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Dixon of Dock Green: Eye Witness (1973)
Eye Witness
This episode should had come with a prior warning. Mrs McCluskey in her underwear. A generation of Grange Hill viewers were left in a state of shock!
Anne Hastings (Gwyneth Powell) saw some dodgy men kill her long term boyfriend, a dicey croupier.
Present at the murder was Mr Colly, a big time gangster who resides in France.
When the police arrive, they initially suspect Anne. That is until someone attempts to gun her down. Mr Colly got wind of a potential witness.
Sergeant George Dixon is tasked to keep this valuable witness safe. He takes her to a remote location on the west country.
Only Anne is bored cooked up in a hotel, she steals a car and makes off. When a message is sent over the police radio, Anne's safety is compromised.
Although not that action packed. The way the episode is filmed is certainly dynamic. Helicopters, sea crossings, a drive by shooting, scenes set in France and characters with Jason King moustaches.
I did like how Anne succumbed to Mr Colly's offer at the end. It had a sense of cynicism, greed and self preservation.
This episode was rather George Dixon heavy. This had not been the case with the other surviving filmed episodes. Dixon has essentially been a guest star in his own show.
Once again I have to remind myself this was made before the television series The Sweeney. Yet this period of Dixon of Dock Green has been airbrushed from television history.
Worzel Gummidge: Fire Drill (1980)
Fire Drill
Mrs Bloomsbury-Barton wants to hold a fundraising event and decides to hold a bonfire. Outside of the usual November date. They have already held a garden fete and a flower show.
Mr Braithwaite offers his old scarecrow to be burned in the bonfire. Worzel Gummidge runs for the hills when he hears about his pending fate.
Once Worzel puts his thinking head on. The children decide that another scarecrow should be built. A decoy for the bonfire.
Only the scarecrow that Worzel makes with the hands the Crowman constructed. Makes the new scarecrow come to life. Something that cannot be thrown into a bonfire.
It is left to the Crowman to come to Worzel's rescue. Or else things will get very heated for Worzel.
It very much is carry on save your head for Worzel. The folk mysticism was very much downplayed in this version of Worzel Gummidge. It is clear this episode riffs on it with the scarecrow coming back to life.
Fred Dinenage Murder Casebook: The Welsh Child Killer (2011)
The Welsh Child Killer
Harold Jones was a rare instance of a child who was himself a murderer of other children.
The 15 year old shop employee from Abertillery in Wales was accused of murdering eight year old Freda Burnell.
However the locals refused to believe a young boy from their own town could carry out such a brutal killing. It had to be an outsider.
With the aid of a flimsy alibi. The jury cleared Jones and he was given a hero's welcome.
A few weeks later, the town of Abertillery was full of regrets. 11 year old Florrie Little was murdered by Jones. This time he confessed. As he was a minor, Jones could not be hanged.
Jones was released from prison in 1941. Later some criminologists and crime writers believed Harold Jones now living under the name of Harry Stevens. May have been responsible for a series of killings of prostitutes committed between 1964 and 1965 in west London.
The murderer has never been identified. Criminologist Professor David Wilson certainly thinks that Jones was 'Jack the Stripper.' A man who never showed remorse for the killing of two children.
There was nothing much special or intriguing about this episode. The reconstruction with Fred Dinenage was pretty poor. Even a consummate pro like Dinenage struggled with this one.
Beyond Paradise: Episode #2.6 (2024)
Episode 6
Well you just knew PC Kelby Hartford would get his kiss at the end, it's called foreshadowing.
Either that or Peter Barlow from Coronation Street would turn out to be one of the crooks.
There are two cases for Shipton Abbott police to investigate.
The theft of a valuable statue from a museum. A door was forced open but the alarm did not go off.
Two cybercriminals messed around with the internet. Forced their way into the home of an old lady and got access to her computer to clean her bank account.
The old lady turned out to be CS Charlie Woods grandmother.
DI Humphrey Goodman eventually finds time to investigate when he is not sorting out his wedding or fostering arrangements.
I thought the finale for the second series was low key. The highlight was the drone shot at the end.
The Red King: Episode #1.1 (2024)
Episode 1
This could be Midsomer Murders melded with Beyond Paradise and with Vera.
Detective Grace Narayan (Anjli Mohindra) an Asian heritage cop has been banished from Newcastle for whistleblowing.
She has been ejected to a small rural Welsh island of St Jory. It was once rife with paganism rituals known as the True Way.
The local GP, Doctor Ian Prideaux comes to see her about his missing teenage son from a year ago.
When Grace pursues this, the locals clam up. Her predecessor Gruffudd Prosser belittling her and becoming hostile.
All the while there are signs that the pagan rituals have not completely gone away.
Some wonderful scenery but writer Toby Whithouse has gone for a creepy Wicker Man vibes.
I did find the opener to be very average until Prosser had his rant. Allowing Grace to show that she is not to be messed around with.
I think the six part series will show whether Grace will be a sheep to the slaughter. If she fails to recognise the wolf at the door.
Looney Tunes Cartoons: Bounty Bunny/Hole Gag: Underwear/Vender Bender (2021)
Bounty Bunny/Hole Gag: Underwear/Vender Bender
Bugs Bunny has a $5,000 bounty on him for jaywalking. Yosemite Sam this will be an easy 5,000 bucks he will make.
Only outsmarting Bugs Bunny is far from easy. The rabbit gives Sam the runaround.
Maybe it is Yosemite Sam who might end up in jail.
The cartoon is very much in the usual Bugs Bunny vein. It is nice to see Sam make an appearance.
The short in the middle is amusing enough.
While the last cartoon as a Chuck Jones vibe. Porky Pig tries to get the last remaining snack out of a vending machine.
Only after putting his money in, the snack does not fall much to Porky's frustration. Look out for a quack cameo.
Cash Out (2024)
Cash Out
John Travolta joined his former Face/Off star Nicolas Cage in going to VOD movies several years ago.
Travolta cannot even get a cameo in mainstream movies anymore.
That does not stop him from delivering an engaging performance. A reason why he has lasted for 50 years in this business.
The producers of Cash Out were so convinced that it will find an audience. A sequel has already been made.
There is a touch of Out of Sight about this movie. Mason Goddard (Travolta) leads a team that includes his inept brother Shawn (Lukas Haas) to pull off various heists.
A sports car heist goes wrong when his long time squad member Amelia (Kristin Davis) turns out to be an undercover agent.
They manage to escape and Mason is on an enforced retirement.
That is until a few months later, Shawn has got involved in a plan to rob a valuable crypto-wallet from a safety deposit box in a bank. Mason tags along knowing his brother will screw up.
The robbery doesn't go as intended. They now have hostages. Amelia shows up as a hostage negotiator. The box does not contain a crypto-wallet.
It is a dirt box owned by a shady billionaire crook. If the contents are spilled, everyone could end up dead.
On the basis of a low budget VOD movie, this is enjoyable enough. As long as you keep expectations low.
Some of the story does not make much sense. The cast give it their all though but there is a lack of chemistry between Travolta and Davis.
Batman: When the Rat's Away the Mice Will Play (1966)
When the Rat's Away the Mice Will Play
The Riddler is ecstatic. He believes he has done what the Joker, Penguin and Mr Freeze failed to do.
Eliminate Batman and Robin, but tomorrow never arrives. A lesson the Riddler will learn.
Batman escaped the death trap with his utility belt.
Now the Riddler has mocked up one of the River Rat's to disguise himself as Batman. Bruce Wayne is present when the fake Batman meets with Commissioner Gordon.
It is all part of a plan by the Riddler to make a ransom demand and ensure there is no police at the museum.
I thought it was neat that Commissioner Gordon was not fooled by the fake Batman as well.
The Riddler realising he was outriddled was fun.
The Goodies: Dodonuts (1977)
Dodonuts
Dodonuts ismone I have memories of when it was originally broadcast. It very much has a Looney Tunes cartoonish style.
Bill Oddie has an avid ornithologist in real life takes aim at people who like to shoot things.
The Endangered Species Club are a bunch of old coots who like to shoot birds and animals. Kill anything to eat.
In revenge Bill sets up The Anti-Endangered Species Club. To protect animals and birds. Until the once extinct dodo arrives.
Only this is a nuisance bird who defecates all the time. Makes a screeching noise, as time goes by Bill succumbs to try and kill it.
It all ends with the World War 2 spirit. The dodo boards a Spitfire and takes aim.
It certainly is featherbrained stuff and I keep thinking if the dodo was a substitute for a certain emu as revenge!
Regarded as a noisy episode, with a fun bit as Tim and Bill pretend to be dodos on a mating ritual.
The David Niven Show: The Vengeance (1959)
The Vengeance
George Hilton (Adam Williams) is a killer declared insane eight years ago. Now he has escaped from the state mental hospital and is coming for Mark Johnson (Dan Duryea.)
He is the Justice of the Peace of a small town that got Hilton to give himself up. Only to be sent to jail for years.
The local police warn Johnson. With thousands of people expected to the local strawberry festival. Johnson knows the police cannot keep him safe.
He decides to send his family away and make himself a target. Wait for Hilton to come to him.
Despite David Niven's introduction all about strawberries. Pretty strong stuff for late 1950s television. Hilton kills an old man to steal his truck and clothes. Later a younger man for his bike.
I did not think much of some of the cops meant to protect Johnson. Too busy partying it seems.
Death and Other Details: Impossible (2024)
Impossible
With Viktor Sams people have taken over control of the ship. He wants to teach the passengers a morality lesson.
The ship will be destroyed and there are nine seats left in the helicopter. There will be a bidding war for a seat.
The ship's crew as well as Rufus, Hilde and a few others are allowed to escape in lifeboats.
Some like Celia Chun refuses to engage in an auction. Willing to accept her and her family's fate.
Others engage is devious means to escape. Hustle for money or just steal a helicopter.
Maybe there was a countdown here. This was a much better episode, it flowed well until the big reveal. Which itself is a bit of a cheat.
I know Death and Other Details opened in the first episode with Rufus telling the viewer to really watch closely for the details. Well the details the director allowed you to see. I had an hard time accepting the reveal.
It Ain't Half Hot Mum: The Supremo Show (1976)
The Supremo Show
The start of the third series and there has been a cast change. Bombardier Solly has been posted back to Britain after his three year stint.
In reality actor George Layton was unhappy how his role developed expecting Solly to have a bigger role.
The entertainment troop wonder who will be newly promoted. Both Colonel Reynolds and the Captain Ashwood are in hospital with a contagious disease.
With no superior officers about. Battery Sergeant-Major 'Shut Up' Williams decides to send the boys up the jungle. By the time the Colonel and the Captain return from hospital. It will be too late, the boys will be gone.
The plans change when Colonel Reynolds receives a letter. The Supremo, a Very Important Person will be visiting and expects to see a performance.
Now Sergeant-Major Williams has to persuade Gloria to put on a show at short notice. It requires some softening up.
By the third series the writers knew what was working. Rangi, Williams, Gloria and Lofty. So they get to have bigger roles in this opening episode.
Williams ends up being a butt of a few visual gags. Such as disinfectant thrown at him in regular intervals when he visits his superiors at the hospital.
Professor T: The Conference (2024)
The Conference
It opens with Professor T giving a speech at a conference of criminologists. He states that one of the attendees is responsible for a death and Professor T will expose them by the time his speech ends.
The speech was meant to be given by Erik Haiden. The man who has replaced Professor T at the university.
Flashbacks show that he has been murdered. He was having a dalliance with a local prostitute around the time. His wife had suddenly dropped by at the hotel as well. She later claims that they had an open marriage.
With Professor T now out of prison. The new police chief putting up with his expertise.
This episode shook up the formula bit. With a plummy voiced politician involved in the story. It narrowed down things from very early on.
Monkey Man (2024)
Monkey Man
A bulked up Dev Patel makes his directorial debut in action film Monkey Man.
He also co-wrote the story as well as starring in it. He is Kid, a two bit fighter in a monkey mask who gets routinely beaten up to make others look good.
The Kid gets fleeced by greedy fight promoter Tiger (Sharlto Copley.) His main priority is to get revenge on corrupt police chief who killed his mother and then burned down his village.
To do that the Kid needs to enter the city's seedy underbelly of crime, drugs, sex trade, police and political corruption.
Monkey Man's inspiration is certainly John Wick. It even name checks the character.
It is also an insightful critique of modern India under the Nationalist BJP and it's prime minister Modi.
No surprise then that the film was mainly shot in Indonesia.
Monkey Man was a labour of love for Patel. He faced severe budget cuts and parts of the movie had to be shot on smartphones. His tenacity got the film finished.
Some of the story is confusing and even hackneyed. The fight scenes are well done, part John Wick and part Kill Bill. It would had been better if the movie was shorter and sharper.
Star Trek: Discovery: Mirrors (2024)
Mirrors
Finally someone takes Captain Burnham to task for always going on away missions.
It is something that was magnified in Star Trek: The Next Generation when there was an older starship captain.
Here First Officer Rayner is older than Picard was in ST:TNG. He never had a chance to change Burnham's mind.
Searching for the next clue. They end up inside a wormhole and find the ISS Enterprise from the mirror universe.
Both Book and Burnham try to get through Moll. While there are flashbacks as to how Moll and L'ak came together.
Mirror's is a cheapo episode. It is clearly reusing sets from Strange New Worlds. It was also boring.
I felt listless watching it. A lot of it went nowhere and the premise of the mirror Enterprise was wasted.
Sorry!: Could Do Better (1982)
Could Do Better
Frank is nervous about his wedding especially with Timothy as the best man. Timothy is worried about being left on the shelf now that Frank is tying the knot.
Frank puts it all down to Timothy's dithering why he has not yet found a wife. That and judging people on whether their eyebrows meet in the middle or they walk funny. It is something Timothy denies but then changes his mind over it.
When Timothy meets the bridesmaid Liz, he thinks his luck has changed. Liz too has overbearing parents and is also accident prone. Timothy gets really well with her.
On the day of the wedding, Liz finds herself locked in a house. Timothy up to his neck in trouble. Maybe some margarine could be the all in one solution.
The second series rounds off with some mishaps and pratfalls. Although it does seem creepy that Timothy wants to propose to a woman he hardly knows.
The Beverly Hillbillies: Jethro Goes to School (1962)
Jethro Goes to School
Jed has forgotten to enrol Jethro to high school. He was a fifth grader back in his country school.
Now he needs to find a school that would accept Jethro, even if he is a little bit too old to be still at school.
As Jed and Jethro arrive at an exclusive Beverly Hills military academy. Millicent Schuyler-Potts the school principal cannot believe that Jed will be able to afford the school fees.
That is until she talks to Mr Drysdale the bank manager. Now Granny has to ensure that Jethro's new school uniform fits.
The episode is an odd mix of Jethro going to school and his reading a letter sent by his mother. Cousin Pearl talking about a man called Jazzbo trying to woo Jethrine.
Beyond Paradise: Episode #2.5 (2024)
Episode 5
The team jump into action when Niamh Kirby is found with an arrow on her back.
She survives but DI Humphrey Goodman believes Niamh is a troubled woman. She is in early stages of dementia even though she is relatively young.
Her husband Lewis went missing some years ago and Niamh believed that her brother in law Patrick killed him. The police investigated but there was no proof.
Patrick claimed that his brother was unhappy in his marriage and went off grid. Now living in America.
There was also a dispute over Patrick's plan to develop some land for a hotel which angered environmental activists.
If Patrick was a suspect in trying to shoot his sister in law with a bow and arrow, he has a watertight alibi.
Nothing straight about this story. A hissable baddie who is quickly out of the equation. With no other plausible suspect, the story could only go one way.
I did find the story did get messy. Why did no one check with US Immigration about Lewis Kirby's whereabouts. You cannot just go to America and decide to just settle there.
The Gold Robbers: The Arrangement (1969)
The Arrangement
DCS Cradock has been dogged whereas the baddies have been careless. If there is a chink of light, Cradock will see through it.
However there has been no big breakthrough. No one has talked and Cradock's boss is not happy.
Especially when son, Terry Cradock barges into his dad's office and exposes his father's complicated domestic life for all to hear.
So for the police, this episode is as messy as Cradock's personal life.
They are keeping tabs on Eddie Makin (Johnny Wade) a minor villain who had a part to play in the robbery with some electronic gizmo. Only Makin disappears after an enforcer called Tilt shows up.
Tilt has been sent by the Mr Big to take care of Makin who is a loose end. Not surprisingly Makin goes into hiding but someone like him can never lay low completely. Makin needs money and his girlfriend wants to get hold off him.
This has a dark ending, Cradock just cannot get a break.
An early work from legendary British director Alan Clarke. The story lacked focus as it delved into Cradock's life too much. He seems to be very tetchy here with his sergeant.
Manhunt: The Death-Wish (1970)
The Death-Wish
It's the end for Vincent as it opens with his execution along with two other members of the French Resistance.
A death by firing squad. For the two Resistance members it was the end of the road. For Vincent it was a mock execution.
Something arranged by Egon (James Maxwell.) He was at Balliol college at Oxford with Vincent. Egon now comforts his old college friend who read classics together.
Vincent knows it is the velvet glove approach. However with his injuries through interrogation. He can do with some warm words, a glass of brandy, a cigarette and some classical music.
Of course Lutzig and the SS are not far behind. This is just another approach to make Vincent talk.
With the Germans facing a struggle at the Eastern front with Russia. Maybe Egon is taking an insurance policy out in case the Nazis do lose the war.
I did like Lutzig trying out the softly softly approach with Vincent. Seeing how it works. Also how Lutzig has any escape to Spain covered. You can only get to Spain if the Nazis allowed it.
It is an episode that is psychological. Vincent seeing both faces of a Nazi interrogation. It also sets up Vincent reuniting with Jimmy and Nina.
The Lloyd Bridges Show: A Pair of Boots (1962)
A Pair of Boots
Directed by John Cassavetes. Adam Shepherd visits a Civil War museum and finds a pair of old boots once owned by a Rebel soldier.
Shepherd imagines about the man who might have once owned these boots. He becomes Sergeant Otis, a schoolteacher now fighting against the Yankees.
There is a brief ceasefire when both Union and Rebel soldiers trade some goods. Only one of Otis's men covets a pair of shiny boots owned by a Union soldier. His own are old and worn with holes.
So driven to crazy he has become. The man violates the terms of the ceasefire. Leading to even more bloodshed.
The drama is about the senselessness of war. Having a reason for a fight.
The story is let down by some variable acting. Maybe Cassavetes did not yet have a sure touch with his actors.
There are some well known character actor here as well as a young Beau Bridges.
Dangerous Knowledge: A Deadly Policy (1976)
A Deadly Policy
Dangerous Knowledge might had shown its hand too early into the second episode.
Laura Marshall was not some random person selected by Bill Kirby when he tried to evade her pursuers.
She was conveniently placed there, by her stepfather Roger Fane at the cross channel ferry.
Lucky then that Bill Kirkby went to her then. Now Fane wants Laura to go back to Bill and keep tabs on him, learn more about him.
By the end of the second episode. We learn that Bill is more than an ace life insurance salesman. He is something to do with the espionage community.
Fane and his henchmen, Sanders and Martin might be also to do with the government somehow.
The show wants to make out that Bill has discovered something. The government might not want him to have that knowledge.
Maybe they should had kep Laura's motive up in the air for a bit longer.
The David Niven Show: Sticks and Stones (1959)
Sticks and Stones
Twist Thompson (John Ericson) is a top pitcher in major baseball league.
Now facing an uncertain future with his skills declining. He receives a series of anonymous threatening letters.
It further affects his performance on the pitch. His wife Ann is worried about him.
The police get involved. Twist wants to publicise the threats to the press. The detective in charge of the case disagrees. Ann also wants no press involvement.
Only when Twist's wife changes her mind about going to the press. The detective is sure that the problems are close to home.
The police believe Ann write the threatening letters and owns up to it.
Only after the police leave. Ann confronts her husband. The twist is, Twist did it. Hoping to get the crowd on his side now his career is in his decline.
Ann will twist the knife in his back. Sick and tired of playing second fiddle to her cheating celebrity husband for all these years.
I did like how Ann took the blame but then decided that she will expose her husband.
Red Eye: Episode #1.1 (2024)
Episode 1
People who are British citizens are not subject to immigration control. So a Border Agency Official should not be able to detain a British citizen in the UK.
If that person was maybe involved in a crime, then the police should get involved. There are loads wandering around at any British airport. Although I don't believe the guff that because a person has not gone through immigration control, they can be denied a right to a solicitor. They are not stateless when they step off an airplane.
So Dr Matthew Nolan (Richard Armitage) a British citizen gets sent back to China (not a friendly country) quicker than an illegal asylum seeker to Rwanda.
DC Hana Li (Jing Lusi) seems to be oblivious that the injured Dr Nolan was detained by armed police. Pleading for help with mobile phone cameras recording him. She must have fell asleep in that part of police training where a man is presumed to be innocent until found guilty and has a right to a lawyer.
Especially if being sent to a despotic regime for what could be a trumped up murder charge.
So a clunky start to this thriller hot on the heels of Hijack from Apple TV with Idris Elba. That started off better and then went for a headlong dive.
Armitage must have read the script and thought he was filming another Harlan Coben thriller for Netflix. It does seem to play out like one.
It did improve once moved to the plane journey. Suddenly it became clear, don't eat food meant for Dr Nolan.
The Upper Hand: Paint Your Wagon (1990)
Paint Your Wagon
Who gives their car an unnecessary colour change apart from bank robbers?
Well Caroline does. She thinks her car needs to have a colour change such as beige. While Charlie thinks it needs to be more daring like red.
In fact he goes over her head and authorises the bodywork guy to paint it red. Instead of a boring and dull colour that Caroline asked for.
So she is furious when she sees her new shiny red car. That Charlie has crossed the boundary for a hired help
It is something her neighbour Diana warned about. That Caroline was too cosy with his housekeeper.
Only Diana has her own agenda, wanting dishy Charlie for herself.
It was not much of a plot. From Charlie holding an aerobics class with other domestics. To a character no one has met before making a play for Charlie.