Stella Stevens proves her mettle as a district attorney in this "shoulda been picked up for series" pilot telefilm. Costar Claude Akins is tip-top in his earthy portrayal of an Old School tough cop.
It's a textbook example of how broadcast TV, within its strict censorship confines, could handle lurid subject matter tastefully, and entertainingly, without reporting to the exploitation content of theatrical movies. The murder case includes kinky and Gay-themed subplots, and benefits from solid scripting by Robert Thompson, including clever plot twists. Especially effective is the emphasis on office politics within the justice system, taking precedence over the details of crime-solving.
In what was to become the standard James Woods baddie role, Robert Vaughn is more subtle but just as instantly detestable. A very big surprise is trick casting of Bruce Boxleitner as the Gay sleazy psychotic killer -who woulda thunk it?
