Search - Spenser: Pale Kings & Princes on DVD

Don't Hire This Spenser - look for the 80's Spenser instead!

McElligot's Pool | 07/15/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Aaarrrggghhh. The 80's series "Spenser: For Hire" was a treat. Robert Urich was hunky and intellectual, tough and tender. Avery Brooks was unmatchable as Hawk. Barbara Williams did a workman-like job as Spenser's main squeeze, Susan. But all that was in the original 80's series and, unfortunately, none of it shows up here.

How is it you can bring back Urich and Brooks and manage to make something as awful, poorly acted, and convoluted in story line as this and the other 90's made-for-TV movies based on the original Spenser series? But they - whoever they are - managed it!

The late Bob Urich is still the same Spenser, but just not enough to salvage this mess. And somehow they managed to diminish Hawk, both in time onscreen and in breadth of character - a real shame, as Brooks brought much to the original series.

My advice? Wait for the release of the 80's series on DVD and don't waste your hard-earned bucks here. Yet if you simply have to watch this one for old-times' sake, at least don't let it dim your memory of a great series..."