User Reviews

The show begins with a woman named Celia coming to Mannix with a quandary--she's been left with a briefcase and when the guy didn't come back for it, she looked inside and found a fortune. Why she didn't just go to the cops was never clear. However, before Mannix can even begin the investigation, some desperadoes storm into the office and hold everyone hostage. About midway through the show, the hostage standoff is resolved--but now Mannix and the cops want to dig deeper to discover who was behind this and why. It has something to do with something in the briefcase other than the money--and that's a problem since it accidentally caught on fire and no one seems certain what it was--except for the man behind the kidnapping.

This show has some exciting moments but Celia's character never really made sense--nor did the perfect timing. It's still exciting but having Mannix play the bad detective on the take didn't ring true--he's been around for a long time and anyone in the know would understand this is all a ruse. Not a well written show, that's for sure but it does have its moments.

This is one of the early stories that have Joe and Peggy taken hostage, and that's what all us kids loved to watch! The only debit is that it would happen almost every season, and there were many seasons to go.

Credit veteran writer Stephen Kandel for the story AND the original title. Kandel had lots of imagination, beginning his career with SEA HUNT. Later he became a writer for BATMAN and in the 70s wrote many top episodes for CANNON.

Here, Joe and Peggy begin another day when a trio of overgrown delinquents hold them both hostage. Relayed in flashback, it all comes together when Joe's client, a young woman (played by Sabrina Scharf) happens to have a briefcase containing $300,000 dollars and "names". Their captors want it ASAP.

In today's market, the money would equal over 2.5 million dollars.

Ramon Bieri plays a creepy mystery man, best in this type of role. Also look for 77 SUNSET STRIP star Edd Byrnes (as Clay) and Larry Linville as Lieutenant Kramer. Sabrina Scharf would make two appearances on the show, and the same year played Sarah in EASY RIDER. She went on to become an activist and attorney.

There's a lot of broken furniture in this episode, and Joe gets slugged, perhaps too many times? It's amazing how Joe recuperates between commercials(!) and even his clothes are neat? I had to take a star off for that.

The mistake I have always noted (and with all the writers, not just Stephen Kandel)... Joe somewhere along the way should have taught Peggy how to use a gun, or at least have a gun in her desk or purse for protection! There would have been more story angles, as most later writers seemed to copy Kandel's original story here.

Gerald Mayer directed, who did 13 series episodes.

On a trivia note, Regis Cordic plays Mr. Coolidge. Cordic was in a ton of tv shows, also known as a Hollywood DJ and who replaced Bob Crane on KNX Radio when he joined HOGANS HEROES.

Filmed around Griffth Park with a truly knock down, drag out Classic Mannix fight. The campy target shooting scene was later copied on an episode of CANNON, starring Jack Cassidy. The difference was instead of targets, they posted body cut-outs of Cannon. SEASON 3 EPISODE 6 remastered CBS dvd box set.

Poor Joe and Peggy suffered in this episode. Peggy has put an interesting spin on casual dress day and came to work without a skirt or pair of pants on. Might be a fun idea if sexy Joe's gonna be the only one you'll see for the day. It's disastrous if you got three cons coming in on y'all and starting stuff up.

It's another episode where Joe gets hit on the back of the head. His head has to be on par with Charles Ingalls busting his ribs constantly. And even worse, I think one of those cons was making Joe look bad. Let's be clear, the lady that was having her face and hair touched by that grabby con clearly wasn't enjoying herself. The guy was still putting Mannix to shame. Check out the scene where the con is touching the lady's hair and looking at it in utter fascination. He was absolutely looking mesmerized by the look and touch of her hair. Joe might be a hair toucher but you never saw him staring at hair/ acting reluctant that he has to drop her hair from his hands.

Okay, silliness aside. I split this episode into two parts. The parts with the three cons were interesting and it's a shame they weren't used throughout the whole episode because I thought the episode started getting draggy after Kevin Hagen's character was killed and the other two cons were taken to the slammer. Speaking of Kevin Hagen, he really is a wonderful actor. He plays a baddie as well as Victor French (another episode) but I feel like most people probably just think of their acting styles on Little House.

I think the problem I have with the second part of the episode is how unbelievable it is to have Joe turning 'rogue'. I know it's a different time period so it's not like one of these guys can get on their smart phone and Google Joe Mannix. But my guess is even in these early episodes Joe has still built a solid reputation of being on the straight and narrow. He's a good guy and nothing's going to make him turn crooked. Same goes for that lady that looked absolutely terrified that Joe was gonna shoot her. Come on, you also had your casual clothing night with Joe. A scene paints it out she's showered and comes down with a dress shirt on and talks to Mannix. Slyness aside, would you think that gentleman would harm a hair on your head?

So yeah, I liked this episode better than the last one but there's still some weak spots in the episode.