SCARECROW AND MRS. KING: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON
(not rated)
MOVIE: ***1/2(out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5)
BY KEVIN CARR
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
In the second season of the hit 80s television series “Scarecrow and Mrs. King,” Amanda King (Kate Jackson) continues working closely with the CIA, namely with the agent “Scarecrow” (Bruce Boxleitner), who discovered her. As the season rolls on, Scarecrow is presented with many dilemmas that need that special touch of a D.C. housewife that only Amanda King can help with. This season takes the two to bigger and better places, including London and the Caribbean, and Amanda sees some real danger as she’s targeted for a white-slavery ring. And there’s also a chance to see the on-screen couple pretend to be married on a romantic wedding cruise, which was a mighty big deal for fans of the show.
WHAT I LIKED
As I said in my season one review of “Scarecrow and Mrs. King,” I wasn’t a watcher of the show when it was on the air in the 80s. However, my wife has been a fan for years. In fact, this is what has given me my inferiority complex to Bruce Boxleitner for years. Damn you, Bruce, and your sexy smile!
After I got past my male strutting to ensure the adoration of my wife, I warmed up to the series. In fact, I warmed up to it a lot. Along with “Remington Steele,” “Scarecrow and Mrs. King” was the quintessential rom com series in the 80s. I pointed out in my season one review that it reminds me a lot of the current spy show “Chuck” on NBC, only more down-to-earth and less geeky.
The key to this show is the chemistry between Jackson and Boxleitner… and the supporting case as well. Kate Jackson is just so charming and sweet in the show. Even though I look at her differently now (as a man nearing 40, I now realize that she was quite a catch at any age), she still exudes the likeability of any of the best TV moms. Mrs. Cunningham might be the top of the heap, but Mrs. King ain’t far behind.
This season shows some bigger production values with location shooting overseas and some more action. This is a result of the show’s popularity, but they never get away from the real heart of the show, which was the relationship between Scarecrow and Mrs. King. In fact, with the wedding episode and others that put the two in a dangerously intimate situation, this film worked the sexual tension perfectly.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
My only problems with this series were elements of 80s television. Now with television series being far more cinematic and slicker, it’s easy to lose sight of what a show like this was. “Scarecrow and Mrs. King” wasn’t trying to be a television version of James Bond. It had that dangerous spy angle, but only in the context of a dime store paperback romance. If you can’t handle that, it’s not something you should watch.
DVD FEATURES
Like the previous season, there are no special features on these discs.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Fans of the series and those who’ll like spy work that fits in a romance novel rather than a Bond film.