Prismark10 Reviews

Passenger: Episode #1.5 (2024) Season 1, Episode 5

Episode 5

[4/10 · 3 May 2024]

There is some movement at the end of the episode simply because there had to be to set up the series finale.

Until then no one acts like they are in a police force. Linda Markel is more interested in winning some tin pot best kept town contest rather than examine its dark underbelly. It is like she has stuck her head in the sand.

She is certainly at odds with Riya who has made some headway into the murder of Mehmet Shah. She just cannot fathom why. Just what did Mehmet discover that got him killed.

Elsewhere Jim Bracknell wants to know who has been leaving a duffel bagful of cash to him for years. He suspects Joanne Wells for some reason. Where would she get al l that money from?

Some of the writing and motivations just did not make sense. Jim and Eddie Wells getting their characters flipped. It seems to come out of nowhere.

Manhunt: Machine (1970) Season 1, Episode 20

Machine

[6/10 · 3 May 2024]

Jimmy Briggs and Vincent reunite and as soon as they lay eyes on each other. They start to bicker like they were an old married couple.

Both men are in trouble with the local French resistance unit. They want Jimmy to pay for getting two men executed by the Nazis. They are also suspicious of these two recent arrivals.

While Hochler is also wary of Jimmy. He has not given Hochler any more new information about the resistance. Also just what kind of a sailor is Jimmy. Maybe he is a pilot. He seems to be interested in that machinery the factory is making. One of Jimmy's Polish friends is also interested in stealing it.

Both Jimmy and Vincent face danger from both fronts. It really is a story about the French resistance.

Some of the locals are wary of them, as they act like glorified thugs. One of them telling his wife, if they are like this now, just what will they be like after the war. Incapable of leaving the war behind and going back to a peaceful life.

A desolate ending, it hints that maybe this show will not conclude in a neat way.

The David Niven Show: Good Deed (1959) Season 1, Episode 13

Good Deed

[5/10 · 3 May 2024]

Gentry is a newspaper reporter with an eye for a good story and a high profile for himself. A scoop presents itself when he receives a phone call from Frank Simms.

He's a cop killer who has escaped from seven years in jail. Frank wants to give himself up but he is afraid that he is a,target for the cops.

Sergeant Charley Nelson warns Gentry that Frank Simms is not only a cop killer. He is a danger to the public at large.

When Gentry looks into Frank's life he is rather surprised. His mother lives in a good part of town, he is from a middle class household.

When Gentry meets up with Frank Simms. He realises just who the target for his revenge is. Something his mother alluded to. His wife Hazel Simms who used him and then sold him out to the cops.

A noirish thriller, although I wondered why did Frank needed Gentry when he just wanted to go for his wife. In the end it really did not amount t much.

Worzel Gummidge: The Scarecrow Wedding (1980) Season 2, Episode 8

The Scarecrow Wedding

[7/10 · 3 May 2024]

Worzel Gummidge comes across Aunt Sally crying for help. Her head is stuck inside a washing machine at a junk shop.

Worzel is reluctant to pull her up after she has taunted him in the past. So Aunt Sally promises to marry him if Worzel frees her from the washing machine.

Worzel is ecstatic although the Crowman is not so sure. He created Wotzel but Aunt Sally. However if Worzel wants to get married, the Crowman puts up the banns.

Both Sue and John are excited about the wedding day. Not Aunt Sally, she only said yes so she could try on a wedding dress and be the centre of attention.

It is a disappointment for all the guests who were looking forward to a traditional scarecrow wedding. Some like cousin Cobber Gummidge came all the way from Australia. Saucy Nancy has an eye for him.

Lots of returning characters such as Sergeant Beetroot and Soggy Boggart. There is both fun and sadness in the wedding scenes. Once again Worzel and Aunt Sally get to dance such as the scarecrow hop.

It is sad that Worzel always falls for Aunt Sally's lies. The Crowman teaches Worzel a lesson on misery.

X-Men '97: Motendo/Lifedeath - Part 1 (2024) Season 1, Episode 4

Motendo/Lifedeath - Part 1

[5/10 · 2 May 2024]

A story of two halves and both were lacklustre. Motendo is inspired by the X-Men arcade game.

It is Jubilee's 18th birthday but Magneto wants no celebrations. Not even a trip to the arcade.

However there is a games system called Motendo in Jubilee's room. Before long both Jubilee and Roberto are whisked inside the games world as they are attacked by Sentinels.

Somehow they need to get back to the real world and escape from the digital arcade world.

This part of the story was less comic book inspired and may be fun for those who remember the arcade game. Here I did not think the animation was up to much nor the story.

Lifedeath Part 1 was a better character piece about Storm trying to get her powers back. She is being helped by a man called Forge, who has his own reasons to help mutants.

The arcade part should had been the whole story and done better.

Elsbeth: A Classic New York Character (2024) Season 1, Episode 2

A Classic New York Character

[6/10 · 2 May 2024]

Move over Columbo. This could be Only Murders in the Building. Gloria Blecher is the owner of an apartment in New York co-op.

For years Gloria has annoyed her other neighbours. Objecting to having the building refurbished, objecting to pet noises and making caustic remarks.

When real estate broker and resident Joann Lenox (Jane Krakowski) informs the co-op representatives that Oprah is interested in purchasing an apartment. Gloria objects because she does not want celebrities.

When Gloria falls from the balcony of her apartment after an argument with her son. He immediately becomes a suspect.

Only Elsbeth thinks that high powered Joann is hiding something. She stands to lose a lot of commission fo a starters if Oprah is turned down.

First, we met Gloria. She's a nagging neighbor who seems to have a problem with everybody in her upscale NYC apartment building.

Enjoyably quirky with some additional scenes after Joann is arrested. I do feel that the series could become one note very quickly. Especially if Elsbeth's almost invincible super abilities.

Red Eye: Episode #1.2 (2024) Season 1, Episode 2

Episode 2

[6/10 · 2 May 2024]

The second episode proved to be more turbulent. It had more dead bodies and one of them was a dog.

Director General Melinda Delaney learns of Daniel Lomax's death on the plane. Also she realises that the Chinese are testing how much they can push the British authorities with Dr Matthew Nolan's extradition.

With a dog dying that ate the food which Daniel had. Maybe his death was less to do with heart issues.

Later when the plane is inexplicably has issues and temporary destabilised. Steven Hurst is found dead. He was one of those people going back to China to help the police with their enquiries.

I was impressed how calm the other passengers remain while people and pets drop like flies. You would think the plane would have turned around.

At least DC Hana Li gets help from a Sky Marshal but her journalist sister looks like she might cause Hana some issues. No other journalist is following up Dr Nolan's arrest at the airport which has been put down as a prank.

The story is still ridiculous but this second episode was pacy enough.

Law of the Plainsman: The Comet (1960) Season 1, Episode 17

The Comet

[6/10 · 2 May 2024]

An impending comet could be the sign of doom. It also brings out the flim flam men, one that leads to murder.

Reverend Jordan and his posse have arrived at Libertyville. Deputy Marshal Sam Buckhart who is visiting sickly 90 year old Mrs Aylmer just knows they are chancers. Jordan is a fake preacher and he is carry loads of peppermint candy.

Buckhart wonders just what their game plan. Before long Reverend Jordan is frightening the uneducated locals with stories from the Revelations. Disaster is coming.

Not only are the townsfolk buying up the preacher's comet pills. They are selling up their land to him but one man spots that the currency is fake.

A good story about superstition and conmen. Buckhart's Harvard education comes into use as he explains about comets.

A good bit was Mrs Aylmer looking at the comet and she recalled Halley's Comet when she was younger.

Professor T: Attachment Issues (2024) Season 3, Episode 6

Attachment Issues

[6/10 · 2 May 2024]

Professor T is back giving lectures and looks rather at home. Talking down to his students. Well he did show his caring side staying up all night with his mother in hospital and those places are full of germs.

Meanwhile Donckers and Winters have a new case. Marianne Tierney died in a car accident, later it turns out she was pregnant and was killed by strangulation.

A young teenager Seb was there at the time of the accident but did not do anything. Later it transpires that Seb is an ace gymnast being coached by the dead woman's husband, Peter. It turns out Peter is not the father of the baby.

Professor T knows that one of the people either Peter or someone in the Seb's family is the killer.

The incident also triggers the Professor's own hazy memories of his father's death.

The series is wrapped up nicely with a sort of predictable cliffhanger. I did like how unhinged someone became. It was telegraphed once someone went down on bended knee.

I just hope Professor T's backstory is put to rest for future shows.

Star Trek: Discovery: Whistlespeak (2024) Season 5, Episode 6

Whistlespeak

[3/10 · 2 May 2024]

Star Trek: Discovery once more with added feelings. One of the showrunners described this story as a 'classic TOS-style adventure.' I just regarded it as one of the lamer TNG adventures.

Again Burnham leads the away mission to a pre-warp society. First Officer Rayner does not even bother objecting and he probably knows Captain Burnham will break the Prime Directive.

Not only that Burnham takes Tilly to the away mission. The most unfit member of the crew. You guessed it, there will be a race at some point. The kind Book could had done in his sleep. Instead he is on Discovery getting bored.

This society has strong beliefs in religious traditions. Unaware that the disguised alien tech weather tower needs fixing or else their drought will continue to get worse.

If the final season was billed as an Indiana Jones type chase adventure. This was the cure for insomnia sleeper story.

The Lloyd Bridges Show: Mr. Pennington's Machine (1962) Season 1, Episode 5

Mr. Pennington's Machine

[6/10 · 1 May 2024]

Adam Shepherd imagines how brash American businessman and tourist Carl Pennington decided to help destitute locals.

Mr and Mrs Pennington were on holiday in Hong Kong. He's taking photos of some villagers, throwing money at some kids begging for handouts.

His guide just regards them as insensitive tourists. Only when a young girl collapses, the guide tells him that it is not medical treatment she needs but food.

The villagers are starving. They have flour but need to exchange that for noodles. Only local gangsters like Quan (James Hong) control the supply and price of noodles. In essence the villagers are being extorted.

Pennington decides to do something about it. He brings the villagers a noodle machine and takes on Quan.

In essence a variation of the Seven Samurai tale. I could not cynically help thinking this was a good news story when the US were being pulled deeper into the Vietnam war. Another white saviour coming to the rescue in the far east.

Dead Boy Detectives: The Case of the Dandelion Shrine (2024) Season 1, Episode 2

The Case of the Dandelion Shrine

[5/10 · 1 May 2024]

The episode introduces the campy Cat King. He wants to punish Edwin for putting magic on a cat, that is forbidden.

A caging spell means that Edwin is trapped in this Port Townsend until the Cat King decides to let Edwin go. Only Edwin does not want to pay the price demanded by the Cat King. That means he is left to counting cats.

Edwin and Charles also find another supernatural case in Port Townsend. Crystal Palace has the hots for her neighbour Niko.

In fact the hots are more than colourful. There is something wrong with Niko as she passed out.

Edwin and Charles think Niko has been possessed by something parasitic.

After an interesting opening, with no let up in camp or cats. The rest of the episode was dull and stodgy.

The special effects are good, some quirky humour. I expected this show to be sprightly.

Sorry!: Spellbound (1982) Season 3, Episode 4

Spellbound

[6/10 · 1 May 2024]

Timothy is out with the mobile library with Reg who is driving. Reg talks about witchcraft as they examine a local stone.

When he van breaks down, Timothy goes out seeking help. While Reg believes it is all to do with dark forces.

As it gets dark he seeks shelter from the rain in a barn where three elderly women are. They predicted that a tall dark stranger would drop by. Well they were nearly right.

The three women tell his fortune and believe the letters TLS will have some importance. Well Timothy does not think this is all a load of fertiliser.

Soon the old ladies prophecies come true. Timothy gets invited for a job interview in Yorkshire for a mobile library. It might be written in the stars for him.

It was good to see Timothy getting assertive for all the wrong reasons in the job interview. Maybe for all the wrong reasons.

The denouement was rather predictable though.

The Beverly Hillbillies: Elly's First Date (1962) Season 1, Episode 9

Elly's First Date

[6/10 · 1 May 2024]

Even the studio audience gasped when they caught site of Louis Nye in this episode.

He plays Sonny Drysdale, the selfish self centered spoilt stepson of bank manager Mr Drysdale.

He has set up a blind date for his stepson with Elly May Clampett. Sonny does not want to go until he catches sight of her in the garden.

Then Sonny is madly excited as his mother does not need to persuade him anymore.

For the date, Sonny brings a gift for Elly May. A signed picture of himself. However things do not go well, Jed and Jethro hide his sports car. Then Elly May manages him to shove him in the ground after a misunderstanding.

By way of an apology the Clampetts invite the Drysdale for a Thanksgiving dinner. Only to find themselves snookered.

It is clear that Sonny is rather old for Elly May but Louis Nye is fun with the spoilt rich man persona. Much better than the Clampetts thinking the snooker table is a dining table gag.

Shardlake: Episode #1.1 (2024) Season 1, Episode 1

Episode 1

[6/10 · 1 May 2024]

It's got Sean Bean in it but this is sword and monastery rather than sword and sorcery.

Bean plays Thomas Cromwell. He requests barrister Matthew Shardlake (Arthur Hughes) to investigate the murder of Robin Singleton at a monastery in the remote town of Scarnsea.

Singleton, a friend of Shardlake had been decapitated. Cromwell has an agenda, to shut down the monastery now that King Henry VIII had split from the Catholic church.

Shardlake will be accompanied by Jack Barak (Anthony Boyle.) Both men are suspicious about each others agendas.

When they arrive at the monastery the monks have clammed up. Paranoid knowing Thomas Cromwell have sent these men to close the order down.

Author of the Shardlake novels, CJ Sansom died a few days before broadcast of this episode. He meticulously researched his Tudor mysteries.

There is no getting away with the shadow of The Name of the Rose, the movie adaptation from the mid 1980s. Matthew Shardlake is as intellectually nonconformist as the monk William of Baskerville.

The first episode was more about the set up. At the monastery it established the monks have plenty to hide and there may have been more murders previously. It is a promising opener and I expect less padding with this mystery as it is a shorter series.

The hunchbacked lawyer is the smartest man around. His almost Sherlock like skill to deduce the height of Simpleton's attacker by looking at the head might be a little over the top.

Baby Reindeer: Episode 1 (2024) Season 1, Episode 1

Episode 1

[6/10 · 1 May 2024]

I hope Richard Gadd's stand up routines are funnier in real life than it is here. Based on his semi autobiographical experiences.

This Netflix series charts Gadd's experience with his own real life stalker which later turned into a harrowing experience.

Gadd plays comedian Donny Dunn trying to make it as a comic in London and got lost in the capital city. He works in a pub to make ends meet.

One day in walks Martha Scott (Jessica Gunning) a rather large lady who looks distressed. Donny feels sorry for her. His first big mistake and gives her a cup of tea for free.

Despite not being able to afford to buy a drink. Martha tells Donny she is a high powered lawyer and then visits the pub everyday to see him.

Later Donny is inundated by texts and emails from Martha.

The first episode has an astonishing performance from Gunning who has been a familiar face on British tv screens for a few years. Needy without initially being threatening.

It is original as it relates to Gadd's real life experiences however stalker dramas are not new. You just wonder why Donny could not nip it in the bud so soon. Especially after he found out more about Martha.

Dangerous Knowledge: Clause for Concern (1976) Season 1, Episode 3

Clause for Concern

[5/10 · 30 April 2024]

Kirby confronts Laura over the death of his old friend Pierre. Kirby knows only Laura knows who he was planning to see.

He also has suspicions over Laura's stepfather. Just who is this Fane and what connection he has with the British government? Fane is something big with the Home Office.

Laura thinks the same when she talks to her stepfather. He seems to know a lot more about Pierre's death.

Meanwhile a new character is introduced. Robin who is Kirby's aviator son. Kirby needs his son to fly him to France.

I thought it was good to see Kirby challenging Laura so soon.

Only at the end of the his episode where there is a seed of what Dangerous Knowledge is all about.

It seems to be something about World War 2, the French Resistance and the KGB. Still the central premise is very obscure.

The Gold Robbers: Account Rendered (1969) Season 1, Episode 9

Account Rendered

[6/10 · 30 April 2024]

By this point the viewer would have learned not to fast forward the starting titles. Each episode reveals something new about the heist.

Harold Oscroft (Bernard Hepton) is a mousy geeky looking man. He did not take part in the gold bullion robbery. Oscroft is a clever accountant that has been disguing the payments made to those involved in the robbery.

Oscroft is a cunning accountant but a lousy businessman. Hence why he was forced to work for crooks. He needed the money

His turmoil in his private life and his work for the criminal underworld is about to collide. That could hand him straight into DCS Cradock's lap.

Meanwhile Cradock and DS Thomas has been examining the various share of the loot some of those involved got. They also came up with some names when they investigated the pilot Tom Goodwin.

What I liked about this episode was how clever the Andersons thought they were being. Hoping to put the squeeze on Oscroft and send him to jail for a few years.

Only it backfired, Cradock saw straight through Victor Anderson. Now he has a name and a face.

Mission: Impossible: The Ransom (1966) Season 1, Episode 8

The Ransom

[6/10 · 30 April 2024]

If you thought Tom Cruise overdoes it with the face masks in the Mission Impossible movies. You ain't seen nothing yet.

The Ransom is the most cinematic in storytelling. As a desperate crime boss Frank Egan (William Smithers) kidnaps the daughter if Briggs friend.

Egan wants the Mission Impossible team to abduct Augie Gorman from police custody. He is due to testify against Egan.

Daniel Briggs finds himself having to save two lives and also figures that Egan plans not to leave any witnesses behind.

It makes you wonder just what the IMF would had done to Egan for coercing its crew for nefarious ends.

There are some good bits here as Briggs and others try to take Augie away.

I did think Willy posing as a motorcycle cop could had just stop Egan going any further. It would had robbed the finale from a thrilling moment.

William Smithers looks very cool with his dark shades. In the early 1980s he became famous for being one of the suspects in the Who Shot JR storyline in Dallas.

What If...?: What If... Hela Found the Ten Rings? (2023) Season 2, Episode 7

What If... Hela Found the Ten Rings?

[6/10 · 30 April 2024]

This What If... is a simple redemption story about Hela, the Goddess of Death. Under her father Odin, Hela wanted to continue her bloodthirsty ways even after the nine realms were united.

Where originally odin banished Hela to hell. She is sent to a realm of Earth and has lost her powers.

Finding herself in China where she meets Wenwu and his 10 Rings. Hela learns life is not much fun without her powers. It is a good job then that Xu Wenwu is intrigued by her.

Later Hela encounters Jiayi at the magical village of Ta Lo. She is fascinated by Jiayi and slowly a change of mood takes place. Something Heimdall notices.

Cate Blanchett dos the voice work but this does very much play like a Thor story or even a Loki one. The naughty offspring seeing good.

Blue Ridge: Pilot (2024) Season 1, Episode 1

Pilot

[3/10 · 29 April 2024]

Spun off from the VOD feature film Blue Ridge. This pilot is made for the Cowboy Way Channel and has the same actors from the movie.

Sheriff Justin Wise (Johnathon Schaech) is settling with his two deputies. On his way to a meeting at school about his daughter with his ex wife.

Sheriff Justin Wise goes pass a truck with a man dealing with a flat tyre. An asian woman in the car looks to be in distress. The Sheriff stops to talk to the man and it sets a chain of events that leads to a people smuggling gang.

After getting violent the man is arrested, the woman initially refuses to talk. Later the police station burns down as someone wanted to silence the arrested man.

The pilot is no great shakes. There is the backdrop of several shady families in this small mountain town.

It was all very predictable, some of the acting was not that good. The action scenes were below average.

Overseas Press Club - Exclusive!: Father Tiger (1957) Season 1, Episode 4

Father Tiger

[7/10 · 29 April 2024]

The Overseas Press Club interview Father Maggiore of Naples. How he gained the trust of the feral kids who lived on the streets. Having to beg, borrow and steal to just get by each and every day.

Father Maggiore posed as an older youth who takes on the gang leader. Over time he finds them an abandoned church for the kids to stay in during the winter.

Only after a matter of months, one he thinks he has earned the boy's trust. He reveals himself as a priest.

Then finding a way for the boys to be schooled. The reporter is surprised that the biggest delinquent in the group of boys, joined the priesthood eventually.

The story is inspired by the true story of Father Mario Borrelli who created the House of the Urchins.

Just before Covid lockdown I attended a funeral of a longtime family friend who originally came from the south of Italy. As his family recalled his childhood in poverty stricken post war Italy. It was very much like as depicted here. Day to day survival.

Ted: Just Say Yes (2024) Season 1, Episode 1

Just Say Yes

[6/10 · 29 April 2024]

Ted returns as a television sitcom in an overlong 50 minutes format.

This prequel to the movies is set in the 1990s with Ted's best friend John Bennett is a 16 year old high school student. While Ted has hit the lows of being a once famous television star.

The first episode has Ted going to high school after he accidentally shot John's parents television set.

Now Ted wants to get expelled from school by being caught in possession of marijuana. They go looking for drugs and find that the local dealer is John's cousin Blaire. She is staying in a room over the garage while she goes to college.

Ted is shocked that John's overbearing dad is charging her rent for a room that even Anne Frank would find to be too tiny.

Only Ted and John get high on marijuana and the local school bully takes what is left of the drugs from them. So no school expulsion.

Later Blaire is getting kicked out of the house when John's parents finds drugs in the house. Ted and John try to save her.

Seth MacFarlane goes for a scattered approach with the gags. Some land, most of them miss. It is still funny enough. Despite the bad language, there is a morality and heart at its core.

The Punisher (2004)

The Punisher

[5/10 · 29 April 2024]

Marvel's The Punisher gets a by the numbers work out from first time director Jonathan Hensleigh. He also co wrote the screenplay.

Thomas Jane stars as the undercover FBI special agent Frank Castle. An assignment leads to the death of Bobby Saint, the son of mobster Howard Saint (John Travolta.)

Upset and distraught. Howard's wife suggests that Castle's entire family is wiped out as revenge.

Howard's henchmen led by his best friend Quentin Glass (Will Patton) go and do that. Only Frank Castle manages to survive the carnage and the injuries he received.

Now Frank becomes a vigilante, the punisher who declares all out war on Howard Saint and his mob.

Frank Castle gets Howard to turn on his wife and Glass before he unleashes a fiery hell on Howard Saint.

Violent and gloomy, this does not feel like a Marvel comic book character. In some ways this movie reminded me of Mad Max but with a lot less carmageddon.

Thomas Jane is bland and even Travolta struggles as a baddie.

Chief of Station (2024)

Chief of Station

[3/10 · 29 April 2024]

Director Jesse V Johnson is better known for his collaboration with martial arts actor Scott Adkins in movies such as The Debt Collector.

In Chief of Station he goes for espionage but comes up short both in action and story.

Ben Malloy (Aaron Eckhart) is the CIA station chief whose world falls apart after his wife's death.

However Ben is drawn back into the shadowy world, after his former adversaries are killed. He learns that his son is in danger and discovers that he cannot trust anyone, even his former allies.

From very much the early scenes, you can guess who will turn against Ben Malloy. There is nothing here in terms of a good story.

That leaves the action scenes to do the heavy lifting. Unfortunately Eckhart is no Adkins. He is perfunctory with the action scenes but the script is not good enough for him to stretch his acting chops.