Adam-12: Log 61: The Runaway (1968)
Season 1, Episode 12
6/10
Slow And Uneventful Ruins The Day
29 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
During the course of this episode, Malloy and Reed complain (mostly to one another) that fellow Officers Walters and Brinkman keep getting all the exciting calls. Meanwhile, they (M & R) take care of routine, boring matters. Unfortunately, the boredom our two heroes deal with slides right off the television screen directly into the audience's own viewing experience. Malloy and Reed handling boring calls makes for a rather boring episode.

Pretty much the wildest moment of the show is provided by comic actor, Foster Brooks. Brooks, who appeared only a couple episodes previous as a man teasing a dumb kid who had gotten his head stuck between two fence poles, here plays a man irritated that Malloy and Reed have ticketed his car for being parked illegally. Atop that, neither of the Officers are the least bit impressed by the Brooks character's informing them of his aquaintence with a "higher up" lawman. This knowlege is meant to persuade Malloy to negate the ticket. The wild moment comes when M & R depart the scene and the Brooks character flips the parking ticket about. This representing his angered frustration of the moment.

So no, not much excitement going on in this one. Besides the parking ticket ordeal, the partners get to play nurse to a sickly teen girl runaway being harbored by a man twice her age. This guy is one of the cleanest-cut "hippies" ever to appear on the show. However he does exhibit a very lousy attitude toward law enforcement.

Later we get to watch as both Malloy and Reed salivate at the sight of a hot turkey sandwich. Then it's off to handle a mysterious home break-in organized by a 5 year old genius. Not a very pulse-pumping segment. Though we do get to watch Reed pet a dog.

The proceedings do eventually tempt the viewers' thoughts of some possible heavy action when Malloy and Reed are called upon to take part in a major narcotics stake-out. Even Reed can barely contain himself at the thought of making some big-time arrests. However, as this narcotics bust scenario plays out in the dark of night, all we're given is the sight of M & R sitting in their squad car discussing the passage of time. Eventually the detective in charge announces via the radio that the bust is a bust and that it's time for everyone to go home.

So this episode focusing on Malloy and Reed having a boring day, simply translates to viewers watching a boring episode of Adam-12.
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