Kojak (TV Series) Death Is Not a Passing Grade (1974) User Reviews

Showing the teacher up

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 22 November 2012]

In one of his earliest roles James Woods gives a powerful performance as a psychotic kid who is taking one of Kojak's criminology classes at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. At night he and his brother-in-law Jack Murdock are pulling off a series of heists and even leaving false clues that are driving the robbery squad batty. But on one of those heists at a jewelry store, the owner surprises them and Woods has to kill him. That puts him in direct conflict with Telly Savalas and his day job at Manhattan South Homicide.

Woods throughout his career has taken a patent out on playing smart alecks his most famous being Roy Cohn. His role of the Vietnam veteran who has a burning hatred for cops since his police officer dad took a powder on the family and the badge.

People like Woods's character here and Roy Cohn in real life are always having to prove they're the smartest one around. Many times they are, but eventually will meet someone smarter. In this case Woods met up with Telly Savalas.

Good Kojak episode and a great chance for those who like James Woods to see him in an early role that he fills out well.

Would have been a nine, but . . . .

[schwa88 · 8/10 · 25 December 2022]

Wow, this is a great role for James Woods. He's really shining in this. Very specific choices.

When Kojak was hanging up his coat, somebody picked up his briefcase as if he was trying to steal it, but then gives it back to him and Kojak acts like that was the plan all along. What was that all about?

Someone made a comment that Kojak is making $20,000 a year. What was that like as a salary in 1974? They were making it sound like it was pretty high.

Note writer, Matthew Rapf is listed on the pawn sheet.

The guy behind the counter at the deli look like Cheech or Chong?

I thought the brother-in-law was clearly aware that Cas was threatening him and in was, in fact, parodying him, but apparently not.

In the last 15 minutes the character's name changed from Cas to Ken.

The girlfriend's house is so cool as a 70s TV set. Cool abstract painting on the wall.

These were my comments while watching but whoa wait a minute. "Don't make me go out with a lie?" Hand grasp at the end? What's going on? That was really weird and creepy. And not in keeping with the rest of the show at all. I have said in the past that the show seemed to be taking chances, but this is the wrong chance and a wrong decision. I was going to give a 9 but now I have to shave off a point.

The case of a 'smart' criminal who doesn't seem all that smart!

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 29 August 2018]

In this episode of "Kojak", you've got an incredibly strange villain. Caz (James Woods) sure is not a typical baddie, as to him his crimes are all part of a game...a game where he's matching wits with Kojak. You see, Caz is a student in a night class taught by Kojak and he hates that his teacher might be smarter than him...so he commits crimes to try to outsmart the Lieutenant. And, weirdly, by the end of the show there seems to almost be a bromance between him and Kojak...making for a weird and confusing ending.

I think there were two reasons I didn't love this episode. First, for a smart criminal, Caz is an incredible idiot...too much so. Secondly, the ending just seemed bizarre and confusing. See the show...see what I mean!

Death Is Not a Passing Grade

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 11 February 2024]

Caz (James Woods) is an army veteran who has gone back to civilian life by carrying out burglaries with her sister's dimwit husband.

Caz thinks he is smart and specialises in living false clues behind to send the police in a wild goose chase.

However Caz is also taking police science classes where Kojak is the instructor. Caz wants to show Kojak up by trying to outsmart him.

In fact in other burglaries Caz leaves behind a pen and later a hat, both belonging to Kojak. It seems Caz has become obsessed with Kojak. This may be due to his own father was accused of being a dirty cop.

An early role for James Woods to show his psychotic side, something he excelled at in the 1980s.

Unfortunately Caz was not that smart. By leaving Kojak's pen and hat behind in burglaries. He left himself wide open to be caught.