Zero Effect (2002) (TV)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Jake Kasdan

Writers:

Walon Green (writer)
Jake Kasdan (writer)

Genre:

Mystery

Plot Keywords:

Sequel | Beautiful Woman | Prequel | Character Name In Title | Number In Title

Cast

Alan Cumming	...	Daryl Zero
David Julian Hirsh	...	Jeff Winslow
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Krista Allen
Andy Brewster	...	Barfly #2
Laura Ford		(as Laura Elizabeth Ford)
Tom Gallop
Natasha Gregson Wagner
Patrick Wolff	...	Room service waiter

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Castle Rock Television

Trivia:

This television pilot was based upon the quirky 1998 detective film of the same name (Zero Effect (1998)). Ultimately, NBC chose not to pick up this series.

Movie Connections:

Follows Zero Effect (1998)

Has anybody actually seen this?

It's a pity I missed this made-for-TV flick because I loved the 1998 film, an updating of the classic Sherlock Holmes versus Irene Adler tale, with Nero Wolfe and Archie thrown in. Daryl Zero was an interesting character: brilliant, neurotic and annoying. The mystery itself was pretty good, too.

I see from the cast list that there was no "Arlo" this time out, so I have to wonder whether he was replaced by "Jeff" or whether Zero was operating on his own. It would be a shame to eliminate him, since the interplay between the characters gave the original film a lot of its appeal and energy. Any protagonist who is not likable benefits from being buffered by more sympathetic representatives. Conan Doyle understood this, as did Rex Stout. I wonder whether Kasdan did.

If a DVD is too much to ask for, I'd settle for a reasonably well advertised cable run.