Ep 10. The Big Whiff

In "The Big Whiff," the tenth episode of the second season of the classic police procedural show Dragnet, detectives Joe Friday (played by Jack Webb) and Frank Smith (played by Ben Alexander) are called to investigate a rash of burglaries in a quiet residential neighborhood. The police department has been receiving anonymous phone calls about suspicious activity in the area, and Friday and Smith are tasked with finding the culprits before they strike again.

The episode opens with the detectives driving through the neighborhood, observing the various houses and questioning residents about any suspicious characters they may have seen. They interview a number of people - from nosy neighbors to local shop owners - but so far, no one has any useful information.

Friday and Smith then stake out the area, keeping a close eye on any suspicious activity. They soon spot a group of young men loitering near a parked car, and move in to investigate. The men claim they're waiting for their friend to come out of the house, but Friday and Smith suspect they may be involved in the burglaries. They question the men and search the car, but find nothing incriminating.

Later that night, a neighbor calls in to report a possible break-in at a nearby house. Friday and Smith rush to the scene, but when they arrive, they find that the house is full of nothing but the smell of garlic. Confused and frustrated, the detectives continue their investigation, but every lead seems to end in a dead end.

As their investigation continues, Friday and Smith begin to suspect that the whole thing may be a publicity stunt designed to drum up business for a local garlic farm. They visit the farm and question the owners, but again come up empty. The garlic angle appears to be a dead end.

Undeterred, the detectives keep digging, and eventually they discover a clue that leads them to a group of teenagers who have been using the neighborhood as a place to make out and smoke cigarettes. The group has accidentally stumbled upon a stash of stolen goods in the woods, but they have no idea who did the burglaries.

Finally, Friday and Smith get a break when a witness comes forward to report that they saw a suspicious car in the neighborhood on the night of the burglaries. The detectives track down the car and its driver, who confesses to the burglaries and leads them to his accomplices.

In the end, the detectives successfully close the case and put the burglars behind bars. But the investigation has taken a toll on their patience and sense of humor - Smith has been repeatedly unable to escape the overpowering stench of garlic.

"The Big Whiff" is a classic episode of Dragnet, showcasing the meticulous detail and relentless investigative techniques that made the show such a beloved classic. Viewers will be drawn in by the compelling mystery and the unique characters that populate the neighborhood, and will be kept guessing until the very end. Fans of detective dramas and classic television will not want to miss this unforgettable episode.