A taut episode with a tenseness that is usually not a Mannix show trademark. Also the direction is a bit different with several low aspect shots of the action to add to the mood. But mostly this episode highlights Mike Connors acting ability and the makeup dept's ability to make a man look near death. Connors goes through a variety of emotions as his character realizes he is in deep trouble. He is short with people and demanding. He is sarcastic with Art the cop. Not the cool Joe Mannix we are use to seeing.
Joe is poisoned with a slow acting, unknown substance and he needs to find the antidote by finding the person who slipped the poison to him. The case started as a search for the brother of his client, the sister. The sister calls off the search at the brother's request but then puts it back on. Joe is then poisoned but continues to search for the brother thinking he is tied into it. The brother turns up dead and Joe has to follow the clues to the brother's activities to get to the truth.
Good supporting cast with Hugh Beaumont providing gravitas. Robert Ito (pre-Quincy) as the poison specialist. Richard Bull (pre-Little House) doing his authority figure character, this time as an educator. David Henderson is a bad guy who is in too deep.
Kudos to Ward Wood who gets to display more emotion than we usually see from Lt Malcolm. The cops actually do more in this episode than just show up at the end to arrest people.
All in all, an above average episode. Joe should send Hugh Beaumont a hefty bill for this case. He deserves it.
Review of The Mouse That Died
