In this episode, Officers Malloy and Reed do their community a major disservice. They fail to arrest a man submitting said community to one of the most horrendous attacks ever presented to viewers of "Adam-12". This evil do-er, this arch criminal, this mad-man of Los Angeles... is playing the bagpipes. Outdoors.
Oh, the humanity.
The episode's Director allow Malloy and Reed to commit a major no-no, and this has nothing to with those horrendous bagpipes. Having searched out a stolen Delivery Van carrying a case of poison filled canisters, M & R proceed to both walk away from the van to search the area for the "teenage" thieves. They leave the van's doors wide-opened and the deadly cannisters in full view for anyone happening past to see and steal. Oops.
When the Officers do track down those two "teenagers" (the van driver described them as such), they look to be in their mid-twenties. Though not easily recognizable, one of the thieves is portrayed by an actor who played one character in one single episode of "The Andy Griffith Show". If you are a fan of that show and recognize the reference, "Dopey Opie", then you know who this is. What a jerk. (That character, not the actor, who obviously was very good and very memorable.)
There are two strange quick story segments included in this episode. One involves a depressed sniper who takes out his deep sadness on Malloy and Reed via a shotgun. What's strange about this is that action moves from rainy daylight to dark of night, then back to daylight. Not the best of production work, but whatcha gonna do? The other strange segment features comic-actor Marty Ingels as a man caught siphoning gasoline... from his own car. The segment drags further than it should have but does conclude with some good advice from Malloy to the man. Extra strange is that Malloy realizes that the man's situation is due to adultery behavior. Odd including this in a Christmas themed episode.
Oh, did I not mention that this is indeed a Christmas themed episode? The evil do-er with the bagpipes wants to terrorize some residents of an Old-Folks home by playing some Christmas tunes on those venom-throwing bagpipes. He also wants to present them with a nickel's worth of Christmas tree. So he's also a cheap, bagpipe playing evil-doer.
Viewers are subjected to the sight, once again, of Malloy's hideously ugly, yellow 1974 AMC Matador Coupe. And at Christmas-time, too. Terrible. M & R tie a couple Christmas trees to the car's roof. This improves the look of the car, if only slightly.
And there's a great scene featuring William Boyett as Sergeant MacDonald who arrives on scene after the sniper ordeal. Mac has been informed by a concerned citizen, that the Adam-12 squad car has been being used to deliver Christmas trees. Mac questions Malloy regarding this very much against-policy matter. Malloy just stands there, grinning in response. He tells no lies, but doesn't tell no truths either. It's just a good thing that Malloy did away with that bit of pine tree branch which had been tangled with the squad's emergency lights atop the roof. This just prior to Mac's arrival. Good thing Mac didn't look in at the squad's back seat where Malloy had tossed that branch.
A good episode with some fun tossed in. And as tiny Officer Ed Wells was known to say... "God Bless us, everyone."
Oh, the humanity.
The episode's Director allow Malloy and Reed to commit a major no-no, and this has nothing to with those horrendous bagpipes. Having searched out a stolen Delivery Van carrying a case of poison filled canisters, M & R proceed to both walk away from the van to search the area for the "teenage" thieves. They leave the van's doors wide-opened and the deadly cannisters in full view for anyone happening past to see and steal. Oops.
When the Officers do track down those two "teenagers" (the van driver described them as such), they look to be in their mid-twenties. Though not easily recognizable, one of the thieves is portrayed by an actor who played one character in one single episode of "The Andy Griffith Show". If you are a fan of that show and recognize the reference, "Dopey Opie", then you know who this is. What a jerk. (That character, not the actor, who obviously was very good and very memorable.)
There are two strange quick story segments included in this episode. One involves a depressed sniper who takes out his deep sadness on Malloy and Reed via a shotgun. What's strange about this is that action moves from rainy daylight to dark of night, then back to daylight. Not the best of production work, but whatcha gonna do? The other strange segment features comic-actor Marty Ingels as a man caught siphoning gasoline... from his own car. The segment drags further than it should have but does conclude with some good advice from Malloy to the man. Extra strange is that Malloy realizes that the man's situation is due to adultery behavior. Odd including this in a Christmas themed episode.
Oh, did I not mention that this is indeed a Christmas themed episode? The evil do-er with the bagpipes wants to terrorize some residents of an Old-Folks home by playing some Christmas tunes on those venom-throwing bagpipes. He also wants to present them with a nickel's worth of Christmas tree. So he's also a cheap, bagpipe playing evil-doer.
Viewers are subjected to the sight, once again, of Malloy's hideously ugly, yellow 1974 AMC Matador Coupe. And at Christmas-time, too. Terrible. M & R tie a couple Christmas trees to the car's roof. This improves the look of the car, if only slightly.
And there's a great scene featuring William Boyett as Sergeant MacDonald who arrives on scene after the sniper ordeal. Mac has been informed by a concerned citizen, that the Adam-12 squad car has been being used to deliver Christmas trees. Mac questions Malloy regarding this very much against-policy matter. Malloy just stands there, grinning in response. He tells no lies, but doesn't tell no truths either. It's just a good thing that Malloy did away with that bit of pine tree branch which had been tangled with the squad's emergency lights atop the roof. This just prior to Mac's arrival. Good thing Mac didn't look in at the squad's back seat where Malloy had tossed that branch.
A good episode with some fun tossed in. And as tiny Officer Ed Wells was known to say... "God Bless us, everyone."
