In exchange for doubling their usual fee, the Angels agree to work with an unknown partner on their latest case; the partner turns out to be a down-and-out, semi-alcoholic private detective. Kelly, Tiffany and Bosley think he is a burden, but Kris is more affectionate towards him - he reminds her of her own father. "Harrigan's Angel" is a nice mix of action, humor, and warm-hearted sentiment, though the crime plot is rather predictable: you know from the start that whoever phoned the security guard in the opening sequence must have been in on the heist, and when you learn who it was a little later....and you also know Freddy Kr...I mean Robert Englund is also involved from the moment you first see him. Finally, am I wrong to detect some subtext in Tiffany's line "Anyone who doesn't offer us coffee can't be straight"? *** out of 4.
2 Reviews
The Curmudgeon and the Angel
adamcshelby29 September 2021
Another Edward Jay Lasko fiasco. Howard Duff plays hapless Detective Harrigan who teams with the Angels to bring down a burglary ring. Only problem is he's a drunk and pretty poor at his job.
The positives are, Howard Duff is at least likable in his role, and Cheryl Ladd's Kris gets along with him and shows an unexpected level of respect despite his overriding incompetence. She mentions that her own father was an alcoholic, a new bit of information, and it's probably why she took pity on him.
This is a typical Lasko script in the sense that there are four or five suspects and they're all pretty much guilty. Almost nothing surprising happens during the course of the episode, right down to the same old car chase that's featured in every single Lasko script. This is really becoming a pet peeve of mine. We'll see Kelly, Kris, or Tiffany driving along the Los Angeles grid being followed closely by a suspect... when suddenly the shot will transition to a canyon road off the beaten path.
It never makes any sense why one of the Angels drives to a remote location in the middle of an investigation, other than the fact that Lasko has written it that way. And it always seems to be the same roads up in Malibu somewhere.
Repetitive and dumb car chases.
Besides that, it features the same dumb Edward J Lasko villains, people willing to commit murder to cover up a lesser crime. It never ends.
The only other interesting note is that we get a glimpse of Robert Englund, who would go on to achieve fame as Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street series.
The positives are, Howard Duff is at least likable in his role, and Cheryl Ladd's Kris gets along with him and shows an unexpected level of respect despite his overriding incompetence. She mentions that her own father was an alcoholic, a new bit of information, and it's probably why she took pity on him.
This is a typical Lasko script in the sense that there are four or five suspects and they're all pretty much guilty. Almost nothing surprising happens during the course of the episode, right down to the same old car chase that's featured in every single Lasko script. This is really becoming a pet peeve of mine. We'll see Kelly, Kris, or Tiffany driving along the Los Angeles grid being followed closely by a suspect... when suddenly the shot will transition to a canyon road off the beaten path.
It never makes any sense why one of the Angels drives to a remote location in the middle of an investigation, other than the fact that Lasko has written it that way. And it always seems to be the same roads up in Malibu somewhere.
Repetitive and dumb car chases.
Besides that, it features the same dumb Edward J Lasko villains, people willing to commit murder to cover up a lesser crime. It never ends.
The only other interesting note is that we get a glimpse of Robert Englund, who would go on to achieve fame as Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street series.
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