T.J. Hooker (TV Series)

The Empty Gun (1982)

William Shatner: Sgt. T.J. Hooker

Photos 

Quotes 

• Officer Vince Romano : [after Minetti is released]  I don't understand. Something's wrong, Hooker. I did my job. He killed a man! I brought him to trial. He's guilty. And he's strutting out of here like a peacock, putting dirt on everything that's good and decent. Where's the incentive to do it right the next time if this lousy system doesn't work?

  Sgt. T.J. Hooker : The incentive is in knowing how much worse it would be if we didn't do it right. You don't like what happened in there, I don't like it, the people don't like it. It's up to the people to change it.

• Sgt. T.J. Hooker : What's music to your ears?

  Officer Vince Romano : How about Pat Benatar? We could agree there.

  Sgt. T.J. Hooker : Who's he?

  Officer Vince Romano : He is a she. A singer.

  Sgt. T.J. Hooker : Of your kind of music.

  Officer Vince Romano : But cute!

  Sgt. T.J. Hooker : Cute?

  Officer Vince Romano : Yeah. We could agree on cute girls, couldn't we?

  Sgt. T.J. Hooker : Women. For example, Peggy Lee.

  Officer Vince Romano : Peggy who?

• Sgt. T.J. Hooker : [reading computer simulation print-out]  Dempsy, your score has dropped since the last time. You're way below average on judgment and accuracy. You shot an innocent bystander, you wounded a fellow officer. You let an armed felon get off two shots before you returned fire and then you hit him in the foot.

• Officer Vince Romano : Did you ever notice how much better food tastes when you don't pay for it yourself? No, I guess you wouldn't.

  Sgt. T.J. Hooker : Keep it up, Romano. Next go around on the shooting simulator, it won't be a routine of the best scorers in the class. I'm gonna program the computer so you flunk.

• Officer Vince Romano : [about Terry Minetti]  He's gotta fall, Hooker, sometime he's got to fall. Or there isn't any justice.

  Sgt. T.J. Hooker : He's a punk, a thief and a killer and he'll fall. And when he does, it will be hard.

• Sgt. Benteen : [to Romano]  Look Lilly blossom, you're never gonna make it through probation and you better hope you never find yourself in a spot where you're gonna need the help of a real cop.

  Sgt. T.J. Hooker : Hey!

  [grabs Benteen by the shoulder and spins him around] 

  Sgt. T.J. Hooker : That's the wrong kind of talk around here, Benteen. I suggest you shut your loud mouth and cool off, 'cause if I hear it again, I'll put you through the wall.

  Sgt. Benteen : I owe you Hooker... not him.

  [pointing a thumb at Romano] 

  Sgt. T.J. Hooker : You owe me nothing. I did my job out there, Romano did his. Right now you're on the edge of not doing yours. Don't you ever threaten not to back a fellow officer!