planktonrules Reviews

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Happy Birthday (1986) Season 1, Episode 18

Robert is having a very, very, VERY bad day.

[9/10 · 2 December 2024]

"Happy Birthday" is an original episode of the rebooted "Alfred Hitchcock" from the 1980s. Robert is having a very bad day as his birthday approaches. Detectives show up at his home unexpectedly to arrest him for a murder he supposedly committed 22 years ago. But he says has no knowledge of the murder and is innocent and calls his lawyer...who tells him Robert has no choice but to go with the officers. Is Robert an innocent victim of some mix-up or is there more to the story than this?

This is a terrifying episode because it makes you wonder if this could happen to you. After all, eyewitnesses are notoriously unreliable and mistakes can be made. Because of this, it's easy to be pulled into Robert's dilemma...something which rarely happens on the show.

Overall a very darkly funny and sad episode...one you just have to see to believe! Very original...and I wish the show made more like this one.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Anniversary Gift (1987) Season 2, Episode 6

Yet another remake.

[6/10 · 2 December 2024]

Like too many episodes from the rebooted 1980s version of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "Anniversary Gift" is a remake. And, it has a VERY tall order, as the original story from 1959 is a very good episode. Equalling or improving upon the original is NOT going to be easy.

Melinda (Pamela Sue Martin) is married to a guy who is a total nut about animals. As a result, their home is filled with all sorts of things, such as iguanas, a tarantua, snakes and even baby gators! Clearly her husband is a difficult man to love and she is sick of having a menagerie in their home. But she's also sick of her hubby and has a lover...and they both decide to kill him because he apparently has a lot of money. What's next? Well, she decides to buy her hubby a gift...a very poisonous snake that looks harmless.

The story has a huge plot problem. The husband is a nut about animals, particularly reptiles. Wouldn't such a guy know the difference between a King Snake and a dangerous Coral Snake? Heck, I'm no expert and even I know the difference. So the plan couldn't possibly work.

If you look past this plot problem, is the show any good...even if it is a remake? Well, it's pretty good. And, so, if it's just pretty good, why not watch the better and more original 1950s episode?!

By the way, in the story, the kid selling Melinda a poisonous snake tells her that death is very painful and practically instantaneous. While the painful part might be right, NO snake kills you instantly. Normally, at least a half hour or more must pass before a victim dies. Additionally, since 1967, only one person in the US (where Coral Snakes live) has died from a bite from this creature...mostly because Coral Snakes are non-aggressive. And, by the way, the Coral Snake in the show is actually a King Snake...and I certainly can understand why they chose to use it.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Don't Sell Yourself Short (1989) Season 4, Episode 6

Worth seeing but perhaps one twist too many.

[8/10 · 2 December 2024]

"Don't Sell Yourself Short" is an original episode of the rebooted "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" from the mid-1980s. I mention that it's original because about half are remakes of old episodes...but this one is not.

Michael and Richard work at a stock brokerage firm. Michael proposes that they murder Mr. Campbell and then sell his stocks short in order to make a fortune. But Richard is afraid and can't bring himself to do it. So what's next? See the show...and be prepared for MANY twists in this tale.

This is a pretty good episode. My only complaint, and it's a minor one, is that there are perhaps too many twists...to the point where it's hard to believe the story. Still, if you turn off your brain and just watch, you'll likely enjoy it.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Ancient Voices (1988) Season 4, Episode 3

It's sort of like having Inspector Doogie Howser on the case!

[4/10 · 2 December 2024]

"Ancient Voices" is one of the original episodes made for the 1980s reboot of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". About half (more or less) are originals...the rest are remakes of old episodes.

Richard Anderson is Tom Northcliff, a rich lawyer who is married to a very hot woman who is decades younger than him. But he surprisingly hates her and is planning her murder...mostly because he finds her so annoying. How? She spends much of her time with a medium trying to make contact with her dead first husband! It certainly is a weird reason to want to kill her! And, after strangling her, a down and out actor named Clete (Doug McClure) might be the key to proving her husband is a killer.

It is strange that the lieutenant investigating the case looks like he's in high school. Odd, that's for sure. What is odder, however, is how uninteresting the plot is and how quickly everything is resolved. I also thought the big surprise twist at the end was not especially goor or believable. Little in the way of a 'Hitchcockian' twist or ending with this one.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Enough Rope for Two (1986) Season 1, Episode 16

A big improvement over the original.

[7/10 · 2 December 2024]

Many episodes of the rebooted "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" from the 1980s are remakes of original episodes. In many cases, the remakes were bad ideas because the original episodes were perfect or near-perfect and doing the new episodes better would be a tall order...one they often missed. However, with "Enough Rope for Two" they decided to remake a rather bad episode from 1957. Perhaps this one would make significant improvements over the original, and that wouldn't be too difficult as the original had a lot of plot holes.

Scott (Tim Daly) has very bad taste in women. His girlfriend, Zoe, is NOT the sweet girl she pretends to be. In fact, she's in league with a nasty criminal named Ray and gets Scott involved in this evil man's actions against his will. Scott agrees to drive Ray and Zoe and it ends up turning into a murder when Ray shoots and robs a guy at a gas station. Now, Scott is too scared to do anything but continue on the drive and bide his time until he can escape.

The main difference between the two stories is that in the original, there were three crooks...not a crook, his girlfriend and an innocent guy pulled into their schemes. So, it was easy to hate them all in the 1957 version. Additionally, the ending is a bit different and doesn't suffer from the logical errors of the original story. To me, this is why remakes CAN be very good...making up for deficiencies in the original. A good episode with a rather vague ending.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Hippocritic Oath (1988) Season 3, Episode 7

A jerk gets his comeuppance!

[8/10 · 2 December 2024]

Dale Thurston (Shaun Cassidy) is a med school student who has no interest in humanity or even being a doctor. This is because if he gets his MD, he'll inherit a lot of money...and that is his number one goal. Additionally, he's a rather amoral jerk and makes money stealing exams and selling them to his fellow classmates. The dean of the med school, however, can see right through Dale...and he's determined NOT to graduate the guy. How will this manipulator manage to graduate....or get revenge on this professor? Well, when he meets a coroner who ALSO hates the professor for similar reasons, Dale hatches an evil plan.

This is a very good episode...one that you'll enjoy mostly because Dale is just a weasel and by the end, he's got his comeuppance! Well written and one of the original episodes from the rebooted "Alfred Hitchcock Presents".

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Career Move (1988) Season 3, Episode 14

Death of the week club.

[6/10 · 2 December 2024]

While many episodes of the 1980s reboot of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" were remakes of original episodes, I don't think "Career Move" is a remake. IMDB doesn't indicate that it is and I searched for 'Career Move' on IMDB and only got this episode.

Joey (David Cassidy) is a rock star whose career is now in the toilet following a VERY public fight on stage with another musician! Not surprisingly, his latest albums are flops and his agent has dropped him, saying "he'll call" if anything turns up for him. What is poor Joey to do? Perhaps he'll just become seemingly immortal?!

This story seemed as if they came up with a great idea but never really figured a good way to end it and satisfy audiences. It was just okay.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Final Escape (1985) Season 1, Episode 4

This one has a score of 8.1 and I can only assume few, if any of these folks saw the much better original.

[6/10 · 2 December 2024]

The "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" reboot of the 1980s was an okay series. But too often the shows were remakes of the original episodes and you can't help but compare the two versions...and in the case of "Final Escape" the original was so much better. But this remake has a score of 8.1...so I only have to assume most of the people scoring this one never saw the better original.

The story begins with Lena being sentenced to life in prison for a whole bunch of crimes...including murder. While she acted quite innocent in this appeal hearing, as soon as the judge sentences her, she shows that down deep she is a monster. However, her cockiness is shortlived once she arrives in prison, as it ends up getting her beaten up and threatened with more when she gets on the bad side of a nasty convict. At first, the warden is willing to believe her smooth lies...but she soon is revealed to be a manipulator and ends up back with the rest of the prisoners....and gets the snot beat out of her. But this only solidifies her drive to find a way out...and as soon as possible.

The biggest problems with this episode are twofold. First, the original is among the greatest episodes of the original series...and you can't help but compare it negatively. The original was just perfect. Second, Lena is played with LESS subtlety than a nudist showing up at a Baptist picnic! I am sure the director and script told Season Hubley to overact and play the character VERY broadly...but it really detracts from the show...making Lena seem more like a caricature than a person you can care about or believe is real. Do yourself a favor...just see the first version.

Midsomer Murders: Written in the Stars (2012) Season 15, Episode 3

Perhaps there's a less fanciful explanation for these murders.

[7/10 · 2 December 2024]

The show opens with a whole lot of folks out watching the eclipse. But being "Midsomer Murders", someone is soon found dead...with his head bashed in by an old meteorite. Later, more murders occur with various objects stolen from a local astronomy museum. A psychic claims she can predict all these murders...until she's proven to be in error. So who did do this and what did all the victims have in common?

This is a very good but not outstanding episode. The reason for the murder is most unusual...and also one I can't exactly believe. But the story is interesting and I am glad that although there was a lot in the show about astrology that it didn't promote this pseudoscience.

Midsomer Murders: Death and the Divas (2013) Season 15, Episode 4

A nice tribute to 1970s horror flicks.

[8/10 · 2 December 2024]

A famous horror movie star of the 1970s arrives in Midsomer...and soon folks start dying. The first is a woman who is writing a tell-all book about this actress and the second is the person who vowed to complete this book. In both cases, the folks die in ways which are shown in the scream queen's movies...and soon a third dies and once again it's a duplicate of one of the deaths in her movies. What is going on here? Who is behind all this and why?

I enjoyed seeing all the movie posters and tributes to old British horror flicks...and with folks who love this stuff, it's a must-see episode. Well made and a show that manages to breath something new into the long-running series.

American Experience: Race for the Superbomb (1999) Season 11, Episode 2

The race to make the atomic bomb look like a firecracker!

[7/10 · 2 December 2024]

"Race for the Superbomb" is an installment of "American Experience" which is about the American and Soviet race to create the first hydrogen bomb...a bomb significantly stronger than the current atomic bomb created in the US. First, the Soviets steal the secrets to the atomic bomb and the film then focuses on the different methods each country took to make these super bombs, the hydrogen bomb.

Like any episode from the series, it's very well made and is about the best documentary you'll find on these weapons. However, it's also very dry material...and I cannot blame the filmmakers for this. They try their best and the film is probably of greater interest to folks who are scientists and historians.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Full Disclosure (1988) Season 3, Episode 15

Dying to publish a tell-all book.

[6/10 · 1 December 2024]

G. William Howe (Robert Lansing) is a former Vietnam War correspondant who has been working in Washington, DC for many years. As such, he's learned about a lot of dirt on a lot of politicians. So, when he needs money and decides to write a tell-all book, he's soon the target of assassins. Obviously SOMEONE is ready to kill him to prevent that book from being published. But who?

This is generally a good episode of the new "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", though I really felt the car bomb sequence was telegraphed too much. I knew it was going to happen and there was no suspense. Otherwise, a mildly interesting episode....neither among the worst or the best.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Driving Under the Influence (1989) Season 4, Episode 12

A guy who is EASY to hate!

[10/10 · 30 November 2024]

Bob (Mike Connors) is a man who loves to drink and his behaviors that he's an alcoholic...and a very nasty one at that. After drinking heavily at a party, he drove home and ran over a woman...and left her for dead! Obviously, Bob is a real piece of work. Soon, however, he receives a call from a woman who says SHE is the woman he hit. She's survived and wants $250,000 or she'll go to the police! At the same time, his marriage is falling apart, and you can't think that it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!

Connor's character is one of the more dispicable and hateful ones I've seen from this show...and it's very easy to root for him to get his comeuppance! A great episode about alcoholism and its evil....well worth seeing and with a nice twist. One of the better episodes...and the first that made me want to see more of this rebooted series.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: A Stolen Heart (1988) Season 3, Episode 4

A rather heartless episode.

[7/10 · 30 November 2024]

William Katt plays Dr. Burke, a noted heart surgeon. One of his patients is next on the heart donor recipient list but unexpectedly someone is bumped ahead of her and is getting the new heart! Why? Well, the recipient to-be is rich...and he's essentially buying the operation! But, before the surgery takes place, the organ has been stolen by armed thieves!! Pretty weird stuff...so what's next? Well, A LOT!

This is a pretty good episode...better than the three I've already seen. I liked the scene with the Doctor and the wife near the end...a great scene. Well worth seeing and rather heartless at times.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Deathmate (1987) Season 2, Episode 13

An okay remake of an okay episode.

[6/10 · 30 November 2024]

This episode of the rebooted "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" is a remake of an episode from 1961. I was not a huge fan of the original...perhaps this one is, hopefully, better. It is odd that the rebooted series mostly remade old episodes that weren't strong to begin with....but again, hopefully this updated one is better. Unfortunately, it's pretty much the same.

A middle-aged woman (Samantha Eggar) is having an affair with some young stud*. She also tells him how much she hates her abusive older husband (John Colicos). But the stud really doesn't care about her and she's only doing this because they are very rich and he wants that money. But he doesn't realize that she also is holding a secret.

This is just okay...not bad but not any improvement over the original AND a show that is easy to skip. Not bad...just not all that interesting and the twist is just okay.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: A Very Happy Ending (1986) Season 1, Episode 14

Not your typical kid!

[6/10 · 30 November 2024]

This story is very difficult to believe, though this is not a huge problem as MANY "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" episodes are tough to believe.

When the story begins, a kid (Joaquin Phoenix) witnesses an assassin (Robert Loggia) commit a murder. However, instead of turning him in, the kid blackmails the guy...to kill his father. It seems that Pagey (Phoenix) hates his father and wants him to be killed! It seems that after he lost his hearing at age seven, the father has neglected him. And, apparently, the kid holds a grudge.

This is an okay episode. It has an interesting premise, though I thought the conclusion fell a bit flat. Still, it is worth seeing.

By the way, Pagey in the story reads lips and his ability is VERY difficult to believe if you know about lip reading (the deaf call it 'speech reading'). First, NO ONE is nearly as proficient at reading lips as you see on TV or in movies. Second, the kid looks about 11 and learning to read lips THAT well THAT fast is ridiculous. But, on the other hand, MOST viewers won't know that and I only know because I have deaf family.

Dudes Are Pretty People (1942)

There are three...and all of them are easy to skip

[4/10 · 29 November 2024]

The opening credits are cute and are probably the best thing about this film from Hal Roach Studios. The film is the first of three so-called 'streamliners' featuring Jimmy Rogers and Noach Beery Jr. Playing roustabouts in the modern west. This one isn't the best of them nor the worst.

Most of the film consists of Pidge (Beery) chasing a pretty woman who is staying at a dude ranch. Jimmy doesn't want his friendship broken up by the woman, so he spends about half the movie trying to break up his friend and this woman. Most of these antics aren't very funny.

This film really has a different sort of overtone in 2024 than in 1942. Seen today, it sure looks as if Jimmy is gay and is afraid he'll lose Pidge to a woman. I wonder how many folks thought this in '42? It makes for a strange sort of film and if it were funnier (like it was intended to be), it would be a strange but watchable curio. As it is, it's okay at best and easy to skip.

Midsomer Murders: Murder of Innocence (2012) Season 15, Episode 2

Talk about a weird and unexpected twist!!

[4/10 · 29 November 2024]

"Murder of Innocence" is not one of the better murder mysteries I have seen. I has a few logical errors and the plot is REALLY hard to believe.

A man who was sent away to prison years ago has returned. He's not especially welcome...and by some more than others. This is because when he was sent away, he created a 'hit list' and vowed revenge on all sorts of people who he blamed for his situation. Soon, members of this list begin dying BUT the guy has solid alibis! What is happening???

In addition to having a REALLY tough to believe twist, the show has some annoying logical errors. Near the end, the killer is likely to attack a guy...and he's told to stay put and police are coming to protect him. So, when the power goes out, he goes outside to fix it! Hello!!! What part of STAY PUT don't you understand! And, when DS Jones soon arrives and learn that the man has not returned, he goes in search of him...even though HE is ALSO on the list!! Why not take another officer or two with you??? These are bad cliches and make this episode a bit annoying to watch.

Another problem, and it is a common trope, is that the killer bashes two folks over the head with a heavy monkey wrench (a 'spanner' for you Brits out there)...and yet they are fine later. There should have been brain damage or death from such blows....but no...they are just fine!

Poirot: Dead Man's Mirror (1993) Season 5, Episode 7

Not one of the better ones.

[6/10 · 29 November 2024]

A couple hours after I watched "Dead Man's Mirror", I forgot the episode and went to IMDB to refresh my memory. No, I don't have a memory problem...it's just that this particular episode wasn't all that memorable.

When the story begins, Poirot is trying to buy a mirror at an auction but Gervais Chevenix outbids him. It appears that Gervais wasn't particularly enamored with the mirror...he just wanted to get Poirot's attention. The unpleasant Gervais is like that...using his money to control people. So, when he's killed, there's absolutely no surprise to anyone watching...a bit of a weakness for the episode.

The story is interesting...just not as much as you might expect from "Poirot". Still, a weak episode is still well worth seeing.

Prairie Chickens (1943)

Fun but also a bit stupid.

[4/10 · 28 November 2024]

In the late 1930s, the Hal Roach Studio did something which seems inexplicable today....it sold off The Little Rascals to MGM, and it refused to renew the contracts of Laurel & Hardy as well as Charley Chase! Instead, the studio wanted to concentrate on B-movies...'streamliners' to be specific. A streamliner was a short B-movie...running at about 45 minutes. The decision was purely financial but it is hard to imagine the studio getting rid of the folks who made them rich.

One short-lived streamliner series were the western comedies starring Jimmy Rogers and Noah Beery Jr.. They made three of them and they are okay to watch...but reallly lacks the laughs you'd expect in a Roach film. "Prairie Chickens" is the final of these three movies.

Jimmy and Pidge (Rogers and Beery) are stranded on their way into town. They are picked up by a chauffeur for Henry Lewis-Clark III and the town assumes one of them is this rich man. So, after a bit of celebrating, things go sour when the chauffeur tells folks that neither of the men are his boss.

The pair, along with the real Henry Lewis-Clark III, make a run for it to the Lewis-Clark mansion. What they don't realize is that crooks are staying there and the crooks try to scare them away by dressing up like ghosts. There also are a group of pretty women staying there as well...and they are scared as well. It all ends with some hog-tying and branding...and I am not kidding.

While the film is VERY silly, it's just not all that funny. You also can't help but think Laurel & Hardy or Charley Chase could have used this same material and gotten more out of it. Watchable but not much more.

Calaboose (1943)

A comedy with barely even one laugh...no, not even one.

[3/10 · 28 November 2024]

In the 1930s, the Hal Roach Studio was creating the best comedy...better than anyone else. With such successful stars as Laurel & Hardy, The Little Rascals, and Charley Chase, it was a pleasure seeing a Roach film. But with changing trends in the movie industry and some really BAD decisions, Roach got rid of all these stars and began making 'streamliners'...B-movies with an even shorter run time and less famous (hence, CHEAPER) actors. Some of them are decent...but most suffer from one HUGE problem...the films just weren't funny. Among the worst of these were the films starring Jimmy Rogers and Noah Beery Junior. They just lacked laughs...and, amazingly, they made three of them!

The plot is thin and tough to believe. Jim and Pidge (Rogers and Beery) arrive in a town and get jobs breaking horses. However, Pidge comes up with a STUPID plan. The sheriff's pretty daughter likes rehabbing prisoners and she envisions herself a genius at this. She's, in fact, a dope and mostly just spoils prisoners in her daddy's jail...and Pidge wants to be spoiled. So, he breaks some silly laws and pretends to be a desperate criminal in order to get the full treatment from the lady. Unfortunately, a REAL desperate criminal arrives in town and things go awry.

Not a single laugh. Additionally, Rogers has almost no personality and Beery isn't a whole lot better. The plot also makes little sense. The only really good thing is that it's short...at only 45 minutes.

Mission: Impossible: The Controllers: Part 2 (1969) Season 4, Episode 4

A very satisfying conclusion!

[9/10 · 28 November 2024]

This is the second part of a two-part episode. And, surprisingly, I think part two is even better!

In the previous episode, the IM Force has infiltrated a hostile nation which is working on a drug to make people emenable to hypnotic suggestions. However, so far, the drug only makes folks catatonic! But eventually they'll probably get the formula right, so they've created a fake drug that a western scientist has supposedly developed that DOES work (or at least seems to). The episode ends with the creator of the catatonic drug giving the other drug to its creator and ordering him to kill the Colonel and then himself!

In this episode, you see that the plans have changed. The Colonel IS accidentally killed and so they have to scramble to come up with an alternate plan. This includes convincing the enemy that their scientist is a traitor....so how??

This is an exquisite episode...well written, clever and leaves you very happy you devoted all this time to the two episodes. I only have one tiny quibble...hence I did not score it a 10. During the scene where the Dodge Charger goes off a cliff and explodes, it clearly changes from the Charger to some model from the 1940s or so....and it looks NOTHING like a Charger. Oops.

Midsomer Murders: The Dark Rider (2012) Season 15, Episode 1

The English Civil War ended nearly 400 years ago...or did it?!

[6/10 · 28 November 2024]

It helps but isn't necessary that you know the particulars of the English Civil War (1642-1651). This is because even to this day, two families STILL act as if the war never ended! The DeQuettevilles were supporters of the King (called 'Cavaliers') and the Fleetwoods were supporters of Parliament (called 'the Roundheads')...and even to this day, the two fight each other during historical recreations of one of the battles which actually did NOT happen in Midsomer. To put it mildly...they STILL don't particularly like each other!

The story begins oddly. While one of the elder members of the DeQuettevilles is out hanging up a banner for the upcoming re-enactment. However, he's startled to see an apparently headless horseman and falls off the roof to his death. Later, more deaths occur as well as more appearances by this horseman.

Pretty much most of the nobles in this episode are jerks...so if you hate rich nobles, this episode is for you! I liked this aspect, but also thought the show was a bit silly with the headless man angle. Worth seeing...but strange and silly...but not in a good way.

Midsomer Murders: A Rare Bird (2012) Season 14, Episode 8

Frankly, it's a bit silly...but in a good way.

[8/10 · 28 November 2024]

I must confess that I have NEVER seen "Midsomer Murders" until this episode. My aunt loves the show and I decided to try an episode. Now I have no idea how it compares to other episodes and I may be a bit wrong about this one, as perhaps compared to other episodes it's terrible or terrific.

This episode begins with a man being killed...and that man had much reason to distrust his wife who had cheated on him. But the Russian bride, of course, cannot be the killer because if she was, the show would only be ten minutes long! The members of a strange birdwatching club also could hold the key...and these folks are a funny, quirky group...much of why I liked the episode.

Overall, a strange but fun show about murder that manages to inject a strange sense of humor into some bloody and awful business. It makes me want to watch more.

Mission: Impossible: The Controllers: Part 1 (1969) Season 4, Episode 3

Mind control drugs are bad, mkay?!

[8/10 · 27 November 2024]

This is the first of a two-part story. In an unfriendly country, they are working to try to create mind control drugs and they test them out on prisoners. The IM Force's job is to destroy this evil program and discredit the scientist in charge of creating B-230.

To do this, Phelps poses as a scientist from the West who has been working on his own drug, Voliticon. The secret is to convince everyone his drug works better...thus abandoning the work on B-230. But at the same time, the guy in charge of B-230 shows he's willing to do ANYTHING to discredit Phelps...and the show concludes with the hypnotic drug being used on him and Phelps is told to murder a Colonel and then take his own life!

It's rather hard to assess a two-parter by itself, as I have yet to see episode two and will try to do so tomorrow. Part one is enjoyable, well made and ends on an interesting note. Worth seeing...and hopefully so is episode two.