User Reviews

"The Inside Man" is an excellent episode of "Barnaby Jones". The only negative is that once again, Jedediah Jones is pretty ineffectual and worthless in the show and needed saving by Barnaby...something that seemed to happen way to often in season 5.

When the show begins, a company is being robbed...thanks to inside help by an employee, Ralph. However, as the two masked gunman are leaving the company, one turns to kill their partner...presumably to make one less split for the loot! Well, Ralph reacts well and ends up killing the gunman...and capturing back the money for his company! Now, Ralph is a hero as no one, other than his 'associates' realize he was the instigator of this robbery. He went from zero to hero...much like Hercules. The problem is that his confederates aren't about to just let Ralph go!

This is a very well constructed and interesting episode. I even liked the end, where Jedediah blew it once again...as otherwise it's exciting and satisfying. Well worth seeing.

Creative writing 101 at play here, thanks to Paul Robert Coyle, who wrote four episodes for the series.

In an interesting twist, it's the headquarters for an armored car company that's being robbed by one of their employees, played by Mark Jenkins (as Ralph). One kills the other robber --to get a larger share! -- and Ralph kills that guy. What a scoundral!

Ralph becomes a hero instead... but that doesn't convince Barnaby. More over, Ralph remains a wanted man as there's always someone else who knows the real score and his connection. Expertly directed by Gordon Trueblood, who only directed a few tv episodes in his career, and was actually a successful tv writer. Trueblood wrote the famous made for tv chiller, TARANTULAS: DEADLY CARGO, filmed shortly after this episode.

Also a different type of role for Mark Jenkins, who played the title role in the tv series, YOUNG DR. KILDARE a few years earlier. Laurie Prange, who appeared in many tv shows in the 70s, plays Chris and veteran actor Robert Patton makes another appearance, who guested five times on the show.

It's fun to spot many other familiar faces in this episode, which is quite an adventure. I agree with the last reviewer, JR is not the star detective, however that's the way a lot of episodes were written to let us all know Barnaby was still in charge.

Nevertheless, JR would prove himself in future stories as Mark Shera was gaining many new fans and drawing new viewers, and that was the key to his being cast on the show in the first place. Let's also not forget, like Betty, he was family.

10 Stars for Barnaby and his suspicious nature, which we love. Nearing the end of SEASON 5, EPISODE 23 remastered.