146. The Innocents

Frank Raphael Colling, Elizabeth Dulcie Colling: Kidnapping, Extortion.

Original air date: 1 November 1970

Inspector Erskine and the FBI captures a husband-and-wife kidnapping team who have abducted a 7-year-old boy in the Washington, DC area. In a season that produced several good episodes, this one really stands out for its writing by Pat Riddle and Gene Nelson’s direction. There is plenty of unpredictable moments, and some really tense scenes.

The acting is also good, especially from Lois Nettleton, who plays a wife unhinged by the death of her own son. Larry Blyden is also superb as her alcoholic, ne’er-do-well husband. His bar hopping results in the FBI breaking the case wide open.

On the whole, one of the very best episodes ever produced in the series.

• FBI Carousel Bulletin: In his third appearance, S.A.C. Howard Schaal is portrayed by Buck Young; the previous actors are Mark Robert and Paul Comi way back in seasons 1 and 2, respectively.
• The bus in the opening scene is a Dodge! The longtime sponsor of The FBI, Ford Motor Company, was slipping!

.