THE ROOKIES was a very popular cop show from producer Aaron Spelling that ran for four seasons on ABC, from its 1972 debut until early 1976, starring Georg Stanford Brown as Terry Webster, Bruce Fairbairn as Chris Owens (replacing the departed Michael Ontkean), and Sam Melville as Mike Danko, with Kate Jackson as Mike's wife Jill, a registered nurse, and Gerald S. O'Loughlin as the trio's superior officer, Lt. Ed Ryker. Spelling was inspired by author Joseph Wambaugh, a former police officer who had written the book "The New Centurions," while Martin Milner and Kent McCord's half hour ADAM-12 was still a ratings success for NBC, an attempt to dramatize each case for added tension in a serious manner, only ending after STARSKY & HUTCH arrived on the scene (and just in time for Spelling's CHARLIE'S ANGELS, again casting Kate Jackson). "The Voice of Thunder" was a fourth season entry followed by just 9 more to close out the series, broadcast Dec. 9, 1975, an examination of schizophrenia and how the still attractive and in demand model Beverly Shore (Gail Strickland) becomes an unlikely bomber with no memory of her crimes. She manufactures homemade explosives with an automatic timer kept in makeup kits to deliver to various seedy locations in one specific area, such as massage parlors or adult bookstores, performed every Sunday after attending an empty church. She endures occasional spells whenever the mania strikes, her agent (Millie Slavin) and photographer (Rene Auberjonois) concerned but unaware of just how extreme her illness has become. By contacting Beverly's long estranged parents, Webster and Owens learn of her background in chemistry and explosives, supplying photographic evidence shown by her appearance at every crime scene. The climax naturally takes place in church on a sunny Sunday morning, racing to prevent greater harm while she holds the latest bomb close to her in the pew. The script tries to create some sympathy for the troubled female culprit but the hour long length isn't enough to flesh out a sketchy character that we never get close to, though veterans Henry Brandon and Adrienne Marden earn their share as the beleaguered parents. John Zaremba cameos as the psychiatrist who spells out schizophrenia, but the biggest name connected to this episode is that of John Carradine, surprisingly never seen providing the Voice of Thunder, quoting passages from the Bible during Beverly's homicidal spells, and heard on three occasions: "and the Lord sent thunder, and the fire ran along the ground and smote every man and beast, and seven thunders uttered their voices, and the beast shall kill them, and their dead bodies shall lie in the street." Hardly a challenging assignment for the venerable Carradine though certainly an unusual one, granted special billing at the very end: "and the Voice of John Carradine" (in previous years he remained unbilled in such instances, for features like "The Crusades" in 1935, "Half Angel" in 1936, and most recently "Portnoy's Complaint" in 1972).
2 Reviews
A deranged bomber terrorizing the city
pkfloydmh16 October 2021
This one is about an unhinged woman who is bombing porno shops, massage parlors and other businesses.
There have been many episodes already about demented psychos but what's different about this one is this time the lunatic is a woman, which is rare. She's played by Gail Strickland in an excellent and haunting performance.
This is quite a compelling story as there were many motives provided on why the woman is doing this, from childhood trauma to religion to a dual personality to a fear of losing her modeling career because she's aging, and all of them have converged to create this monster who is bombing various businesses. She is truly a disturbed and frightening person.
There aren't any chases or shootouts but the intriguing story and Gail Strickland's terrific performance will keep you interested.
This is a superb episode and one of the best from this season.
There have been many episodes already about demented psychos but what's different about this one is this time the lunatic is a woman, which is rare. She's played by Gail Strickland in an excellent and haunting performance.
This is quite a compelling story as there were many motives provided on why the woman is doing this, from childhood trauma to religion to a dual personality to a fear of losing her modeling career because she's aging, and all of them have converged to create this monster who is bombing various businesses. She is truly a disturbed and frightening person.
There aren't any chases or shootouts but the intriguing story and Gail Strickland's terrific performance will keep you interested.
This is a superb episode and one of the best from this season.
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