Post by zimmerman on Jul 2, 2013 14:55:47 GMT -5
TNOT Vicious Valentine is one of the undisputed classics in the entire 104 episiode run of WWW. It has a very distinguished, classy, villaness, a plot that sounds like it was directly lifted from the Agatha Christie novel "The ABC Murders.", and some of the most memorable one-shot characters in the entire series.
The boys must have figured out on the train that the piano was the weapon that would kill Curtis Dodd. As viewers to this episode know, the primary source of these "Alphabet Killings" tailors the deaths of these wealthy people to their likes and dislikes.
Agnes Moorehead, taking time out of her busy filming schedule as Endora on "Bewitched" is the real star of this particular episode, as Emma Valentine, a member of the Washington hosteess Corps, but who actually has aspirations to be queen, to temporarily turn this country back into a monarchy before she turns it back into a democracy in order for her to become president. As other people on this board have commented, for Emma Valentine, it is all about the prestige and power, as she marries off her millionaire victims to female thieves around the world, in order for her to provide funds for her little campaign.
The supporting characters also make a strong statement in this episode. Whoever played Colonel Crockett did a wonderful job, and it made me wish that they would have him on as the boys regular supervisor. He is not quite as uptight as Colonel Richmond was, and seems like he is a really nice guy. You can really feel the emotion in his voice and on his face as he tells our boys that President Grant was deeply affected by the passing of Curtis Dodd.
Sherry Jackson was okay as Paul J. Lambert's fiancee, but Mr. Lambert is another story altogether. This beef baron has an unpredictable, uncontrollable temper that can fly off at any minute. Paul apparently is not a member of the Artemus Gordon Fan Club, as both Artie as himself AND as the Jewish tailor seem to rile him to no end!!
He may not have made a fan of Paul J. Lambart, but Artie as always is outstanding as himself, and in character as the Jewish tailor.
Another winning scene is Emma interviewing James for her "Love Eternal Machine." wherein we find out about James' romantic life. Had to chuckle a little bit when Emma says to James, "All those fluffy little girls thrill to the touch of you." especially when you consider what kind of girls he and Artie regularly invited on the Wanderer at the end of their missions ;D. Amazing about-face when Emma turns from sweet to sour in a nanosecond after she slaps James on the cheek. Of course, the hand chair was the eptome of cheesy, if you ask me. .
As mentioned in my earlier review, stuntman Whitey Hughes is great as the cackling red-haired henchmen. If you listen very closely, his infectious laugh is very similar to the opening laugh in the Surfaris' "Wipe Out." ;D.
Perhaps Jim and Artie hit Emma's last nerve and she could not come up with some elaborate, unique way to eliminate them, so she had to come up with the quickest, deadliest attempt possible in only a short amount of time. Of course, it takes James and Artie a long time to free themselves and crash Paul Lambert's wedding!
The closing tag is one of the best of the whole series. Always on the alert, our boys. . They probably were disappointed when they found out that that were smooshed cherry choclates in there from Sherry Jackson's character, as she and Paul get married for real this time.
As mentioned earlier, Agnes Moorehead definitely deserved the Emmy Award she won for her performance in this particular episode, and it makes me wish that they should have brought her back for at least two more episodes.
A perfect 10 out of 10 from me. ;D
The boys must have figured out on the train that the piano was the weapon that would kill Curtis Dodd. As viewers to this episode know, the primary source of these "Alphabet Killings" tailors the deaths of these wealthy people to their likes and dislikes.
Agnes Moorehead, taking time out of her busy filming schedule as Endora on "Bewitched" is the real star of this particular episode, as Emma Valentine, a member of the Washington hosteess Corps, but who actually has aspirations to be queen, to temporarily turn this country back into a monarchy before she turns it back into a democracy in order for her to become president. As other people on this board have commented, for Emma Valentine, it is all about the prestige and power, as she marries off her millionaire victims to female thieves around the world, in order for her to provide funds for her little campaign.
The supporting characters also make a strong statement in this episode. Whoever played Colonel Crockett did a wonderful job, and it made me wish that they would have him on as the boys regular supervisor. He is not quite as uptight as Colonel Richmond was, and seems like he is a really nice guy. You can really feel the emotion in his voice and on his face as he tells our boys that President Grant was deeply affected by the passing of Curtis Dodd.
Sherry Jackson was okay as Paul J. Lambert's fiancee, but Mr. Lambert is another story altogether. This beef baron has an unpredictable, uncontrollable temper that can fly off at any minute. Paul apparently is not a member of the Artemus Gordon Fan Club, as both Artie as himself AND as the Jewish tailor seem to rile him to no end!!
He may not have made a fan of Paul J. Lambart, but Artie as always is outstanding as himself, and in character as the Jewish tailor.
Another winning scene is Emma interviewing James for her "Love Eternal Machine." wherein we find out about James' romantic life. Had to chuckle a little bit when Emma says to James, "All those fluffy little girls thrill to the touch of you." especially when you consider what kind of girls he and Artie regularly invited on the Wanderer at the end of their missions ;D. Amazing about-face when Emma turns from sweet to sour in a nanosecond after she slaps James on the cheek. Of course, the hand chair was the eptome of cheesy, if you ask me. .
As mentioned in my earlier review, stuntman Whitey Hughes is great as the cackling red-haired henchmen. If you listen very closely, his infectious laugh is very similar to the opening laugh in the Surfaris' "Wipe Out." ;D.
Perhaps Jim and Artie hit Emma's last nerve and she could not come up with some elaborate, unique way to eliminate them, so she had to come up with the quickest, deadliest attempt possible in only a short amount of time. Of course, it takes James and Artie a long time to free themselves and crash Paul Lambert's wedding!
The closing tag is one of the best of the whole series. Always on the alert, our boys. . They probably were disappointed when they found out that that were smooshed cherry choclates in there from Sherry Jackson's character, as she and Paul get married for real this time.
As mentioned earlier, Agnes Moorehead definitely deserved the Emmy Award she won for her performance in this particular episode, and it makes me wish that they should have brought her back for at least two more episodes.
A perfect 10 out of 10 from me. ;D