Nero Wolfe

[Chasseur]

Stout's special world was well-represented on the series, I thought. Wolfe's world is an alternate universe that was very similar to ours -- Stout made up his own brand names for cars and guns and rugs.

Chaykin was a little too tantrum-y to match with the literary Wolfe; I liked William Conrad's voice much much better; but Tim Hutton was a grand Archie. There's a moment in the first episode where he comes into a building, consults the directory, finds the name he wants, and taps it, sort of like saying "Bingo!", before hurrying up the stairs. Perfect touch.

Of the episodes' originals, "Disguise for Murder," "Die Like a Dog," and The Doorbell Rang are all superb reads. Some of the novelettes, like "Christmas Party," are poor mysteries; maybe they made better TV (I didn't get to see all the episodes in 2001-2002).

I think I'd have to read some of them to a better feel. Often while watching I thought some of the things in the show were done specifically for fans of the novels and that the humor was lost on me.

I made it through the pilot and about 2 or 3 episodes and that was about it. Too much tongue and check high school acting, too many episodes that seemed to revolve around Chaykin's tantrums and everyone yelling for about 5-10 minutes, and too many bad 1990s suits and cheapo fedoras a la David Hyde Pierce from Frasier trying to masquerade as 1940s or 50s attire. I found the scenes of Wolfe and Fritz his cook fighting over food to be particularly painful.

Though as you mention Hutton did grow on me as I watched it unlike Chaykin. Phooey!

 

[Benzadmiral]

Well if we think Maury Chaykin was wrong, here's a news bit from The Wolfe Pack, a fan site devoted to Stout's work: http://www.nerowolfe.org/htm/miscmedia/FadimanAssoc/no-tv-show.htm

William Shatner, age about 29, as Archie -- and Kurt Kasznar ("Land of the Giants") as Wolfe??!!?? Shatner could have carried it off, but I'm not so sure about Kasznar, good as he was.

And a half-hour show would not have done justice to the characters, setting, or plots. Sort of like a version of Darren McGavin's "Mike Hammer" with orchids.