And, following the cancellation of the series, fans weren’t left hanging in the wind, because four made-for-TV movies were released. However, this wasn’t where Ford made his one and only appearance as adult Indy, but rather in the Season 2 feature-length episode Young Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues.
What Is Mystery of the Blues About & How Did Ford Fit In?
image courtesy of abc
Most Young Indiana Jones episodes ran for a total of give or take 45 minutes. But even before the four made-for-TV movies, there was the occasional dual-length episode running for about an hour and a half. The premiere, Young Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Jackalwas one as were Young Indiana Jones and the Scandal of 1920 (co-starring the late Anne Heche) and Young Indiana Jones and the Phantom Train of Doom, co-written by Frank Darabont and featuring Raiders of the Lost Ark‘s René Belloq himself, Paul Freeman, albeit in a different role.
Mystery of the Blues was the second of these dual-length episodes, and while most of the narrative was like every other episode in that it focused on Sean Patrick Flanery’s younger version of the character, Ford was there to bookend the episode. Also in the cast were The Batman‘s Jeffrey Wright, 30 Rock‘s Jane Krakowski, and The Thing‘s Keith David.
In the episode, Ford’s Indy and his friend Greycloud are being chased by gun-wielding men in snow-coated Wyoming. They crash their truck and walk to a deserted cabin. There, Greycloud explains to Indy that the men were after an ancient peace pipe very important to his people, the very peace pipe Indy has just rescued from the wrong hands. While in the cabin, Indy tells a story of his own after picking up a soprano saxophone.
We then cut back to 1920, where Flanery’s Indy is in the midst of his studies at the University of Chicago. He’s a server at Colosimo’s Restaurant and loves the gig because he can listen to real-life saxophonist and clarinetist Sidney Bechet (Wright). Indy’s friend, Eliot Ness of “The Untouchables” fame, causes a scene at the restaurant, but upon learning that he played saxophone while in the army, Bechet gifts him with a soprano saxophone of his own.
The two grow closer, playing in clubs that don’t always appreciate the music, and both we and the characters are forced to be surrounded by the prevalent racism of the time. But, by the end, Indy has been able to realize his dream of getting up on stage and playing music with some of the best in the business.
The second half of the episode’s 1920 focus is less geared toward Indy’s friendship with Bechet and more geared towards the investigation of a murdered businessowner. Indy teams up with Ness and future playwright Ernest Hemingway to ultimately come to the realization that he was murdered by Al Brown, who just so happens to really be Al Capone. Even still, the sax does play a part, as this section is kicked off with Bechet telling Indy about the difference between jazz and the blues. And, because the investigation ends with a corrupt police chief tearing up the evidence, Bechet informs Indy that he is now in a perfect place to switch to the blues.
The episode concludes with Ford’s Indy and Greycloud still in the cabin. Their pursuers catch up to them and take the peace pipe, but then Indy plays a loud note which causes all the snow on tree branches above them to fall, trapping them and allowing Indy to once more pick up the peace pipe and hand it to Greycloud.
Considering Ford is primarily relegated to a single location, it’s not the showiest stretch of minutes for him as the character. Even still, it’s a far sight more charming than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. And, even with the loud note shaking loose snow thing, it’s certainly a lot less ridiculous. TheYoung Indiana Jones Chronicles always had fun toying with history and its most prominent figures, and The Mystery of the Blues is certainly an example of how it could excel doing so.
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