The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries "Mystery of the Solid Gold Kicker" #1.14 (1977)

Pamela Sue Martin gives one of her best performances as Nancy Drew., 22 June 2017

After leaving a party, George realizes she forgot her purse. Back at the scene of the party, through a window, George sees a woman lying motionless on the floor. She's the same woman that star football player Chip Garvey (Mark Harmon) had been arguing with earlier in the night. George finds a phone and calls Nancy and the police. When they arrive, there is no body. What happened? Nancy believes George and sets out to uncover the truth behind what her friend saw.

Overall, Mystery of the Solid Gold Kicker is a nice episode. It's not quite as enjoyable as some of the others with a more supernatural bent to them (The Secret of the Whispering Walls, for example), but I still enjoy the naivety in these Nancy Drew episodes. Nancy lived in a world where a young woman with a bit of spunk and imagination was capable of bringing down an illegal gambling ring. It may not be realistic, but it is always fun to watch. Pamela Sue Martin gives one of her best performances as Nancy Drew. I hate that she left during the next season. I think that, overall, I prefer her episodes to the Hardy Boys.

Mystery of the Solid Gold Kicker features a couple of performers worth mentioning. First, Mark Harmon. He went on to have a nice career, but you'd never guess that based on his performance here. He's horrible. Every line is delivered in a terribly unnatural manner. Second, Howard Cosell. It's been years since I've heard his voice, but what a voice it was. Hearing him call the games in the episode took me back to my childhood, watching Monday Night Football. What a character!

6/10