MovieChat Forums > Simon & Simon (1981) Discussion > Looking at episodes from season 4

Looking at episodes from season 4


I bought season 4 this summer but was in the process of moving so it took me a while to find which box I had thrown those DVDS into...!

Anyway, I finally found them. I am going to take the plastic wrap off and start watching season 4 episodes this weekend. Any suggestions about which ones I should start with first? Or should I just go through them all in order?

Also, are they any so dreadful they should be skipped? Informed opinions/guidance would be most appreciated!

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Just go through them all in order. I would give each episode at least one watch but 'Break a Leg, Darling', 'Enter the Jaguar' and 'Mummy Talks' are the seasons weakest. Personally for me this season was kind of bland, nothing really terrible but nothing that stood out either. 'The Dark Side of the Street' and 'Almost Completely Out of Circulation' are pretty good though.

A LITTLE WINE WITH MURDER? and OUR FAIR CITY: For some reason Shout used the syndicated versions for these two episodes so both are missing about 2 minutes each.

WHO KILLED THE SIXTIES?: This episode appears to use at least two different prints because the picture quality keeps changing throughout the episode.

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I love "Who Killed The Sixties?". One of my favourite episodes from the whole run. So many shows were doing nostalgic sixties flashbacks at the time, but S&S were so positive about the future, and I loved that. Growing older ain't so bad! Aren't the flashbacks a different "colour" to the present day stuff? That might explain the differences you mention. "Out-Of-Town Brown" is good. "The Mickey Mouse Mob". I'll have to look up the episode synopses, as I can't remember which episode is which! It's a good season though, despite one or two dodgy moments (almost always the case with a twenty-two episode long season).



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I find concussion quite invigorating.

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It's a good season though, despite one or two dodgy moments (almost always the case with a twenty-two episode long season).

Something I usually do before I watch a season-- I go through the cast lists of each episode to see if there are any noteworthy guest stars. So even if a story is a bit lackluster, it might still hold my interest by featuring performers I enjoy watching.

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Agree on "Who Killed the Sixties?" I remember seeing it during a family vacation in the summer of 1985. Being 14 at the time, it was my introduction to the song "California Dreamin',. I was blown away!  Thankfully, the DVD retains the classic Mamas and the Papas original version of the song.

As for the difference in picture quality, I always chalked that up to the source print itself rather than any attempt at being "artistic."

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A LITTLE WINE WITH MURDER? and OUR FAIR CITY: For some reason Shout used the syndicated versions for these two episodes so both are missing about 2 minutes each.

Does it affect the telling of the story? Or are the cuts negligible?

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You won't notice. It's just irritating when you realise. The cuts tend to be small, character-based moments that the plot can do without, so you won't notice the omissions, but it's a shame to know that you're probably missing out on some nice interaction between the brothers, or between them and their mother or Town.



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I find concussion quite invigorating.

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Can we assume it's the mother's stuff that usually gets cut (since her scenes tend to be less-action oriented)..?

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I was able to record the original network version of "Wine" off TV a few years ago and there is a cut about 15 minutes into the episode. After Cassie Yates says "He's a fanatic about protecting his secret growing ground", there's an abrupt cut to a shot of some mushrooms on the ground and we hear Rick say "There all over the place". In the original version it shows A.J. and Rick in the Camaro as they leave the office and some shots of the countryside as they drive.

Another cut is with the Oil Company Chairman who shows A.J. and Rick a short video on the TV behind them. Nothing important but that first cut I mentioned really bothers me when watching the episode because it's so abrupt. Not sure what was cut from Our Fair City since I don't have the Network version of that episode.

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I can only imagine what the original editors of the series think about other people coming along and re-cutting scenes to make room for commercials. It undermines their artistry.

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I would add Burt Kennedy to any list of good S&S directors. In addition to the 17 episodes with which he is credited on S&S, there are also his numerous film credits, which include projects with John Wayne and James Garner.

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Yep, Burt Kennedy was definitely a film director. THE WAR WAGON (with John Wayne & Kirk Douglas), both SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF and SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL GUNFIGHTER (with James Garner), RETURN OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (with Yul Brynner), and others!

Connery, Moore, and Brosnan! Accept NO substitutes!

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It's been a really long time so the memory is a bit foggy but here are some of the good ones from season 4.

The Dark Side of the Street
A Little Wine With Murder?
Out of Town Brown
Marlowe Come Home
Deep Cover
Slither
Almost Completely Out of Circulation

The two 2-parters I remember finding rather dull - C'est Simon and Simon Without Simon.

I never saw Our Fair City.

Connery, Moore, and Brosnan! Accept NO substitutes!

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Thanks for the input.

I decided I will just watch them in order, all of them-- in addition to guest stars, usually I enjoy episodes directed by Vincent McEveety. It looks like he was at the helm for 7 episodes from season 4, many of them ones you guys seem to be recommending.

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Vincent McEveety was the resident Disney director. He directed all those live-action Disney comedies in the 60s and 70s like those Herbie movies and Apple Dumpling Gang movies and the Kurt Russell ones.

Connery, Moore, and Brosnan! Accept NO substitutes!

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Vincent McEveety was the resident Disney director. He directed all those live-action Disney comedies in the 60s and 70s like those Herbie movies and Apple Dumpling Gang movies and the Kurt Russell ones.

Perhaps that explains why the episodes he directs are a bit livelier. I like the way his scenes play. I think he does something with the actors to 'juice it up' without going overboard.

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I agree about "C'est Simon". Probably shouldn't have been a double length episode. I found it dragged.



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I find concussion quite invigorating.

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I just put the first disc in.

Here are my thoughts on the the episodes I watched:

I started with 'A Little Wine with Murder?'...on the DVD menu, it says 'the original network version of this episode could not be located. Therefore, a syndication source was used and may differ in run-time from the original.' It should also indicate differences in print quality-- since quite a few of the scenes are very washed out. It's hard to believe Shout couldn't get the original version from Universal.

'A Little Wine with Murder?'
A little comedy with wine and murder

This episode is very well written and played. Guest star Cassie Yates is good as always. There are some wonderful comedy scenes. Loved the part where the Simons have to get something from a hotel safe and Rick simulates a heart attack to distract the desk clerk while A.J. gets what they need. Also, we have a scene later where Town is gathering evidence and putting food at the fancy restaurant into his pockets. Hilarious. I like how the brothers have gone undercover in ways that seem true to their individual characters. A.J. turns up as a waiter, while Rick has the more working-class job of assisting in the kitchen.

In some ways, this story seems ahead of its time about laboratory-grown food being used to replace real, organically grown food served in restaurants.

*****

'The Dark Side of the Street'
Brian Kerwin's great job

This is a different sort of episode. Different in a good way. Brian Kerwin is excellent as the troubled guy marrying into a wealthy family, whose life seems to be in jeopardy. The scene where his mother (special guest Marie Windsor) appears is interesting. The writing is solid; we are given a good red herring in the form of the prospective father-in-law, played by the always brilliant William Prince.

Again the Simon boys are undercover in ways that suit their unique personalities-- A.J. is a college friend of Kerwin's; and Rick is doing a security detail in the department store. The episode has a laugh-out-loud moment when Rick pulls a 'third arm' off a shoplifter. As for A.J.'s shtick, it's rather clever how we see him making up stories about college days, when he is in reality playing a figment of Kerwin's imagination. Freudian psychologists would find a lot of deep meanings in this episode I'm sure.

One scene is worth noting-- usually in shows of this type, cars are wrecked, exploded and so forth, but the story moves on. However, in this case, we actually see the Simons recover Liz's car after it has plunged off the dock. I guess we have to know that A.J. will return it back to her in mint condition. That he and Rick might mess things up along the way, but they are still responsible. We see A.J. in a phone booth (before cellphones) talking to Liz about Rick washing the car, while Rick is standing nearby as someone helps fish the vehicle out of the water.

*****

'C'est Simon'
C'est what, Simon?

This episode earns a 7 from me. I find it somewhat far-fetched. The on-location scenery helps make up for the plot deficiencies. In a way, it's almost surprising that Philip DeGuere did not attempt this story earlier-- since knowing more about the father's background helps us understand A.J, Rick and Cecilia better. I suppose if DeGuere is French, or at least French-American, it makes sense he wanted to go to France to film a story.

The episode's weaknesses-- I don't think the villains are very menacing. Terrorists would be a lot more deadly. The dialogue is okay, but in terms of their actions-- kidnappings and a high-speed boat chase are not quite sinister enough. I expect to see them murder more people-- an episode about terrorists and weapons of destruction suggests a lot more violence than what is actually depicted. Also, it is unbelievable that a San Diego police lieutenant (Town) is allowed to leave his precinct so he can fly half-way around the world to help save the day. Surely, the anti-terrorist experts in Paris would be able to handle the situation in their own city.

Given what we have seen with world terrorism since 1984, this episode is kind of a naive time capsule. The scene where Rick says he could have brought guns in his bags because the airport inspectors do not look inside, makes airport security seem fairly lax. Later when Town flies in and a security guard finds all the firearms in his suitcase, he is easily passed through when he says he's an American policeman. At another point, he tells a driver he's Kojak. Amusing certainly but nobody would literally believe he was Kojak.

The reveal at the end about Emilie being the boys' sister plays like something out of a soap opera. I think Rick's unknowing attempts to romance her in the last sequence have come out of nowhere and give us a bit of an 'ick factor' when Cecilia admits Emilie is their father's illegitimate daughter. They suddenly seem happy to have a half-sister. We then get a tidy ending back in San Diego where they at home calling Emilie on the phone. But of course, she is never again seen on the program.

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"The Dark Side of the Street" would definitely be my pick as the best out of those three. I always liked those types of stories - schizophrenia, split personality, stalker storylines. Pretty much every show during that time had to do this type of story at least once.

You forgot to mention Shanna Reed in that episode, who would go on to be Gerald McRaney's costar on MAJOR DAD in the late 80s (when S&S finished its run and McRaney needed another show).

Connery, Moore, and Brosnan! Accept NO substitutes!

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You forgot to mention Shanna Reed in that episode, who would go on to be Gerald McRaney's costar on MAJOR DAD in the late 80s (when S&S finished its run and McRaney needed another show).

You're right. I thought about her later and then mentioned her in the frequent costars thread.

I couldn't believe that was her playing Kerwin's fiancee. She seems much different than she was on Major Dad. A good actress.

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I've watched some more episodes from season 4:

'Manna from Heaven'
Smoking in the boys room

We've seen this plot a million times before on other crime shows. A lead character has a night he can't remember, then wakes up the next morning to discover a murder has occurred and he's now blamed for it. As the basic story goes, this version is mostly by the numbers. We know Rick is not guilty, we know an overzealous police officer will try hard to throw the book at him, and we know A.J. will move heaven and earth to help prove Rick's innocence.

There are scenes where Rick is allowed to go ballistic in the police station. Where he is at his wit's end, desperate to convince everyone he's innocent and probably been framed. Of course, A.J. believes in him (and so does Cecilia). They strike a deal with a tough bail bondsman to spring Rick from the slammer, then the boys go off in search of Rick's alibi, a woman who is inadvertently mixed up with the real killer.

I liked the part before Rick turns himself over to the law, when A.J. drives 30 miles outside of the city with his mother in her car-- only to learn Rick is hiding in the truck. And there's good comic relief when the bondsman, afraid Rick will not make his court date, goes off in search of the Simon brothers. Plus the writers deviate from formula for a minute when we learn the woman Rick slept with during the time the murder was committed is not exactly an accomplice to the frame-up.

One thing I didn't care for was the scene where A.J. tries to get some information from a bartender's cash register. In order to do so, he distracts the bartender and the patrons of the establishment by setting a fire in the men's room. We're supposed to get a few laughs from that. In this episode A.J. goes beyond mere pranks to get the job done; he is now an arsonist.

*****

'What Goes Around Comes Around'
A day at the track

This is another fairly standard episode of the series. The brothers are hired to find out who is trying to sabotage a race car driver (Cliff Potts). The red herring is an ambitious lady driver (Lenore Kasdorf) who also wants to win. She finally convinces A.J. and her rival on the track that she would never want to harm anyone. But by then, it's almost too late to stop the real killer.

In a previous fourth season episode the Simons visited an older woman in a nursing home. We once again have scenes that take place at a nursing home. This time a retired driver who lost the use of his legs four years ago is convalescing. But in a surprise twist, he leaves the facility to put a revenge plan in motion.

The episode has some good moments. There's a fun part where A.J. and Rick are at a bookie's office, placing a bet on the big race. And earlier there's a brawl inside a bar where the lady driver more than proves her skill at fisticuffs. I suppose we need these high-concept visual scenes to lift us up out of the otherwise routine aspects of the plot.

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I think AJ's behaviour in "Manna From Heaven" is supposed to show us how desperate he is. He wouldn't ordinarily do that, so I don't think it's anything that we (or he) are supposed to condone. He's always been less level-headed than Rick to begin with, despite his 'sophisticated' manners, so I think it's in-keeping.

I like the bit in "What Goes Around..." when they're locked up underground, and AJ is trying to get to Rick's belt-buckle-knife. Don't know why, but it amuses me. Then when Rick finally comes around, AJ's relief - disguised as frustration - is nicely done.



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I find concussion quite invigorating.

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Glad you mentioned the part with the knife and belt buckle. It was interesting. I left it out of my review. I think scenes like that have a bit of sexual subtext, which is why the show is sometimes read by people as being a bit gay. Obviously the situation was written in a way that they were trying to get free-- but other than that sort of premise, when else do we have one man undoing the belt buckle of another man? See what I'm saying. They played it straight, but people will find "hidden" meanings in those moments.

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Another episode from season 4:

'Who Killed the Sixties?'
California Dreamin'

This is an easy episode to write about, because a lot happens. In extended flashbacks we get quite a bit of background information on Rick and A.J., seeing how they lived in the late 60s. We also get to see how Cecilia looked and acted back then.

An added bonus is the music. 'California Dreamin' by the Mamas and the Papas opens and closes the show, and there are a few other tunes played through the episode. One tune is done on guitar by guest Don Grady, who left his steady gig on My Three Sons to pursue a music career. In addition to the music, we get to enjoy the clothes, hairstyles and social attitudes of a bygone era. The dialogue, though, seems very modern in the flashbacks and I would expect more slang or teen catchphrases from those years. A minor quibble.

The crime elements, which trigger the flashbacks, involve an ex-girlfriend of A.J.'s named Anita (played by Jameson Parker's future wife Darleen Carr). She's selling her family home and comes across old photos and newspaper clippings of her deceased brother who was killed back in the 60s. Of course, A.J. and Rick will help find out who really offed her brother.

There's a twist mid-way into the episode where A.J. learns Anita had an abortion (obviously in the days before Roe v. Wade). She says it was his child, then we find out the baby she aborted belonged to someone else, the person who killed her brother. In a way, this is rather contrived. I don't think a young man would kill another guy just because some chick got pregnant and had an abortion. I actually think the female would kill to cover the secret, especially since it was illegal at the time and she's the one who had the procedure done.

I also found it too convenient the writers undid making A.J. the father. What's the point of going there, if it doesn't mean anything? He could have still been the dad of the aborted child, and the other guy out of jealousy could have gone to kill A.J. and killed the brother by accident. That might have made a stronger story. The abortion is really a separate issue-- probably included by the writers to seem more topical and to add to the what-if scenario between A.J. and his old flame.

*****

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I love this one. There was such nostalgia for the sixties in the eighties, and AJ's old friends are caught up in that. For them, life has never been as good as it was in the old days. AJ and Rick are different though. Their present is as good as their past. The way that the episode ends, with AJ saying that he doesn't want to grow up, and Rick saying that he will, is a nice coda to it all. You can't live in the past, and tomorrow is nothing to be afraid of. It has such a pleasing positivity about it.

Also it's hilarious how believable a then 37-year-old JP was, playing a 17-year-old AJ! Love how they hid Gerald McRaney's vanishing hair, too.

Nice little touches here and there too. Notice JP's different body language. Young AJ hasn't learnt to defend himself yet. When he tussles with the bully, he can't fight back. Contrast with the confident older AJ, who works out and can look after himself.



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I find concussion quite invigorating.

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Nice little touches here and there too. Notice JP's different body language. Young AJ hasn't learnt to defend himself yet. When he tussles with the bully, he can't fight back. Contrast with the confident older AJ, who works out and can look after himself.

It's interesting how we all see different things in these episodes. Good comment!

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I watched a few more season 4 episodes last night and my reviews are pending. I feel the show is changing in the middle of this season-- not necessarily for the worse-- but the energy is different than it was in the third season, when it had its highest ratings.

Maybe there were certain stresses felt by the cast behind the scenes and that was affecting them on screen. The stories are still well written and competently acted, but there's a slightly different feel to these episodes. Anyone else notice it?

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More reviews:

'Break a Leg, Darling'
The Simons get in on the act

This is a fun episode, especially if you enjoy the theater. The story involves an acting couple, played by Carol Lawrence and Anthony Newley, whose fights are legendary. When she becomes the target of a killer, he is naturally suspected of wanting to rub her out. But it may be that he cares for her too much to really want her dead. The Simon brothers are hired to protect them. A.J. gets the woman, and Rick shadows the man. Town is also on the scene, as a cop and as a fan of the two stars.

In real life Newley was nominated six times for a Tony; and Lawrence was known for her roles in the musical theater. So they bring a lot of experience and credibility to their roles as stage performers in this offering. Newley would return as another character in a season 8 episode.

The mystery is neatly wrapped up in the last act when we find out who the real killer is. Several people have substantial motives. But before we get to that, there are some comic bits with the Simons. At one point, they break into an office to find information and Town calls them there, since he's having them watched. A.J. chides Town for interrupting them during their breaking and entering. And there is also a fun bit where the guys have non-speaking parts in a play that's performed by the couple. This is one of the more entertaining episodes of the show's fourth season. And if you like stuff that pokes fun at the acting profession and backstage squabbles, this one is certainly for you.

*****

'Almost Completely Out of Circulation'
The Condor and Janus

This is an interesting story about the death of a well-known comic book artist. The deceased man's young grandson and daughter hire the Simons to find his killer. When the culprit is finally revealed, it's a bit shocking. By that point, we've been introduced to several relatives who had a reason for the old man to die.

The story is very carefully plotted. We learn about the hero of the comic books, called the Condor, and his arch-enemy Janus. Whoever Janus is based on must be the killer, and I thought that was a clever way to set-up the murder mystery. One weakness, however, is that it is never explained why the artist was about to unmask Janus in his last book when he was brutally murdered. Nor is it explained how the killer knew the exact moment that frame was being created so he could be there to prevent it from being drawn. But we can probably overlook this.

There are many good moments in this episode. Early on Rick discovers A.J. threw out a box of valuable old comic books he had been storing at their mother's home. Rick tries to make A.J. feel guilty about it in some of the scenes which follow. Plus we see the brothers breaking into a lawyer's office by posing as window washers, then dangling from the platform when it nearly collapses. It almost seems like something out of a Charlie Chaplin movie. Finally, there's a climactic scene where the killer and his henchmen are fighting with the Simons along the ocean. It is nicely staged, especially when one of the villains falls off the side of a cliff.

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A lot of the Marvel Comics titles shown in the opening of "Almost Completely Out of Circulation" have artwork by Mike Zeck, best known for his work on such comics as Master of Kung Fu, Captain America, Spider-Man, and The Punisher.

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A lot of the Marvel Comics titles shown in the opening of "Almost Completely Out of Circulation" have artwork by Mike Zeck, best known for his work on such comics as Master of Kung Fu, Captain America, Spider-Man, and The Punisher

Very interesting! Thanks for the information.

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Two more I watched recently:

'Deep Cover'
A.J. takes out a hit on Rick

Frank Bonner is the main guest star in this episode. He plays a TV news reporter who has tried to bring a hit man out into the open by ordering a hit on himself. Of course, things do not go as planned, and he goes to his old friend Town for help. Town soon puts him in touch with the Simons. It's worth noting that Bonner and Tim Reid previously worked together on 'WKRP in Cincinnati' so this is an on-screen reunion for them.

The episode also features Reid's real-life wife Daphne Maxwell in the recurring role of newswoman Temple Hill. Their romantic subplot is given screen time-- especially during a dinner scene at a restaurant where she is busy meeting her fans and signing autographs.

The main plot doesn't really kick into high gear until Bonner's character is presumed dead (he's really in hiding) and the Simons have to bring the hit man out into the open themselves. There's a great sequence where A.J. poses as a mortuary owner-- he pretends he wants a man eliminated for having an affair with his wife. The man is Rick, which sets the stage for his "murder" and a chance for them to nab Mr. Lee, the paid killer. The scenes where A.J. is posing as the mortician are very convincing, and for a short while it's as though he's become this whole other character. It's fun to watch.

The final sequence where the hit man comes to the office to try and kill Rick is quite suspenseful. Shots are fired and he quickly escapes to the roof upstairs. Town and the boys have a confrontation with Mr. Lee, and the assassin easily surrenders. In fact, the ending is almost too tidy. There's a humorous denouement involving a news segment where Bonner's character reports to viewers how he and his staff (the Simons) helped put a killer away for good.

*****

'Our Fair City'
A.J. the hypnotist

This episode is a variation on the 'law in a small town' theme we've seen depicted in countless police shows. What helps in this instance is the use of comedy to freshen up what is otherwise a stale plot. Prolific character actor Pat Corley plays the mayor, and he seems to find amusement in how his town is so different from the rest of America. It would appear corruption and virtue can co-exist harmoniously in his beloved little crime-infested hamlet. Of course, he needs the Simons' help when it seems that someone is out to kill him. But other than that, it's a peaceful community.

There are some twists. The police chief is the mayor's ex-wife. She might be in on the attempts to take his life, but then she is soon snuffed out. The mayor is arrested for her murder, but there are other characters who seem just as guilty, including a lawyer played by Jack Bannon. Before long another person turns up dead-- a "reformed" cocaine dealer who posted one million dollars in bail to get the mayor out of jail. His death sends shock waves through the community. A young woman named Martie was at the scene of the murder, and she takes off. The boys track her down and discover she has a bad hangover.

In the next scene, Martie admits she had been drinking and cannot remember how the murder occurred. But she did hear some sort of argument leading up to the murder. In an interesting scene that's more than a bit far-fetched, she has A.J. hypnotize her so she can pull what she had overheard out of the deep recesses of her mind. They tape record what she says and take it to Town. He says he cannot use any of this, since it's hearsay-- drunken hearsay. Yet somehow he's willing to go undercover in an RV to nab the man the Simons suspect is guilty. It's entertaining, if not wholly believable.

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My last two reviews for season 4:

Marlowe, Come Home
Marlowe goes undercover

I had a feeling I would enjoy this episode, and if you've ever been a dog owner, it will certainly appeal to you. At one point when Marlowe goes missing, Cecilia says he's a part of the family. He's also a part of the cast, and in this story, he's the star. Marlowe probably has more screen time here than in any other episode. It's remarkable when you consider how many different tricks and scenes he had to perform. Some of the scenes are shared with a smaller pooch, who has also been kidnapped. I mean, dognapped.

The owner of the other dog is played by Patricia Davis. I can only imagine what it was like on the set during the week this one was filmed-- having the daughter of the President of the United States playing one of the main guest stars. To be honest, Patti Davis does a fair job in her portrayal of a woman at her wit's end, trying to get her beloved show dog back from vicious thieves. Davis does not have many screen credits, and this was her last major acting job before her final role, which was a bit part in a movie four years later. While her character frantically tries to recover the stolen animal, she gets help from the Simons.

They put Marlowe on the trail, but the plan goes awry when Marlowe is also taken by the crooks. There's a funny scene in Town's office, where Rick explains his brainstorm for using Marlowe to ferret out the bad guys by entering a dog show. A.J. mocks the decision, questioning the logic of Marlowe going undercover as a dog. The stuff that follows is quite amusing. This includes Marlowe being given a fake pedigree; then Rick and Marlowe at the dog show, walking in front of two judges, who cannot figure out what type of breed it is. We also get to see Rick dressed up for the occasion.

When Marlowe is taken, Rick's truck is also stolen and so is his hat. Supposedly, this is the only hat Rick owns right now, which seems like a bit of a stretch. It's important, though, because when Marlowe and the other dog escape their captors, Marlowe shows up back at the house with the hat in his mouth. It's a touching conclusion, especially since there's a moment a bit earlier where one of the criminals shoots at Marlowe as he gets away. We are kept in suspense for a while about the outcome of the shooting. But the fates are kind to Marlowe Simon, and the next morning he will be licking Rick's face when it's time to wake up.

*****

Out-of-Town Brown
There's justice out in the country

This episode was written by actor Tim Reid who plays Lieutenant Brown. He would write another one, which aired during the sixth season and involved Native American artifacts. Reid had experience as a scriptwriter, having already contributed three stories on his previous show WKRP in Cincinnati. It's a shame he didn't do more as a writer for Simon & Simon, because he certainly understands the characters and what makes them tick.

Though this is another variation on law in a small community, it's handled in an inspired way. There is even a line of dialogue at the end when Chief Potter (G.W. Bailey) tells Brown and the Simon boys that there is such a thing as a justice out in the country.

Things kick into high gear when several white men in hoods rough up Brown's cousin Kevin (Randy Brooks) and the cousin's girlfriend. The men spray paint a message on a wall that basically tells them to leave or it will turn real ugly. Of course, Kevin will not be so easily intimidated, and he needs Town's help--which automatically brings help from Town's detective buddies, the Simons.

The Klan imagery is dropped after the first act, and the story starts to focus more on the murder of a rancher where Kevin has been framed to seem like the culprit. He's innocent and goes on the lam. Town's attempts to assist Kevin backfire, and Town winds up in the slammer, where Kevin will eventually join him in the next cell. There are no surprises with any of this, but Reid's story concentrates on the characterization of the cousin and on the rapport Town has with Rick & A.J. There are also a lot of good moments where A.J. and Rick try to thwart the locals, which leads to their being run out of town (of course, they find a way to return and solve the case).

In the last act it all comes to a head along a dirt road out at the ranch where the murder occurred. This is quite suspenseful. The boys learn that diseased cattle are being shot and thrown into a pit. The pit soon becomes more than a burial ground for dead cows, as the murderer intends to bury RIck & A.J. in the same hole. When Town and the Chief pull up, the Simon brothers have already been buried alive and this time, they are in need of rescuing.

The story gets strong marks for taking a basic scenario that could have become clichéd and really showing us some new angles. The use of African American characters in veterinary medicine and ranching was different for a show of this type in the mid-80s. Also, G.W. Bailey's Chief of Police could have been a stereotypical bigot, but he turned out to be a responsible law enforcer, which I found refreshing-- since there were scenes that had indicated he might be guilty and in cahoots with the actual murderer.

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Such a great episode:

'Revolution #9-1/2'
A.J. cries uncle

When I read the synopsis for this story, I didn't expect I would enjoy it very much. But I couldn't have been more wrong. It's quickly become one of my favorites from season 4. Most of its success hinges on the wonderful performance by veteran TV actor John Astin as the boys' wayward Uncle Ray. He easily could have become a recurring character, since his on-going schemes would keep getting him mixed up with shady types, thus requiring his nephews to bail him out of trouble.

According to production notes here on the IMDb, the scenes that take place on Roa Kea were filmed at a state park in Malibu. It seemed like Hawaii to me, and I half-anticipated Thomas Magnum to appear and help thwart the guerrillas. But of course, Rick & A.J. were more than capable of handling the situation on their own.

I think the episodes that feature the mother in more of a central role are among the show's best. In this instance, Ray has invited Cecilia along on a trip to Roa Kea, a fictional island nation in the south Pacific, where he hopes to find out what happened to an investment he made in a soybean operation. The boys are against their mother going, since they sense danger straight ahead. When things do get too dangerous, they put her on a plane and send her back home. But while she's there, she gets to let her hair down. She's actually a bit tipsy when she she flies off, and I thought it was fun to see her more relaxed in this episode.

The plot surrounding Uncle Ray's investment gets the Simons involved in a coup. Most of the characters on the island are highly exaggerated stereotypes of third world people. It's played mostly for laughs so it seems rather inoffensive. The best moments though are the serious ones in a jungle where A.J. lashes out at Ray for letting them down when their father died. Ray's only excuse is that his whole life he has never measured up to Jack Simon. It was poignantly played and Astin brought a good deal of humanity to the role. They seemed very much like family in those scenes. Of course, they eventually get off the island safely. The story's resolution back in San Diego is quite funny.

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Two more reviews--

'Enter the Jaguar'
Watch the birdie

This story features a university biology professor-- a meek sort of man who takes great enjoyment in watching birds. He travels to various countries and along the way he has been framed by an international thief named the Jaguar. The Simons are willing to help him, because using common sense, they can tell he is not a criminal mastermind-- something the police do not seem to realize.

It's kind of strange that Town doesn't detect a perfect frame. At one point half-way into the story, there's a scene where Rick and A.J. tell him this is all just too pat. I don't think Town would dismiss their concerns so quickly. He wouldn't buy everything so neatly pointing to the biology professor's guilt. His own instincts would tell him the Simons are right and the guy is obviously being set up.

There are several other guest characters mixed into the action. One is a woman who cozies up to the professor and later posts his bail when he's arrested. There's also an over-extended heiress who reports her jewels as having been stolen which A.J. learns is not true at all, since she still has her diamond earrings and is probably in cahoots with the real Jaguar. Plus we have an agent from out of state who's been tailing the professor.

The last scene, which takes place in an abandoned building and involves an owl, is certainly memorable. I think fans of the series will enjoy this episode as much as I did.

*****

'Almost Foolproof'
Rick & A.J. as drunken bums

The main guest star for this episode is Kay Lenz, a Universal contract actress used in many of the studio's films and TV series. She plays a do-good type, a recovering alcoholic who helps to rehabilitate men living on skid row. Her heart's in the right place, but she's in way over her head when she runs up against a crooked doctor and his associate who are using the men to bilk an insurance company. The plot is a bit convoluted, and there is no real explanation how Lenz's character can afford to help these men or afford to pay for the Simons' services when two derelict friends of hers go missing.

There's some fun undercover stuff involving Rick and A.J. posing as winos in downtown San Diego. This brings them in contact with Town who is also on assignment in the same area. The next day, the guys are cleaned up and back in their regular clothes but must return to the red-light district to speak to a biker gang after Lenz disappears. She's been taken to a camp in the woods.

In one of the cabins Lenz has been tied up and is being injected with something. At the same time, her homeless friends are being liquored up, then they're hauled to a hospital where the insurance kicks in. The Simon boys show up and they even have Town's help, but they get nowhere. Later Lenz has been sent to the same hospital where the men are. One by one, they're being killed and she's next.

Rick and A.J. aren't far behind. They resort to more shtick-- this time, Rick is a paramedic bringing A.J. into the drunk ward-- A.J. pretends to have tremors from alcohol poisoning. They find where Lenz is being held, just as she's about to be killed, and rescue her. On the way out, they engage in a brawl with the crooked doctor and his henchmen. The camera work is frenzied-- there are various point of view shots with the boys getting a few punches in and also taking a few punches. It's hard to tell if this is supposed to be action-oriented or comedic. My guess is the director took the idea in the script and just let them improvise the fight scene. Somehow it all works.

*****

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You failed to mention that "Amost Foolproof" features guest baddie Dennis Franz, and in a smaller part Robert Pastorelli. Franz was already a name on HILL STREET BLUES while Pastorelli was yet to make his mark.

Connery, Moore, and Brosnan! Accept NO substitutes!

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You failed to mention that "Amost Foolproof" features guest baddie Dennis Franz, and in a smaller part Robert Pastorelli. Franz was already a name on HILL STREET BLUES while Pastorelli was yet to make his mark.

Thanks for mentioning these two guys. Yes, this episode gives us several familiar faces in guest roles.

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"Ditto", makes a second appearance in season five's "Facets." I like it when the Simons have specialists with questionable backgrounds who also happen to help them out when needed. The "left-handed form of human endeavor"-types mentioned in The Asphalt Jungle.

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'Slither'
A.J. uses a bit of angel dust with his cream and sugar

In the 80s TV networks liked to broadcast what they called after school specials. Usually an issue affecting young people would be dramatized in the hopes of reaching audience members. It was a form of do-good entertainment, and while they were often heavy-handed and preachy, the stories probably were beneficial to teenagers watching them. This episode of Simon & Simon feels that way and was probably designed for the same altruistic reasons.

Despite the well-meaning intentions, some of what we see here doesn't quite work. We have a plot involving a girl who's trying to kick a drug habit but gets set up and goes on the run. It's never explained why the other girl (who breaks into her locker with a knife thick enough to cut a steak) wants to frame her, nor is it explained how kids can bring pills and weapons into the school so easily-- especially when Town gives an anti-drug lecture in the auditorium telling the teens that he has undercover agents working on the premises. Also, A.J. is working at the site as a substitute gym teacher while being employed by the girl's parents to keep an eye on her. I sincerely doubt a school district would allow that.

Since Gerald McRaney is directing this particular show, he doesn't appear until almost the 13-minute mark. After a short scene, he goes missing again for the next few minutes. Even when Rick does come into the story more, when he and A.J. try to find the girl on the streets, a lot of the main action is handed over to A.J. There is a notable scene where they've found the girl but then someone puts angel dust in A.J.'s coffee at a restaurant. While A.J. goes haywire and and threatens people with a plastic utensil, Rick tries to get him under control and the girl takes off again. That part was rather predictable, how she slips through their fingers, but Jameson Parker does seem to be having fun jumping up in the booth and claiming he can see bones through flesh. You have to see it to believe it.

The follow-up scene was very unrealistic. Nobody in the restaurant wanted charges brought against A.J. for disorderly conduct or for disturbing the peace. Plus we're given a pat explanation that some doctor checked A.J.'s brainwaves and he doesn't actually appear to have been affected by the angel dust. This allows the boys up to get back out on the streets to find the young girl; she is still missing and she has parents that are still worried about her.

Again, while the subject matter of runaway adolescents seems written and filmed with the best of intentions, it just comes across too unrealistically. The best part was the final sequence where the girl is safely back home and we have a lengthy shot of some other nameless teen along the freeway being picked up by a stranger in a van. This did make me reflect for a moment on the chances those kinds of kids are even still alive today.

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Yes, I'd have to agree with that assessment. Not that it's a bad episode, but it doesn't quite seem to have the teeth that the subject matter demands. I think you may find an improvement when you reach the season seven episode "Shadows", which covers similar ground rather more effectively.



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I find concussion quite invigorating.

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Yes, I'd have to agree with that assessment. Not that it's a bad episode, but it doesn't quite seem to have the teeth that the subject matter demands. I think you may find an improvement when you reach the season seven episode "Shadows", which covers similar ground rather more effectively.

Thanks for the comment. I'm looking forward to seeing that later episode.

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Simon without Simon (parts 1 & 2)
Breaking up is hard for the Simons to do

I tend to be less enthused about the two-part episodes of this series. Probably because the writers seem to pad the stories, taking a good concept and stretching it out to a 90 minute running time (both episodes sans commercials) when everything could have been handled in one episode or 75 minutes at the most. Even if there is enough material without drawing out the small points, we sometimes get what is basically two scenarios cobbled together under an umbrella story, to make it seem like this is a special edition of Simon & Simon-- either for a season opener or a sweeps month broadcast.

This two-parter seems like the latter. Here we have an umbrella story about the boys breaking up and going their separate ways. The first part establishes their newfound celebrity, when through some sort of fluke, they become media darlings. After stumbling across some evidence that implicates cold war agents, they become the toast of San Diego. In short order, A.J. is offered a job with a prestigious investigation firm (do such places really exist, like law firms or swanky medical practices?); and Rick is enticed to sell the rights to his life story for a movie. This is definitely where it seems like two separate stories have been thrown together. Each main character is then made to carry the stories separately after they've broken up.

Both these plots kind of run out of steam by the beginning of the second episode. Jamie Rose who plays the female producer that gets involved with Rick has special billing in the initial installment. But in the follow-up episode, her part is reduced and this is reflected when her billing changes. In fact, she and Universal contract player Ray Buketnica have one little obligatory scene in the second part, where Rick basically pulls out of the movie deal. It's like this was done to make it seem like we have a longer story that could cover two episodes. Similarly, A.J.'s posh new job quickly ends, freeing him up to reunite with Rick. Then for the last half hour, they are trying to find some bad guys related to the incident at the very beginning. Of course, this is all meant to indicate they are now back in business and the Simon & Simon detective agency is not quite history.

There are two directors that give each part a very different tone-- but despite this, there are some very good things here to watch. While the boys are apart, we do get to see a lot more characterization-- namely how they have to function solo and how it's better and worse than them functioning together as a team. Also, we get some nice moments with Cecilia who says she does not interfere in their fights, but she still has managed to save the letters from the board down in the lobby of their building, which can be reused when they reconcile. As the whole thing concluded, I couldn't help but think they should have postponed this idea and saved it for the series' very last episode. It would have made more sense that after eight seasons, they were eager to go their own ways. Coming as this does in the middle of season 4, it seems a bit premature they would even consider working without each other.

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Since I've finished watching and reviewing all the season 4 episodes, I thought I would share my ratings:

C'EST SIMON PART 1...7...nice Paris locations can't overcome implausible plot developments
C'EST SIMON PART 2...7...(see above)

A LITTLE WINE WITH MURDER?...10...excellent crime story and Tim Reid's comedy skills put to good use

THE DARK SIDE OF THE STREET...10...vintage psycho noir, sharp guest work by Willilam Prince & Brian Kerwin

MANNA FROM HEAVEN...8...routine framed-for-murder story, enhanced by McRaney's performance

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND...8...good guest stars almost save dull script; belt buckle scene activates viewer gaydar

WHO KILLED THE SIXTIES?...8...use of Simon backstory bogged down by weak abortion subplot

BREAK A LEG, DARLING...10...charming slice of backstage life

ALMOST COMPLETELY OUT OF CIRCULATION...10...clever murder mystery with excellent stunt work

OUR FAIR CITY...8...outrageous twists require suspension of disbelief, helped by Pat Corley's guest work

DEEP COVER...9...smart script with two suspenseful sequences

REVOLUTION # 9 1/2...10...highly entertaining crime farce, with wonderful John Astin performance

YES, VIRGINIA, THERE IS A LIBRERACE...10...series' only holiday episode, a nice blend of sentiment and whimsy, with a perfectly choreographed Vegas showdown

ALMOST FOOLPROOF...9...authentic skid row atmosphere and a sincere performance by guest Kay Lenz

ENTER THE JAGUAR...9...off-beat characterizations enliven far-fetched plot; excellent climactic scene

SIMON WITHOUT SIMON PART 1...9...umbrella story gets off to an interesting start
SIMON WITHOUT SIMON PART 2...8...momentum fades, direction in second part is flat and uninspired

SLITHER...7...preachy, well-meaning drug addiction drama geared towards younger audience

THE MICKEY MOUSE MOB...9...memorable guest stars handed a hard-to-believe scenario

MUMMY TALKS...8...extended shtick with a corpse offsets convoluted crime story

MARLOWE, COME HOME...10...hit paws and rewind, this winner is worth seeing again

OUT-OF-TOWN BROWN...10...top-grade Tim Reid script, aided by G.W. Bailey's intelligent performance

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That's a good idea, having a season summation. I'll have to do that with season five when I've finished it.

I've watched seasons two and three recently, but haven't seen seasn four lately. I'll keep your reviews in mind and at hand as I go through them.

Our respective review styles take different approaches, which keeps things fresh.

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That's a good idea, having a season summation. I'll have to do that with season five when I've finished it.

I tried to make the summations brief, kind of like what you'd find in a Leonard Maltin movie book. A short judgment, why it works or doesn't work, with the score. Then if someone wants to look at the individual episode reviews I've already posted on the IMDb, they can go more in-depth.

I've watched seasons two and three recently, but haven't seen seasn four lately. I'll keep your reviews in mind and at hand as I go through them.

Thanks. I really enjoyed season 4. I'm trying to decide which season to purchase next. I don't want to interfere with what you are doing as you continue with season 5. And since I'm interested in the darker stories, I might skip ahead and buy seasons 7 and 8. Then I can focus on the later stuff, while you finish 5 and head into 6.

Our respective review styles take different approaches, which keeps things fresh.

I am glad our review/analysis styles are different. It makes things a little more fun!

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Your review strategy sounds good to me, though if others wish to chime in, I'd love to read their reviews, too.

Seasons seven and eight are thirteen episodes each, so it's like reviewing one season. I enjoyed them a lot more than other IMDb posters did--I believe our esteemed ringfire was one of those naysayers--so it was a pleasant surprise to enjoy them as much as I did.

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Yes, I hope others do chime in and share their observations about the series.

I looked on Amazon and seasons 5 & 6 are the most expensive. No idea why. Season 7 (16 episodes) and season 8 (13 episodes) are more economical. But I see that someone is selling the whole series on iOffer (bootleg copies obviously) for roughly the same amount one reasonably priced season costs. Who knows what the quality is like on such copies.

If anyone has purchased the set from a vendor on iOffer, please let us know if that was a good experience.

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I believe our esteemed ringfire was one of those naysayers

I haven't seen much from those last 2 seasons so I can't really comment but the 3 or 4 episodes that I did see were pretty crappy. I'm thinking "Simon & Simon & Associates" and "Beauty and Deceased" and I think "Cloak of Danger" are the ones that pop to mind. Though there are 2 episodes that I'd actually like to check out due to the dark subject matter - "Sudden Storm" and "May the Road Rise Up". Maybe "Nuevo Salvador" too. Perhaps it was just my bad luck that what I did see from those seasons ended up being "turkeys". So I just assumed that once Tim Reid left the show went down the crapper.

Connery, Moore, and Brosnan! Accept NO substitutes!

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I ended up buying the entire series from a vendor on iOffer. It was just $35 and I figured if the video quality is bad then it's a cheap lesson to learn. But if the episodes are watchable, then I have them all and I can start going through them. I'm supposed to receive the discs in 1-3 business days but with the holiday and weekend coming up, my guess is I won't get them until next week. I do plan on jumping to season 7 and looking at the the last 29 episodes from 7 & 8.

I read the episode descriptions on wiki and the one that stood out to me was 'Simon & Simon Jr.' I didn't realize they did a story with Rick having a son. I am sure the kid probably turns out to be fathered by someone else, unless they were planning on adding a permanent young Simon to the cast. But it seemed the most interesting and nobody has commented on Rick having a kid.

The other ones I'm eager to see include 'May the Road Rise Up' (I guess I like stories that focus on the Simon family unit); 'Desperately Seeking Dacody' (I assume Mac & Delta will have great chemistry); and 'Sudden Storm' (since the subject matter seems daring and focuses on Cecilia).

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The problem with buying episodes that way is that they're almost certainly recorded off the television, in which case they'll generally be missing a few minutes per episode. Not that this will ruin your enjoyment, but knowing your fondness for the smaller, character-based moments, it no doubt won't be as good. Mind you, I certainly understand the need to go for the cheaper option!

As to the latter seasons, I think you've just been unlucky, Ringfire. There are bad episodes later, and certainly I miss the chemistry with Town, but there are definitely good ones as well. "Sudden Storm" is nicely done, and by no means an easy watch. "Nuevo Salvador" is very hard-hitting, and I enjoyed it very much (though I never like to see Henry Darrow as a bad guy!). Bit improbable in its denouement, but I won't fault it for that, because very few 80s TV shows didn't suffer from that at times! The ease with which our heroes recover from head injuries is a particularly noticeable TV trope. "May The Road Rise Up" is one that I didn't enjoy at all on first viewing, but I changed my opinion later. It does rewrite a little Simon history, but the story is good, so what the heck.

I enjoyed "Shadows" (7x04); "Second Swell" (7x05); "Tale Of The Tiger" (7x07); "Bad Betty" (7x09), "Baja, Humbug" (7x10) and "Something Special" (7x15) from the seventh season, as well as those mentioned above. I may be unfairly missing a few out, because I don't remember the other episodes as well! Season eight possibly was a season too far, but there were still some good ones. "The Richer They Are, The Harder They Fall" (8x09) was good, and I very much enjoyed "Photo Finished" (8x12), which had a particularly good plot. Season eight also includes "Cloak Of Danger" (8x08) though, which I absolutely loathe! "Play It Again, Simon" (8x10) was unusual, but rather entertaining in its way, and "First Let's Kill All The Lawyers" (8x11) is a good one, playing nicely on the recentish post-traumatic stress disorder storyline for Rick.

All in all, some good stuff, and definitely worth a try.



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I find concussion quite invigorating.

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Thanks for your detailed remarks about the later seasons. Since I loved season 4 so much, I was afraid 7 & 8 might disappoint me. But going by what you've said and what pacwarbuff has posted, I am confident I will still find some more good stuff at the end of the series.

I will have to let you know if the episodes I've bought seem to be missing scenes. Sometimes the vendors find a way to copy them from the manufacturers' DVDs-- if so, then it will be what Shout is offering.

A few years ago I bought season 1 of Highway to Heaven. Then a year ago, I bought the entire series (an official set). Now it is all on Amazon Prime which is how I prefer to watch the episodes. So my hope is that Simon & Simon will be all online at some point, then I will just give the discs to someone.

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Hey, I remember seeing "Baja, Humbug" and "The Richer They are..." as well and guess what? I didn't care for those either.

But it was a long time ago so who knows what I would think of them now?

Connery, Moore, and Brosnan! Accept NO substitutes!

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Two more reviews for season 4:

The Mickey Mouse Mob
Agonistes

This episode features Gary Lockwood as a draft dodger trying to reconnect with an abandoned daughter. He does a nice job, and there are fine turns also from John Aprea as a shyster lawyer and Carmine Caridi as Mr. Agonistes, a mob 'enforcer' type. The Agonistes character returns in a season 5 episode called 'Full Moon Blues.' Interestingly the word Agonistes means wrestling with adversity, which is an apt way to describe the struggles faced by Lockwood's character and the Simons themselves in this particular story.

A lot happens during the 48-minute running time and I'd say the writer does a skilled job of balancing the pathos with the comedy (and the action). More than most episodes, there is a considerable amount of melodrama in the scenes between Lockwood and the daughter, since she rails at him with a load of abandonment issues. Despite the soap opera histrionics, I still thought the moments were well-played. The comedy scenes involve the boys and Town which take place inside a limo. Town is using the vehicle-- posing as a chauffeur while trying to bringing down Lockwood's ex- wife. In another segment, we have some funny business with an informer type guy who comes into the office- - he's a flamboyant black dude that dazzles Cecilia with a bunch of fancy jewelry. The character, who resembles Sporty James on 'Hunter,' was never used again in any other episodes. He seems like a leftover from the 70s, definitely a stereotype.

As for the main action, the Simons have been hired by Lockwood to tell the daughter and ex- wife he is holding a press conference about having evaded the draft. He plans to do this to thwart a blackmailer. I sincerely doubt a powerful businessman would do such a thing. He would instead use hired detectives to flush out the blackmailer. But this is really just a way to set the stage for a deeper, mob-driven story. The ex-wife had been remarried to a penny ante mobster and has now taken over his territory. Her lawyer is the one orchestrating the blackmail scheme, but of course, we don't know that upfront. We also do not know what can be gained from blackmailing a draft dodger, nor do we know why a man would have married a woman with a penchant for mob violence in the first place. Unless it makes for a more compelling struggle with adversity.

*****

Mummy Talks
Meet Jerry Simon

This is a change-of-pace episode, and it takes the Simon boys into a world they've never really explored before. With Cecilia's help, they land a case that involves Egyptology, a shifty curator described as a penny ante social climber, and a mummy said to be connected to Queen Nefertiti. Of course, there's a pretty girl on the right side of the law (guest actress Michelle Greene) to keep us focused in case everything else gets too convoluted.

We know we're in for a series of comical scenes when A.J. and Rick help smuggle the mummy out of a building where a costume party is occurring. A.J. is dressed as Dracula, Rick is in a toga, Cecilia is dressed as a queen, and then there's Jerry. That's right-- Jerry. They drape Rick's sheet over the mummy and pass him off as a very drunken guy named Jerry Simon. After they sneak Jerry out, they haul him to A.J.'s place. But because the girl anthropologist needs proof that Jerry was once married to Nefertiti, the Simons take him to see their friend Captain Midnight down at County General. Captain Midnight is an Indian doctor named Raj who was seen briefly a few episodes prior, and he has a habit of calling A.J. by the name J.A.

Captain Midnight examines Jerry and because of some recent dental work, it is learned the Egyptian corpse is no real Egyptian at all. As they leave the examining room, another anthropologist turns up and clobbers Captain Midnight. The second anthropologist is part of a black market operation involving the mummies, which are actually corpses of more recently deceased bodies. It's kind of a strange development; and when the pretty girl gets too close to finding everything out, she is chloroformed and tied up. We know the brothers will rescue her and bust the ring wide open.

While this may not be one of the show's greatest episodes, it earns points for trying something a bit different. And the Weekend at Bernie's routine with Jerry is certainly entertaining.

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C'est Simon was shot in France because of the 1984 Summer Olympics, which pretty much shut down television production in Los Angeles for two or three weeks in the summer of '84. Because of road closings and security for the Games, any TV show that worked on location (rather than in a studio) moved elsewhere.

A whole bunch of shows shot an episode or two in London, as I recall. S&S opted for Paris,

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McRaney's discusses C'est Simon (and Ki'i's Don't Lie) in this epic, career-spannng interview:

http://www.avclub.com/article/gerald-mcraney-longmire-simon-simon-and-neverendin-225190

"Oh, also on Simon & Simon, in 1984, when the Summer Olympics were going to be in L.A., Phil decided it would just be a logistical nightmare trying to shoot in competition with all the traffic that would be going on around the Olympics. And since he had an apartment in Paris, it was decided, “Let’s go shoot there!” So he wrote—or had written—a two-hour episode of Simon & Simon, and we went to Paris for a month and shot. [Laughs.] Back in the glory days when they actually spent money on television shows!"

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