The Mod Squad Episode #13: "The Sunday Drivers"

After Linc’s buddy is killed in a freak car accident, the Squad go undercover in a Daredevil stunt driving ring. Soon they find out the hot-rod ring is actually operating as a cover for a top dollar marijuana delivery service.





Directed adequately by veteran Gene Nelson, episode 13 of The Mod Squad entitled "The Sunday Drivers" is a decent if not overwhelmingly memorable mid season episode from the first season. Clarence Williams III turns in some of his best work of the season though as Linc, and the show’s usual top notch set of guest stars make it at the very least compulsively watchable throughout its fifty plus minute running time.



"The Sunday Drivers" marks the first Mod Squad episode scripted by prolific writer, producer, composer and sometimes director Edward J. Lakso. Lakso, a man responsible for episodes for everything from I Spy to Star Trek in the sixties all the way up to eighties hour long dramas like The Fall Guy and Airwolf had a fairly fascinating career. Not too many folks can claim to being the narrator and composer for Russ Meyer’s legendary first film The Immoral Mr. Teas and the director of the interesting and undervalued 1973 Blaxploitation film Brother on the Run (post coming soon on this intriguing work) but Lakso can. His script though for "The Sunday Drivers" isn’t all that notable but it works perfectly fine for what it is.



Co-starring with our familiar Squad are several recognizable faces including Paul Carr (who would go onto appear in a handful of Mod Squad episodes over the next few years), veteran character actor Chick Chandler, instantly identifiable Lewis Charles, pretty Quentin Dean (who had just shot the Elvis Presley vehicle Stay Away Joe) and prolific Woodrow Parfrey (who would also appear in several more episodes in the series down the road). Long time television actor Carlos Romero also makes an appearance as does Italian born actress Renata Vanni.





Quentin Dean is an interesting figure and turns in a good performance as daredevil driver Sally Semple. Dean is probably most famous for her role in Norman Jewison’s Oscar winning In The Heat of the Night(that featured her in a much discussed topless scene) but her career was strangely uneventful after that. As mentioned, she did feature in Stay Away Joe opposite Elvis as well as 1968’s The Young Runaways and 1969’s Will Penny but otherwise her relatively brief career was spent in television. Her whereabouts remain a mystery and there is an interesting discussion over at the IMDB concerning her for those interested. Cinema Retro, who posted this photo, has also questioned what happened to her as well.



"The Sunday Drivers" is far from one of the better first season episodes but it is pleasant enough. Utilizing some pretty well blended in stock footage from various outdoor stunt driving shows, the episode should at least be of great interest to fans of the industry and Nelson moves the show along at a lightning pace like an old pro delivering the goods with ease.

Keep Your Eye on Rashida Jones

A quick glance at the word "cool" in the dictionary should at least reference this delicious shot of Rashida Jones channelling Sylvester Stallone as Rocky. I first discovered the daughter of Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton on the American version of The Office a few years back and man is she delightful...plus uber talented and generous. A flat-out hilarious comedian, philanthropist, author, screenwriter, singer, compelling actress and all around well-liked human being Rashida Jones is one of the most enduring and extraordinary young artists that has come out of the past decade. She can currently be seen in David Fincher's universally acclaimed The Social Network and the wonderful series Parks and Recreation. Prospective members and fellow converts should also visit here.

The Mod Squad (Episode 17) "Fear is the Bucking Horse"

First off, a quick thank you to the several folks who left comments and sent emails asking me to continue this series. I have really appreciated hearing from folks who have dug these posts and I am sorry it has taken me awhile to write a new one.





The Story: When a former cowboy star's life is put in danger by a crazed sniper, Pete, Linc and Julie go undercover as hired rodeo-hands to protect him.






The Crew: The best thing "Fear is the Bucking Horse" has going for is the fact that director George McCowan is back on board for it. One of eleven episodes directed by the future director of the cult-classic Frogs (1972), "Fear is the Bucking Horse" is an extremely well-directed hour of television and it stands (technically at least) as one of the more stylish episodes of season one. Sadly McCowan is let down by a lackluster script credited mainly to Tony Barrett.






The Guest-Stars: "Fear is the Bucking Horse" might not be one of season one's stronger episodes but the supporting players are fine. Ed Begley makes an appearance as does the always terrific (and quite prolific) character actor Monte Markham. Former member of Orson Welles' Mercury Theater, Ross Elliott, who shot this just before he began appearing regularly on Ironside, is also on hand and he is his usual splendid self. Film and television actor Richard Karlan also appears as does stunt-man extraordinaire Chris Howell. The instantly recognizable television player Nina Shipman can also briefly be seen for those on the look-out.





The Verdict: Outside of some nice directorial touches by McCowan, "Fear is the Bucking Horse" is kind of a blah episode. Linc's undercover role as a rodeo clown is a bit cringe-inducing and, even though Tige Andrews looks like he is having a blast, few needed to see Captain Greer in Cowboy gear. Still, it is nice to see Peggy Lipton on horseback, as she projects an obvious ease (and looks smashing), and the episode is finally not a bad way to spend an hour. One wishes though that the script would have been a bit more interesting (or humorous) considering the slightly laughable circumstance our Squad find themselves in.

The Mod Squad ( Episode 18) "A Hint of Darkness, a Hint of Light"

The Story: Pete, Linc and Julie move into a beach side home to protect Janny Willis, a blind-woman who was recently attacked near the ocean. Her assailant doesn't realize she is blind though and is convinced Janny can ID him, a fact which makes her a virtual moving target for the Squad to protect.






The Crew: "A Hint of Darkness, a Hint of Light" finds Earl Bellamy returning to the director's chair for The Mod Squad and he delivers his typically confident, if not overly exciting, touch to it. Also returning to the fold is writer Edward Lakso, who had previously penned the solid Season One episodes "Shell Game" and "The Sunday Drivers". Sadly Lakso's work on "A Hint of Darkness, a Hint of Light" isn't as memorable as it was on those previous two episodes and the episode can't be counted as one of Season One's better hours.






The Guest-Stars: Perhaps the most memorable thing about "A Hint of Darkness, a Hint of Light" is getting the chance to watch Clarence Williams III act with his real-life wife Gloria Foster. The Chicago born Foster, who sadly passed away in 2001, was already nearing forty when she shot her first Mod Squad episode but she only had a few screen credits to her name, including a role in the Burton-Taylor vehicle The Comedians and an episode of I Spy. The talented Foster would soon become more in demand and her credits after The Mod Squad would include everything from The Cosby Show to The Matrix!
"A Hint of Darkness, a Hint of Light" also finds the incredibly prolific Virginia Gregg making a memorable appearance as Janny's care-giver Helen. A former radio actor and personality the Illinois Greg would appear in hundreds of television shows and films before her death in 1986, with her last gigs being uncredited voice-work in both Psycho II and Psycho III.
Lou Krugman, Beverly McKinsey, John Milford and Hank Patterson round-out the list of guest stars for "A Hint of Darkness, a Hint of Light".







The Verdict: A decent if not overly dynamic season one episode of The Mod Squad, "A Hint of Darkness, a Hint of Light" benefits greatly from the performance of Clarence Williams III and the chemistry he has with guest star Gloria Foster. Since this is a clearly Linc driven episode there is relatively little for Michael Cole and Peggy Lipton to do so it never sparks in the way that the best of The Mod Squad episodes do. Still, this isn't a bad entry in the series and, outside of being a bit draggy in spots, it makes for fairly compelling viewing. The episode would spark a sequel of sorts with "Return to Darkness, Return to Light", a 1970 episode that would find Foster reprising her role as Janny Willis.

The Mod Squad (Episode 19) "The Uptight Town"

The Story: When Captain Greer goes missing, our young squad traces him to an isolated desert town where they are greeted by hostility, mistrust and prejudice at every turn.




The Crew: Earl Bellamy is back in the directors chair for "The Uptight Town", one of the best episodes from The Mod Squad's first-season. Working from an insightful and sharp script from the pens of Tony Barrett and Harve Bennett, Bellamy delivers an exciting, intense and smart episode of dramatic television. With his assured and inventive direction guiding the lightning paced "The Uptight Town", Bellamy proves himself as the idea filmmaker to deliver Barrett and Bennett's subtle, but powerful, discourse on the prejudice often levelled against against minorities and the young. "The Uptight Town" is not only a great Mod Squad episode, but it is a splendid example of how it was a series not afraid to tackle the topical issues of its day.




The Guest-Stars: "The Uptight Town" has several notable costars, including Donna Baccala (who would end up in Peru just about a year later for Dennis Hopper's legendary The Last Movie). Baccala is joined by the talented but troubled Barry Brown, an up and coming actor who made several notable appearances in film and television throughout the seventies before tragically committing suicide in 1978.





Two instantly recognizable faces will be future-Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr. and prolific character actor Cliff Osmand. Cult-film icon Jason Evers also makes a great appearance as the sheriff of the mysterious town who clearly has something to hide.




The Verdict: "The Uptight Town" is a flat-out awesome episode of The Mod Squad and it is easily one of the highpoints of Season 1. After the lackluster "A Hint of Darkness, A Hint of Light" it was a real return to form for a series that was really beginning to find its footing as one of the great shows of the late sixties and early seventies.