This 2nd part of a 2-episode story is Malloy-centric. It's mostly him and the little troubled boy from part 1 relating with one another while away at a Police sponsored camp. Reed gets a little bit to do which involves him giving advice to the boy's Mother. We do however get a quick glimpse of Reed out on patrol all by himself. Unfortunately, there's no radio call to him. It would have been interesting to have heard the dispatcher call, "1 - Lincoln-12" and see Reed respond. (The call-word Lincoln pertains to a squad with only one Officer. The call-word Adam pertains to a squad with two Officers. However, it does seem as though the call-word X-ray is sometimes used on the show for a squad with a single Officer.)
While there's no radio call, Reed does answer a wave. A wave from a woman on the street. A funny little ordeal takes place here as the woman introduces Reed, Officer Wells and his (silent) partner to her personal protector. It's an adorable, slimey snake which is curled around her body, under her long coat. It's interesting how the production and the Director handled this scene. The woman's coat remains closed tight at all times except when the camera angle is to her side. She then opens her coat (like a flasher would!) and reveals the snake to the Officers. They all take a sudden, surprised step back. Funny! Then we get an extreme close-up of the woman's face and uppermost torso as the snake cuddles around her. After this, the coat is closed tight again and stays that way. So the fact of the matter is, the snake was never "on location" for this scene. That close-up was filmed elsewhere, probably in studio, and then edited into the rest of the footage with the Officers and the woman on the street. Quite creative.
The scene with the snake is pretty much the highlite of the episode. Not that the rest is bad. Not at all. It's just that all the business with the kid and the camp is a few steps too far from what a viewer wants and expects from Adam-12. Well, this viewer anyway. Part 1 of this story, even though it featured the kid strongly, was still mostly the usual Police procedural. Part 2 focuses mainly on the camp. As in Part 1, Martin Milner is again terrific. The actor playing the little boy is also once again very good. The two have several scenes together filled with great dialogue. It's a great pairing. Too bad the writers and the production didn't consider bringing the boy and his widowed Mother (actress June Lockhart) back as semi-regulars. Malloy could have become a permanent surogate father for the troubled kid and a love interest for the Mom.
A good 2 part story. Now lets get back to the squad car with Malloy behind the wheel and Reed watching Los Angeles go by.
While there's no radio call, Reed does answer a wave. A wave from a woman on the street. A funny little ordeal takes place here as the woman introduces Reed, Officer Wells and his (silent) partner to her personal protector. It's an adorable, slimey snake which is curled around her body, under her long coat. It's interesting how the production and the Director handled this scene. The woman's coat remains closed tight at all times except when the camera angle is to her side. She then opens her coat (like a flasher would!) and reveals the snake to the Officers. They all take a sudden, surprised step back. Funny! Then we get an extreme close-up of the woman's face and uppermost torso as the snake cuddles around her. After this, the coat is closed tight again and stays that way. So the fact of the matter is, the snake was never "on location" for this scene. That close-up was filmed elsewhere, probably in studio, and then edited into the rest of the footage with the Officers and the woman on the street. Quite creative.
The scene with the snake is pretty much the highlite of the episode. Not that the rest is bad. Not at all. It's just that all the business with the kid and the camp is a few steps too far from what a viewer wants and expects from Adam-12. Well, this viewer anyway. Part 1 of this story, even though it featured the kid strongly, was still mostly the usual Police procedural. Part 2 focuses mainly on the camp. As in Part 1, Martin Milner is again terrific. The actor playing the little boy is also once again very good. The two have several scenes together filled with great dialogue. It's a great pairing. Too bad the writers and the production didn't consider bringing the boy and his widowed Mother (actress June Lockhart) back as semi-regulars. Malloy could have become a permanent surogate father for the troubled kid and a love interest for the Mom.
A good 2 part story. Now lets get back to the squad car with Malloy behind the wheel and Reed watching Los Angeles go by.
