The premiere episode of Adam-12 finds veteran LAPD patrol officer Pete Malloy (Martin Milner), on the verge of retirement, reluctantly agreeing to "break in" a new partner, rookie cop Jim Reed (Martin Milner). Still not completely recovered from the death of his former partner, Pete makes no secret of his contempt for Jim's lack of experience as the two officers answer summonses to capture a pair of liquor store robbers, rescue a suffocating baby, and protect a hysterical woman from a runaway salamander. By the end of the shift, Pete begrudgingly admit to a fondness for Jim and a degree of admiration for the youngster's level-headed dedication to his new job...so he decides to stay on the force a little while longer, if only to keep the kid out of trouble. This debut episode was directed by series producer Jack Webb, who also penned the script under a pseudonym.
by Hal Erickson
synopsis
