Unlike my other episode review posts, this one does not have any general plan as to when I'll be posting. I'll post whenever I see the episodes basically, and that means it could be in the same week (though I doubt it) or months apart. But I will post them as long as I've seen the episodes, and I am highly interested in watching Hill Street Blues, so this will happen one way or the other. Unless Hulu stops making this show available for free, which seems likely. Anyway, let's get to the episodes.
Presidential Fever
Technically speaking, Presidential Fever is part of the pilot. I'm not sure if it aired as a two-hour block when it premiered, but the pilot certainly works better with this episode included. The first episode of the series ended with two cops being shot. Hill Street Blues has aged very well, but there's no part that says 1980s more than the direction in that scene. It's very cheesy and melodramatic.
The second episode doesn't immediately address the cliffhanger of an ending to the pilot. Most shows probably begin the next episode with a rush for time, showing another cop discovering the bodies, and the whole precinct going to the hospital to see if they recover. That is not the case here. I wouldn't say that's because it isn't that kind of show, but simply because the show wanted to move on. They might want to tell that story at some time, but not right away.
Since there's very little characterization of either officers Andy Renko or Bobby Hill so far, it's probably the right move. So while it's of course devastating to see two people get shot, we don't actually know anything about them except that they can defuse a situation. Not helping is that both people are on the opening credits to the show meaning neither will die.
All of that is to say that instead of following up on the cliffhanger ending, the show jumps 6 months in time and doesn't even address what happened until halfway in the episode. Much like the first episode, this episode is a Captain Furillo episode with very little given to anybody else. That's not necessarily a problem, but there's so many characters and barely any of them have registered to me yet.
The president considers walking through Hill Street, presumably because of its high crime rates and racial diversity. It's a message: I'm not afraid and look at how many different types of people support me! This causes problems for Furillo, because the onus is on him to make sure nothing happens. If something bad happens, he gets blamed and it makes everyone involved look bad, mostly Hill Street.
Despite not seeming too enthused about the situation, the president's aide is convinced Hill Street is a distinct possibility. That's because Sgt. Henry Goldblume ends up saying all the right things, possibly because he's compelled to suck up to authority. So Furillo gathers all the different types of gangs and asks them to take a day off.
The gangs are so far easily the weakest part of the show. All of them are stereotypes who are played over-the-top by weak actors. The most screen time goes to Jesus, played by Trinidad Silva. While he seems fairly intelligent and willing to listen to reason, the performance is distracting. I'm pretty sure this is a 1980s thing as nearly every character plays more over-the-top than I'm used to seeing.
The lone exception (besides Furillo) is Goldblume, played by Joe Spano. Spano was sort of invisible in the first episode, so much so that I thought he was a one-off character when he was negotiating for hostages in the pilot. In this episode, he more closely works with Furillo, so he ends up being in most scenes. Spano's performance sticks out for how natural it is among a cast who seems to be competing for attention. And it works. He seems like more of a character than any character not named Furillo or Davenport.
The other major event happening is two officers seek out suspicious activity, and end up getting jumped. It's hard to say if they investigate the matter because it's racial profiling, but it sure seems like it. And it's definitely because of race when the white cop wants to check out the apartment. The Hispanic cop seems extremely reluctant and probably assumes the other is only checking out because of race.
Both officers get jumped. Towards the end of the episode, they get a group of officers to agree to go return the favor. There's sort of a cop code and when you fuck with one cop, you fuck with all of them. Furillo catches onto this in the middle of his gang meeting, and immediately puts a squash on it.
In that scene, we learn two things. One, Hill Street used to be corrupt. Furillo mentions that he doesn't want Hill Street to go back to what it was, and his solution is similar to The Shield's message: you can't slip on even one thing or it eventually cascade and it's a corrupt police force again. So it's clear Furillo will be a mostly perfect individual in things that matter. I figure his ex-wife is there to say he's not perfect, but it seems like they divorced because he works too much. So he's pretty much perfect.
The second thing we learn more about is Phil Esterhaus. He got a small, unimportant plot with an interior decorator, who he's supposed to play nice with, but eventually just brushes her off. Esterhaus is decently defined thus far in that he has a teenage girlfriend and seems genial. But in that scene, Esterhaus says that the cops need to retaliate to Furillo. He doesn't push too hard and the situation doesn't completely deescalate until Esterhaus politely asks for them to let this one go. Esterhause seems to represent the "old guard."
Returning to the shooting, Renko and Hill both start getting back to work after recovering from the gunshots. And while I wasn't impressed by either actor in the scene when they confronted each other about not calling when each were in a hospital, I did like that they were clearly effective and great partners before they got shot and should reconcile eventually due to that. That it was not immediately reconciled in one day both surprised me and pleased me.
Other Notes
- I didn't mention Joyce Davenport here even though she was in a fair amount of the episode. She and Captain Furillo go through problems because of work. None of it is that interesting, but both actors are good so it doesn't drag the story down. Plus, I'm fairly certain this will be a plot point which will return so I can talk about it more then if necessary.
- Mick Belker is still played with glorious delight by Bruce Weitz. He's still too over-the-top for me. He catches two rapists that begin the day. Not before everybody freaks out that he'll bite the suspect or something. I like the idea of a cop on this show who might cost them a conviction from police abuse, but I'm not sure how Belker still has a job if they keep up at the pace they're going. At least he's definitely good at his job though.
- Lt. Howard breaks a sink to begin this episode and is overly weird. Here's a character who really isn't working for me. So far he's nearly bungled a hostage situation and the scene in this episode mostly just exists for laughs, because they never address the flood in the bathroom.
- I almost forgot to mention the president's aide performance, which is played with enormous dickishness. If the intention was to want to punch that guy in the face (and I believe it was), well done.
Politics as Usual
The first two episodes were separated by six months, so I was surprised by the third episode directly following the events of the second. This show isn't merely kind of serialized, it's completely serialized. It's easier to separate these episodes personally, but I could theoretically write a combined review.
Anyway, lest a show miss the opportunity to make me look stupid, this episode is more of an ensemble effort than the Captain Furillo show. There's no real major storyline, although the story that makes the most effect is the Renko/Hill partnership. Obviously, neither of them have fully gotten over having gotten shot and are taking it out on each other.
What I'm impressed with about this show is how naturally the stories flow from episode to episode. There's no forced writing in making sure to talk about each character. This has inevitably led to some of the characters completely disappearing, but the cast is so large that I certainly wouldn't want them to go through each character. The presidency is still in action, and while I don't think it's a season-long event, it's not going away any time soon. The custody battles between Furillo and his ex-wife have continued each episode and his struggles to maintain a healthy relationship with Davenport. Then there's the shooting.
While I wasn't impressed by the acting between the Charles Haid and Michael Warren in the second episode, this one is a much better showcase. Their interactions didn't feel as stage-y as the previous episode. Last episode, it kind of seemed like it was required for them to fight, whereas this one I actually believed they were fighting.
In particular, I want to highlight the scene where Renko and Hill respond to the domestic fight. Their heightened emotions worked as they successfully conveyed their nervousness and apprehension about going after a guy with a gun. Renko's hesitation at kicking down the door and then every time Hill had to look around a corner where well played. The scene where both break down and cry was slightly less effective, but it still felt heartwarming when they hugged meaning that it worked well enough.
Of course, Furillo is involved where he has a short scene saying all the right things necessary for these two to resolve. Outside of that, he struggles in his personal life with two different women. His ex-wife is delivering him a letter sent by a lawyer about custody of the kids. He gets advice from his current girlfriend Davenport, who says "forget the letters, just talk with her and get this solved."
That situation isn't totally resolved, although Furillo does gain favor with his ex-wife when he bails her out of jail and says he still cares about her. Fay Furillo still isn't much of a character at this point and mostly exists to bother our main character, but at least she gets time to look like an actual person, instead of one who screams all the time. Perhaps this situation can get resolved amicably, although something tells me this won't be the end of Frank's problems with his wife.
The other ongoing storyline - well it will be ongoing, it's just getting started in this episode - is JD Larue's dalliance with being a crooked cop. He accepts quite a bit of money from Ralph Macafee in return for letting him go. He struggles with this decision all day, to where his partner and the captain notice it. Trouble is, Neal Washingon thinks it's because he let the perp go so he has no reason to suspect he's struggling with taking money. Happy to see Washington get more to do, and from his few scenes here, I hope he's not just the sidekick to LaRue for the show.
Eventually, LaRue decides to give back the money. Underlining how much it was a mistake to accept it in the first place, the crooked detective busts LaRue for being a crooked detective. LaRue looks none too pleased and I'm suspecting that things are going to go his way. Kiel Martin was so much better in this episode than the pilot. That may have had something to do with him not being way too focused on getting a woman through creepy and forceful flirting.
Then again, everybody's performances are better today. I think the show was just suffering pilot-itis. Mick Belker catches a pickpocketer - the same one as in the pilot actually - and has a nearly identical scenes as the pilot. He sits the felon down, gets a phone call from his mom, growls at a dog, and then growls at the felon when he starts laughing. It's eerily similar as I thought I somehow switched episodes. Anyway, Bruce Weitz is toned down from before and I can finally see why he got nominated for an Emmy for this show. I still find the growling weird.
Other Notes
- Lucille Bates has been literally invisible for the entire series. I read that Hill Street did 4-5 episode story arcs so I guess I'll have to wait until this story arc is finished to see her again. I'm only halfway joking, but seriously she's like not even on this show even though she gets main credits.
- Howard Hunter does something stupid, never seen for the rest of the episode. I guess I should be happy he's getting no screen time because if all he's gonna do is fuck up, then I'll wonder why he's even hired. I don't mind the actor, but his suggestion to clear out 18 blocks for the president is just stupid.
- I forgot to mention that Furillo settles a minor gang problem by negotiating half of a basketball court for a month in order to allow the president to enter certain zones. The gang leaders are better acted here, including David Caruso, who I did not recognize in his first appearance.
- Both episodes are written by co-creators Stephen Bochco and Michael Kozzoll and directed by Robert Butler. At this point I'm not worried about any of the episodes written by them, but I'm interested to see the episodes not written by them. These guys know what they're doing.
And for fun, because I'm interested to see how much this changes as the characters get better written, a ranking of the cast.
1. Captain Furillo - Not really fair, but Travanti's great and he gets ALL the screen time
2. Joyce Davenport - Pouring coffee on LaRue and a good marriage counselor?
3. Henry Goldblume - I think I just really like Joe Spano
4-5. Officers Andy Renko/Bobby Hill - Neither is noticeably better than the other - mostly for the meaty storyline
6. Neal Washington - He just seems so goddamn smooth
7. Phil Esterhaus - Hasn't really gotten much to do, but Michael Conrad is great
8. JD LaRue - He has some work cut out for him after his creepy flirting
9. Mick Belker - Him and LaRue are interchangeable really
10. Fay Furillo - Hard to be liked when you only complain - it's a credit she's not last really
11. Ray Calletano - He's not invisible and yet I wouldn't have known his name if not for IMDB
12. Lucille Bates - She IS invisible so this is unfair
13. Howard Hunter - Whenever he becomes more than comedy relief, he may rise.
Playlist
1. "Lovefool" - The Cardigans
2. "O-o-h Child" - The Five Stairsteps
3. "Rudeboy Jamaican" - YC the Cynic
4. "Cheep and Cheerful" - The Kills
5. "Careful You" - TV on the Radio
- I didn't mention Joyce Davenport here even though she was in a fair amount of the episode. She and Captain Furillo go through problems because of work. None of it is that interesting, but both actors are good so it doesn't drag the story down. Plus, I'm fairly certain this will be a plot point which will return so I can talk about it more then if necessary.
- Mick Belker is still played with glorious delight by Bruce Weitz. He's still too over-the-top for me. He catches two rapists that begin the day. Not before everybody freaks out that he'll bite the suspect or something. I like the idea of a cop on this show who might cost them a conviction from police abuse, but I'm not sure how Belker still has a job if they keep up at the pace they're going. At least he's definitely good at his job though.
- Lt. Howard breaks a sink to begin this episode and is overly weird. Here's a character who really isn't working for me. So far he's nearly bungled a hostage situation and the scene in this episode mostly just exists for laughs, because they never address the flood in the bathroom.
- I almost forgot to mention the president's aide performance, which is played with enormous dickishness. If the intention was to want to punch that guy in the face (and I believe it was), well done.
Politics as Usual
The first two episodes were separated by six months, so I was surprised by the third episode directly following the events of the second. This show isn't merely kind of serialized, it's completely serialized. It's easier to separate these episodes personally, but I could theoretically write a combined review.
Anyway, lest a show miss the opportunity to make me look stupid, this episode is more of an ensemble effort than the Captain Furillo show. There's no real major storyline, although the story that makes the most effect is the Renko/Hill partnership. Obviously, neither of them have fully gotten over having gotten shot and are taking it out on each other.
What I'm impressed with about this show is how naturally the stories flow from episode to episode. There's no forced writing in making sure to talk about each character. This has inevitably led to some of the characters completely disappearing, but the cast is so large that I certainly wouldn't want them to go through each character. The presidency is still in action, and while I don't think it's a season-long event, it's not going away any time soon. The custody battles between Furillo and his ex-wife have continued each episode and his struggles to maintain a healthy relationship with Davenport. Then there's the shooting.
While I wasn't impressed by the acting between the Charles Haid and Michael Warren in the second episode, this one is a much better showcase. Their interactions didn't feel as stage-y as the previous episode. Last episode, it kind of seemed like it was required for them to fight, whereas this one I actually believed they were fighting.
In particular, I want to highlight the scene where Renko and Hill respond to the domestic fight. Their heightened emotions worked as they successfully conveyed their nervousness and apprehension about going after a guy with a gun. Renko's hesitation at kicking down the door and then every time Hill had to look around a corner where well played. The scene where both break down and cry was slightly less effective, but it still felt heartwarming when they hugged meaning that it worked well enough.
Of course, Furillo is involved where he has a short scene saying all the right things necessary for these two to resolve. Outside of that, he struggles in his personal life with two different women. His ex-wife is delivering him a letter sent by a lawyer about custody of the kids. He gets advice from his current girlfriend Davenport, who says "forget the letters, just talk with her and get this solved."
That situation isn't totally resolved, although Furillo does gain favor with his ex-wife when he bails her out of jail and says he still cares about her. Fay Furillo still isn't much of a character at this point and mostly exists to bother our main character, but at least she gets time to look like an actual person, instead of one who screams all the time. Perhaps this situation can get resolved amicably, although something tells me this won't be the end of Frank's problems with his wife.
The other ongoing storyline - well it will be ongoing, it's just getting started in this episode - is JD Larue's dalliance with being a crooked cop. He accepts quite a bit of money from Ralph Macafee in return for letting him go. He struggles with this decision all day, to where his partner and the captain notice it. Trouble is, Neal Washingon thinks it's because he let the perp go so he has no reason to suspect he's struggling with taking money. Happy to see Washington get more to do, and from his few scenes here, I hope he's not just the sidekick to LaRue for the show.
Eventually, LaRue decides to give back the money. Underlining how much it was a mistake to accept it in the first place, the crooked detective busts LaRue for being a crooked detective. LaRue looks none too pleased and I'm suspecting that things are going to go his way. Kiel Martin was so much better in this episode than the pilot. That may have had something to do with him not being way too focused on getting a woman through creepy and forceful flirting.
Then again, everybody's performances are better today. I think the show was just suffering pilot-itis. Mick Belker catches a pickpocketer - the same one as in the pilot actually - and has a nearly identical scenes as the pilot. He sits the felon down, gets a phone call from his mom, growls at a dog, and then growls at the felon when he starts laughing. It's eerily similar as I thought I somehow switched episodes. Anyway, Bruce Weitz is toned down from before and I can finally see why he got nominated for an Emmy for this show. I still find the growling weird.
Other Notes
- Lucille Bates has been literally invisible for the entire series. I read that Hill Street did 4-5 episode story arcs so I guess I'll have to wait until this story arc is finished to see her again. I'm only halfway joking, but seriously she's like not even on this show even though she gets main credits.
- Howard Hunter does something stupid, never seen for the rest of the episode. I guess I should be happy he's getting no screen time because if all he's gonna do is fuck up, then I'll wonder why he's even hired. I don't mind the actor, but his suggestion to clear out 18 blocks for the president is just stupid.
- I forgot to mention that Furillo settles a minor gang problem by negotiating half of a basketball court for a month in order to allow the president to enter certain zones. The gang leaders are better acted here, including David Caruso, who I did not recognize in his first appearance.
- Both episodes are written by co-creators Stephen Bochco and Michael Kozzoll and directed by Robert Butler. At this point I'm not worried about any of the episodes written by them, but I'm interested to see the episodes not written by them. These guys know what they're doing.
And for fun, because I'm interested to see how much this changes as the characters get better written, a ranking of the cast.
1. Captain Furillo - Not really fair, but Travanti's great and he gets ALL the screen time
2. Joyce Davenport - Pouring coffee on LaRue and a good marriage counselor?
3. Henry Goldblume - I think I just really like Joe Spano
4-5. Officers Andy Renko/Bobby Hill - Neither is noticeably better than the other - mostly for the meaty storyline
6. Neal Washington - He just seems so goddamn smooth
7. Phil Esterhaus - Hasn't really gotten much to do, but Michael Conrad is great
8. JD LaRue - He has some work cut out for him after his creepy flirting
9. Mick Belker - Him and LaRue are interchangeable really
10. Fay Furillo - Hard to be liked when you only complain - it's a credit she's not last really
11. Ray Calletano - He's not invisible and yet I wouldn't have known his name if not for IMDB
12. Lucille Bates - She IS invisible so this is unfair
13. Howard Hunter - Whenever he becomes more than comedy relief, he may rise.
Playlist
1. "Lovefool" - The Cardigans
2. "O-o-h Child" - The Five Stairsteps
3. "Rudeboy Jamaican" - YC the Cynic
4. "Cheep and Cheerful" - The Kills
5. "Careful You" - TV on the Radio
No comments:
Post a Comment