The Condemned

A very good episode particularly but all Kojak episodes are brilliant and never date.

"The Condemned" is worth seeing simply because you get to see Gordon (Roscoe Orman) from "Sesame Street" playing a hard-nose police lieutenant! Yes, Gordon is a cop...and he is much tougher than that pussycat, Kojak!

The story begins with Willie arriving home to find his wife was beaten to death. His neighbors mistakenly think Willie did it and the cops arrive. They, too, jump to conclusions...and Willie runs. He soon is picked up by his junkie friend, Jake, and the pair escape...and shoot a cop in the process. The pair soon run into a church...and they take hostages. The Lieutenant in charge wants to charge into the place...but Kojak convinces him to let him go inside and talk to Willie. Willie says he's willing to leave and not hurt anyone...IF Kojak finds the killer and fast. Otherwise...it'll be a bloodbath.

This is a good, tense episode. Willie isn't the brightest guy you'll ever see on the show...and Kojak is very kind to him despite Willie being a sad loser. Well worth seeing.

This is a truly sad Kojak episode. Paul Benjamin and Dorian Harewood, a pair of down and out losers if there ever were, drive by to visit Benjamin's former wife and find her beaten to death. Witnesses spot Benjamin and Harewood a jumpy junkie in need of a fix flee from police and take refuge in a Catholic church with Harewood shooting a cop along the way.

Because as it turns out Lt. Theo Kojak believes Benjamin that he didn't kill his wife. But now with a cop shooting and hostage taking the options aren't good any way you cut it.

The two hostage takers really stand out in this Kojak story. Benjamin from the first moment we meet him just has a tragic air about him. Harewood is a great example of what narcotics addiction does to twist people.

These two make the show worth watching.