A strange yet interesting overhead shot begins the episode. The shot is of Malloy and Reed entering the Police Station break room. Other than a shot from inside a couple Station House gun safety-lockers, the rest of the episode has the usual, certainly acceptable camera work. In the short first scene, we learn that Malloy's latest, unnamed girlfriend has been talking marriage. "NEXT!" is quite probably how confirmed bachelor Malloy responded to that conversation. M & R place a $15 dollar bet on the sex of Reed's unborn child. (Back then in 1968, you didn't know til the kid popped out.) Reed goes with "boy" since they run in the Reed family. (This bet doesn't get a mention in the episode in which Mrs. Reed gives birth. A boy, Jim Jr.)
The main topic of police pursuit for the partners is a burglar targeting their patrol area, stealing color television sets. First though, it's off to bust guest star Cloris Leachman for keeping her stash of illegal narcotics within the reach of her two kids. While Malloy has seen this sort of thing before, it's a first for probationary, new-on-the-job Reed. It's a heartbreaking segment as two little boys left home alone have obviously mistaken all the fun-looking, colorful pills and capsules as being candy. They're unconscious and when Mom shows up, she has no conscience. Leachman, (who looks incredible!) is terrific as the heartless and tears-less young Mother.
The next segment has actor Martin Milner keeping a delighted-looking smile on Malloy's face while preventing highly heated steam from escaping his ears. Police Officers must just love it when obviously-guilty reckless drivers insist upon their innocense while shouting "stormtroopers!" in their face. A Nice Volkswagen Beetle driven by a pretty, young venom-filled woman, cuts off a cool Gold Mustang with a White roof. Wish we could have gotten a better look at that Mustang. Maybe it will show up again in another episode. And then another episode. And then another one. And another one. And another. And another. And another infinity... At least "infinity" meaning practically every episode of Adam-12 through-out it's entire seven season run. This White over Gold Mustang is pretty much a co-star in the series. None of the vehicles used as the Adam-12 squad car itself appear as many times as this Mustang does.
Later, after Reed goes for a nice refreshing swim in a pool (Ah... so soothing!), we get to see Malloy working some magic with three snot-nosed kids who run up to see the possible TV-burglar suspect M & R have busted. First Malloy snarls at them, then invites them to a slammer social. Malloy is just great with kids. Actually and eventually, sometimes he is and sometimes he isn't.
The episode features some finger-printing and a lesson for Reed, taught by a thief of non-TV items, in how a Police Photofax machine works. We then learn that like Reed, Malloy has also, in the past, enjoyed a nice refreshing dip in a pool. Actually, the same pool only three years earlier. When responding to a call regarding loud music at the location where the pool was located, Malloy was pushed into that pool by one of the prettiest little gals he'd ever seen. As we eventually get to know Peter J. Malloy, we'll realize... he probably ended up dating that pretty little gal. Until she brought up the subject of marriage. Oh, and Malloy smokes cigarettes.
Whoa. Wait. What?? Cigarettes?? Malloy, don't you know that the Surgeon General has warned that... Oh, that's right. This was 1968. No, Malloy didn't know.
This second episode of the series was the second episode in a row of outstanding televisual entertainment. Great script, great direction, great production and great acting for the regulars and the guest cast. Even those three snot-nosed kids were good.
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