User Reviews

Roosevelt Grier makes the first of two appearances as private detective Salathiel Harms in from the West Coast on a skip trace. The problem is that the subject of his search Bill Duke is knowing that Grier is after him and he's imported Charles Weldon, a hit-man from Detroit who likes a shotgun as his weapon of elimination.

The Manhattan South Squad gets involved when Kevin Dobson just happens on the scene with a date and hears shots fired and finds three pillows, a watermelon and an Afro wig in bed where Grier should be. It's an example of Grier's sense of humor and you got to love a man with a sense of humor. Crocker gets razzed, but later on he returns the razzing on Stavros and Saperstein when they get had by Grier.

A character this good you know had to make a return appearance and Grier brings Salathiel Harms back to Manhattan South and Kojak's jurisdiction. Obviously Grier was shopping this character as a pilot and too bad he didn't get a series with this character.

The 70s were so much more fun than the uptight, moralistic 2020s. This funky episode is an example of that. Rosey Greer was the original Dog the Bounty Hunter. Who loves ya, baby?

I almost hate to write a review of a Kojak episode, but after seeing this one I just couldn't resist. I should add I'm not a fan of the show. I didn't watch it back when it originally aired and I only watch it now to see some of the old guest stars.

While he is taking his date home Crocker hears a gunshot nearby and goes to investigate the source. (Poor guy - even on his night off!). When he finds the "body" of the victim, it turns out to be a fake; someone has put some pillows under the blanket, and for the head, used a watermelon with an Afro wig. It doesn't take Kojak long to determine that this is all a part of a complicated situation. A bounty hunter from California named Salathiel Harms (Rosey Grier) is in town to grab Harlem hoodlum Sylk (played by Bill Duke, in a performance that has to be seen to be believed), who has a warrant out on him in the Golden State. Salathiel had been the intended victim at the beginning, as Sylk had hired an out of town gun (appropriately named Shotgun Willie) to off him before he could drag Sylk back to California. Although Kojak doesn't like having a bounty hunter working his turf, he decides it's better to work together instead of against each other. Besides, who's gonna turn down the chance to ship a bad guy off to the west coast?

This is an episode that is so bad it must be seen to be believed. While the story itself is okay it really doesn't matter since all one can do is snicker at all of the bad (and I don't mean baaaaad) performances. Rosey Grier can barely walk and talk at the same time (early proof of the effect of concussions on football players?). Bill Duke, a very fine actor, is so pimped out he would make Huggy Bear jealous. His performance is so outlandishly bad it has to be seen to be believed. He delivers his lines so slowly it's as if speaking every word takes every bit of strength he has. (It would probably take him all day to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.) And if you watch this episode, do not miss the confrontation between Salathiel and Sylk. Just make sure you're not eating anything at the time or you might choke to death while you're laughing.

It's a safe bet that Duke wishes every copy of this episode had been burned. In fact this episode is so riddled with racial stereotypes it's a wonder they are even allowed to show this on TV anymore. All the black guys are pimped out to the max, and Sylk looks like he's one step away from being a drag queen. And the use of a watermelon to mimic a black guy's head? Oh boy, they didn't think that one out very well...