I think I liked this episode better when I saw it as a teen in the 70s. It's very emotional and tugs at your heartstrings, but it's a bit too much.
PMG and DS play their parts well. They don't have to do too much except try to get through this tragic story. Starsky has found the perfect woman in Terry and is completely and totally happy. And she is perfect, too. You can tell by everything she does and everything she says. A bullet to the head by someone who hates Starsky doesn't take her life immediately, but it will inevitably do so in a short time. Starsky cherishes the time he has left with her and hopes the prognosis is wrong. Hutch stands by to offer needed support. When at last the worst happen, the murderer reemerges to taunt Starsky, and Starsky and Hutch go out and take the guy down. The End.
Well, not quite. For once in this whole series, I think the tag is the very best scene of the show. The way DS reads the note left to Hutch by Terry is so perfectly done, and the message is so lovely, both Starsky and Hutch end up teary-eyed, and usually I do as well. They couldn't have done that scene any better.
There are other small details that I like about this episode. I like how while the three are riding in Starsky's car, with Starsky driving, Hutch has a protective arm around Starsky's girl and can offer a bit of comfort. Of course Hutch can help Starsky care for his lady without rivalry. At this point in the show, this is a no-brainer, as it should be. Only later in the series will Starsky and Hutch have to compete over every woman they meet and ruin the easy vibe and lack of jealousy they had over each other's girlfriends (when some stupid writers think it will be good for the show to have them in competition with each other almost constantly. How they could get it so wrong, I have no clue).
I like when Starsky and Hutch ride in on the motorcycle together to confront the bad guys. They are always a team in every situation (well, until Season 4).
I remember that in my teens, I wondered why Hutch wasn't always in the scenes when Starsky was struggling as his girlfriend died; I always pretty much wanted them together in every scene. But as an adult, it makes much more sense for Starsky to go through a lot of this on his own. Hutch will be around when Starsky needs him.
It is a sentimental episode, to be sure. Still, PMG and DS handle it with care and grace and end up with something pretty good.
PMG and DS play their parts well. They don't have to do too much except try to get through this tragic story. Starsky has found the perfect woman in Terry and is completely and totally happy. And she is perfect, too. You can tell by everything she does and everything she says. A bullet to the head by someone who hates Starsky doesn't take her life immediately, but it will inevitably do so in a short time. Starsky cherishes the time he has left with her and hopes the prognosis is wrong. Hutch stands by to offer needed support. When at last the worst happen, the murderer reemerges to taunt Starsky, and Starsky and Hutch go out and take the guy down. The End.
Well, not quite. For once in this whole series, I think the tag is the very best scene of the show. The way DS reads the note left to Hutch by Terry is so perfectly done, and the message is so lovely, both Starsky and Hutch end up teary-eyed, and usually I do as well. They couldn't have done that scene any better.
There are other small details that I like about this episode. I like how while the three are riding in Starsky's car, with Starsky driving, Hutch has a protective arm around Starsky's girl and can offer a bit of comfort. Of course Hutch can help Starsky care for his lady without rivalry. At this point in the show, this is a no-brainer, as it should be. Only later in the series will Starsky and Hutch have to compete over every woman they meet and ruin the easy vibe and lack of jealousy they had over each other's girlfriends (when some stupid writers think it will be good for the show to have them in competition with each other almost constantly. How they could get it so wrong, I have no clue).
I like when Starsky and Hutch ride in on the motorcycle together to confront the bad guys. They are always a team in every situation (well, until Season 4).
I remember that in my teens, I wondered why Hutch wasn't always in the scenes when Starsky was struggling as his girlfriend died; I always pretty much wanted them together in every scene. But as an adult, it makes much more sense for Starsky to go through a lot of this on his own. Hutch will be around when Starsky needs him.
It is a sentimental episode, to be sure. Still, PMG and DS handle it with care and grace and end up with something pretty good.
