Log 104: The Bomb (Episode 20, Season 2)

Episode 46

Hey, guess what? As of this past Thursday, August 27th, I've been doing this for one year! Thanks to all of you who have been reading my little blog about Adam-12 throughout the year. I hope all of you will stick with me through the second year and beyond. 

Synopsis:

A security guard who has history with Malloy discovers a bomb at a manufacturing plant.

The Story:

1-Adam-12 arrives at Amalgamated Products, Incorporated. Reed and Malloy have been called to the firm to take a theft report. As he exits the car, the rookie officer wonders what is manufactured inside the building. His FTO doesn't know either. But he figures that whatever they make, somebody tried to heist it.

The officers meet with the plant superintendent, Phil Watters, in his office. Watters shows the officers the theft report prepared by the factory security guard. He also introduces them to the suspect, Elmo Constant. Constant insists the accusations against him are all lies.

Malloy reads the report, but it alone is not enough for them to make an arrest. The report indicates that something was stolen and recovered. However, it is classified electronics equipment that can't leave the premises under any circumstances. The officers can't examine it or book it for evidence.

I have a hard time looking at this screen cap. Do you see Malloy's thumbnail peeking over the top of his thumb? I have a huge problem with long fingernails on men, huge problem. I'm going to have to focus on Reed for the rest of the episode.  

While they are talking with Mr. Watters the security guard, Ed Bowler, enters the office. He recognizes Malloy immediately and not with fondness. He tells Mr. Watters that Malloy is the one who got him kicked off the police force.

Constant begins pleading with the officers to let him go, he claims that he was only implicated because Bowler is looking for a "pigeon". Bowler, on the other hand, is sure of Constant's guilt and wonders why Malloy hasn't arrested him yet. Pete explains that they can't arrest Constant without some sort of evidence. Watters apologizes for bothering them.

You know what I just realized looking at this cap of Malloy talking to Watters and Bowler? That I had seen it earlier this week.

August 27th is not only this blog's birthday, it is also my birthday and my coworkers used that same cap as part of the banner they hung up at my desk. Aren't they the best?

Bowler follows Malloy and Reed out of the building, he stops them at the patrol car and delivers a warning to Reed.

"If you're ever in a jam, don't count on your partner here," advises Bowler.
"Is that so?" challenges Reed, who knows better.

As they get in the car Bowler vows to prove Constant's guilt.

Back in the patrol car Reed records "no evidence of crime committed" in the log book and wonders why Watters just doesn't fire Constant. It certainly seems like he and Bowler have it in for for the man. He also thinks that Watters will be lucky if Constant doesn't hit him with a civil suit for false arrest. Reed then addresses the history that Bowler and Malloy have and asks why Bowler was kicked off the force.

Malloy explains that Bowler was arresting a suspect and used excessive force.  Pete was a witness against Bowler and Bowler holds him personally responsible for his dismissal.

As they drive along Pete takes notice of a man in oversized clothes carrying two stuffed shopping bags. They follow him to the corner where another man collides with him and knocks one of the bags out of his hand. A bottle in the bag shatters and its contents spill all over the sidewalk. 

Pete stops the car and he and Jim get out to conduct a closer investigation. The man claims that all of the stuff he is carrying belongs to him, he's just checked out of his hotel room and is on his way to a new hotel.

Pete and Jim begin asking him about the room he just vacated. The man tells them, "If you guys are looking for a room, that ones already rented."

"I guess we're out of luck, partner."

Pete keeps pressing him for details about his former residence, but this guy doesn't have time to chat with the police all day. He's on his way to meet someone. Before he can be on his way, though, a barefoot man comes running up to him to and accuses him of stealing his shoes and everything else he owns.

Jim frisks the first man and asks him for his ID. 

"Herring, is this your last name?" asks Jim.

[OK, everybody who has Hulu or the season two DVD's go watch this scene right now. That line had to have been overdubbed in post-production because that is NOT Kent McCord's voice coming out of Jim's mouth!]

While Pete and Jim are learning that Herring and the other man, C.J. Blanch, used to be roommates a woman from the taco stand across the street comes running up to the group. She accuses Blanch of stealing from her! He doesn't even deny it, he just reaches in his pocket to give her back the $15 he took.

Pete takes the money to book into evidence.

 Herring finds this hilarious, he will be arrested for stealing from Blanch and Blanch will be arrested for stealing from the restaurant which means that they could be roommates again; in jail. The restaurant owner is perplexed, she can't believe that while Blanch was stealing from her, Herring was stealing from him.

"Yes, ma'am, I know it's confusing."

After they've booked Herring and Blanche at the jail Reed and Malloy have a chuckle over the comical criminals. Then Malloy hears the familiar sounds of revving engines and squealing tires that indicate hot rodders are in the vicinity.

Reed broadcasts a request for any available units to meet them on tac 2. 1-Adam-15 responds to their call, they will try to sneak up on the drag racers from behind. 1-Adam-12 head over to the finish line of the race. 

As the hot rods take off, an oblivious little old lady begins backing out of her driveway and straight into the path of the drag race! 

Reed doesn't think she is going to stop!

Malloy quickly pulls up next to her. The two hot rods swerve to avoid her car. The first car, a red Mustang, spins out and comes to a stop. The other car, a yellow...something, goes off the road and flips onto its side.

Malloy goes to help the driver of the yellow car while Reed radios for an ambulance. 

He then asks the old lady if she is OK and finds out why she didn't realize she was backing into a drag race. She's deaf as a post!

Malloy discovers that the driver of the yellow car has been thrown from his car and killed. At first the other driver can't believe his friend is dead.

[Seat belts, kids, seat belts.]

When he realizes that his friend really is dead, he begins to blame the old lady. He wants to kill her and starts in her direction, but Reed and another officer grab him. 1-Adam-15 takes him to the station.

After they've finished booking the drag racer Mac meets up with Pete and Jim to let them know that Ed Bowler has just called.

"He says he found a bomb."

Pete and Jim find themselves back at API where Ed Bowler shows them an out-of-place package he found after searching the building. He conducted the investigation after a bomb threat had been received by Watters' secretary. A skeptical Reed asks Bowler how he knows that this particular package is a bomb.

A proud Bowler answers, "I cased the building, sonny. This is the only thing I found that wasn't where it belongs."

Mr. Watters joins them in the store room and is surprised that the plain brown package is bomb. "Where's the fuse? Shouldn't there be one?" asks the superintendent. He also wants to know if they should dump the bomb in water to diffuse it.

[Sir, this isn't a "Roadrunner" cartoon.]

Bowler assures his boss that he has it all under control, he'll handle the bomb. Watters, however, would rather have professionals take care of the bomb. Bowler also thinks he has all the evidence he needs to determine the identity of the bomber, the bomb was found in the store room for shipping supplies; Constant has a key for this room. Watters wants him to cool it, they got lucky last time when Constant agreed not to sue them. He doesn't want to push their luck. Watters turns to Malloy for his profession opinion on the matter.

Malloy would like to call a bomb squad and advises Watters to evacuate the building.  He also does not want Watters or Bowler to say anything about the bomb. He's not sure if it's a bomb, but he doesn't want everyone to panic.

During the commercial break Watters and Bowler staged a practice fire drill to clear the building. All of the employees are in the receiving yard, probably smoking like chimneys until they have to return to work.

The bomb squad has also arrived with all of it's equipment. Malloy briefs them on the situation.

As they enter the building with Malloy, Sergeants Bell and Casey from Firearms & Explosives meet up with up Bowler and Reed. Bowler tries to take them to the package he found, but he is quickly pushed aside by the sergeants. They make it clear to the security guard that the LAPD will take it from here.

Reed informs Bell and Casey that the firm's computer room is on the other side of the wall. If the package is a bomb and it goes off, API is out of business. 
[Geez, don't they use a cloud backup system?]

The bomb squad gets to work analyzing what they are dealing with. First, Bell listens to the bomb.

He doesn't here any mechanical timing device, which means that the trigger is either electronic or chemical.
(BTW, that's Kurt's father, Neil "Bing" Russell playing Sgt. Bell.)

Sgt. Casey then tells Malloy and Reed to clear out. They're now going to assess the inside of the package visually. 

They carefully cut a window in the box and peer inside. They discover six sticks of dynamite inside the box.

They decide to move the package out of the building. Casey runs outside to get the sled. On his way to the van, he runs past Reed and Malloy and tells them, "It's a bomb, all right."

As he pushes the sled across the parking log Sgt. Casey asks Reed and Malloy to search the building for a remote electronic triggering device. If they find one, they shouldn't press any buttons. 

Back inside Bell and Casey set up the sled, which is a shield to protect them while they bomb is moved. Two long sticks, one with a hook on the end go through the "eyes" of the sled. They'll jostle the bomb with the sticks, if it doesn't go off they'll carry it outside to disarm it.

Bell and Casey duck behind the sled to operate the "arms". I think that small horizontal opening is a window for them to see out of when they are behind the sled.

They give the bomb a little shake. It doesn't explode!

So they carefully carry it outside.

Meanwhile, Malloy and Reed search the API locker room with a grumpy Bowler. He resents that the police are checking the building again, he's already found the bomb.

Without those API decals this locker room would just be... the police station locker room.

Bowler shows them to what he thinks is the only locker worth searching, the one that belongs to Constant. Malloy opens it and finds a lunchbox.

It contains a thermos bottle and a TV remote. He calls Reed over to look at the evidence. Bowler thinks Malloy is ignorant and explains what the device is, he tries to push one of the buttons to demonstrate how it works. Malloy quickly moves it away from Bowler. He and Reed take it outside to show "somebody that knows" what it may be.
[Whose hands are holding that lunchbox? Those are not Milner's freckled fingers!]

Outside, Bell and Casey are cutting wires inside the package in order to disarm the bomb. When they complete their task, the sergeants agree that "no amateur made this baby". 

Malloy and Reed approach the bomb squad with the TV remote they found. Bell and Casey will test the remote with a volt-ohm meter. If the meter moves when they press the button, they've found the triggering device.

It moved, they've found the trigger!

Faced with the very real possibility that Constant may have tried to kill several people or at least bring down API, Bowler now changes his tune about the employee. He now admits that Constant may be a thief and liar, but he never thought he could be a bomber. Malloy is understandably confused.

"A little while ago you seemed pretty positive."

Once the volt-ohm meter proves that the remote found in Constant's locker is the triggering device, Bowler knows that Constant must be brought to justice. He volunteers to get Constant, but Malloy tells him to let the police handle it.

He and Reed return with an upset Constant who claims that he has no knowledge of a bomb. 

Constant tells the officers that he also has no idea how the remote "gizmo" got in his lunchbox. He does, however, know how the box got in the building. Another employee named Baker paid him to put the package in the store room.

Reed listens to Constant's story.

Malloy, Mac, and Bowler end up back in Watter's office to find out more about this Baker.

Now that it looks like Constant may not be the bomber, Bowler is smug. "Well, Malloy, looks like I wasn't so wrong after all," he gloats.
Malloy's not interested in competing with Bowler, he's just glad everyone is safe. "I'd say we were all pretty lucky," is his response to Bowler.

Watters calls the experimental department and finds out that Baker went home sick an hour ago. 

Malloy and Reed will go find Baker, another unit will take Constant.
[What is that painting? Is it a shark in a box?]

On the way to Baker's address Malloy reviews what Watters had to say about Baker.

Baker is a quiet type and a good worker who's been with the company for a long time.
[Isn't that always the way?]

When they arrive at 337 South Wyler Baker's sister answers the door and informs the officers that her brother walked out of his job today. 

He was fed up after working ten years and not receiving a promotion. 

[Jim, your hat. She may be old, but you should still remove it. Last week you forgot your name badge, this week it's your manners.]

After he came home Baker went out back to his "private castle", the garage. Upon hearing this the officers head back to their car.

The sister warns them that Baker will only tell them to leave him alone.

They reach the garage and know they must get inside as quickly as possible, a car engine can be heard running inside the closed structure. Reed spots a side window.

He jumps the locked fence to gain access to the window.

Malloy does the same.

Reed then breaks the window with his baton and reaches inside to unlock it.

The athletic officer then uses his physical prowess to hoist his 6'2" frame through the small window. 

They find an unconscious Baker in the car, a hose running from the exhaust pipe into a window stuffed with rags and papers.

They turn off the car, unlock the doors, and open the garage. Next, they carry Baker outside.

Malloy...
[I'm sorry I was distracted by...Milner's, um, acting. Yeah, that's it.]

Malloy begins CPR while Reed calls for an ambulance.

Reed then returns to the garage to retrieve a blanket for Baker. In doing so he uncovers more evidence of Baker's explosive intentions.

We next see Pete and Jim at the end of their shift in the station locker room discussing their day.

Pete's heard from Mac that Constant is leaving town, he's had all he can take of Amalgamated. 
Reed thinks that Baker's plan was pretty clever, Constant just had to be curious enough to hit a button. Malloy's glad Baker wasn't clever enough to plant the remote before lunch.

Mac then enters the locker room to tell them that Baker is going to live.

The (abrupt) End

My Evaluation:

So, is "The Bomb" the bomb or did it bomb or is it just a dud? I'd say it's pretty close to being the bomb. It's certainly not the bomb diggity, but I like this one a lot. Anytime an episode teaches me something new about police procedures it gets high marks from me. This time we got to see the bomb squad in action. I didn't understand everything they were doing, but I did thoroughly enjoy Bell and Casey. They really seemed to enjoy their extremely dangerous job. They were professionals, but they did take some time to make jokes about their big feet and "being out of business" if the bomb should explode.

I was also intrigued by the security guard, Bowler. A petty and aggressive man who seems more interested in being right then finding the truth. I began to wonder, though, as I watched Bowler pushed aside by the police if this is a man who never had his moment in the sun. Is he so competitive with Pete because he just wants to taste victory once in his life and breaking this bomb case may be his chance at winning? I love that the characters we meet on Adam-12 are not the one-dimensional cardboard cut-outs you might meet on Gilligan's Island or I Dream of Jeannie.

The other thing I really liked about this episode is the twist at the end. There haven't been many twists in Adam-12 up to this point, so this was a rare treat. I was pretty convinced that Constant was the bomber. I mean, they found the trigger in his lunchbox! How could it not be him? But, then they introduced Baker into the story and it got even better. I liked that this story kept evolving until the end instead of introducing us to the culprit right at the beginning.

Other than Malloy's long thumbnail, the only other thing that bugged me about this one was the rather abrupt ending. It seemed like the credits just started rolling in the middle of their conversation with Mac. Maybe they ran out of time, this episode was pretty jam-packed with bombs and thieves and drag racers. 

Since I liked the great majority of this episode, I give "Log 104: The Bomb" a rating of:

Do you agree? Let me know what you think of this one in the comments. See you next time! KMA-367