Renko’s (Charles Haid) is coming up, or is it? He seems to be having second thoughts as we dive into the final episode of Hill Street Blue’s fourth season. Written by Jeffrey Lewis, David Milch, Mark Frost, and Roger Director. It came from a story by Steven Bochco, Lewis and Milch and closed out the…
Tag: gangs
Hill Street Blues (1983) – Ba-Bing, Ba-Bing, and The Long Law of the Arm
Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) has a plan backfire on him by episode’s end as he and the precinct attempt to stem the upswing in gang violence by warning all gang members that should violence erupt, the gang leaders will be held responsible arrested and tried with the promise that they’ll make it stick. But it…
Hill Street Blues (1982) – The World According to Freedom, and Pestolozzi’s Revenge
Things get pretty dark on the Hill in The World According to Freedom, and Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) is pissed. Written by Michael Wagner, it first aired on 7 January, 1982. A gruesome collection of murders and rapes seems to be gang motivated, and it makes Furillo and the rest of the precinct incredibly angry….
Hill Street Blues (1981) – Hill Street Station, and Presidential Fever
When I was a teen every time I came across Hill Street Blues I would find myself stopping to watch it, and would even set the VCR to record it (when I remembered to). I always found it interesting in the way that it worked to show the police officers of the Hill Street precinct…
Parable of the Sower (1993) – Octavia E. Butler
Octavia E. Butler’s science fiction tale, that follows a young woman of colour on her quest to understand herself, the ideas of god, and the destiny of humanity. Within pages of this novel, I was completely swept up in Butler’s storytelling style, her characters, and the world she created. And here’s the thing, the world…
Miami Vice (1987) – The Big Thaw, and Child’s Play
All series have their handful of weaker episodes, but most Miami Vice has been solid storytelling, but of course they are going to stumble on occasion. And this, The Big Thaw, is definitely one of those. Written by Joseph DiBlasi (Michael Duggan), it aired on 23 October, 1987. Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson), Ricardo Tubbs (Philip…
Miami Vice (1986) – Walk-Alone, and The Good Collar
Tubbs (Philip Micheal Thomas) gets to take a little of the limelight in the first episode up this week. Written by W.K. Scott Meyer this episode first aired on 17 October, 1986. After discovering a lead provided by Izzy (Martin Ferrero), and recovering from the death of his new paramour, Tubbs agrees to go undercover…
The Running Man (1982) – Stephen King as Richard Bachman
Despite being a fan of the 87 Schwarzenegger flick, I’d never read the original source material, so being long past due, I dug into it and was delighted to find that the novel was a completely different experience, and worthy of a cinematic adaptation in its own right. Ben Richards lives in the slums, a…
West Side Story (1961) – Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins
Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins direct the film that brings me back to the musical genre in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book. Stephen Sondheim pens the lyrics for this Academy Award winning musical (including Best Picture) that is an updated retelling of Shakespeare’s beautiful tragedy Romeo & Juliet with Richard Beymer…
Doctor Who (Sylvester McCoy) -Paradise Towers
The Doctor (McCoy) and Mel (Bonnie Langford) end up in a strange adventure, when they arrive at Paradise Towers, a supposedly luxurious residential complex that is nothing like the adverts make out. Written by Stephen Wyatt, this four-part story ran from 5 to 26 October, 1987. The building is overrun by gangs, all who have…
The Mind Reels 