Nero Wolfe: Season 1 [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

I have been a fan of Rex Stout for a long, long time. One reason I often dislike seeing books made into movies, or at least feel the movie pales when compared to the books, because often people see things differently. So when a beloved set of characters such as Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin is brought to film, I automatically cringe, because I am rarely pleased with the results. They tried in the late 70's with Thayer David playing Wolfe and Tom Mason as Archie. Excellent casting, but was a little late. Thayer David, a Sydney Greenstreet type actor, was perfect casting for Wolfe - the 1/7 of a ton genius detective that detects while never leaving him home. Only David was already ill, dying of cancer, so the weight loss and lacking of strength sadly hurt his performance. Later it was redone with William Conrad as Wolfe and too sexy Lee Horsely as Archie. Sorry, the series had Wolfe pacing when expounding to suspects and sitting on the corner of his desk. It made you wonder if the writers ever read Stout's books. So, when

Timothy Hutton stepped into Archie's shoes I had mixed reservations. I love Hutton, son of the brilliant Jim Hutton. While you see a lot of his daddy in him, he is definitely his own man, and cuts a smart style when fleshing out his roles.

So I thought, okay, he would make a good Archie. Then I wondered what about Wolfe? They cast Maury Chaykin. Brilliant! Wow, someone actually loved the books enough to follow them.

A&E is to be commended in letting Hutton run with the series for two seasons. They are to be CONDEMNED for canceling it because they deemed it too expensive to make. Shame on them! The series was a class act all the way. A delightful ensemble cast who changed roles episode to episode gave it a theatre feel.

The costuming is great, the acting divine and the stories - well, I actually KNEW what book they were based on! It was HEAVEN.

So A&E I thank you for putting out these wonderful episodes so we Archie Addicts can enjoy them again. And go take a flying leap for canceling what is nirvana in detective land.

Oscar-winner Timothy Hutton directs several episodes of this sparkling series, as well as taking on the character of jaunty gamecock Archie Goodwin, Private Detective and prime mover of the brilliant (but sometimes disinclined to take on new cases) Nero Wolfe, played by Maury Chaykin.

This first season is salted with murder, two of them occurring in Nero Wolfe's own office. One potential client is strangled with the portly genius's own yellow-silk, barbecue-sauce-stained tie--Archie gets a lot of mileage out of this blunder by his usually meticulous boss. There is very little violence except when Archie is asked to eject a particularly obstreperous client. In fact if I were to pick an overriding emotion that governs these episodes, it is high good humor. Archie's wry voice-overs, Wolfe's eccentric winter get-up in "Door to Death," Fritz's icy but voiceless critique of another butler's champagne-pouring technique in "Champagne for One" are all priceless in-jokes for us Nero Wolfe fanatics. Affection rather than parody governs the characters, even in the minor roles. Occasionally Wolfe and Cramer go over the top with their blustering bad humor, but Archie usually supplies an acerbic course-correction.

The sets and costumes are fashioned with artful, low-key perfection--except for Archie's two-tone shoes. They aren't particularly low-key. But we fans get to see all of the décor that made the books so--well, like comfort food for the brain: the outsized globe and chair in the study; Wolfe's tarpaulin-sized yellow-striped pajamas; Archie's snap-brim fedoras; the soothing presence of Fritz in his kitchen.

If I had a Fritz in my kitchen all would be well with my world.

Apart from major characters, certain actors and actresses show up in multiple episodes. Two of my favorites: Kari Machett plays a series of ditzy, seductive, sometimes unscrupulous, sometimes murdered femme fatales that Archie usually ends up falling for. She brings out his chivalrous best, unless she happens to be the murderess. Boyd Banks is a great well-heeled social parasite or weak-chinned younger son, although he also shows up as an FBI agent in "The Doorbell Rang." He absolutely should have qualified for an Emmy for his sniveling, groveling, but absurdly cheerful Dinky Byne in "Champagne for One."

Nero Wolfe fans if you don't watch these A&E DVDs then pfui on you. Go ahead and relax into the world's most famous brownstone, where you can practically smell Fritz's Bacalhau (Portuguese Salt Cod) cooking in the kitchen.

I'm a big fan of the Nero Wolfe series, and have both seasons on DVD. Here's why:

1) Never read the books, so have no basis for being disappointed with the characterizations; this is neither praise nor judgment, just criteria to consider

2) Quirky sense of humor; not hilarious, laugh out loud, but amusing and entertaining

3) Two all out characterizations by Hutton and Chaykin as Archie and Wolfe respectively; Hutton goes a bit far on the odd occasion but still excellent

4) Strong stories; characterizations help prop up the slower parts

5) Good ensemble cast, with many of the same players showing up show after show; some of the actors have a very deliberate style that they carry from character to character, and that can get a bit old, but others do an excellent job; Actors playing Saul Panzer and the newspaper reporter are especially good

6) Set/costume design are terrific, with some interesting use of color and period

7) Some really poignant moments along the way, such as in Prisoner's Base, when Archie has to deal with an error in judgment that has serious ramifications

But I think that one of the best underlying reasons for getting both years of this series is that the entire production feels like a labor of love for all invovled, and you don't find that quality on TV all that often.

I just wish there was a season 3.