This second installment of THE FUGITIVE establishes the core theme of the show, the standard story which will be re-told so many times. The central story is: Kimble's altruistic compulsion to help everyone he meets gets him into a dangerous situation, and then the dangerous situation escalates to a climactic moment where Kimble's life depends on whether a weak or morally-ambiguous stranger, (usually a woman, but sometimes a man or a child) trapped in a stable but degrading life, will take the safe, easy option and stay weak and trapped, or whether she (or he) will decide to break out of her (or his) situation, and free herself (or himself) by helping Kimble escape, in some risky or heroic way.
Everything about this particular installment is great, right up until the ending, which is, unfortunately, god-awful and unbelievable. Up until the climactic moment, the pivotal character has been so such an evil, unrepentant, irredeemably bad seed, that her final decision to give up her satanic, idolatrous fantasies and do the right thing makes no sense at all.
Other than that, it's a fine Fugitive hour, with a terrific child-actress (Gina Gillespie), scary bad-guys, and the hard-hitting bright-but-dreary rural-American atmosphere which makes the show so compelling. And if you watch carefully and don't blink, you'll even see Elisha Cook, Jr., as one of the gang.
Everything about this particular installment is great, right up until the ending, which is, unfortunately, god-awful and unbelievable. Up until the climactic moment, the pivotal character has been so such an evil, unrepentant, irredeemably bad seed, that her final decision to give up her satanic, idolatrous fantasies and do the right thing makes no sense at all.
Other than that, it's a fine Fugitive hour, with a terrific child-actress (Gina Gillespie), scary bad-guys, and the hard-hitting bright-but-dreary rural-American atmosphere which makes the show so compelling. And if you watch carefully and don't blink, you'll even see Elisha Cook, Jr., as one of the gang.