This pilot to one of the most popular - and influential - TV shows of the 1970s doesn't waste much time with the introductions; you meet the characters, you learn that you will never actually see Charlie in his entirety, time to move on to the case at hand. And the case at hand is quite intricate (the extended - 74 minutes - running time helps), as even its main goal is not revealed until near the end; the story has a fair number of twists, and manages to stay one step ahead of the viewer. Also helping this pilot are a sinister atmosphere, the swampy setting for the climax, and a choice supporting cast: I was surprised to see Tommy Lee Jones and Bo Hopkins here. But maybe I shouldn't reveal who has the best line of the episode: "We came to dig a grave....might as well make it a cemetery!". *** out of 4.
Review of Charlie's Angels
