The last episode was named "Light and Shadow" and this one is "A Game of Shadows". Despite the lack of original titles, this is an original episode. Joe is caught up in the cold war and spies as he tries to get a man off a murder charge at the request of his girlfriend (Meg Foster). Mannix episodes seem to have several girlfriends who won't give up on their guy despite what the circumstances are. It turns out her guy is an enemy spy on the run and that is why the murderer picked him as the fall guy as he couldn't turn himself in. Joe, followed by fellow PI Jerry Vane (Alan Bergmann), tracks our wayward spy down and manages to straighten out the situation while catching a few enemy spies himself. Tough assignment since everyone is lying for good and bad reasons. As stated by another reviewer, the murderer who started all this with the frame job does fall apart and confess faster than a murderer on Perry Mason but that is a nice change from the expected fistfight or car chase or shootout that is usual prior to Joe corralling the bad guys. Speaking of which, Adam Williams, a government agent here, was a murderer on Perry Mason back in the day.
The cast is good. Foster is fine and her eyes are on full display. Jack Ging is back as Lt Ives and acts a lot like Lt Malcolm. Paul Stevens, a veteran actor, is a good bad guy. Ken Tobey has way too little screen time. He must have done this as a favor for someone. Natalie Schafer has one long scene and makes the best of it. She is in between the Gilligan's Island show and the TV movies so nice to see her. Her character is named Bunny Mason (no relation to Perry) and the first name is apt.
Joe gets hit on the head and I'm not sure he got paid but he did serve his country so he has that going for him. Maybe Uncle Sam will throw a few bucks his way.
The cast is good. Foster is fine and her eyes are on full display. Jack Ging is back as Lt Ives and acts a lot like Lt Malcolm. Paul Stevens, a veteran actor, is a good bad guy. Ken Tobey has way too little screen time. He must have done this as a favor for someone. Natalie Schafer has one long scene and makes the best of it. She is in between the Gilligan's Island show and the TV movies so nice to see her. Her character is named Bunny Mason (no relation to Perry) and the first name is apt.
Joe gets hit on the head and I'm not sure he got paid but he did serve his country so he has that going for him. Maybe Uncle Sam will throw a few bucks his way.