by Mark Murton

Original Air Date: January 5, 1977

Directed by: George McCowan

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this episode!

Synopsis: The Angels are assigned to stop Jericho (Fernando Lamas), an assassin systematically murdering the aging members of a World War II intelligence unit which included their client John Kamden (John Larch). Jill (Farrah Fawcett-Majors) sets herself up as bait to lure the killer out into the open, but the operation is threatened when she starts to fall for his continental charms.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The episode opens with Jericho carrying out his latest assassination after which he hurries away from the multi-story parking garage where he was positioned. As he leaves he sees a lone grey and white tuxedo kitten near the stairs and bends down to pick it up.

He takes the kitten with him as he leaves.

Far from the expected single scene appearance to show Jericho is a “killer with a heart,” the kitten accompanies him throughout the episode. The kitty is next seen as Jericho is checking into a hotel and asks for a room plus a saucer of milk for his companion. The desk clerk dismissively declares, “I’m sorry, we don’t allow pets.”

Jericho places the kitten on his briefcase, removes his sunglasses, and fixing the man with a stare, uses his powers of persuasion to convince the clerk otherwise, leading the cowed clerk to offer a saucer of cream rather than milk.

That night Jericho is sitting in his car staking out his next intended victim (Kamden), stroking the kitten as he watches.

He’s still there the next morning, still playing with the kitten, as he watches Kamden, and Sabrina (Kate Jackson), leave.

He deposits the kitten on the passenger seat beside him.

Jericho follows them to the City Park where the Angels, needing to catch the assassin in the act, have prepared a trap. Sabrina and Kamden sit in plain sight with Kelly (Jaclyn Smith), Jill, and several armed men strategically positioned around the park. As Jericho parks up we hear the kitten cry but don’t actually see it. Jericho enters the park and quickly spots his prey, but sensing that something isn’t right he aborts his mission and returns to the car where the kitten is waiting for him, clinging to the inside of the window! As he opens the car door, Jericho reaches in and takes hold of the kitten . . .

. . . before once more placing it on the passenger seat.

Later, Jericho is seen coming into his hotel room holding the kitten (presumably having just taken it outside to do its business! It can’t be them returning after the previous scene as his clothes are different!)

He carries the kitty across the room and puts it on the floor.

As the story heads towards its conclusion, Jericho is coming out of the lift, holding the kitten, as he leaves the hotel for the last time.

Arriving at the park again, Jericho starts to move away from the car but the kitten’s plaintive cries makes him reach back in through the window to lift it out. (As the window is open the cat could’ve just jumped out after he’d gone, so either an error or the director just making it easier for the actor to gather up the kitten without having to open the door again?!?)

Jericho carries the kitten with him as he moves through the park seeking his quarry.

Realising that however things pan out from here he’s unlikely to be in a position to care for a cat he gives it a final smooth and places it gently on the ground out of harm’s way.

But the little scene-stealer isn’t quite done yet and, giving a little cry, it clambers over the curb as if to follow after him.

Final Mewsings: Not all professions are compatible with keeping a cat.

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