This uproarious episode of the 'Police Squad!' series comes up with truly gut-busting gags. Sergeant Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) becomes aware of a protection racket going on after one of the victims, a dance instructor, is brutally beaten by thugs Leo (Robert Costanzo) and Rocky (John Ashton) in front of her class. Drebin and boss Ed Hocken (Alan North) devise a plan that will have Drebin pose as a new business owner to attract the attention of the criminals. Drebin and Norberg (Peter Lupus) subsequently open a key store (no, not a keister, a key store) and find their business thriving, and naturally the criminals turn up. Drebin ends up "working with them" to find his first order of business will be to bump off the pretty young dance instructor (Connie Needham).
This episode, written by Nancy Steen and Neil Thompson based on a story by Pat Proft, is good fun from start to finish, opening up with special guest star Florence Henderson being gunned down. Inspired gags include the dance students mimicking their instructors' positions as she is being beaten, Norbergs' ineptitude when it comes to key-making (the keys end up stuck to the ceiling), the multitude of pets that crime boss Dutch (Al Ruscio) keeps in his drawers, and especially the freeze frame joke where Drebin and Hocken stay in place while the coffee Hocken is pouring does not. Wise shoeshine guy Johnny (William Duell) educates a fireman on the proper way to douse a blaze, and Drebin gets a lesson in where rocks come from, from both Leo AND Dr. Olson (Ed Williams). The actors (also including Rebecca Holden as sexy moll Stella) have an absolute blast with the rapid-fire jokes, with Drebin doing a perfect job of backwards driving.
A very snappy episode that's a total pleasure to watch.
Nine out of 10.
This episode, written by Nancy Steen and Neil Thompson based on a story by Pat Proft, is good fun from start to finish, opening up with special guest star Florence Henderson being gunned down. Inspired gags include the dance students mimicking their instructors' positions as she is being beaten, Norbergs' ineptitude when it comes to key-making (the keys end up stuck to the ceiling), the multitude of pets that crime boss Dutch (Al Ruscio) keeps in his drawers, and especially the freeze frame joke where Drebin and Hocken stay in place while the coffee Hocken is pouring does not. Wise shoeshine guy Johnny (William Duell) educates a fireman on the proper way to douse a blaze, and Drebin gets a lesson in where rocks come from, from both Leo AND Dr. Olson (Ed Williams). The actors (also including Rebecca Holden as sexy moll Stella) have an absolute blast with the rapid-fire jokes, with Drebin doing a perfect job of backwards driving.
A very snappy episode that's a total pleasure to watch.
Nine out of 10.
