I
hope everyone has been having a wonderful December!
Oddly enough, I did have a topic for what should have been the next post. I was going to discuss The Poison Pen-Pal, one of the few out-of-town episodes I really like. But then I got caught up writing a Christmas story and working on another project. The only other time I might have had a chance to write the post, I was writing another Christmas story (and that time, one that was a gift). Neither Christmas story has anything to do with Perry, but hopefully soon I’ll have a chance to work on some of the Perry ideas I’ve had.
I watched The Crying Cherub on my local station Friday night. And I realized something that had never previously occurred to me: Since the deputies were given dialogue meant for Hamilton (and since Hamilton even had scenes for this episode that were taken out), Deputy Hanson’s interest in art must have really been meant to be Hamilton’s!
Before, I had just thought, Yay, another deputy that isn’t just a cookie cutter. But this new angle makes it much more significant.
Hamilton does show some indication in the series that he likes art to a certain extent; he has pictures hanging in his office that are very interesting and seem tailored to his personality and his feelings of fighting for justice. I never quite imagined art to actually be a hobby of his, however.
Regarding season 5’s The Poison Pen-Pal, it’s one of Douglas Henderson’s Perry episodes and is a very enjoyable and unique venture.
I’m glad that both pen-pals are innocent little girls and neither one means to do any harm. The script could have been written with one of the girls deliberately trying to find out information for an ill purpose, or with one of the girls not really being a child at all and instead a devious adult.
It’s interesting that the murder victim is found still alive. That only rarely happens in the series. Offhand, the only other character I can think of who fits that bill is Carina Wileen in The Fatal Fetish. And this lady in The Poison Pen-Pal dies of the original injuries, instead of receiving something new and fatal only in the hospital, as Carina does.
I always enjoy Douglas Henderson’s characters. Here, it seems like he might be being set-up to be the defendant, a role that actually goes to his former secretary. Douglas’s character is an overworked businessman, unable to spend the time with his daughter that he wants because of company business and problems getting in the way.
I love the interaction between Douglas’s character Peter and his daughter Sandra. Peter could have very humanly flipped out when Sandra said she had been telling her friend Jill about the company merger. Instead, he tries very hard to stay calm around Sandra. Later, he tells the detective he hires to investigate to be sure not to alarm Sandra when he questions her.
I always find it a little annoying when his former secretary Karen Ross accuses Paul of breaking into her house, and continues to insist that he must have even while Paul and Perry are both trying to explain that he didn’t. Part of it is that I don’t like seeing characters get unfairly accused (although that sort of thing abounds in this series and normally I roll with it). Also, though, wow, it’s hard for them to get her to see reason. Paul says they’ve been over it three times, without her budging. She finally shuts up when Della joins the conversation and gives Paul an alibi, but overall she definitely comes off as more annoying in the scene rather than not being easily swayed in a good way.
Murder victim Wilma, Peter’s aunt, is totally a brazen person. Peter certainly didn’t give her any guardianship rights before he left for Chicago, but she goes barging into his house, hits Sandra, and locks her in her room! I don’t blame him for becoming furious as soon as he learns of it.
The Lee character is quite obnoxious, making sarcastic cracks as soon as Wilma is dead. He does seem to regret that the candelabrum he gave her as a peace offering is what ended up becoming the murder weapon. The first time I saw the episode recently, I think I suspected him for a while.
The woman who actually was responsible, the wife of the general manager, is a bitter, cruel person. There’s some indication of her feelings very early on in the episode. I did find it a surprise when she was the murderer, but on repeat viewings there’s definitely hints all along the way.
The epilogue is really cute. Peter and Karen wanting to get married is quite predictable, after their interaction in the episode. But Sandra going on a boat ride with Perry, Paul, and Della is an unexpected twist. I bet that was a fun trip!
MeTV plans to air The Lady in the Lake on Friday. That’s certainly a compelling title. Although if the “lady” ends up being the murder victim, that’s a disturbing place to find the body!
And the first six Perry movies release on DVD New Year’s Eve! The price is still steep, though.
Have a very Perry New Year! Hopefully the posting schedule will start getting back to normal.
Oddly enough, I did have a topic for what should have been the next post. I was going to discuss The Poison Pen-Pal, one of the few out-of-town episodes I really like. But then I got caught up writing a Christmas story and working on another project. The only other time I might have had a chance to write the post, I was writing another Christmas story (and that time, one that was a gift). Neither Christmas story has anything to do with Perry, but hopefully soon I’ll have a chance to work on some of the Perry ideas I’ve had.
I watched The Crying Cherub on my local station Friday night. And I realized something that had never previously occurred to me: Since the deputies were given dialogue meant for Hamilton (and since Hamilton even had scenes for this episode that were taken out), Deputy Hanson’s interest in art must have really been meant to be Hamilton’s!
Before, I had just thought, Yay, another deputy that isn’t just a cookie cutter. But this new angle makes it much more significant.
Hamilton does show some indication in the series that he likes art to a certain extent; he has pictures hanging in his office that are very interesting and seem tailored to his personality and his feelings of fighting for justice. I never quite imagined art to actually be a hobby of his, however.
Regarding season 5’s The Poison Pen-Pal, it’s one of Douglas Henderson’s Perry episodes and is a very enjoyable and unique venture.
I’m glad that both pen-pals are innocent little girls and neither one means to do any harm. The script could have been written with one of the girls deliberately trying to find out information for an ill purpose, or with one of the girls not really being a child at all and instead a devious adult.
It’s interesting that the murder victim is found still alive. That only rarely happens in the series. Offhand, the only other character I can think of who fits that bill is Carina Wileen in The Fatal Fetish. And this lady in The Poison Pen-Pal dies of the original injuries, instead of receiving something new and fatal only in the hospital, as Carina does.
I always enjoy Douglas Henderson’s characters. Here, it seems like he might be being set-up to be the defendant, a role that actually goes to his former secretary. Douglas’s character is an overworked businessman, unable to spend the time with his daughter that he wants because of company business and problems getting in the way.
I love the interaction between Douglas’s character Peter and his daughter Sandra. Peter could have very humanly flipped out when Sandra said she had been telling her friend Jill about the company merger. Instead, he tries very hard to stay calm around Sandra. Later, he tells the detective he hires to investigate to be sure not to alarm Sandra when he questions her.
I always find it a little annoying when his former secretary Karen Ross accuses Paul of breaking into her house, and continues to insist that he must have even while Paul and Perry are both trying to explain that he didn’t. Part of it is that I don’t like seeing characters get unfairly accused (although that sort of thing abounds in this series and normally I roll with it). Also, though, wow, it’s hard for them to get her to see reason. Paul says they’ve been over it three times, without her budging. She finally shuts up when Della joins the conversation and gives Paul an alibi, but overall she definitely comes off as more annoying in the scene rather than not being easily swayed in a good way.
Murder victim Wilma, Peter’s aunt, is totally a brazen person. Peter certainly didn’t give her any guardianship rights before he left for Chicago, but she goes barging into his house, hits Sandra, and locks her in her room! I don’t blame him for becoming furious as soon as he learns of it.
The Lee character is quite obnoxious, making sarcastic cracks as soon as Wilma is dead. He does seem to regret that the candelabrum he gave her as a peace offering is what ended up becoming the murder weapon. The first time I saw the episode recently, I think I suspected him for a while.
The woman who actually was responsible, the wife of the general manager, is a bitter, cruel person. There’s some indication of her feelings very early on in the episode. I did find it a surprise when she was the murderer, but on repeat viewings there’s definitely hints all along the way.
The epilogue is really cute. Peter and Karen wanting to get married is quite predictable, after their interaction in the episode. But Sandra going on a boat ride with Perry, Paul, and Della is an unexpected twist. I bet that was a fun trip!
MeTV plans to air The Lady in the Lake on Friday. That’s certainly a compelling title. Although if the “lady” ends up being the murder victim, that’s a disturbing place to find the body!
And the first six Perry movies release on DVD New Year’s Eve! The price is still steep, though.
Have a very Perry New Year! Hopefully the posting schedule will start getting back to normal.
