This episode attempts to recreate the <span><a href=\"http://www.otrcat.com/hardboiled-detectives-p-48546.html\" target=\"_self\" title=\"hardboiled\">hard boiled genre of detective radio fiction circa 1940’s</a></span>. This is a formidable undertaking as the expression of the original art form was both the written and spoken…namely books and <span><a href=\"http://www.otrcat.com/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"otrcat\">OTR (Old Time Radio)</a></span>. Indeed, the peak of radio extended into the 40’s. Classics such as “<span><a href=\"http://www.otrcat.com/suspense-p-1882.html\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Suspense\">Suspense</a></span>â€, ‘<span><a href=\"http://www.otrcat.com/whistler-p-1975.html\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Whistler\">The Whistler</a></span>â€, “<span><a href=\"http://www.otrcat.com/pat-novak-for-hire-p-49046.html\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Pat Novak\">Pat Novak For Hire</a></span>â€ and are known to most still today.

Our 1977 revisit borrows from these shows in character and story. Indeed, it can be argued that it borrows from the movies and their respective characters of the era as well. ( an off-shoot of the books ) Unfortunately, it does so only in a most inane, boring and superficial manner.

Through the story E.G. reminds us of one of the Master’s of the genre, Chandler. This serves nicely to raise our expectations. Notoriety by association is not enough. The story itself borrows from many. He does let us know that Colbridge is no Marlow. This P.I. is less successful…even self deprecating when introducing himself. Immediately the character of Pat Novak comes to mind, and this is solidified by his being knocked out after some verbal sparring with the Sidney Greenstreet rip-off “Shakespeareâ€ and his stereotypical dumb, lackey Dickey. Unlike Webb’s Pat Novak, Kramer’s Colbridge never really sounds tough and lacking mental or physical prowess can’t even compensate by being funny. Sure, he uses the words of the genre, but they sound simply scripted. Hell, he ends up not even solving the story and is ultimately a guy half conscious through the show, in the dark literally and figuratively.

We the listeners (victims) are not in the dark because there is zero suspense. We know Bo Peep will be found dead because we know the uninterested and tired Colbridge will get off his duff and go to the flat. Sure enough, Bo Peep is found dead and described with some blood soaked verbiage. Meanwhile the thunder continues to pound on in the background with its inevitable though unseen correspondent (lightening) only illuminating to us that 1) thunder doesn’t go on and on like this, surely?, and 2) it illuminates the cheese in “cheesyâ€.

Since the story is unable to leave the listeners in the dark because there is no suspense, the writers keep Colbridge unconscious a good deal and have the characters retell the events of the story to “Sugarâ€, played by a cotton filled mouth Bob Dryden. This serves the purpose of turning a 15 minute story into 45. Meanwhile the thunder goes on, though at about 30 minutes into the show Dickey promises the audience that the storm is about to break ( a promise to keep us listening…a bribe?)……(un)interestingly the thunder never does end. It’s like listening to bad heavy metal, a wall of sound that gets old fast.

The only character that is not stereotypical is Miss Lane. Her independence ends there, for she is as dull as the rest. She simply doesn’t sound like she is trying to fit in, whereas the others try to, albeit unsuccessfully. Colbridge even has to tell us who she is!!!! This despite the fact that she is described as being in all green with red hair! As a saving grace, she does “solveâ€ the story. When I heard her name, I thought, “You are no Margo Lane!â€

E.G. ends his dialogue with a quote from Chandler. I was compelled to think of Chandler at the time, and one of his novel’s, “The Big Sleepâ€. This show should have been called “The Bigger Sleepâ€. So much OTR is out there from the 40’s that is absolutely fantastic…and available to listen to.&nbsp;<br><br>