Kojak: It's Always Something

Telly Savalas returns as New York's incorruptible and lollypop sucking detective Theo Kojak who gets involved in exposing some truly big time corruption. It all begins with a homeless dude who rates a big time hit.

Joseph Ragno and Matthew Cowles see a bike messenger get clipped trying to pass a car when the door opens. They lift some of the spilled items and find bearer bonds made out to City Commissioner Alan North. So then these two geniuses decide to hold the guy up for a reward. The reward is that Ragno is run down with an automobile by a pair of hitmen working for some Colombian drug dealers.

But Cowles knows Ragno at one time was a snitch for Lt. Theo Kojak in Manhattan South and he goes calling on Telly Savalas now an Inspector. Soon after Savalas calls on North he gets dead, those Colombian hitmen also get dead. Someone is really trying to cover their tracks.

With the doggedness that Savalas was known for on his TV series in the 70s Kojak goes up the food chain. Sadly it may lead to millionaire builder Darren McGavin, father-in-law to be of former Midtown South Detective Bobby Crocker now an ADA. Kevin Dobson is ready to marry Barbara Garrick, McGavin's daughter.

Some very determined Colombians also try to frame Kojak's new assistant Andre Braugher for a murder to throw him. If they knew Kojak it would only make him madder than ever.

Nice ensemble cast delivers the goods for the viewers.

I heard this TV Movie was adapted from a unrelated crime novel, so this feels not really like a typical Kojak storyline. Kojak often behaves almost out of character, as if Savalas has forgotten how to play the famous cop. He seems tired and relegates the action to his new partner (played by Andre Braugher). Crocker (Dobson) is sadly underused and acts quite cold towards Kojak, his former superior. It feels weird when he clashes with Kojak, and you feel almost sad when the former colleagues go against eachother given their history. Feels like a missed opportunity, and it would have been more satisfying if Crocker had been just a walk-on cameo part with some friendlier dialogue reminiscing about their past. Call me sentimental, but I like reunions more jovial.

I was looking fwd to this movie because of the return of Kevin Dobson (Crocker) from the original series. Whereas he played a cop in Kojak his character is now an assistant district attorney eerily similar to his role on Knots Landing. It's more than the hair weave, Kevin talks and has a mild sex scene like Mc Kenzie. Anyway the muddled plot is decent but the dialogue especially from the fiancée/daughter character is abysmal. The underused cast of Telly Savalas, Andre Braugher, Darren Mc Gavin, plus Dobson makes it worth your time but the 'Knots' soap opera histrionics drags it to an average movie.

Where's Donna Mills and Michelle Lee when you need them!!