Barnaby Jones (TV Series) Terror on a Quiet Afternoon (1978) User Reviews

A QUIET AFTERNOON WITH A LUNATIC!

[tcchelsey · 9/10 · 28 March 2024]

Two very popular actors headline this adventure, requiring JR's help. True, it's also before the word "stalker" became quite common. Back in the day, if you recall, stalking was generally referred to as someone who was "obsessed" or had an obsession with another. Either way, scary stuff.

Dee Wallace plays the lady with a BIG problem, saddled with a creepy guy who has been trailing her.

The police strangely don't do much to help her, so she has no choice but to seek assistance from Barnaby, and JR gets into the case. Again, it's another scenario where JR has some catching up to Barnaby's detective skills. Whether that was the intention of the series writers in earlier episodes, it's unclear, but he has his work cut out for him and Barnaby is not that far behind. Still a solid adventure as you watch these two in a real tight spot, and Mark Shera is a good actor. Also some nice on location filming, getting away from Hollywood.

Written by John V. Fogarty, who also wrote for CHARLIE'S ANGELS, and this script "possibly" was re-worked from that series, it has that feel. You could easily see Kate Jackson in this type of mess.

Fogarty wrote six episodes for Barnaby. I do agree with the reviewers, there are some comments from JR that make you scratch your head, although there were lots of cop shows and (especially) movies of the era that ran into the same situation. I am surprised producer Quinn Martin didn't catch that as he was the consummate pro when it came to televison entertainment. When he produced the FBI, he was always in contact with J. Edgar Hoover.

Dee Wallace, who is still working today, on such shows as 911, is remembered by all us Stephen King fans for her memorable role in CUJO. John de Lancie guest stars, another popular actor, who played Picard in 2023 in STAR TREK. An excellent dramatic actor for years.

From SEASON 6 EPISODE 21 remastered color/CBS.

Before Stalking Had a Name

[QContinuum178 · 6/10 · 20 June 2022]

1970's handling of creepy guys who won't leave women alone. Amy is a bank teller who is being harassed by a wealthy customer of her employer. Because she'd once had coffee with the guy before realizing he wasn't for her, the police have dismissed it as a lover's quarrel and refuse to do anything until he does something illegal.

In desperation, she goes to the Barnaby Jones agency for assistance. The younger Jones takes a fancy to her and tries to help. Along the way, he makes a number of blunders I find surprising, including not noticing two distinctive jeeps following them during a 90-minute drive out of town that enables them to further follow them down an isolated stretch of road later. Another reviewer also mentioned the unlikely scenario of the much shorter J. R. able to deck the stalker in the face pretty easily.

He carries no weapon with him until they are forced to seek shelter in a cabin and finally arms himself with a knife. Whereas, Barnaby Jones shows up, after doing all the work for the police, and immediately pulls a gun, apprehending the accomplice.

I also cringed when J. R. asked Amy if she was sure she wanted her stalker to stop.

The basic story idea is rather nonsensical and the writing occasionally very sexist.

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 2 August 2021]

Amy (Dee Wallace) has a problem. A mentally unstable man has been stalking her and making her life miserable. Yet, she says, the police will do nothing. Now I know cops back in the day weren't as likely to act in many domestic cases, but considering Amy doesn't even know the guy and he's this crazy, their unwillingness to help is perplexing. What is also perplexing is how when she seeks help from Barnaby's office, Jedediah makes some very inappropriate comments...such as asking her if she REALLY wants the guy to stop!! What a pig...and occasionally in this series, Jedediah acts like a pig...and the writing for his character were often spotty throughout his time on the show.

Following this meeting, Jedediah follows Amy as she goes about her day. Soon he sees the creep (John de Lancie) come into the bank where she works and he will not leave her alone. So, she leaves...telling her boss she is sick and must leave. On the way out, the creep follows her and at the park, there's a confrontation between him and Jedediah and Jedediah decks him *, At this point, the guy not only wants the girl, but he wants revenge against Jedediah. Oddly, Jedediah seems surprised when the creep and his friends soon begin pursuing him and Amy as they try to go on a weekend getaway. Can Barnaby find them and come to their aid? And, when Amy and Jedediah take refuge in an empty house, why did it take them so long look for a gun or a knife or some other weapon?! And when Amy called the police and her call was cut off, why didn't the police do ANYTHING or think something might be amiss?? Later, when Barnaby asks the dispatcher if he received any unusual calls, he never mentioned this disconnected call and only talked about it when Barnaby saw the call log!

If the previous episode, "Uninvited Peril", had not been the worst episode of season six, I might have nominated "Terror on a Quiet Afternoon" for this dubious distinction. Often the writing is just bad and makes little sense...and Jedediah's sexist remarks seemed boorish and out of place compared to how he behaved during the rest of the episode. The only plus is at the end, as Jedediah actually isn't useless!

This show could have been a sensitive and intelligent look at stalking which could have educated the viewer. Instead it just came off as poorly written and dumb...and a bit sexist.

*Mark Shera appears to be about 5'7" or so, and according to IMDB, John de Lancie is 6'4". While such a small guy might be able to deck the big guy, it did seem a bit unlikely.