This episode was designed as the pilot for a proposed Kojak spinoff, starring Vincent Gardenia) as Lt. Kojak's former NYPD colleague Vince LaGuardia. Now working in Las Vegas, LaGuardia alerts Kojak (Telly Savalas) of his plan to extradite an elderly counterfeiter (Jeff Corey) to Manhattan. When the old man suddenly dies in his jail cell, Vince suspects foul play and launches a search for an unknown hitman. All the while, the veteran cop endeavors to balance his professional life with his personal responsibilities as surrogate father to his nephew Nick (Mike Darnell). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi