MovieChat Forums > Adam-12 (1968) Discussion > X Force (Spoilers)

X Force (Spoilers)

posted 11 years ago by dreamcurse
10 replies | jump to latest

This was a good episode but difficult to watch because of the subject matter pedophilia.

I wonder what the internal debate (if any) was like. Having Pete Malloy, who for seven years has been the perfect LAPD Officer guilty of using excessive force.

I suppose there were a couple things. They knew it was the last season and they figured they could take some chances. It was also a chance to show the best of officers are human and make mistakes. And the viewers would know that Pete Malloy was still a good cop.

The episode also highlighted how the Malloy Red relationship had changed. At first it was more of a father figure Son relationship with Malloy training Reed. By this time though they were equal partners. Reed even snaps an order at Malloy. "Cool It Pete!"

[–] seldon913 11 years ago

It was probably meant to show that everyone has a breaking point. There was a similar situation in a Dragnet episode that featured Reed and Malloy as witnesses on an excessive force charge. In that case the officer who was similar in experience to Malloy received a suspension for what I would certainly consider self defense.

Standards have definitely changed since then. Just search for "Chicago cop beats female bartender" for something difficult to watch.

[–] slackersmom 11 years ago

Adam-12 touched on the subject a couple of times, usually in episodes dealing with children. In one Reed got upset and punched the lockers in the precinct. In another Malloy also had to restrain both himself & Reed from pounding a guy. But yeah, probably since it was late in the series they decided to depict the "perfect" cop as having--and reaching--his breaking point, which happens to everyone. As you say, cops are people too, and when they deal with child abuse or pedophilia, and think about the victims of these heinous crimes... sometimes they very naturally lose their cool, even when they know they shouldn't. Even so, compared to some of today's police dramas, these guys are pretty much saints.

[–] seldon913 11 years ago

The episodes are using real events, but Malloy was way too honest here. All he had to say was that everything happened in the course of the guy resisting arrest. There were no other witnesses and it would have been the word of a police officer vs a pedophile.

[–] dreamcurse 11 years ago

That would have put Reed in a bad position. He saw most of it. Pete wouldn't make Jim lie for him.

[–] slackersmom 11 years ago

I haven't seen the episode you're referencing, but I like dreamcurse's answer. I'm pretty sure that, as dream noted, Malloy wuold never put Reed in that position. When he does something wrong, he's willing to man-up and take the consequences.

[–] charcas67 11 years ago

Reed and Malloy were always honorable cops and men. When they made a mistake on the job, they owed up to it and took responsibility. They didn't do any CYA or lie for each other. Maybe it's an idealistic depiction of two police officers, but honorable nevertheless. And given what we've seen of them over 7 seasons, it was true to their characters.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] leroykevin 10 years ago

I remember watching this ep. and when Reed tells Pete to "Cool it!" I thought back to when Reed's first encounter with the pedo Now things were reversed!

[–] rerunwatcher 10 years ago

I just saw this episode a few days ago. He did not hit him until the suspect said it was " the little girls idea". That statement was what sent Malloy over the edge. I am glad Malloy hit him.

[–] leroykevin 10 years ago

Me too. I also respect Malloy when the pedo reported him, Pete owned up when Mac asked him how much was true, Pete said "Almost all of it" He could have lied his way out, who's going to take the word of a pedo over a Veteran Cop with a good record? (Assuming Pete never got in trouble for excessive force before)