Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The sequel to "Rich Man, Poor Man," Book Two begins where the finale ended, with Tom's murder and follows Rudy Jordache as he continues his Senate career and attempts to pull together his career, family life, all while trying to honor the memory of his brother. Peter Strauss is superb in the lead role - barely 30, he is playing a man ten to fifteen years older, believably, beautifully - and he is the rock that holds the series together. Susan Sullivan, Gregg Henry, Penny Peyser, and others, offer strong, sterling support. The sequel may be more melodramatic than its predecessor, but it is also more timely: Washington corruption, war profiteering, the disintegration of the family, the increasing obsession with celebrity, the corrupting powers of fame - all of these are important subplots that are deftly portrayed in this terrific series. Without a doubt, it was the forerunner of lesser soaps like "Dallas," "Dynasty," "Falcon Crest," and the like, but none had the resonance and depth of this series: often, superb, Emmy-award winning editing and camera work elevates the series to cinematic greatness, other times it is more pedestrian. Yet notice how many women directors and writers worked on the series - surely rare for its time. And the first rate support of great, classic actors like Van Johnson and Barry Sullivan only adds to the overall quality. Arlo Guthrie even makes an appearance! "Rich Man, Poor Man, Book Two," takes you back to the '70's and the Nixon era, and yet its themes remain more timely than ever and the human values depicted and portrayed: the true meaning of love, faith, friendship, power, career, are all beautifully realized in sharp writing and terrific, passionate acting. This series is HUGELY popular in the UK and should be here. BOTH "Rich Man, Poor Man," and this terrific sequel should be given first class DVD treatment - and surely re-introduced to American television audiences in some fashion. This is so far above the quality of ANYTHING on TV right now that it's beyond obvious. There are no gimmicks here - no camera tricks, no winking or ironic acting, of the kind that you get in most TV series today. This is just plain, pure, strong story-telling. Strauss, apparently, was offered millions to continue on for a "Book Three," but possibly did not want to typecast himself too young playing an older Senator. Too bad, as this series got better week by week and had so much to say about America that it could have been taken in many more interesting and illuminating directions. But Strauss's work in this series - with first class support from everyone involved - marks this a landmark series that time has treated kindly: it's STILL the story of America and STILL depicts all of the problems we are currently dealing with. You will feel, watching this series, with a villian in Falconetti, more layered, complex and horrifying than the villian in "No Country For Old Men," that you are viewing an unjustly neglected masterwork. A superb, five star, TV series, unlike any other!
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------------Please note that this DVD Set is in PAL, Region 2 format and will not play on most North American DVD players. ------------------------------------ Synopsis: The television drama series which follows the lives of two brothers--one a rebellious fighter and the other a crafty entrepreneur--and their respective families, ambitions, loves, enemies, and fates.
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