"Hill Street Blues" Das Blues (TV Episode 1986) Poster

(TV Series)

(1986)

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8/10
Nice episode
Woodyanders25 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Furillo (an excellent Daniel J. Travanti) gets pressure to run for mayor. LaRue (nicely played by Kiel Martin) falls for snake-handling fence Terry Sylvestri (a spot-on sultry portrayal by Grace Zabriskie). Famous country singer Bobby Angel (a memorably rowdy portrayal by Billy Green Bush) gets arrested; Renko (sturdy Charles Haid) invites Bobby to stay at his place. Hunter (a hilarious performance by James Sikking) thinks he's a Cold War soldier after suffering a bad concussion. Belker (a fine Bruce Weitz) finally marries Robin (sweet Lisa Sutton).

It's a real hoot to see the ever-loopy Hunter acting nuttier than usual while everyone in the station wonders about the extreme heat in the station because Hunter's been messing with the boiler. It's likewise funny to watch poor Renko try to control a loud and drunken Bobby Angel as he makes moves on his wife Daryl Ann (the gorgeous Deborah Richter). Buntz (a terrific Dennis Franz) gets a strong scene in which he tells his shady ex-partner that he can't see him anymore. Hill (ace work from Michael Warren) has a touching moment with his mother. Jack Andreozzi makes a welcome return appearance as lusty plumber Sal and Zero Hubbard makes a likeable impression as the good-hearted Fabian.
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9/10
Hunter Vs. The Soviet Union
Hitchcoc29 July 2021
Howard Hunter falls down some stairs and gets a wack on the head. He thinks he is in the bowels of a ship. When two men come to help him, he thinks they have been brainwashed by the Soviets. Frank has never thought of being mayor, but there are forces trying to unseat Daniels and move Frank into a high political position. There is finally a marriage.
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Heat on the Heat
JasonDanielBaker27 April 2014
Captain Frank Furrillo (Daniel J.Travanti) is groomed for the mayor's office by a local kingmaker (Granville Van Dusen). Officer Bobby Hill (Michael Warren) escorts his father's casket home for the funeral. Sgt. Lucy Bates (Betty Thomas) begins the process of adopting a runaway boy whose mother is a drug-addicted prostitute. Sgt. Mick Belker (Bruce Weitz) finally marries his sweetheart Officer Robin Tataglia (Lisa Sutton).

Lt. Norman Buntz (Dennis Franz) goes with a former police colleague ostensibly to interview an informant. Officer Andy Renko (Charles Haid) arrests legendary country singer Bobby Angel (Billy Green Bush). Officer J.D. LaRue (Kiel Martin) and his partner Detective Neal Washington (Taurean Blacque) run a sting with the help of a tattooist/snake charmer/fence (Grace Zabriskie).

A very busy day at Hill Street precinct becomes considerably more heated as SWAT team commander Lt. Howard Hunter (James B.Sikking) vandalizes the station-house boiler room causing the temperature to skyrocket.

Unbeknownst to his colleagues, having sustained a concussion and lost consciousness after falling down stairs whilst attempting to find lost equipment he comes to, forgets where he is and believes he has been abducted by the Soviets. He sabotages boiler room mechanisms on their "ship" in order to facilitate an escape.

One of the critically lauded network TV series ever produced Hill Street Blues juggled multiple story-lines and character arcs. In some episodes little happened beyond imparting essential information about characters sometimes tying up lose ends opened in previous episodes. This entry shows us a lot but it is pretty insignificant on its own. The show didn't insult the intelligence of its audience by staging World War III every week.

As with other ensemble cast shows from around the same time, which utilized underused supporting actors of exceptional quality said performers were given more screen-time to construct some of their most believable and moving characterizations. Travanti and Sikking were never afforded better opportunities on the small-screen before or since.
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1/10
The worst episode of the entire series
ElliottCase8 October 2021
The storyline involving Howard was ridiculous. The other storylines were less than mediocre. It was a struggle to watch the entire episode.
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Ridiculous plotline
BetaMaxine29 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The whole plot of Hunter going into the boiler room looking for his weights, falling and hitting his head then thinking he's on a Russian submarine is ridiculous. As people come downstairs, Hunter hits them on the head and ties them up, basically holding them hostage. He thinks they have been compromised, brainwashed by the Russians. Finally, Lucy Bates and Goldblum come down and discover a confused Hunter and his hostages. This is by far, the silliest plotline ever on Hill Street Blues. The fact that Hunter is allowed to just go back to work and no one seems too concerned that he just snapped is hard to believe. It seems like they have run out of credible ideas for Hunter.
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