| "Log 1: The Impossible Mission" | |
|---|---|
| |
| Air date | September 21st, 1968 |
| Writers | John Randolph; R.A. Cinader |
| Director | Jack Webb |
| Producers | Jack Webb; R.A. Cinader |
| Starring | Martin Milner; Kent McCord |
| Episode guide | |
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"Log 1: The Impossible Mission" is the first episode of season one of the American crime drama series Adam-12. It was directed by Jack Webb and written by John Randolph and R.A. Cinader. It first aired on NBC on Saturday, September 21st, 1968. In this episode, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Officer Pete Malloy is about to retire from the Force after losing his previous partner in a gunfight. He gets partnered up with a new rookie officer, Jim Reed, and is reluctantly asked to show him the ropes. Malloy and Reed get into their squad car and respond to calls in the downtown Los Angeles area.
Synopsis[]
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Officer Pete Malloy lost his younger partner in a gunfight only three weeks ago, He is ready to go into early retirement. Sergeant MacDonald however, saddles him with a new rookie officer, Jim Reed. Malloy is strict with Reed and gives the over-eager 24-year-old a fast lesson in respecting the job and following orders. After Malloy shows his new partner the features and equipment in the new car, the pair start out on their new journey as Patrol Officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and Reed uses the radio several times throughout this episode. The pair gets called out for several different incidents.
The first call brings the pair to an odd domestic dispute involving two men fighting in the middle of the street; apparently in defense of a young woman who was reported as acting strangely in her car - perhaps even having a seizure. The woman eventually reveals that she was looking for a pet salamander she had purchased from her son, which she believed had escaped from its box. Upon further inspection however, the salamander is exactly where she left it.
The second call for the pair involves a string of burglaries that had taken place in various shops and convenience stores. Two male suspects were seen driving away from the crime scene in a green Buick. Malloy and Reed interview a store manager, and then get a lead on the suspects. The pair follows the suspect vehicle with Reed talking on the radio with dispatch and receiving information from dispatch while Malloy focuses on driving the car. The pair finally gets into a high-speed chase with Reed still talking on the radio and Malloy operating the Lights and Sirens and eventually the pair catches up with the suspect vehicle and force the suspect car off the road into a gulley where it catches fire. Malloy and Reed arrest the two men at gunpoint.
Another call sends the pair to a medical emergency at the home of two young parents. Their infant daughter Gladys has stopped breathing and the ambulance has not arrived yet. Malloy administers Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on the girl, but things aren’t looking good. He tells Jim to go into the other room to tell the parents that their child is dead. Miraculously however, Malloy is able to resuscitate the baby.
The final call for the pair in this episode involves a shoot-out between some local thugs and a neo-Nazi. Pete and Jim circle the perimeter and try to get a good vantage point. Pete tells Jim to sit tight, but Reed gets an opportunity and circles behind them, getting the drop on the thugs. Despite disobeying orders, Officer Reed succeeds in stopping the criminals. Malloy however, is not amused. He barks at Reed for disobeying orders and putting his life in danger. Reed shrugs it off and finally Malloy cools down and the pair share a few quips and smiles and then eventually get back into the car.
After everything calms down, Sergeant MacDonald arrives and greets Officer Malloy. He reminds him how Reed's youth and impetuousness is not completely dissimilar to his own. He convinces Malloy to stay on the force and continue working with Reed. Malloy reluctantly agrees.
Cast[]
Principal Cast[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Martin Milner | Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Officer Pete Malloy |
| Kent McCord | Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Officer Jim Reed |
Guest Stars[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Art Gilmore | Lieutenant Val Wangsgard |
| Ann Morgan Guilbert | Ruth Elkins |
| Ena Hartman | Mrs. Fred Warner |
| Julian Burton | Mac Jeffries |
| John Nolan | Harold Mason |
| Gene Boland | Fred Warner |
| William Boyett | Sergeant MacDonald |
| Howard Culver | George Morrison |
| Don Stewart | Officer One |
| Ed Deemer | Officer Bill James |
| Rick Warick | Desk officer |
Notes & Trivia[]
- This is the premiere episode of the series. Reed and Malloy get acquainted with each other and the new patrol car and go on a variety of different calls together as partners.
- This episode is included on disc 1, side A of the Adam-12: Season One DVD collection by Universal Studios Home Entertainment, which was released in Region 1 format on August 23rd, 2005.
- Stories presented in this episode are based on actual cases, but the names have been changed to protect the innocent.
- Writer John Randolph is a pseudonym for series creator Jack Webb.
- Fans of the TV series Farscape may recognize actor Kent McCord, who plays Jim Reed. He also plays Jack Crichton, father of John Crichton, the main character on Farscape.
Bloopers[]
- During the chase scene, the camera is sped up to make the cars appear as if they are moving faster than they actually are. The effect is quite apparent.
- Also during the chase scene, water can be seen splashed across the police car's windshield on the exterior shots, but on the interior shots the water is gone.
Quotes[]
- Thug: You guys play rough.
- Pete Malloy: You were doing the driving.
....
- Pete Malloy: You're not supposed to think yet, junior. It's when you start thinking before you're supposed to think, that you think yourself dead.
....
- Sergeant MacDonald: Too bad he won't have someone to hold his hand out there.
- Pete Malloy: I did that once, remember?
See also[]
External Links[]
- "The Impossible Mission" at IMDB
- "The Impossible Mission" at the TV IV
- "The Impossible Mission" at TV.com guide
- "The Impossible Mission" at TV Rage.com