Reviews

I loved the book with its beautiful writing, fascinating main characters, and imaginative storyline. The scenes in this episode with the girl and her father are well-acted and are reminiscent of the book. The rest of this opening episode is well done but focuses on the dark and desperate situation in the French coastal town, Saint Malo. I would have liked more early on of the past (pre-war flashbacks) and less of the present (1944 post D-Day) to pull us into the characters and their histories more at the start. I'm reminded by the tone of this episode of the 1960s American TV show "Combat" where American GIs and Nazi soldiers would frequently find themselves spending an entire one-hour episode in a dangerous stalemate fighting over one farmhouse or town building. Anyway, it's off to a good start and I hope that it picks up the pace a bit in the next episodes and fully realizes the wonderful storytelling of the book.

Yes, it might not get all the history right, and much of the non-combat time looks like a Hallmark movie, but the war scenes are amazing, and it seems to get the chaos, terror, mayhem, and human cost right. And, the videography and editing are amazing. I would like to know what WWII vets think of the movie, but this boomer thinks that for capturing the period, the horror, and the courage of that time I think it does an excellent job and is well worth watching. Kate Beckinsale is great, and Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett do fine. The script isn't the greatest but the actors give life to their characters. Jon Voigt does a decent job as President Franklin Roosevelt. The music can be cloying and syrupy but it also mostly does a good job of setting each scene's mood. Overall, it may get some historical detail wrong, but the sets and costumes are excellent about bringing the era to life for current generations, the characters and their stories and relationships are good enough, and the war scenes do a good job of bringing us into that history.

An interesting glimpse of Queen Elizabeth II's public life in 2016 at age 90. William, Kate, Harry and other Royal notables provide interesting interview responses to questions about the Queen. Actress Elizabeth McGovern provided excellent narration. A nice video time capsule of the Queen and Prince Philip in 2016. Footage is shown in England, Scotland, and elsewhere as the Queen travels for official appointments, several of which are major social events. Very interesting to see Queen Elizabeth still so active at age 90, especially now looking back just a frw years before her drath at the age of 96.

The storyline and setting are much like a House on Haunted Hill stage play. Ridiculous but fun to watch. Bus passengers stranded in an epic blizzard seek refuge in a shuttered hotel and mysterious things start happening. It just lacks Abbott and Costello or the Three Stooges popping out of secret passageways. Directed in campy horror-story fashion it's an absurd episode, but the first Endeavour episode I've enjoyed in years. It's much more Poe or Shirley Jackson than it is Colin Dexter, but it held my interest more than most Endeavours of recent years. Silly with a goofy plotline, hammy overacting and slasher movie lighting and camera angles, it's a poor substitute for early season Endeavours when the series was goof, or every Morse episode; but accepting that the series has been going downhill in story lines and production quality for years, at least "Terminus" provides a campy atmospheric visually-fun episode for a series in its death throes.

Episode 1 of a new season has murder amidst a football (soccer) setting. The story isn't very compelling, the production quality is cheap, the music is dreadful, and overall it is very mundane and uninteresting. I loved the first few seasons but since then the team producing this aren't putting much in to their endeavour.

Bank robberies by the Diablo Kid's gang, shady townspeople, appealing ranch lady and her sweet little brother, horseback chases and shootouts - all done in a nice production with good music and nice sound effects including chirping birds in outdoor scenes. Nicely done escapism; I think I'll watch the next one in this Tim Holt series coming up next in a TCM double-feature.

Not clever, witty, or the least bit interesting. Cliche' characters, insipid plot, and over-acting in every scene. How production companies - and actors - can make anything this awful is beyond comprehension.

I believe this was the final Columbo made. Unfortunate - they should have retired the franchise at least one show earlier. What an awful show. Good luck getting thru the first half hour. The most obnoxious soundtrack in the history of American TV. If you plan to watch take your BP meds and plug your ears. Peter Falk had the sense not to show up until 30 minutes in, after two commercials, after most sane people have tuned out. And, when he finally appears he fishes through a toilet looking for clues. Eww.. On the plus side: the blonde girl is very attractive. The show is a total mess.

Intense. Serious tone and minimalist music. Compelling. Most acting excellent. Well-directed. Dramatic. Lots of face close-ups. Psychological drama. Kind of a noir style with a modern storyline.

Good set-up with Jack and Victor figuring out how to have extra spending money, but the golf challenge and monet-lender story lines were a bit flat. Still, the episode had some funny lines so it's enjoyable, but a good notch below the usual clever silliness.

Entertaining romance with Bennett and McRae as believable romantic leads. What I enjoyed most, though, were the many very witty lines, particularly those written for and delivered deliciously by actress Pert Kelton. Many funny lines, performed with skill and perfect timing, some had me laughing out loud.

Fun characters and set-up, but embarrassingly awful script and annoying over-acting. Makes fun of classic mysteries but there's no fun in this one. Yes, a blind butler working with a deaf cook is a ton of laughs (for 7 seconds) but did the great Neil Simon write this terrible script? Murder By Script, more like.

Is there any actor more miserable and over-rated than John Malkovich? In this very dark production he plays Poirot as the unhappiest most unlikeable person in the universe, not at all the personable Belgian of high confidence and charm. As an interesting mystery this probably has merits, but for anyone who loves Christie and Poirot this is a twisted, dark perversion. I kept hoping Poirot would be the next victim.

Lots of enjoyable things here, but most characters were whack-job caricatures, and the body count and gore were excessive. Didn't care much for the resolution either.

Beautifully done show. Lots of Royal history, but also really interesting insights into the history of photography. Also, very clever having the charming hostess recreate some classic royal photo looks. And, again, lots of wonderful photos of the British Royal family. Loved the show!

Decent story, attractive village setting, and noteworthy in four ways: 1. Half the suspects don't get bumped off 2. No church fete or village faire 3. More witty dialogue than usual 4. A bit of kinkiness in the village

The plot line is good, but the detectives' sleuthing is pathetic, and the Barnabys have a brain freeze and act stupidly out of character. If you like bizarre murder stories and bad detective work this is for you.

Nick and Nora visit Nick's home and parents. Nothing happens but light fluff for two long then a murder happens and the detective work takes off. But, by then I'm already restless and losing interest. Things happen, and there's some comedy, then ultimately the suspects are convened and Nick does his long explanation of what's happened, and then the murderer is revealed. What I don't like is the long time in getting the mystery going, I didn't feel drawn into the mystery, and Nora is mostly window-dressing kept out of harm's (and story's) way by Nick. Still, fun stuff, Nick and Nora were charming, slbeit often separately, and it's good fun ID'ing and enjoying various Hollywood character actors. Just not a compelling story line that pulls me in, so 9ne of the weaker entries in the series.

Kenneth Roberts was a wonderful writer of American historical novels set especially during the Revolutionary and War of 1812 eras. Weighty but very engaging sagas of heroism against adversity in the shaping of the early United States. I've read and re-read Northwest Passage, Arundel, Rabble in Arms, Oliver Wiswell, Captain Caution, and Lively Lady. Roberts takes the reader on a whirlwind of adventure rooted in real American history. The movie treatment of Captain Caution, however, has two many light and comedic elements making it almost into a satire on historical fiction. Victor Mature is no Errol Flynn when it comes to dashing, complex, romantic heroes, and the comedic over-acting of sidekick Leo Carrillo and other character actors pushes the movie from drama to light comedy. For a much better seafaring production made produced in the same Hollywood era stick with "Captain Horatio Hornblower" with Gregory Peck. I'm guessing that author Roberts was not happy with this treatment of his historical novel. For an excellent Roberts adaptation stick with "Northwest Passage."

The stories, the characters, the intelligence, the acting, the warmth, the production quality, the music - may be the best series in television history.

I like the lead characters, and the first couple seasons were enjoyable and fairly plausible series. This episode about father and daughter thieves is totally absurd, and the regulars other than Father Brown mostly took the week off. Unbelievable and awful show. This series has far exceeded its shelf life.

Remember "B" sides to old records? I usually like Father Brown very much, but this is an awful episode, more like the "D" side on an old record. Murder at a jester faire. Absurd story line and characters. Father Brown may be on the decline. Not a good mystery or realistic crime at all.