Mannix (TV Series) Carol Lockwood, Past Tense (1973) User Reviews

Beauty Jane Merrow's second appearance on Mannix

[belanger75 · 8/10 · 11 January 2019]

I first noticed Merrow in European-made TV shows and she is European born. She appeared, like I said in title, on this show a couple of times. Plus, she did various of the Six Million Dollar Man. Her part as a photographer here was well done and it should have had more scenes.

As for the farfetched plot aspects of rescue at sea well it was all done off camera so we cannot be certain how it went. Maybe Merrow's character borrowed a sea plane so she could land the conniving millionaire right at water level and he could fake his rescue.

THE DEAD LADY TALKS...

[tcchelsey · 9/10 · 4 October 2022]

This is a double take episode because one of Mannix's old flames doesn't need help --she's already dead! A story with a noirish feel by series producer Ben Roberts, finding Joe's friend washed up on a beach. This grisly find leads to shady millionaire Dana Royal. Filthy rich Dana is played by non other than Jason Evers, who majored in similar smooth talking guys on CANNON. He was in many top Warner Brothers/ABC tv shows of the 60s.

Big question here is whether Joe's gal friend was murdered or a victim of a boat explosion --or both? Of course Malcolm (Ward Wood) butts into the case, always the pain, but we respect him. It took me many years to warm up to Art Malcolm, as he always made things for Joe more complicated or talked to him like he was a novice.

Two super female guest stars; acclaimed British actress Jane Merrow (as Leona) and Joanna Miles.

Merrow before this episode had a good role in the tv movie THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES. Yes, I agree with the last reviewer. The murderer goes through an elaborate scheme, and not really necessary in the final analysis. I think Ben Roberts just wanted to do some expansive creative writing, the smoke and mirrors angle, which if you are a series fan, you're used to. Watch faces and body language... if all else fails.

Partly filmed at the famous Santa Monica pier, which it seemed every cop show at one time or another put to good use. Roberts, who wrote 10 episodes for the show, is best known for the classic Cagney gangster flick, WHITE HEAT. He also created CHARLIE'S ANGELS. Good trivia question for all us tv buffs.

What we can all agree on is director Leslie H. Martinson's superb work, the scenes with Mannix and Art, pacing back and forth, trying to piece it all together is a highlight, if not a salute to 40s noir. Watch and enjoy, even if you don't get it quite right.

A kewpie doll to anyone who does!

SEASON 6 Episode 19. Remastered CBS/color dvd box set.

Not exactly a prize-winning script!

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 5 January 2016]

When the show begins, Peggy arrives late for work and Mannix seems miffed. Apparently, he doesn't remember the last episode where Peggy volunteered to pretend to be a prostitute and infiltrated the drug ring! Way to go Mannix!!

Anyway, Mannix soon learns that an old girlfriend washed up dead on the beach. Mannix, as usual, insists it's NOT some accident and the Lieutenant, as usual, insists that there's no case and Mannix should drop it. Like my comment above, I kept thinking 'why is Art arguing with Mannix...Mannis is ALWAYS right about these things'! When it turns out that the lady had been on a boat that exploded, Lt. Malcolm then says 'this sort of thing happens all the time'!!! Huh?! However, when the main suspect turns out to be played by Jason Evers, I knew it was murder as Evers ALWAYS played scum- bags...always! So the key for Mannix is proving this jerk did it...and that won't be easy.

A couple examples I gave above show this isn't the best written show of the series. Also, the notion that the baddie could jump from an airplane and land in the water safely in order to pretend that he, too, was on the boat seems poorly written. First, why such a ridiculously complicated scheme? Second, this is a VERY dangerous thing to attempt. If he parachuted, he easily could have become entangled and drowned. Or, jumping without a chute from a slow- moving plane is practically suicidal!! All in all not among the better episodes due to poor writing.

Yeah, but wait a minute, Mr. Hafer!!!

[edrybaaudio · 11 January 2019]

Okay, Marty... I'll buy some of what your review says. However... Large power-boats (known to people who ONLY use sails as "stink pots") actually DO often explode. Their engine compartments and connected air spaces have BLOWERS to remove potentially explosive gasoline fumes, and those blowers are supposed to be operated for several minutes BEFORE the boat's engines are started. If not, the power-boater can easily blow him/her self - and the boat - to little pieces. That happens more often than you might think.

Then, about Mannix forgetting what had happened on the previous show, let me ask: Do you know the order in which that season's episodes were filmed? Were they finished before the cast and crew moved on to any part of some other show? That would be extremely confusing for the actors to follow. It's why you'll find a credit for "Script Supervisor" on most TV shows. That person keeps track of which scenes have been shot, and on what dates they were filmed. Sometimes, scenes from one show maybe committed to film, tape or digital whatever, BEFORE they've finished a show that's 97% done. So you can't blame the Star for a mistake like the one you cite. Basically, that's NOT the star's job. His or her job is to show up on time, be prepared (by having whichever scenes they're shooting that day memorized), and hit their marks (or "Be standing or sitting in the right place" in regular English) when the Director calls "Action!".

So I hope you understand why I disagree with your review. Have you ever Directed TV? I have, and most of the time, it's no picnic. It's a great gig, but it's no picnic.

Too elaborate by far

[Guad42 · 4/10 · 19 December 2021]

This could have been an intriguing episode. Carol Lockwood, an old girlfriend of Joe's, washes up on the beach. Joe goes to the morgue to identify her. It seems to be suicide at first but then turns into an accident, but Joe's gut tells him different. Art argues with him. Why? I don't know. By now he should know Joe's gut is always right. Joe questions Carol's roommate and learns Carol was going to be with Dana Royal, an old boyfriend that came after Joe. Joe talks to harbormaster buddy Al Grady (Mark Topscott) and learns Royal took his boat out a few days prior and hadn't come back. A boating accident? Joe's gut says no. Joe returns to his office to meet Minh McIver (Victoria Racima) who has a missing pilot husband named Alan. It seems Alan worked for Royal and had been doing twice monthly runs to Viet Nam. Now he is missing. Joe vows to look into it and gets Peggy to use Albie to run down info on Alan McIver. What are the odds of the wife showing up in the office to get Joe to find her husband who happens to work for a guy that Joe is already investigating? Small world, indeed. Then Joe learns from Art that Royal had been fished out of ocean clinging to a bit of wreckage. The story is Royal and Carol were on his boat fishing when the boat blew up. Art accepts it but not Joe. He sees Royal who says he invited old friend Carol out because the tuna were running and they use to fish together. Joe brings up the missing pilot and Royal knows nothing about it. Royal admits he hates to fly. They snarl at each other and Joe leaves. Peggy tells him Albie had a quick turnaround on information and the missing pilot McIver made $90,000 in the last six months. Joe visits the wife who gives him a photo of Alan and talks about a woman calling to give Alan "a spot of business" and that is what took Alan out of the apartment, never to return. The wife knows nothing about the money but said her husband loved money. Now the pilot husband turns up dead in Mexico, shot in the back. Joe is sure the pilot was smuggling and wanted more money so Royal shot him. He then learns from Art that a student pilot had spotted Royal in the water. Joe visits Leona Kellaway (Jane Merrow). Her story is she was out flying and saw him in the water. Mannix finds it suspicious she avoids using his name and that Royal didn't call her to thank her. It is like they are avoiding each other. Joe finds out Leona is faking being a student pilot and is actually a veteran pilot. Joe confronts Leona and she uses the term "spot of business" so Joe knows it is all a set-up. Joe makes a mistake and tells Leona about knowing of her phone call to Minh McIver. Royal shows up and Joe tells them both that he is on to them.

Joe lays it out for Art. Royal takes Carol out on his fishing boat, knocks her out, Leona pulls up in Royal's speed boat and takes him off. The fishing boat blows up. The two villains go ashore, fly Alan McIver to Mexico and kill him. Then Leona drops Royal off near the boating accident to drift around until she "finds" him days later. Joe then realized he gave up Minh McIver to Leona, so she is in danger. At her place, the building manager confirms Minh was escorted out by two people to Leona's white Mercedes. They soon determine Leona and Royal have Minh in a plane. Joe talks to Leona over the radio and points out that Royal will kill her as she is the only one left that can testify against him. Leona flies back to the airport, everyone is arrested, and Minh is free. Art and Joe get something to eat.

Royal's plan to kill McIver is ridiculous. If he can fly him to Mexico, he can take him on his boat, shoot him, weight down the body and toss him overboard. No need to kill Carol or lose the boat. For that matter, McIver could take Carol's spot. Two guys go fishing, the boat blows up, McIver's body washes ashore and Royal is rescued the same way he is rescued in his original plan. The boat is gone but McIver is accounted for so no missing person angle to it. Lots of ways to do this without the Rube Goldberg plan. This makes this entire episode a bit much.

The guest stars are good but predicable in the casting. Evers is always a bad guy and, on Mannix, he is always a bad guy with an insanely complicated plot. He appears 5 times. In the first one, he is an assassin, but in the last four, he has these complicated schemes to achieve a devious end. Watch any of the four. "A Gathering of Ghosts" is in the running for the worse episode ever. Jane Merrow is fine, but she is a long way from Lion In Winter. Mark Topscott is usually a bad guy. Without Evers here, he would have been a prime suspect just based on the casting. Eddie Ryder will turn up in a better role in episode 7-10 Search in the Dark. Victoria Racima should have been welcomed back for other roles. She is different in a good way.

A couple of stray comments. Not sure about the opening with Peggy arriving late and Joe playfully berating her before ordering her to make coffee. Did they need to add a few minutes to fill out the episode? I will give them credit (an extra star) for one thing they didn't do. This type of script with a girlfriend/loved one from the past ending up dead is somewhat standard in long running PI/cop/western shows. While the hero searches for answers, the audience is often subjected to flashback scenes of the couple horseback riding, walking on the beach, having fireside chats, or romantic candlelit dinners, all overlaid with soulful music. The scenes fade out to our hero's face showing regret and loss. This didn't happen here. Thank you for that. Another thing - why does Leona Kellaway have to pretend to be a student pilot? She can be an established pilot who rents airplanes on a regular basis to indulge herself. That happens all the time. Joe finding out she is not a student pilot helps unravel her story.

Joe doesn't get paid (yet again), but he avenges an old friend (yet again). He could charge the wife Minh McIver but that's not Joe's style. He doesn't even get shot at or beaten up. Not an outrageously bad episode but the premise is just too over the top.

Outlandishly far-fetched

[pkfloydmh · 1/10 · 21 November 2021]

In this one, Joe's former girlfriend is murdered and he investigates the circumstances behind it.

This show has had many previous episodes that involved someone coming up with an elaborate and outrageous scheme to kill someone when they could have done it much easier but this one takes the cake. This scheme is so far-fetched and absurd that nothing in this episode can be taken seriously. The show has really outdone itself this time but not in a good way.

Of course, you know Royal is going to be the villain since Jason Evers ALWAYS plays villains, so there's absolutely no mystery here. This is now the second episode where he's concocted an elaborate scheme to kill someone, with the first being Color Her Missing from season three, but that episode was much better than this dreadful turkey.

Jane Merrow really needs to choose her scripts more wisely as this is now the second calamity she's been involved with on this show, with the first being the horrific Sound of Murder episode from season five. She now has the unfortunate distinction of being in two of the worst episodes this show has ever made, which no other guest star can claim.

On top of all of the other problems, there are no fight scenes, chases, or shootouts, so this one is a real drag.

This is a depressing and dreary flop with a scheme that is so insane it's an insult to anyone's intelligence. This is a total bomb.