Reviews

I first heard about Shoestring, a series from England, after I became a fan of Midnight Caller, which debuted in 1988, as there was some internet discussion that mentioned Shoestring, so I had to eventually check it out, and I've seen some episodes from season one on the internet. I like the gritty nature of the series, being in England and all, and it really is like a travel back in time, being the late 1970s with the fashion and all. Eddie Shoestring (Trevor Eve) fights crime or he fights for justice, with his talk radio show a platform for this. It's a shame Shoestring ran for only a short time.

This is an exciting episode because this is the first Midsomer Murders episode filmed outside of England, so yes DCI Tom Barnaby (John "Bergerac" Nettles) heads off to Wales, which is part of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. In fact, I would really like for DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) to travel to Scotland or Northern Ireland eventually. Anyway, the helicopter sequence was rather exciting by Midsomer standards. Sam Hazeldine makes another appearance as Simon Dixon, who eventually marries Cully Barnaby (Laura Howard). Definitely the Wales scenery was impressive for sure. Definitely worth watching.

I became a fan of Midsomer Murders I think back in 2015 or 2016, and I'm enjoying reflecting on the early episodes, and how DCI Tom Barnaby stamped his presence in Midsomer. Anyway, here in Picture of Innocence, Tom himself is under suspicion, so he is bound up at home. So this means that Detective Inspector Martin Spellman (played by Richard Lintern) has to sort things out, and he must wonder how Midsomer has descended to major crime levels on par with metropolitan areas init. Adrian Scarborough plays Eddie Carfax, and in fact so far Scarborough has made three guest appearances in Midsomer Murders, each time playing a different character.

Death in a Chocolate Box was quite fixated on the camera obscura big time, and it kind of reminded me of the view-master I had as a kid. Anyway, I'm fascinated by the idea of the camera obscura, and the website for the The Lee parish council talks about the behind the scenes filming of Death in a Chocolate Box in The Lee area of England. Anyway, the flashbacks of the police being really bad boys who indulged in the flesh big time was quite confronting even by Midsomer Murder standards. Anyway, Death in a Chocolate Box isn't for everyone, and it ain't about the confectionary for sure init really.

In this episode from season one, Intensive Care, James McDonnell plays Martin Greenwald (or Doc Martin) who is unjustly accused of bumping off a doctor, and it's all like Diagnosis Murder. Anyway, what was more intriguing was Lorenzo getting all excited yet anguished about meeting Tina (Denice Duff) who is married to an old friend, Howie. In fact, when Lorenzo and Tina were getting all hot and heavy in the music store, I thought Lorenzo would succumb. The ending was quite poignant with Lorenzo playing the sax in the presence of Lance, and it reminded me of when Lisa Simpson played the sax at the end of a Simpsons episode.

Daniel Casey makes a guest return as Gavin Troy, who was a regular for awhile. Troy returns for the big day, yes the wedding of Cully Barnaby (Laura Howard) to Simon Dixon (Sam Hazeldine). It's hard to believe Blood Wedding debuted quite awhile ago, and it's an episode I enjoyed very much, especially with DCI Barnaby sorting out drama and intrigue at another wedding, hence the title Blood Wedding. Anyway, I'm enjoying reflecting on Midsomer Murders after discovering it in 2015 or 2016. Interestingly, after this episode, Dixon no longer appears, although Cully does, so that's a bit unusual init.

Whilst I'm a fan (probably one of the few) of season three of Parker Lewis Can't Lose with its focus on relationships, I found Boy Meets Girl a bit too drawn out for its own good. We are introduced to Annie Sloan (Jennifer Guthrie), Parker's new girlfriend. It seems Parker has moved on following on from the previous episode, Love Handles, where he awkwardly acquainted himself with Harriet Guzman (Lesley Boone). Anyway, here I liked the opening sign being literally Parker Lewis Can't Lose, the black and white opening noir effect, the closing sign with the Executive Producer Clyde Phillips. It's almost there was much ado about something, and anyway, at least we can move on.

Lesley Boone guest stars as Harriet Guzman, whom Parker met online in the days when online chats were kind of in their early days. Here Parker has a tough choice to make between dates, and there's kind of a cruel intentions undertone here. Anyway, Nick Comstock (Paul Johansson) plays a key role again, and it's a shame his character wasn't picked up in season three. Another character who unfortunately wasn't retained for season three was Frank Lemmer (Taj Johnson), and anyway he plays a key role in this episode with noirish elements when Jerry tutors Principal Musso to pass an exam. The Doogie Howser reference at the end was hilarious.

Parker's girlfriend (i.e. Who will appear in more than one episode) is Annie Sloan, who will be introduced in the next episode.

I remember watching Ed over 20 years ago, and it was actually quite a charming and engaging series, particularly with Ed Stevens (played by Tom Cavanagh, who could easily play Norm "SNL" Macdonald in a biopic) working as a lawyer from a ten pin bowling alley, which reminded me of lawyers who work from home or from their garage because it's cheaper than renting a high rise flashy office. Anyway, the episodes about Ed standing up for the little guy up against the state really resonated for many. Ed featured Lesley Boone, who starred in an episode of Parker Lewis Can't Lose back in the early 1990s.

I've been a fan of Parker Lewis Can't Lose since it debuted over 30 years ago, and I'm enjoying watching the episodes again thanks to them being available on the internet. Anyway, Rock 'n' Roles is a superb episode on so many levels, starting with Parker Lewis trying to offload Crowded House concert tickets (Crowded House are a pop band from New Zealand), the references to The Terminator, the cameo appearance of Robert Zemeckis, who was married to Mary Ellen Trainor who played Parker Lewis's mom in this episode (she played Parker's mom in the pilot and in seasons two and three, and Anne Bloom played the mom in season one), and also the theme of never meeting your heroes, with the down to earth meeting between Shelly and her rock hero Jezebel who helps Shelly become more authentic, and also parenthood tips for Parker's parents.

Michael Symon is the effervescent, enthusiastic and ebullient host of Burgers, Brew and 'Que, and I discovered Burgers, Brew and 'Que only recently (along with Burger Land) so I'm catching up on some of the episodes. Like one of the reviewers of the series commented, Symon really looks like Telly "Kojak" Savalas, and it's no surprise given he's of Greek (along with Italian and Eastern European) descent so that explains it somewhat init. Anyway, in this episode, Michael Symonds head off to Buffalo, Cleveland and Indianapolis, and whenever I watch these type of shows, I just get hungrier and hungrier.

Michael Symon, who looks so much like Telly "Kojak" Savalas, takes us again across the country that showcases the burgers and all from dedicated eateries who want to make good food. Anyway, I discovered Burgers, Brew and 'Que only recently and I'm enjoying seeing Symon's enthusiasm. It takes a village (without taking anything away from Symon of course), so due acknowledgement to the executive producers: Nicholas Panagopulos, Nate Meyer, Lang Yee. Also due credit to the Director of Culinary Production, David Mechlowicz, and no doubt other production crew that keeps us entertained and hungry for more.

Michael Symon is the enthusiastic and ebullient and effervescent host of Burgers, Brew and 'Que, and I discovered this only recently, so I'm catching up on some of the episodes. Like one of the reviewers said, Michael Symon really looks like Telly "Kojak" Savalas, and it's no surprise given he's of Greek (along with Italian and Eastern European) descent so that explains it somewhat. Anyway, Burgers, Brew and 'Que takes us across the country to explore just burgers but also delightful cuisines. This, along with Burger Land, is essential viewing for burger gourmets so that's for sure init right.

Michael Symon, a chef, is very passionate about discovering burger joints. Anyway, here in Sausages, Franks and Dogs, from season five of Burgers, Brew and 'Que, Michael Symon takes us to Sagaponack, Columbus and Indianapolis. I'm not kidding, but Symon has a passing resemblance to Telly "Kojak" Savalas. Anyway, I like these food shows, having also recently discovered Burger Land hosted by George Motz, who like his Burgers, Brew and 'Que counterpart, travels around the country searching for perfect burgers, although in the latter show some of the episodes look beyond burgers. Anyway, worth watching.

Daniel O'Halloran entered the 1% Club by answering 5 to win the 99,000 quid, so that's a big deal. He also has a tribute band, and it's amazing how he got the answer, because really could anyone have done it, and he had Lee and the rest of contestants (who were all eliminated) in suspense because when he answered 5, he dejectedly said, I should have said 6, but he said he did that to add suspense, and he did.

Wow, as a reviewer said, this is what game shows are about, taking the risk, going for broke, the agony and ecstasy of defeat. The reason why the grand prize wasn't 100,000 quid is because one of the contestants walked away with the 1,000 pounds to breed more rabbits.

Tony Nittoli guest stars as Donald Yemano, and this episode, The Parker Chronicles, is his first appearance. Yemano appears in his second (and final) episode later in season two. Rather mysteriously, the internet is silent on Nittoli's life post-acting, just like with Gregory Eugene Travis, who played Remmel in two episodes in season two of Parker Lewis Can't Lose. Anyway, the Parker Chronicles is more about relationships, and the importance of friendship to Parker. I sometimes wonder if this episode presaged the move to the relationships angle that dominated season three. Anyway, still worth watching.

I became a fan of Parker Lewis Can't Lose upon it release over 30 years ago, and I'm enjoying watching the episodes again, which are available thanks to the internet. Anyway, here we have Aging Gracefully from season two. I think people who are 40 years or over can relate to the struggles Principal Musso experiences. Anyway, this episode is the penultimate appearance of Gerrit Graham as Dr Pankow. Also, this is the first appearance of Gregory Eugene Travis as Remmel, who is Pankow's loyal sidekick. But Gregory Eugene Travis only makes one more appearance, and I had a look on imdb and the internet generally and there appears to be no information about his life post-acting. Mark DeCarlo makes an uncredited appearance, and this was after he became famous hosting Studs.

I first heard about Silk Stalkings back in the late 1990s I think, and I was intrigued by it, especially as it was created by the legendary Stephen J. Cannell (who created The A-Team and Renegade, which I loved!). Anyway, I'm now finally watching some Silk Stalkings episodes thanks to them currently being available on the internet. Anyway, in Squeeze Play, we have shenanigans with a major league baseballer and his past with Sergeant Rita Lance (Mitzi Kapture), and also the seductress who won't let anything in the way of fortune. The ending was shocking and unexpected that's for sure. No way did I expect that.

Four years after Oliver Stone's Talk Radio was released, we have Silk Stalkings with their first season episode Shock Jock, and Lorenzo (Rob Estes) gives some very thoughtful insights about the damaging influence of shock jocks like Jack Fellman, played by Rodger Bumpass who later became famous voicing Squidward Tentacles in SpongeBob SquarePants. Anyway, Lorenzo manages to out that it was Fellman who committed the crime, and I think an episode of Death in Paradise (an English police drama) used a similar plot device many years later in one of its episodes. Anyway, I'm enjoying watching Silk Stalkings.

Shot at Dawn is the first episode of season 11 of Midsomer Murders, and it features a galaxy of prominent supporting stars to help out with the drama going on, for example the car explosion which doesn't happen often in Midsomer and its surrounds. Anyway, George "Minder" Cole plays Lionel Hicks, Samantha Bond (who was in several James Bond movies as Miss Moneypenny. Donald Sinden, who I first saw as a senior judge in the TV court drama Judge John Deed with Martin Shaw in the title role, guest stars as Colonel Henry Hammond. Anyway, reflecting on Midsomer Murders, you rarely see a funeral for any character bumped off.

Renny Rye directed the episode Left for Dead, from season 11 of Midsomer Murders, and Rye has directed quite a lot of episodes of Midsomer Murders. Anyway, there's a relatively high body count in Left for Dead, and it's no surprise there was a different more family friendly version for daytime broadcast because of the gruesome aspect. Anyway Left for Dead goes back to the past to help explain the motivations of the current crimes, and really, Barnaby, as skilled as he is, should have called in Scotland Yard to sort out the crimes and make the streets of Midsomer safe again. Left for Dead is worth watching.

It's hard to believe David Bowie's Absolute Beginners was released nearly 40 years ago, and it's timeless, it's inspiring, and I love it. I must admit, I haven't seen the movie Absolute Beginners which features this song, but anyway the song definitely stands on its own. The music video was directed by Julien Temple and there's a 1950s noir aspect to the music video which is appealing even in 2024. Vanessa Walker appears as the Zebra Girl. I was having a look at the social media comments and saw some comments from people who were present at the filming of the video, with some meeting David Bowie between takes.

I discovered Dr Katz: Professional Therapist back in the 1990s, and back them I managed to watch a handful of episodes, but thankfully I'm now able to finally catch up on episodes that are thankfully on social media. David Mamet is probably one of the few non-comedians to be a guest star on Dr Katz, and it happens that this episode, New Phone System was released in 1997, the same year that The Spanish Prisoner, written and directed by Mamet, was released. Jonathan Katz himself had a role in that movie. The phone back and forth between Dr Katz, Ben and Laura was absolutely hilarious init right.

I'm enjoying watching Buddy Valastro's Cake Dynasty, and here we have the episode Spumoni Surprise. So anyway, Buddy and family help out with a golfer cake for a club he's had a long association with, and also Buddy's daughter Sofia bakes an impressive cake for the confirmation of her two younger brothers, and that kind of in a way sets off a power struggle between Sofia and Junior as to who could succeed Buddy when the time comes. Anyway, we also see the men and teenagers on the golf course, and it's a lot of fun seeing the teenagers' attire. Anyway it's fun all around but let's wait for the succession.

I'm enjoying watching Buddy Valastro's Cake Dynasty, especially as I haven't seen any of Valastro's other cake reality shows, so maybe I'll have to search social media for those episodes init. Anyway, what I like about Buddy Valastro's Cake Dynasty is the family aspect, that family matters, the family dynasty, the amazing cakes, the drama, the tension, the succession (is it going to be Junior or Sofia to take over, we shall see init). Anyway, I like seeing the baking staff and the skills they have on display under pressure to meet a strict deadline. One thing though, why doesn't Buddy have an assistant accompanying the cake at the back of the van during the bumpy delivery runs to ensure the cake doesn't tip over like those castells in Spain where people are human towers.