Adam-12 (1968)/Log 112: You Blew It

Log 112: You Blew It
Season 1, Episode 18
Airdate	February 8, 1969
Written by	Michael Donovan
Directed by	Hollingsworth Morse
Produced by	R.A. Cinader
← 1x17 Log 33: It All Happened So Fast	1x19 → Log 51: A Jumper - Code 2
Adam-12 — Season One

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Log 112: You Blew It is the eighteenth episode of the first season of Adam-12.

Malloy and Reed are talking about good judgment, but Malloy's lesson blows up in his face with a decision to allow a traffic offender go before the wanted check reveals the guy had a warrant for armed robbery.

Starring: Martin Milner (Officer Pete Malloy), Kent McCord (Officer Jim Reed)

with William Dooley (James Walker), Maudie Prickett (Mrs. Wilson), William Boyett (Sgt. MacDonald), Bara Byrnes (Annie Russell), Walter Mathews (Howard), Elvia Allman (Mrs. Lazwell), Art Gilmore (Lt. Moore), Phyllis Davis (Betsy), Lorna Lewis (Flo), Joseph Mell (Cal), Joyana Frederics (Woman)

and John Lupton (Ted Larson)

Uncredited: Shaaron Claridge (Dispatcher)

Plot Overview

A conversation between Reed and Malloy about why a fellow officer was suspended for two days without pay, despite breaking up a gang fight, leads to a discussion about good judgment. Malloy explains that the officer, among other things, nearly hit a pedestrian while driving to the location of the incident, and also damaged the squad car.

Malloy decides this would be a good day to reinforce the importance of good judgment.

He will ... but in a way that he doesn't intend.

A reckless driver in a 1968 Chevrolet Caprice nearly hits a pedestrian, so Malloy initiates a traffic stop. Everything goes well at first – the temporary registration (despite being displayed incorrectly) matches the registration – and Malloy asks the dispatcher for a warrant check.

While waiting for the wanted check to come back, a "hot shot" call comes in: A man with a knife, at a residence two blocks away. It's nearby, so Malloy lets the guy off with a warning, then hustles Reed into their squad car and decide to take the call. At the residence, a neighbor woman rushes out, frantically explaining that the man inside the home had a knife and was screaming at a woman, threatening to kill her. Reed and Malloy investigate, and find the couple were – perhaps a little too enthusiastically – rehearsing a scene for a community theater production (and show the script to prove it).

While the two are relieved nothing came of the hot shot call, their celebration is short lived: ""1-Adam-12, 1-Adam-12, go to the station. Code 2," instructs the Communications Operator.

Uh-oh.

At the station, Lt. Moore is not happy. After asking if they were involved with the traffic stop just a few minutes earlier and if they waited for the warrant check, Moore angrily explains: "You blew it!" He further explains: The guy, James Walker, was wanted for armed robbery and the car was stolen. Reed tries to defend his partner, but Moore won't have any of it; after telling them how they erred and that another officer was nearby to handle the disturbance call, the lieutenant orders them back to work and that a disciplinary hearing with the Captain will likely be scheduled. Malloy has to admit to his trainee that Moore was absolutely correct that he made a serious mistake and that they both may be facing consequences.

After dealing with a landlord-tenant dispute that ends tragically – the tenant had overdosed and was found deceased – Malloy formulates a plan to capture Walker. After scouring the neighborhood, they find a familiar car – the stolen yellow Chevrolet Caprice from the earlier traffic stop – parked in a driveway. Malloy and Reed call for backup and successfully capture Walker and his girlfriend, who were drunkenly laughing about the earlier traffic stop and planning a Bonnie-and-Clyde style crime spree.

Back at the station, Malloy and Reed explain they captured Walker and explain what happened. Moore reminds them they screwed up earlier, but as he listens to how the arrest came down, he seems to be pleased they atoned for their earlier error and that a would-be dangerous criminal is now in custody. (It can be presumed Malloy and Reed still got yelled at by the Captain, but Moore defended them and per his recommendation it ended as a verbal reprimand ... and a warning to not do it again or they would face suspension.)