Don't Mess Around With Jim



DON'T MESS AROUND WITH JIM

Episode 10 Air Date: November 18, 1981 Written By: Stephen J. Cannell

Directed By: Robert C. Thompson

A funeral is being held with a car driving up to the area. A man gets out and joins the other mourners. He is Jordan Heath; business partner of the deceased. Nearby a newscaster is discussing the departed. James J. Beck was the son of a tractor salesman in Kansas. He read a book from the library every day and worked his way to becoming one of the most powerful business men in the country.

Ralph is watching the funeral with his class. He tries impart that Beck’s story proves that anyone, no matter what their situation can be successful.

Meanwhile, Bill is watching the funeral on a TV in a diner. He gets up and leaves encountering two men in the parking lot with a petition to raise the wages of government employees. They start to hand him a pen but then use it to shoot a ligurd at him which cause to fall unconscious. They take him to their car.

Meanwhile, Ralph is talking with his class and they are discussing Beck’s will which is missing. After the bell rings Ralph talks to Tony about his not turning in his last few math papers. He sent notes home but Tony remarks that his Uncle is unlikely to read them. Ralph offers to work with him.

In the parking lot the two men who kidnapped Bill approaches Ralph with a petition from the teacher’s union. They spray him and put him in the car. They also take the box containing the suit.

The men take them to a building owned by Beck Air airplane company. A man named Marshall Dunn takes the suit, pays the men, and brings the car with Ralph and Bill in it inside.

Inside is an old man watching the news about Beck’s funeral. They show a picture of Beck on the screen and it is him. Dunnrelease Ralph and Bill from their bounds and Beck tells them that he knows about their secret and why he is still alive. Heath betrayed him and had the doctors caring for him deny him treatment. Dunn had Dr. David Springfield; Beck’s personal physician, brought him and they faked his death and gave him medical care. The man buried was an indigent. Beck has two months to live while Dr. Springfield betrayed him, stealing his will. The will gives all of Beck’s fortune to charity which Heath does not want to happen so he paid Dr. Springfield to give it to him. The payoff will be in Las Vegas, in the Desert Air Hotel. Ralph and Bill are to fly there and use the power of the suit to will at the casino. If they do not then Beck will exposed their secret to the world.

Ralph and Bill are flying there on an airplane. Dunn reveals that Ralph is to win by using the power of telekinesis. To do that he must clear his mind and push with it. Ralph tries to use it a few times and manages to accidentally hit Bill with a cup and a magazine. Ralph then wonders how Dunn knows about the power.

They arrived at the Las Vegas and are on the way to the hotel in a cab. Suddenly Ralph gets a holographic vision of Dunn being abducted at the airport. Hearing them discussing the event the cab driver, thinking that they are crazy, pulls over. Ralph gets out and changes in to the suit. He flies to the airport and almost hits a plane but does not get there in time.

Back at the hotel’s casino, Dr. Springfield is at the roulette table. Ralph tries to sabotage the game but he is distracted. Soon after, Greg Matthews; a man that Bill arrested, comes over and threatens him.

Ralph, on Bill’s advice, then thinks about a white piece of paper and accidentally causes all the slot machines nearby to hit jackpot.

Ralph plays at the roulette table but the game is rigged and he is distracted so he ended up losing. He makes another bet and this time he is able to use his power and wins.

A man calls Heath in his office and tells him that he thinks that a man is cheating using a magnet. The game is rigged in Dr. Springfield’s favor because his winners are a cover for his payoff.

Bill and Ralph go off in different areas of the casino. Bill meets Matthews again and as well as several other men he has arrested. They kidnap him.

Meanwhile, employees of the casino accuse Ralph of cheating and throw him out. Ralph then has a holographic vision and Bill being drove away. He flies off after them.

In the desert Ralph fights the men and saves Bill.

In Heath’s office he gives Springfield $10 million who then says that he will mail it to him. He has him walk him to his car and once there reveals that he has it on him.

Ralph and Bill are hitchhiking but no cars will pick them up due to Ralph’s odd appearance. He reluctantly agrees to fly when Heath denotes a bomb in Springfield’s car killing him nearby.

At the Beck Air building Ralph and Bill talk with Beck. Beck reveals that he was a suit by the aliens and Dunn was his partner. Beck used the suit selfishly to make his fortune. He destroyed the life of a competitor leading him to commit suicide.

Beck calls Heath and they arrange an exchange of Dunn for a new will Beck claims to have written. After the call Heath arranges for a man to be there with a rifle.

While they are waiting at the site of the exchange Ralph reveals to Beck that he lost his instruction book to Beck's amusement. Beck’s suit and book were taken by the aliens and feels that not having the book will keep Ralph on the offensive, helping him avoid being corrupted by the power of his suit. Heath and his men arrive at the site and Beck and Bill go out to meet them. Ralph hangs back.

As the exchange is made there is a gunfight. The man with the rifle shoots Beck. Ralph tackles the man. Heath flees in a helicopter but the ship arrives and causing it to crash. Beck goes over to the ship to take responsibility for his actions. Dunn feels compel to go to and joins him. They are beamed up on to the ship.

The next day Bill is visiting the school and meets up wit Ralph in the parking lot. They discussed the events that passed such as the will being in probate but in a few years millions will go to charity and Beck and Dunn being taken aboard the ship. Bill fears that will happen to them which Ralph finds to be a wondrous experience. They argue over whether it is a good or bad thing to happen.