A Nero Wolfe Mystery Views

Books

Where Holmes and Watson talk in a very pronounced way, Wolfe speaks overly formal, whereas street wise Goodwin is more down to earth. They balance each other well and their methods are different – Wolfe is eccentric and fickle with a sharp mind, and relies on Goodwin to bring him the facts and verbatim reports of cases for him to solve. Set in New York back in the days of Big Band, with snazzy suits and some of the best music I’ve ever heard, Nero Wolfe was a show worth watching.

The show follows several of Rex Stout’s novella’s and methods: Nero Wolfe, eccentric genius and private detective, with the help of his right hand man Archie Goodwin, solves crimes and murders that leave the audience baffled and their police rivals scratching their heads. They’re not just doing this out of good will either: Wolfe decides who and why a client should be accepted, and will flatly refuse if a case is too simplistic or “too troublesome”.

Dressing in colourful suits and wide brimmed hats, he could be counted on to bring suspects, witnesses and details back to Nero Wolfe’s, who would then piece together the facts and solve the mystery. Goodwin, again much like Watson, narrates the series in a witty and usually sarcastic voice that you can’t help but enjoy hearing. A Nero Wolfe Mystery is one of Hutton’s best performances to date.

On the other side of the partnership, Maury Chaykin plays the titular detective Nero Wolfe. A 7th of a ton genius, Nero Wolfe is also one of the most eccentric characters I’ve ever seen. Refusing to leave his house, he has a strict schedule involving time in the afternoon to attend to his orchid collection (in which he must never be disturbed), never discussing business at the dinner table, being a champion beer drinker and having a bellow that “could stop a rampaging hippo.”