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This is a classic episode from a classic series. Not a minute of unnecessary script. Ironside cannot waste a moment as he desperately tries to save a man's life by proving he was wrongly convicted 19 years earlier. Repeated great scenes as the chief, with his no-holds-barred, cynical questioning of all those standing in his way, manages to draw out critical info from his hostile witnesses anyway, while jabbing them for placing self interest above the truth. Even the manner in which he gets his friend, the former convict now facing death row, to speak and thus reveal his true innocence, is masterful. There are also a few delicious scenes in which he has his way with the Commissioner, and a few in which he shrewdly uses the media for his purposes. Fine, aw-shucks acting from Victor Jory (who sounds eerily close to Jimmy Stewart) in the starring role, and the extra pleasure of seeing a young Harrison Ford as the suspect's son. It is all topped off by superb detective work, that is almost stumped by a stubborn admission of the suspect that threatens to doom his defense, until Ironside breaks it with a brilliant solution in the middle of the night. Finally, a slew of great one liners from the chief. They don't make 'em like this anymore.

Highly satisfying episode. No really great sleuthing, but a heavy focus on the warm fuzzy side of the chief, as Ironside desperately seeks to protect the slum neighborhood kids from being dragged into the gangs by developing an after-school football program in the neighborhood, with football star Bart Masterson as the coach. However, he refuses to help because his brother, a parolee with a suspicious present, claims the police are after him for no reason. Things get messy on all ends, and the conflicting pressures of inner city life are played out very nicely and realistically, with the good brother/bad brother issues inside the family, the anti-police suspicions, the gangs not wanting any police programs to succeed, the youths afraid or unwilling to join these programs, and the good brother being pulled every which way as he must decide what is the correct way of being "good" to his brother, family and community. Very moving and real.

Highly enjoyable. Involves some decent detective work and lots of conflicted thoughts and emotions as Ed falls for a gorgeous actress he is sent to investigate and protect - esp. because it revolves around her naive and extremely liberal view of cops as violent people because they carry guns and threaten to imprison people. The effect on her views as the story proceeds and she realizes the cop's true role, provides for an added backdrop to the story. Very strong acting by Tiffany Bolling in a demanding star role. Interestingly enough, her political views resembled her real life views. Sidebar: Meet Felix Petrie, a recurring guest on The Honemooners, whose role here is played in remarkably similar tone and style to his typical Honeymooner roles.