MovieChat Forums > Dragnet 1967 (1967) Discussion > Worst cops ever?

Worst cops ever?

posted 9 years ago by mpiccolo55000
12 replies | jump to latest

Don't get me wrong...I love this show, BUT...

Aside from the fact that they never wore gloves to handle evidence (or bags -- Friday would usually just put it in his pocket), and in the earlier episodes, didn't read suspects their Miranda rights or get warrants (I know -- those things still hadn't come into play in law enforcement at the time), assuming the episodes were part of a canon storyline, you don't have to be a hardcore fan of the show to know that in every episode, they were in a different division of the LAPD, working under a different supervisor. Friday and Gannon were in homicide, burglary, auto theft, bunco, PR, Office of the Chief, juvenile, narcotics, training, management services, intelligence, community relations, internal affairs, BOD, vice, administrative vice, frauds, forgery, personnel, SIU, DHQ, missing persons, IAD...and that's just scratching the surface! Did they keep getting transferred because their expertise was highly valued across divisions, or did their supervisors just want them far out of their sight, as quickly as possible?

And what was it about the characters on the show always pulling Don Drapers? Identities were being constantly changed on the show. Suspects would come back as reporters. Reporters would come back as supervisors. Supervisors would come back as non-police witnesses. And they always had different names. In the case of supervisors at the police department, they would constantly steal each others' names! And no one ever questioned it! I think the only guy, aside from Officer Gannon and Seargent Friday, whose identity remained consistent throughout the series was Ray Murray (Olan Soule), the LAPD's resident scientist.

[–] mactach 9 years ago

Keep it to yourself.

[–] mpiccolo55000 9 years ago

Regarding which part exactly?

[–] ck1-5 9 years ago

Don't even bother with mactach; he's the class moron.

[–] mpiccolo55000 9 years ago

Agreed -- he's the textbook definition of a troll.

[–] mpiccolo55000 9 years ago

I mean, really, mactach -- is trolling the most effective use of your time?

[–] pantherfan99 9 years ago

And what was it about the characters on the show always pulling Don Drapers?

What does this expression mean?

Boston and Philly love to slander us, but they don t have as many fans as us

[–] mpiccolo55000 9 years ago

Not sure if you're a fan of Mad Men. If not, then that analogy definitely wouldn't make sense. In Mad Men, viewers learn that the main character, Don Draper's real name was Dick Whitman. He stole the identity of the real Don Draper, a Lieutenant in the Army, when the two were in combat in the Korean War together. The real Don Draper was killed in action, and only Dick Whitman, a Private under Lt. Draper's command, was there to witness it. Everything back home really sucked for Dick Whitman, and he decides that the real Don Draper's death is a chance for him to change the entire course of his life. So, he switches their dog tags, leading the Army and Whitman's family (who, apart from his little brother, didn't give a rat's a s s about him) to believe that Whitman was KIA, while Dick Whitman, now Don Draper, gets to go home...to California, where the real Don Draper was from (the real Don Draper was about to be discharged at the time of his death), instead of Pennsylvania, where Dick Whitman was really from. Aside from telling the real Don Draper's widow (who turns out to be cool with it, and they become good friends -- Whitman/Draper even provides her with financial support, including buying her SoCal bungalow for her), Whitman/Draper never tells a soul of his real identity (until later on). As Don Draper, he ascends the career and socioeconomic ladder, something he likely never would have had the chance to do as Dick Whitman (he grew up in a brothel).

So, getting back to Dragnet, what I meant was that, especially among Friday and Gannon's supervisors at LAPD, different actors would appear in different episodes, but using the same name. Assuming Dragnet uses a canon storyline, did they steal each other's identities? Why did super sleuth, no-nonsense Sgt. Joe Friday never say anything? Was he on the take?

[–] pantherfan99 9 years ago

you don't have to be a hardcore fan of the show to know that in every episode, they were in a different division of the LAPD, working under a different supervisor. Friday and Gannon were in homicide, burglary, auto theft, bunco, PR, Office of the Chief, juvenile, narcotics, training, management services, intelligence, community relations, internal affairs, BOD, vice, administrative vice, frauds, forgery, personnel, SIU, DHQ, missing persons, IAD...and that's just scratching the surface! Did they keep getting transferred because their expertise was highly valued across divisions, or did their supervisors just want them far out of their sight, as quickly as possible

I noticed that too.

Boston and Philly love to slander us, but they don t have as many fans as us

[–] !!!deleted!!! (36898391) 9 years ago

Wow. Just wow!

[–] jamesbush6497 9 years ago

Great post mpiccolo!!...love Dragnet but you are so right...B&W Dragnets seemed much grittier...but Jack did a wonderful job with the entire series :)

[–] csb19592 9 years ago

I think you just have to take Dragnet at its face value. If you don't get to a certain suspension of disbelief, then there's no point in watching it at all.

I do love your post! It gave me even more perspective to the musical chairs changing of divisions, actors, etc.

[–] Tobey 9 years ago

The changing of assignments was just a plot device to showcase different areas of the LAPD.

Jack Webb had a troop of actors that rotated in and out of his shows. Dragnet, Adam-12 (1968) and Emergency! (1972). Bert Holland, Howard Culver and Virginia Gregg were seen quite a bit. I've heard Webb used people again and again because they were familiar with the show's (his) style. No rehearsals, reading off teleprompters, no hamming it up, etc..

Now that we watch these shows in reruns or binge stream them we notice the repeat actors a lot more. When they originally aired once a week it might be a month or more before someone pops back up. You can also see this on reruns of the various Law & Order series as well.