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The fictional detective Nero Wolfe was one of the stalwarts of crime fiction in America during the '30's through the 50's, right up there with Ellery Queen and Perry Mason. Decidedly not in the "tough guy" school of Hammett and Chandler. Except for Mason and Raymond Burr, neither Queen nor Wolfe received the attention of acceptable actors in that time period. Wolfe was played by Edward Arnold and Walter Connelly back then in ways that were all wrong. That's not to mention the interpretation of the "Archie Goodwin" character. Maury Chaykin plays Wolfe in this series, and while heavy set he is no 1/6 or 1/7 of a pound as the original Wolfe was said to be in the novels. Chaykin plays Wolfe in so irascible a way that he resists engendering affection. He doesn't even look like a "Nero" should, if you think of Laughton in THE SIGN OF THE CROSS (1932). But the "Archie" role is done very well by Tim Hutton. All that aside: This is a very acceptable, very worthy series. Better than the William Conrad TV programs which relied on original scripts. This series tries to be true to the original novels, by hewing closer to the lines of the original stories, though there are lapses which are inevitable given the differences in time and culture. If I have a significant criticism, it's that the producers chose to use an "ensemble cast." Supporting actors you see in one role in one episode turn up in completely different roles in other episodes. Ingenues in one can be killers in others. This can be disconcerting, but I suppose no more so than seeing contract players in different roles during the studio system of Hollywood's Golden Age. Anyway, I loved the Rex Stout stories which I read as a kid, liked watching "Nero Wolfe" dramatized on screen; and I taped this TV series when it first appeared, and now have purchased the DVD version of the TV production to have something more permanent to go back to more readily. If you are a fan of Nero Wolfe, this is something to buy. If you like armchair detective shows, this is something to consider. The "mystery" elements are reasonably good; and the past tense settings, designs, and atmosphere (circa '50's) make the shows a lot of fun to watch.Read full review
This is a bittersweet moment for me because I really loved this series. The complete collection of Nero Wolfe is one of those things I end up giving as gifts to friends and relatives because it is highly entertaining, highly stylized and just so damn good. The plots, heavily based on the originals, are intriguing. The actors are first rate in all their roles. For a variety of reasons including reducing costs, the producers used almost a standard repartory company of actors who changed roles from week to week. As an example, check out one of the best, Kari Matchett, playing a scatterbrained widow and a femme fatale the next and she is equally effective in either role. The key to this series is Tim Hutton as Archie. Whether wooing the ladies, which he does well or sparring with Nero Wolfe, this is a series of mysteries that are great entertainment for those who want more than the current rotation of A&E programming of unsolved mysteries and "reality programming" of cartoon characters. In other words, cheap programming. This is bittersweet for me because there simply are not enough Nero Wolfe episodes for my taste. I just wish there were more of them!Read full review
My husband and I are Nero Wolfe readers from way back. This TV series did well at capturing the characters, despite the short length of most of the episodes. My only complaint is that the other actors are an ensemble; many of them appear in several or all of the episodes--playing different characters. A bit disconcerting. I wish the series had gone on for more than two seasons. A warning: The last episode (perhaps intended as a separate movie) is The Golden Spiders. It actually should be the first viewed, since it establishes the characters.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
The background sets of 1950's New York are absolutely gorgeous. It makes me wish once again to have lived in that era. I had seen most of the episodes but now I have them at hand to enjoy whenever I please. I love the clothes, the sets, everything. Of course, the acting and writing is superb. I've read many of Rex Stout's novels on Wolfe and am pleased that the writers have kept very closely to the stories Stout wrote. And I love the idea of use of a repertory of actors that fill different roles in various episodes. Thank you for the DVD.
The "Nero Wolfe" TV series (2001-2002) is brilliant - casting, colors, sound and scripts. Producers Michael Jaffe, Timothy Hutton, and Howard Braunstein did a superb job bringing Rex Stout's stories to the screen. Maury Chaykin, as Nero Wolfe, and Timothy Hutton, as Archie Goodwin, along with an excellent supporting cast - Colin Fox, Bill Smitrovich, Conrad Dunn, Kari Matchett, Saul Rubinek, R.D. Reid, Fulvio Cesere, Trent McMullen, and Francie Swift to name a few - do an exceptional job portraying Stout's cherished characters. The producers choose some of Rex Stout's most popular Nero Wolfe novels for adaptation. "The Doorbell Rang," "Death of a Doxy," "Champagne for One," and "The Mother Hunt" are included in the series. Stout's novellas are also represented by such as "Before I Die," "Christmas Party," "Disguise For Murder," and "Poison A La Carte." Five Stars and a Most Satisfactory.Read full review
