Mannix (TV Series) See No Evil (1972) User Reviews

Once upon a time there were these new-fangled devices known as car-phones.

[cpotato1010 · 7/10 · 28 December 2021]

The write of this episode is Shimon Wincelberg, who is well-known to me from several other shows of the period, including several episodes of Lost in Space (1965), two episodes each of Star Trek (1966) and The Wild Wild West (1965), and the pilot episode of The Time Tunnel (1966)!

There are many other TV shows where he wrote one or more episodes. Of the ones I have seen the quality is uneven.

This effect seems encapsulated in this episode, there are good parts and bad parts.

The part of the contact lenses is one. If the person needs contact lenses so much, why weren't they wearing them when they committed the crime? Dropping the empty lenses container should not have had enough information to trace the owner.

So, were they planted there to throw suspicion on the football player? Would you be surprised to see the answer?

The other twist is a surprise, something not common in these types of shows. Again, it is the unevenness, parts are rote cop drama, others are this level of gifted writing.

Btw, re Mannix wanting to use the phone at the house - what better way to gain entrance to the house where he thought there was a witness than to claim an urgent need to use the phone? Car phones were not common when this episode was made, so it could be a reasonable request.

Surprisingly original and well worth seeing.

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 1 December 2015]

Considering that this episode came out in the middle of the sixth season, it's a surprisingly good and original episode of "Mannix". Some nice twists and an innovative story make this a strong entry in the series.

When the show begins, Joe comes upon the aftermath of a mugging gone bad. A woman is lying on the ground...dead...and there's no sign of her attacker. Joe then runs to the nearest house and insists the homeowner let him in to make a phone call to the police*. Oddly, however, the guy is a bit hesitant and he acts a bit unusual given the situation. Joe chalks it up to the man's desire to not get involved...but could he have witnessed the murder? Well, there's FAR more to it than that...as the killer is hiding in the man's closet--holding the guy's wife hostage! What's next? Well, you can't possibly guess as this is just the beginning to the story.

As I already said, there are some nice twists in this one...particularly at the end of the show when the writer throws in a doozy! All in all, very exciting and a welcome episode.

FRIEND'S WITH PROBLEMS WHO HAVE KIDS WITH PROBLEMS...

[tcchelsey · 9/10 · 23 June 2023]

A few reviewers knocked this episode, but again the excellent acting takes center stage. Arnold Laven directed, long time producer for the BIG VALLEY.

In this case, the prime suspect in a murder is the teen son (played by Sandy Champion) of one of Peggy's friends. Of course, that puts Peggy in the same space as Joe with all his pals. Sandy was a popular tv actor in the 70s and 80s.

Mannix has to figure this one out, naturally without insulting Peggy, her pal and their son. NOT an easy assignment, and there's more drama to this story, as can be expected. Written by series regular Shimon Wincelberg, who had a long list of credits, including POLICE WOMAN and GUNSMOKE.

One curious thing, and I agree... Joe runs to a neighbor's house to use the phone. Why not use his car phone? Actually, car phone sales may have increased due to both MANNIX and CANNON.

Solid supporting cast with Norman Alden as Lou Griswold (popular on MR THREE SONS). Also Doreen Lang as Ben Kohler's mom. Doreen had a great role as a desperate woman in Alfred Hitchcock's THE BIRDS, if you remember. Look for Vince Howard as Gil, who played a detective in early episodes of BARNABY JONES.

Wait for the ending.... and can you figure it out before mid-way?

Parts filmed at Hollywood High School (the field) right in the center of Hollywood. Also the chase atop the famous Hollywood Melrose Hotel, not that far from Paramount Pictures. To note, a few weeks earlier CANNON had an episode with a similar title, called HEAR NO EVIL.

SEASON 6 EPISODE 13 remastered color CBS/Paramount dvd box set.

Bleah

[il_gran_cacciatore · 2/10 · 16 September 2017]

I love Mannix and bought all eight seasons of the series. This is probably the worst episode I've seen. Lou and Peggy address Joe in the same rude manner, offer the same apology, and continue as if they'd never apologized. It's obvious there's a new writer here (Shimon Wincelberg) who's making the characters sound like him instead of themselves. Add a kid you know is innocent who does everything imaginable to obscure that fact, and you have a fanfic where Mike Connors and Gail Fisher struggle to be Joe and Peggy. OK social commentary, but none of it feels real.

A horrible misfire

[pkfloydmh · 2/10 · 18 November 2021]

This one implodes towards the end when it's revealed that Griswold kidnapped the couple that may have witnessed his wife's murder, which is absolutely insane and appalling. The episode wasn't very good before this as it was slow-moving and unexciting, but when this was revealed, it completely fell off the cliff.

Another problem is Griswold is very aggravating with his constant whining and preaching about breakdowns in society and the fact that Joe would continue working for this moron is not credible.

The rest of the characters are detestable too, with their arrogance and trash talking, and on top of that, there isn't much action either, so there's nothing to recommend here.

This is a depressing and dreadful debacle.

This is mediocre episode

[apex-33519 · 4/10 · 1 July 2020]

There is one issue that sort of puzzles me. Joe Mannix has a phone is his car. (which he uses later on in this episode) Why would need to go to the neighbors house to use the phone. Maybe he didn't have an unlimited plan.

Routine episode

[Guad42 · 5/10 · 29 December 2021]

This is a typical outing without much to recommend or condemn it. The plot has been covered by others but a quick summary. Joe finds a dead woman and the crime just happened. He visits a neighbor who is reluctant to cooperate as the killer has his wife in the closet as a hostage. Joe thinks the man saw something, but the guy says he didn't. The police get there but the killer escapes. Joe is hired by the distraught husband who implies Joe can use tactics not open to the police to get the truth from the reluctant witness. Joe enlists Peggy who has a friend with a son who knows the streets in that area of the murder. A longshot but all of Joe's longshots come in. I'd love to go to the racetrack with Joe. Make some serious money. The kid pretends to know nothing, but Joe isn't buying. Joe ends up back at the witness's house, called by the man's mother. The witness and his wife have disappeared. The mother tells Joe the true story of the murder as her son had told her over the phone. Joe catches the killer and figures out the distraught husband had kidnapped the witness and his wife so Joe rescues them and takes the husband into custody.

The plot has several clichés. A kid going straight but roped back into a bad situation. Witness not wanting to be involved. Grief stricken relative getting in the way and wanting revenge. The sports coach, former sports hero, helping kids stay straight. Several tropes here - pick the one you like.

Logic lapses have been pointed out by others, so I won't repeat them here.

The cast is fine. Conlan Carter, the reluctant witness, is always Doc of Combat to me. Check out the credits of his wife, Gwen Van Dam. She built a good career playing supporting roles and is still at it. Norman Alden is making his second of three appearances on Mannix. He is fine here, but it is a role that Simon Oakland or Claude Atkins could have done too. All three were busy back then.

Once again, no money for Joe for this case but at least he isn't shot, beaten up or drugged. He did have to endure the whiny husband, but he brought him to the police in the end. Have to look on the bright side of this. This episode is about as average as it gets for the Mannix series.