Reviews

One of the fun aspects of watching a long-ago top TV series such as Perry Mason, is to see some fine actors and actresses whom one has never encountered before. For me, there were two of them in this lively episode, which is an entertaining picture of over-the-top Hollywood.

Zeme North plays Deborah, the (very!) young-looking actress who is the main woman character and suspect of this episode. She does a fine job in the role, and looking up her credits, I see that her Hollywood career was fairly brief. She was really good, so go figure! That's just how it often went. She had an intriguing screen presence; she had "something." An innocent, youthful quality.

Another notable guest star in the episode was Sandra Warner, who also had plenty of "something"--but in Sandra's case, the "something" was sex appeal! And lots of it! She just exudes sultriness! There's a moment when she gets up from the millionaire's pool, wearing a robe over what is presumably a swimsuit, and we catch just a glimpse of an eye-catching pair of long legs as she saunters into the mansion. The two men who were at the pool, the millionaire and the studio head, watch her slink her way into the house, and they have a bemused or wistful expression, which any man will easily identify with--that was one beautiful woman! The big star-to-be of this episode was of course a super-young Ryan O'Neal. He looks barely old enough to be out of prep school and in college, let alone have graduated!

Aside from the unforgettably sexy Sandra Warner, the most memorable performance was by John van Dreelen, who clearly had a lot of fun playing an egomaniac Hollywood studio chief. He sits at his big desk in a room so full of plants and flowers, it looks like a hothouse! There is a very funny moment, when Perry comes to see him, and van Dreelen doesn't have a single chair for visitors to sit in when they visit the "great man." It's a very nice moment, one of my favorite humorous ones in the entire series--how Perry reacts.

And, beautiful Sandra Warner, like Zeme North, also had an all-too-brief Hollywood career. At least we get to see them both shine in this excellent episode!

I'm watching all of Fantasy Island, a show I remember fondly in general, though I don't clearly recall any specific episodes from so long ago! I watched this one "out of sequence," because it is Mary Ann Mobley's first appearance on the show, and she is one of my favorite actresses. Another plus was that lovely Lana Wood also appears in the same story.

One thing that surprised me was how little screen time Mary Ann and Lana had in their segment! As I start watching Season 1 episodes, I'm realizing that with two complete stories in each episode, by necessity most of the supporting roles will be brief, and the actors in those will be lucky if the writing offers them some good moments.

That said, both Mary Ann and Lana were fine, they just didn't have much to do! Well, Mary Ann appeared in 7 more episodes, so I'll look forward to those! (She was tied with another actress for appearing in the third-highest number of ep's: Carol Lynley had the most appearances, at 11, and Phyllis Davis (co-starred in Vegas with Bob Urich) was second with 9.

Rich Little did a good job in his role as a would-be star attorney. I'm an attorney myself, so I always take an interest in how my profession is portrayed! The courtroom scenes had to be pushed along very quickly, more than would be at all realistic, but given the time constraints of the show, that story still had some good moments.

I thought the story with Ken Berry as a love-seeking, would-be womanizing guy who wanted to romance two women at the same time, was a more effective story. It was helped by Ken's excellent physical comedy skills and his great comic timing--I laughed out loud several times during his segment.

I think the most effective FI episodes are those where there is a nice romance, and also those where you get a feeling that the hero or heroine is in real danger--I especially liked, now that I think about it, the ones where there is something magical or occult going on, and Roark has to get into it and battle the forces of evil or the supernatural. I'm really looking forward to seeing those. I have the first three seasons that are out on dvd--the transfers look good--and 'll have to figure out how to watch the other four seasons when I finish 1 to 3.

Bottom line: fans of FI should enjoy this episode. It's entertaining and relaxing, though not a standout.

In common with the other reviewer who gave this episode a 10, I am very impressed with Mary Ann Mobley in this outing. I think this two-part MI adventure is probably the best guest role she had in her entire career, because: she's in a lot of scenes; she looks absolutely stunning in her circus performer costume; she appears to be having great fun in the role; and, finally, both episodes look amazingly good on dvd! I guess they were shot on film; it really shows, like watching a movie.

I liked the more deliberate pacing of this two-parter. It's true that unlike most MI missions, the action, setback, more action pattern does not come boom-boom-boom; it's more gradual. Honestly, the way that most MI episodes are done, the action is packed in almost too tightly!

Cyril Delevanti, as the aged and frail cardinal--well, he really, really does look very aged and frail! His appearance helps the reality of the premise.

The big finale of the episode, when our team is working on their getaway, is very suspenseful and well done.

This was the first two-part MI episode. The plot builds in a deliberate way, that I found good; it's like a movie. As this series went on, we'd usually see a lot of tense drama and narrow escapes packed into one episode. Because this is a two-parter, we get a different kind of pacing. It didn't bother me at all.

The guest cast for this episode is very strong. To start with, this has to be one of beautiful Mary Ann Mobley's best roles. She looks great and is often in a trapeze artist costume that displays her fine figure. Mary Ann looks like she is having a lot of fun being a trapeze artist! I am a big fan of hers, so I highly enjoyed seeing her get plenty of screen time! I'm never bored watching such a charming and pretty lady!

We see Monte Markham in a small part, which was his first billed part ever! Oscar Beregi Jr., who is perfect for the role of a prison commandant, is a plus in this episode. As is Cyril Delevanti, a very distinguished English character actor, as the frail, elderly Cardinal whom our MI team wants to rescue. This episode also features Joseph Ruskin, an outstanding actor, Barbara Bain is alluring as always, and Martin Landau looks especially handsome this time! Greg Morris appears to enjoy playing a circus clown. "Mr. Briggs" does a good job of being subtle. One thing I like, is that I can't figure out what the escape plan is. I'm looking forward to seeing part 2 to find out!

The reviews for this episode are all over the place! Some viewers like it a lot (I'm one of those) and others detest it.

Here's why I like it: The plot was really good; had a twist that I did not seeing coming at all. The episode featured a big outdoor scene with lots of police officers and police cars--maybe more than we've ever seen at one time, in any PM episode!

I'm an attorney, and I was very interested in how Perry handled an ethical dilemma related to the duty of confidentiality versus duty to justice and the court.

And: Mary Ann Mobley was in this episode! I am a big fan of her, and I always enjoy any show where she has a good part. She had a very entertaining role this time, and her final scene was dramatic and high energy, and just tremendous fun to watch!

I think this is one of the best, most entertaining episodes of the entire series.

The 1960's and 1970's were great decades for showing fortunate TV viewers some of the most beautiful and talented young actresses anyone could imagine! And among that impressive group, Linda Marsh was one of the very best, with superb acting skills. She's so good! It's a joy to watch her on screen. She really makes you believe the characters she plays are real people, and she does that here.

Perhaps because Linda is so good, Lee gives us an exceptionally sensitive performance also. It often works that way; when a star like Lee, in a series, gets a really fine actor or actress to work with, they raise their own game.

So for me, the romance in this episode was poignant and very effective. We get more than enough chances to see Steve Austin battle robots, etc.; it's refreshing to see an emphasis on his feelings, his inner self. He always does show us what a fine human being he is, and here it's really personal. I liked this episode a lot!

Oh, and Joseph Ruskin and Jeff Corey, who are the top bad guy and a scientist, are both fine actors also; always reliably good.

Fans of this series will feel right at home with this episode, as it occurs in that familiar setting, an unnamed Eastern European (presumed Communist?) nation circa 1969. The officers whom our MI team must outwit wear uniforms reminiscent of WWII Germany, or so it looks to me.

The setup for this episode is also classic MI stuff: a rogue agent has a fatal illness, and wants to set off a nuclear explosion at a reactor to which he's been assigned by the host country he's spying on.

Naturally, our team wants to prevent this disaster!

The deception is an elaborate one, and viewers will wonder (I did!) how it could possibly have been created in about one day! Well, just accept that plot point and enjoy the story!

Morgan Stern does a fine job as the spy who wants to set off a nuclear explosion, and Bert Freed is good as his commanding general.

The woman guest star this time is the beautiful BarBara Luna, who appeared in many 1960's TV series, and who always gives a good performance. In Season 4 of the show, Barbara Bain had left, and so the producers used a number of different actresses to be members of the MI team. This is rather fun for viewers, as we get to see some of the most beautiful and talented actresses of the time helping out Jim, Barney etc.!

This is a solid episode that builds the tension nicely as our key team members Jim and Barney race the clock to prevent the detonation that would wipe out a city, and also our MI folks! Worth watching.

Between about 1955 and 1967, there were a fairly small number of films that shared certain traits: they looked glossy, they showed us a world of high-end society, the women were stylishly dressed and beautiful; and there would be a plot that combined suspense with a good amount of humor and a nice romance. These films had the rare quality of being wonderfully entertaining, including on repeated viewings!

This movie, The Prize, belongs in that select group, which includes Arabesque, with Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren, and To Catch a Thief, with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. Paul Newman brings his good looks, star power, and fine acting skills. Edward G. Robinson is outstanding, as always. And for the women actresses, we have a plethora of beauty! A luminous young Elke Sommer, a sultry young Diane Baker, alluring Micheline Presle and stunning Jacquline Beer (who was so good in the series, 77 Sunset Strip). In a nice bit of casting, Micheline and Jacqueline are authentically French playing French ladies: you didn't always get that from Hollywood!

The plot takes some time to unfold and it builds nicely, holding the viewer's interest. The climax of the movie is very exciting! The film isn't perfect: we see a lot of "rear-projection" scenes, which today's more exacting viewers may find a bit jarring. But that is a minor quibble in what is, for me, a wonderfully entertaining movie. I've read some comments in other reviews, that Elke Sommer did not show a lot of acting talent. I quite disagree! She played the role just right: charming, sexy, witty, clever. Besides all that, she is so beautiful, it is a pleasure just to look at her! Giving her a big role was a very wise decision by the filmmakers.

This is definitely a movie to see and enjoy, probably more than once for those who like style and class.

This film has a number of negative reviews on this site. In my opinion, those are all way off base! This is an adventure film! That is what it aims for and what it achieves. People who compare it unfavorably to Charlie Chan movies of the 1930's are entirely missing the point! This movie is NOT about mystery, it is about adventure. It is in the spirit of the great fiction adventure pulp magazines of the 1930's, such as Blue Book, Short Stories and Argosy.

The movie is loaded with good action scenes, such as knife fights and even a battle with machine guns. As a big fan of classic adventure stories, I love that stuff! I also enjoyed the scenes in which jungle animals such as monkeys are present. The movie should get credit for the fact that we actually see a lot of monkeys right there on the jungle set with the actors, not just in a pasted-in bit of film, such as we almost always get in such period movies.

About Mr. Moto's disguise used in this movie: People, he is a secret agent! He is not meant to be a "detective" here! I found the main disguise he uses well done and extremely effective.

The movie is teeming with interesting characters who are trying to double-cross each other, which made for a good plot. Indeed, everything about this movie is good and first-rate! So, ignore all the sour comments from those who wouldn't know a good 1930's adventure movie if it kicked them in the you-know-what. This is a movie to enjoy and appreciate.

This film is worth watching for its fascinating visuals alone! Plus, it has some affecting moments and excellent kung-fu style fighting scenes. It's definitely a memorable film; I just watched it on blu-ray. I can see why some viewers may have a hard time warming up to the main character, the Monkey King himself: he's very over-the-top, but that the nature of the character: he' super impulsive.

In a film that dwells in a fairy tale, fantasy world, in order to enjoy the story, the viewer has to put aside quibbles and just go with it. I'm glad I watched this movie. Recommended for a memorable viewing experience.

Perry is a little different in this episode than in most. He's colder and tougher, and more skeptical of his client. I find this approach interesting, but I still prefer the warmer, kinder Perry Mason!

This episode goes into legal ethics, so we learn something about that subject. There are some beautiful women in this episode, which is always a plus! One of them drove a great-looking convertible; I wasn't sure what the model was. I couldn't place it; looked kind of like a Mercedes.

This is definitely one of those times when the show stays "in town" and in the courtroom. No field trips to the desert or the docks for Perry and Paul this outing.

The crime is a clever one, and rather complicated, which is quite like the plots of the Perry Mason books, so I liked that aspect.

All in all, this is worth watching, though I wouldn't rate it among the top episodes of this outstanding series.

Watching this episode made me appreciate what very good actors Eli Wallach and John Saxon, the two best-known guest stars, were. They both add a lot of reality and intensity to whatever film or TV show they are in, and that is true here also. The other guest stars are decent, but it's hard for any actor to match up to the outstanding talent level of John Saxon and Eli Wallach--except for the great Angela Lansbury! Her scene with Eli Wallach are especially strong.

The exterior scenes of this episode are particularly enjoyable, seeing the beautiful wine country estate. We get plenty of episodes with Jessica in New York City, or Boston sometimes; those are always fun, but it's refreshing to journey with her out to the countryside, too.

If the roles filled by Wallach and Saxon had been given to less skilled actors, this would have been a very routine episode, to me. But with them on board, it's superior.

The young (26), very attractive Pat Crowley is the main female guest star of this episode, and she is a pleasure to watch. She flirts up a storm with Jeff, and she has a lot of screen time. On the other hand, Gerald Mohr, the accomplished actor, is the main male guest star, but he doesn't really have a lot to do.

Roger is the featured detective in this episode, and like Pat, he's always enjoyable to watch: so suave and handsome, with a lot of charm. This outing is definitely watchable, though for this series, it's a fairly run-of-the-mill exercise, compared to the very exciting episodes they sometimes achieved. This is quite a "talky" episode in parts; I feel like we get some background on Pat's character that isn't really needed for the story. We do get to see Suzanne and Roscoe; just one quick scene with Suzanne. I'd always like to see her featured more! To sum up: this episode is worth seeing once.

This 1969-70 series, which had 15 regular episodes after the excellent pilot TV-movie, is available on dvd, which is how I'm watching it. The dvd print looks very good, clear and sharp. It looks shot on film, to me. So far I've watched the pilot and the first episode after that, and now this one, and I'm wondering, why didn't this series click and run longer?

Christopher George is an appealing hero: handsome, charming, ruggedly manly. He could be tough and also sympathetic and kind. All of those qualities are on display in this episode. The supporting cast is good. David Brian, the aging tycoon who covets making George his ticket to immortality, is very believable as the head bad guy. Don Knight, a very intense actor, is effective as his ruthless lieutenant. Jack Albertson is always good, and beautiful Rosemary Forsyth does her usual fine job, even with what I would consider the drawback of a really unflattering hairstyle which perhaps the show stuck her with to make her look more like a doctor.

This episode has a good balance of action and character development. As Chris was such a good-looking guy, the producers were not going to miss many chances to put in a romance angle with one of the many very appealing young actresses of that era! Which is one reason to own this dvd set!

One criticism I would have of this episode, is that I thought it started to drag and get slow-paced in about the last ten minutes or so. It was still entertaining and watchable, but the ending felt rather padded to me.

The premise of the show is very similar to The Fugitive: a man on the run, who has adventures and meets people on his path. David Jansen was looking for the real killer of his late wife, and Ben Richards (Chris) is looking for his long-lost brother, who may also have the super-blood that prevents aging and disease. This series, in that major plot point, has a very strong resemblance to the set-up of The Fugitive, so maybe audiences thought: been there, seen that.

One big asset the pilot and the first regular episode had, to me, was the presence of the amazingly lovely Carol Lynley, one of my favorite actresses. She is such a pleasure to watch, in anything! She added her special quality of delicate beauty and subtle empathy to that pilot and regular episode. That might be why this episode doesn't feel as strong to me as the ones Carol was in.

Still, this is certainly a watchable episode, especially for fans of Christopher George, Rosemary Forsyth and Jack Albertson.

This is an excellent episode, especially considered as a mystery, The solution of this one is worthy of a good mystery novel, and that is something that is very rare in a TV show. That alone would merit the high rating I give this episode.

But also, this is a very fun and enjoyable episode, with the usual energy and wit that are the hallmarks of the series. Jessica is very warm and nurturing to Grady, as well as to his young lady, and she is a pure delight. The young lady is shy and quite lovable! Norman Fell as the police detective is perfect in his role; he was such a fine actor.

As for Grady: some viewers don't care for him, but you have to think about the role he fulfills in this series. He is naive, youthful, enthusiastic, and very prone to get into troubles that are more than he can handle! Of course his Aunt Jessica cheerfully comes to his rescue. Now, if Grady were a smooth, self-confident, take-charge kind of guy, then he wouldn't need Jessica nearly as much, would he? And there wouldn't be such a strong contrast between clever and capable Jessica, and well-meaning but bumbling Grady. If Dr. Watson had been a brilliant intellect, then Sherlock Holmes wouldn't have been nearly as impressive, because there would have been much less contrast. In the same way, the character of Grady is as we see him, because that sets up a vivid contrast with Jessica Fletcher. After you watch this episode, give the ending some thought. It's a very interesting and unusual ending for an episode, and I really liked it. Offhand, i can't recall another episode that ends this way; but then, I'm watching the series in order, so I haven't seen seasons 5-12 yet. Highly recommended for a pleasant hour of entertainment.

This is a pretty good pilot episode, which I just watched on dvd for the first time. Its biggest asset is, of course, the charming, handsome and sympathetic Bill Bixby. If you really like Bill Bixby, as I do, you are going to enjoy this much more than if you are just so-so on him.

Good things about the pilot: Bill's magician character is someone you like, and for magic fans, you get to see some of that. Having Bill live on a big private jet, which he can afford because he inherited a large fortune, provides an interesting and colorful angle. On the downside, it's so unusual and over-the-top, it does introduce a note of some unreality to the show. It's one of those series concept points, you just have to accept and not question it, if you want to enjoy the show.

Another plus: the music is really, really good! Very mysterious and evocative, fitting well to the subject matter.

Guest casting, for this pilot and then for the 21 episodes that followed is strong: we see many of the best actors and actresses of the 1970's. Probably because Bill was so handsome, and had sex appeal, we get a good number of very attractive women guest stars on the series run, who include: France Nuyen; Susan Oliver; Yvonne Craig; Leslie Parrish; Carol Lynley, in a 2-parter; Brooke Bundy; Lynda Day George; Katherine Justice; Marianna Hill; Jessica Walter, and others.

The main drawbacks I see to the pilot, are the pacing which is on the slow side, and the inherent limitations of Bill having to carry all the action aspects of the story. He's a magician who likes to help people in trouble, not a secret agent in the Mission Impossible way; he's not a private detective or a police detective, so no guns for Bill. He has several associates who help him out with getting background information, and those performers are fine.

I'm looking forward to watching the 21 regular episodes of this series. I have a feeling that the slower-type pacing seen in this pilot is going to be present throughout the series, but we'll see. Recommended especially for Bill Bixby fans.

This is one of the more lighthearted Mannix episodes, which makes a good change from the often downbeat plots that all detective series have. This one is more of a caper. There are some clever plot developments, and one big moment that had me going, "What?!" When Joe's conduct seemed to me to come out of left field. But in an episode such as this, you don't want to examine the plot too closely.

This time, the guest stars are nearly all English, which is fun! I'm sure they enjoyed hobnobbing with each other while making this show. Marianne McAndrew does a good job as the sexy lady guest star. One of the nice aspects of Mannix is that most weeks, there is a different beautiful lady appearing on the show, in addition to Joe's stalwart and attractive secretary/friend/assistant, Peggy.

Also nice in this episode, is that we get to see some really appearing exterior scenes. It's always a plus when a show opens up the action and doesn't keep the viewer stuck in a couple of sound-stage rooms for the whole hour.

I wasn't sure exactly how this one was going to wind up, because there were more twists and now-I-have-the-gun, now-you-have-the gun moments than I remember on any other episode! I think the ending was satisfying, and I imagine you will also.

This outing has a lot of action, especially for a HtoH episode, and that helps greatly to sustain viewer interest. Part of the enjoyment of the show is seeing the Harts in fun or luxurious surroundings, and having them on a sleek sailboat certainly qualifies.

As usual, it is the witty and affectionate relationship between the two stars that carries the episode, and this time, there is a foundation of action scenes to give support. My recollection of the series from its first run, is that too often the writers over-relied on RJ and Stefanie to supply all the interest, and that was asking too much. But perhaps I will amend my view, now that I am watching the excellent dvd set.

In this episode, there is a well-known guest star, Henry Darrow, who has a fairly good part. Having some experienced fellow actors to portray the baddies is a plus for any series. In all, this is an energetic, enjoyable episode that pleasantly fills an hour.

"Powerful" isn't an adjective that comes to my mind very often when I'm watching this show. Usually I would say: intriguing, witty, well-plotted, diverting. But this show is rather different than most of the MSW episodes, because in the solution of the mystery, it is indeed powerful, and it has a strong emotional impact. There's an old saying that "character is destiny," and that proves true once again here.

Some of the good points of this outing are the excellent pacing of the story, and, as usual, the great lineup of guest stars. As for the pacing, there are no "slow" stretches in this episode--every scene in interesting. And it's a pleasure to watch such outstanding actors as Shirley Jones and Eddie Albert in main roles. They still have "star power;" which may just be a way of saying both are very, very fine actors. The other cast members excel also. This is one of the best episodes of Season 4.

Often when a series gets into its later seasons, the quality goes way down. That sure isn't the case here: this is an outstanding episode. Much of the credit for that goes to an exceptionally strong guest cast, including the great character actor John Hoyt and the fine actress Marie Windsor. Lisa Gaye, who plays a sexy secretary, was often on 77 Sunset Strip and other shows. Philip Pine, who played the recently released convict, as usual brings a lot of intensity and believability to his role.

The plot of this one will keep you guessing; I was guessing pretty wildly near the end, but I didn't anticipate the solution. The very final scene of the show is very vivid and memorable! You won't forget it.

Dr. John Evelyn Thorndyke is one of the greatest detective characters in crime fiction. He is many things: a lawyer, a medical doctor, a genius at forensic science, a loyal friend, a shy person, and a very handsome man who is uninterested in personal romance. His greatest enjoyment in life, besides seeing an innocent person found not guilty, is a quiet dinner with a friend. He lives very simply in his legal chambers and, while he wants to get paid when possible, his motivation in life isn't money: it is to defend the innocent and unmask the guilty. One thing Dr. Thorndyke never is, in the many books and stories about him by Dr. R. Austin Freeman (who was a medical doctor) is vain.

Unfortunately, the screenwriter has made Thorndyke into a very vain person in this story, for some reason we can never know. Perhaps he felt that presenting Dr. Thorndyke as he is in the books: a man who lives on a very high moral level, made him too hard for viewers to accept. The enduring popularity of the books (still in print) would contradict this idea, but we get a version of Dr. Thorndyke in this script which is less than the one of the stories, due to saddling him with an entirely unjustified and ridiculous character flaw of vanity.

I hope the other episodes of this series are more faithful to their detective characters than this one was. Not recommended.

This is an enjoyable pilot TV-movie for the famous series. The plot is fairly elaborate, and in fact, it works much like a Mission Impossible episode, but with a totally different emphasis.

At the time this series aired, and for years afterwards, there was a huge amount of blather and tsk-tsking disapproval expressed in the media about this series, because the premise was three beautiful young women as detectives. There were plenty of tougher. Much grittier series around the same time, such as Police Woman with Angie Dickinson, or Hawaii 5-0; lots of shows. Charlie's Angels took a different approach: it didn't try to make the women seem like tough gun-wielding types. They were all attractive; but frankly, so were nearly all the women portrayed in TV series at the time!

Looking at the show now, in 2023, 47 years after this pilot was made, it strikes me as perfectly pleasant, light entertainment. And to me it stands the test of time: I watched it tonight, and it held my interest.

The guest cast are good. One of the actors is a very young Tommy Lee Jones! I thought it looked like him, but I didn't believe it until I saw the credits. That's part of the fun of these old TV series, the surprises you get as you watch them. I look forward to watching all the rest of the episodes on dvd.

One of the guest stars here is James Franciscus, in what was almost his very first role in front of a camera! He looks very young, and in his scenes with Paladin, he looks very slight and frail. He plays a new lawyer who hears some hard truths from Paladin.

As usual in the series, there is some gunplay and other action. Richard Boone was highly believable as a tough gunfighter, and he was also credible as a man of cultured tastes and knowledge. He made Paladin such a strong character, it really enabled the show to overcome the limitations of being a half-hour. It was always more than just another Western series with pistols blazing.

Recommended.

This was the first regular episode of the famous series, after two TV-movies. And it carries out the premise of the show, which is: people asking to have a fantasy fulfilled, and encountering unexpected twists as it plays out.

Now, for those who may never have seen the show, one major point to understand is, this is a show that requires a big-time suspension of disbelief! Mr. Roark has amazing powers to create elaborate situations--as if he were a very powerful genii, say. So, whatever world, time or situation he places the guests of the week into, you have to just accept that.

In this first episode, Georgia Engel and Diane Canova are blue-collar working girls who want to spend a weekend as glamorous high society types. Both are very charming and likeable, and each has a nice romance. Diane Canova's character gets more development than Georgia Engel. John Saxon, always a fine and reliable actor, is the romantic interest for Diane.

Our other story involves Bert Convy, playing a famous stage magician who wants to have a great escape; Mr. Roark puts him on Devil's Island, where--in some really nice casting--his cell mate is Robert Clary, who was a regular on Hogan's Heroes. (Another note for new viewers of this show: it always had two separate stories going with different sets of characters). The Devil's Island adventure is notable for the always-menacing presence of Reggie Nalder, one of the most memorable bad guys you will ever see; as I recall, he was the assassin in the 1950's Hitchcock film, "The Man Who Knew Too Much." This episode succeeds in what it wants to do: provide the viewer with some pleasant and diverting entertainment. I watched it tonight on dvd (it looks great, by the way--sharp and clear). After a long day of work, relaxing on Fantasy Island, in the company of the handsome and suave Ricardo Montalban, was just what I needed! This is an enjoyable episode and worth watching.