West and Gordon are assigned to protect Judge M’Guigan, chairman of a federal judge convention, after a crate of missing dynamite is traced to the convention's location. An exploding pool ball sets the agents on the trail of Zeno Baroda, an anarchist and explosives expert who was recently paroled - by M’Guigan - from a life sentence. Despite further attacks, M’Guigan is reluctant to go after Baroda; the agents soon find they have their hands full protecting the judge, finding the assassins and ensuring the convention doesn't end in disaster.
Disguises used by Artie: Herr Ostropolyer, German Pastry Chef
(7:10)
Tropes present in this episode:
- Bomb-Throwing Anarchists: Zeno Baroda used to be one, but claims to have retired. As it turns out, he did try to go straight, but was blackmailed into constructing the bombs by the real villain.
- Boxed Crook: Though in this case it's not the whole government, just a rogue federal judge. Otherwise the trope is played straight - Baroda escapes his life sentence in return for using his explosives expertise on the people M’Guigan wants blown up.
- Clueless Detective: Chief of Police Bulvon is infinitely more hindrance than help when it comes to the agents' investigation - partly because he considers it his case and resents any outside interference, partly because he's incompetent. Fortunately they ignore him.
- Covered in Gunge: The full-body-dive-into-cake variety for the villain (which many viewers probably saw coming as soon as Artie was tasked with baking said gigantic confection).
- His Name Is...: Jim finally manages to get his hands on the villain's accomplice and begins demanding information. To no one's surprise, the mook is killed by a sniper before he can reveal the name of his employer.
- Police Are Useless: Beyond their incompetent chief, the Denver cops couldn't stop a turtle from exiting a barn. They allow people past them when they're supposed to be guarding M'Guigan multiple times. West even lampshades it after another bomb attack almost succeeds when he sarcastically tells the police chief that he's done a "great job" so far protecting the judge.
- The Rival: Artie and Cefalu (another cook at the hotel, but one who actually works there professionally rather than being an undercover Secret Service agent) - neither has a high opinion of the other's work.
- Shout-Out: In the climax when Jim knocks over a cook, he says "Sorry about that, chef."
- Title Drop: West refers to the bombs as "infernal machines" a few times throughout the episode.
- Villainous Breakdown: The villain is reduced to doing the Thousand-Yard Stare and repeating one of his favorite aphorisms as a Madness Mantra.
