West, posing as a prison inspector, meets up with Gordon, disguised as a street preacher, in a town where $5 million in government bonds has just been stolen. After two attempts on West's life, the sighting of a dead man walking down the street and an encounter with Jennifer McCoy, who is trying to recover some money that belonged to her deceased father, West and Gordon end up at the local prison, where some dangerous and underhanded dealings are well underway.
This was the first of three episodes to be directed by Richard Donner.
Disguises used by Artie: Street Preacher
(1:25)
; Jeremiah P Threadneedle, Ladie's corset Dealer
(35:50); Mr Scruggs ,Prison Executionner
(40:00)
Tropes present in this episode:
- For Science!: The state electrocutioner is very enthusiastic about the scientific nature and applications of his work.
- Incredibly Obvious Bomb: Artie has to defuse one near the end of the episode. It ticks and has a timer and is attached to a big wooden crate labeled "explosives."
- Large Ham: Jennifer McCoy in-universe, when she (as Jim puts it) lays it on a bit thick in her efforts to get him to help. Ironically given that Indus Arthur (Miss McCoy) gives quite a good performance, one of her lines in this episode is "I'm a terrible actress!"
- Preacher Man: Artie's first disguise. He goes about inveighing against the evils of alcohol, gambling and sin in general.
- Race Against the Clock: The end of the episode features one of these since the villain has rigged his place to explode, killing everyone inside. Jim and Artie have to find and defuse the explosives before they go off.
- Stock Footage: While the shots of the train at night (from the pilot) are reused at the end of several other episodes, for this one it's flipped. Unfortunately, see the YMMV tab for a bit of a problem...
- Time Bomb: The villain has set up one of these to destroy his base of operations and cover his escape.
- Win Your Freedom: A boxing ring has been set up in the prison where prisoners fight each other. In the case of two henchmen who have failed their employer, the winner gets reinstated in the villain's employment. The other is never seen again. When Jim is coerced into taking part, he wins... the chance to be the first man in history to get the electric chair.
