There’s a lot going on in Seoul on Ice. LaRue (Kiel Martin) and Washington (Taurean Blacque) are attempting to run down leads to solve the vicious attack on Garibaldi (Ken Olin) that landed him in critical condition in the hospital – can you say debts owing to loan sharks? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Written by Jeffrey Lewis and David Milch this episode first aired on 17 October, 1985.

A number of officers, including Renko (Charles Haid) and Coffey (Ed Marinaro) want to help out.

It’s interesting to see Goldblume (Joe Spano) and Buntz (Dennis Franz) working together because they seem such opposites, but they make a good pairing. The mayor’s son is still on the run (and you know that’s not going to end well) and Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) is assembling a committee to look into the allegations of police corruption that are plaguing the force.

There definitely seems to be less melodrama going on now, there are fun little moments, there are great character beats, Belker (Bruce Weitz) and Robin (Lisa Sutton) are expecting, and there are personal asides for a number of characters but the character arcs and story are a little straighter than they have been before.

Oh, and Hunter (James Sikking) has a new girlfriend, Maura (Lee Garlington) that everyone is trying to get a look at and figure out what her story is and Buntz has a suggestion of who she may be, but Hunter, being who he is, isn’t ready for the real truth of the situation (and it’s a relevant story thread even today).

Mayo (Mimi Kuzyk) makes a brief appearance (as does Fay (Barbara Bosson))to check in on Garibaldi, and a cross-country runner, Matt (John Walcutt), jogging for cancer (a little riff on Terry Fox) has his supply van robbed and has to decide whether or not to continue his journey, and the criminal may be a little closer to Matt than he realizes.

And hey look Star Trek fans, there’s Marc Alaimo!

In the Belly of the Bus was written by Lewis, Milch, Walon Green and Jacob Epstein from a story by Lewis, Milch and Green. It debuted on 24 October, 1985.

Maybe I mentioned the melodrama thing too soon, as Belker gets locked in a coach bus’ luggage compartment during a stakeout. Sigh. Furillo is working on a deal with a parts dealer, Russ (Stan Shaw) who may have information about the murder of Captain Keenan, but is the decision the right one?

And during a cross-examination that reveals he may have been responsible for Garibaldi’s death. But due to the immunity deal he’s made with Furillo, there’s nothing that can be done. That is until Garibaldi’s father (Joe Dorsey) shows up at the precinct to pick up some things before he heads home.

I don’t mind some humor with Belker’s character, he’s a lot of fun, but come on writers, Belker deserves better than that. Though he does get justice by the episode’s end.

The precinct gets a new desk clerk (Joan Sweeny), and Jablonski (Robert Prosky) isn’t quite sure what to think of her.

After Garibaldi’s passing last episode, La Rue is having a tough time but he and Washington remain on the job, running down leads and possibilities. I do like Buntz and Franz’s work as the character, though on reflection, he always seems to be playing the same kind of character.

It’s a solid episode, and we get a glimpse of how Hunter is dealing with the issues created for him last week.