"1-Adam-12, 1-Adam-12, please respond to a 10-101 ... sighting of tropes seen in this episode":
Cop Killer: While other episodes have addressed police officers sacrificing their lives in the line of duty, this is the only episode to eulogize an officer who has died.
Dead Sidekick: While Malloy and Officer Porter were never beat partners, they were best friends on and off duty (even after Reed came onto the force), dating back to their academy days. As the episode progresses, it becomes clear that a police officer is more than just a co-worker but a friend, family man and a member of the community.
Formula-Breaking Episode: The episode's plot focuses not on the daily beat of Malloy and Reed, but rather their friend, Officer Tom Porter, and what is lost when a police officer loses his life in the line of duty.
It's Always Sunny at Funerals: In contrast to the night Porter was killed (heavy rain), the weather for his full police-service funeral is fair.
Meaningful Funeral: The final scene, showing Porter's wife trembling with grief as she is presented a U.S. flag, and his stunned children still trying to grasp why Daddy's never coming home again.
Parents as People and When You Coming Home, Dad?: Tom Porter is shown to be a loving father, actively involved in the lives of both his son (who was school age and was playing sports) and daughter, not yet old enough to be in school. Now, they'll – especially the "little princess" – be asking the question about when Daddy's coming home for a long time.
Silent Credits: The normal high-energy, synthesized theme, which would have been out of place for a somber episode such as this, is replaced by a black screen and Jack Webb introducing the episode. The end credits are shown over a black screen with the theme song, as well as the usual Mark VII Limited and Universal vanity logos.
Smug Snake: The armed robber who fatally wounded Porter is briefly seen, sneering without remorse as Reed escorts him to a waiting police car, going past Porter's body on the way.
Tearjerker: While to be sure there are lighthearted moments in this episode as Officer Porter's life story is told – Malloy doesn't forget the fun times they had, on and off duty, and a few humorous situations as well (all to round out Porter's character as an all-around good guy) – the meat of this tearjerker of a tearjerker episode comes at the end, after Porter is killed and his family now having to face life without him.
Very Special Episode: Police officers who die in the line of duty are mourned by their colleagues, friends, family and the entire community, but more often than not (and too often) become forgotten after a few days of media coverage. Martin Milner, in-character as Malloy, narrates this episode and lets us know just who Officer Tom Porter was – a family man, a friend, a community booster and advocate ... and most importantly why he became a police officer dedicated to keeping the streets of Los Angeles safe from the bad guys. The regular opening credits were replaced by Jack Webb reading them over a black screen.
Wham Episode: The whole point. And it has Jack Webb announcing the episode's title at the end as the Wham Line.
What a Senseless Waste of Human Life: The whole point of the episode: Tom Porter was one of the good guys and had it all: A beautiful wife and two adoring children, and was generally loved by everyone in the community.
