This episode of "Police Story" is about a new member to a SWAT Team, Holcombe (Jan-Michael Vincent). The casting is interesting in two ways. First, Jan-Michael Vincen't partner in this episode is played by Alex Cord (Scully)--the same guy that later starred with him in "Airwolf". Second, Cameron Mitchell plays the leader of the SWAT team--a very patient guy who emphasizes non-violence if at all possible. A few years later, Mitchell appeared on the TV show "SWAT"--playing a gung-ho nut- job who LOVED killing suspects!! Talk about ironic!
Early in the episode, the SWAT team responds to a hostage situation. The hostage-taker is killed--and he MIGHT have been taken alive but one of the team members was a bit too swift to act on his own. Not surprisingly, this guy is sent back to regular duty and a new guy, Holcombe, is assigned to the team. His new partner, Scully, is also a bit gung-ho--and this is a bit disturbing--not just to the audience but to Holcombe. Learning a happy balance between restraint and stupidity is a main theme of the show.
This is a very good episode of the show and was a nice contrast to the later show, "SWAT"--which was NOT made by the same people nor did it appear on the same network. "SWAT" was NOT a thinking-person's show and after a few episodes it became pretty dull...and dumb. However, in this episode of "Police Story" you have a much less macho version of the same sort of team--and one that seemed more realistic. Well worth seeing....and WOW, does Jan-Michael Vincent look young in this one!
Early in the episode, the SWAT team responds to a hostage situation. The hostage-taker is killed--and he MIGHT have been taken alive but one of the team members was a bit too swift to act on his own. Not surprisingly, this guy is sent back to regular duty and a new guy, Holcombe, is assigned to the team. His new partner, Scully, is also a bit gung-ho--and this is a bit disturbing--not just to the audience but to Holcombe. Learning a happy balance between restraint and stupidity is a main theme of the show.
This is a very good episode of the show and was a nice contrast to the later show, "SWAT"--which was NOT made by the same people nor did it appear on the same network. "SWAT" was NOT a thinking-person's show and after a few episodes it became pretty dull...and dumb. However, in this episode of "Police Story" you have a much less macho version of the same sort of team--and one that seemed more realistic. Well worth seeing....and WOW, does Jan-Michael Vincent look young in this one!
