My Favorite 1960s Dragnet #23: The Big Amateur
Jack Webb always had an impeccable sense of timing. The real world of police can often be one full of heartbreak and sorrow. In the midst of this, a lighter episode can mean an uplift to the audience and provide a change of pace. The Big Amateur came right after “The Big Search” the week before and right before a powerful episode we’ll profile soon, called “The Starlet.”
As has happened in several episodes, a phony police officer is on the loose. However, unlike in the Badge Racket, he’s not out for money. Unlike in the 1949 radio episode, “The Red Light Bandit,” or the 1959 TV episode, “The Big Counterfeit” he doesn’t appear to be doing a shakedown. In fact, other than the fact that he’s not really a policeman, he appears to be a model officer. The payoff is surprising, and worthwhile.
