harrytumilson Reviews

The 4400: Audrey Parker's Come and Gone (2007) Season 4, Episode 3

Behind Closed Doors

[9/10 · 1 July 2023]

Good episode! The fact that Shawn Farrell (Patrick Flueger) was ultimately permitted to re-establish his healing clinic made for a great side story and an event worthy of cheers!

The main plotline with Audrey Parker (Constance Towers), inspires thoughts of fascinating possibilities. They, naturally, chose a beautiful actress (Laura Mennell) to portray Audrey's consciousness as it moves about (supposedly her younger self). However, this kind of thing, like mind reading, has scary potential. Fifty years ago, which might well have been in Audrey's heyday, Charlie Rich released a song with the lyrics "no one knows what goes on behind closed doors". You know what - some things are just best left unknown.

There is one puzzling scene though. Audrey's consciousness can appear anywhere immediately, however, when she dies, her consciousness, which is apparently on a rooftop, takes forever to return to her being. NTAC and forensics are already on the scene upon its arrival. One possible explanation comes to mind; with Audrey's death, her consciousness, which remains on-the-loose, moves much slower and cannot instantly appear anywhere.

All-in-all, a terrific story with an unexpected twist. In this case Audrey might have been better-off had she been given mind-reading capability instead. She possibly could have saved her own life. Nine Stars from me!

SEAL Team: Time to Shine (2019) Season 2, Episode 13

Soap Opera Hell !

[4/10 · 21 May 2023]

Just what-the-heck was the purpose of this episode? I got into this series for the action. I understand that the writers, etc. Have taken a lot of liberties treading on the toes of army and air force elite teams, but the action was there and realistic enough for me. Albeit some episodes had more soapy side drama than my personal taste enjoys, but always at a tolerable level.

Then came this dramatic dumpling. Not one iota of action! Outside of a couple of somewhat tense and/or tear-jerky moments, a total bore from beginning to end. I admit to being curious throughout as to whether the writers were planning on an uplifting happy ending or if this was to be some sort of fitting tribute to a main character being killed-off. Generally, I consider this episode to be three-quarters of an hour I could have better used watched the paint dry in my newly redecorated kitchen. I sincerely hope that we won't be subjected to any more of this kind of drivel!

SEAL Team: The Spinning Wheel (2017) Season 1, Episode 6

Nate Was a Good Man

[8/10 · 15 April 2023]

Prior to starting to watch this series, I knew of the existence of highly-skilled, covert, military specialty teams - but only that they existed and virtually nothing more. I think that is roughly the knowledge level of the majority of viewers. Therefor, I am able to enjoy this series as a, often edge-of-the-seat, military action drama, without the necessity to critique the many departures from real-life that raise the hackles of 'knowledgeable' folk. The entertainment industry is really keen on heroes (and anti-heroes) and this series surely has its share of those.

I found this episode especially entertaining as Jason Hayes' Bravo Team partners-up with Beau Fuller's Charlie Team. The 'face-slapping' and back-biting between the two leads are at times, annoying, while simultaneously adding humor to the tense planning and rehearsing stages of their mission. I can see the potential of another story-arc developing from this antagonistic pairing.

My only grievance with this episode derives from the Spenser/Armstrong plotline. I cannot see any real point to it. A short view of a memorial service is all that was needed to finalize Armstrong's involvement. The only possible value I see for this plotline is to give Max Thierlot something to do in this episode. There just wasn't enough time to allot Green Team and Spenser a substantial contribution.

Now for Nate - CAUTION, MILD SPOILER AHEAD So, Jason has finally figured out what Nate was up to that required the use of a throw away phone. Apparently, it involved the rescue of an Afghani woman for whom he felt a strong obligation. I don't understand why, having successfully completing that goal and setting the woman up with a new identity, he wouldn't have shared the story with his best friend, Jason. There is no possible way that Jason, even in the unlikelihood of disagreeing with Nate, would ever divulge that information. At any rate, Nate, obviously not looking for any kind of praise since he didn't tell anybody what he'd done, simply pushed his 'unsung hero' status up another notch. Hopefully, now that Jason has had an intimate conversation with this woman regarding Nate, he will finally be able to rid himself of whatever blame he carries for Nate's death.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: A Quality of Mercy (2022) Season 1, Episode 10

The Writers Came Through

[9/10 · 11 April 2023]

Just two episodes back (The Elysian Kingdom), I wrote a very negative review, specifically dumping on the Writers. Don't misunderstand, I do not recant a single word of that critique. Today, I will use this opportunity to express how really pleased I am with this Writing Team! This is truly an outstanding season finale.

Yes, there were several "goofs" noted. I actually enjoy reading the "trivia" and "goofs". Personally, I own on DVD every Star Trek episode and movie that has been released to date.. But I am a "Fan", not a "Trekkie". I know that there are Trekkies out there that can probably quote every significant dialogue and describe every major scene ever produced. These dedicated folks are most likely the source of most of the goofs described. I, like most of the viewers, would never even notice a discrepancy had I not read it here.

So, with all of that said, I am very impressed with the amount of research that the Writing Team did to tie this episode to TOS Balance of Terror plus references to other episodes and movies. I think that they did a marvelous job at remaining faithful to the original material.

WRITERS: JOB WELL DONE - THANK YOU !

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Elysian Kingdom (2022) Season 1, Episode 8

No...No...No...JUST NO

[4/10 · 10 April 2023]

Just plain terrible! As I watched, and I stayed with it until the very end, I couldn't help but feeling that this was a stage play performed in some hick-town - maybe in support of their annual 'Storybook Days' celebrations - by a cast of complete amateurs recruited from the neighborhood. It didn't seem to me that any of the cast got into their characters, their actions strained, and the dialogue forced and certainly not very clever. In their defense, I suggest that each had a nearly complete role reversal compared with their SNW characters - this must have been somewhat challenging considering they were working on pretty-much the same sets, with the same co-stars and the same crew that they have for the previous seven episodes. The swordfight, although obviously contrived, was the only exciting scene in this episode. Bless the Writers for coming up with a happy/sad ending.

Let me make a suggestion to CBS - get rid of some of the two dozen Producers on staff and use the money to hire a few decent Writers!

Spenser: For Hire: Homecoming (1987) Season 3, Episode 1

She's Back- Painfully So

[4/10 · 26 March 2023]

Personally, I preferred Rita - at least she gave Spenser an 'IN' at the DA's office. Apparently, most folks wanted Susan back. To each their own flavor! When push comes down to shove, it isn't really all that important. I believe that the primary purpose of the female role was to allow Spenser to show a more human, tender side to his aggressive, he-manly persona, while avoiding the typical P. I. image of bedding a different girl in every episode.

It is hard to say what the main plotline is here - the one described in the plot summary or Susan's return. A few minutes into the episode, Spenser finds Susan in his apartment, followed by an extensive scene outlining what happened and what the two expect to happen going forward. Okay, a little dragged-out, but we got that out of our way. NOT TO HAPPEN! Soon we have a scene with Hawk welcoming her back, then another with Frank's surprised, but warm greeting. Maybe because they missed Quirk, they stuck in a scene with Spenser and Hawk on stakeout discussing Susan. Then, as if they haven't flogged this to bloody shreds already, they felt it necessary to inflict upon the viewer in the closing scene, Spenser and Susan, on a serene walk, professing their eternal love etc. All-in-all, Susan's return is, if not painful, at least borderline nauseating!

Now that I've gotten that off of my chest, let me say that, though I consider this to be the worse, by far, episode of Spenser, the story of the Cavanaughs versus the Harleys was half decent. For that reason, I was able to bring up my rating to four stars.

Dexter: Remember the Monsters? (2013) Season 8, Episode 12

Happiness?

[7/10 · 25 February 2023]

On the overall, I found this to be an entertaining episode. We open at the airport with Debra's former boss Jacob Elway staking out the departure gate waiting to capture Hannah who is hiding in the bathroom. She calls Dexter who devises a plan that clears Elway from the immediate scene but their departure plans are scuttled when the terminal is evacuated so they remain trapped in Miami. Then Dexter receives a call from Deputy Chief Tom Matthews informing him that Debra is in the hospital being treated for the gunshot wound inflicted by Oliver Saxon in the previous episode which, until now, he was completely unaware of. Later, when Saxon attempts to finish the kill of Debra at the hospital, Detective Joey Quinn and Lt Angel Batista arrest him and haul him off to jail. Meanwhile, Dexter sends Hannah and his son Harrison ahead with plans to meet them in Argentina. A catastrophic stroke renders Debra a complete vegetable. In retaliation, Dexter creates a plot where he successfully kills Saxon in jail. Heartbroken, and in the confusion of the approaching hurricane, Dexter terminates Debra's life support system and carries her lifeless body to his boat. After her burial-at-sea, dexter is seen driving his boat into the hurricane with presumably suicidal plans. Next, we locate Hannah and Harrison enjoying a drink at an outdoor Argentine café where she reads an on-line article outlining Dexter's presumed loss at sea. In the final scene, we find Dexter, quite alive, looking totally beaten and alone in a logging camp.

I felt that this entire season was degrading to the 'Bay Harbor Butcher', especially the previous episode (eleven). To begin with, if he hadn't completely set aside his 'code', Zach Hamilton and Dr Evelyn Vogel would still be alive. And, who knows, with a greater effort backgrounding the 'Brain Surgeon' way back when, he might have even saved Cassie. Then, if this mere facsimile of the Dexter we had come to admire, had used a little imagination, he would have planted his knife solidly in the heart of Saxon while he was strapped to the chair. At that point it would have been a simple bit of murder scene creativity to make it appear that Debra took out Saxon in an attempt to arrest him. All of this done, and he certainly had the time, before calling her would have made her a hero again at the P. D. That concept would have saved the life of Deputy US Marshall Cooper as well as Debra.

It seems that the writers decided that none of the main characters in this series were to enjoy any reasonable happy ending. It started with Sgt. James Doakes who met with his demise in disgrace way back at the end of season two (although his name continued to pop up right until the end of season seven). In that season's final episode, Capt. Maria LaGuerta met eternity at the hands of Debra. This season, Jamie Batista, Dexter's nanny, is jilted by Quinn who is still in love with Debra - no happiness for her or Quinn who loses Debra anyway. Obviously Debra has gone off to meet her maker, so not much joy there. Hannah McKay is in Argentina and will never again get be with the love-of-her-life, Dexter, and must face raising his son Harrison who, unbeknownst to him, has just lost his father. The least of the unhappiness goes to Vince Masuka and Angel Batista who have only lost two friends and co-workers, although Angel had, quite some time ago, lost his marriage to LaGuerta; I don't know if that was bad or actually a good thing.

Well Dexter, as you sit in your dilapidated shack, grieving, miserable and alone, I'm here to tell you that you earned this outcome. You worked hard for it and you truly deserve it. This is what you get for making such huge changes to your life in such an abbreviated time without regard to the consequences. You get no sympathy from me!

Over There: Follow the Money (2005) Season 1, Episode 13

Questions?

[9/10 · 19 February 2023]

I personally feel that this was an excellent episode. Lots and lots of action mixed with several tender moments. It is extremely rare that I ward ten stars to anything - seems to me that there is always room for improvement. As for this particular episode, there were a few unanswered questions - perhaps it is intended that we would 'presume' the answers. First of all, does Doublewide agree to Sergio's plea for understanding; then even more of a question mark is - does Dim eventually accept Vanessa who has been begging for forgiveness. I hated that b**** for the first few episodes, but as she began to turn her life around by joining AA and leaving her promiscuity behind, I found myself completely in her corner. Come-on Dim, give the girl another chance, she's trying so hard.

Another incident that went without a noted resolution is did Bo gain anything from his battle with his dad other than bruises and maybe some self satisfaction? Incidentally, it was nice to see Dirk Blocker make an appearance in that episode (12), even as small as it was.

There are more quandaries that went unsolved that I will not expound upon here except for this one last dilemma. In episode one, Bo refused to ask Doublewide how she got her nickname. The question did not arise again until this, the final, episode when Mrs B requested the story. Doublewide begins to explain that it originated in high school - then all hell broke loose, and the actual answer was never given. So, was there ever even a backstory created?

Last Resort: Cinderella Liberty (2012) Season 1, Episode 9

Uniforms, Attacks and Boats

[8/10 · 13 February 2023]

I would, first of all, like to comment on the review left by MajorBaleegh. I normally do not appreciate reviews of other's review, but this time I feel a strong desire to do so. I personally appreciate the comments made, which I believe are written by an individual who, judging by the writer's name and flavor of the observations, is quite knowledgeable in regards to Pakistani military uniforms. These errors would also be well placed under the category of 'goofs'. That said, I feel quite confident in saying that extremely few of the viewing audience would have any idea of what the correct attire should be, and are quite willing to accept what is presented - heck, a great number of us couldn't even state with certainty that the U,S, naval uniforms were accurate. In all likelihood, the producers of this episode, or whoever makes these budget decisions, just cheaped-out and grabbed any available uniforms that looked different than the USN's. As to whether the Pakistani navy would request an attack on India - highly unlikely - but then, so too is the entire idea of the U. S. nuking Pakistan. All of this is just part of a highly fictionalized storyline; You're either into it or you should probably get out of it entirely.

Now for some comments of my own, keeping in mind that I did buy into this series, and particularly this episode, regardless of what follows. I am curious as to how only the EWS facility on the island was able to detect the Pakistani submarine directly under the envoy boat as it entered the blockade. Presumably this tactic was to disguise its signature from radar and or sonar. I just find it hard to believe that of all of the ships and subs employed in that blockade, none other were able to discern the presence of the intruder. Okay, so it's there - now how in blazes did the boarding commando team get aboard the boat without getting wet? The Admiral is in a neatly pressed uniform. Had the sub surfaced and launched zodiacs, their presence would certainly have been detected and they would have lost the element of surprise, not that doing so would likely to have changed much of what was to happen.

So, my next question is - what became of the Pakistani sub? It apparently didn't stay there to be captured. If it tried to leave without the envoy boat's signature to cover them, there can be little doubt that they could not have gotten through the blockade. Just my point of view All of that aside, I still enjoyed this episode!

Last Resort: Controlled Flight Into Terrain (2013) Season 1, Episode 13

Just Call Me Confused

[8/10 · 13 February 2023]

There is certainly room for some confusion here. Although it kept the series interesting, it seems to me that there were just too many plotlines on the go. Further, while Shepard and Cortez remain pretty much loyal to the Captain throughout the thirteen episodes, the same cannot be said of C. O. B. And especially the XO whose loyalties continue to bounce back and forth. Sorry, just had to get that out there. Now, for my real confusion. At no point in this series did I see or hear any reason why in blue-blazes that the President of the United States initiated an evidently unprovoked and also definitely premeditated and apparently devastating nuclear attack of Pakistan.

The Day the Earth Stopped (2008 Video)

Now Showing At Your Local Drive-In Theatre

[8/10 · 16 January 2023]

If you are looking for a 'Star Wars' calibre movie, you might just as well give it your one or two star rating and get it done. However, if taken in the context of a good old-fashioned drive-in theatre double 'B' movie Saturday night entertainment, you've got it made! Of course, unless you're sitting on the sofa in front of your tv necking, you will see the entire film, so any flaws are likely to stand out more prominently.

I rather enjoyed this picture, heck it has a bit of most everything. There are spaceships, aliens, giant invulnerable robots, interrogations, telepathy, soldiers, snipers, automatic weapons blazing away, jet fighters attacking, atomic bomb detonation wiping out thousands, car chases, religion, resurrection from the dead, childbirth and (what now seems to be a standard requirement, a couple of minutes of gratuitous nudity - a definite departure from the old drive-in 'B' movies).

I recommend this movie to those willing to enjoy it for what it is and not try to compare it to kazillion dollar budget films with 'A' List actors paid more than a dictator can steal in a year.

Star Trek: Picard: Farewell (2022) Season 2, Episode 10

Disappointed!

[5/10 · 11 December 2022]

There were already 92 reviews here when I decided to add mine, I did not read them all, so my apologies if I am only repeating an ongoing theme. First of all, let me state that I own DVD and/or Blu-ray of every episode and movie since Capt. Kirk's first voyage. Secondly, I want to make mention that of all the Star Treks, there were two things I found distasteful, both from STNG - first the Borg - second - Q - I just found both plotlines annoyed me. Imagine, if you will, my dismay to find the first episode of Picard S2 involving an encounter with the Borg. Then came the second episode - Q - well I am going to have a rough season here! I do, however, have a fascination with time-travel and its potential ramifications, so there is some redemption and I continued watching.

A quick trip into the past sees our heroes in present day - Okay, 2024 - close enough. Now comes seven almost painful episodes of assorted drama and flashbacks. Somebody else said that this season could have better been presented as a two-and-a-half-hour movie - that would be just about right for these seven could have been edited into about an hour and a half of what might have actually been interesting. The final episode was needed to bring the crew back to their own present.

The entire season is riddled with potential timeline interferences. There are two major ones in my opinion. First is the Borg queen's assimilation of soldiers - these are all people who were originally slated for some other future, now forever gone. The second, more glaring, is Rios remaining behind with Teresa and her son Ricardo. There was originally another future in store for a beautiful young doctor and her son - perhaps a marriage to some other guy and maybe shared offspring. Now that guy moves on to somebody else, etc. Who knows how many dominoes are dropping helter-skelter.

Wrapping up, I must say that throughout this season I had the distinct impression that there was pressure to get this season out there. It's like it was put together on a shoestring budget. Modern-day locations, almost no sci-fi special effects. Unfortunately, Picard will suffer from the poor support of Producers etc.

Salvage 1: Hard Water: Part 2 (1979) Season 2, Episode 2

Remember the Titanic

[7/10 · 9 October 2022]

This has been quite an interesting pair of episodes. It caused us, the audience, some concern as to what the future of Salvage One would witness if Melanie continued on with her announced plan to leave Jettison Salvage. We would learn by the end of Part One that, thankfully, her departure was not about to happen. Then Melanie met twelve-year-old Michelle, an orphan who, as a devout fan, had followed Mel's career for a few years. The bond of friendship that developed between the two made for some touching scenes. Part one was highly successful at setting up the storyline and included some tense drama that made way for perhaps an exciting part two. I believe that the writers failed to meet expectations here. As part two unfolded, I couldn't help but feeling that they had too much wanted material for a single episode, so they stretched what they had left over to fill another timeslot. It just seemed that many scenes were unneeded to advance the plotline. Otherwise, this two-part story was definitely entertaining.

Neon Rider: Dude (1989) Season 1, Episode 0

Thanks For The Memories

[8/10 · 5 October 2022]

I quite enjoyed this series when it first aired in the early nineties. I am almost certain that I never seen any episodes following the CTV run of the first two seasons. I found quite interesting the way that they managed to combine the drama with a good deal of action, a liberal dosage of romance and a sprinkling of comedy. Over the years, I'd all but forgotten Neon Rider until I accidentally tripped on a reference to it whilst surfing the internet on another subject. My interest was again sparked, and I looked for episodes for streaming - no success. I was, however, able to find DVDs which are exceedingly difficult to come by. Let me say first of all, that I can find no hint that anything of the series was ever released in any format in Canada, its country of origin.

I was able to find a German version in PAL format. All labelling and text are presented in German only, however, the original English versions of each episode are included. Only season one is available, sold in two separate packages as season one and a mis-labelled season two which is actually the last half of the first season. To add confusion, the episodes are titled in German and when translated to English do not even resemble those on the IMDB list. Adding even more complication is that the DVD sets sequence the episodes in an entirely different order than they appear here. Of course, the sequence is of little concern since each episode is stand-alone. It only becomes a little trying if one desires to read-up a bit of the preamble prior to viewing.

All-in-all, I am quite happy with this collection and have really enjoyed this walk down memory lane. I feel that most of the stories are as pertinent in the 20's as they were thirty years ago. One must, however, take into consideration thirty years of technological advancement.

If you are reading this, I hope it indicates that you have a means of viewing these episodes. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

Neon Rider: Under Pressure (1990) Season 1, Episode 13

Cops

[7/10 · 2 October 2022]

It is amazing how in non-cop shows, such as this episode, that cops can witness a criminal event and/or arrive on the scene and proceed to arrest the innocent victim while the bad-guy flees unscathed. This kind of thing happens time and again. On a similar note is the cops showing up just in time to take the criminals into custody after the show's stars have subdued them. I'm sure that something like that does occasionally happen. But, come on, our police forces are just not that buffoonish. No doubt there are many inept and/or corrupt and/or vicious cops out there. In such an immense identifiable group this is to be expected. Fortunately, these misfits are an incredibly tiny part of this group. Thankfully, our police forces are mostly populated with men and women whose dedication to us, the general citizenship, is unquestionable. Our police often put their very lives on-the-line in the performance of their duties. So let the writers depict cops as slow and perhaps even incompetent; we know that is a great departure from reality.

Neon Rider: Hacker (1990) Season 1, Episode 21

Confined to a Wheelchair

[8/10 · 29 September 2022]

This episode is quite interesting insofar as to the way they deal with the subject of cripples. I only use the word cripple because I feel that it can cover the full range of infirmities from quadriplegic to hearing impaired and anything between. They begin with how the boy views himself (a gimp as he says at one point) and then expand into how others view and react to his disability. The writers have done very well at addressing these issues. The side story of paintball war games was a really creative departure from the usual ranch activity. Well done! My final point is on the subject of home computers, still quite new in 1990. It is quite apropos that Marty uses a computer as his primary leisure pursuit. I must make the observation, however, that Michael's acquisition of a computer for bookkeeping is completely illogical, given the high cost of computers and the constant financial concerns at the ranch. The only reasonable excuse for such an extravagant purchase is simply to support the story line of this episode.

Neon Rider: Father and Son (1990) Season 1, Episode 17

Racism

[9/10 · 28 September 2022]

I found that this episode depicts the crippling disease of racism in a convincing fashion. It is sad, but true, that we humans have exercised some radical form of prejudice since the times of cavemen. Oft-times it has been merged with religion creating an even more devastating force. Any show of bigotry is, of course, unacceptable. Rekert and team, both in front of and behind the cameras, should be commended for this realistic but still very entertaining presentation. The secondary story of the naïve social worker trainee sent by Rachel to the camp for on-job experience in Michael's rehabilitation procedures was blended perfectly into the main drama. I consider this to be, by far, the best episode in the series thus far.

Petrocelli: The Gamblers (1975) Season 2, Episode 8

How Could This Work?

[8/10 · 16 September 2022]

An overall interesting episode laden with touching scenes and complete with a happy ending. However, there are several instances of departure from logic. While in Mando's house, Tony notices a stack of postcards apparently sent by his parents who are holidaying in Mexico. He realizes things are amiss upon seeing that they had San Remo postmarks. I suggest that Tony didn't need to look that closely since they had to all have US postage stamps which could not be mailed in Mexico.

Later we learn that his parents had died three months ago in a car accident in Mexico. At that point, Mexican authorities would have contacted US agencies regarding the fatalities if for no other reason than to determine what to do with the remains. The game would have been up right then when officials had to have discovered a house full of minors. Similarly, judging by their nice home, the parents would almost certainly have had life insurance that would not have paid out directly to minors. Again, game over. And this thing regarding a family of minors isn't over yet. When the police arrested Mando, a minor, for murder, the first thing they would have done is inform his parents, not his younger sister. Once more, game over.

Oh well, it was entertaining anyway.

Hogan's Heroes: The Softer They Fall (1970) Season 5, Episode 18

Cheers! Ivan

[9/10 · 8 August 2022]

Watching this episode was truly a pleasure! Ivan Dixon was given one of his rare opportunities to take center-stage. Let's face it, the majority of episodes have one or more of the Heroes masquerading as either German civilian or military. Non- Caucasians in Nazi Germany were few-and-far-between, thus unfortunately, restricting Kinchloe's employment outside of the Stalag. Kinch, with a few exceptions, normally provides the voice of sanity among the Heroes. Here Ivan has been given the chance to perform beyond his typical roles and really shines.

The only negative that I have about this episode is Carter's spy scene, which seemed redundant to me. It seems to me that the same information could have been far more safely acquired using the coffee pot receiver. I feel that this entire scene was only added to give Hovis something to do. Without this one scene, I would have likely rated this episode a perfect TEN.

Hogan's Heroes: Fat Hermann, Go Home (1970) Season 5, Episode 17

The Bottom - I Hope

[3/10 · 7 August 2022]

This episode started off poorly, then deteriorated to bad by the time it was about one third of the way in. I foolishly thought that there was no where but up from there. It turns out that was far too optimistic an idea as it actually worsened from that point. The script was incredibly horrible, leaving a reasonably talented cast with no hope of salvaging this inane debacle.

I have never before rated a production as low as I have this one. I sincerely hope that this is the bottom offering in this series - I have already exhausted all of the adjectives that I can think of to describe such a terrible showing.

Hogan's Heroes: The Empty Parachute (1969) Season 5, Episode 11

A Parachuting Spy?

[7/10 · 5 August 2022]

Once again, I found this to be an entertaining episode with some inconsistencies. In passing, I'll mention the blooming flowers in winter, a recurring gaffe throughout this series. More to the point of illogic is the parachute spy. Nobody, including Klink, knew that Hochstetter and Schlager were coming to the Stalag. Thus, the spy would have arrived at a point well before Schlager and had nothing to do with him. The other option would be that the spy parachuted from an aircraft overflying the camp in broad daylight at a time when extra security was patrolling the compound. That option is completely unreasonable.

Then when the Heroes finally open the briefcase and discover the counterfeiting plates, it was suggested to destroy them. Hogan rejects that solution saying that the engraver would just manufacture another set. Then Hogan sets about the time-consuming task of altering the plates to include the effigy of Hitler and a swastika. This, of course, would only end the same way as destroying the plates. Why waste the time and effort?

My final beef is the grenade thing. There is no possible way that a prison guard would ever carry grenades in the compound. There is no logical use for them unless a prisoner got a hold of one. It is unlikely that they would even be included in their weapons cache. That one SCENE is the only time that Schultz, or any other guard, has ever carried grenades in this entire series thus far.

Hogan's Heroes: The Kommandant Dies at Dawn (1969) Season 5, Episode 6

Rantings

[7/10 · 3 August 2022]

I had problems with this episode right from the get-go. A peddler arrives at the Stalag with a pushcart filled with fresh produce (it's winter). When he indicates to Hogan to pick a specific cucumber, I immediately determined that he was a member of the underground passing information to the Heroes. That thought came to a screeching halt when Hogan makes known that this message must be passed on to the underground. Well then, just who-the-heck was the peddler and why didn't he simply pass the message to the underground? So, the next thought that crossed my mind was, all the Heroes need to do is transmit the message by radio - there has been no indication that radio transmissions are not available. This option was never discussed so I have to assume that it wasn't possible. As illogical as all of this seems to me, the actual plotline of this story can get underway.

All of that said, I have broken the primary rule of sitcoms, especially Hogan's Heroes: NEVER LOOK FOR LOGIC IN THE PLOTLINE! This episode comes with a large dosage of laughs and is generally quite entertaining. I rated it at 7 stars.

Hogan's Heroes: The Gasoline War (1969) Season 5, Episode 4

What The Hey!

[7/10 · 1 August 2022]

I actually enjoyed this episode. It possibly has the worse plotline in this series so far. It was illogical from nearly the first scene and grew even more so as it progressed. Its many giggles were liberally peppered with large doses of 'What the Heck'. And Bob Crane once again demonstrates one of the benefits of being the lead star. Rarely does he miss the opportunity of a smooching session with a beautiful guest star, and this episode is certainly no exception. All-in-all, I found this episode to be entertaining and gave it seven stars.

Hogan's Heroes: Never Play Cards with Strangers (1968) Season 4, Episode 7

Dressy?

[7/10 · 27 July 2022]

I see that once again there is an observation regarding the unlikelihood of Hogan having a dress uniform and, as such, that would be very true. He has previously worn it and will do so again. So too have the other heroes dressed in much higher grades of uniform than they would have had when captured.

Their having such uniforms, from the audience perspective, is actually easy to understand. They have a tailor shop capable of manufacturing all forms of civilian clothing, both male and female. They also create German military uniforms at many rank levels and from several different units of airforce, army and navy. What makes it so difficult to believe that they cannot make US, British or French uniforms? (Don't even try to figure out where they get insignia, ribbons and medals etc. - these come by the same magic that so many other things do in this series - we just have to accept it - without this magic, the series would have ended after about the fifth episode)

The real question, and perhaps that is what these observations are alluding to, is how on earth do any of the German brass justify where these uniforms came from? After all, the tailor shop is a covert operation hidden deep in the tunnels.

Hogan's Heroes: Hogan's Trucking Service... We Deliver the Factory to You (1968) Season 4, Episode 4

One For Their Side

[7/10 · 19 July 2022]

Colonel Crittendon (Bernard Fox) makes his fifth appearance in this series. To begin with, he wears the uniform of a Royal Air Force Group Captain, equivalent in rank to full Colonel, however an actual GC would step on anybody foolish enough to call him Colonel. So, it began in the fifth episode of this series (the Flight of the Valkyrie), a senior ranking idiot on the Allies' team. Stalag 13 Commandant, Colonel Klink (Werner Klemperer), is completely inept and easily manipulated by Colonel Hogan, and most every other person who has the need. His huge shoes of incompetence should be hard to fill, but Crittendon has demonstrated, once again, that he is easily up to this task. We have always had Carter's fumbling to offset Shultz's bumbling, so it is a comfort to the war effort to have some equalization at the higher ranks.