The Hardy Boys - S2E4 - A Clue On Film

[SkyWarp]

So, it is at this point in the series that I am torn.  Torn between the potential this series has and the dumb junk they want to throw into it just because writers feel like they need to push agendas and lifestyles on other people. 

let start with the good stuff....

We get an appearance by Samuel Peterson again.  For some reason I really like his character.  He has small parts, but it is these types of scenes that really work well with this show.  Not a lot to his part, but it connects it to the books in a way that works while giving some freedom to the tv series to change things up ever so slightly, meaning he is essentially the same character, but just not quite in the same position.  I am okay with this.  In my mind he just hasn't been promoted to a Chief yet. 

Several new characters make their debut.  Many of these are probably minor characters, but they help fill out the lives of several of the current characters.  But here is where things get really close to changing things too much.   

Brian Conrad is no longer the brother of Belinda, but the father of Belinda.  Perhaps not a problem.  I've not read the more recent books with the Conrads, so as long as Belinda and Brian's dad's name is never mentioned I don't have a problem with this. 

Does Phil have a sister in the books?  I don't remember any.  she gets an introduction too.  No problem here either if she is never mentioned. 

Steve Shaw was in the last episode.  I don't recall much being said about Callie's dad, so not a big deal here either. 

But why is Mack Malone seem to be a bad guy?  We don't get much as far as I know from the books, but being a bad guy is definitely a stretch.  Then again, we did make Ezra a bad guy last season. 

At this point in time I also feel like Mr. Munder must teach almost every single class in the school.    Or maybe he is just in charge of study hall too and that is why he doesn't seem to be doing much teaching in his classes.  Either way, I have no problem with is character either. 

In fact I don't have a problem with virtually any of the characters and certainly not with the actors.  I have a problem with the extra relationship story stuff. 

We meet Belinda's ex-girlfriend, Erica, in this episode.  No idea why. What is the purpose?  She just arrives and then is gone.  Unless something really strange comes of this later, this was done on purpose because of a political and cultural agenda. 

Although not in this episode I am still confused why they gave Officer Riley the first name of Con.  Anyone ever heard of a girl named Con?  Maybe it is short for something? 

And then to Vanessa.  Perhaps some look at Venessa the same way that some people look at Scappy Doo.  And perhaps that is why they have played her off (so far) as a stuck up preppy girl.  Perhaps there is more to her story and things will make more sense.  If not, then why introduce Venessa at this point in the tv show? 

So that comes to my biggest gripe of the season.  Why do they need to use names of actual book characters and not have them even remotely be like their book characters? 
I was able to deal with Elizabeth last season as there really is a lack of females beyond Callie, Iola, and Vanessa.  they could have just called Belinda by a different name and I would have been fine with that.  Maybe choose one of the many names in the books that Chet or Joe somehow likes but never works out. 

I think the acting is good from almost all of these new characters, but I am not a fan of the names they were given. 

The next part I am struggling with is all the relationship stuff.  Hopefully they can solve these relationships in a satisfactory way before the season ends. 

All this character and relationship talk and I nearly left out all the main story elements.  What is important to this series?  I think they are not sure.  That is what happens when people try to push agendas. 

So back to the story and the questions we now have...  Does Mr. Conrad work for Stratemeyer Global or is he this relationship legit with Angela Todd?  Where is this Abigail Owens story going?  And does Gloria still have power from her jail cell?  Will we see Paul McFarlane again?  A lot of good questions, but I fear maybe too many.  Time will tell. 

[NZone]

My guess is that Abigail Owens is Angela Todd

[MacGyver]

I just watched this episode tonight. I share a lot of the concerns already mentioned here, so I won't go into it again. I'm enjoying watching the mystery unfold in this season. I wish sexually immoral relationships weren't on display in this series but it seems to be an unfortunate reality with most modern shows.
   I appreciate that the show still reminds us of the time period setting, with landline telephones, VHS tape splicing and camcorders, going to a drive-in movie and '80s slang. It was funny hearing both "grody" and "gag me with a spoon" in there.
   As has been mentioned, it's interesting to see how many characters from the books have been introduced, even if they don't seem to quite match up to their literary counterparts. Vanessa Bender has a few lines in this one. Belinda Conrad has been introduced and Brian is apparently her father's name on the show. Does she have a brother on the show that hasn't been seen yet? Maybe her brother's a junior on the show, which would allow for both he and his father to share a first name. Phil Cohen apparently has a sister named Tiffany on the show. Interesting!
    I also find it interesting how other characters seem to be a close match- like Lola Burton sounds a lot like Iola Morton. I assume Dennis Gilroy is the show's equivalent of Jerry Gilroy from the books.
   I also like that Sam Peterson is on the show. And I didn't even catch that Officer Con Riley has been shown on the show now! (And that she's a woman on the show. Con can be short for Connie or Consuela, so I guess that can work.) And Lucy's last name is Wayne! Is she related to Jack Wayne, maybe?
    The mystery continues to unravel slowly and it is still interesting to see it come together.