Kojak (TV Series) A Strange Kind of Love (1977) User Reviews

PRETTY GOOD EPISODE

[rms125a · 7/10 · 21 April 2018]

I agree with some of kapelusznik18's review, although not with his/her chronology. The psychopath killed the policeman assigned to protect radio host Rita McCall (she lashes out at all the things which she believes are ruining life in New York City) but not due to jealousy but because McCall had griped on air about having the police protection in the first place. The psycho emphathized with her feelings of being enclosed and captive.

I am not familiar with the sensuously voiced Lee Bryant, who plays provocative McCall, but she gives a textured and multidimensional performance, becoming more sympathetic. James Sutorious does fine as the psycho, neither gratuitous nor sleazy nor posturing nor sadistic -- it's just who and what he has become. The episode bears some similarities to Clint Eastwood's Play Misty for Me (1971).

The Nightbird

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 15 August 2019]

New York graveyard shift radio personality Alison Steele is the character on which Lee Bryant's portrayal is based on. And a great deal of taxi driver James Sutorius's character is based on Robert DeNiro's character in Taxi Driver.

Seeing that classic and seeing Sutorius in this Kojak episode will make you think that NYC cabbies are a strange lot. Sutorius has fallen in love with the voice Bryant as she speaks unintentionally to his insecurities. Sutorius starts killing people he imagines she would like to see eliminated.

Telly Savalas figures out pretty quickly that the calls have to do with the radio show, but pinning down Sutorius is another matter. And Bryant resents any implication that she's somehow responsible.

Sutorius and Bryant are outstanding in their roles really the regulars in this episode take a back seat.

The psycho and the DJ

[coltras35 · 6/10 · 27 June 2022]

Rita McCall (Lee Bryant) is a crusading radio DJ who believes that New York should rid itself of some of its less savoury characters. When a psychotic killer begins to take her literally, it becomes another case for Lt Kojak. Unusual Kojak episode with some fine performances and a good depiction of night life, taxi cabs and neon lights.

You gave me a reason to live and then you took it away!

[kapelusznik18 · 5/10 · 7 November 2016]

***SPOILERS*** Working the night shift driving a taxi in NYC Terry Lawson, James Sutorius, got addicted listening to all night radio talk show host Rita McCall, Lee Bryant, whom he fell, from afar, madly in love with. Occasionally calling Rita for advice and giving her his most innermost thoughts on the state of world and the economy Terry soon became her, in his deranged state of mind, personal savior as well. This lead Terry to gun down her boss Bradford, Dough Hale, whom Rita was involved in a pay dispute who he felt was taking advantage of her great talent.

This obsession with Rita gets worse and worse with Terry now feeling that Rita owed him for "Saving" her job and tried to get romantically involved with her. That lead Let. Theo Kojak, Telly Savalas, to have her get round the clock protection by him posting the cute and hug-gable young 24 year old police officer Fuzari, ???,to guard her. That only got Terry more jealous and ended up murdering Officer Fuzari for daring to steal Rita away from him! In the mean time Terry is on a crusade of ridding the city of prostitution by taking out a hooker, June Dawson,for a night of fun & games and then murdering her when she asked for him, a man with deep family and religious convictions, to pay for her services.

***SPOILERS*** It took a while but Let. Kojak and the NYPD finally tracked down Terry, through voice identification through the phone, and moved in on him before he could do any more damage. That's with Terry bursting into Rita's pad and trying to murder her for truing down his advances which in her case-Talk show host and caller-would be totally unprofessional. Busting in just in time before he could do Rita in Det. Bobby Crocker, Kevin Dobson, Kojak's punching bag of an assistant put a stop to Terry's madness by first blasting him, before he could do in Rita, and then busting him on a charge of breaking and entering as well as attempted murder.