Kojak returned to its familiar Sunday-night network berth for its fifth and final season. Things get off to a rousing start with this opening episode, with Lt. Theo Kojak (Telly Savalas) determined to nail the murderer of a fellow cop. Unfortunately, the only witness to the crime, Janet Carlisle (Paula Kelly), is the girlfriend of a gangster (Charles Cioffi) who hates Kojak--and who goes to great and violent lengths to intimidate Janet into non-cooperation. This is the episode in which Kojak leans into the villain's face and snarls "If you touch her again, I'm going to splatter your brain" (Could this line have been written by future Quantum Leap and JAG producer Donald P. Bellisario, the man credited for the teleplay--or was it another Telly Savalas inspiration?)
by Hal Erickson
synopsis
