This is the beginning of a trilogy that I really think would have made a good finale for the show, instead of the Sweet Revenge episode, which I did not think was very sweet. This trilogy is a journey for Starsky and Hutch and could have made a fine ending to their story. Not that I really think they should have wrapped after only four years, but under the circumstances of the time, it probably was for the best. I'm convinced that had it been done in this era, the show would have been managed better and would have lasted much longer.
The beginning of this trilogy has Starsky and Hutch making a drug bust, and then being connected to an informant by Huggy who can tie the drug running to a federal judge. As Starsky and Hutch try to gather the evidence needed, they are under much pressure to produce their informant. Although they do everything in their power to protect him, the informant is ultimately killed while under their protection. Angry and disgruntled and despairing over ever being able to win over the forces stacked against them, they throw their badges away.
I really like this episode, and the whole trilogy, about the best of anything in Season 4. PMG and DS get to work together in most scenes and their characters seem to be the team that can take on the world again (albeit having apparently lost the first round). I have missed that feeling of the "team" so much in Season 4, and it made me very happy to see it back in this episode. I don't know if I have Earl Bellamy to thank, or PMG and DS themselves, or whomever. But I thank you.
The other moment that really stunned me, as I realized I hadn't seen it in so long, was when DS let Hutch reach out and give a shoulder squeeze of encouragement and support to their informant while he was expressing fear for his life. Seriously, I do not know if Hutch has done that at all in any of the other episodes in Season 4. He used to do it spontaneously, constantly, with witnesses and victims and people who were down on their luck. Hutch was always reaching out to pat an arm or shoulder. I have missed that so much in Hutch. I felt like DS had Hutch walled off from everyone and almost so unhappy that he was unable to feel anything for anyone else. To see that small gesture by DS made all the difference in how I could see Hutch in this episode and is the main reason I like it as much as I do. I have decided after much consideration that Hutch's character was the anchor of this show. Starsky could be a bit unpredictable and we could accept him that way.. But Hutch was the rock, the foundation, the solid ground. If Hutch shifted, everything faltered. At least, that's what I think now, and that's what affects me the most in whether I enjoy an episode or not.
It was difficult to watch our Starsky and Hutch characters get so despondent that they had to throw their badges into the sea. In all these shows they have been able to persevere and win against the forces that tried to break them. And now they just can't do it any longer. But at least they are together and the team has not been broken. "What next" is now the question. On to Part 2.
The beginning of this trilogy has Starsky and Hutch making a drug bust, and then being connected to an informant by Huggy who can tie the drug running to a federal judge. As Starsky and Hutch try to gather the evidence needed, they are under much pressure to produce their informant. Although they do everything in their power to protect him, the informant is ultimately killed while under their protection. Angry and disgruntled and despairing over ever being able to win over the forces stacked against them, they throw their badges away.
I really like this episode, and the whole trilogy, about the best of anything in Season 4. PMG and DS get to work together in most scenes and their characters seem to be the team that can take on the world again (albeit having apparently lost the first round). I have missed that feeling of the "team" so much in Season 4, and it made me very happy to see it back in this episode. I don't know if I have Earl Bellamy to thank, or PMG and DS themselves, or whomever. But I thank you.
The other moment that really stunned me, as I realized I hadn't seen it in so long, was when DS let Hutch reach out and give a shoulder squeeze of encouragement and support to their informant while he was expressing fear for his life. Seriously, I do not know if Hutch has done that at all in any of the other episodes in Season 4. He used to do it spontaneously, constantly, with witnesses and victims and people who were down on their luck. Hutch was always reaching out to pat an arm or shoulder. I have missed that so much in Hutch. I felt like DS had Hutch walled off from everyone and almost so unhappy that he was unable to feel anything for anyone else. To see that small gesture by DS made all the difference in how I could see Hutch in this episode and is the main reason I like it as much as I do. I have decided after much consideration that Hutch's character was the anchor of this show. Starsky could be a bit unpredictable and we could accept him that way.. But Hutch was the rock, the foundation, the solid ground. If Hutch shifted, everything faltered. At least, that's what I think now, and that's what affects me the most in whether I enjoy an episode or not.
It was difficult to watch our Starsky and Hutch characters get so despondent that they had to throw their badges into the sea. In all these shows they have been able to persevere and win against the forces that tried to break them. And now they just can't do it any longer. But at least they are together and the team has not been broken. "What next" is now the question. On to Part 2.
