Schlockmania's Favorite Episodes From POLICE STORY: SEASON 2 - Part 1
If you're interested in cop shows, specifically the wayearly "cops vs. crooks" fare gave way to more nuanced and complexportrayals of police work, Police Storyis one of the most important examples of the genre. Each episode would include some standard actionlike a car chase or a shootout but it placed greater importance on depictingpolice work in a believable way and bringing psychological depth to the copspursuing it.
PoliceStory's anthology format not only gave the viewer new starseach week but allowed the show to explore all levels of police work: patrolcops on the beat, different squads of detectives, even internal affairs. Thesecond season of this series showed off all these conceptual angles in a numberof impressive episodes. Here are six examples of what made the show so uniqueand effective.
ADangerous Age: Veteran patrol cop Tatum (Ed Asner) ispaired up with Bentley (David Huffman), a rookie eager to prove his skills. Thetwo spar over the value of an older cop's experience versus a young cop's energyand modern approach. In a nice touch, the episode allows us to see the flaws ofeach man as well as effective moments where they make their respective cases.Both leads do strong work but it's Asner who dominates with his haunting turnas a cop unnerved by the specter of retirement and what it might bring. Also ofnote here: a substantial role for Scott Brady, one of the show's few regulars,as the ex-officer who runs the local cop bar. He plays a crucial role here asTatum's caring friend with charm and gravitas.
RequiemFor C.Z. Smith: James Farentino returns to the show withone more entry for his vice cop Charlie Czonka, who operates undercover as thepimp named in the episode's title. Hiswife (Janet Margolin) wants him to become a detective and a string ofprostitute murders offers such an opportunity but he finds himself wondering ifhe wants to abandon his vice work - and if his alter ego's mannerisms aretaking him over. Farentino gives a compelling performance and is backed upnicely by an eclectic backing cast that includes Tina Louise, FrankieAvalon(!), Bruce Davison and Hari Rhodes as a menacing pimp. Interesting touch:several scenes involve one character trying to bend another character to theirwill, a reflection of Czonka's daily work as a vice cop.
Robbery:48 Hours: Police Storywould periodically do episodes where it would just follow a few days in thelives of a particular police squad. This is an excellent example of thisformat, covering two days with the robbery squad as they deal with a liquorstore robbery they have advance notice on as well as a pair of violent,gun-toting bank robbers. Jackie Cooper is charismatic as the squad's leader andthere is also solid support from Jeremy Slate, Glenn Corbett and particularlyJoe Santos as a veteran who has to use his gun in the line of duty. Tightdirection from regular series helmer Virgil Vogel: his handling of a shootoutbetween officers and thieves during a bank robbery is tense and effectivelystaged.
WorldFull Of Hurt: This episode deals with the juveniledivision, depicting a few days in the lives of partners Prescott (Paul Burke)and Craig (jazz singer Nancy Wilson). As they deal with some heartbreakingmissing children cases, Prescott struggles with a faltering marriage... and anattraction to his new partner. A lot of topics are covered here - the oft-messypersonal lives of cops, how kids can easily get lost in the system, thepitfalls of cops becoming romantically involved with each other - but thescript by Sean Baine elegantly threads them all together into a satisfying, multifacetednarrative. Burke and Wilson make compelling leads, with the latter giving awarm, understated performance. Also of note: a searing performance from TamuBlackwell as a hard-luck kid struggling with the worst of family circumstances.
GlamourBoy:The likeable partner duo of Calabrese (Tony Lo Bianco) and Jameson (DonMeredith) return here as they try to get the drop on a slick, playboy-type bankrobber (Larry Hagman), who is not only skilled at covering up his crimes but isalso possessed of a disarming charm. The two star cops have great chemistry butit's Hagman who pulls off a tour-de-force here as one of the most likeablecriminals to appear on the show. It's also worth noting that this episode pullsan effective bait-and-switch on the viewer, charming them with a lightheartedfirst two-thirds before providing a final act that pointedly reminds the viewerthere is no such thing as a victimless crime.
Wolf:You could call this a bookend to "A Dangerous Age," offering anothertale where a policeman has to face his greatest fear: the end of his career.The titular figure is a cop of advancingage, played with great intensity by Lloyd Bridges. He finds himself in aposition where his tough-guy methods put him at odds with the department - andhe takes drastic measures to ensure he remains in charge of his own fate. Thefinale is powerful stuff, taking the story to daring places for a '70s cop showwhile maintaining the show's uncompromising portrayal of the emotional crisespolice officers face. Christopher Connelly also makes an impression as Wolf'syounger partner: the episode's haunting final moments rely upon Connelly'sabilities and he handles them like a pro.