Co-starring: Christopher Stone as Gavin, Kristen Meadows as Jenny Sherman, Robert Grey as Candy, Judson Scott as Maxwell, Ken Swofford as Roy Sherman, Robert Tessier as Mute, Lance Le Gault as Colonel Decker, Carl Franklin as Captain Crane
Written by Frank Lupo
Directed by Tony Mordente
The team decide to take a break at a lake retreat to evade Decker but find themselves squaring up against a gang of robbers.
Perhaps best known for its opening more than anything else, this season three finale begins with Face driving his corvette to the tune of Blondie’s “One Way or Another”. It’s a memorable and dynamic way to kick-off a fast-moving storyline and is followed quickly by the team escaping from the clutches of Decker. It is as good an opening as you'll find in any episode, recalling the hit-the-ground-running start of season one’s ‘Holiday in the Hills’.
What makes this so enjoyable is the light-hearted vein of the whole episode, all the team getting in on the act to keep the tone bright and breezy. After escaping Decker, Face remarks that anyone of them could have fallen for the girl by the roadside gag, to which Peppard replies “Yes Face but it always happens to you”. Benedict is at his most jovial here and both he and Schultz have individually good moments based around Murdock’s unique fishing theory of bringing a dummy along to be the guy who never catches anything.
As with all episodes which feature Decker, this benefits from having a dual storyline to keep the pace up, avoiding that mid-section lull that affects the weaker episodes. Meadows (who previously appeared early in season two in ‘Diamonds n Dust’) is good in support as a park ranger and Grey adds a sense of menace as the robber who seemingly wants to shoot everyone who crosses his path.
The second half is very action-driven and kicks up a gear with the arrival of Decker, the highlight being the final helicopter/car chase sequence. There’s a final gag that’s spoilt by being filmed without the main actors being present (the shot of Face emerging from the van is from an earlier episode) but this is a minor criticism of what is a fun finale to the third season. 8.5/10
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