"The Wife Beater" is a tough episode to watch. After all, it's about spousal abuse...and it is pretty intense. However, I really respect "Barnaby Jones" for trying to do more than just entertain but educate the viewers on the insidiousness of domestic violence...something rarely talked about on TV then...or even now.
The episode begins with YET ANOTHER of Betty's friends having trouble. Despite being such a serious episode, at first I laughed out loud because the writers so often had Betty's friend in peril....making you wish Betty just gave up on having friends....or that the writers stopped using this plot device! Regardless, Diane Baker plays a pretty typical spousal abuse victim...making excuses and believing in the many promises of a violent, vile man. He blames his anger on his disappointments at work or drinking....but this doesn't excuse away the fact he is a monster. At the same time this drama is going on, the wife's boss is murdered....and considering how jealous this drunken husband (Alan Fudge) is, it's assumed he probably killed the guy and she'll be next!
Alan Fudge is not a familiar name but his face was very familiar on TV at the time. But in most of his roles, he played ordinary sorts of folks...unlike in "The Wife Beater" where he had a great chance to show his acting chops. Baker was also good playing the ambivalent wife. All in all, apart from the end when Betty talked the vicious husband into not killing her and the wife, it was a terrific episode...quite brave.
By the way, IMDB trivia is correct. Back in 1977, unless a victim would testify, police would not arrest perpetrators of domestic violence. Perhaps shows like this are why laws changed for the better.
The episode begins with YET ANOTHER of Betty's friends having trouble. Despite being such a serious episode, at first I laughed out loud because the writers so often had Betty's friend in peril....making you wish Betty just gave up on having friends....or that the writers stopped using this plot device! Regardless, Diane Baker plays a pretty typical spousal abuse victim...making excuses and believing in the many promises of a violent, vile man. He blames his anger on his disappointments at work or drinking....but this doesn't excuse away the fact he is a monster. At the same time this drama is going on, the wife's boss is murdered....and considering how jealous this drunken husband (Alan Fudge) is, it's assumed he probably killed the guy and she'll be next!
Alan Fudge is not a familiar name but his face was very familiar on TV at the time. But in most of his roles, he played ordinary sorts of folks...unlike in "The Wife Beater" where he had a great chance to show his acting chops. Baker was also good playing the ambivalent wife. All in all, apart from the end when Betty talked the vicious husband into not killing her and the wife, it was a terrific episode...quite brave.
By the way, IMDB trivia is correct. Back in 1977, unless a victim would testify, police would not arrest perpetrators of domestic violence. Perhaps shows like this are why laws changed for the better.
