Portrait of a Hero

While "Portrait of a Hero" isn't a terrible episode, the beginning of the show sure is. An executive is getting onto the elevator when an unseen assassin tosses a hand grenade into it! This tiny elevator only contains the exec and an elevator operator yet, amazingly, the elevator man SURVIVES!!! Think about it...the elevator is something like 6x8 and a grenade explodes and one of the men inside lives--but it also barely disfigures the guy at all.

The rest of the show, which is NOT insanely written, is pretty good as Mannix follows a variety of clues to see who was behind all this. The trails leads to an experimental airplane, the mob and Mexican drug gangs.

The bottom line is that the first five minutes or so are just stupid beyond belief and no matter how good the rest is, it isn't enough to overcome an insane notion that anyone could survive such a blast!

This one is about a former soldier who is killed in an elevator by a grenade and the elevator operator who was in the elevator with the soldier when the grenade exploded and was injured in the blast is a friend of Peggy's so Joe agrees to investigate what happened.

This is a nice change of scenery as much of the episode takes place in San Diego and is the first episode in a long time where the identity of the killer isn't revealed early on or obvious, so there's an actual mystery with lots of possible suspects introduced. There are also some nice twists concerning the identities of a couple of the characters. The story is well-written, intriguing and engaging.

There are a couple of plot holes. How did Joe know someone was hiding behind the door in Stoner's office and how did he know where the colonel was when he dropped in on him at the restaurant?

The clichés include Joe getting clobbered over the head again and getting shot at but not hit.

Melendy Britt makes her third and final appearance and is solid once again, as is Eugene Peterson, who is very convincing as Lou Morgan, a syndicate hood. He mentions the Godfather at one point, which would have been in theaters around the time this episode was filmed. This is his second and final appearance. Dabney Coleman makes his first of two appearances. John Milford is really good as Col. Ewing.

Charlie Picerni makes another appearance, this time as both a regular character (a mechanic) and a stuntman.

The same staircase that was seen in the very first episode of the series (The Name is Mannix, 1967) and in the opening credits for a couple of seasons is seen again here.

This is an enjoyable episode and is certainly better than the trash that was seen in the first four episodes of the season. It's the best episode of the season so far, which of course wasn't a difficult achievement considering how horrific the first four episodes were. The show is back on track at least for now.

John Meredyth Lucas wrote this episode, producer for STAR TREK, many stories for POLICE SURGEON and HARRY O.

Violent, yes, with a grenade "theme" in play, first with an explosion in an elevator that kills a distinguished Air Force pilot. Explosions were very common at Paramount, thanks to MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. You had to give the special effects crew an 'A' for making things lively. A tame whodunit, and as the last reviewer noted, it takes awhile to figure out who the culprit is. Usually there's enough guilt to go around.

I took off one star due to the live grenade near Joe's feet, which he throws away in a few seconds? ... Lucky guy. The destination spot is San Diego (instead of Hollywood or the desert) to find the man's killer and Joe uncovers a complex drug smuggling operation, the usual lethal characters to match. Leading the pack is Lyle Bettger (Mr. Mallory), a western heavy for decades. Melendy Britt (as Barbara) co-stars, who appeared two other times on the show. A very early role for her, and within a few years she would voice the part of BATGIRL. Britt is just right as the intriguing lady who catches Joe's eye.

Of honorable mention is Dabney Coleman, playing a pilot, slightly suspicious. Perhaps. What's the connection? Wait and see. Robert Reed is back as Tobias, less cranky than Ward Wood. For years, lots of us kids did not like Malcolm (Wood), but we got used to him, especially the later seasons when he teamed with Joe. Also thought he should have been nominated for an Emmy.

Recommended late night mystery. SEASON 6 EPISODE 5 remastered color CBS/Paramount dvd box set. The Six Bullet Box.