Odd Man In at 50

Tonight 50 years ago, CBS aired S04E14 "Odd Man In".

This was a follow-up/sequel to "Over Fifty? Steal!" where we met Lewis Avery Filer (Hume Cronyn) taking revenge against the insurance company that unceremoniously fired him once he was 'too old' to work for them. In the first episode, Filer was charming and a master of disguise. In this episode, he seems to know too much about a lot of things but I'll get to that.

Filer escapes Oahu State Prison and steals from the warden (Richard Morrison) on the way out. Filer, who looks very similar to Elmo Ziegler, assumes the man's identity upon his escape. Ziegler is known as a mob fixer and is believed to have died two years before. However, rumors fly that Ziegler is actually alive. Filer takes advantage to steal $4 million dollars from organized crime on the islands.

Filer has an entire quiver full of tricks including his disguises. He's learned about telephone systems, SCUBA diving and ultrasonic technology. Filer is eventually caught by McGarrett when Filer calls a bonded messenger to repay the prison warden the money Filer stole not he way out. There are only three bonded messengers on Oahu. Oops!

Mr. Mike does a far better job tackling this episode. It's here: http://www.fiveohomepage.com/5-0log4.htm#86

This episode wasn't as good as "Over Fifty? Steal!". What made the first episode great was overkilled in this one and it suffers for it. There is an excellent scene where Filer makes his escape after stealing the $4 million where he's dressed as a drunken old lady getting past an HPD officer. He even drops a pack of bills while walking/stumbling away.

Happy 50th, "Odd Man In"!!!! :cool:

Odd Man In fails to deliver something as great as Over Fifty? Steal. Filer has a harder edge to his character in Odd Man In. Perhaps incarceration and the loss of freedom has something to do with that. He escapes from Oahu Prison in Filer coolness although he makes too much noise. Filer impersonates, Elmo Ziegler, a mob guy who fixes things but is supposedly dead. Filer shows his angrier and sadistic side threatening to use ultrasonic sound to a higher setting. He demonstrates the ultrasonic sound on the twin enforcers who give up the money. Their ears in extreme pain. Filer has the large sum of money but is caught by McGarrett later. I would give Odd Man In 2.5 stars.