"The Night of the Pelican" had the potential to be much, much better. We have the capable Charles Aidman, as Secret Service Agent Jeremy Pike, covering for MIA Artemus Gordon (actor Ross Martin, who was recovering from a real-life heart attack).
Criminal Mastermind "Din Chang" is played by Khigh Dhiegh (best known as super-villain Wo Fat on Hawaii Five-0). He should have appeared in the opening scene, but the writers waited until the show is half over to introduce him.
Actor Buck Kartalian portrays Lieutenant Bengsten of the San Francisco Police. He and James West are obviously acquainted. They are discussing the murder of a Chinese lady informant. Lt. Bengsten mentions Din Chang. He takes a henchman into custody, "I will try to get him to open up and talk". But we never see the Lieutenant again.
Then comes a scene with West in the prison yard; he is ordered to move a pile of heavy cannon balls to the other side of the yard. Then he has to move them back. That scene is reminiscent of the movie "Cool Hand Luke", where Luke has to dig a hole, then put the dirt back, then do it again until he is totally exhausted. The scene with James West gets a bit tedious, and appears to be "filler" to stretch out the hour.
Another character is obviously cast to fill the minority quota demanded by the producers in Season 4. "Miss Safford" arrives to give a report to James West, then she is gone and does not reappear.
And for the requisite eye candy, actress Francine York is cast as Dr. Sara Gibson. As another reviewer on this page said, she quickly devolves from the competent, authoritative Prison Doctor, into a damsel in distress.
What seemed like an ambitious plan by Din Chang to rule San Francisco, and possibly control shipping at one of America's greatest ports, fizzles out and becomes nothing more than a payroll robbery. Even the escape of Wo Fat is anti-climactic, a complete letdown.
But the most wearying scene is the epilogue. The Wild Wild West often concludes an episode with West and Gordon (in this case Pike) entertaining two attractive ladies in the Wanderer's parlor car. We get that here. Jeremy Pike has a package from Artemus, it has "one of those talking records". He puts it on the platter (never mind the historical inaccuracy here, flat vinyl records did not yet exist). Some giggling girl is speaking for Artie. The joke is tasteless and sophomoric, it falls flat. But the writers drag it out for an encore.
"Night of the Pelican" had a stellar cast, a great plot, the Chinese intrigue, and a great location (San Francisco). But the writers botched this one.
7 Stars is the best I can rate "The Night of the Pelican".
Criminal Mastermind "Din Chang" is played by Khigh Dhiegh (best known as super-villain Wo Fat on Hawaii Five-0). He should have appeared in the opening scene, but the writers waited until the show is half over to introduce him.
Actor Buck Kartalian portrays Lieutenant Bengsten of the San Francisco Police. He and James West are obviously acquainted. They are discussing the murder of a Chinese lady informant. Lt. Bengsten mentions Din Chang. He takes a henchman into custody, "I will try to get him to open up and talk". But we never see the Lieutenant again.
Then comes a scene with West in the prison yard; he is ordered to move a pile of heavy cannon balls to the other side of the yard. Then he has to move them back. That scene is reminiscent of the movie "Cool Hand Luke", where Luke has to dig a hole, then put the dirt back, then do it again until he is totally exhausted. The scene with James West gets a bit tedious, and appears to be "filler" to stretch out the hour.
Another character is obviously cast to fill the minority quota demanded by the producers in Season 4. "Miss Safford" arrives to give a report to James West, then she is gone and does not reappear.
And for the requisite eye candy, actress Francine York is cast as Dr. Sara Gibson. As another reviewer on this page said, she quickly devolves from the competent, authoritative Prison Doctor, into a damsel in distress.
What seemed like an ambitious plan by Din Chang to rule San Francisco, and possibly control shipping at one of America's greatest ports, fizzles out and becomes nothing more than a payroll robbery. Even the escape of Wo Fat is anti-climactic, a complete letdown.
But the most wearying scene is the epilogue. The Wild Wild West often concludes an episode with West and Gordon (in this case Pike) entertaining two attractive ladies in the Wanderer's parlor car. We get that here. Jeremy Pike has a package from Artemus, it has "one of those talking records". He puts it on the platter (never mind the historical inaccuracy here, flat vinyl records did not yet exist). Some giggling girl is speaking for Artie. The joke is tasteless and sophomoric, it falls flat. But the writers drag it out for an encore.
"Night of the Pelican" had a stellar cast, a great plot, the Chinese intrigue, and a great location (San Francisco). But the writers botched this one.
7 Stars is the best I can rate "The Night of the Pelican".