An old flame of Mannix's comes to the detective agency. Apparently, she's not a happily married woman and she wants Joe to spy on her husband in order to learn who his mistress is--so she can have grounds for divorce. However, shortly after he begins the case, he's bashed on the head and set up for the husband's murder. It's obvious that Mannix is not having a good day and he makes it worse by running. Now all he needs to do is prove his innocence as well as catch the real killer--especially since bodies are beginning to pile up! Not a bad episode. However, the first two episodes were so fantastic that this one seems a bit disappointing. The plot is somewhat routine by comparison but still interesting. I particularly like the way the ending was handled. Worth seeing.
5 Reviews
Joe ends up with better women later in the series
Guad4225 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Joe is framed for the murder of the husband of his former lover as he is hired to get dirt on him for the upcoming divorce. Seems like a marginal job for an outfit like Intertech. Despite the old girlfriend request for Joe, giving the job to him seems like a conflict in interest that Lew Wickersham would veto.
The story rolls along with a few dead bodies along the way. Joe runs from the crime scene and sets out to prove his innocence by catching the killer. He finds out about a girlfriend of the husband who is told to leave town by the dead husband's business partner. Lew stops her but she knows nothing. A friend of the wife ends up dead. After a car crash as Joe dodges the police, he gets Lew to get the old girlfriend and the trio go to the dead husbands business partner to set a trap for the killer who has to get the partner too. The killer is the only one left who makes sense. The ending is a nice wrap up with a fine shot to get the bad guy. Lew comes in just as the action ends. He is doing the role the police will fill in the later years - arriving just in time to do cleanup.
The cast is alright. There is a problem in that Mike Connors and Gloria DeHaven have little chemistry between them. I can't see them as a serious couple back in the day. She is a good actress but not his type.
Intertech is a big corporation but Lew Wickersham spends a great deal of time on Joe. When Joe leaves in a year, Lew probably was relieved. As an aside, Lew is a sharp dresser.
A decent outing for this new show. Do see it.
The story rolls along with a few dead bodies along the way. Joe runs from the crime scene and sets out to prove his innocence by catching the killer. He finds out about a girlfriend of the husband who is told to leave town by the dead husband's business partner. Lew stops her but she knows nothing. A friend of the wife ends up dead. After a car crash as Joe dodges the police, he gets Lew to get the old girlfriend and the trio go to the dead husbands business partner to set a trap for the killer who has to get the partner too. The killer is the only one left who makes sense. The ending is a nice wrap up with a fine shot to get the bad guy. Lew comes in just as the action ends. He is doing the role the police will fill in the later years - arriving just in time to do cleanup.
The cast is alright. There is a problem in that Mike Connors and Gloria DeHaven have little chemistry between them. I can't see them as a serious couple back in the day. She is a good actress but not his type.
Intertech is a big corporation but Lew Wickersham spends a great deal of time on Joe. When Joe leaves in a year, Lew probably was relieved. As an aside, Lew is a sharp dresser.
A decent outing for this new show. Do see it.
Nice Rebound
boatsgilhooley8 March 2022
"Nothing Ever Works Twice" is the first episode with a storyline featuring someone from Joe's past. In this case, a former flame looking for help in her efforts to obtain a divorce.
Some familiar tropes of the series begin appearing.
A client lies to Mannix.
Joe gets hit from behind and KO'd.
There's a car chase. This one involves a 1967 Mercury Colony Park, damaged by Mannix, but drivable.
Joe also goes off-roading in a four-door sedan.
Mannix uses a car phone (though not his).
There's a fist fight.
Joe lights up two cigarettes.
Body count of three.
Someone shows up in the end to help "clean up". In Season One it's usually Wickersham (Joe Campanella), in later seasons it's usually one of several police lieutenants.
As for the story itself, it's well-written enough to keep viewers interested. The only downside is by the time of the denouement, the killer is the only suspect left, there's no twist or surprise in the reveal.
Speaking of reveal, the George Barris customized 1967 Oldsmobile Toronado makes its first appearance in the series. A really sweet ride. Beats the heck out of those Mercury Comets.
Overall it's a strong episode, good action sequences, you get a glance into the past of Joe Mannix, and the Barris Toronado definitely raises the "cool factor" of our hero.
Some familiar tropes of the series begin appearing.
A client lies to Mannix.
Joe gets hit from behind and KO'd.
There's a car chase. This one involves a 1967 Mercury Colony Park, damaged by Mannix, but drivable.
Joe also goes off-roading in a four-door sedan.
Mannix uses a car phone (though not his).
There's a fist fight.
Joe lights up two cigarettes.
Body count of three.
Someone shows up in the end to help "clean up". In Season One it's usually Wickersham (Joe Campanella), in later seasons it's usually one of several police lieutenants.
As for the story itself, it's well-written enough to keep viewers interested. The only downside is by the time of the denouement, the killer is the only suspect left, there's no twist or surprise in the reveal.
Speaking of reveal, the George Barris customized 1967 Oldsmobile Toronado makes its first appearance in the series. A really sweet ride. Beats the heck out of those Mercury Comets.
Overall it's a strong episode, good action sequences, you get a glance into the past of Joe Mannix, and the Barris Toronado definitely raises the "cool factor" of our hero.
Joe is a bit of a thug in these early episodes.
pnolname24 March 2022
He strongarms nearly everyone he encounters, even if they are not known to be guilty of anything yet. He also smokes, something I don't recall happening in later seasons. As the other reviews pointed out, he takes a divorce case for an old flame and gets involved in a shootout, a car crash and a few fights. He seems really worked up over this "old flame", despite her lady-prison-guard aesthetic. Like much of the '67-'68 season, this one is a little weird, but it's entertaining. The house of the final shootout looks familiar, maybe from Twilight Zone or Hitchcock; I assume it's something from Universal's lot, maybe in Beaver's old neighborhood.
LOOK OUT FOR THE SUCKER PUNCH, JOE!!!
tcchelsey21 December 2022
Neilson ratings at the time showed that MANNIX was off to a slow start... but if you were a kid growing up back in the day and watched this wild stuff, you were hooked. It had to be the fist fights!
Former MGM movie star Gloria DeHaven guest stars in this tough episode, playing an old flame (named Gloria) who needs Joe to do some undercover work. If you guessed watching her husband - you got it! What happens next is CLASSIC Mannix. Joe gets bopped and is framed for the guy's murder in one easy lesson.
This episode also holds the distinction of beginning a series of lovely female guest stars, who were eitherJoe's former gal pals or clients --who became close friends. Gloria DeHaven was popular on tv at the time and guested on the soap opera RYANS HOPE. Robert H. Harris (an Alfred Hitchcock favorite) co-stars as Malloy. The fun thing about Harris is he generally played quiet, unassuming types with something up his sleeve. Also check out the nice wardrobe changes in this episode, so Hollywood.
This one gets violent, combined with Joe's sporty Oldsmobile Toranado, which would begin a line of classic cars to take him from one smack down to another. I think the producers at the time were trying to figure out what type of car would suit someone like Joe. Personally, I always thought he was a Corvette type of guy, mainly because he was a bachelor, but he did finally get a super Dodge Charger. Also in the budget.
THERE IS... a real cool car chase with Joe in a brand new Chrysler Imperial. It looks to have been partly filmed around the winding road to the Griffith park Observatory. The perfect spot to wreck your car as there are hills and ditches everywhere.
Well directed by Murray Golden, who was also handling episodes for MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. SEASON 1 EPISODE 3 remastered CBS dvd box set. Note: This first season box set is perhaps the least expensive of all eight seasons, and could be because Gail Fisher had not joined the cast as a regular until SEASON 2.
Former MGM movie star Gloria DeHaven guest stars in this tough episode, playing an old flame (named Gloria) who needs Joe to do some undercover work. If you guessed watching her husband - you got it! What happens next is CLASSIC Mannix. Joe gets bopped and is framed for the guy's murder in one easy lesson.
This episode also holds the distinction of beginning a series of lovely female guest stars, who were eitherJoe's former gal pals or clients --who became close friends. Gloria DeHaven was popular on tv at the time and guested on the soap opera RYANS HOPE. Robert H. Harris (an Alfred Hitchcock favorite) co-stars as Malloy. The fun thing about Harris is he generally played quiet, unassuming types with something up his sleeve. Also check out the nice wardrobe changes in this episode, so Hollywood.
This one gets violent, combined with Joe's sporty Oldsmobile Toranado, which would begin a line of classic cars to take him from one smack down to another. I think the producers at the time were trying to figure out what type of car would suit someone like Joe. Personally, I always thought he was a Corvette type of guy, mainly because he was a bachelor, but he did finally get a super Dodge Charger. Also in the budget.
THERE IS... a real cool car chase with Joe in a brand new Chrysler Imperial. It looks to have been partly filmed around the winding road to the Griffith park Observatory. The perfect spot to wreck your car as there are hills and ditches everywhere.
Well directed by Murray Golden, who was also handling episodes for MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. SEASON 1 EPISODE 3 remastered CBS dvd box set. Note: This first season box set is perhaps the least expensive of all eight seasons, and could be because Gail Fisher had not joined the cast as a regular until SEASON 2.
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