Reviewing Movies

A single story arc informs the entire season, the search for Drew Thompson a gangster who supposedly died thirty years ago. In a county where few are truly law abiding including the law the best way to hide we discover 2/3’s of the way through the season is in plain sight. What continues to make this program worth watching is excellent acting, the endless parade of oddball hillbilly characters, and the sparkling dialogue. The show is as old as the hills and as modern as the latest technology.

Just what possessed a painfully tall man to wear an extreme stove-pipe top hat escapes me. Much is made of his  habit of storing copies of his speeches in that hat. Most of the name actors in this period piece are unrecognizable in their wigs, beards and high collars. For once one cannot be accused of making plot spoilers. The producers chose to report he assassination rather than show it on screen. The implication being that the man lives on in the hearts of  those who revere him and honour his legacy. The movie does nothing to redeem politics in the minds of the people as tawdry and petty. The horse trading that marks the amendment vote is downright criminal. I cannot comment on the historical accuracy of the piece but watching the actual amendment bill carried home to a member's black   mistress is rather fanciful. This before the president even had an opportunity to sign it into law.

The fact that the show is still around after 10 seasons just about says it all. It speaks for the actors but more particularly the writing staff and production crew who continue keep it fresh and come up with new and interesting scenarios. One of the facets that adds interest are the guest stars including this year Admiral Chedwiggon of the former JAG Show. Not much more to be said. The forensics expert continues to leave us wondering how on earth the Navy puts up with such a whacko and the pathology lab lays open corpses and shows Duckie and his assistant handling bodyparts and disgusting liquids. If you can get past all this and the parade of dead bodies it’s a great show.