Customer Reviews

Nero Wolfe - The Complete Second Season

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Producers Michael Jaffe and Timothy Hutton continue with their superb adaptations of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe stories in the second season of "Nero Wolfe." With outstanding performances by Maury Chaykin as Nero Wolfe and Timothy Hutton as Archie Goodwin, some of Stout's best stories such as "The Silent Speaker" and "Death of a Doxy" are brought to the screen

The Season Two DVDs are every bit as fine as the Season One set in audio and video quality. Season Two has the added fillip of bonus material which was sadly lacking in the Season One set. This set includes "The Golden Spiders," the 2000 TV movie which led to the series, and "The Making of Nero Wolfe," a short documentary which offers interviews with Timothy Hutton, Maury Chaykin, and others involved in the production of this marvelous series. Also included as a "bonus" is a widescreen version of "The Silent Speaker." (It is unfortunate that A&E did not see fit to offer all of the episodes in widescreen.)

After enjoying Nero Wolfe Season Two you'll want more adaptations of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe done by Jaffe, Hutton et al. You'll also wonder what fit of nincompoopery came over A&E and made them cancel this exemplary series.

Magnificent performances: Tough to fill Archie Goodwin's shoes, and even tougher to fill Nero Wolfe's, but Timothy Hutton and Maury Chaykin do it in this splendid and remarkably faithful adaptation of Rex Stout's addictive detective novels. Bill Smitrovich as Inspector Cramer, Colin Fox as Fritz, and Conrad Dunn, Fulvio Cecere, and Trent McMullen as the 'Teers are also dead on and delightful. Plus a tour-de-force for the non-recurring roles, in the best theater tradition but unique for television -- a talented and versatile "repertory cast," led by Kari Matchett, Debra Monk, James Tolkan, Nicki Guadagni and the late great George Plimpton.

The sets are also stunning, especially the beloved Brownstone in all its glory.

This is the show that introduced millions of viewers to Wolfe and Archie and catapulted their creator, whose last book was published 30 years ago, to the top of the usedbook sales charts. Season One and Season Two Nero Wolfe on DVD are treasures for new and longtime fans alike. The absence of a Season Three on A&E and DVD is sad evidence of a once proud television network gone to the dogs.

From the opening credit sequences that are never the same way twice to absolutely great swing era music as background melodies throughout the series. To colorful dresses, artistic sets, early 50's cars full of multi-colors and lots of shiny chrome, to suits and ties with hats and two- tone shoes. This is a GREAT series. Why for the love of Pete did A&E assume no one was interested? The greatest local scholar (now rest in peace) John J. Mullen, who had read every work by Rex Stout had always said that Nero Wolfe would be the hardest detective of fiction to bring to the screen in all of it's glory. (He even traveled late in his life to the site where the fictional Brownstone mansion would have been. Now that is dedication!)The reason he gave was that the characters never aged despite writing that went from the 1930's through 1974. Whatever year the book was written, THAT was the year it was. So any potential director would have to manipulate sets without the characters aging. Well, Tim Hutton took the best elements of Stout's writing and put together a legend in Detective Fiction that is a tribute to "the normal recreation of noble minds.". You will love this series, the characters come to life before your eyes! Guys, Dolls, Dancing and Gourmet food are what you will encounter in Stout's world. Buy this series, read the books and delve into that pleasant atmosphere that lived in the imagination of Mr. Mullen and contact A&E to bring this series back to complete a project for which he was proud to witness in his final years.

For ten weeks now I've been a refugee from Katrina, living in exile in a remote beautiful place in Minnesota, a place where 35 years ago I picked up a dog-eared paperback and discovered Archie and Mr Wolfe.

After fleeing New Orleans with pretty much nothing but a husband, 3 guitars, 3 dogs, a few clothes, and our insurance file I found myself in the wilderness with no connenction to any other world. I bought a DVD player and thanks to Netflix (who rebated 2 months of fees without asking and suspended my account until I sent them a new address...very appreciated) this series has saved me, which in one way sounds really petty but in other ways is completely understandable: fabulous sets, snappy dialogue, fast cuts, plot and character integrity, truth in adaptation, etc. Intelligent, much-needed escapism. Got me a hatstand to hang my fedora and a land line to actually buy the whole two seasons and off I go.

I know it may be too late in the game but a) has anyone actually called A & E to task for blowing this one, and b) who do we contact to start a resurrection campaign? Judging from the reviews I've been reading we'd all be in like Archie in a front room poker game...

No matter the outcome of future lobbying, the emotional results of this series are certainly satisfactory.

PS: The costume designer should win an award for Archie's snappy ties.

The Nero Wolfe series was the best detective show in several years. It should have run for at least five years. The characters were its greatest asset. The interplay between them was always entertaining. The fact that a stock cast was used was also great. It was fun to see the different characters which actor would be playing from show to show. I couldn't always follow Nero's reasoning, but that took nothing away from the enjoyment of the show. These DVDs will be watched again and again by my husband and I.

The execs at A and E were caught up in their own buffoonery. Confound it! Bring Archie back!

Avid readers of Rex Stout's Wolfe novels, like my wife and I, have vivid mental pictures of Nero Wolfe, Archie, Fritz, and Inspector Cramer. We can see that Brownstone apartment in our minds, and we know just where the oversized globe is placed in Nero Wolfe's office. For that reason, the Nero Wolfe televison series is a shock at first; the sight of the characters and the setting must necessarily conflict with the view we have formed in our minds.

Then, as we watch these stories, we undergo a mental transformation: Timothy Hutton becomes the real Archie Goodwin, and Maury Chaykin actually turns out to be Nero Wolfe himself, although we didn't think he was fat enough at first. The brownstone house reveals itself to be much more stylish than we had ever conceived.

"Stylish" is a good word for these episodes of Nero Wolfe stories. Even the opening credits are stylish. There is great acting, sharp dialogue, humor, and faithfulness to Rex Stout, the author.

I say, "Three thumbs up!"

This show was wonderful! The actors are fabulous. The show is visually stunning with bright beautiful colors, amazing costuming, and attention to detail. And, the stories themselves are great! I can't believe how much I love this show! Highly, highly recommended!

I utterly adored Jim Hutton in his Ellery Queen series, so when his equally talented son Tim announced he was doing Nero Wolfe I had mixed emotions. Tim is talented; his works speaks of the quality of his career. But so many times when a series of books such as Rex Stout's beloved 1/7 of a ton detective and his wisecracking assistant Archie are put on film, devoted fans of the books cringe at the efforts. It's rare that a series will live up to what you have created in your minds. Very often, they snatch the title, characters names and then they are off-and-running writing their own teleplays. This happened with the Lee Horsley-William Conrad effort back in the early 80s. Dreadful! It little bore a resembled to Stout's books. Conrad's Wolfe actually paced and sat on the edge of his desk - as all fans know Wolfe would NEVER do!!! Off the bat, the rich period detail of this television version done for A&E (the idiots that cancelled it!), is evocative of the same leisurely attention to quality and detail that was done on the elder Hutton's Ellery Queen.

The cast is perfect, the setting of Wolfe's brownstone pulled from my imagination. Even more so, I really recognize the faithful following of the plots of the books!

It's a quality production from start to finish and A&E should hang its head in SHAME for canceling this gem.

The second season set includes:


Disc 1

1) Death of a Doxy
2) The Next Witness
3) Die like a Dog

Disc 2

1) Murder is Corny
2) Motherhunt
3) Poison a la Carte

Disc 3

1) Too Many Clients,
2) Before I Die,
3) Help Wanted - Male

Disc 4

1) The Silent Speaker
2) Cop Killer
3) Immune to Murder

Disc 5

1) The Golden Spiders
2) The Making of Nero Wolfe
3) Silent Speaker (Double Episode


Let's hope A&E one day wakes up and put Tim and the crew back to work!

I adored this series! I can't believe we can't have one more season! I can hardly stand anything on TV anymore with the incredibly stupid writing these days. Nero Wolfe is the exception. Snappy, wonderful dialouge! Buy this and nag A&E to make another season.