February 28, 1992

The Boys of Twilight, the new chummy mystery series debuting on CBS, is a show that's hard not to like.

Featuring the accomplished acting of Wilford Brimley and Richard Farnsworth, this hour program moves in an amiable, easy fashion, recounting the life and times of two senior citizen lawmen trying to keep the peace in a scenic mountain town called Twilight -- now under siege by the rich and famous who've recently discovered its allures and who have brought to the hamlet the dubious blessings of condos, aerobics and pate.

Indeed, if The Boys of Twilight's premiere is any indication, it should attract a loyal following as it grows in its time slot.

Twilight's opener commences with a killing -- a knockout, part-time ski instructor found murdered by poisoning. Twilight Deputy Bill Huntoon (Brimley), a cantankerous fellow who doesn't know when to let up, and his "boss," Sheriff Cody McPherson (Farnsworth), a soft-spoken lawman who moves with decided dignity, take to the case and initially are confounded by the dead-end leads.

However, as more factors and evidence emerge (e.g., the dead woman was pregnant), their own lives are almost cut short, and they realize that another Twilight citizen is in danger of extinction if they don't get to the bottom of this caper soon.

Might the slain woman's roommate (Yvette Nipar) have some role here? And what part does the foreign-born resort manager (Stewart Finlay-McLennan) play in all this?

In addition to Brimley and Farnsworth, other fine actors adding dash to Twilight are Louise Fletcher as McPherson's wife, Amanda McBroom as the town's mayor, and Ben Browder as a peppy preppy, a nephew of the mayor, who her honor has foisted off upon Huntoon and McPherson.

Lt. Columbo gone rustic, Sherlock Holmes repatriated to a home on the mountain range, The Boys of Twilight cleverly revises the old detective story and makes it rousingly new again. And fueled by a spry, springy soundtrack and some of the kickiest dialogue since Jim Rockford gumshoed his way through primetime, The Boys of Twilight is a series to watch.

THE BOYS OF TWILIGHT
CBS
Blindman's Bluff Prods. Inc. with Echo Cove Prods. in association with TriStar Television
Exec. producer-creator-writer William Blinn
Producers Frank Fischer, Jerry Reger
Director Ray Austin
Music Joel McNeely
Production designer Seven Nielsen
Editor Steve Michaels
Director of photography Chuck Arnold
Cast: Wilford Brimley, Richard Farnsworth, Louise Fletcher, Ben Browder, Amanda McBroom
Airdate: Saturday, Feb. 29, 10-11 p.m.

Copyright February 1992 The Hollywood Reporter. IMDB.