"The Big Clan" is a very good episode of "Dragnet". However, I do wonder if there's any way this sort of episode could be shown today. After all, it's no longer considered politically correct to refer to folks a 'Gypsies". The more acceptable term is 'Roma' or 'Romani' and folks are starting to point out that the stereotype of the 'thieving Gypsy' is very broad and certainly doesn't mean all of the Roma are thieves or living outside the law.
In this installment of the series, the story is pretty weird...and it's obvious the folks are pretty dumb. They call themselves Gypsies, but I think a better way of looking at it is that they are grifters...and call themselves Gypies. Regardless, they sure picked the wrong cop to approach!
It seems that there's a power struggle in the community and one potential leader of these crooks wants to go into business with Friday. He'll bribe Friday in order to get Joe to harass fortune tellers aligned with the other potential leader as well as give a free pass to his supporters. Of course, Friday agrees...in order to get a bribery case on the pair who approached him. Friday and Gannon also handle a case involving a Madame Maria....a fortune teller who has stolen a lot of money...and a woman working for the man who is trying to bribe Friday!
This is a pretty humorous episode...and you just can't help but think how stupid these folks are! Well worth seeing...whether politically correct or not.