One theme of Ironside is the affection the writers and Raymond Burr had for Japan, including having Ironside travel to Japan fo ran episode. The affection continues in this episode, as Ironside displays not only his knowledge of the Japanese language, but of Japanese written characters, which are very difficult to learn! This knowledge helps him solve the crime, which involves smuggling from Okinawa (and for once, not drugs).
Again we get the fun of seeing Mark glide in and out of the episode, not helping the gang solve the crime because he's now, it looks like, graduated from the police academy and on traffic control duty as a policeman! That was quick. There's a great wordless scene where Ironside stays up all night studying the Japanese characters trying to solve the puzzle and Mark comes out in his pajama bottoms ready to harp on him to go to bed but he just looks at him and says nothing.
Sian Barbara Allen is the main guest star and she is a very 1970's actor. I mean that in a good way, she just has a look that you only saw in the 1970's.
William Devane also guest stars, but the real star of the guest stars is Anne Ramsey, who shares a fun scene with Burr. You know Ramsey: She was the Momma in The Goonies! This is one of her first roles and she already has her style down!
Again we get the fun of seeing Mark glide in and out of the episode, not helping the gang solve the crime because he's now, it looks like, graduated from the police academy and on traffic control duty as a policeman! That was quick. There's a great wordless scene where Ironside stays up all night studying the Japanese characters trying to solve the puzzle and Mark comes out in his pajama bottoms ready to harp on him to go to bed but he just looks at him and says nothing.
Sian Barbara Allen is the main guest star and she is a very 1970's actor. I mean that in a good way, she just has a look that you only saw in the 1970's.
William Devane also guest stars, but the real star of the guest stars is Anne Ramsey, who shares a fun scene with Burr. You know Ramsey: She was the Momma in The Goonies! This is one of her first roles and she already has her style down!
