The episode features some notable early appearances by future TV stars Tyne Daly (Cagney & Lacey) and Fred Dryer (Hunter). In fact, Daly's husband directs the episode. She turns in a charming performance as a movie critic debating the merits of on-screen violence with Lou and the others. But the main plot involves Dryer, a real-life pro football player, in a story about the potentially dangerous practice of hitting opponents hard on the field. One of the players does get whacked pretty hard and winds up in the hospital with permanent paralysis. While I think that seems realistic, having Dryer's character retire from the game to make a statement about violence in football definitely does not seem realistic (who's going to walk away from all that money?). There was also another implausibility earlier in the episode when Mrs. Pynchon is shown to be friendly with a high-ranking game official who just so happens to serve with her on an Olympic committee. Likely? Not really.
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