Barnaby Jones (TV Series) Trial Run for Death (1973) User Reviews

A great driver...and a horrid person.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 7 July 2021]

A race car driver (Clu Gulager) is very successful on the track...and is also a horrible human being. When the show starts, the man is caught by his brother-in-law with another woman. Instead of taking his lumps, the driver kills the witness in order to hide his secret. But when Barnaby is called in on the case, his evidence doesn't jibe with the story of how the brother-in-law 'accidentally' died in a racing accident.

This is a very good episode....not great but very good. Well written and with a satisfying finale.

I WON'T BLACKMAIL YOU TOO MUCH!

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 25 October 2023]

If this is not a mini classic story, what is? This is terrific material, written by series regular Robert Lenski, who also was writing for MANNIX and CANNON.

A salute to young Margot Kidder, who recently starred in her breakthrough film, SISTERS. She steals the show as a ruthless blackmailer ( Lori) of a wealthy race car driver (well played by Clu Gulager). The problem is that Gulager is not one to feel sorry for. He's guilty of murder, making it look like the victim died in a race crash --and Lori saw the whole thing. Before long, she wants it all.

It's one of those balancing the two evils, and which one is the worst of the lot. Pick your poison, and it's neat to see Barnaby take this one apart, and especially the way he approaches the central characters, gently boxing them in. Bottom line, they talk too much.

If you examine many mysteries, the fact of the matter stands that if the suspects had just kept their mouths shut, they probably would have gotten away with their crime.

Note the junkyard scene where Barnaby almost gets run down by a steam shovel, the same thing to happen to Cannon.

Partly filmed at the famous Ontario Speedway at Ontario, California, near San Bernardino. When it opened in the early 70s it was supposed to be the Indie 500 of the west, but declining turnout was its downfall, although score of movies and tv shows were filmed at the track. It closed in the early 80s and the land was eaten up by hotels, and eventually the famous Ontario Mall.

A late, late night must if you can stay up. Keep the coffee brewing. SEASON 2 EPISODE 5 remastered dvd box set.

Nonsensical Plot

[WYAdams · 3/10 · 16 June 2022]

Jones had no reason to suspect Mark Landy of any wrongdoing, and yet he somehow magically divines that he is guilty of something. He immediately checks the racing suit only to, surprise, surprise, discover two crucial pieces of evidence which supposedly indict Landy. As is usual for these kinds of police shows he is able to gather all kinds of evidence which in the real world could not be gotten. Complete and utter nonsense!

In addition, he leaves for Cedar Grove quite a long time after Landy, because he had to go to Lori's apartment to discover she had already departed. He found out she had car trouble. Then he had to determine where she took the car for service and drive there. Once he discovered where Lori was going, he had to go back to his office and wait while Betty called and found the address of the house Landy was going to. After all that time, he finally leaves for Cedar Grove and somehow magically arrives just a minute or so after Landy just as he is about to shoot. Lori.

While this show is interesting and entertaining for the most part, they portray Jones as some kind of prodigy detective with superhuman acumen and skill. Three stars is probably too high a rating, but the show did have comedic value and fast cars. It also rates an extra star for having realistic racing and driving scenes rather than the ridiculously sped video that looks unrealistic as so many other programs have.