Our heroes face a blinded former riverboat captain named Ansel Coffin who has been sinking cargo ships o the Mississippi River. Four federal agents have been killed in the ship attacks over the previous month. Coffin plans to blackmail the federal government into offering tribute for the safe passage of cargo.Coffin is played by Jeff Corey, a veteran of science fiction and adventure shows from Star Trek to A-Tean to Babylon 5 and pretty much everything in between. He plays Coffin as a total loon who refuses as much as possible to give into his blindness. He has surrounded himself with items that will appeal to his other senses, including things like children’s toys, which gives him an even creepier vibe.
Coffin is still not one of the more memorable villains of the series. The climax in which Jim is temporarily blinded and ha to fight Coffin on his terms is predictable. What is not so predictable is that Jim’s sight returns, so he finally gets Coffin dead to rights. I suppose it would have been corny if he had bested Coffin in a blind duel, but what really happened does not seem all that sporting.
The episode has a few contrivances that are annoying. One of the killed federal agents’ daughter shows up, offers clue to Artie, then is never seen or heard from again in spite of her wanting to kill Coffin personally. Coffin’s girlfriend does not speak until midweek through the episode because there is something wrong with her voice, but then she will not hush through the remainder. Both Jim and Artie are going to let an assassin who tried numerous times to kill them both off the hook because she is a pretty girl. Never mind how angry they were originally she was part of the cadre who killed their fellow agents.
The episode does not work too well. It is not horrible, but it feels the first half and these cod wherewith by different writers who never had a meeting of the minds. Emotion run high for the main characters early on, then completely evaporates as the episode winds down. Very disappointing.
Rating: ** (out of 5)
