ramsfan

As a kid in the 70s, I watched Adam-12 regularly and even had an Adam-12 metal lunchbox! Adam-12 was a thirty minute police procedural which followed the exploits of senior patrolman Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) and his partner Jim Reed (Kent McCord). Produced by Jack Webb, the show ran for seven seasons and at the time was lauded for its realism in depicting policework. Each episode chronicled a typical day on the job, as the duo would receive regular radio calls ("One Adam-12") to handle issues on their beat. Less rigid and talky than its Webb-produced predecessor Dragnet, Adam-12 dealt with serious issues but would also occasionally handle smaller crimes and feature lightweight banter between the two partners. One of the joys of Adam-12 was watching the growth of Reed- a raw, subservient rookie in year one- to a more seasoned officer as the series progressed. Like most shows of the era, it's dated today but still an enjoyable watch and a nice memory of childhood!

Visiting his hometown and working on family property he's preparing to donate to the county, Phelps hears the cries of a young woman and saves her from an unknown assailant. We find out it's the latest in a string of attacks which have left three women dead and the local sheriff baffled. Jim, whose profession is unknown to his friends in town, summons the team to surreptitiously help solve the killings.

Critics and network executives were supposedly not kind to Homecoming, believing it deviated too greatly from a traditional Mission: Impossible format. More befitting an episode of Mannix than Mission, Homecoming indeed eschews the style for which Mission was known. There is no tape scene, formal team meeting or extensive use of gadgets. And the conclusion exudes more anguish than we usually see after a successful mission. Those observations aside, I liked the episode. It presented a rare and interesting departure from series formula and is well acted by several excellent character actors of the time including Joe Maross, Jacqueline Scott, Loretta Swit and Patricia Smith. Solid show.