Loophole

A solid third season entry of The Untouchables, Loophole tells the story of a lawyer named Halas. played by Jack Klugman who works mostly for the mob but who also has a soft heart for the underdog, and a penchant for candy that goes back to his childhood.

This is a man who came up poor, still feels that his hands are dirty even though he makes around 200 large a year. He doesn't like his cocky new upstart client and actually feels more of an affinity with Eliot Ness except that they're on the opposite side of the fence.

This episode is far more character driven than most, with a flashy performance from a very young looking Martin Landau playing a ruthless up and coming mobster (is there any other kind?) who, for various reasons, some of them ethical, Klugman the lawyer would rather not be working for; but once in he cannot seem to extricate himself from his predicament.

What makes this episode so good is guest star Jack Klugman, lower key in style than he would be later in his career, he gives a performance of depth and sincerity, showing the innate decency of a man who has lived for the most part a not very decent life.

It's difficult to not like his character, to want him to win, get out of the rackets altogether, do something better with his life, his brains, his heart (and he clearly has one). The odds are against him, and they get worse as the episode approaches its climax. This entry in the series is way above average.