Thomas Banacek(George Peppard) is called in on a case involving an innovative prototype engine that is on a rotating display in a science and technology trade show that somehow vanishes/is stolen after a brief power failure. Linda Evans plays the head of the trade show, and is also a long ago friend of Banacek's. Andrew Prine plays the angry, paranoid designer of the engine who wants it back, Don Gordon plays a military man who professes a prior claim on the engine, and Dick Van Patten stars as a seemingly hapless inventor whose invention was damaged in the power outage. How was this theft pulled off, and by who? Lively episode with the expected clever resolution that an astute viewer may well figure out, though this is still entertaining.
5 Reviews
Engine Trouble
bkoganbing27 September 2016
A prototype rocket engine, the size of your car motor is the insured stolen object that Banacek has to recover. He's got your usual roomful of suspects when someone pulls the light switch and the object they were viewing disappears.
A lot of people are interested in this engine including its rather iconoclastic and obnoxious owner Andrew Prine who has everyone hating him before he's done. Don Gordon plays a Fed who is not overly fond of George Peppard's Polish wisdom. Hosting the exhibit is Linda Evans who Banacek has history with going way back.
This one is interesting and it's a real magician's trick that was used to pull off this caper. The only clue I'll give you is look at some of the other exhibits and think science fiction.
Nicely done.
A lot of people are interested in this engine including its rather iconoclastic and obnoxious owner Andrew Prine who has everyone hating him before he's done. Don Gordon plays a Fed who is not overly fond of George Peppard's Polish wisdom. Hosting the exhibit is Linda Evans who Banacek has history with going way back.
This one is interesting and it's a real magician's trick that was used to pull off this caper. The only clue I'll give you is look at some of the other exhibits and think science fiction.
Nicely done.
Witty dialogue, unsatisfying mystery
filmklassik14 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This ep managed to coast along for 50 minutes on the strength of its charismatic lead, lovely supporting actresses, and several witty exchanges. But I got impatient with the mystery. It wasn't advancing fast enough. So I did a little fast advancing of my own and jumped to the end to learn the solution and was insulted by that most ridiculous of mystery standbys ...
(Here comes the spoiler:)
The thief used a hologram of a new experimental rocket engine to make onlookers believe it was still on exhibit when in fact it was long gone. It had been stolen in the night.
A hologram.
Yes, they went there, folks. Wish I hadn't.
(Here comes the spoiler:)
- a hologram.
The thief used a hologram of a new experimental rocket engine to make onlookers believe it was still on exhibit when in fact it was long gone. It had been stolen in the night.
A hologram.
Yes, they went there, folks. Wish I hadn't.
Carlie's last!
planktonrules24 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
During the course of the 16 episodes that made up the TV series "Banacek", a half dozen had a character named Carlie. She was intended as a combination foil and potential love interest for Banacek and she was, in my opinion, a terribly written character. She was constantly annoying and impossible to believe....a product of some very bad writing. Sadly, it took them quite a few episodes to realize how off-putting he was. Fortunately, "Rocket to Oblivion" was her final appearance!
In "Rocket to Oblivion" a new secret rocket engine is apparently stolen before the eyes of a small crowd of people. Banacek arrives soon after to solve this mystery...which isn't a surprise as his finder's fee will be $500,000 if he figures it all out for the insurance company. Along the way, he has to contend with the ever-annoying Carlie as well as a sexy old friend from the past (Linda Evans).
From the onset, Carlie is abrasive and at the end, she's VERY abrasive....a huge strike against the episode. Don Gordon's character was also problematic, as he tended to overact and seemed unrealistic. In addition, I think the solution to the problem, a full-color hologram, was also a problem as such technology wasn't easy to come by and may not have even been possible back in 1974. I am no expert...but the solution to all this just didn't seem possible based on the tech of the day. Overall, a bit of a disappointment.
In "Rocket to Oblivion" a new secret rocket engine is apparently stolen before the eyes of a small crowd of people. Banacek arrives soon after to solve this mystery...which isn't a surprise as his finder's fee will be $500,000 if he figures it all out for the insurance company. Along the way, he has to contend with the ever-annoying Carlie as well as a sexy old friend from the past (Linda Evans).
From the onset, Carlie is abrasive and at the end, she's VERY abrasive....a huge strike against the episode. Don Gordon's character was also problematic, as he tended to overact and seemed unrealistic. In addition, I think the solution to the problem, a full-color hologram, was also a problem as such technology wasn't easy to come by and may not have even been possible back in 1974. I am no expert...but the solution to all this just didn't seem possible based on the tech of the day. Overall, a bit of a disappointment.
The most overacting cast ever?
estabansmythe22 April 2023
Harry Truman was right when he said that the buck stops with the person in charge.
In the case of this "Banacek" episode, that would be a director I've always liked, Andrew V. McLaglan, son of Best Actor Oscar winner Victor McLaglan & the director of my favorite John Wayne movie, "The Undefeated" (1969).
Andy let cast members Andrew Prine as an inventor play like the overacting ham he often was. Arnold Ziffel & Porky Pig were never even close to the ham Prine was on numerous occasions, probably topped by this performance that only Farmer John could love (but in real life, he was married to Brenda Scott not once, not twice, but three times so I do give im credit for that).
Meanwhile, bit player Robert Rothwell as a security guard was as amateurish a performance by an actor as you'll ever see. Picture, say, Donald Trump or Ed Sullivan portraying the security guard and, believe it or not, Trump and Ed each would have been better actors.
So, whose fault was this? Director Andy's, of course because the buck stopped with him! It was his job to direct his actors and he didn't. His was a colossal failure.
In the case of this "Banacek" episode, that would be a director I've always liked, Andrew V. McLaglan, son of Best Actor Oscar winner Victor McLaglan & the director of my favorite John Wayne movie, "The Undefeated" (1969).
Andy let cast members Andrew Prine as an inventor play like the overacting ham he often was. Arnold Ziffel & Porky Pig were never even close to the ham Prine was on numerous occasions, probably topped by this performance that only Farmer John could love (but in real life, he was married to Brenda Scott not once, not twice, but three times so I do give im credit for that).
Meanwhile, bit player Robert Rothwell as a security guard was as amateurish a performance by an actor as you'll ever see. Picture, say, Donald Trump or Ed Sullivan portraying the security guard and, believe it or not, Trump and Ed each would have been better actors.
So, whose fault was this? Director Andy's, of course because the buck stopped with him! It was his job to direct his actors and he didn't. His was a colossal failure.
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