A Nero Wolfe Mystery

I have read every Nero Wolfe book printed and own most of them. I have been reading about the undertakings of the great Nero Wolfe and his right-hand man, Archie Goodwin, since I was in school. It was with great trepidation that I viewed this series; fully expecting to see miscast characters, loss of the very meticulous detail which makes the books so enticing, and a total loss of plot. I was genuinely and wonderfully surprised to find that my expectations were way off the mark.

I could not have cast the characters better had I been permitted to choose them myself. I have been casting these characters in my mind since I started reading the books. I chose Raymond Burr for the part of Nero Wolfe, and although I do believe he would have done the part justice I sincerely do not believe he could have done a better presentation than Mr Chaykin. I was never able cast Archie's part in my mind to any satisfaction and when I read that Timothy Hutton would be playing the part I thought that was a serious error. However as it turns out Mr Hutton plays a perfect Archie. I am at a loss for words to describe why he is so fitted to the character. He looks like Archie, he acts like Archie - he simply is Archie.

The detail that the series has managed to preserve is amazing. If you've read the books you are familiar with the red leather chair and the yellow leather chairs and who gets which and when! Not only are the chairs brought to life, the elevator, the decor, the orchids, Fritz in all of his self righteousness, Wolfe's pushing in & out of his lips, the froth on the beer, the milk, the typewriter....the adherence to the novels is outstanding!! This show feels familiar the first time you watch it.

As it turns out my estimation on the probability of the plots falling apart was also unfounded. The plots are not compromised. We are not shorted a good run down of the clues. I have yet to find a question unanswered. Another wonderful adaptation.

This series has also taken a fairly unique approach to casting the supporting roles in that with the exception of the recurring roles of Wolfe, Goodwin, Fritz, Saul, Orrie, Fred, Cramer and perhaps one or two other minor characters all of the supporting cast appear to be made up of the same actors every week. For example, Christine Brubaker has shown her wide range of acting capability playing parts from a night club singer to a newspaper columnist. This concept not only impresses the audience with the amount of talent but also adds to the feeling that this series is an old friend who has returned for another treasured visit.

I would highly recommend this series to anyone. If you've read the books, I promise that you will not be disappointed. If you have not read the novels then you will be introduced to some of the most complex, human and entertaining characters you will ever meet.

A+ to all involved.

Magnificent performances: Tough to fill Archie Goodwin's shoes, and even tougher to fill Nero Wolfe's, but Timothy Hutton and Maury Chaykin do it in these splendid, remarkably faithful adaptations of Rex Stout's addictive detective novels. Bill Smitrovich as Inspector Cramer, Colin Fox as Fritz; Conrad Dunn, Fulvio Cecere, and Trent McMullen as the 'Teers; and R.D. Reid as Sergeant Purley "I tawt you wuz already gone" Stebbins are also dead-on and delightful. Plus a tour-de-force for the non-recurring roles, in the best theater tradition but unique for television -- a talented repertory cast, led by Kari Matchett, Debra Monk, Francie Swift, James Tolkan, Nicki Guadagni and the late great George Plimpton.

Kudos especially to head writer Sharon Doyle for not only keeping the faith with Stout's marvelous language – the dialog and Archie's first-person narrative (here as voice-over) – but actually enhancing the stories with worthy-of-Stout inventions of her own. Some standouts: In "Disguise for Murder" and "Eeny Meeny Murder Mo" we get ringside seats at the card games which are unseen teasers in the books; in "Poison a la Carte" we share a beautifully poignant, wordless concluding scene that speaks volumes about the relationship between Wolfe and Fritz; in "Christmas Party" and "Door to Death" we get priceless gems from a jealous Lily Rowan;and joy of joys, in "Silent Speaker" we get the Nero Wolfe series' own "Mrs. Columbo" – Mrs.Cramer, in person, joining forces with Archie for fun with Fergus.

The sets are stunning, especially the beloved Brownstone in all its glory.

This is the show that introduced millions of viewers to Wolfe and Archie and catapulted their creator, whose last book was published 30 years ago, to the top of the used book sales charts. Season One and Season Two Nero Wolfe on DVD are treasures for new and longtime fans alike. The absence of a Season Three on A&E and DVD is sad evidence of a once proud television network gone to the dogs.

This series is one of the bright spots of television broadcasting. An intelligent and engaging action detective show with a fabulous ensemble cast. Each episode is a sparkling adaptation of one of the 74 popular mystery novels or novellas written by Rex Stout and featuring the 1/7th of a ton, brilliant, orchid loving, gourmet detective Nero Wolfe and his free wheeling and wise-cracking assistant Archie Goodwin. The best screen adaptation of a detective book series since William Powell and Myrna Loy in The Thin Man series in the 30s and with much of the charm and sophistication that made Nick and Nora Charles so beloved. Don't miss Nero Wolfe, Archie Goodwin and the other denizens of the brownstone on 35th Street in NYC, home of the world's largest and greatest detective.

The "Nero Wolfe" TV series (2001-2002) was brilliant, and if you missed it on TV or, like its myriad fans, want to see it again and again, "Nero Wolfe" is available on DVD. Producers Michael Jaffe, Timothy Hutton, and Howard Braunstein did everything right - the cast, the dialogue, the sets, the wardrobe, and the music. Everything that Rex Stout put into his stories can be seen on these DVDs. ("Nero Wolfe-The Complete Season One" and "Nero Wolfe-The Complete Season Two") And the quality of the DVDs, both the audio and the video, is superb.

The Doorbell Rang (the first episode on the Season One DVD set), starring Timothy Hutton as Archie Goodwin, and Maury Chaykin as Nero Wolfe, is an exceptional adaptation of Rex Stout's 1965 novel. Nero Wolfe, with the assistance of Archie Goodwin, his intrepid legman, takes on "the big fish," J. Edgar Hoover.

The Season Two DVDs are every bit as fine as the Season One set in audio and video quality. Season Two has the added fillip of bonus material which was sadly lacking in the Season One set. The Season Two set includes "The Golden Spiders," the 2000 TV movie which led to the series, and "The Making of Nero Wolfe," a short documentary which offers interviews with Timothy Hutton, Maury Chaykin, and others involved in the production of this marvelous series. Also included as a "bonus" is a widescreen version of "The Silent Speaker." (It is unfortunate that A&E did not see fit to offer all of the episodes in widescreen.) After enjoying Nero Wolfe Season One and Two you'll want more adaptations of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe done by Jaffe, Hutton et al. You'll also wonder what fit of nincompoopery came over A&E and made them cancel this exemplary series.

I was begining to wonder, with one boring TV season after another, and "Frasier" being the only show to watch. Now I have "Wolfe." I hope A & E will keep it around for awhile. Timothy Hutton and Maury Chaykin are brilliant in their roles as Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe. My dad is a big fan of the books, and he says they're excatly how he would have pictured them to be.

The show seems to air in segments of two-part episodes, that will most likely be marketed as movies. They're worth buying! Fast-paced and and full of fun, "Nero Wolfe" seems to be the best show that has come along to television in a long time! At first I thought it would just be an excuse to watch Timothy Hutton (SWOON) once a week, but it's got a whole lot more than just a really great actor.

Thank you, A & E, for this quality show.