Log 111: Snake in the Trunk or Boa Constrictor (Episode 11, Season 1)

Episode 11

But, first important news!!

Has it been a week already since my last post? So much has happened since then, including a huge Adam-12 discovery! At least I think this is huge. I belong to an Adam-12 group on Facebook that has many members who are former police officers. I posted a question to the group about the log numbers in the titles of the season 1- 3 episodes, thinking that one of the former officers would comment on how real police logs are numbered. Instead, Mr. Tom Williams, one of the producers of Adam-12, commented on my question! According to Mr. Williams, the log numbers used in the titles were a form of bookkeeping for Mark VII productions. Mark VII productions paid officers if an event that happened to them was used in an episode. The log numbers were a way to keep track of the division number and their event suggestions. For example, an episode that used the first suggestion from the third division would be titled Log 13. Isn't that fascinating? I've never found another explanation of what the log numbers mean, so I think this may be a Lincoln X-ray Ida: My Blog About Adam-12 worldwide exclusive! Mr. Williams said he would have to do further research on the log numbers, I will let you know if there are any more developments on this.

Now, let's get into episode 11. First, this is another one with two descriptive titles. Netflix calls it Snake in the Trunk and IMDB calls it the Boa Constrictor. Both titles make sense since Pete and Jim are looking for a stolen car with a pet boa constrictor in the trunk. They also rescue drug addicts from a fire, and break up a neighbor dispute.

Once again, our story starts in the locker room. Reed and some other probationary officers have just met with the Chief of Police. While getting ready for his shift, Reed tells the other officers about his meeting with the Chief.

This is big news. Notice the officer standing on the bench so he doesn't miss any of Jim's story!

Walters, "Your boy's pretty revved up. Isn't he?"
Malloy, "It's a big deal for him, getting to meet the Chief face to face."

Once they are in the car, Jim is still talking about his meeting with the Chief. Pete seems underwhelmed and responds to Jim with heavy sarcasm. Which contrasts his attitude in the locker room with Walters. In the earlier scene Pete seemed to be happy for Reed, not annoyed with him.

"Why fight it?" He's not gonna shut up, no matter how hard I try.

Reed doesn't get to tell Malloy the whole story about meeting the Chief again, the radio interrupts. "1-Adam-12, see the woman, a stolen vehicle report, 7149 Garden View Terrace."

Here is the woman, Jane Agnes Tipton, in her groovy pad. She looks like a "hippie", I'm sure this character will be believable and intelligent.

Jane Agnes Tipton was played by Luana Anders, who also appeared in three Dragnet episodes. Two of the episodes, like this one, involved animals.

Here she is in a season 2 Dragnet as a loopy hippie chick who had her purse stolen by a dog.

Here she is in a season 4 Dragnet about dognappers playing a woman who resembles her dog.

Jane Tipton doesn't know much about her car, like the license number or the exact model year, but she does know it was stolen in front of a liquor store and that she left the keys in the ignition (where else would you leave them?). She also knows she wants "her wheels" back by 6:00 or 6:30 for her date with a computer-matched suitor! Her interview with Malloy and Reed is hilariously frustrating. Pete tries to keep her focused on the crime, but her mind keeps wandering to her date that evening.

I really don't paid enough to deal with these squirrels.

Wow. This chick is dumb.

While Reed goes to use the phone in the kitchen, Miss Tipton turns her attention to Malloy.

"Do you dig Shankar?"

"'Fraid not."

She then asks Pete if he surfs, to which he replies, "no". Liar, we all know he is the Great Kahuna.

I only surf with Sally Field.

Through Miss Tipton's prying we find out that Pete's birthday is March 17th. Red hair, freckles, birthday on St. Patrick's Day, could Malloy get anymore Irish? Jane is very upset that Pete is a Pisces.

"Oooh, Pisces. You're all hung-up."

Fortunately, her computer match, Bert "grooves" with her on just about everything.

"Science is wonderful."

In an effort to get more identifying information on the car, Malloy asks her where she gets the car serviced. Jane replies that Ernie at Jackson and Martin takes care of her. Her date is Bert, her mechanic is Ernie! Do you think Jim Henson could have been watching this episode?

Finally, Miss Tipton gives them useful data on the car. They will be able to identify the car because "Arthur", her 8-foot pet boa constrictor, is in the trunk.

Let me click my pen dramatically and continue this report.

"I better phone in a supplemental."

Happily back in the car, Reed and Malloy listen to the dispatch about Miss Tipton's car and Arthur.

I know he wants to talk about that snake.

"Malloy?"

"No, I don't want to spend the rest of the watch trying to figure out why anybody would keep a boa constrictor as a house pet."

Unfortunately, Malloy will not be able to avoid discussing Arthur entirely. Walters and Brinkman stop to ask Pete and Jim about Arthur.

See Pete and Jim's mirror? Compare it to Walters and Brinkman's.

I think Walters and Brinkman's mirror is broken. Also, Walters has amazing cheekbones. Additionally, we find out that Brinkman is afraid of snakes.

As Pete and Jim continue on patrol, Jim smells smoke.

917 is on fire!

Pete breaks the window to get in.

There are two men in the room that is ablaze.

Malloy carries this man out. Reed will get the other one. OK, can we just talk about Milner's superhuman strength? That is a full-grown man he is carrying!

This is one of the men that was rescued, he is a drug addict that didn't even know he was on fire! He wants to thank Reed and Malloy. That is until he finds out they are police officers, not firefighters

"Fuzz. Lousy, stinkin' fuzz."

Back to the search for the white Ford. Reed and Malloy see this white '58 Ford convertible on the side of the road with no driver in sight. Is it Jane Tipton's car? Has it been ditched by the car thief in this location? Pete and Jim investigate.

Pete approaches the open trunk with caution. Arthur is not in the trunk. Could he have climbed out?

Pete manages to spook Jim by telling him that boa constrictors like to drop down from trees. It's really quite funny to see such a brawny man get scared by the idea of snake.

The owner of the car shows up. The boys will have to continue their search.

But, before they can find another '58 Ford our boys are called to a neighbor dispute at 1616 West Manor Drive.

These two guys' wives are having a dispute. Blue Shirt and his wife, Doris, have installed a new sprinkler. When Doris turns it on Plaid Shirt's wife, Marjorie, complains that it gets her wash wet. (For those of you too young to remember, this is when people hung their wash on a clothesline to dry.) Today Doris turned on the sprinkler and Marjorie started spraying her with the hose. These two have dragged their wives inside and called the police to scare them.

-So, you two have this pretty well handled, right? I mean, we're police officers we have real citizens to protect. You two should be able to control your property wives.
-Uh, Pete, women are real citizens. They can even vote now.

As Pete and Jim are preparing to leave, they hear the two women screaming.

Looks like the girls are at it again.

The husbands start to fight, but Malloy quickly puts the kibosh on that by telling them that he will book the first one who throws a punch. 

While Malloy was tending to the men, Reed defused the situation between the wives. But, how?

Back in the car, Reed reveals how he stopped the water fight between the two women.

He told them they would have to get their pictures taken just as they were, wet hair and all.  He used "a little elementary feminine psychology". Women, all they care about is their appearance. Am I right?

Malloy spots another white '58 Ford convertible. He doesn't like the way the driver is acting, so he pulls him over.

Could this be Jane Tipton's car?

Oh, hi Officer. I was just on my way to my Beach Boys tribute band practice. Sure, I have my license. I don't know where the registration is, though. This is my brother-in-law's car, he lets me use it.

Hmmm, a Jackson and Martin service sticker and this guy can't find the registration. Pete asks to search the trunk to see if Arthur is in there. The driver reluctantly agrees to the search.

Malloy carefully approaches the trunk with his gun drawn.

What's under these blankets here?

"Marijuana, about half a pound."

Well, that means a return to the station with evidence and a suspect to book. We next see Pete and Jim in the locker room where all of the officers are sharing their stories of the white Ford convertibles they pulled over on their shifts. No one has found Jane Tipton's car or Arthur. Then Walters and Brinkman enter the locker room and announce that they were the lucky cops who found Arthur and the car.

Walters and Brinkman responded to a "man screaming" call and found a couple of car thieves who discovered Arthur while stripping the Ford.

Arthur is "not so bad once you get used to him", says Brinkman.

Brinkman is right, Arthur is not so bad, because of him Walters and Brinkman caught a couple of car thieves and Malloy and Reed made a drug bust!

The End

This episode is OK, it didn't leave much of an impression on me after my initial viewing. I had forgotten about most of it, like the fire and the neighbor dispute. I really only remembered Miss Tipton because, even though she is playing the stereotypical Mark VII goofy hippie, her exchange with Malloy is very entertaining. 

I hate the dispute with the two women, they are made to look childish and petty. I understand that this show was made during a different time, but it still irritates me. 

Since I liked some of this episode and forgot about the rest of it, I give it a rating of:

Do you agree? See you next time! KMA-367