"McHale's Navy" The Binghamton Murder Plot (TV Episode 1963) Poster

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8/10
Binghamton becomes paranoid.
kfo949428 October 2014
In this episode the crew of PT 73 is having trouble getting their noon sleep as a Griffle bird (actually looks like a Toucan) has been outside their window, on a daily basis, making calling sounds. The crew is at wits-end and finally decide that the bird must go. This is also right when Binghamton puts restrictions on the 73 crew and the feeling of the crew is not cozy to the Captain.

Binghamton goes out to McHale's island at the same time that the crew is trying to kill the annoying bird. They cut down a tree which nearly falls on Binghamton and then throws hand grenades hoping to kill the bird. However, Binghamton thinks the crew is out to kill him. Now the Captain lives in fear in his office and even goes as far to post two guards at his door. And with a doctor coming to give fitness reports, it may not be the best time to be paranoid.

This was an enjoyable episode as Joe Flynn does a great job of playing the fearful Captain. His acting, made an otherwise plain script, come to life for an entertaining show. Even though the ending was suspicious the rest of the program made for a good watch. An enjoyable episode.
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10/10
Binghamton at his best
FlushingCaps19 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This one begins with the 73 crew being awakened, again we learn, by a noisy Toucan calling loudly outside their huts. They are furious at this noisy bird and even try firing rifles to kill the pest.

Unfortunately for them, Captain Binghamton has come to their island in the late morning, and finds them in their pajamas. He even calls them Dr. Denton's, referring to the famous children's pajamas of the era. He decides to punish them by taking away their beer ration and having them repaint their boat. Just as the captain is leaving, he hears the toucan-which the boys refer to as a "Griffle" bird, and thinking it was one of the men behind his back, the captain orders two more weeks without beer for the men.

At the officers' club, Binghamton is warned by a buddy about being too harsh on the men, hearing a story about how a certain commander disappeared after punishing some of his men. Binghamton takes Carpenter to McHale's island to see what McHale's men are up to, and is most alarmed when he stumbles on their attempts to kill that bird by sawing down a tree, firing guns and even hand grenades at the bird, because the captain is now convinced they are trying to kill him.

Binghamton retreats to his office, puts two guards outside the door and won't let anyone from McHale's crew near him. He even fears having his food poisoned, and in one of my favorite scenes, he forces Carpy to eat the suspect food, working the food down Carpenter's throat like a mother making her child swallow a pill.

It gets worse for the poor captain, who is essentially kidnapped while taking his gig to McHale's island by Tinker who is trying to get the captain to the island for a surprise birthday party McHale has planned for the captain, in an attempt to get on his good side. Instead, the captain jumps overboard and swims to the island, trying to hide, but instead becomes even more convinced his life is in jeopardy when he sees a large cake knife McHale is holding.

Like most crazy comedies, things go to extremes, but I loved this episode because it truly showcased how funny Joe Flynn could be. He made this show a second consecutive "10" in my scorecard, something I almost never have done.
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