Adam-12 (TV Series) Log 152: A Dead Cop Can't Help Anyone (1969) User Reviews

"You run around like a comic strip character, you think you're doing good police work, but you're not!"

[The_Light_Triton · 9/10 · 17 February 2020]

What makes Malloy such a good character is how seriously he takes his job as a police officer. He's seen his partner (Before Reed) get shot and die on the job and therefore knows the danger associated with it. Unfortunately, not every other policeman in his department knows that pain. In this episode he clashes with one such officer who is more reckless than conservative.

This is also the episode that introduces us to Ed Wells, A recurring character who is the closest thing to "Robo-cop" as the common man says. In this episode, Wells is called in as back-up for Malloy and hijacks the call and makes a clean bust but unnecessarily risks his life in the process, agitating Malloy and getting him in trouble with Sergeant MacDonald. But it's only a matter of time before Wells' luck runs out and Malloy's maturity saves the day.

Officer Snarky Arrives

[chashans · 8/10 · 27 August 2023]

To recognize the "real" Officer Ed Wells, one just needs to see the look of utter pain on his face when Malloy drags Wells' limp, injured body up into the back seat of the Adam-12 squad car. That right there is the look of an absolute idiot who has gotten what he has been deserving of. A whole load of buckshot to the shoulder. Ed Wells is a Hot Dog with no regard for his own safety. Certainly, he has no regard for the safety of others.

It's surprising to see that probationary rookie Officer Reed has been taken in by Wells' stories of his own heroics. Reed, being still quite fresh from his days at the Academy, should be aware of correct Police procedures. Him having just had those correct procedures so recently drilled into his head. Yet Wells, who is seemingly in his fourth year as a cop (per information provided by his wife, Betty) demonstrates a clear neglect of those proper procedures. Malloy is almost as upset with Reed's glorifying of Wells' wild tactics as he is upset with Ed Wells for practicing those wild tactics. It's quite disheartening to see Reed obviously siding with Wells over Malloy. Then too, it's all the more disheartening and indeed upsetting, to hear Sergeant MacDonald tearing into Malloy for "letting" Wells handle a call (drunk with a gun) instead of Malloy doing the job that was assigned to him.

The Wells character is written to be a jerk and actor Gary Crosby most definitely rises to the task. Even in the concluding moments of the episode, when one might expect the character to acknowledge his mistake and awful behavior, nothing of the sort occurs. Officer Ed Wells remains a jerk to the bone. He's perhaps not as "snarky" here as he will be in his future appearances on the show. In this episode, he seemingly outwardly lies regarding his accomplishments. In later episodes, he won't so much as lie as moreso "enhance" his heroics. However, those enhancements will be spoken of, lathered with a helping handful of blatant snarkiness.

It's also interesting knowing that in future Ed Wells episodes, it will be Officer Jim Reed who will find his coworker so vile as to be not worthy of approach. Malloy's own repulsion of Wells demonstrated in this episode will be quelled, replaced with more of an, "Ed Wells - Can't live with him / Can't live with him" forgiving attitude.

At the very least, it's nice to see that in the conclusion of this episode, Reed has definitely seen the light. Reed ends up realizing that Malloy is the one with not just the brains, but also with the true commitment to the job as well as to the commitment to the respect and safety of others.

Oh, and young actor Barry Williams, later eldest son Greg Brady on "The Brady Bunch", appears. Good to see him not kidnapping any rival school mascots here. Or threatening a younger brother for changing the color of his hair to orange. Or frightening propective house-buyers by turning his own home into a haunted asylum. All terrible behavior. Here, he shows only great concern for his Mother. He doesn't even try to ask her out on a date. It's got to be that terrific "Adam-12" influence!

Must be good if it pisses off Trumper types

[bcjones-46089 · 8/10 · 29 December 2023]

When I was in active duty I learned that the hotheads who rush in tend to be pretty short lived, and not really help anyone. Better to have a plan. The plan may not (and probably won't) survive the first encounter with the enemy but the act of planning allows you to adequately assess risks, resources, and options and thus greatly increase your chances.

Action first think later may be boring but it does better for everyone and for the long run. The Wells character may be a bit of a stereotype, but thinking like his exists. I for one am glad that in its first season Adam-12 made a point of making this point. Sure, as Harlan Ellison once said, I think, the real LAPD was nothing like Adam-12, but that is the story of TV. And in this case, I am thankful for that.

Ed Wells get a bad rap!

[imdb-25288 · 5/10 · 11 September 2021]

You may not like his character, he was written to be annoying and know-it-all, I get that; but at least, he gets the job done, unlike submissive and mostly useless Malloy & Reed! These 2 cops are about as useless as any Southern California cop since the 2000s. Anything not to do any police work. I don't know how many times they meet an old lady and say they can't get her money back or help in any way. (Wait: maybe that's the other Jack Webb show, Dragnet.)

Well the 2 shows are pretty much the same, except Reed is easy on the eyes (whoever made Malloy the "star"..??? Bad call!) but it's quite a boring show, the first time around, at least. If, like me, you've never watched it back when but you're used to good cops like Starsky & Hutch, it's a huge letdown. Sure S&H are fictitious cops and these right here are as close to any real life lazy cop as you'll encounter. The same with Webb and his "Friday" (Robinson Crusoe complex, anyone?!) cop.

That said, it's better than any of the crap on regular channels today, which I refuse to watch. But gawd, was Reed written like paint drying or what?! Boring AF, character. And Kent McCord does not add anything to make him more interesting. Stiff as a rock. Don't get me wrong, but go ahead and vote no till your finger is blue in the face, I like him but he's dull and boring. He never adds any oomph, any humor to his part, any slight hint of charm when he interacts with the ladies. I'm not asking for him to go all Jerry Lewis or Harvey Weinstein creepazoid, but com'on, man: give us something to look forward to when we watch.

That said, I know he was not just a pretty face: watch his Culver cop in Dragnet and shows the range of his acting. He was solid, he was good, I just need a bit more to keep my attention. There's no wild car chases here like in S&H (which I can do without, so that's not the problem) but how did this show last wthout something exciting at all?!

I don't get it. It's just a very dull show and here you have one character, Ed Wells and he gets a bad rap. I don't like the actor who plays him (physically nor personality) and I don't like Ed Wells cos he's written not to be liked and the actor does a good job to insure no one likes him over the stars of the show, but - beyond that - you gotta admit, he was the excitement of the show and he brought it! And anyone voting me down here would be lying if they'd say they'd prefer a Reed or a Malloy (or a Joe Friday for that matter) when calling the cops. You can have them: send me an Ed Wells any day, I know he'd take care of the perps for me. The others?? Limp biskit can't be bothered to do any police work. Keep them! 5/10 stars because I can't figure out any other way to express my displeasure without going any lower, because McCord had a good face and it's not his fault his character was written dumb as rocks and useless AF.