Barney Miller (TV Series) The Recluse (1976) User Reviews

Jilly and Victor

[kevinolzak · 6/10 · 27 March 2014]

"The Recluse" brings back Denise Miller's Jilly Papalardo (from "Evacuation"), with John Cassisi playing her new friend Victor Kreutzer, in their final tuneup prior to the Feb 1977 debut of the FISH spin off series. Add to that, we have Bernice making a rare appearance (fourth, third for Florence Stanley), and it's difficult to accept the weak premise in store for Abe Vigoda's sendoff. Trying to escape the group home, Jilly and Victor escape persecution by claiming to be Fish's grandchildren, which naturally alarms Bernice: "what grandchildren?" (Fish: "I wanted to surprise you!"). Turning to more interesting matters, a religious maniac (Arnold Soboloff, previously seen in "Grand Hotel") makes doom laden proclamations from the bible in his cell, announcing that the world will end by 5:30PM (Yemana: "there goes our overtime!"). Wojo brings in a man (Ivor Francis, 4 episodes) who refuses to perform jury duty, barricading himself in his apartment since Pearl Harbor, 35 years before ("are we still at war?"). Imagine him getting his first look at a woman in 35 years, and it's Bernice and her perfume! (his fate is a genuine surprise). Florence Stanley's Bernice next appears in "Abduction," preceding the debut of FISH by two days (Feb 3 1977).

Jilly & Victor

[tigercap100 · 5/10 · 4 May 2015]

This is my favorite show from the 70's, but this particular episode is the worst. Those 2 kids are beyond annoying. Their lines are too cutesy-trying-to-be-funny while also trying to portray a tough-street-smart persona. Instead of find a balance, they strike out on both sides. The kids over-act with their caked-on accent. It's not that they necessarily should have been cute, but you think they'd write and cast in a way where you WANT Fish to help these kids out. The other thing that bugs me is the fake-laughter surrounding the religious nuts' lines. The story isn't engaging or funny. I really should check: Did they have a writer's strike? Why do both stories fall flat so much, on a show that's normally scores episodes in the 9s?