MANNIX HUNTDOWN SERIES
MANNIX HUNTDOWN TV

MANNIX HUNTDOWN SERIES

The series concluded after 8 seasons on an episode that did not give closure to the show. As opposed to the other employees who must wear dark suits and sit in rows of desks with only one piece of paper allowed to be on their desks at one time, Mannix belongs to the classic American detective archetype thus he usually ignores the computers' solutions, disobeys his boss's orders, and sets out to do things his own way, all the while outsmarting and mocking his superior, Lew Wickersham (Joseph Campanella). It ran from 1967 to 1975.The showrunners Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts would later create a popular detective show of their own.ĭuring the first season of the series, Mannix works for a large Los Angeles detective agency called INTERTECT that utilizes state-of-the-art (for its time) computer equipment to solve crimes. Created by Richard Levinson and William Link (also known for Columbo and Murder, She Wrote) and developed by Bruce Geller ( Mission: Impossible, which through Diagnosis: Murder shares a universe with Mannix), it was the last show produced by Desilu Studios (which also originated Mission: Impossible) before its acquisition by Paramount. Too bad it ended much too soon.Mannix is an American Detective Drama television series starring Mike Connors as Private Detective Joe Mannix. He did a memorable Star Trek and a couple of excellent Mission Impossible outings. Next season we'll see Ihnet go after Joe in one of the many ol' Korean War buddy stories. I wonder why she dropped out of the profession. Her career ends abruptly in 1975 and she is still alive as of this writing. Sandra Smith, forever linked with Star Trek, is making her only appearance. Paul Stevens will be seen again as will Ford Rainey. Steve Ihnet is making the first of three appearances. The sheriff turns out not to be as bad as we all thought.

Hard to believe Amos died yesterday, as stated by the sheriff, as there was already a gravestone in place. But noooo, they have to gum it up with some elaborate plan with no apparent goal in mind. Why didn't the locals just direct Joe to Violet (Sandra Smith) as Amos's cousin for the signature on papers and then send him on his way? He would be in town about an hour at most.

As always, you don't want to think too much about the logic here.

MANNIX HUNTDOWN TV

As often happens in TV land, killing someone is of only mild passing interest. At the end, the fact Joe killed someone seems to be of little import to Wickersham as he orders Joe to get home now. At least it was a reasonable shot and not one of those fantastic shots that Joe will become famous for. A couple of their comments are quite germane.

This might be the best of the 'small town with a bad secret' outings. Perhaps the network insisted on more, I don't know. Interestingly, in the next episode, Mannix increases his body count. It's also interesting because it's one of the few episodes up to that point where Joe Mannix actually kills someone.in self-defense, of course. Exciting, clever and the payoff at the end was quite good. It's well written and different from the style show so far seen in 'Mannix'. Why?! What is going on here? Why are folks so hostile?! 'Huntdown' is a very good episode. Eventually, he's tossed into jail on trumped up charges and isn't allowed to call anyone. In fact, when he asks about this guy's whereabouts, folks are rude, evasive and threatening. But, it turns out to be anything but routine. So, he's given a VERY simple task-one that should have been strictly routine. But he's too bored just sitting around and begs his boss for a case.ANYTHING to keep him busy. In fact, it soon appears that someone might kill them unless they go home now! This program begins with Mannix having his foot in a cast-he'd gotten it shot in a recent case. In both cases, the leading character comes to a rural town and is greeted VERY inhospitably by the locals. 'Huntdown' is a bit similar to an episode of 'Quincy' ('Visitors in Paradise', season two episode four).

Mannix huntdown