This is a nice solid episode directed by David Soul. As is the case when one of them directs, they are using a story where they are in mostly separate scenes.
Hutch has been run off the road by a criminal's hit-man and is injured and trapped under his car in a canyon. An old gentleman who finds Hutch turns out to think he's still at war, thinks Hutch is a German spy and won't help him. Hutch tries sending an SOS on his radio, but can't get anyone to answer.
Meanwhile, Starsky gets a lead on the hit-man and tracks him through his girlfriend. In trying to escape from Starsky, the hit-man falls to his death and the trail evaporates. When a young ham radio operator calls the police station saying he has heard broadcasts coming from an injured policeman, Starsky ignores the old man looking for him to tell him about a spy he has captured. Starsky finally gets the info he needs to realize the old man has the critical information to find Hutch.
This is a good story and it moves along nicely. There is interest in both what's happening with Hutch and what Starsky is doing as we cut back and forth between their scenes. My favorite scene is when Starsky is talking to the old man and is trying to deal with him like a military man so that the man will tell him where the "spy" is. PMG does a good job having Starsky struggle to control his body language and stand and act like a solider talking to a superior officer. Starsky is anxious and wants to hurry, but he has to deal with the gentleman within the scope of his delusion; that was well done.
A few small details could have made the story tighter. And the line that Starsky says to Hutch when he finally finds him doesn't seem right. I didn't like it in 70s the first time I saw the episode and I don't like it any better now. Starsky says "we made it, partner", but Hutch is still trapped and not in great shape, so he hasn't quite made it yet. I would have liked to hear Starsky radio for an emergency crew on his way to finding Hutch so we had some sirens coming to help rescue Hutch. Starsky should say, hold on, help's on the way, or equivalent. But that's just being picky.
The end tag fits the story for a change and is nice. This is a good episode that I enjoy watching.
Hutch has been run off the road by a criminal's hit-man and is injured and trapped under his car in a canyon. An old gentleman who finds Hutch turns out to think he's still at war, thinks Hutch is a German spy and won't help him. Hutch tries sending an SOS on his radio, but can't get anyone to answer.
Meanwhile, Starsky gets a lead on the hit-man and tracks him through his girlfriend. In trying to escape from Starsky, the hit-man falls to his death and the trail evaporates. When a young ham radio operator calls the police station saying he has heard broadcasts coming from an injured policeman, Starsky ignores the old man looking for him to tell him about a spy he has captured. Starsky finally gets the info he needs to realize the old man has the critical information to find Hutch.
This is a good story and it moves along nicely. There is interest in both what's happening with Hutch and what Starsky is doing as we cut back and forth between their scenes. My favorite scene is when Starsky is talking to the old man and is trying to deal with him like a military man so that the man will tell him where the "spy" is. PMG does a good job having Starsky struggle to control his body language and stand and act like a solider talking to a superior officer. Starsky is anxious and wants to hurry, but he has to deal with the gentleman within the scope of his delusion; that was well done.
A few small details could have made the story tighter. And the line that Starsky says to Hutch when he finally finds him doesn't seem right. I didn't like it in 70s the first time I saw the episode and I don't like it any better now. Starsky says "we made it, partner", but Hutch is still trapped and not in great shape, so he hasn't quite made it yet. I would have liked to hear Starsky radio for an emergency crew on his way to finding Hutch so we had some sirens coming to help rescue Hutch. Starsky should say, hold on, help's on the way, or equivalent. But that's just being picky.
The end tag fits the story for a change and is nice. This is a good episode that I enjoy watching.
