Kojak's tailor is murdered by a loan shark to whom the man owed money. The killer is apprehended by police shortly after the crime and a court date is set. Kojak is hopeful that the murderer will be convicted and is further reassured by a confident attorney who vows to put the killer away. However, the attorney botches the hearing which allows the loan shark to walk free. An irate Kojak publicly insults and denounces the attorney which leads to his subsequent suspension from the police force. Now working alone, Theo fights to prove corruption in the chambers of law and that the attorney and a top judge are guilty of deliberately letting the murderer walk free...
A gripping episode throughout with an engrossing story backed up by a sturdy script. Corruption in the judicial system always makes for riveting plot material and here it is handled in a severely unflinching way. The performances were first rate as usual. Telly sears with the fiery charisma that I expect from him and in the immortal Kojak tradition, gets all the best dialogue to himself. In one scene he paraphrases Rhett Butler's "I don't give a damn" line from Gone With The Wind to blistering effect. The Greek's proficient acting skill is on full show in the sequence when he launches a full scale verbal attack on the attorney outside the chamber. Some of Kojak's remarks in this scene are truly priceless and hark back to passion he let rip so often throughout the earlier episodes. As with most other Kojak episodes there is a strong supporting cast. Jack Hogan as the seemingly incompetent district attorney, Madison Arnold as repulsive loan shark Joe Hennessey and Allan Rich as the judge whose palms have been greased.
Season 5 got off to a fantastic start, but some of the subsequent episodes were rather forgettable. However, gems like this particular episode which stay true to the granite edged Kojak formula make it worth your while. 9/10.
A gripping episode throughout with an engrossing story backed up by a sturdy script. Corruption in the judicial system always makes for riveting plot material and here it is handled in a severely unflinching way. The performances were first rate as usual. Telly sears with the fiery charisma that I expect from him and in the immortal Kojak tradition, gets all the best dialogue to himself. In one scene he paraphrases Rhett Butler's "I don't give a damn" line from Gone With The Wind to blistering effect. The Greek's proficient acting skill is on full show in the sequence when he launches a full scale verbal attack on the attorney outside the chamber. Some of Kojak's remarks in this scene are truly priceless and hark back to passion he let rip so often throughout the earlier episodes. As with most other Kojak episodes there is a strong supporting cast. Jack Hogan as the seemingly incompetent district attorney, Madison Arnold as repulsive loan shark Joe Hennessey and Allan Rich as the judge whose palms have been greased.
Season 5 got off to a fantastic start, but some of the subsequent episodes were rather forgettable. However, gems like this particular episode which stay true to the granite edged Kojak formula make it worth your while. 9/10.
