User Reviews

Have to be honest I rather enjoyed this first instalment of Decoy. Watchers will have to keep in mind that this was made back in 1957, things were very, very different. I quite like the format of the show, and the case Policewoman Casey is investigating is intriguing enough. Casey is very much an interesting character, Molly certainly is, a little over the top, but the scenes between the pair are good. I have to applaud the show for having a female Police Officer in the lead role, I can imagine that 50's life was extremely tough for women, let alone female Police Officers. A very solid start, I liked it. 7/10

***SPOILERS*** Debut episode of "Decoy-Police Woman" has police woman Casey Jones, Beverly Garland, put on the case, undercover of course, of a murdered merchant seaman who was found strangled to death in his flop house single room apartment. The only witness to the murder Is the bit nutty and somewhat dreamy eyed Molly, Jeanne Linville. It's Casey's boss Let. Abdrews, Bruce Gordon, who feels that Mollly is covering up the murder for her boyfriend who's only known as "Gorgeous George", no not the wrestler, who seemed to have disappeared into thin air.

Casey getting a room next to Molly tries to befriend her and find out who this George is that she claimed to be a real dreamboat as well as the handsomest man on earth! Was Casey so impressed in what Molly said about this George or , her pet name for him, Georgie that she wanted to steal him away from her and keep him all to herself! That seemed to have Casey's love life interfere with her job as an undercover policewoman for the NYPD.

***SPOLIERS***Sorry to say for Casey as well as all the women watching the "Decoy" episode George was just a figment of Molly's imagination and nothing else. But what did come out in the wash was the dirty laundry in Molly herself being the person who murdered the merchant seaman because, after a roll in the sack, he didn't find her as attractive as she thought that she was. Feeling hurt & humiliated Molly took out her rage & frustration by strangling the poor man, who must have been dead drunk at the time, and squeezing the life out of him! As for this factitious George he was in Molly's mind the man of her dreams that in her now being committed or jailed she'll never get to meet!

My dad used to watch this show. It was on too late for me back then. He told me the criminal took Casey's gun away from her in every single episode. Only watched one so far. And so far dad was absolutely right! Looking forward to the takeaway count for the season. Surely, she'll hang onto her weapon for at least an episode or two!

Thanks to actress Linville's over-the-top performance we know something's wrong with Molly from the outset. Just what it is makes up the story. Policewoman Casey's (Garland) assigned to become her friend so as to find out where Molly's boyfriend George is. The New York police suspect George of a robbery and murder, so Casey goes undercover inside a seedy apartment building where Molly lives.

Linville pulls out all stops but still manages some poignancy that lifts the ending. The sets are few and cheap, but the location shots of Manhattan are real eye-catchers, especially the opening hook. The influence of 50's cop shows like Dragnet is apparent, particularly with Garland's closing remarks to the audience. All in all, it's a melodramatic entry that presents a dubious showcase for actress Linville. At the same time, Garland shows the grit required for TV's first woman to head-up a series, (IMDB).

Before Angie Dickinson was Police Woman in the 1970s.

Beverly Garland was Casey Jones was a female cop who regularly went undercover.

In the first episode Casey rents a room in a crummy apartment. She needs to befriend Molly Orchid and get information about her boyfriend George.

He is a suspect of robbing and killing another man. Casey suspects that George is just a figment of Molly's imagination. Molly appears to be troubled and unhinged.

Decoy is fast moving but it is full of holes. Casey needs a better hiding place for her gun. When she needs to talk to her fellow officers, she should go to a phone box and not use the phone on the landing.

Still it was nice how Casey talked to Molly and managed to placate her.

Despite this Decoy seems to be a forgotten show when it should be regarded as a landmark one.