"Highway Patrol" Escaped Mental Patient (TV Episode 1957) Poster

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8/10
Escape Kill and Ready to Murder Again
biorngm5 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Interesting episode, rather scary based on an escaped mental patient, killing an innocent motorist and just about killing another when Dan Mathews talks him down from a high anxiety level.

The majority of the guest actors have very few credits each, although a well-acted episode, and certainly worth watching. It is not for the squeamish as the patient is true to form, erupting at the least little bit of criticism of his imaginary life as a performing musician.

A clue sniffing pair of bloodhounds help Dan to the murderer-escaped-patient, the hospital doctor making mention the subject is a patient, a different manner of capture might be in order; good advice for the final confrontation.

Dan uses his roadblocks, the bloodhounds, and plenty of old-fashioned police work to bring the man in. Dan's staff of officers aid him in finding the man, and Dan's ingenuity helps walk back the patient to the squad car, ultimately to the hospital.

Take a look, you won't be disappointed, you can rely on the star and some recurring roles to make this a winner episode.
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8/10
So I guess stranger danger was not a thing in 1957?....
AlsExGal20 April 2024
... because in 2024 it's hard to understand the actions of the victims and would be victims in this case.

A 50ish man escapes from a mental hospital. He is under the delusion that he is the world's greatest violinist, and his (very strong) hands make some kind of involuntary shaking motion. He is unkempt and dressed in white pants and white shirt, both of which are dirty from him traveling through the rural wilderness trying to get to the main road. He does not look like someone to whom you would want to give a ride, because he very much looks like an escapee from somewhere! But a local man picks him up and then bends his ear how he is on the way to pick up a widow woman with whom he has been corresponding to go on a long term trip. The escapee strangles the driver, takes his suit, and goes to pick up the widow woman. Will she be his next victim? Watch and find out.

Dan Matthews and his officers have been trying to find this guy since he broke out, but the willingness of ordinary people to trust a total stranger is at cross purposes with Highway Patrol's best efforts. This was not the point the episode tried to make, it was just something I noticed.
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10/10
Perhaps best lines ever in a "Highway Patrol" episode...
topalstan28 March 2012
First of all, special thanks to "This" TV for bringing these wonderful memories back.... William Lally turns in a credible performance, playing escaped mental patient Haldor Matten who has delusions of being a famous concert violinist/virtuoso, "Playing at Carnegie Hall, The ""Paganini"" , "The most difficult violin piece ever" "encore after encore" . He has a very strange obsession about his hands, which suffer a strange jumping affliction, and his shoes-Any mention of his hands tend to bring on psychotic episodes, so whatever you do, do not stare at this guys hands. This episode shows once again that the best comedy is not intended as such. Being a huge fan of this funny old series , this episode would rank in my top 3 . Love the cars in this episode as well, I believe what you are seeing is actually old Packards...
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