glennstenb

This episode was a surprise and a complete delight. The location shots in this one featured the old gold mining town of Goldfield, NV. Particularly noteworthy is the marvelous Classical Revival-styled Goldfield Hotel, dating from 1908. Goldfield was a mining boom town early in the 20th Century with 20,000 residents, but the boom went bust and the town quickly fell to a population of under 1,000 by the 1920's. Many buildings from the early years remain and are largely unused to this day, including the 150-room Goldfield Hotel. The hotel has been closed to business since the 1940's.

The exterior of the hotel was used to excellent advantage in the episode. The exciting action also seemingly includes some great interior shots, but Hollywood being what it is, I cannot vouch that the actual interior was used, but it sure is convincing.

In addition, the prolific character actor Douglas Fowley has a meaty role as the old timer. This is a good episode!

As much as I have been enjoying the episodes of "State Trooper' I also find the way the stories unfold to be curiously unlikely if not incredible. This Tahoe episode is particularly mirth-inducing.

Is it true that cops intentionally set themselves up to take physical assaults and poundings in their quest for gaining confidence of suspects? And is it true that cops intentionally design and set up solo confrontations in the darkest of forlorn environments with suspects that they expect will lead to detainment and apprehensions?

In this episode the culminating chase and apprehension is quite prolonged and elaborate, ending with a wild and woolly boat race that includes quick turns and jerks on the choppy water amazingly with gun in hand.

It is also amusing how the well-intentioned sheriff, played by Robert Armstrong, is always making suggestions or uttering thoughts in the series that Blake has to politely discount.

The series is definitely fun, but in part because of some of the absurdity involved.

After having now seen 6 episodes of the series in no particular order I have concluded that the stories are basic and somewhat imaginative but seem to have been produced with neither frills nor subtlety. Certainly the brevity of the episodes is one detriment, including us viewers not being able to get to know Blake as a person so that we at least feel something for him.

It is doubtful that I will stay with the series for all the episodes, but will continue for a few more before I seek out other vintage TV series.

The primary kick out of watching "State Trooper" is the glimpse at real on-location shoots. In this episode, for example, we get to see the facades of the Sahara and Flamingo Hotels, along with a couple of others, with all the 1950's automobiles parked out front. Additionally we see Hoover Dam, including the lineup of tourists waiting for the tour inside the structure. Very fun to see!

I have noticed that El Rancho Vegas is a favorite Las Vegas locale for the series, including what seems to be the facility's actual swimming pool and grounds. As many viewers may know, El Rancho Vegas was largely destroyed by a legendary fire in 1960 (this viewer remembers seeing the destruction in person shortly after the disaster).

One scene in this episode showed Blake coming out of the lady's hotel suite's bedroom while she was waiting in the living area of the suite, this happening after she had been detained and taken from the casino; it was jarring to think he would separate himself from the suspect in such a careless manner. Did law enforcement really operate in such a trusting way back then?

I can't help but compare the series to the era's considerably more compelling and suspenseful "M Squad" series, another law enforcement program that showcased on location views, however in this case the location was Chicago, IL.

Definitely it is fun to see the various Nevada locations in "State Trooper," but, like I said, I may not go on to see all of them.