Mannix (TV Series) Bang, Bang, You're Dead (1970) User Reviews

I almost skipped this one

[cpotato1010 · 7/10 · 25 July 2019]

I thought it was another episode like season 3 episode 21, Fly, Little One (1970).

The difference is the part of the little girl is much better written here, and the actress, Patti Cohoon, is up to the part. In fact, I think she did better than some of the adult actors.

Of course, this is largely due to some of the writing being a little too obscure. You get the overall idea of what the bad guys are trying to do, but some of the pieces are not as polished.

One part that did stand out as well done was the brilliant social engineering on the part of the bad guy trying to track down the little girl, first calling her school, and then the follow-on call to get her location.

Also well done is that they did not need to show the actual kidnapping, just let Mannix know it had happened.

The final good part was the drapes, Mannix did not even know he had been given away.

Unfortunately, the rest was more by-the-numbers than good, and was a bit of a let-down.

So, a bit uneven, but in the end, I was glad I watched this episode.

One additional comment - It was only two years from Mannix to M*A*S*H for Larry Linville, but the difference between Lt. George Kramer and Maj. Frank Burns is huge. Perhaps the difference between Lawrence Linville and Larry Linville? :-)

Edit - some additional comments after another viewing few years later: At the accident site, Joe uses a small camera to make copies of the two pieces of paper in the late bad guy's wallet. First and only time with the camera, I think. Yet at the motel he has to write down the info from the phone ledger?

Also at the motel, another appearance of the 1965 black Mustang, out in front when Mannix first stops in.

Excellent

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 19 August 2014]

Dottie (Patti Cohoon-Friedman) is playing in an abandoned theater when she happens upon some men discussing some conspiracy. Although the 9 year-old isn't completely aware of everything they're talking about, she does understand that they plan on killing someone. But, because of her age, the police seem totally unimpressed and the mother takes the case to Mannix. At first, Mannix isn't exactly sure the kid is telling the truth--though when there is an attempt on the kid's life, he's a believer. So who are these men, who do they want to kill and can Mannix manage to stop them from killing this cute little girl?

Episodes of shows with kids often fail because they are too cutesy or they rely on child actors--who can be awful. However, the kid seems like a natural and the show strikes a nice balance. Well worth seeing.

Kids say the darnest things

[Guad42 · 7/10 · 21 January 2021]

If a child actor is the center of the plot, he/she needs to be good at it. Fortunately, Patti Cohoon-Friedman is. She is actually a kid in this episode, unlike many child parts where the kids are written as little adults. Dottie witnesses a conversation about a killing and tells her Mom. As often happens in these shows, everyone disregards the witness until the bad guys try to kill her, thus giving the witness's story credence. The bad guys use an actor to impersonate the head bad guy and then kill him in a car explosion so everyone thinks the head bad guy is dead. This is pre-DNA but they used dental work to ID people back then but maybe it works. The bad guys kidnap the little girl and Joe gets to rescue her.

The other reviewers cover several valid points but I will add a few here. Joe goes to visit the bad guy's girlfriend. He forces his way into her place by jimmying the back door. Considering that action and the fact she is the girlfriend of the guy he wants to corral, their conversation is a little creepy. Another point is Joe and Peggy learn where the girl is being held. The plan is Joe will race over there while Peggy calls the cops. Somehow, Joe loads the bad guy and his girl into his car and still gets to the hideout several minutes before the police. You would think the police would have a patrol car there in 5 minutes but I guess not. The guest cast is fine but not the familiar names we usually see on this show. Joe doesn't get shot or beaten up. Not sure he would be paid. He was hired but the client is a single mother with a girl and that girl was kidnapped. I don't think Joe sends them a bill.

DON'T COME IN HERE, WE'RE PLANNING A MURDER!

[tcchelsey · 9/10 · 13 April 2023]

Always fun to see some cute kid pay a visit to Joe and Peggy. However... the fun NEVER lasts, right? This time, it's a troubled little girl named Dottie, played by Patti Cahoon Friedman, an enormously popular child actress. She reminded me of Susan Gordon, the daughter of producer Bert I Gordon, who appeared in many classic tv shows and movies. They could be twins.

Dottie is brought in by her mom (Loretta Leversee), who just happens to have heard a murder being planned in an abandoned building. Naturally, the cops don't believe her and the creeps are coming after her. Patti was a regular on the APPLES WAY tv show, playing Cathy Apple. She was actually 11 years old in this episode and a doll. You could tell Mike Connors admired her, who especially worked well with kids. It shows.

Warren Duff wrote this adventure, long associated with Warner Brothers, writing many classic movies for James Cagney and the Dead End kids. He produced what is considered the greatest film noir, OUT OF THE PAST (1947) starring Robert Mitchum. He retired shortly after this episode do to ill health.

Murray Golden did a superb job of directing, especially Patti, also handling MISSION IMPOSSIBLE and the FBI. Watch the scene with Kelly Thordsen playing Mickey, the guy who puts the face sketches together with Patti. It's well done, and with experience. Kelly was actually a retired LAPD officer. He more than likely was a consultant too.

This story marked the last appearance of Larry Linville (who moved on to MASH), on a rotating basis with Ward Wood as the LAPD. Linda Leversee, as Helen, Dottie's mom, was a popular actress at the time, who studied under Lee Strassberg.

I confess, I did take off one star, and I agree with the notes, you can see the new car that supposedly "crashes," .... suddenly becomes an old, junk car. Should have gotten better stock footage. Looks like it was lifted from BATMAN!

A cool gag scene has Joe driving around with a wax dummy of Dottie --just in case the goons have ideas. Filmed partly at ritzy Calabasas, California, about 13 miles north of Malibu. A beautiful area to film.

Another gotsa' see adventure. Recommended late nighter. SEASON 4 EPISODE 11 remastered CBS/Paramount dvd box set.

Complicated, implausible, silly and with loose ends everywhere

[pkfloydmh · 1/10 · 30 July 2021]

This one is quite a mess. It's complicated, disjointed, and none of it makes any sense. The plot is never fully explained and there are loose ends everywhere. It almost seems like several unrelated story lines were just plopped together and made into a show because the producers had nothing else to go with. It's inexplicable that this episode actually aired.

It's about a little girl who thinks she overhead some thugs planning to murder someone. That's the only thing that makes sense here, so good luck trying to figure anything out after that because nothing is explained. Joe miraculously is able to just suddenly figure everything out and mentions something about someone being substituted for someone else because the substituted person was apparently the intended target, but this was never followed up on. And who was the person blown up in the car? And why did Samantha decide to cooperate with Joe when she DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HIM AND HE WAS A STRANGER IN HER HOUSE? And why didn't she call the police? After all, Joe broke into her house. And since when does Joe have the right to just break into someone's house without facing any consequences? None of it makes any sense. This episode is a mess from start to finish. It appears the producers threw it together at the last minute without thinking it through and without HAVING A PLOT. Again, it's hard to believe this actually aired. It's one of the worst episodes of the season.