In the series' final show: To ensure a safe release of 6 hostages taken by a desperate drug dealer, Mannix, with no other choice, must find and deliver a member who turned informer against t... Read allIn the series' final show: To ensure a safe release of 6 hostages taken by a desperate drug dealer, Mannix, with no other choice, must find and deliver a member who turned informer against the dealer and his men.In the series' final show: To ensure a safe release of 6 hostages taken by a desperate drug dealer, Mannix, with no other choice, must find and deliver a member who turned informer against the dealer and his men.
- Peggy Fair
- (credit only)
- Sergeant Charley
- (uncredited)
The acting matches the direction. Has William Windom ever been bad? I can't recall a single time and he has been in everything so had plenty of opportunities to screw it up. He is a little more of a physical, threatening bad guy here than his usual bad guy who is often a "king pin" type bad guy who tells his underlings to kill people. James Hampton, forever F Troop's Dobbs, has a nice turn as a bad guy with a screw loose. Of course, John Ritter makes this all work. It's easy to forget he did many drama roles before making it big in comedy. He and Hampton would be together in "Sling blade" twenty years later. Paul Picerni gives his usual solid support. Too bad his brother Charlie wasn't in this outing so Joe could beat him up one last time.
I think Art Malcolm pulled through. Of course, if his contract was up and Ward Wood wanted more money.... maybe not. As another reviewer pointed out, some of the recent episodes have been very good so the show seemed to be getting a second wind and it would have been nice to see if that would have carried over into a ninth year. Alas, it was not to be. At least Joe went out with one last episode in which he gets knocked out and doesn't get paid again.
Do see this outing and the entire Mannix series. Also, catch Mike Connors as Mannix in an episode of Diagnosis Murder twenty-one years later. The Mannix character still works after all that time. Well worth the hour.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe home set used is actually a somewhat redecorated, but still recognizable version of The Brady Bunch (1969) living room & staircase. The Brady Bunch had already ended a full year before on ABC in 1974. Both shows were produced at Paramount, the Brady home set was used several times during the 8 season run.
- GoofsAfter Art is shot and lying on the floor, Joe removes the cushion from a nearby chair, and places it under Art's head for comfort. The camera goes back to the other people in the room. When the camera comes back to Art, the cushion is no longer under his head.
- Quotes
Joe Mannix: [breaking in on the Kane gang] Everybody just relax. Hello, Fingerman. You can keep feeding the kitty.
George Kane: [coming up behind Mannix with a gun pointed at him] Hold it. Take it, Billy Lee.
[Billy Lee takes Mannix's gun]
George Kane: You know him?
Fingerman: I believe the gentleman is a private detective by the name of Joe Mannix.
Joe Mannix: [sees the suitcase full of money] Oh, that's quite a bundle. How much heroin does it represent?
George Kane: I'm in the real estate business.
Joe Mannix: Really? What did you sell, San Diego?
[Billy Lee giggles]
George Kane: I have to deal in large amounts of currency. You can ask my lawyer, Mr. Fingerman.
Joe Mannix: Sure, Billy Lee and Ginger here, they're your bankers. Come off it, Kane. There was a shipment if heroin hijacked at the border last month, a syndicate shipment. What did you do, front for the sale, Fingerman?
Fingerman: Well, that's a very serious charge to make without any evidence, Mr. Mannix.
Joe Mannix: Is it? I know a man whose daughter died from an overdose. Legally, the charge should be murder. She was only 16 years old.
George Kane: Then I don't suppose she'll get any older, will she?
[knife clicks]
George Kane: And neither will you, Mr. Mannix.
Billy Lee: Now you just relax, Mannix.
[Mannix pushes Billy Lee out of the way, and a fight ensues; Billy Lee accidentally cuts his hand on Ginger's knife]
Billy Lee: HE GOT MY HAND!
George Kane: All right, you'll live through it.
Billy Lee: IT'S BAD!
George Kane: We'll fix it later, Billy Lee.
Ginger: Come on, let's get out of here. Maybe he tipped the cops.
George Kane: All right, my office. Close up that suitcase and let's go.
Fingerman: Wait a minute, don't everybody leave at once. It's gonna look bad. Look, George, you leave with Ginger with and Billy Lee, and I'll follow with the kid. I'll bring the money.
[Kane, Billy Lee, and Ginger walk out the door as Cliff helps Fingerman re-load the suitcase of money]