jarrodmcdonald-1 I watched a half dozen episodes of this series today on Amazon Prime. I'd heard of it before but had never seen it. I think a lot of the guest actors could have done better-- someone else on the IMDb said they were pulled out of the worst community theaters across the country! I don't think that's entirely true but if they had been given stronger direction, it might have helped.One thing I do like is the way the stories are paced-- the writers are not compelled to feature the main characters in every scene the way some programs do. Three to five minutes might pass without Mr. North or Mrs. North being directly involved in the action. The writers have faith other characters can move the story along. Also worth mentioning is the use of humor-- it is not over the top, but the comedy is quite amusing, especially the bits at the end of each episode. Richard Denning in particular is good at the lighter moments. He's kind of an underrated performer who should be more widely known. And Barbara Britton is glamorous yet sort of screwball, which works wonderfully for her role.Something else occurred to me as I watched this series today. It was the way the Norths are interested in helping other people. We don't always see that happening in modern-day TV programs. Mrs. North volunteers at a women's prison in one episode, believing it will help society. In a different story, she and Mr. North give a suicidal woman a job as a housekeeper, convinced it will give the gal purpose and a reason to live. In another episode, Mr. North helps a troubled friend call off the hired killing of an estranged wife. You get the idea. So in the process of catching murderers, we have a basically decent couple trying to make a difference.

cus2a I just recently purchased a DVD containing three episodes of Mr. and Mrs. North I wanted to see because I was 8 or 10 when this show was popular and I wanted to see how much things have changed. Well, of course, they've changed enormously! The writing, directing and acting reminded me of some early Saturday morning theatrical serial dramas I've reviewed in recent years. I now remember that anyone in Hollywood with any success in movies didn't want to be associated with TV in any way whatsoever, unless it was Edward R. Morrow's interviews or Ed Sullivan's variety show. I can see why. The individual lines for each role, moment by moment, only sounded remotely like they were in the same story, as if the script had been cut-and-pasted like a ransom note made in the last hour before a deadline. As a writer, that was what offended me the most.But as person I was offended by obvious gender roles. Barabara Britton was of course very charming and beautiful in the role of the only person in the cast with any real brains whatsoever, but Richard Denning's role - as well as any other man for that matter - was that of ignoring or discounting absolutely anything his wife or any other woman had to say. The men were also written to look and sound like idiots. In the mid-fifties, according to my history teachers, no one was trying to make social commentary or anything deep on TV because of the paranoia of the McCarthy Era. So, I'm forced to believe these observations are simply of clichéd, predominating, formula ideas that were over-used in TV and movies both during that time. It's fascinating to me that these gender attitudes were considered normal and healthy - even funny - in their time, but today only serve to make the men look stupid. If these were the prevailing attitudes, why was the stupid little woman written as the only real sleuth? These flash-backs are nostalgic but annoying.

skoyles I was very young when this precursor to the television version of Nick and Nora Charles as well as of "Hart to Hart" and, frankly, had no remembrance of the series save a positive feeling and the phrase in the summary line naming the actors. I am very grateful for the issuance of the videos and DVDs of this charming series. The plots have the light touch of a good 1930s "Thin Man" motion picture yet all is played straight with no mugging. It helps that Denning is always solid (as in all his roles) while Britton is amusing as she touches on overplaying while being a complete treat for the eyes with a smile that would make any man smile with her. The half hour light mystery is as extinct as my childhood but if anything this satisfying could be created today I would be surprised. Long live "Mr and Mrs North"!

bronty "Mr & Mrs North" is, basically, a forerunner to shows like "Hart To Hart": a married couple ALWAYS finding murder and mayhem wherever they go, and just like on "Hart To Hart", there is an emphasis on a humorous undercurrent, so nothing can be taken TOO seriously. Barbara Britton and Richard Denning (Lucille Ball's hubby on radio's long-running "My Favorite Husband", the show that led to "I Love Lucy") play sophisticated inhabitants of Greenwich Village who are also amateur sleuths, with Britton taking the more aggressive lead to Denning's more-reluctant follower. Sure, the low-budget sets and often over-the-top supporting performances cause unintentional laughs, but it's also undeniably fun, thanks to its two lead performers and quick (just 30 minutes) and painless (no deep thoughts here; just relax and enjoy) running time. I found this on DVD in a local "dollar" store chain, featuring 3 episodes, and the picture quality is surprisingly good, considering its source's age. Definitely a fun show!