A Nero Wolfe Mystery

One of my lockdown rediscoveries was the 2001-2002 series, A Nero Wolf Mystery. The series of twenty episodes was made for A&E and adapted Rex Stout’s novels and novellas written between 1940 and 1966.

The eponymous Nero Wolfe is a 300-pound detective and orchid-grower with a taste for gourmet food. He is also distinguished by his bare tolerance of other people and the fact that he seldom ventures from his New York brownstone. Nevertheless, as the greatest detective in the world, his doorbell and telephone are always ringing, while his excesses are kept in check by his right-hand man, Archie Goodwin.

There are several features that distinguish this series (which one can see blurry versions of on YouTube) or download elsewhere. The stories are set in an amorphous time, probably in the mid-1950s, but there are many 1940s vehicles still on the streets, and many anachronisms. However, these do not detract or even jar, such is the slickness of the production design.

This masterful design is the second notable feature. The eye for detail is virtually faultless; styles, colours, textures, lighting and music all combine to create the perfect picture of a timeless world and the ideal home to its idiosyncratic inhabitants. In terms of style, ANWM rivals Poirot.

Michael Small’s music, using real and almost-familiar songs and crisp jazz evokes just the right atmosphere. This is apparent from the opening titles which share the overall style and design that cleverly blend art deco with fifties chrome. Small was a major composer of film scores with Klute, The Stepford Wives and The China Syndrome in his lengthy list of credits.

Possibly the most daring and innovative feature of the series is its use of an ensemble cast. Apart from a handful of main characters [Wolfe, Goodwin, Fritz, Inspector Cramer, Saul Panzer, and Orrie Cather] the rest of the series’ cast plays a different role in each episode, with many appearing in all twenty. For some reason, ensemble playing has been very rare on American television, and there is a lesson to be learned from this series.

This group plays effortlessly together and it’s fun watching the versatility of the actors.

Maury Chaykin’s Nero Wolfe captures the many facets of Rex Stout’s detective. Insufferable, vain, intolerant, self-indulgent, lazy, impatient and abrupt. It is only as one works through the series (or views it again) that Chaykin’s mastery of the role emerges. On first viewing, I confess to finding him hard to warm to, but now that I have seen many episodes several times, the nuance of his performance makes him a treat to watch.

This treat is enhanced by Timothy Hutton, whose Archie Goodwin is the perfect foil to Wolfe. Hutton was also an executive producer and directed seven episodes. He later starred in Leverage, which ran for five seasons, and many of the ANWM team make appearances, notably Kari Machett (Covert Affairs) who plays his ex-wife.

Bill Smitrovich as Inspector Cramer is the perfect portrayal of a Dick Tracy-type comic book police detective. His confrontations with Wolfe are firey and amusing. One always knows that Wolfe will always have the winning hand, but occasionally, there are smiles of satisfaction and admiration on Smitrovich’s face.

I know nothing about the actor Conrad Dunn, but his portrayal of Saul Panzer is brilliant. Panzer is one of Wolfe’s occasional operatives who has a high degree of professionalism, personal pride, and loyalty to his friends. It is the sinister note in him that makes him intriguing and always worth watching. One always feels that he could be working for the mob and about to use his stiletto on you.

These are entertaining from beginning to end and yield more on subsequent viewing.