The Grenade

There is one review here which does not characterize this episode well at all. In fact, I wonder if the writer thereof is confusing it with something else, like the 50's Dragent episode entitled "The Big War." Anyway, while Gerald Paulson's mother (as little as we see of her) does seem to be the type who has over-mothered him, his step father seems to know that he is a problem kid; but being the step, he also seems to succumb to his more limited role as a "father" and has let the doting mother do the parenting. That is until he has been caught pouring acid on another teenage boy in a movie theater (becaues that boy and his girlfriend were "bugging" him by talking and giggling). Even his mother seems to change her approach (though it's off camera) and backs up her husband, who has told Gerald to clear his chemistry paraphernalia out of the garage-- the tie was obviously made, correctly, between his troubled, tempestuous, loner-type personality and his interest in chemicals, explosives, etc. Meanwhile, another reviewer has it right that Gerald has also learned how to be a phony. When interrogated by Friday and Gannon, he indicates he is regretful for his overreaction to the situation and desires to make things right (as possible). But shortly, it is his mother taking his step-father's side that set him off to use power over his 'acquaintances' that he doesn't have in influence.

I can sympathize with Gerald. I was somewhat like him when I was in high school-- almost friendless, considered strange or "weird" (the more common term) and was never invited to parties or fun events. Occasionally I was (as Gerald *might* have been) asked questions about science, history, or other subjects they knew I was an A student in. But that, of course, was just to use me to help them get a better grade. But I can't, of course, justify Gerald's solution to his not being taken for a friend. In my middle age, I think the way I was (and, for the most part, still am) has helped me stay clear of many other problems I've seen.

Decent episode (although the blaring music at the party in the conclusion is rather annoying). The main point of interest is a young (and really tanned) Jan-Michael Vincent shirtless (having been doused with sulfuric acid by a disturbed teenager) in one of his first acting roles.

Decades later Columbine and Sandy Hook have made this episode ring true. A disturbed teen starts out by throwing acid at a fellow student while at a movie theater; later a search of the boy's room turns up a 45 hand gun and a semi-automatic rifle and a live hand grenade. And when an additional grenade is missing, Friday and Gannon know they need to find the suspect. By today's standards, the acting is stilted and the action slow, but the story has become too familiar.

Joe Friday and Bill Gannon met their share of troubled teens during the run of Dragnet. Most of them were just little punks who thought the rules didn't apply to them and that they'd get off easy. This time, however, they run into one kid who's a budding psychopath.

Gerald Paulson (played by Mickey Sholdar, one of Webb's go-to actors for punk kids) is a real prize. They first encounter him after he pours sulfuric acid (!) on the back of one of the BMOC's at his high school at the movies.

When he's called on it by Friday and Gannon, he pulls the 'gee, I'm sorry' routine and offers to buy him a new jacket, but Friday hits him with a wham line..."Suppose some of that acid got in his eyes...would you buy him a new pair?"

That leads to a discussion between Joe and Bill, and Bill remarks that 'some kids are just born sour'. But when Paulson runs off from home with a live grenade, how 'sour' is he then? He's now a threat to the entire city, and he's crashed the cool kids' party and is out to make them pay for rejecting him! What ensues next is one of Joe Friday's best moments, a rare moment where he gets to be a real action hero, aided by some of the best film editing ever, not to mention a very loose electrical plug. Gerald will have to face a judge--without the grenade, as Friday points out--and eventually a long stay in a mental hospital.

And if you're looking for future stars in this run of Dragnet, look no further than this episode, which features '70's stalwarts John Rubinstein (as probably the one friend Gerald has), Jan-Michael Vincent (as the jock who's the victim of the acid attack) and Heather Menzies (as the jock's girlfriend).

Well, the opening episode of the second season certainly had a dramatic ending For me, for some reason, the highlight of the half-hour show was one of those cop-to-cop talks "Friday" (Jack Webb) and "Gannon" (Harry Morgan) had in the car, the discussion being why some kids turn out bad. Morgan is more in favor of the environment causing kids to go bad while Webb just thinks some kids are born bad. It's a very interesting talk and would be a conversation piece for anyone.

Anyway, the story is about a teen - "Gerald Paulson" (Mickey Sholdar) who is an outcast and seems to be one of these "troubled" kids. While in the a movie theater another teen gets acid thrown on the back of his jacket by "Paulson." That kid (the acid victim) by the way, turned out to be a fairly famous actor: Jan Michael Vincent.

What happens after that, I'll let you watch as this "Paulson," who sounds like "Eddie Haskell" when he's first confronted by Friday and Gannon, begins to cause far worse problems.