Million Dollar Kid

This installment of the East Side Kids finds the gang very much reformed and even, dare I say it, kind of sweet! Early in the episode, the gang see an old guy getting mugged...and they save the guy. Given the gang's reputation, the police immediately think THEY mugged the guy but the man speaks up for them. In fact, he's quite rich and invites them to use his gymnasium any time they want! The man seems great...and that's why things get tough later in the show. The gang realizes that one of the muggers was actually the man's own son!! But, learning that his oldest son was just killed in the war, Muggs and the rest conspire to not only reform the young man but beat the tar out of his 'associates'! Yes, the East Side Kids are, in effect, social workers!!

This is an enjoyable installment--one of the better ones in the series. I think most of this is because too often, Muggs was a complete jerk but here he's more likable and less jerkish! A definite improvement and an interesting story. My only real complaint are that a few of the 'kids' are really, really old...especially Herbie...who was really about 35 and supposed to be a teen!!!