Slum Enchanted Evening, the penultimate episode of the sixth season of Hill Street Blues first aired 27 March, 1986 and was written by Walon Green and Robert Ward from a story by Jonathan Lemkin and Micheal Wagner. There’s a lot (A LOT) of melodrama but there’s also some nice character beats.

Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) finds himself caught up in a dirty political fight over the mayoral position, and he has to consider if this is something he really wants. He also has to investigate the shooting Buntz (Dennis Franz) was involved in, and the detective is being less than helpful as he deals with the fact that he was forced to shoot and kill one of his only friends.

Hunter (James Sikking) spends the majority of the episode as comedy relief as he’s received a blowgun and spends most of the story dosed or passed out.

Belker (Bruce Weitz) has the best story (once again) when he bumps into his old informer, Eddie (Charles Levin). A gay man in the 80s, Eddie is unfortunately dying from AIDs but he and Belker share some great moments and it shows how well these stories could be handled at the time.

Renko (Charles Haid) and Hill (Michael Warren) are court-ordered to deliver a slumlord to his apartment complex to see how he’s forcing people to live and deal with it, but he makes a run for it, heading back to his luxurious home so he can’t see what he’s done.

There are some great story threads and ideas throughout the episode, I just don’t think all of them are played as well as they could have been. But that may just be the way the times have changed in narrative storytelling.

The final episode of the season Come and Get It aired on 3 April, 1986 and was written by Robert Schlitt.

I really enjoyed this episode, it deals with one event, the capture of a serial killer whose name has been dropped a few times over the season, The Creeper aka Albert Sawyer (Paul McCrane). He’s on the loose, but he’s been identified and his picture is everywhere.

Renko and Hill pick him up just before a crowd led by a troubled Vietnam vet tears him apart, and he identifies himself as the man they’ve been looking for. The vet (Eloy Casados) gets some public recognition and despite the promise of a job from Chief Daniels (Jon Cypher) things go badly for him.

Davenport (Veronica Hamel) is unsure if she wants to represent Sawyer but when a number of other lawyers come sniffing around she makes her case, though he chooses not to go with her.

Renko and Hill want to know about the reward money and everyone is focused on making sure the case goes by the book. Buntz is hinting down supporting evidence, and everything looks like it will wrap up nicely and send Sawyer away.

And as the episode gets ready to close out, Robin (Lisa Sutton) finally gives birth, and she and Belker welcome a baby boy into the world.

Next week we start the final season of Hill Street Blues, until then let’s be careful out there.