Back in the fall of the 1978, the excitement usually reserved for S&H season premieres had waned due to the Soap Opera/Afterschool Special train wreck of season 3. But, the boys were back in good form with a catchy new theme song, borrowed from season 2's definitive one and a very season 2 type plot and interesting setting involving the pursuit of a serial killer who targets disco dancers. And the mood set and story telling was very season 1 like in it darkness. It seems like everyone concerned was trying to put season 3 behind them.
A wealthy but lonely middle aged man, ruminating over the lost love of someone named Sharon, takes his madness out on women who frequent a certain disco. Our heroes are dispatched to put a stop to it and are aided by a very attractive but married Sgt. Lizzie Thorpe. Thankfully, we avoid this time the usual S&H fighting over her.
This episode offers a great snapshot of the 1970s era disco culture, which was just about to wain. Adrian Zmed of future TJ Hooker fame makes an early screen appearance as an initial suspect and his interaction with S&H in the interrogation room are good and eventually lead them to the real killer along with a clue scratched into Lizzie Thorpe's car. The scene where are heroes descend upon the killer's home, only to turn around and leave to Lizzie's horror, before Starsky realizes the clue was Mercedes, is very dramatic and excellent. Overall, a return to the S&H we knew from seasons 1&2, although there were for viewers to see it thanks to season 3.
A wealthy but lonely middle aged man, ruminating over the lost love of someone named Sharon, takes his madness out on women who frequent a certain disco. Our heroes are dispatched to put a stop to it and are aided by a very attractive but married Sgt. Lizzie Thorpe. Thankfully, we avoid this time the usual S&H fighting over her.
This episode offers a great snapshot of the 1970s era disco culture, which was just about to wain. Adrian Zmed of future TJ Hooker fame makes an early screen appearance as an initial suspect and his interaction with S&H in the interrogation room are good and eventually lead them to the real killer along with a clue scratched into Lizzie Thorpe's car. The scene where are heroes descend upon the killer's home, only to turn around and leave to Lizzie's horror, before Starsky realizes the clue was Mercedes, is very dramatic and excellent. Overall, a return to the S&H we knew from seasons 1&2, although there were for viewers to see it thanks to season 3.