Sunday, October 19, 2014

Log 72: El Presidente (Season 1, Episode 8)

Episode 8

Pete and Jim have a busy day on patrol. They break up a fight, help a man with an international incident, capture an armed robber, and use tear gas to stop a sniper.

This episode is not a mini-masterpiece like the previous one, but there are some connections between the two. For instance, episode 7 was titled Log 71, this episode is titled Log 72. Does this mean that these incidents take place on consecutive days? Malloy also references something that he and Jim discussed in the previous episode. I love it when that happens, very few 1960's TV shows have that sort of continuity.


Our story begins in the locker room of the police station.
Reed's guardian angel, Stenzler, is watching over him. This is his view of the locker room.
Walters and another officer are helping Reed with his math homework.

Not really, Reed and his wife want to buy a house and he is trying to figure out the mortgage payments. When he tells Malloy this, Malloy's response is, "You wanna buy a house? You just finished painting the apartment."
See what I mean? Continuity! In the last episode Reed was telling Malloy how he and Jean painted the bathroom and Malloy remembers this!
Malloy thinks the Reeds are rushing things, he doesn't want Jim to get himself into a "money hole".
Malloy doesn't understand why Reed needs a house now. Reed tells him, "I gotta plan for the future, don't I?"
First you're painting bathrooms, now you're planning for the future. What's next? An arranged marriage for your unborn child?
The first call is "unknown trouble" at 3328 St. Victor Road.
There's that Mustang again.
As they approach the door, we can hear two women arguing. 
This lady, Thelma T. Walker, answers the door. She is yelling about someone named "Agatha" stealing her money. But, where is Agatha? Is Agatha a figment of Thelma's imagination? Is Thelma crazy? Drunk?
Drunk.
Malloy finds Agatha in the closet.
I'm surrounded by squirrels.

This is Agatha R. Zephyr. She's in the closet because, "Everybody's got to be somewhere."
Fun fact, my high school team was the "Zephyrs" and our mascot was an owl. I think they should make Agatha here the new mascot of the Zephyrs.

Malloy questions Agatha while Thelma observes and Reed poses for Law & Mantel Monthly.

Agatha hears that Thelma has accused her of stealing money and...it's on!
Thelma really thinks that Agatha is trying to steal Mr. Walker, who just happens to come home in the middle of all this.
I can see why Agatha would want him.

Mr. Walker takes control of the two women and Malloy & Reed exit stage left. (Notice the bottle on the table.)
Back in the car, a cabbie flags down Adam-12 and tells the officers he was just robbed.
Malloy directs the cabbie to pull over with his large, freckled mitt.

The cabbie gets in the car to help them look for the thief.

They spot him and Reed gets out the car WHILE IT IS STILL MOVING!

Hey, look it's future Hill Street Blues TV cop James Sikking playing the cowboy/ robber.
Next, Malloy spots smoke coming out of a tent in a backyard. He asks Reed, "What does that look like to you?"
Huh? What does that mean, Reed? Have you been to Iowa? Does the entire state get together for a picnic?

Anyway, the boys find the homeowner and question him about the smoke and the tent in his yard, the broken down bus parked near his house, and the outhouses in his driveway.
This is Mr. Wilson, he is the president of the Westside booster club. Three months ago, he and his wife went to Mexico to ask a city down there to be a sister city to their Westside.
A busload of Mexican stereotypes then showed up at Mr. Wilson's door to accept the invitation. They also think he is the president, not of the booster club, but of the United States.

Mr. Wilson just wants them to leave by 5pm so his wife does not divorce him.

Malloy convinces them that "El Presidente" is very busy and they must leave after the "fiesta" they are preparing.

Here's what we learned on that call, Reed has (maybe) been to Iowa and Reed understands Spanish! Anytime the Mexicans say something in Spanish, Reed understood it.
You barely understand what I tell you in English, but you understand everything they say in Spanish?

Hey, look Pete! There's that Mustang again.
They get a radio call for more unknown trouble.

These boys have reported the trouble. Their neighbor, Mr. Slade, has fired shots at them from his window. More children in mortal danger!
First, Malloy tries to talk the sniper out of the house. But, when Slade fires a shot at him he knows that won't work. Back-up arrives and Malloy takes control of the situation and directs the other officers.

OK, men, here's how we are going to flush him out. We'll put on our bulletproof aprons, he's sure to come out and see how funny we look in those. If that doesn't work, we'll use tear gas. Somebody radio Mac to bring the aprons and gas kit.
Mac shows up with the supplies and sees that Malloy has everything under control. This is what I love about Mac, he lets Malloy remain in control even though he is the sergeant. 
Reed, it's time to put your apron on.
I know they are life saving devices and not a laughing matter, but these 1968 bullet proof vests crack me up.  They really look like aprons with a flap attached to protect the "family jewels".
Slade, come out and see what we look like in our hilarious bulletproof aprons.
I'm not coming out that easy.
You won't come out? Fine we're sending the tear gas in.

That does the trick.

After they capture the bad guy, Reed comments that he cracked up "living alone like that". Is this a warning to Malloy?
He then asks Pete, "Malloy, things like this don't seem to get to you, do they?"
"Sure, they get to me, but I was thinking about those kids. The way I figure it, Slade had his chance. If he blew it, that's tough. But, if he killed one of those kids that would have been a lot tougher."
This speech seems to echo some of the same thoughts Pete shared at the end of  episode 7, but in a less dramatic fashion.

This episode doesn't really stand out to me. The funny spots are mildly funny, and the stand-off at the end is not very tense or dramatic. So, I give this episode a rating of "Woods". Meh.


See you next time, KMA-367!

12 comments:

  1. OMG!! Hi Rita Malloy - I received your dispatch at Everyone Nods! This is amazing!
    I love the rating system! Malloy is the best (with his "freckled mitt") and Jean is the worst!! LMAO.
    I agree - This is a Woods episode! Well, I do look forward to conducting a deep investigation into your LXI 1-A-12 A+ Blog! :D

    Best,
    Suzy Dragnet

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    1. Yay! This is like our crossover episode! I look forward to reading the report on your investigation. There's even a "hold the phone" in episode 4!

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    2. Oooh! I noticed!! :D

      Use it any time you like!!

      I watch these shows mainly with an eye on composition, style, and design so I really enjoy your take on things. You connect more with the stories.

      Law & Mantel Monthly made me crack completely up.
      Hurray!
      Suzy Dragnet

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  2. Rita, I didn't catch the "Iowa State Picnic" reference when I watched the episode. Sometimes I have a hard time hearing/understanding Reed. Is it just me? I was curious, so I Googled it and came up with this: http://historylosangeles.blogspot.com/2010/08/iowa-picnics-long-beach-and-elsewhere.html I guess you have to be from LA to understand Reed. Interesting historical reference. I didn't know so many Iowans ended up in Long Beach.

    I think the "vests" were the best part of this episode. I wonder why they didn't wear helmets?

    Another great post!

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    Replies
    1. I think they left the helmets in the car because they are handsome, bulletproof actors. Plus it's early days in the police procedural TV show genre.

      Just my 2c.
      Suzy Dragnet

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    2. Okay Seven, that info on the Iowa State Picnics is fascinating! We could have gatherings like that here in SC, so many of us are transplants from the North. I should research some of the stuff that Reed says instead of assuming it is the blathering of a mad man. There are many times that I can't understand various characters on the show. Thank goodness for the CC on Netflix!

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    3. Suzy, fun fact: they only wore their helmets once in the entire run of the show. S6 E12, If The Shoe Fits.

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  3. "Leave me some comments and let me know what you think."

    I think any woman who has an 'Adam-12' blog is alright by me.

    But seriously, mentioning your HS team / mascot -- are you a southeastern PA native? (Just curious.)

    Also, I read an explanation elsewhere on the oft-seen gold Mustang - I can shed some light on it unless it was already commented on and I missed it.

    Scott
    "Switch to Tac-2"

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    Replies
    1. Awww, thanks, Scott. I am from eastern PA, not as far south as Philly, but not as far north as Scranton. Whitehall, PA to be exact. I've read that the gold Mustang was owned by one of the extras that worked on the show and they often used extras' cars during production. That came straight from Tom Williams, producer of Adam-12.

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    2. I'm from Reading. When you mentioned the team / mascot it sounded familiar, so I had to ask. (Apologies if it is too OT for the site / subject.)

      Anyway . . . I discovered your blog earlier this week by luck when searching for new wallpaper for my work computer. Finding a good, or different photo of the guys in the front seat of the car - THE signature image of the series, right? - can be difficult.

      As for the Mustang, I think it was someone on IMDb recently posted that it was actually owned by McCord's 'stand-in,' who would have to drive to the filming locations.

      Scott
      "Switch to Tac-2"

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    3. Off topic? I can find a way to make any topic relate to Adam-12! You're right the Mustang did belong to McCord's stand-in. His name was Lee Kass.

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  4. Helmets were standard equipment for patrol starting with the Watts riots in '65. You see the guys carrying a helmet bag and briefcase out to the trunk of the car at the beginning of shift. They were good for "rocks and bottles" but offered no ballistic protection. So, putting them on in this situation would only inhibit peripheral vision, make you sweat, and mess up your hair. ;)

    L.A. Copper

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