6 November 2021]

Time and time again Olivia Benson has shown her compassion for the victims of these heinous crimes. After showing the body to the sister of the dead victim, Olivia comments on how she'd never seen a coroner putting the picture of victim and sister at the foot of the victim. He said it was to remind the victim's relative of happier times and not the cold dead body. And it moved Olivia to the point of being speechless. Very compassionate scene. This is why so many viewers LOVE Olivia Benson.

Magical Christmas Shoes (2019 TV Movie)

Did not disappoint to disappoint me.

[1/10 · 2 November 2020]

The usual Lifetime Christmas movie (bad script, bad acting) with an unknown Canadian actress Erin Karpluk, an annoying actress who talks too fast. Christmas shoes, really? And her window displays for the Candy store were awful. I wish Lifetime and Hallmark would stop making these awful movies.

The Twilight Zone: Meet in the Middle (2020) Season 2, Episode 1

What the hell was this?!!!

[2/10 · 1 July 2020]

Really bad, annoyingly silly, case of the cutes episode. From the very beginning I was dissapointed. The plotine premise of being "in each other's heads" was not a good plotline for me. I wasn't buying it at all. Hopefully this is not an indication of how season two is going. Jimmi Simpson is an intriguing actor, but this pure junk.

Upstairs Downstairs (2010–2012)

A little of the old magic remains...

[8/10 · 16 November 2016]

I tread lightly when I anticipated this new series of Upstairs Downstairs. I was delighted that it was a continuation and not a remake. When I saw Rose walking down Belgrave Square towards Eaton Place I didn't tear up like I thought I would, but instead I was swept over by a warm tenderness. The great Jean Marsh (co-creator and whom played Rose in the original) was indeed perfect casting. All in all, it was a warm-hearted quality production. I just thought it could and should have been longer. It was like a cherry on top to the original. It completes a set, so to speak. The whole time I was expecting to hear ghostly voices from the past, but maybe that's just me.

Aquarius (2015–2016)

Aquarius... a 21st century rendering of the 1960's.

[3/10 · 29 May 2015]

Aquarius is definitely an interesting curio piece. The sixties it is not, hairstyles are too modern. It has the feel of the rebel fervor of the 1960's, but that's about it. The writing is a hodgepodge of the speak of the 2010's. And Gethin Anthony (Game of Thrones) is a bad choice to play Manson. He doesn't sound like him, he doesn't look like him and that dialogue is hackneyed and stilted. David Duchovny puts a pall on the whole production, he ruins it. It could have been so much more. This may fool the kids, but for those of us who were there, no dice. This looks like something that won't be aired past this summer. What a shame for something that could have been so much better than it is.

Friendships, Secrets and Lies (1979 TV Movie)

Weathers time very well.

[9/10 · 5 January 2015]

Cathryn Damon, Loretta Swit and Paula Prentiss stand out in this all female cast. This was a highly experimental film, had an obvious feminist bent but stands up to modern day scrutiny. I was a 17 year old closeted gay male at the time, but I was touched by the performances then as now. These women are real, perhaps idealized and stereotypical but they speak for women in general. The none too subtle feminist narrative supposes that one of these women self aborted a child while in her college sorority days.

I don't know what Los Angeles suburb this was filmed in, but the license plates on the cars seem to be yellow. The all for one march down Main Street is effective and warm hearted. Tina Louise seems to have drifted in from The Stepford Wives, her role is close to her role in that earlier film. Also Paula Prentiss was the same sort of gadabout free spirit here as she was in The Stepford Wives. I still watch it from time to time with reverence and love.

Better Off Dead (1985)

An Extremely Overrated Piece of Crap!

[1/10 · 14 February 2014]

I never saw this when it came out in 1985, it seemed lame at the time. And now at long last it is every bit as lame as I thought it was. In the years since it's release I've read accounts of how funny this movie is. It is low budget crap that is one lame scene after another. John Cusack was a relatively new actor on the scene when he starred in this turkey. So I can understand how he took any role he could get in his salad years. The demure Diane Franklin was a favorite of mine at the time. She is seriously underused here. David Ogden Stiers and Kim Darby seem brain dead in this outlandish farce. This movie makes a case for why bad screenwriters exist.

Rich Man, Poor Man (1976)

A Quality Adapttation of the Irwin Shaw Novel...but a quality mixed bag.

[9/10 · 12 October 2013]

I never watched Rich Man, Poor Man until right now, never got a chance to see it back in 1976. But it was worth the wait. And I definitely see why it was so award laden at the time. Especially refreshing was Susan Blakely as Julie Prescott. One thing I can say is that the female characters seemed to be woven from the same neurotic cloth. And everyone seems to have a jaundiced view of life, even Rudy Jordache. As written in the teleplay, it is heavy handed and can seem overly depressing at times. Ed Asner has a repetitively boorish role but is convincing as hardened by life patriarch Axel Jordache. Everyone involved seems to be too old for their roles, but what the heck, it's Peter Strauss, a young neophyte Nick Nolte, Talia Shire, Ed Asner, Robert Reed, Ray Milland, Kim Darby, and the great Dorothy McGuire. And a smarmy Bill Bixby. All in all, not bad.

Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill (1974)

An episodic view of Lady Churchill.

[9/10 · 18 September 2013]

Upon watching the first few scenes of the young Jennie, I could see that it had the usual flair and production of most BBC biopics. This was a first rate production of Lady Randolph Churchill. Lee Remick glows in the role, if being a bit too old for the role, she plays the young Jennie quite well. Ronald Pickup is just slightly older than his character Lord Randolph at first. But it made up to look far older than he should at the end. It skips over a lot of history, and moves quite rapidly, jumping 15 years from one scene to the other toward the end of Randolph's life. Seemingly, as played by Remick, Jennie was self-important and had few maternal feelings. As shown, she had a sense of duty, that speaks for her greatly. Rachel Kempson adds fine support as Duchess of Marlborough. The drama speeds up and gets infinitely more interesting after episode 4. This is a finely produced drama and holds up to the present day.

Planet of the Apes (1974)

PLANET OF THE APES A small screen gem in the same vein as the films.

[9/10 · 16 September 2013]

I was twelve years old when PLANET OF THE APES premiered on CBS television. And being 1974 it was a decent production, and it had the same flavor as the films, which 3 of them had played out on CBS the season before. So, by this time I was an avid POTA fan, and was happy to see it as a weekly series. I was not disappointed at all. it was a good (maybe not great) series. Roddy McDowall appears as Galen (similar to the films Cornelius.) Too bad it didn't last on TV. I do remember thinking that it was unfortunate that Roddy McDowall didn't play Cornelius, and Kim Hunter would have been great in the series if she had re-prised her role of Zira. And I'm sure Maurice Evans would have made a better Dr. Zaius.

The Electric Company (1971–1977)

...the truest words that you ever heard anybody say!

[10/10 · 4 August 2013]

The Children's Television Workshop production of The Electric Company was quite simply a class act. Designed for children aged 7-10, it definitely left an impression on me as a child, and now as an adult. It occurs to me I was indeed lucky to have grown up in the time that I did. I was 9, going on 10 when The Electric Company first aired. I saw it in class and was at once electrified. It was a witty, intelligent show. It also had a stellar cast comprised of Bill Cosby, Rita Moreno, Morgan Freeman, Judy Graubert, Skip Hinnant, Luis Avalos, Lee Chamberlin, Hattie Winston, not to mention the voices of Mel Brooks and Zero Mostel. Highly entertaining as it was, sadly it was cancelled in 1977 due to production costs. A new updated version was made in the 2000's, cute but can't hold a candle to the original.

M*A*S*H (1970)

A Landmark film that created a genre all it's own!

[10/10 · 5 May 2013]

I saw M*A*S*H with my mom when I was eight years old when it was first released in 1970. It was held over, when movie theaters would hold over films that made a lot of money. It was made for an estimated budget of 3.5 million dollars. It made 81 million in revenue, it was a big hit in those days. It was a milestone for Robert Altman, and put him on the map as a director. I was only eight but enjoyed the humor and the sexuality was more implied than graphic. Two years later when the series premiered on CBS, I readily tuned in to see how it compared to the film. It was a TV standards and practices marvel, in that CBS tried to get across the subversive point across as much as they could on a TV sitcom. Being a series of vignettes rather than a chronological film, it showed a new way to film movies. It was movie making genius then, and still holds up to scrutiny today.

Peege (1973)

Peege, Wonderful Peege!

[10/10 · 31 March 2013]

I first saw "Peege" as a junior in high school in 1979 in my English class. It was one of those message film shorts made in the 1970's. But for me it was much more. Filled with the usual TV movie moments, but it also had a spirited performance by the superior Jeanette Nolan. I remember looking around the classroom seeing my classmates tear up quite a bit, guys too! This is a great film short that everybody should see at least once in their lifetime. TV regulars William Schallert (The Patty Duke Show)and Barbara Rush (Magnificent Obsession, Bigger Than Life) aptly play the upper middle class parents. Rounding out the cast is David Alan Bailey (Room 222, The Andy Griffith Show as younger brother Jerry, and (the perennialy overlooked) Bruce Davison as Greg. Davison shines here as the oldest son who fondly remembers the better times with his ebullient grandmother Peege. It is now on DVD!

Chicago Fire: A Coffin That Small (2013) Season 1, Episode 19

A landmark episode for an excellent new series!

[28 March 2013]

I have watched Chicago Fire since it began in the fall of 2012. From the very first episode I knew it had a way to go to being a great show. But with this episode " A Coffin That Small", I think it has reached that point. The show has good acting, great production values etc., but now it has heart. Good TV shows entertain us, make us laugh, fill time. But few deign to inspire us and give us a sense of spirit, community in these apathetic times. We humans are delicate and fragile, and we need other humans to remind us of that. This episode definitely deserves an Emmy nod. Kudos to Chicago Fire. It touched my heart. I hope this is the first of many more seasons to come.

Master of the Game (1984)

I started watching this back in 1984 and changed channels...

[1/10 · 13 October 2009]

I couldn't get through the first hour of this miniseries when it originally aired. Now 25 years later I'm watching it via netflix, and OMG! After Ian Charleson dies the thing goes quickly downhill, FAST! Dyan Cannon was 46 at that time, tring to play a young schoolgirl, OH PUH-LEASE. And the first episode with her in it skips at a very fast pace. This miniseries started off well, but got really bad, really fast. No wonder I switched channels back then. And it differed from the book. That never helps. This must have been a ratings disaster back then. BEWARE, STAY AWAY FROM THIS TURKEY! I hope they try to make it again, and do it right! This was so awful, so miscast.

Parting Glances (1986)

A Perceptive Gem About What Gay Life is Really Like!

[10/10 · 16 September 2009]

Parting Glances is a bit of life forever immortalized on film. It is truly endearing and real. It's mid eighties NYC, gay young America and early AIDS all rolled into a witty, intelligent film about real characters with umph. Parting Glances is special little film that sticks with you forever. Richard Ganoung, who has rarely been seen since is a gem, as is a young Steve Buscemi, John Bolger (ex Philip Guiding Light) and the great Kathy Kinney. This is what it is like to be gay! Most gay themed films can't even come close to this genuine, low budget feature. When I watch this it takes me back to a wonderful time of exploration and soul searching. It makes a feeling I had once, come alive again!

Gran Torino (2008)

Eastwood at his latter-day best!

[9/10 · 9 June 2009]

Even though this is an excellent film, the ending was predictable and disappointing. I know Walt was dying and the character felt it was a way to resolve the problem. But, I wanted a more courageous ending. I don't mean I wanted him to senselessly kill the punk gang. I just thought there was a better resolve to be had.

Walt Kowalski was a wonderfully etched character with complexity and compassion. Clint Eastwood is making really great films in his old age. I can't wait to see his next one. Million Dollar Baby was an exquisitely made film. He seems to be getting past the cliché. Kudos to Clint.

ER: And in the End... (2009) Season 15, Episode 22

And So It Goes...And In the End

[10/10 · 9 April 2009]

E.R was a fantastic show, for an incredible fifteen year span. It had excitement, suspense, pathos, despair...all the human emotions. This last series finale episode not withstanding. It went through cast changes many over the years,but it never failed to deliver competent, relevant drama. John Carter (Noah Wyle)started out as a resident student and finished as a wiser, been through the mill human being. E.R. had a wonderful human element. the scripts, acting, production values made it one of the finest prime time dramas ever. This final episode was a changing of the guard of sorts with some old regulars sprinkled in there as Cook County's Carter Center opened. It suffered a little in the early 2000's with so many characters being damaged goods somewhat. But it bounced back and became the grand drama it's always been. It was an incredible show, it'll be missed.

Welcome Home, Bobby (1986 TV Movie)

A decent 1980's TV movie about coming out

[9/10 · 19 March 2009]

When I saw this TV movie in 1986 I was coming out and it really helped me at a time when I needed help. Timothy Williams did a convincing job. I felt the drag scene was a bit much. But overall it was a concise drama about coming out in a middle class family. I didn't feel it was stereotypical as it was a lot to cram into 100 minutes on TV. I think of this film every once in a while, and wonder why it's not on VHS or DVD. A year before the slightly more superior TV movie about homosexuality (Consenting Adult) played on ABC, so even then in the 80's being gay was becoming a topic of the day.

This was a good film, and like myself, I hope it helped other poor souls out there who were struggling with their own sexual identity.

Mary and Rhoda (2000 TV Movie)

What a poor reunion for Mary & Rhoda!

[3/10 · 4 March 2009]

Why did the histories of Mary and Rhoda have to be so dour? Divorced women with indifferent daughters. And why very little reference to the original show and characters? The daughter characters were silly and uninteresting. Why can't there ever be daughters who like their mother's on TV? It makes sense that Mary would leave Minneapolis, and Rhoda would return to NYC, but why couldn't Phyllis or Sue Ann Nivens be guest stars? It just seems a pitiful way to remember such wonderful characters. It was good to see Mary and Rhoda together of course, but it could have been better, much better. Well, there has been a Mary Tyler Moore Show Reunion, a Dick Van Dyke Show Reunion, hopefully Mary will do better next time if she revisits her old Mary Richards stomping grounds again.

The Cracker Factory (1979 TV Movie)

Natalie Wood Shines!

[10/10 · 7 November 2008]

Burt Brinckerhoff's exceptional made-for-television movie "The Cracker Factory" based upon the Joyce Rebeta-Burditt book of the same name offers a phenomenal performance by the late, great Natalie Wood. Natalie Wood shines as Cassie Barrett, a suburban alcoholic housewife who's in and out of the local hospital mental ward. She gives a rare look into the turbulent life of a wife and mother who suffers from depression, alcoholism and slight mental difficulty. Wood's Cassie Barrett is a spunky, bright individual looking for answers as to why she can't seem to handle her own life, while others do. Wood is warm, witty, intelligent and adds a special glow to this perceptive film.

Only When I Laugh (1981)

One of Marsha's finest moments!

[9/10 · 23 March 2007]

Neil Simon adapted his play "The Gingerbread Lady" into this wonderful bittersweet comedy. Kristy McNichol is wonderful as teenage daughter Polly. Marsha Mason deftly portrays boozy Broadway actress Georgia Hines. Veterans James Coco and Joan Hackett lend excellent support as a gay failed actor and fading Park Avenue beauty. Mason is wonderful as Georgia, as written she is a witty, genuine human being. Only When I Laugh is one of Neil Simon's more poignant screen adaptations. Through the good and the bad the viewer is never left wanting. This is one of my all-time favorite Neil Simon vehicles. For a play adaptation it never feels stagy.

Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (2001)

Judy Davis shines as iconic legend Judy Garland

[10/10 · 25 March 2006]

Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows is the penultimate of made-for-TV biopics. Both Judy Davis and Tammy Blanchard do fine jobs portraying the legendary singer/actress Judy Garland. Based on daughter Lorna Luft's loving paean to her mother, this is a warm, poignant, buoyant motion picture for the small screen. The re-creation of "Meet Me in St. Louis" is eerily exacting, it's like watching a documentary of the film. Davis quite simply glows as the doomed Judy. Old pro Marsha Mason has the unenviable role of mother Ethel Gumm, and quite convincingly too. This movie was televised five years ago, but it still haunts me. Even Judy would have been proud of this masterful television production. Kudos to all.

Homefront (1991–1993)

A Great Series That Was Too Early Dismissed

[15 March 2006]

Homefront was an excellent series that somehow went unnoticed by most people. I faithfully tuned in every week to watch this fantastic show. It sensitively depicted life in a small town in the aftermath of WWII. Each episode was well written and well acted. It was a winner on every level. I still think about the episode with the great Hattie Winston and Montrose Hagins talking about slavery and "homespun". This was a deeply affecting show that was axed by ABC all too soon. There should be more shows like this on TV, rather than all that reality crap. Every once in a while a great show comes along, but not often enough.And any show with Kelly Rutherford in it deserves a peek.