My last two reviews for season 4:
Marlowe, Come Home
Marlowe goes undercover
I had a feeling I would enjoy this episode, and if you've ever been a dog owner, it will certainly appeal to you. At one point when Marlowe goes missing, Cecilia says he's a part of the family. He's also a part of the cast, and in this story, he's the star. Marlowe probably has more screen time here than in any other episode. It's remarkable when you consider how many different tricks and scenes he had to perform. Some of the scenes are shared with a smaller pooch, who has also been kidnapped. I mean, dognapped.
The owner of the other dog is played by Patricia Davis. I can only imagine what it was like on the set during the week this one was filmed-- having the daughter of the President of the United States playing one of the main guest stars. To be honest, Patti Davis does a fair job in her portrayal of a woman at her wit's end, trying to get her beloved show dog back from vicious thieves. Davis does not have many screen credits, and this was her last major acting job before her final role, which was a bit part in a movie four years later. While her character frantically tries to recover the stolen animal, she gets help from the Simons.
They put Marlowe on the trail, but the plan goes awry when Marlowe is also taken by the crooks. There's a funny scene in Town's office, where Rick explains his brainstorm for using Marlowe to ferret out the bad guys by entering a dog show. A.J. mocks the decision, questioning the logic of Marlowe going undercover as a dog. The stuff that follows is quite amusing. This includes Marlowe being given a fake pedigree; then Rick and Marlowe at the dog show, walking in front of two judges, who cannot figure out what type of breed it is. We also get to see Rick dressed up for the occasion.
When Marlowe is taken, Rick's truck is also stolen and so is his hat. Supposedly, this is the only hat Rick owns right now, which seems like a bit of a stretch. It's important, though, because when Marlowe and the other dog escape their captors, Marlowe shows up back at the house with the hat in his mouth. It's a touching conclusion, especially since there's a moment a bit earlier where one of the criminals shoots at Marlowe as he gets away. We are kept in suspense for a while about the outcome of the shooting. But the fates are kind to Marlowe Simon, and the next morning he will be licking Rick's face when it's time to wake up.
*****
Out-of-Town Brown
There's justice out in the country
This episode was written by actor Tim Reid who plays Lieutenant Brown. He would write another one, which aired during the sixth season and involved Native American artifacts. Reid had experience as a scriptwriter, having already contributed three stories on his previous show WKRP in Cincinnati. It's a shame he didn't do more as a writer for Simon & Simon, because he certainly understands the characters and what makes them tick.
Though this is another variation on law in a small community, it's handled in an inspired way. There is even a line of dialogue at the end when Chief Potter (G.W. Bailey) tells Brown and the Simon boys that there is such a thing as a justice out in the country.
Things kick into high gear when several white men in hoods rough up Brown's cousin Kevin (Randy Brooks) and the cousin's girlfriend. The men spray paint a message on a wall that basically tells them to leave or it will turn real ugly. Of course, Kevin will not be so easily intimidated, and he needs Town's help--which automatically brings help from Town's detective buddies, the Simons.
The Klan imagery is dropped after the first act, and the story starts to focus more on the murder of a rancher where Kevin has been framed to seem like the culprit. He's innocent and goes on the lam. Town's attempts to assist Kevin backfire, and Town winds up in the slammer, where Kevin will eventually join him in the next cell. There are no surprises with any of this, but Reid's story concentrates on the characterization of the cousin and on the rapport Town has with Rick & A.J. There are also a lot of good moments where A.J. and Rick try to thwart the locals, which leads to their being run out of town (of course, they find a way to return and solve the case).
In the last act it all comes to a head along a dirt road out at the ranch where the murder occurred. This is quite suspenseful. The boys learn that diseased cattle are being shot and thrown into a pit. The pit soon becomes more than a burial ground for dead cows, as the murderer intends to bury RIck & A.J. in the same hole. When Town and the Chief pull up, the Simon brothers have already been buried alive and this time, they are in need of rescuing.
The story gets strong marks for taking a basic scenario that could have become clichéd and really showing us some new angles. The use of African American characters in veterinary medicine and ranching was different for a show of this type in the mid-80s. Also, G.W. Bailey's Chief of Police could have been a stereotypical bigot, but he turned out to be a responsible law enforcer, which I found refreshing-- since there were scenes that had indicated he might be guilty and in cahoots with the actual murderer.
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