Police Story (TV Series) Slow Boy (1973) User Reviews

Well made but shocking.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 13 November 2013]

I am not the most politically correct guy out there and sometimes the overly politically correct types irritate me. However, I sure felt VERY uncomfortable and mad as I watched this pilot for "Police Story". Although it was very realistic, well written and superbly acted, one ridiculously unnecessary scene irritated the life out of me. On of the detectives (Harry Guardino) inexplicably goes off on a long racist rant that is extremely offensive and crude--and must have caused a few eyebrows to raise at the time. It seemed as if the show was loudly saying 'we don't want black viewers'! See the show--you'll easily understand what I mean. Now I know the Joseph Waumbaugh series was touted as being realistic--ultra-realistic. Perhaps this WAS realistic for cops in the 70s--but it's still ugly and unnecessary.

Now if you exclude this rant, the rest of the pilot is great. While it's not an action-packed show, it did show the wear and tear on cops and their psychological makeup. I recently bought season one of this series--and I hope it gets better.

By the way, I did have a laugh as I watched Ed Asner's character. He was a far, far cry from the real-life liberal activist and I wonder how he felt playing such a reactionary. Ed....if you read this, let me know!

Realism abounds

[mibailiff · 1 December 2000]

Joseph Wambaugh brought stark police realism to his novels both fiction and non-fiction. This 1973 NBC pilot was a gripping fast paced crime drama that showed the human side of cops in Los Angeles. This launched the series which won an Emmy for Best Drama in 1976. The show featured not just uniformed cops and detectives, but special police units as SWAT, SSD (Special Surveillance Detail) and Internal Affairs. The show had "Wambaugh Players" who made multiple appearances in recurring and multiple roles, the most prominent being Don Meredith, Tony LoBianco, James Farentino and Jan-Michael Vincent. The scripts were first rate, especially when written by TV legands, E. Arthur Kean, Sean Baine and E. Jack Neuman and the directing was superbly handled by crafty action veterans as Barry Shear, Leo Penn and Don Medford. And yes, that music by Jerry Goldsmith. Nearly 30 years later, POLICE STORY still plays as first rate drama.

Wonderful start

[goodegg-975-541507 · 10/10 · 3 July 2017]

Excellent start to this wonderful series.First off,there was a racial incident,but the squad leader(Morrow)took note and found a awesome way to cure that officer of his racial hate.This in itself is worth the time to watch the movie.Pilot is fast paced and yet has its tender moments,very enjoyable movie with lots of talent in the roles

Astonishingly good cast helps make TV movie outstanding

[morrisonhimself · 10/10 · 2 February 2019]

Though I fondly remember "Police Story" as a TV series, and I don't fondly remember much TV, I had never seen this pilot movie. I am now very grateful that YouTube offers this truly outstanding production.

Joseph Wambaugh was the creator and apparently wrote many or most or at least contributed to other shows in the series. Just recently I read his "Finnegan's Week" and realized I had missed too many of his novels. Wonderful reading, nearly every one.

He turned out some of the best drama and some of the best comedy about police, particularly Los Angeles police, and this pilot movie is a prize example.

Vic Morrow gave surely his best performance of his career. What power and control he showed in this role.

Ina Balin has been one of my favorites since I first saw her and here she looked even better than ever before, and was billed fourth even though her character didn't do much.

Dominique Pinassi, who played her daughter, was one beautiful child and had a remarkable screen presence, but has done very little acting, with only 10 credits.

Chuck Connors, who really was another superlative actor, with much more range than his most famous roles might suggest, is powerful, terrifying, and chilling as the targeted criminal. This must be one of his best performances too.

This cast is so good, in fact, even Ed Asner was compelling. Never having liked him or most of his roles, I sat watching him in absolute awe as the lieutenant. He was more than impressive.

Diane Baker, whose character began as a hostage, was one of Hollywood's great beauties but, more, she was another superlative actress, capable of probably any type of role.

Every actor here, to repeat, was just perfect, just as hypnotic and believable as anyone could be. But don't think the story isn't gripping in itself.

This is one of the very best TV movies I've ever seen, and would easily qualify as a top-notch theatrical release. I cannot recommend it too much. Do try to see it.

Not a bad show

[mm-39 · 6/10 · 2 January 2004]

Not a bad show, watched as a child in the 70's, and saw it again on A&E years later. Some of the shows became corny, but others aged very well. Written from real stories, which is much better than what the networks do today. Kurt Russel is in a few of them. 7 out of 10. If anyone complains of TV violence today they should catch a few of these shows. They have an episode where the bad guy gets blown threw a glass window.

Excellent stuff.

[joegarbled-79482 · 10/10 · 20 September 2023]

Vic Morrow (Sgt Chip Saunders "Combat!") looks suitably seedy in a very seventies style, as a plain clothes cop who is quite happy to shoot first, and ask questions later. The phrase "stamping on maggots" sums up the squad Morrow works for.

Chuck Connors (who I usually dismissed as "Wilfred Brambell on steroids" and had me groaning at his presence in the cast list) was actually quite effective as the main villain. The scene where a police snitch is secretly wired to record a conversation is full of tension thanks to the menacing air that Connors was able to put across, I never would've believed he'd have it in him.

As part of the Morrow squad, we get Ed Asner as his direct superior, Harry Guardino looking just as much a tired cop as he did in "Dirty Harry" and newbie, Sgt Torpi played by John Bennett Perry.

The female characters are pretty much non-entities here, so there isn't much for Diane Baker or Ina Balin to do, other than provide Vic Morrow's love interest, past and present, though a brief scene with Dianne Hull provides Morrow with a tip that leads to the eventual demise of Chuck Connors.

The whole thing is very very gritty, and quite believable and it was the kind of stuff that made Starsky & Hutch look like pure fantasy, it certainly has more in common with "Dirty Harry" or the UK's "The Sweeney". Vic Morrow's performance provides the icing on the cake.