User Reviews

I thought this episode was really excellent. After reading other reviews, I wasn't sure I would enjoy it....but was pleasantly surprised.

It's not necessary for me to cover all of the essentials in this story. For me, the highlight was due to the fact that-finally-Nancy Malone and Paul Burke had a meaty relationship story. In watching these two through so many episodes, there were few times for Malone and Burke to shine together. I loved the ending of the story especially.

***SPOILERS*** This really nothing case is made to look like the "Trial of the Century" as our hero Det. Adam Flint, Paul Burke, has the tables turned on him by the very person whom he arrested! The rich spoiled and high on drugs socialite Beth Rydecker, Kathryn Hayes. Besides being pretty and well connected Beth also happens to be engaged to the hair to the Pireaux pharmaceuticals fortune, that's where she probably gets her drugs from, Paul Pireaux played by Curtis Taylor who has a striking resemblance to the soon, this is in 1962, to be elected in 1965 mayor of NYC John Vliet Lindsey.

At Beth's trial who happened to show up to defend her? The high powered New York City attorney who's known as the "Shyster to the Stars" Johnny Breyson, Martin Gable, who's been hired by Moma Rydecker, Ruth Ford, to get her little girl off from serving time for the crimes she on trial for. With Breyson using every dirty trick in the book to get his client off he makes poor and confused,in wondering what kind of a mess he's gotten himself into, Det. Flint the defendant not arresting officer! Having paid off the only witness, besides Det. Flint & Beth Rydecker, at the crime scene of Beth being high on drugs speeding as well as hitting a parked car the taxi driver, no not Travis Bickel, Edward Lane to change his testimony the case against Beth start to fall apart.

***SPOILERS*** With him smelling blood in the water or the courtroom Breyson now goes in for the kill in bringing an old flame of Det. Flint on the stand the pretty and shapely, just get a load of her legs, Nancy Hooper, Carol Eve Rossen. It was Nancy that Det. Flint pulled the same kind of action against, arrested her for speeding, some three years ago. That soon ended up with him taking Nancy out on a number of hot dates and whining and dining her as well as painting the town red on his meager $91.70 a week police salary! This was done to embarrass Det. Flint in that at the time as well as now he was engaged to his long suffering girlfriend Libby Kingston, Nancy Malone, who had no idea to what that heel of a boyfriend of hers was up to at the time!

The "Big Trial" more of less ended in a draw with Beth getting a $75.00 fine, and no jail time, for speeding and the straight as an arrow Det. Flint being forced to reveal that he cheated on Libby who against her better judgment took him back. As for Det. Flint himself he's now gotten a bit older and wiser as well as realistic about the hard & cold facts of life because of it.

Everyone in Naked City acted as if every line of florid, melodramatic dialogue was some profound statement. Route 66 was like that too. Stirling Silliphant wrote for both shows. Gene Roddenberry of Star Trek wrote this story. I don't know if it was the script or the direction by John Brahm but to have Flint (Paul Burke) look and act guilty and nervous during the entire trial didn't play well considering he is always a cool headed guy. It's never explained how Carol Rossen was discovered by the greasy defense attorney or why the prosecutor was such an incompetent. The cab driver is not investigated for taking a bribe to lie in court, another example of the prosecutor's inept handling. Even so, it's a compelling story and kept me guessing.