To Kill A Memory is a Mannix show from roughly its mid-way point in its eight year run on the network. The controversy over the Vietnam war was cooling down somewhat; there were fewer student protests; and long haired young men were't harrased so much by middle aged adults in most parts of the country. The times were a' changin' in 1972, not maybe Bob Dylan's way, but they were.
This episode deals with (as they used to say) relevant issues, but it offers no point of view of its own regarding the mental states of soldiers returning home from in Vietnam, especially those who'd seen combat. There's one at the center of this story, and he's enigmatic in his early scenes, doesn't recognizes many people who were close to him when he was younger, is a puzzle to his family, goes by a name different from the one how was born with; and he suffers from amnesia and flashbacks to his fighting days in Southeast Asia. In other words, he's in trouble.
As the story unfolds, there's way more than meets the eye to this traumatized individual, as his tale is told Impressionistically, in twists and turns, We learn about this young man, Alex, in a typically TV series style; while Aex learned about the previous four years of his life in twists and turns, He also learns a few things about what happened during his years abroad from some unsavory characters who are drawing him into a life of crime, and this is where Joe Mannix and his detective skills come into play.
It's good to mention here that Mannix was hired by Alex's family after learning that he was still alive, as they were unsure of his whereabouts given that he was officially reported as dead. This helps makes this somewhat confusing episode and what happens in it a genuine mystery story rather than a more crime focused one, although indeed a major crime is committed, so it plays fair with the viewer at both ends. To Kill A Memory is one of the more dramatic entries of the series, and the excellent cast of skilled players were up to their jobs. From my end of the spectrum, the ending feels a bit bland for such a heavy hitting (in all respects) slice of prime time from a half century ago, Some solid workmanship went into it, and in that, and in so many other respects, it's a winner.
This episode deals with (as they used to say) relevant issues, but it offers no point of view of its own regarding the mental states of soldiers returning home from in Vietnam, especially those who'd seen combat. There's one at the center of this story, and he's enigmatic in his early scenes, doesn't recognizes many people who were close to him when he was younger, is a puzzle to his family, goes by a name different from the one how was born with; and he suffers from amnesia and flashbacks to his fighting days in Southeast Asia. In other words, he's in trouble.
As the story unfolds, there's way more than meets the eye to this traumatized individual, as his tale is told Impressionistically, in twists and turns, We learn about this young man, Alex, in a typically TV series style; while Aex learned about the previous four years of his life in twists and turns, He also learns a few things about what happened during his years abroad from some unsavory characters who are drawing him into a life of crime, and this is where Joe Mannix and his detective skills come into play.
It's good to mention here that Mannix was hired by Alex's family after learning that he was still alive, as they were unsure of his whereabouts given that he was officially reported as dead. This helps makes this somewhat confusing episode and what happens in it a genuine mystery story rather than a more crime focused one, although indeed a major crime is committed, so it plays fair with the viewer at both ends. To Kill A Memory is one of the more dramatic entries of the series, and the excellent cast of skilled players were up to their jobs. From my end of the spectrum, the ending feels a bit bland for such a heavy hitting (in all respects) slice of prime time from a half century ago, Some solid workmanship went into it, and in that, and in so many other respects, it's a winner.
