There are lots of emotional troubles to be had in Fathers and Guns. Written by Jeffrey Lewis from a story by Lewis and Jerry Patrick Brown. It first aired on 9 December, 1986.

Belker (Bruce Weitz) is still learning to be a new father, and the stress of the job, and the world have infiltrated his dreams. He’s having nightmares about nuclear war, something almost all of us had at some point during the 80s. Hunter (James Sikking ) and Renko (Charles Haid) try to provide some advice, but Belker’s anxiety stays with him, even as he’s working on busting some thugs who have been assaulting the gay community.

He also gets wrapped up in a young man (David Harris) and an abandoned baby, which leads to a troubling hostage situation that Belker hopes to resolve without casualties.

Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) gets news that his father has been shot, and as the story unfolds is troubled to learn that he wasn’t shot in a robbery, but it was a suicide. His father was ill, a brain tumour, and now Furillo needs to reconcile his feelings for his father and their relationship. He also covers up the fact that his mother has hidden the gun, and gets rid of it himself.

J.D. (Kiel Martin) is seeking some revenge against a restaurant for towing his car, and he and Washinton (Taurean Blacque) let a rat (or two) loose in the establishment.

The episode opens with Belker’s nightmares about nuclear war, and closes with Furillo’s dreams about his father’s death and the happy memories he had with them. And Belker gets a funny tag.

More Skinned Against Than Skinning was penned by David Black and first aired on 23 December, 1986.

Racial tensions begin to escalate around the precinct when a black officer is inadvertently shot by his white partner while on night patrol. Throw in a bunch of photographers and reporters who are documenting a ‘day in the life’ around the precinct and you’ve got a dangerous recipe.

Sam McMurray guests as Officer Gann, the man who shot his partner, and Washington and J.D. are leading the investigation on the shooting, and working to assuage racial problems.

As the episode unfurls we learn that there is no real racial issue behind the shoot, there is something more going on but as tensions mount, Chief Daniels (Jon Cypher) is going to have to comment on it to the officers on the Hill before trouble erupts.

Buntz (Dennis Franz) is having some problems with his eyes and goes to see his optometrist resulting in a temporary blindness that allows him to work undercover with Belker to bust some criminals who have begun to recognize Belker.

Renko and Hill (Micheal Warren) get a horrific call, that sees them discover victims that have been completely skinned.

And while last week Barbara Babcock returned as Grace, this time around Mimi Kuzyk returns as Mayo.

This ended up being a very solid episode, and while the Buntz/Belker arc added some humour to the episode, it was fascinating to watch the way the officers reacted, and how the black officers were on constant guard for racist behaviour and language.

It’s pretty eye-opening.

Great episode this time out. So until next week, let’s be careful out there.