‘Tonight at Nine' disappoints

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33963, 2 October 1975, Page 4

‘Tonight at Nine ' disappoints

Bob Tizard says yes; Warren Freer says no; and Bill Rowling expresses “slight surprise” at his deputy’s grim prediction. Although we can’t speak for “News at Ten” — having been entranced by Max Cryer’s glassy stare at the time — this was the repeated news from TVI and from TV2 in its early bulletin on what was the burning question on Tuesday night: Is petrol rationing inevitable? The topic had the makings of a first-class item for, say, “Tonight at Nine,” especially if the producers had been able to drag in an Opposition spokesman to fan the flames of apparent discord among the Government’s “big three.” As it was, “Tonight at Nine” held its fire and instead reported on grounds for optimism that oil — or gas, or whatever — will be found somewhere between Invercargill and Scott Base. The mind boggles at the thought of Southland becoming the vital province for any oil New Zealand might lay its hands on. It would probably demand, under the threat of declaring its independence, three container ports, a couple of heart units, a bridge to Stewart Is-

land and a Beehive to house the local council before falling into line. But back to “Tonight at Nine.” It also looked up Joe Walding, just back from another hassle with E.E.C. leaders. The prospects, as always, are bright. One of these days a Minister of Overseas Trade is going to return from one of these jaunts and announce . . . “Well, Britain has told us exactly nwhat we can do with our sheep and butter.” It does seem that “Tonight at Nine” has lost some of the feel for dealing decisively with the immediate and most topical news. Gone, sad to say, are the old “Gallery” days when anyone from the Prime Minister to a passer-by would be rushed into the studio to comment on the day’s news. Perhaps, it is the extra petrol required to assemble such gatherings at Avalon that rules them out. The word may even have come down from lan Fraser on his smoke stack. We were, of course, only kidding when we said Max Cryer had us in his power. Nothing personal and not forgetting the fifth ■ and eighth Commandments we must confess that we are not all that shook on Max. Which, in a roundabout way, brings us to the point

we want to make: if Max had stayed home “Town Cryer” might well have passed with flying colours. There was a 15-year-old girl who belted out a fair song and lots of old faces to remind one of the good old days — you know, the days when it cost more to buy a car than run one. The “couch” guests, Murray Forgie, Les Andrews and Sonia King, made an interesting trio, particularly when they, and the cameraman, forgot about Max. And then a quartet of former Miss New Zealands appeared bedecked in expensive jewellery, although not so expensive as to submerge their charms entirely. * * * “Night Gallery” wrapped up the evening — unless of course, your pleasure was TV2’s flat-on-the-floor-men — and, no doubt, like the wrestling it had creditability problems. However, William Windom was very good as a scientist tortured by delusions. His helping hand, Ed Nelson, succeeded only in putting “Peyton Place’s” Dr Rossi back in, thankfully brief, practice. “Night Gallery” is often quite good, but one wonders why Rod Serling must always toss in supernatural trappings, even when the plot makes no call on them. —K.J.M.