Shows that have done a 'Rear Window' episode

[litlover12]

Last night's Leverage got me thinking about this. With a little help from Wikipedia (though their list is by no means comprehensive), here are all my shows that have done some sort of takeoff on the movie:

Early Edition
White Collar
Psych
Person of Interest
Leverage

And I'm probably forgetting some. Plus a whole bunch of other shows that I haven't seen. (Maybe some of you have seen versions that I haven't?)

It's fascinating just how pervasive the "disabled person spies on a criminal" trope has become. It may just be our modern version of the "locked room mystery." And it's usually pretty well done, in my experience: White Collar's version, though part of a generally weak season, had some genuine laugh-out-loud moments, while PoI's version was my favorite episode of that show so far. (One could argue that the whole series is a version of Rear Window, but in this instance it was a neat twist having Reese be the disabled person, for a change.) And Leverage's Parker, last night, made a fantastic "Jeff Jeffries," although it's extremely difficult to believe that our acrobatic girl could have injured her leg in the first place!

All I know is, if I ever decide to commit a crime, I'm going to check the neighborhood very carefully first for people with wheelchairs or crutches!

Comments

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

Huh, I hadn't realized that before! How interesting...

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

You know, now that I think about it Murder, She Wrote did an episode on that theme as well - except it was the invalid listening in on a phone conversation then stalked in a dark house...

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

Sounds like that one may have had a touch of "Sorry, Wrong Number" thrown in as well. Hoo boy, that one scared the living daylights out of me!

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

That sort of theme is always terrifying!

[ever-maedhros.livejournal.com]

All I know is, if I ever decide to commit a crime, I'm going to check the neighborhood very carefully first for people with wheelchairs or crutches!

Don't forget Rachel Lyndes. :D They're much worse, because they can spread news like wildfire.

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

Hee! I hadn't thought of that!

[impulsereader.livejournal.com]

Very interesting. I can't think of any more, but agree that PoI and Leverage both did it extremely well! I need to go watch some Psych. I miss the boys.

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

Their Rear Window was all mixed up with other Hitchcock films, of course -- but they get bonus points for Shawn's fantastic Jimmy Stewart imitation. :-) That was a really great episode, all around.