Detectives on Oldtime Radio

Rating:
Summary: A Detective Dozen
Review: Assuming that the editors chose what they thought to be "best" examples of each show for inclusion in this anthology, the quality of the shows is as uneven as the various formats. The shows that seek to capture gritty realism include "Tales of Texas Rangers," "This is Your FBI," "Dragnet," and "Gangbusters." More traditional detective/mystery shows are "The Saint," "Philip Marlowe," "Richard Diamond," and "Ellery Queen." Two shows could be classified as radio comic books: "The Green Hornet," and "Boston Blackie." "Sherlock Holmes," of course, stands in a class by itself for radio mystery.

As a kid I watched the T.V. versions of both "Dragnet" and "Tales of Texas Rangers," and I still try to watch "Dragnet" on cable. Consequently, I was surprised by how bad "Dragnet" was and how good "Texas Rangers" was. "Texas Rangers" rates as the best of the reality shows in the collection and "Gangbusters" ties with "Dragnet" for last.

Among the traditional mysteries, the quality was much more even, with Vincent Price as "The Saint" edging out the other competitors for best in this category.

"The Green Hornet" and "Boston Blackie" were just plain dumb.

Whatever the quality of these pieces, they all entertain. They also give us a window into what entertained our parents and grandparents when the nation was younger and, if we were not a bit more innocent, at least our sensibilities were not quite as jaded as they are in these postmodern times.

Rating:
Summary: A Detective Dozen
Review: Assuming that the editors chose what they thought to be "best" examples of each show for inclusion in this anthology, the quality of the shows is as uneven as the various formats. The shows that seek to capture gritty realism include "Tales of Texas Rangers," "This is Your FBI," "Dragnet," and "Gangbusters." More traditional detective/mystery shows are "The Saint," "Philip Marlowe," "Richard Diamond," and "Ellery Queen." Two shows could be classified as radio comic books: "The Green Hornet," and "Boston Blackie." "Sherlock Holmes," of course, stands in a class by itself for radio mystery.

As a kid I watched the T.V. versions of both "Dragnet" and "Tales of Texas Rangers," and I still try to watch "Dragnet" on cable. Consequently, I was surprised by how bad "Dragnet" was and how good "Texas Rangers" was. "Texas Rangers" rates as the best of the reality shows in the collection and "Gangbusters" ties with "Dragnet" for last.

Among the traditional mysteries, the quality was much more even, with Vincent Price as "The Saint" edging out the other competitors for best in this category.

"The Green Hornet" and "Boston Blackie" were just plain dumb.

Whatever the quality of these pieces, they all entertain. They also give us a window into what entertained our parents and grandparents when the nation was younger and, if we were not a bit more innocent, at least our sensibilities were not quite as jaded as they are in these postmodern times.

Rating:
Summary: It was a dark and stormy night..
Review: Drop the lights, and light a candle as you go back to the time of mystery and mayhem. These tapes offer a great spectrum of the detective genre.

Rating:
Summary: It was a dark and stormy night..
Review: Drop the lights, and light a candle as you go back to the time of mystery and mayhem. These tapes offer a great spectrum of the detective genre.