Shadow Play is an another Mannix episode featuring good actors, a pretty woman who Mannix fails to hook up with and a ridiculous plot. I give this five out of 10 stars.
The late Julie Gregg is perfect as Janet Kirby. In 1971 Gregg was a total knockout and a good actress. For me she falls under the woman for whom I would travel back in time to meet. She lived to an old age dying in 2016. While hiding out in a house from the bad guys, Mannix stands in front of the lovely Janet covering her with his arms, lucky Mike Connors!
John Vernon and Jan Murray are good actors who provide great support in their roles. Paul Mantee is also good as the resident bad guy.
The plot is crazy. Janet is trying to get to the bottom of her sister's accidental death which she believes was murder stemming from some shady mob business dealings of her husband Tony Sargent played by Murray. She asks Mannix to fly into town and meet her at the airport. When he arrives she is wearing a blonde wig and hands Mannix a package and a check for $1,000 forging her dead sister's name. She flees when two thugs armed with guns approach. They get into a fist fight with Mannix and then run off when the police arrive. Of course the police fail to chase them. The police take Mannix in for questioning.
I would have preferred Mannix and Janet being able to meet somewhere safe for their first meeting. Mannix had every right to be bad at Janet for setting him up with the check and package. Maybe back in 1971 you could carry a gun into the airport but even then it is stupid to grab someone in a public place because it attracts too much attention. The police chief later opens the package to find a bunch of cut up blank paper.
Mannix and Janet decide to go to her dead sister's empty house to find evidence. This is stupid because they are walking into a trap. After being accosted at the airport, Mannix should know the bad guys will follow him to the house. This house is secluded in the country. The thugs steel Janet's car and have Mannix and Janet cornered in the house. They should have planted another thug in the house before Mannix and Janet arrived. Either way, there is no way Mannix could escape from that situation.
Of course Mannix is able to sneak outside and come up from behind the thug without a gun in his hand, tackle the thug, knock him out and take his gun. Later, when the John Vernon who is the corrupt Chief Belden shows up he takes charge and regains control of the situation. The two thugs have Mannix and Janet covered with guns. Vernon walks to his patrol car to bring the car closer to the house. Just then a helicopter flies over and of course the two thugs are stupid enough to look up and be distracted giving Mannix enough time to slug them, take their guns and disappear into the house with Janet. Belden should have shot the two thugs for being incompetent.
As it turns out Sargent pretends to be on Belden's side. He is calling the shots and gets in with one of the thugs who Mannix ends up knocking out again with heavy piece of furniture down the staircase which knocks him out. At this point Sargent reveals he loved his wife and did not want her killed. He believes she was killed but wants to find the killer. He admits to his shady business dealings with the mob but never wanted his wife killed. He hatches a plan with Mannix.
He calls Belden and thug two into the house. Mannix starts talking and lays out how Belden is the killer. Incredibly Belden confesses to being the killer. Sargent is enraged and takes a shot at Belden but misses and kills thug 2. Belden escapes from the house and Mannix once again without a gun is able to tackle Belden from behind, knock him out and get his gun. This is unrealistic and stupid. Mannix and Janet were sitting ducks in that house and would have no chance for escape. This is why Mannix should have known better than to go to the house.
The episode ends with Janet escorting her injured, now good guy brother-in-law Sargent out of the house and walking up to Mannix. Once again, Mannix risked life and limb to save the day but he fails to win the girl's heart!
The late Julie Gregg is perfect as Janet Kirby. In 1971 Gregg was a total knockout and a good actress. For me she falls under the woman for whom I would travel back in time to meet. She lived to an old age dying in 2016. While hiding out in a house from the bad guys, Mannix stands in front of the lovely Janet covering her with his arms, lucky Mike Connors!
John Vernon and Jan Murray are good actors who provide great support in their roles. Paul Mantee is also good as the resident bad guy.
The plot is crazy. Janet is trying to get to the bottom of her sister's accidental death which she believes was murder stemming from some shady mob business dealings of her husband Tony Sargent played by Murray. She asks Mannix to fly into town and meet her at the airport. When he arrives she is wearing a blonde wig and hands Mannix a package and a check for $1,000 forging her dead sister's name. She flees when two thugs armed with guns approach. They get into a fist fight with Mannix and then run off when the police arrive. Of course the police fail to chase them. The police take Mannix in for questioning.
I would have preferred Mannix and Janet being able to meet somewhere safe for their first meeting. Mannix had every right to be bad at Janet for setting him up with the check and package. Maybe back in 1971 you could carry a gun into the airport but even then it is stupid to grab someone in a public place because it attracts too much attention. The police chief later opens the package to find a bunch of cut up blank paper.
Mannix and Janet decide to go to her dead sister's empty house to find evidence. This is stupid because they are walking into a trap. After being accosted at the airport, Mannix should know the bad guys will follow him to the house. This house is secluded in the country. The thugs steel Janet's car and have Mannix and Janet cornered in the house. They should have planted another thug in the house before Mannix and Janet arrived. Either way, there is no way Mannix could escape from that situation.
Of course Mannix is able to sneak outside and come up from behind the thug without a gun in his hand, tackle the thug, knock him out and take his gun. Later, when the John Vernon who is the corrupt Chief Belden shows up he takes charge and regains control of the situation. The two thugs have Mannix and Janet covered with guns. Vernon walks to his patrol car to bring the car closer to the house. Just then a helicopter flies over and of course the two thugs are stupid enough to look up and be distracted giving Mannix enough time to slug them, take their guns and disappear into the house with Janet. Belden should have shot the two thugs for being incompetent.
As it turns out Sargent pretends to be on Belden's side. He is calling the shots and gets in with one of the thugs who Mannix ends up knocking out again with heavy piece of furniture down the staircase which knocks him out. At this point Sargent reveals he loved his wife and did not want her killed. He believes she was killed but wants to find the killer. He admits to his shady business dealings with the mob but never wanted his wife killed. He hatches a plan with Mannix.
He calls Belden and thug two into the house. Mannix starts talking and lays out how Belden is the killer. Incredibly Belden confesses to being the killer. Sargent is enraged and takes a shot at Belden but misses and kills thug 2. Belden escapes from the house and Mannix once again without a gun is able to tackle Belden from behind, knock him out and get his gun. This is unrealistic and stupid. Mannix and Janet were sitting ducks in that house and would have no chance for escape. This is why Mannix should have known better than to go to the house.
The episode ends with Janet escorting her injured, now good guy brother-in-law Sargent out of the house and walking up to Mannix. Once again, Mannix risked life and limb to save the day but he fails to win the girl's heart!