Carstairs Considers....: TV Show Review: Scarecrow and Mrs. King

Monday, February 11, 2013

TV Show Review: Scarecrow and Mrs. King - Season 1

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Light mix of humor and spy suspense

Cons: First few episodes, definitely from the 80's

The Bottom Line: Yes, this is 80's

But the light, fun adventures

Are entertaining

"I'd Feel Like I Was Lying and Sneaking Around." "You Are. You're Working for the Government."

When several friends found out I was a fan of Babylon 5, they made the connection between series star Bruce Boxleitner and his 80's series, Scarecrow and Mrs. King. Curious, I found it in reruns. I was quickly hooked on this light, charming spy show. After years of waiting, Warner has finally released the first season to DVD. And it is as charming as I remembered it being.

Lee "Scarecrow" Stetson (Bruce Boxleitner) is one of the top spies for unnamed "Agency" located in Washington DC. One day, when in danger, he gives a package to divorced mother of two Amanda King (Kate Jackson of Charlie's Angels fame). Impressed by her resourcefulness, Lee's boss Billy Melrose (Mel Stewart) hires Amanda to work for The Agency part time.

It really is amazing the kinds of dangers you can find in suburbia. Early episodes of the season find Amanda uncovering spies in a cosmetics company and a fast food chain. As the season continues, the two deal with royalty, a mole, and various Russian plots all while flirting shamelessly.

I've got to admit that I don't buy the romantic chemistry between the two that much this season. Scarecrow is still too dismissive of Amanda and upset by being saddled with this civilian. By the end, I am seeing a real friendship develop, however. When Amanda is in trouble, Lee will do anything to save her.

The show is pure 80's, and I'm not just talking about the costumes (although they are obviously dated as well.) All the villains are communists, usually of the Russian variety. The Cold War permeates every aspect of the story. The villains love to plot in heavily accented English instead of their native language, and cars explode on any impact.

The show has its own charm. Yes, it is a spy show, but all the plots take place in Washington, DC. And how Amanda figures things out and how she and Lee get in and out of danger would only happen on TV. The show does deliver some danger every week, but very little in the way of stunts or realistic violence. This is the spy show you can watch with your grandmother.

But as I said, the show is charming. And that comes from the characters. You can't help but truly like Amanda and her over eagerness to help. While Lee can be gruff with her, he usually softens by the end of the episode after she's provided some important piece of the puzzle. Both of the leads play their scenes perfectly.

And a lot of the fun comes from the supporting cast. Mel Stewart is given the least to do as the serious boss, but he does make Billy memorable. More fun is had by Martha Smith as Francine Desmond, the agent usually left in the office. Francine doesn't get why she, the trained operative, is stuck in the office while the amateur is out in the field. She takes every opportunity she can to get her digs in, and they usually fly right over Amanda's head.

Also in supporting roles are Amanda's family. Paul Stout and Greg Morton play Amanda's two boys; they may appear in one or two scenes per episode. Beverly Garland gets more screen time as Amanda's mother, Dotty West, who also lives with them. Since Amanda can't tell her family about her new job, deflecting her mother's suspicions provides plenty of fun moments. All three characters do add to the charm, keeping the feel of the series very light.

Despite what I've said about the light feel, the plots do hold together. The first few episodes have some holes or leaps of logic, but once the season gets rolling, these stories make sense. They may not be the complex, realistic stories we'd get today, but for a comedic spy show, they are perfect.

The first season consisted of 21 episodes, and we get them on 5 discs. That's it. No bonus features at all. The full screen picture looks good, except for the stock shots of Washington, DC used. The mono sound won't tax your system, but is easy to understand.

I remembered all over again why I found this series so fun when I first discovered it. If you have fond memories of the show, start your collection with Scarecrow and Mrs. King Season 1.

Season 1 Episodes:

1. The First Time

2. There Goes the Neighborhood

3. If Thoughts Could Kill

4. Magic Bus

5. The ACM Kid

6. Always Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

7. Service Above and Beyond

8. Saved by the Bells

9. Sudden Death

10. The Long Christmas Eve

11. Remembrance of Things Past