Mannix: Shadow Play (1971)
Season 4, Episode 23
3/10
Convoluted, nonsensical, dumb, and full of plot holes, contradictions and cliches
19 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This one is about a woman who hires Joe to deliver a package to LAPD.

There are so many plot holes it's staggering. How did the two thugs know Joe and his client were going to meet in the airport? Why didn't the woman just go to the police instead of hiring Joe? And why in the world would she tell syndicate hoods that she has information on them and to come to her house so she can share it with them and GIVES THEM THE LOCATION OF THE HOUSE? Talk about stupid. Equally stupid is how Tony just confesses to being in the mob and how Belden confesses to murder in front of everyone. Totally unrealistic and ridiculous. And I've only scratched the surface - there are many more plot holes and unanswered questions but it would take forever to go through them and frankly this episode simply isn't worth the time.

It's totally predictable all along who the killer is because there's no one else it could be and also because John Vernon ALWAYS plays villains, so there's no mystery or suspense here, but just a lot of talking and confessing and Joe and his client getting shot at.

Much of the episode is spent at the Sargent house where, as mentioned, Joe and his client get shot at (but never hit of course) and wait for the pending arrival of Tony, but for what reason I have no idea. So he can drop by and admit he's in the mob? All of it is really dumb and doesn't make any sense. Then Joe's client contradicts herself several times by alternating between having proof of Tony's syndicate ties and not having proof. So does she have the proof or not? Beats me.

This is yet another episode with a small town sheriff who is nasty and corrupt. I am SO TIRED of this cliche.

As mentioned, Joe gets shot at numerous times but is never hit, which is another overused cliche.

There are some good fight scenes so I'll give it a few points for that, but everything else is garbage.
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