VENGEANCE UNLIMITED: VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE (TV)
Summary
One in this series of dramas about a shadowy vigilante who uses unconventional methods to seek retribution for the wrongs committed by the wealthy and powerful. The FBI are having trouble tracking down a serial killer who targets young women, particularly since the killer is methodical enough to carefully dispose of the bodies of his victims. They manage to find a lead which leads them to the apartment of Joseph Riley, whom they promptly arrest after the lead investigator, famous profiler Dr. Alan Walker, beats him with a club. However, unbeknownst to them, Riley is not actually the killer, Claude Doyer, who is arrested in a bar for unrelated roughhousing. Based on Walker’s evidence, Riley is found guilty for the murders in a court of law, and Walker makes a fortune out of his new book, bolstered by his fame for bringing in the supposed killer. However, Walker soon learns about Doyer, who lived near Riley and had a uncannily similar profile. Walker learns of evidence found on Doyer’s person which more precisely identifies him as the killer, but Doyer has already been shot and killed after he got into a fight with a prison guard. Rather than presenting this evidence and exonerating Riley of the murder charges, Walker chooses to cover up this information so as not to sully his reputation. This distresses his aide, agent Stuart Brownsteen, who brought the evidence against both Riley and Doyer to his attention; Walker threatens Brownsteen should he decide to reveal Walker’s misconduct. Riley is sentenced to death by lethal injection. K.C. brings this case to Mr. Chapel’s attention, and he decides to look into the matter. He contacts Riley and makes a deal with him to get him released from prison and cleared of all charges in exchange for a favor. Chapel visits Walker at one of his book signings, leaving him with a cryptic warning. He then locates a drunk Brownsteen and brings him into a surveillance van, where photos of Brownsteen and Walker are plastered all over the walls. Chapel reveals that he knows about the cover-up surrounding Riley and Doyer, and that Walker deliberately destroyed the evidence pertaining to Doyer’s guilt. Chapel asks Brownsteen to plant hidden cameras in order to spy on Walker, although Brownsteen fears Walker’s retaliation, noting the beating he gave to Riley. Chapel calls in a favor from Tilly McGinniss, whom he previously helped with her aggressive ex-husband. Despite his reluctance, Brownsteen plants the hidden cameras as per Chapel’s request and Chapel and K.C. begin their surveillance of Walker’s office. Tilly cooperates with Chapel and “disappears” in an identical manner as Doyer’s victims, and Brownsteen brings Walker in to investigate the case. Ultraviolet scans of her room reveal blood covering the walls, and Walker believes that it is the work of a copycat killer. Chapel calls and pretends to be responsible for the murder, taunting Walker over the phone. Brownsteen confronts Chapel and K.C. over this development, although Chapel assures him that no murder has taken place. Brownsteen tries to arrest them but relents when Chapel reveals that he recorded their earlier conversation. As per Chapel’s instructions, Brownsteen brings the coroner’s report for Doyer’s death to Walker while they watch via their hidden camera. Bobbi Green, Walker’s immediate superior in the FBI, confronts Walker, concerned that the killer may still be on the loose, although Walker tries to convince her otherwise. Walker holds a staff meeting about the new murder case, but Chapel interrupts it by calling him to further taunt him. Walker has his staff try to trace the number, but Walker uses another phone to contact Brownsteen and get him to give him the codes to the FBI computer being used to trace the call, as he plans to re-route a later trace to Walker’s phone. He switches between talking to Walker and Brownsteen, frequently putting the former on hold before hanging up altogether. Brownsteen gives Chapel the codes, although he feels confused and ashamed of the entire situation. Chapel recommends that he re-open the Doyer investigation and discover more about the murders, including the existence of “trophies” he collected from his victims; K.C. joins Brownsteen to aid him in this endeavor. They investigate Doyer’s locker and find a hidden compartment inside containing an old photograph of Doyer as a child with his mother, who shares a number of physical similarities to his victims. They also discover a key, and take it to find out what it is for. Meanwhile, Chapel infiltrates Walker’s home and they have a brief fight, but Chapel overtakes him and gets him to listen to his various taunts and enigmatic warnings before he leaves without a trace. Walker’s investigation turns up little evidence of Chapel’s presence in his home, much to his frustration. Walker attempts to psychologically profile Chapel, and deduces much about Chapel’s actual modus operandi and launches a search which results in policemen pulling up outside of Chapel’s room. However, he and K.C. manage to trick the police into leaving the room without discovering his presence. Chapel has Brownsteen convince Walker that their profile of him was incorrect. At Brownsteen’s suggestion, Walker schedules a talk show appearance in the hopes of drawing Chapel out of hiding, and is successful at getting Chapel to call in. Walker has Brownsteen trace the call as he carries on a conversation with Chapel, who manages to get under Walker’s skin with his insults. Chapel inputs the codes Brownsteen gave him in order to redirect the trace, and then preemptively reports the false arrest stemming from it. The FBI arrest an elderly man at the payphone the call was traced to, and soon news of the false arrest runs on major news networks throughout the country, embarrassing Walker to no end. Brownsteen and K.C. continue their investigation, which leads them to a boat owned by Doyer. Brownsteen reasons that Doyer disposed of the bodies of his victims by dumping them in the ocean. Inside they find a tackle box containing several earrings, likely taken from his victims. Walker discovers the hidden camera in his office and calls in Brownsteen, who leaves the newfound evidence in K.C.’s hands. Chapel instructs K.C. to call Walker’s office posing as a news producer in order to draw him out for a concocted press conference. Walker corners Brownsteen in a dark hallway and beats him to unconsciousness. Chapel calls Green posing as a reporter and convinces her that Walker is filing charges against her, somehow blaming her for the existence of the copycat killer, luring her out to Walker’s house as well. Chapel prepares by painting what appears to be blood on Walker’s walls, but K.C. cannot contact either Walker or Brownsteen. Walker takes Brownsteen to a boiler room, where he tortures him to discover why he set up the hidden cameras. Chapel calls and informs Walker that Green is on her way to his house and will soon uncover the truth about his involvement in the Doyer case. Walker arrives with Brownsteen in tow as a hostage, and Chapel reveals that he made it appear that Walker’s walls are covered in bloodstains visible only to ultraviolet scan in an identical fashion to the actual killer; Chapel explains that he did this to make it seem that Walker is the copycat killer. Chapel distracts Walker long enough for Brownsteen to disarm him and hold him at gunpoint; Chapel further explains that Brownsteen found the earrings taken as trophies by Doyer and that he has hidden them in Walker’s house to further implicate him. In exchange for salvaging his career, Walker agrees to drop the charges against Riley and get him released from prison. Walker confesses to tampering with evidence and is arrested, while Riley’s conviction is overturned. Walker resigns from the FBI and pleads guilty to perjury and obstruction of justice. Tilly returns and must fend off constant attention from news reporters concerning her supposed death. Chapel visits her and gives her his thanks for her assistance before departing. He calls Riley to check up on him, and Chapel promises to keep in touch about the favor he owes him. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: October 1, 1998 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:28
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:54628
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1998-1999
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV – Commercials – Allegra antihistamine
- TV – Commercials – Burger King restaurants
- TV – Commercials – Dexatrim weight loss pills
- TV – Commercials – DirecTV cable service
- TV – Commercials – Fannie Mae real estate
- TV – Commercials – Halls lozenges
- TV – Commercials – Listerine mouthwash
- TV – Commercials – Little Caesars pizza
- TV – Commercials – National car rental service
- TV – Commercials – Nintendo video games
- TV – Commercials – Olive Garden restaurants
- TV – Commercials – Pillsbury dough
- TV – Commercials – Slim Fast weight loss shakes
- TV – Commercials – Sprint phone service
- TV – Commercials – Telecom USA phone service
- TV – Commercials – Thermasilk hair spray
- TV – Commercials – Tylenol pain relief
- TV – Commercials – Vaseline skin lotion
- TV – Commercials – Wendy’s restaurants
- TV – Commercials – Zyban antidepressants
- TV – Commercials – “Soldier” motion picture
- TV – Promos – “20/20”
- TV – Promos – “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
- TV – Promos – “College Football on ABC”
- TV – Promos – “Fantasy Island”
- TV – Promos – “Futuresport”
- TV – Promos – “Spin City”
- TV – Promos – “Sports Night”
- TV – Promos – “The Practice”
- TV – Promos – “Vengeance Unlimited”
CREDITS
- John McNamara … Executive Producer, Created by
- James Frawley … Co-Executive Producer, Director
- David Simkins … Co-Executive Producer, Created by
- Charles D. Holland … Supervising Producer, Writer
- Kim Newton … Producer
- Jimmy Simons … Producer
- Michaela Feeley … Associate Producer
- Mark Morgan … Music by, Theme Music by
- Michael Madsen … Cast, Mr. Madsen
- Kathleen York … Cast, K.C. Griffin
- Keith Szarabajka … Cast, Dr. Alan Walker
- Greg Grunberg … Cast, T.V. Show Host
- Jennifer Bransford … Cast, Tilly McGinness
- Suanne Spoke … Cast, Bobbi Green
- Christian Clemenson … Cast, Agent Stuart Brownsteen
- Gunther Jensen … Cast, Joe Riley
- Darin Cooper … Cast
- Scott Rabinawitz … Cast
- Jonathan Sweet … Cast
- Brett Wagner … Cast