Gideon Oliver

I remember some good things about it, but also some bad, and part of it had come from author Aaron Elkins' disowning of the show.

He didn't have a problem with Oliver being made black (Elkins had never specified Oliver's ethnicity in the books), but two things Elkins always refused to include in his books were Satanism and violence against children.

And the premiere episode was about a Satanic cult sacrificing children.

Elkins and his fans were horrified. And personally, I had no problem with Gossett, and thought he did a good job, but after reading some of the books, I found the series a turnoff. They had the smartness but none of the wry humor and light touches. I gave up on it after two shows; may have been unfair of me, but I found the show's dismissal of the author's work to be too much of a turnoff.

Louis Gossett Jr., who plays Gideon Oliver, is as charming and wonderful an actor as I would have hoped. However, as a fan of the Gideon Oliver books by Aaron Elkins, I was disappointed that the TV character was almost nothing like the character in the book.

I know that, in translating a character from one medium to another, some changes are inevitably made. However, I still expect some level of similarity aside from the name. In the books, Dr. Oliver is a physical anthropologist and "Skeleton Detective", who can look at a set of bones and tell, for example, that body came from someone who played a woodwind instrument. In these stories, he is a cultural anthropologist who knows about cultural differences. His wife, Julie, from the books is nowhere to be seen but he was a daughter in the TV series that was not in the book.

None of the recurring characters in the book appear in the series. In short, it is a Gideon Oliver series that is missing everything about Gideon Oliver. If you're a Louis Gossett Jr. Fan (and you certainly should be), he is a strong reason to watch the program. If you are a Gideon Oliver book fan, you will be disappointed.

"Gideon Oliver" was part of a rotating group of series on ABC's Monday Mystery Movie, along with a "Columbo" revival and Burt Reynolds' star vehicle "B.L. Stryker" (and perhaps another show that I don't recall). The Monday Mystery Movie was based on the NBC Mystery Movie format from the '70s. Alas, "Gideon" was the shortest-lived of the three series, lasting only five episodes. "Stryker" coasted on Reynolds' wisecracks, attitude and fisticuffs, but it couldn't last more than twelve episodes, either. Only longtime stalwart "Columbo" survived longer, outlasting the Monday Mystery Movie franchise, although it was no longer as fresh and original as it was during its NBC Sunday Mystery Movie era.

Gideon Oliver, as portrayed by Louis Gossett, Jr., was an excellent role model for African- Americans. Inquisitive, intelligent, caring, committed to justice. Able to hold his own in a fight, but preferring to outwit his opponents. It was one of Gossett's best characters. It was also much better than a later try at a brilliant black crime-solver, 1995's "Cosby Mysteries."

Whole episodes were often filmed in NYC with exterior location shots because Professor Oliver taught at Columbia University. This made it better in that respect than "McCloud," which, while set in NYC, relied on an obviously fake, backlot New York street for many of its shots.

While I'm not African-American, I was taken by this series. After not seeing it since the 1989 network run, I suggested it to the only cable channel I thought might be interested in picking it up, Superstation WGN. After all, they often filled prime time with their own Mystery Movie weeks, showing "McCloud" and "McMillan and Wife" episodes. And the five-episode size of this series would make it easier to buy the rights and fit into their schedule. Luckily, they seemed to take my suggestion, although they may have been doing it or planning it all along. In the past three years, WGN has run a Mystery Movie week featuring "Gideon Oliver" at least once a year. It's worth catching if you haven't seen it before.

From the first episode to the last I was glued to the TV during the entire series. I had taped the series on VHS but in the process of moving the tapes are now lost I only wish they had it out on DVD. Being an avid Crime Movie and Mystery Series fan this series was one of the best and Mr. Gossett was at his best in this role. Just when you thought you had it figured out they threw a curve at you and the endings were always a surprise. I only wish he made more episodes of this. The books written of this are equally as good as the series .If you missed it you missed something spectacular. Lets get this series out on DVD I need my Gideon fix :)

I remember the series exists all these years later, which says something, but I can't say much more. I do remember there was an episode that was clearly "inspired" by The Godfather, swapping Italian-Americans for Chinese-Americans. Gideon was essentially in the Kay position as the outsider dealing with someone he cares about being drawn into organized crime. In this case, it was his start student in the Michael Corleone role.

I do remember being surprised that the ending didn't give the typical TV episode resolution.