Originally launched as part of The NBC Mystery Movie lineup in 1971, McMillan & Wife initially aired in rotation with episodes of Columbo and McCloud, all of which ran 90 minutes as opposed to the usual 60, allowing for more intricate plots and extra character development. McMillan & Wife updated a concept popularized by the old Thin Man movies: likable husband-and-wife sleuths tackle hard-to-solve cases but get in over their heads. Rock Hudson starred as San Francisco police commissioner Stewart “Mac” McMillan, and Susan Saint James played his ever-curious spouse, Sally. John Schuck ably filled the sidekick role of Detective Sergeant Enright, and veteran character actress Nancy Walker supplied comedy relief as the McMillans' tart-tongued housekeeper, Mildred. More than three decades after they originally aired, these shows hold up pretty well. The first season only featured eight episodes, but several of them are real corkers. “The Easy Sunday Murder Case” begins with Mac and Sally lounging around the house on a weekend morning, doing crossword puzzles, until Mac's decision to intervene in the investigation of a kidnapping leads to tragic consequences. In “Husbands, Wives and Killers,” the McMillans look into the theft of a valuable necklace stolen from under their noses at a masked ball, and “Til Death Do Us Part” finds Mac and Sally trapped in their house by a murderous maniac. Hudson and Saint James made a charming couple, and to a large extent the show's success relied on their obvious chemistry, but the stories are also extremely well plotted and will continue to engage viewers interested in figuring out “whodunit.” Recommended. (E. Hulse)
McMillan & Wife: Season One
Universal, 2 discs, 624 min., not rated, DVD: $39.98 Volume 20, Issue 6
McMillan & Wife: Season One
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