S01.E03: The Stall

[LaylaGirl]

Did anyone else catch the Gene Hackman reference to the move "The Conversation?" She told someone she listened as hard as Gene Hackman to the tape of the radio show and the person didn't get the reference. She didn't name the movie, but I'm sure that is what she was referring to. It was an even more obtuse reference than Michael Weston and "Burn Notice" in the first episode.

[possibilities]

3 hours ago, LaylaGirl said:

Did anyone else catch the Gene Hackman reference to the move "The Conversation?" She told someone she listened as hard as Gene Hackman to the tape of the radio show and the person didn't get the reference. She didn't name the movie, but I'm sure that is what she was referring to. It was an even more obtuse reference than Michael Weston and "Burn Notice" in the first episode.

I got it! That movie haunted me for a while.

[DearEvette]

I liked her dislike of the dog.  Hey if you are an asshole, regardless of species, you should be called on it.

Also, I did a 'uh... whut?' face when the radio guy said "I don't know about you, but what I do in the bathroom ain't gender neutral."

The sheer absurdity of that statement just cracks me up.  LOL.  And then I saw Hanky T. Pickens... and it all made sense.

Yeah, it was obvious the wife and Taffy were in on it together from the beginning when they gave each other a look right after he spoke to his George and George told him he was going vegan.

OI so agree with everyone that the show does such a good job of making the victim likeable, that is is heartbreaking when they are killed.

Lil Rel Howery was fantastic as Taffy. 

My husband when I told him the premise after he watched the end of the last epsiode said... 'so its like Columbo crossed with Highway to Heaven crossed with Murder she wrote?'

[sugarbaker design]

On 1/28/2023 at 10:10 PM, shapeshifter said:

Natasha Lyonne was the guest today on the Saturday NPR comedy news quiz Wait Wait Don't Tell Me. 
During the interview portion, Peter Sagal compared the character of Charlie Cale to that of Columbo——who Lyonne admitted she appreciated——and, OMG, when I watched "The Stall" this evening, every time Natasha/Charlie spoke throughout this entire episode it seemed like she was totally doing an impersonation of Columbo, with the writing of Charlie's lines completely supporting the Columbo-esque persona. 

This show is a total homage to Columbo.  The opening credits are Columbo style, first the title of the show, then the title of the episode, then starring Peter Falk or Natasha Lyonne.  Even the font is very similar.  The opening fifteen minutes explaining who the killer is, who the murder victim is, the motive, the method etc, then the eventual arrival of our detective.  Like Columbo, it's fun to see what the major flaw in the killer's plan is.  There was a particular episode of Columbo, Most Crucial Game, where clock chimes that should've been in a recording that gave the killer an alibi (just like the truth train) were not in the recording.

Edited March 14, 2023 by sugarbaker design

[sugarbaker design]

On 2/6/2023 at 3:44 AM, LaylaGirl said:

Did anyone else catch the Gene Hackman reference to the move "The Conversation?" She told someone she listened as hard as Gene Hackman to the tape of the radio show and the person didn't get the reference. She didn't name the movie, but I'm sure that is what she was referring to. It was an even more obtuse reference than Michael Weston and "Burn Notice" in the first episode.

I don't know, I would argue which reference was more obscure.  I would think a reference to The Conversation, a film considered to be a classic by many, might be less obscure than a basic cable crime drama.

Edited March 14, 2023 by sugarbaker design

[snarktini]

On 1/26/2023 at 7:13 PM, Irlandesa said:

I did not recognize Danielle McDonald in this episode until I read the credits here.

Everyone was familiar in this one! I knew her face but didn't know from where without help.

On 3/2/2023 at 3:13 PM, DearEvette said:

I liked her dislike of the dog.  Hey if you are an asshole, regardless of species, you should be called on it.

Lil Rel Howery was fantastic as Taffy.

All the times she called it hateful / asshole / fascist made me laugh. She never ran out of names! I would never ever have started the car and driven off with that non-stop barking. But it provided comedy for us :)

Lil Rey Howery was the guest star I was compelled to look up. It was bugging me! I've only seen him in one thing, Free Guy, but he made an impression.

[EtheltoTillie]

On 1/29/2023 at 8:04 PM, twoods said:

Still liking this show, but I hate how all the victims are such likable people. Maybe throw in a douche or two, but then I guess she wouldn’t care about their murder.

I came here to say this. That’s the real difference from Columbo. So they really need Charlie justice. 

[EtheltoTillie]

On 1/31/2023 at 1:58 PM, Milburn Stone said:

Here are the Columbo things in this episode that I can remember:

1. Business partner wants out, other partner can't afford to buy him out, threatening dissolution of the business.

2. Killer plots to establish alibi with a pre-recording that is meant to pass for live.

3. Alibi is broken not because of a sound that happens in the background of the recording, but a sound that doesn't happen.

I'm sure there's a fourth. :)

They also had a barbecue joint killer episode on the late lamented East New York last year!  

[EtheltoTillie]

Chekhov’s axe at the beginning. 
I’m really loving this show. I can’t believe it’s by the Knives Out/Glass Onion guy, because I hated both.