Solid guest stars, extensive, diverse location work -- both hallmarks of Quinn Martin Productions' one-hour dramas -- a more casual look/wardrobe for lead Ken Howard now half way through the series' single-season run, a clear display of mutual attraction between two appealing characters essayed by Howard and guest star Christine Belford -- fresh off her two season run supporting George Peppard on the "Banacek" portion of NBC's "Mystery Movie" wheel -- nice support here by Robert Hogan as Sheriff Paul Tate; adversaries played by the always reliable in either 'good guy' or 'bad guy' parts, Tom Skerritt and Norman Alden (here definitely the latter), and most importantly, a serviceable script by Robert I. Holt, who achieved a two decade run delivering scripts to over three dozen different series, that keeps one entertained, intrigued and doesn't insult one's intelligence.
Act IV's eye candy is the incredible estate, interior (amazing staircase -- ascended and descended by Howard and Belford) and exterior, that Quinn Martin Productions' location scouts delivered, plus pretty Belford's uniquely-patterned, tight sweater delivered by the wardrobe mistress.
Other locations that nicely service the story are the Spanish style architecture of the shopping mall where the jewelry store is robbed, the rural airport and hanger area, the recording studio (interior) dressed as a radio station; finally, the totally-scenic area around the beach house where Belford and her brother, played by Stephen Brooks, live. (More on that later.)
Additional aspects to appreciate are the vintage airplane scenes both on the ground and in flight, on clear, bright southern California days.
Accentuating the 1930s setting: Belford accompanying herself at the radio station's piano with singing two vintage songs, Cole Porter's very familiar "Anything Goes" (1934) and a sweet number, "Something to Remember You By" (composed by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz), first heard in the 1930 revue "Three's a Crowd." Whether or not it's actually Belford voice; well, it's a close approximation to the sound of her speaking voice. Irregardless of whether or not it's hers, it was dubbed; not recorded live -- which is the usual procedure.
Finally, some trivia, the fun variety. Fans of "Harry O," David Janssen's Malibu Beach-residing private eye series from 1974 - 76, will instantly recognize the beach house, paved driveway, wooden stairs and nearby pier. In fact Warner Bros. TV must have taken over this iconic location, Malibu's Paradise Cove -- within shouting distance of James Garner's "Rockford Files" trailer -- in just a few weeks after "The Manhunter" crew vacated. The cherry on top is that there's a wooden boat plunked down on the sand directly in front of the house that's vital to the story as something's hidden inside.
Harry Orwell (Janssen) plopped his boat, The Answer, on the exact same spot for "Harry O." The story gimmick was he was always tinkering with it; sometimes getting help from guest players (just not from Sue, Farrah Fawcett's stewardess character who lived two houses over for the last batch within her 8 episodes). Christine Belford's and Stephen Brooks' beach house has a boat directly in front of the house. Harry Orwell's boat is prominently and unavoidably right in front of the same house. Who could have predicted that?
All "The Manhunter" footage at Paradise Cove is enhanced by clear, blue skies. In an extreme contrast and a final trivia note, Christine Belford was driving and walking with Buddy Ebsen and Quinn Martin's "Barnaby Jones" crew just the previous year when she guested on 'The Loose Connection" (1973). Filmed during pouring rain.
Act IV's eye candy is the incredible estate, interior (amazing staircase -- ascended and descended by Howard and Belford) and exterior, that Quinn Martin Productions' location scouts delivered, plus pretty Belford's uniquely-patterned, tight sweater delivered by the wardrobe mistress.
Other locations that nicely service the story are the Spanish style architecture of the shopping mall where the jewelry store is robbed, the rural airport and hanger area, the recording studio (interior) dressed as a radio station; finally, the totally-scenic area around the beach house where Belford and her brother, played by Stephen Brooks, live. (More on that later.)
Additional aspects to appreciate are the vintage airplane scenes both on the ground and in flight, on clear, bright southern California days.
Accentuating the 1930s setting: Belford accompanying herself at the radio station's piano with singing two vintage songs, Cole Porter's very familiar "Anything Goes" (1934) and a sweet number, "Something to Remember You By" (composed by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz), first heard in the 1930 revue "Three's a Crowd." Whether or not it's actually Belford voice; well, it's a close approximation to the sound of her speaking voice. Irregardless of whether or not it's hers, it was dubbed; not recorded live -- which is the usual procedure.
Finally, some trivia, the fun variety. Fans of "Harry O," David Janssen's Malibu Beach-residing private eye series from 1974 - 76, will instantly recognize the beach house, paved driveway, wooden stairs and nearby pier. In fact Warner Bros. TV must have taken over this iconic location, Malibu's Paradise Cove -- within shouting distance of James Garner's "Rockford Files" trailer -- in just a few weeks after "The Manhunter" crew vacated. The cherry on top is that there's a wooden boat plunked down on the sand directly in front of the house that's vital to the story as something's hidden inside.
Harry Orwell (Janssen) plopped his boat, The Answer, on the exact same spot for "Harry O." The story gimmick was he was always tinkering with it; sometimes getting help from guest players (just not from Sue, Farrah Fawcett's stewardess character who lived two houses over for the last batch within her 8 episodes). Christine Belford's and Stephen Brooks' beach house has a boat directly in front of the house. Harry Orwell's boat is prominently and unavoidably right in front of the same house. Who could have predicted that?
All "The Manhunter" footage at Paradise Cove is enhanced by clear, blue skies. In an extreme contrast and a final trivia note, Christine Belford was driving and walking with Buddy Ebsen and Quinn Martin's "Barnaby Jones" crew just the previous year when she guested on 'The Loose Connection" (1973). Filmed during pouring rain.