The Chinatown Murders: Part 2

In this second half of the two-part opening series, Kojak and the police finally (it takes awhile, which is understandable) to figure out what the heck is going on.

These are not the normal gang wars. The Chinese, as we know from the first episode, are the surprise "players" in this murder/robbery/kidnapping story. It's just a small group but they are daring and you never quite now what they'll do next which includes turning on each other. It's pretty interesting trying to see how all of this plays out.

Overall, a good opening for the new Kojak season, although he's still smoking. (I thought he had given that up by the end of the first season.)

In the first part of this story, the kids from Chinatown fail to get the Mafia families warring and worst of all they're forced to execute a hostage they were holding for ransom because wife Sheree North really doesn't want to see her husband back. Now it's on to bigger game.

I have to say that Robert Ito and Patrick Adiarte don't lack for nerve. On the downside they are quick to pull a trigger. Both parts of this Kojak story are pretty bloody. Now they grab a bedridden Don from one of the families and hold him for ransom. Why they didn't grab the healthier one I'm not figuring because of all the complications involving a guy on kidney dialysis.

Telly Savalas and the squad with detective Tige Andrews from the organized crime task force have figured it out and have taps on the phones. Still these nervy kids pretty near get away with what they plan.

Lots of tension in this one mainly supplied by the perpetrators whom we never know what they'll do

Sammy Loo (Robert Ito) and his Chinese-American friends are members of a Tong...but in this and the prior episode they are moonlighting...going into business for themselves. They have the nerve to begin attacking mafia businesses...and then graduate to kidnapping various mob bosses for ransom! Surely these guys have a LOT of nerve. That, or a LOT of stupid!

The episode begins with the assassination of one of their kidnap victims, as his wife couldn't care less about his return! But these guys are really nervy, as they then kidnap the big boss (Michael Constantine)...surely something that won't go unpunished.

In the first episode, the various factions of the mafia think that the hits, robberies and kidnappings are the result of infighting within their organization. As such, a potential war could break out. But when and if they learn Chinese-American gangsters are behind it, there will be a bloodbath and Kojak doesn't want to see his city become a war zone...so once he learns the troublemakers are Asian, he keeps it to himself. No need to fan the flames, so to speak!

Like the first episode, this is pretty exciting and gritty stuff...far grittier than other cop shows of the day. Tough and well worth seeing.