Sam McCloud & Joe Broadhurst are removed from a case involving a man stealing drugs when Chris Caughlin's latest society column spotlights Sam to such a degree it ruffles Chief Clifford's feathers. "As long as you're under my command, I don't want to be aware you're even here." So they get re-assigned to finding a missing police HORSE-- stolen from in front of a drug store. As luck has it, both get involved in another altercation with the drug thief, ending in a tense scene on a rooftop, in which Sam is shot-- but not seriously. Sam comes to believe the man they're after is both an army vet and an expert marksman, as he's shot 2 police officers without doing serious damage to either. After meeting with the suspect's wife, Clifford thanks Sam for his help... but then puts him back on the "pony patrol". UNTIL the man's wife contacts Chris about setting up a meeting between her husband and Sam, to give himself up without anyone getting hurt. It doesn't quite work out that simply, and Sam, after finding the missing horse, winds up borrowing it HIMSELF-- in possibly the single most iconic action sequence in the entire series!
For the 2nd weekly FOUR-IN-ONE episode, McCLOUD really came into its own, as producer & future exec Glen A. Larson supplied his first script for the series, accompanied by director Bruce Kessler, the same team who would later do the incredible 4th season finale, "This Must Be The Alamo". As it turns out, this was the very 1st episode I ever saw, during the rerun season sometime in 1971 when I was in Houston. I got instantly hooked on this show, and kept watching all the way to the end. Seeing this one intact for the first time in 52 years, I was surprised that this must have been my first exposure to some of the guest-actors.
Lorraine Gary is "Joan Stanford", a woman who's seen her marriage fall to pieces because her husband got addicted to pain-killers while recovering in an army hospital. She places her trust in Sam, believing he may be her husband's only chance to turn his life around. I later saw her in both "JAWS" and "1941" (both from director Steven Spielberg).
Leo Gordon is "Officer Shannen", who wonders what the city's coming to when someone makes off with his horse. McCloud finds it being used by a woman posing as "Lady Godiva" at a Women's Liberation protest rally, but moments after he's returned, McCloud takes off with "Toby" in a long high-speed race through the city streets and deep into Central Park. I've seen Gordon in so many things, but the stand-out roles for me are probably "THE INTRUDER" and, moreso, "THE HAUNTED PALACE" (both from director Roger Corman).
Ken Scott debuts as "Detective Polk". Although this was his only appearance this season, he returned at the end of season 4 and became a recurring character (along with Detectives Grover & Simms) after that. Aside from McCLOUD, I mainly know him as one of John Astin's henchman in the Adam West BATMAN story, "Batman's Anniversary".
J. D. Cannon, Terry Carter & Diana Muldaur continue as Clifford, Broadhurst & Caughlin. Chief Clifford managed to display anger, concern, thoughtfulness, and a wicked sense of humor (the latter at Sam's expense). Joe winds up telling Sam about the latest in the case they've been removed from, which leads Sam to try and get back involved in it (so he has no one to blame but himself). Chris gets Sam into trouble, then tries to make up for it, and in one scene the dialogue get extremely "suggestive" for network television at the time! Chris is definitely my favorite role Muldaur ever had.
I'll say it again-- it was absolutely criminal how Universal BUTCHERED the 6 episodes from this season, and then lost the originals. It took 50 YEARS for these to be available again in America. Although the prints are not in the greatest shape, I can hardly express how happy I am to finally be able to see them again properly after all this time.
For the 2nd weekly FOUR-IN-ONE episode, McCLOUD really came into its own, as producer & future exec Glen A. Larson supplied his first script for the series, accompanied by director Bruce Kessler, the same team who would later do the incredible 4th season finale, "This Must Be The Alamo". As it turns out, this was the very 1st episode I ever saw, during the rerun season sometime in 1971 when I was in Houston. I got instantly hooked on this show, and kept watching all the way to the end. Seeing this one intact for the first time in 52 years, I was surprised that this must have been my first exposure to some of the guest-actors.
Lorraine Gary is "Joan Stanford", a woman who's seen her marriage fall to pieces because her husband got addicted to pain-killers while recovering in an army hospital. She places her trust in Sam, believing he may be her husband's only chance to turn his life around. I later saw her in both "JAWS" and "1941" (both from director Steven Spielberg).
Leo Gordon is "Officer Shannen", who wonders what the city's coming to when someone makes off with his horse. McCloud finds it being used by a woman posing as "Lady Godiva" at a Women's Liberation protest rally, but moments after he's returned, McCloud takes off with "Toby" in a long high-speed race through the city streets and deep into Central Park. I've seen Gordon in so many things, but the stand-out roles for me are probably "THE INTRUDER" and, moreso, "THE HAUNTED PALACE" (both from director Roger Corman).
Ken Scott debuts as "Detective Polk". Although this was his only appearance this season, he returned at the end of season 4 and became a recurring character (along with Detectives Grover & Simms) after that. Aside from McCLOUD, I mainly know him as one of John Astin's henchman in the Adam West BATMAN story, "Batman's Anniversary".
J. D. Cannon, Terry Carter & Diana Muldaur continue as Clifford, Broadhurst & Caughlin. Chief Clifford managed to display anger, concern, thoughtfulness, and a wicked sense of humor (the latter at Sam's expense). Joe winds up telling Sam about the latest in the case they've been removed from, which leads Sam to try and get back involved in it (so he has no one to blame but himself). Chris gets Sam into trouble, then tries to make up for it, and in one scene the dialogue get extremely "suggestive" for network television at the time! Chris is definitely my favorite role Muldaur ever had.
I'll say it again-- it was absolutely criminal how Universal BUTCHERED the 6 episodes from this season, and then lost the originals. It took 50 YEARS for these to be available again in America. Although the prints are not in the greatest shape, I can hardly express how happy I am to finally be able to see them again properly after all this time.
