First Aired - April 27, 1967
Sergeant Joe Friday and Officer Bill Gannon are working in the Homicide Division. Friday and Gannon get a call that a young Japanese-American war widow has been raped and murdered. The victim leaves behind a young daughter. As Friday investigates, he becomes emotionally involved in the case. Friday and Gannon find out that there maybe a connection with the rape of another woman the previous night.
Just the Tropes, ma'am:
- Black Sheep: Ben Yoder is considered by Agatha Edney, his aunt, to be the black sheep of the family and fighting the devil.
- Foreign Fanservice: Reisho is presented this way to other people as everyone notes how beautiful she is. It does help that the picture was a modeling photo of Miko Mayama.
- The Fundamentalist: Agatha Edney comes across as one. She keeps talking about how everyone is going to hell and her nephew is fighting the devil. She hides her nephew from the cops, but he was still arrested. When the police search her house with a warrant, she knows she can't do anything legally to stop them but keeps telling them that she is praying for their souls as they are all evil.
- It's Personal: Friday takes an unusual interest in the case and becomes emotional as the victim leaves behind a daughter. His Captain calls him out to not take the case personally as it might lead to errors.
- Kimono Is Traditional: Both Reisho's daughter and mother wear one.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: The normally stoic and serious Joe Friday almost appears out-of-character in this episode as the rape and killing has caused him to get emotionally involved with this case.
- Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: The rape and murder of Reisho Hashimoto. Friday takes a personal interest in it. Ben Yoder, who killed her, is presented as one of the worst scum on the show.
- Scenery Porn: Reisho Hashimoto's house is styled like a typical Japanese household, even the back yard is a Japanese garden.
