"Jeannie for the Defense" opens with Tony and Roger being stopped for speeding in the small town of Clarkston, followed by a bump at the local gas station. Edgar Crawford (Kay E. Kuter) feigns a hit and run injury with wife Thelma (Ann Morgan Guilbert) playing along, the Majors' fishing trip abruptly canceled by jail time. Judge Elroy Miller (J. Pat O'Malley) sees poor Edgar all bandaged up in a wheelchair, and sets bail at $100. Dr. Bellows wonders why the two failed to return home in timely fashion, while Jeannie tries to comfort her master in his cell. Tony's defense attorney (Richard Sargent) figures he'll be lucky to get his client anything less than five years, especially after getting a look at the incapacitated victim in court. Fortunately, one blink from Jeannie is enough to undo the attempted fraud, though Dr. Bellows must fend for himself!
3 Reviews
Over fifty years later and sadly relevant today.
tfc18 June 2020
This is one of those episodes where you need to keep reminding yourself that this is just a sophomoric comedy. Take away the humor and this would be a scathing criticism of how some small rural communities generate most of their local government revenue via the court systems and the police are a de facto revenue agents. The rest of the community following suit in sucking off the system. With the recent riots in reaction to police conduct handling small infractions that escalate, you sadly see that these problems have existed for decades. Social commentary under the guise of entertainment. Still it is a fair episode but gets a nod for it's bite.
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