The Box

Season 1, Episode 16

Original air date: 1/29/69

Screenplay: John D.F. Black

Story: Leonard Freeman and John D.F. Black

Director: Seymour Robbie

A little trouble down at the local jail.

Since we're spending the hour in a grimy jail shower room, we're given some stock footage of life outside the “box.”

The prison aerial shot seen throughout the series. I guess they never built that new prison?

Big Chicken, one of the great early characters, makes his return.

Pestering Charlie Swanson, played by Gerald S. O'Loughlin, who also makes a “return” from the episode Six Kilos which was shot first but aired after The Box – his character in Six Kilos was named Carl Swanson. That's Al Harrington, of course, on the right, who gets a big promotion from con to cop later in the series.

The man steps in. The officer on the lower right is very focused.

Contemplating the next move.

The box.

McGarrett and his bullhorn. Iconic.

The warden, Captain Wade, played by R.G. Armstrong.

I'm thinking twenty minutes, tops, before this guy gets a terrible leg cramp.

 The clear board, a recurring character.

This is McGarrett's I've-got-a crazy-idea face. Danny, no doubt, hates it as much as I love it.

Lower-right officer still super-focused.

McGarrett can't resist a shower room filled with armed lunatics who hate him, so there he goes.

Danny is skeptical. What could possibly go wrong?

Welcoming committee.

Big Chicken has an especially enthusiastic greeting for his favorite cop.

McGarrett didn't get frisked enough. I would've liked to have seen more of it on the series.

 Charlie gives Big Chicken a gun. Good idea.

Danny goes to update the press. The trash can and bucket make it art.

Danny addresses the esteemed Honolulu press corps. Really, how many reporters are there in Hawaii?

I'd like to kiss the Art Department for writing, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” on the chalk board behind Danny. That's what you want to tell a bunch of guys locked up in prison.

Danny finally reveals to them that McGarrett is “in the shower room with the prisoners,” which always makes me laugh.

Not sure – is this Eddie Sherman?

These reporters are quite the rough lot.

Back in the box, Chicken does some clothes shopping but is quite displeased with the quality of the merchandise.

“You like zinging me, Chicken?” I'd say yes.

I love the grittiness of this set (though I suspect the episode was actually filmed at the prison).

McGarrett gets some blow back for trying to turn the other prisoners against Charlie. Chicken is happy to oblige Charlie's order to “shut him up,” but he gets a little carried away, which was totally unforeseeable.

Not one of McGarrett's better days at this point.

And now he's pissed.

 Really pissed. “You're an animal.”

 A proactive officer takes a shot at Charlie.

 And wings Charlie who blames McGarrett.

Dear diary, maybe coming in here wasn't a good idea. I should listen to Danno more.

Big Chicken doesn't get his way.

McGarrett looks like he could use a shower. But not here.

Out of the box.

Hero shot. I guess he writes off the tie.