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!