User Reviews

I have rarely seen such a wonderful and unusual topic. But we are here in an unusual series. The boy character is awesome, outstanding, the performance between him and Jack warden - also at his top - is unforgettable. A true little gem, believe me. I have rarely seen a kid behaving, speaking, thinking as well as a kid but also as an adult, a very mature dude. A philosophical tale.

**SPOILERS**** On the run from to streets of San Francisco to the crowded tenements of lower Manhattan wanted for the murder of this smiling security guard, his words not mine, career criminal Steve Lollo,Jack Warden, ends holding hostage or being held hostage, they seem to take turns, himself by this self proclaimed "King of Venus" character young Mickey McDavoran, Michael McGreevey, in his personal world or hiding place on a rooftop water tower.

While together both end up getting very friendly with Mickey obviously suffering from a case of Stockholm Syndrome and Lollo from what seems like loneliness. Both weirdos seem to click together for entirely different reasons. Lollo needs a place to chill or hide out and Mickey needs a father figure. But as expected in this "Naked City" psychological study like episodes with the very in touch with his inner feelings Detective Adam Flint, Paul Burke, doing the investigating as well as explaining the end will in fact balance things out: For the cause of ultimate & universal justice!

Jack Warden does a good job trying to keep a straight face throughout the episode and not cracking up during his scenes with young Mickey who seems to be suffering for some kind of strong and powerful mind altering, LSD for example, drug that makes him sound and at time look like he's completely nuts. Mickey's widowed mom Mrs. McGreevey, Barbara Baxley, also realizes that her son is a bit off the wall but for totally different reasons. She thinks he's a thief, that's when he gave her $50.00 that Lollo gave him for hiding him, not a mentally unbalanced lunatic.

***SPOILER*** Sad ending but it had to come with Mickey freaking out when his now adopted daddy Steve Lollo tells him he'll have to leave with the cops quickly closing in on him. And then a terribly distraught and heart-broken Mickey feeling him being abandoned and left alone blows Lollo's cover by going wacko thus alerting the police in the area. What did the crazy and not too on the ball kid think? That his good friend and surrogate dad, who besides being well read in the works of Spinoza & Schopenhauer as well as Jack London, who's a great tap dancer and tremendous ex-baseball player the wanted on the loose murderer Steve Lollo will stay with him forever in that God forsaken water tower! Without anyone,including the cops,not noticing him?

This had the potential to be a really good show.

The opening scenes are great. Two cops chasing a bad guy across the rooftops in New York City, revolvers firing away. Sure, the guns fired way too many bullets without having to reload, and there is no way that Detective Frank Arcaro could have jumped 10 feet to the ground a couple of times. But it's still a great action scene.

So what goes wrong? First of all, the kid who is called "The King of Venus" is way too mature to be 11 years old. He could be smart, but how can a young boy converse with adults on their level? The second thing wrong is this kid being mean and vindictive to his own mother, bringing her to tears. As another reviewer pointed out, that hardly endears you to this punk. He is not likeable from that scene on.

But the real problem was the attempt at some kind of father-son bonding between Mickey (the kid) and the escaping criminal Steve Lollo (actor Jack Warden). It just goes over the top. The scene where he is teaching the boy how to do "The Twist" is just plain stupid. A man who is holed up, on the run, surrounded by dozens of cops, is going to goof around like that? Not likely.

There are some good interactions between the cops and the young gang members. And the building superintendents asking why they should risk their lives to help is believable.

This could have been better. The best rating I can give this show is 7 stars.

I approached this episode with great hopes--- I love Jack Warden, and the plot was intriguing. But the execution is SO abysmal.

The kid, played by Mark McGreevey...a young actor who turned in a fine performance in Route 66's "Shoulder the Sky, My Lad" a few months before, was directed to play the part here like an absolutely rabid, psychotic creature, whose rudeness, especially to his mother, makes it impossible for the viewer to empathize with him, which pretty much destroys the entire emotional content of the show. And...seriously...Jack Warden teaching the moronic brat the "Twist"? Oi!! LR