This is an odd episode. Benno Fisk (Hershell Bernardi) is carrying money for his gangster brother-in-law, Arnie Kurtz (Carroll O'Connor)...against Arnie's better judgment. Well, it turns out Benno isn't up to the task...though I wouldn't exactly blame him. While aboard a train bound for New York, he contracts Parrot Fever (there is such a thing*?!) and becomes goofy with high fever. Dr. Garr (Dane Clark) is a government official who is trying to locate Benno and anyone else with the infection and stop them from spreading it to others. And, with Benno THIS sick...what about the bag of money he's carrying?! I'm sure Arnie would like to know!
Much of the episode actually is told in parallel--with Ness and his men looking for Arnie and a Health Department worker trying to find him as well since the Parrot Fever might have come from his wife's birds. It's a very unusual sort of premise but interesting. It's also a bit sad towards the end, as the viewer doesn't dislike Benno... Well worth your time.
*I can only assume that this is similar or the same as the Bird Flu we've been hearing about on the news. Reports from Asia have been a bit alarming over the last few years...and maybe it's not so new after all.
Much of the episode actually is told in parallel--with Ness and his men looking for Arnie and a Health Department worker trying to find him as well since the Parrot Fever might have come from his wife's birds. It's a very unusual sort of premise but interesting. It's also a bit sad towards the end, as the viewer doesn't dislike Benno... Well worth your time.
*I can only assume that this is similar or the same as the Bird Flu we've been hearing about on the news. Reports from Asia have been a bit alarming over the last few years...and maybe it's not so new after all.