An Agatha Christie story with some Ground Hog Day/Quantum Leap thrown in for good measure? When I read the blurb on The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle I was immediately intrigued. Turton’s execution of the story is whipsmart and incredibly enjoyable, combining classic English mystery with some time loops. What’s not to love? Sebastian Bell…
Author: TD Rideout
The Equalizer (1986) – A Community of Civilized Men, and Joyride
McCall (Edward Woodward) loses a potential romantic partner after resolving her issues at the beginning of A Community of Civilized Men when she’s murdered and McCall has to help her daughter, Valerie (Jennifer Grey) survive and elude a professional agent, and killer. Written by Daniel Pyne and Scott Shepherd this episode was first broadcast on…
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) – Vincent McEveety
Tim Conway and Don Knotts return as the hapless comedic pair Amos and Theodore in the sequel to the 1975 Disney family/comedy/western The Apple Dumpling Gang. This time around the pair, and the script are unfettered by everything that went before it, though the characters from the previous film are mentioned. This time, Amos and…
Uncharted (2022) – Ruben Fleischer
Some questionable narrative choices and other stylistic angles held Uncharted back from being a solid blockbuster and probably crippled its chances of turning into a franchise, which is too bad, because despite the drubbing it took, most of the film is really fun, and there’s a nice interplay between Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg who…
Hill Street Blues (1982) – Requiem for a Hairbag, and A Hair of the Dog
While the investigation into Mizell’s murder continues (and is ultimately resolved after a fashion), the precinct has a lot on the go in Requiem for a Haribag. Written by Mark Frost, this episode was first broadcast on 18 November, 1982. Hill (Michael Warren) is finally getting the boil on his backside taken care of, just…
Tropic Thunder (2008) – Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller directed the ultimate Hollywood satire with Tropic Thunder. He developed the story with Justin Theroux, and the pair wrote a script with Ethan Cohen. It’s sharp, pointed, and under its endlessly quotable dialogue and performances is a skewering look at Tinsel Town. Everything seems to be a lie, from promotions to images to…
The Equalizer (1986) – Prelude, and Nocturne
The second season opener of The Equalizer brings up some personal and professional history for Robert McCall (Edward Woodward). Prelude was written by Carleton Eastlake and launched the season on 8 October, 1986. McCall discovers that his son, Scott (William Zabka) is in town after the latest school term has started because he’s been ousted…
The Expanse (2017/2018) – Caliban’s War, and Fight or Flight
Season two of The Expanse roars to its conclusion with Caliban’s War. Written by Naren Shankar alongside Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham (collectively known as James S.A. Corey the authors of The Expanse novels), the season closed out on 19 April, 2017. While Chrisjen (Shohreh Aghdashloo), Bobbie (Frankie Adams) and Cotyar (Nick E. Tarabay) try…
Quantum Leap: Search and Rescue (1994) – Melissa Crandall
While I didn’t actively dislike this entry in the Quantum Leap novel series, it is arguably the weakest of the bunch so far, and the only thing that really makes it a Quantum Leap story is the fact that both Sam Beckett and Al Calavicci are in it. But there are a number of continuity…
The Equalizer (1986) – Unpunished Crimes, and Pretenders
John Cullum is the baddie in the penultimate episode of season one of The Equalizer. Unpunished Crimes was written by John Burke and Grenville Case, first airing on 1 April, 1986. Cullum is Stuart Cane, a brutal CEO with ties to a terrorist organization, and is set on ruining Frank Donahue (Dan Hedaya) and his…
The Mind Reels 