"Officer's Wife" is most definitely a different sort of story line for Highway Patrol. Right away, we get to see officer Jerry March get shot and killed by a criminal who is himself shot to death.
What follows is the fallout from this, and the effects on both the widow, as well as a fellow patrolman and his family. Even given the limitations of 1950s television, this is a very effective outing that shows the human cost of working for the Highway Patrol.
The acting, as always, doesn't disappoint, and Broderick Crawford's Dan Mathews has a lot more dimensions to him than Dragnet's Jack Webb. No disrespect is meant toward Mr. Webb, who was a pioneer in his own right. However, Mr. Crawford already had won an Academy Award, and clearly had a presence that could be more imposing, yet show empathy-truly a winning combination!
Even among the fine outings of Highway Patrol, this one is a real standout!
What follows is the fallout from this, and the effects on both the widow, as well as a fellow patrolman and his family. Even given the limitations of 1950s television, this is a very effective outing that shows the human cost of working for the Highway Patrol.
The acting, as always, doesn't disappoint, and Broderick Crawford's Dan Mathews has a lot more dimensions to him than Dragnet's Jack Webb. No disrespect is meant toward Mr. Webb, who was a pioneer in his own right. However, Mr. Crawford already had won an Academy Award, and clearly had a presence that could be more imposing, yet show empathy-truly a winning combination!
Even among the fine outings of Highway Patrol, this one is a real standout!