Like the 1981 Nero Wolfe series starring William Conrad and Lee Horsley, the A&E series pilots out with "The Golden Spiders."
This is disappointing in many ways as I prefer earlier cases (THE RUBBER BAND, THE RED BOX, SOME BURIED CAESAR, etc.) Though the did go back to the hard-to-find OVER MY DEAD BODY (which toyed with Wolfe's past) so had the series not been yanked they might have rooted back to earlier adventures.
I don't see what's so special about THE GOLDEN SPIDERS but a series based on a literary character has to start someplace.
"Golden Spiders" establishes Maury Chaykin as the temperamental, overbearing Wolfe, a creature of habit who'd rather not work at all but has to, to support his lifestyle. Frankly, I've always thought Wolfe's devotion to his orchids and beer were affectations though I always enjoyed his gourmet/gourmand characteristics in the novels and stories, that explains his one-eighth of a ton (here, one seventh of a ton).
Much more satisfying is Tim Hutton's letter-perfect Archie Goodwin. Archie's look is rather drab here. Later episodes would make him a flashier dresser as the series adopted a bright, almost comic-strip set of colors where everything looks bright and new.
The best decision they made was leaving Archie bulks of his inimitable narration, which earned the admiration of experts like P. G. Wodehouse. Archie's narration is always the best part of any Nero Wolfe mystery.
The rudiments of the Repertory cast of later episodes make tentative bows though more notable names like George Plimpton or Remington Steele's James Tolkan aren't yet in place. After this they did a little (advisable) juggling with the roles of Saul and Lon. Neither do the recurring lovely ladies the series was noted for ( Kari Matchett, Francie Swift, etc.) appear. At this stage "A Nero Wolfe Mystery" is stripped of glamor.
Overall, a good, workmanlike version of the story, highlighted, as all episodes were, by Archie's narration; but lacking those little touches of flashiness, color and firework performances that would become the hallmark of the series.
This is disappointing in many ways as I prefer earlier cases (THE RUBBER BAND, THE RED BOX, SOME BURIED CAESAR, etc.) Though the did go back to the hard-to-find OVER MY DEAD BODY (which toyed with Wolfe's past) so had the series not been yanked they might have rooted back to earlier adventures.
I don't see what's so special about THE GOLDEN SPIDERS but a series based on a literary character has to start someplace.
"Golden Spiders" establishes Maury Chaykin as the temperamental, overbearing Wolfe, a creature of habit who'd rather not work at all but has to, to support his lifestyle. Frankly, I've always thought Wolfe's devotion to his orchids and beer were affectations though I always enjoyed his gourmet/gourmand characteristics in the novels and stories, that explains his one-eighth of a ton (here, one seventh of a ton).
Much more satisfying is Tim Hutton's letter-perfect Archie Goodwin. Archie's look is rather drab here. Later episodes would make him a flashier dresser as the series adopted a bright, almost comic-strip set of colors where everything looks bright and new.
The best decision they made was leaving Archie bulks of his inimitable narration, which earned the admiration of experts like P. G. Wodehouse. Archie's narration is always the best part of any Nero Wolfe mystery.
The rudiments of the Repertory cast of later episodes make tentative bows though more notable names like George Plimpton or Remington Steele's James Tolkan aren't yet in place. After this they did a little (advisable) juggling with the roles of Saul and Lon. Neither do the recurring lovely ladies the series was noted for ( Kari Matchett, Francie Swift, etc.) appear. At this stage "A Nero Wolfe Mystery" is stripped of glamor.
Overall, a good, workmanlike version of the story, highlighted, as all episodes were, by Archie's narration; but lacking those little touches of flashiness, color and firework performances that would become the hallmark of the series.