Who Is Sylvia?

Act I opens with Joe entering a sophisticated Tudor-style mansion, but once inside, he finds himself right in the middle of the Brady living room, even that big Mondrian is above the foot of the stairs.

In early 1970 I suppose that set was not quite so iconic as it is today.

Of course, in a couple of years Mike Brady himself Robert Reed would portray Mannix's police counterpart Lt Tobias, working Mannix concurrently with his Brady day job.

The XKE-driving costar is Jessica Walters, famous today as the matriarch of Arrested Development.

In the film "Play Misty for Me", a psychotic woman (played by Jessica Walter) spends much of the movie trying to kill Clint Eastwood. Here in "Who is Sylvia?", Walter plays Kathy-- a woman who someone is trying to kill. Perhaps it's Clint Eastwood---wouldn't that be a neat twist?! But, unfortunately, there is no Eastwood cameo here--and so it's up to Mannix to determine who ELSE might have a reason to kill Kathy!

While "Who is Sylvia?" is generally a decent episode since the plot is reasonably unique, it suffers from some poor acting and dialog--particularly when Sylvia is discovered and she talks. It just came off as overdone and a bit silly. Watchable but very flawed.

The home in the beginning of the episode where the cocktail party is being held is very similar to the Brady Bunch house. If I didn't know any better, I would say it's the same house, just altered a little for the party or altered for the Brady family. The episode is pretty good otherwise. Not one of the best though.

An early episode for director Reza Badiyi, and you know its going to be good. He handled many episodes for the series, some of them that really gave Joe a CLOSE shave

Opening: Catch the Jag (with Jessica Walter) going up the steep incline to the Griffith Park observatory, then shift, going back down. What a cool trip.

This one has a psychological slant, even a bit of soap opera, co-starring Walter as the wife of Joe's Korean war buddy (Robert Colbert). The catch is someone is trying to kill her, not her husband.

One thing to be sure, Mannix had lots of friends in Korea (both good and bad), making for some interesting relationships. Marital problems factor in this strange case, forcing Walter to lead a double life, spending her free time at a bar, mixing and mingling with dark characters, and the chance she could have heard something. It's intriguing roles like this that may have lead to her being cast in PLAY MISTY FOR ME. I agree with the last reviewer, Walter is a terrific actress.

Colbert, a fine actor himself, is best known for the MAVERICK western series, and many other appearances in Warner Brothers/ABC tv shows.

Yes, the BRADY BUNCH living room is used for a cocktail party scene, and would turn up in many other episodes --- with some interesting modifications and different furniture. Fancy this time, a full bar is set up beside the famous stairway.

One of the best noir-ish characters to be introduced is the gent wearing a patch over one eye. Watch him. Likely suggested by Reza Badiyi, who had lots of creative ideas up his sleeve. Stuntman and heavy Fred Carson plays the role to the max, regularly cast on GUNSMOKE.

Badiyi was also associated with HAWAII FIVE O, and worked as a cinematographer, coming up with the "big wave" shot at the start of each episode.

Fun chase and tumble scene between Mannix and the patch guy, then chasing down Walter who hops into a taxi. Larry Linville returns to the series, alternating with Ward Wood and Robert Reed.

Solid late night adventure, for all us Jessica Walter fans. SEASON 3 EPISODE 19 remastered CBS/Paramount dvd box set.