[7.5/10] I enjoy a good tribute to The Maltese Falcon. The show didn’t go full noir in its homage to the classic, but it did invoke the classic film’s criminal mystery plotting and a few good twists. I appreciated the red herrings (Bluestone’s Illuminati hunt) and the strong twists (the kindly old CPA in Matt Mace’s old apartment is actually “D.D.”, Mace’s old criminal ally and Dracon’s grandfather). And the whole quest to find a pack of jewels stolen in a mob heist with partners turning on each other carries plenty of intrigue.
There’s a solid throughline with looking after one’s partner. Bluestone learns to appreciate Elisa a little more, and Broadway proves himself a solid if at times overzealous partner to her as well. It’s not subtle, but it fits with what the show’s going for here, and adds character notes to what could otherwise be a pretty plotty episode.
The only other thing of note is that this plays a little bit like a sequel to the episode where Broadway accidentally shot Elisa. He’s once again watching movies and wanting to reenact them in real life. Elisa is once again in the crosshairs of Dracon and his goons. The difference is that this one not only plays into the ohmage rather than subverting it, but vindicates Broadway trying to playact the things he’s seen on T.V. I’m not sure how I feel about that given what happened the last time, but it’s still a fun episode.
Overall, a neat concept for a Gargoyles installment which feels unique from the show’s typical, more fantasy-influenced storytelling.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2021-07-06T16:00:50Z
[7.5/10] I enjoy a good tribute to The Maltese Falcon. The show didn’t go full noir in its homage to the classic, but it did invoke the classic film’s criminal mystery plotting and a few good twists. I appreciated the red herrings (Bluestone’s Illuminati hunt) and the strong twists (the kindly old CPA in Matt Mace’s old apartment is actually “D.D.”, Mace’s old criminal ally and Dracon’s grandfather). And the whole quest to find a pack of jewels stolen in a mob heist with partners turning on each other carries plenty of intrigue.
There’s a solid throughline with looking after one’s partner. Bluestone learns to appreciate Elisa a little more, and Broadway proves himself a solid if at times overzealous partner to her as well. It’s not subtle, but it fits with what the show’s going for here, and adds character notes to what could otherwise be a pretty plotty episode.
The only other thing of note is that this plays a little bit like a sequel to the episode where Broadway accidentally shot Elisa. He’s once again watching movies and wanting to reenact them in real life. Elisa is once again in the crosshairs of Dracon and his goons. The difference is that this one not only plays into the ohmage rather than subverting it, but vindicates Broadway trying to playact the things he’s seen on T.V. I’m not sure how I feel about that given what happened the last time, but it’s still a fun episode.
Overall, a neat concept for a Gargoyles installment which feels unique from the show’s typical, more fantasy-influenced storytelling.