Top of the World, Ma!

The plot here is tedious -- a mentally challenged debt collector trying to collect his commission from a big city gangster. You'll quickly get tired of Bo Svenson's scenes, which vary little as the script progresses.

Weaver is outstanding, as usual, but he had very little here to work with.

When this episode begins, McCloud is relegated to stolen car detail by the Chief to try, as usual, to keep him out of trouble. The first case ends up being a strange one....a HUGE guy named Bubba White (Bo Svenson) is in town with a car reported stolen back in Dayton, Ohio. But it's a weird case...he's not just some punk car thief but a man on a mission to find Mr. Farraday (Robert Webber) and make him pay him money he thinks he's owed. But this quest is a serious problem, as Farraday is a super-dangerous character...so McCloud decides to try to find Bubba before Farraday's goons.

This is a very unusual episode....and one of the better ones I've seen so far from the series. Much of it is because it is so unique and it's also really nice to see Svenson and Stephanie Powers guest starring...along with the classic film star, Joan Blondell, in a small role. Well written and interesting...and I hope more episodes are as good as this one.

By the way, if you have a chance, read Svenson's IMDB bio...it's VERY interesting and very unusual.

I couldn't quite buy Bo Svenson's country boy act as the ex-football player doing collections out in Ohio for mobster Robert Webber. I also couldn't buy Webber not paying someone who was ostensibly an employee. Bad for business and definitely with a guy like Svenson you don't want him mad at you.

Anyway he steals Vincent Gardenia's car and heads for New York. Gardenia was his immediate boss puts out a report his car was stolen and heading for the Big Apple.

I will say though that Stefanie Powers as a hard hearted street girl was quite a change in cast. Stefanie usually such a goody goody. Highlight of the episode for me was Dennis Weaver gaining the confidence of Svenson's mother played wonderfully by Joan Blondell.

This is a weird episode into the McCloud franchise because McCloud himself is not that much in this entry. He does solve the problem but it's more about the Ohio boy coming to New York to collect his money he earned from a mobster.

Another thing is that you can see that McCloud was big back then in the early seventies. For the first time we so common names from the genre acting in McCloud. Robert Webber and Stefanie Powers have an important part. It's also for the first time that I've noticed blood running from persons being shot.

Another thing that is a must see is the retro look of New York, parts that have been erased and demolished nowadays. We do see a part of 42nd street and you can easily spot the advertisements for horror flicks (Vincent Price) and the start of the grindhouses.

This really had a good story and do involve McCloud here and there with his typical stories and jokes. Even his whole department isn't almost in this episode. strange but a good story.

Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 1/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5