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50th Anniversary Viewing (Part 1)
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Adam-12
"Assassination"
Originally aired December 8, 1971
Wiki said:
A phony prowler call results in shots being fired at Malloy and Reed. Shots ring out again when the officers head to the airport to transport a blood donor. The suspect is a known check bouncer, and Reed's wife gets a disturbing phone call. Later Reed heads home and meets an acquaintance who just happens to be driving the same car as the shooting suspect. Other cases include a suicidal man who tries to incinerate himself with gasoline, and a wino who is nearly shot by Reed.
Responding to a family dispute call, Reed and Malloy search the area with their spotlight. When they get out to knock on some doors, they're fired at with an automatic weapon. The officers take cover behind their door and call for backup to seal off the area, but when they find shells indicating the spot from which they were fired upon, the shooter is long gone. Dispatch verifies that the call was a phony by trying the callback number.
Next the officers are assigned to rush to a heliport, Code 3, to pick up a woman who's being flown in to donate blood for her little brother (Angela Cartwright, whose character is billed as Cindy Williams; not to be confused with Cindy Williams, whose signature character is billed as Shirley Feeney). The sniper opens fire on the trio as they're approaching the car. The helicopter, Air-10, circles the area as a distraction while the officers and their passenger carefully get in the car and drive off. A search of the building the sniper was firing from turns up a police scanner and that the shooter's been keeping tabs on the whereabouts of Adam-12. Reed calls home to learn that Jean received a suspicious call asking about Jim.
During the commercial, Jim gets Jean to stay at her mother's and a couple of days pass. Reed finds himself edgy when a boy selling flowers approaches the car (Brian Tochi). The officers are assigned to an attempted suicide at a service station. At the scene, they find a man who's doused himself with gasoline and is threatening to ignite a lighter (John Lupton, I presume from process of elimination). While Reed keeps the man busy talking, Malloy has the fire department called and has the attendant (Timothy Brown) take him to the station's fire extinguisher, sneaks it up within range behind the attendant's back, and douses the man with it so he can be subdued. Mac turns up the pawn shop that sold the radio, which was bought with a bad check by a known "paper hanger" who goes by the alias of Maury Stover. The officers are familiar with him, but are unaware of having had any dealings with him.
That night, the officers are assigned to check out a prowler. The caller didn't leave a callback number, so they go in suspecting a set-up and call for backup. Then they get out to search the vicinity, expecting that they might be shot at. They find an older man (David Bond) who attempts to run, and when told to freeze makes a sudden move to reach into his coat, almost causing Reed to fire, only for it to turn out that he's a wino who was going for his bottle of muscatel.
When the officers are off duty, Pete drops Jim off at his house, where Reed's approached on the street by a man who met him at a party named Mark Donin (Charles Robinson; not to be confused with Angela Cartwright's signature character, Penny Robinson) and needs to use a phone. Malloy drives off and, at Reed's door, the man pulls a gun and reveals that he's "Maury Stover," and that his actions been motivated by Reed's casual comments at the party about the forgery suspect and how Donin happened to fit the man's very common description. Reed clearly thought nothing of the matter at the time, but Donin was paranoid that Reed would put it all together and plans to kill him and make it look like a stress-induced suicide. Reed manages to trip the man, and when he attempts to fire, he's shot by Malloy, who was tipped off by seeing a car matching the make of Stover's parked down the street.
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The Brady Bunch
"Getting Davy Jones"
Originally aired December 10, 1971
Wiki said:
Marcia, president of her school's Davy Jones fan club, hastily promises she can get him to sing at her school's upcoming dance on the strength of Jones' letter saying he would do her a favor. Marcia scrambles to contact Jones to ask him to appear. After unsuccessful attempts at the local TV station and at his hotel, Marcia's appeal to Davy's manager, who brushes it off a lovesick fan. However, this is overheard by Davy himself. When he realizes he did write that letter promising a favor "if he is ever in her town", he knows he cannot go back on his word.
Notes: This was Davy Jones' first televised appearance after the end of The Monkees; his song featured in this episode, "Girl", was also used as the theme to the Paramount picture Star Spangled Girl, which was released in theaters the same month as this episode's original broadcast. In 1997, TV Guide ranked the episode number 37 on its '100 Greatest Episodes of All Time' list.
It's a bit surprising that this is one of the episodes that's not available on Paramount Plus, given its reputation. Notable here for immersive retro context is that this was the point at which CBS was rerunning
The Monkees on Saturdays, though
The Brady Bunch was airing on ABC. Also notable is that the Monkees are never referenced in the episode.
Marcia's holding a meeting in her bedroom of her school's entertainment committee, which also includes Laura (Kimberly Beck) and Doreen (Tina Andrews), trying to come up with a special guest for the impending prom by that weekend. Jan excitedly brings up a newspaper article that Davy Jones is in town, and Marcia floats the idea of getting him for the prom.
Laura: Well why just Davy Jones? How about the Beatles, the 5th Dimension, and the Carpenters, too?
Marcia, who's president of Davy's local fan club, produces a framed letter in which he promises to show his appreciation if he's ever in town.
The adults poke some fun at the girls' enthusiasm for Davy, while acknowledging that they had their own idols back in the day...
Alice: Yeah, I remember when I found out Frank Sinatra got married. I wore black bobby socks for a month.
Marcia goes to Davy's hotel between scenes to find it jammed with other kids wanting to see him. She finds herself unable to back out of her promise because all the girls in the school have gotten worked up over her assurance of getting Davy...even her teacher, Mrs. Robbins (soon-to-be psychiatrist's office secretary Marcia Wallace), proves to be too enthusiastic about it to confide in her.
Marcia gets the idea to send Davy a telegram, only to learn that he has 600 waiting for him at the hotel desk. Then she learns that Davy's appearing on a local TV program and tries going to the station while it's being aired, only to learn that the show's filmed a day in advance. Mike tries pulling strings with his contacts, to no avail. Alice proves more resourceful, as she's seeing the butcher who delivers meat to the hotel, who asks a favor from the chef to get Greg and Marcia into Davy's room posing as busboys...but they only meet his manager (Britt Leach), and learn that Davy's at a recording studio.
Cut to the studio, where we watch Davy (billed in the credits as David Jones--Are we taking him more seriously now?) recording his vocal for "Girl"...which has an intro that sounds more than a little like "Daydream Believer".
Marcia shows up at the studio during a playback and pleads her case to the manager, who turns down her request while Davy overhears from out of view thanks to a live mic in the booth, looking less certain about it. Back at home, Marcia's calling Mrs. Robbins when the doorbell rings and Carol brings in Davy. Davy contritely apologizes for making a mess with the promise in his letter, and agrees to come to the prom, on the condition that he can get a date. Marcia volunteers by kissing his cheeks, while the younger kids make fun upstairs.
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The Partridge Family
"Guess Who's Coming to Drive?"
Originally aired December 10, 1971
Wiki said:
The Partridges hire a temporary bus driver who turns out to be an ex-con.
Teaser! Reuben brings the Partridges their summer tour itinerary, which involves two months of hitting various cities. Shirley doesn't think she can do all the driving on top of performing every night, and Tracy (who really seems way too young to be performing in a band) comes up with the idea of hiring a driver. The family hires Johnny Burnhardt (Milt Kamen), whom the kids initially take a quick liking to. But at a gas stop, Danny sees Johnny being paid by the attendant (Vic Tayback), and gets suspicious that he's a "floating bookie" from how he makes calls at every stop. Wearing glasses with a false nose, Danny tails Johnny to a restaurant where he's talking with a man whom the waitress identifies as a parole officer. When questioned by Shirley, Johnny admits to being an ex-con who was in for armed robbery, and that the calls are to his parole officer. Then the family sees a local article about a bank robbery and Danny thinks the photo of the back of the robber looks like Burnhardt.
Danny brings Reuben to the band's location to look into it, but he gets locked up when a desk sergeant (John Lawrence) thinks he might be the robber. With his one call, Reuben gets Tracy while she's watching
Sesame Street, and the others don't find out about what happened to him until they're starting a show.
When they go to bail Reuben out, Reuben tries to implicate Johnny, who was seeing his parole officer and being spied on by Danny at the time of the robbery. His feelings hurt, Johnny's ready to leave, but everyone apologizes to him. He finishes the tour before moving on, with a letter of recommendation from Shirley so glowing that he asks her to tone it down so his parole officer won't think it's a phony.
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The Odd Couple
"Being Divorced Is Never Having to Say I Do"
Originally aired December 10, 1971
Wiki said:
Felix's meddling threatens the remarriage of Oscar's ex-wife. First appearance of Klugman's real-life wife Brett Somers as Blanche.
Felix excitedly wakes Oscar early to announce that Blanche is paying an unexpected visit (credited as Brett Somers Klugman).
Blanche (in Oscar's room): It's like a stroll down memory sewer.
Blanche announces the episode's premise and describes over breakfast how she met Roger, who's to become her husband that afternoon. When Felix makes Oscar use a napkin...
Blanche: You're wonderful! I never got him any further than his sleeves!
Oscar is enthusiastic to attend the wedding, but from how Blanche spoke of Roger, Felix doesn't think it's going to work out. At the chapel, Felix and Oscar learn that Roger's going to be late because he's recovering from a long steam bath, and Oscar goes to find him. Felix learns that Blanche's weepy bridesmaid, Judy (Pam McHardy), is just a sales clerk who sold her the wedding dress the day before. Felix tries to convince Blanche that she has better prospects, but she describes a series of recent relationship mishaps, getting across her desperation for marriage. Oscar brings back Roger (Billy Sands), a nebbish of a milkman whose surname is Doctor. The ceremony proceeds, but as soon as Reverend Wright (Richard Stahl) gets to that classic line, Felix objects to the marriage.
Somehow, this actually puts a halt to the ceremony, and Felix asserts that Blanche will have a couple of days to reconsider. He describes what he thinks love is, but Oscar remains sore at his meddling. Blanche comes by the apartment to tell them that the wedding is back on for the next day, but that she and Roger are going to have dinner first to talk things over. Oscar and Blanche do a bit of reminiscing on the couch, but it turns into a fight when Oscar brings up the alimony and she objects to how his gambling routinely disrupts it.
The second ceremony proceeds on schedule...
Reverend Wright: My dear friends, we are gathered again today to have another crack at uniting in holy matrimony...
When the reverend gets to that part again, Felix holds his tongue...but Oscar, reluctantly, doesn't. Again, this actually puts an end to the ceremony, but Blanche is relieved afterward, and Oscar tries to convince her to wait for the right guy to come along.
Looking it up, I was surprised to find that Somers was a little younger than Klugman and Randall a little older.
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Love, American Style
"Love and the Bowling Ball / Love and the Check / Love and the Hiccups / Love and the Liberated Lady Boss"
Originally aired December 10, 1971
"Love and the Bowling Ball": When Bert (Sid Caesar) and Ralph (Allan Melvin) are getting ready to go bowling a week before Bert's wedding, it comes up that his fiancee, Sally, doesn't approve of his passion. Sally (Kathleen Nolan) shows up by surprise, expecting to have a romantic evening with Bert (initially oblivious that he's wearing his bowling shirt), when he thought she was working. She expresses her desire to "unhook" him from the game, and he promises that if she'll let him go that night, he'll never bowl again for the rest of his life...to Ralph's horror. When Bert leaves, nosy neighbor Mrs. Saffron (Elvia Allman) puts the idea in Sally's head that he'll go back on his promise and may be fooling around with an attractive neighboring masseuse named Marge (Victoria Carroll).
The next day, Bert's trying to go cold turkey, but Ralph lures him back in with an exhibition by a champion who bowls with his toes. Bert calls Sally to make an excuse to postpone their dinner date that night. Cut to Bert and Ralph returning, Bert having decided to completely rip off
That Girl and gotten his toe stuck in his ball. Ralph tries to get it off with oil, then Bert sends Ralph to get Marge, hoping she can massage it off. Sally comes up, so Marge hides and they put a blanket over Bert's legs, but while they think Sally's in another room, the bowling team tries to pull the ball off from downstairs with a rope, only to pull the couch into the doorway with Sally on it. Sally ultimately understands and offers to take Bert to the clinic, but following Marge's advice, it comes off with the release of tension when Bert and Sally kiss.
"Love and the Check": Andy (Roy Stuart) and Darlene (Nina Wayne) are making out after she recently returned from having been shipwrecked on an island with a millionaire named Mr. Dimitri. It turns out that she doesn't want to be seen in a bikini because Dimitri lost $1,000,000 to her playing tic tac toe and wrote a check on her tummy with ink made from berry juice. Andy becomes determined to get it cashed. At the bank, Mr. Durkin (Bryan O'Byrne) is flabbergasted, but takes the check seriously, and brings in his superior, Mr. Hollister (Jonathan Harris), who considers it a prank at first, but quickly wants to bring in a handwriting expert to verify the signature (Cliff Norton), and a botanical expert to verify the authenticity of the ink (David Ketchum). Hollister ultimately determines that the check is authentic and can be cashed, but Darlene decides to dump Andy for being too mercenary over the issue, while the bankers swoop in and attempt to woo her.
"Love and the Hiccups": Newlyweds Danny (Richard Dawson) and Chris (Anjanette Comer) Louis are arriving at a hotel for their wedding night, but when they get in the brass bed, Chris finds that she's gotten the hiccups from champagne, ruining the mood and causing her to obsess over getting rid of them. Scaring her doesn't work, so she calls her mother for advice, which involves doing some shopping for an unusual series of items via room service...including a duster, galoshes, an umbrella, and a tuba. The bell captain (John Amos) brings them up, but had to substitute a trombone for a tuba. When he finds out what it's about, the captain tries his own home remedy, which involves having Chris blow out a match while holding her nose, but that doesn't work. Danny decides to go the drug store (which would have made more sense before getting all those odd things). While he's gone, a burglar comes in posing as room service (Richard Bakalyan), to find his intended victim in galoshes on the wrong feet holding an umbrella, and she assumes that he's Danny under the stocking mask, trying to scare her again. She suggestively leads him to the brass bed, but when she grabs his gun (I'm not clear if it went off because of a brief recording skip at the exact moment when it may have) and Danny comes in, she faints, the burglar flees, and after she's come to, the hiccups are gone...but they have another toast in bed and he starts to hiccup.
"Love and the Liberated Lady Boss": Marshall (Bernard Fox) and Heather (Stephanie Edwards) are office coworkers who've been going together for seven years, but she's disappointed when he brings her a family heirloom snuff box rather than a ring. He goes in to see their new titular employer, Casey Hawkes (Nanette Fabray), to ask about a promotion so he and Heather can get married, but she's an Anglophile and immediately takes a very personal interest in him. His opportunity to discuss the promotion gets tangled up in a date that evening. Casey gets all dolled up for a date in her office, now equipped with a large cart of drinks. Marshall keeps trying to bring up the promotion, while she very aggressively goes after him, and uses a spilled drink as an excuse to start getting him out of his clothes. She drops that he's going to be the new head of sales if he goes along with her, but Heather (who's Hawkes's secretary) walks in and doesn't understand. The next day Marshall brings a ring to the office for Heather...but drops the bomb that he's going to Hawaii with the boss as a condition of getting the promotion. Heather storms out upset, then Casey comes out of her office to find Marshall holding the ring, thinks it's for her, and it immediately scares her off, causing her to become all business, canceling the Hawaii trip while allowing him to keep the promotion.
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Just one of those Partridge Family singles.
Yeah. Still better than the Osmonds, if that's not setting too low a bar.
I hate to say it, but....
Ditto!
This one was a complete surprise to me...can't say I'd ever heard it before in my life...or that I give enough of a crap to bother trying to get it.
This, however, is an Oldies Radio Classic.
Oh, yeah.
What, not gonna take the opportunity to comment on Yoko's singing? Too easy a target?
I believed it, too. I don't remember the Byrne spoof, though.
The story where Johnny's death by racecar accident was faked and he was held captive by a Disney-like character (or his androids while Not Disney was still frozen...I think Not Disney was actually up and around at some point in the story), as part of a hare-brained, cartoonish plan to use him to heat Earth's core under the simplistic belief that this would cause the planet to expand like a balloon and solve the population problem. I recall Ben and Johnny fighting their way out of Not Disney's lair through robots spoofing on cartoon characters.
Pretty much, but one of my all-time favorite songs is yet to come.
"Darling Be Home Soon"?
Trivia time - Without You was written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger
Yeah, I stumbled on that when looking up something about this version. Listening to the Badfinger version, I'd say that Nilsson brought out the beauty in the song.
And having just stumbled across the factoid, I guess I should mention that apparently Nilsson's version made the 2021 revamp of the
Rolling Stone Greatest Songs list.
Many have interpreted the song as about someone who attempts suicide. The story arose after both Pete Ham and Tom Evans committed suicide by hanging.
I didn't know two of them committed suicide.
Something I'd read that I meant to mention about "Anticipation" last week is that Carly wrote it not while patiently pouring a condiment on her hamburger, but while waiting for Cat Stevens to pick her up for a date.
