Jessica gets an emergency call from Harry McGraw, who needs money to train a boxer so he can pay off a debt. While Jessica loans Harry the money and asks him to keep her out of it, circumstances demand her involvement when Harry gets framed for the death of corrupt boxing manager Wade Talmage. Though Talmage had a list of enemies as long as the list of prize fighters he dealt with, Lt. Casey insists on targeting Harry as the prime suspect. Jessica finds herself stepping out of her comfort zone and into the ring to clear her friend's name.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Backup Bluff: When Jessica calls to Lt. Casey after luring Sean Shaleen into a confession, Sean scoffs, clearly thinking she's trying to pretend she's got help so he won't kill her and Harry. Of course, he was wrong.
- Bait-and-Switch: Talmidge was pulling one on Sean Shaleen, convincing him that he had a shot at the top while putting him against washed-up boxers to build his record so he could profit off the falls Sean would take in future fights. Sean, wanting a real chance to prove himself, kills Talmidge over it.
- Big Eater: A Running Gag throughout the episode is how much Blaster eats in a sitting. Unfortunately, his eating habits have affected his athleticism.
- The Boxing Episode: The plot revolves around Jessica's old friend Harry McGraw being implicated in the death of a boxing manager, and managing to talk Jessica into taking over the role while she investigates.
- Call to Agriculture: Blaster's been buying a dairy farm in Tennessee with his boxing money and by the end of the episode both has it paid off and has persuaded Doc to help him out.
- Chekhov's Gun: A TV report on Sean says he started as an expert shooter before becoming a prizefighter. He turns out to have killed Mr. Talmage with a shotgun so he wouldn't have to take a dive.
- False Flag Operation: Harry uses Jessica's name without her knowledge or permission to sign Blaster up for the fight, as his own reputation is shot.
- The Gambling Addict: Doc Penrose plays the horses compulsively (noting that it beats wasting money on women and booze), and although reluctant to train Blaster at Jessica's behest, sheepishly agrees to take the job after hearing the results from his latest race. With an advance, please?
- Ignored Enamored Underling: Pamela, Mr. Robinson's photographer, absolutely adores him, but she thinks he'll never reciprocate her affections given his obsession with his career and revenge against Talmage. However, after he drops his crusade, Jessica tells her prizefighting team that they're planning to marry.
- Implied Death Threat: When Harry makes eyes at Wade Talmidge's gal Lois, Talmidge tells Harry to look up what historically happens to people who poach on another man's property. Later, Lois shows up at his door and Harry poaches.
- I Take Offense to That Last One: When Harry reads the story about Talmage's murder, it upsets him more that the newspaper claimed he is 47 years old than that he was still the primary suspect.
- Jobber: Once upon a time Blaster was a good fighter, but now he's mostly hired to make other fighters look good and lose. However, he makes it clear that he doesn't lose on purpose—he's just lost his touch, and as long as he's not going to be able to win, well, he has to earn a living.
- Loveable Rogue: Lt. Casey mentions that he likes Harry even if he's a scuzzball.
- Sexy Discretion Shot: In Harry's explanatory flashback, Lois Ames comes to his apartment and they begin kissing. Then the camera cuts to the interrogation room. Jessica tells Harry she doesn't need the details.
- Sweet and Sour Grapes: Mr. Robinson decides to quit his one-man crusade against Talmage after the man dies and Robinson realizes that his obsession with making Talmage pay is continuing to ruin his life. Once Sean Shaleen's case goes to trial, Talmage's crooked nature will presumably come out without his having to lift a finger.
- Training Montage: One occurs as Jessica works to get prize fighter 'Blaster' Boyle back into shape for his fight.
- Underage Casting: Although Harry is outraged at being labeled as 47 years of age, that's about four or five years younger than Jerry Orbach was at the time.
- Vengeance Feels Empty: Mr. Robinson doesn't actually get his revenge on Talmage, given that he kills the story about his corrupt nature before it goes to press. However, he tells Jessica that he gave up his crusade because he realized Talmage was still ruining his life from the grave. After letting go, he feels much better.
- You Killed My Father: A variant; the sportswriter, Mr. Robinson, wants to destroy Talmage, posthumously if necessary, because he forced his father to throw a fight and got him beaten into a near-vegetative state.
- You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry!: Normally Blaster's a pretty phlegmatic guy, but rile him up and he'll show you why he used to be considered a contender.
