User Reviews

Apparently a pilot that went nowhere, The Watchman tells the convoluted story of a reporter (Warden) who has a longstanding relationships with a brutal warlord and later crime lord (Savalas) dating back to the Spanish Civil War. The bad guy, now living in an isolated castle in Spain, beckons the reporter to write his life story, but only from a positive perspective. Conflict ensues, complicated by the presence of the bad guy's mistress, who was once married to the reporter. Too many flashbacks and stock footage of war scenes, and nothing much by way of suspense or even mystery. Unintentional humor comes from scenes featuring a younger Warden and Savalas, sporting big hair. Do yourself a favor and take a pass on this one.

***SPOILERS*** Overly complicated and utterly ridicules story of this washed up newspaper reporter Jack Fleming, Jack Warden, being hired by the deported back to his native Spain hoodlum Roman Castello, Telly Savalas, to work on his biography. Ramon wants Fleming whom he's known for almost 30 years, back since the days of Spanish Civil War, to write a positive biography on him so he'll go down in history as a modern day Robin Hood; Not the cold blooded and murderous hoodlum that he really is. All this is told in a number of confusing flashbacks by Fleming to his analyst played by Lawrence Dobkin who for good reason, in no one knowing that he's in this turkey, has his face hidden from the camera during the entire film.

We go the whole nine yards or 30 years in Fleming's relationship with Ramon from the Spanish Civil War through WWII and Korea where were told by him that he was so banged up, after stepping on a commie land mine, that he's almost a total cripple. Yet later we see Fleming running like an Olympic track and filed Champion and jumping over seaweed covered rocks, without once slipping off, without as much as running out of breath. There's also Ramon's squeeze or woman pretty Helena, Victoria Shaw, whom Fleming was once married to and still carrying a torch for her all these 30 or so years.

Back in Spain Fleming finds Ramon living the good life despite the Franco Regime, that was still in power back in 1963, having put a price on his head for the murder of dozens of Spaniards by his gang of mercenaries back in he 1930's. We and Fleming also find out through Helena that Ramon who's recovering from a stroke doesn't have long to live, even though he looks like a picture of health, which is why he want his biography to be written and published as soon as possible so he can still be alive to read it!

***Spoiler Alert*** The ending of this long and torturous tale ends at Fleming's analyst office where it all began. It's then that we find out that both Ramon & Helena ended up all wet or washed up as well as dead with Ramon's faithful servant and #1 hit-man Edward, Frank Dekova, doing them both in! Why Edward did it is never explained and as far as us watching this whole mess no explanation is necessary! Like trying to explain what exactly this "Kraft Suspense Theater" episode is supposed to be all about!

In this sub-par episode, Jack Warden stars as a reporter talking about his experiences to some analyst. As a result, the show is made up of lots of flashbacks and it all comes off as confusing and really talky. The story is all about the reporter's experiences with a part-time freedom fighter/full-time thug, Ramon (Telly Savalas) as well as the reporters love story with some lady. The ending is bizarre and really didn't work well.

I found my attention wavering throughout. I think the story might have worked better if the story had just been told without flashbacks and if it had been tightened up. As it is, I was really bored and disappointed. With too many poor episodes and too few amazing ones (and the show had quite a few great shows), I could see why the series only lasted two seasons. "The Watchman" should have never been made as it along with several episodes just before it, as the show had hit a bad patch here.