Season 1: 1981
| # | Title | Written by | Directed by | Original Air Date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hill Street Station | Michael Kozoll & Steven Bochco | Robert Butler | Thursday, January 15, 1981 | |||
A hostage situation arises in Captain Furillo's precinct. Public defender Joyce Davenport is looking for her client, lost due to bureaucratic mismanagement. Officers Hill and Renko are shot in the line of duty. The audience is introduced to Belker's growling, and his mother.
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| 2 | Presidential Fever | Michael Kozoll & Steven Bochco | Robert Butler | Saturday, January 17, 1981 | |||
| Furillo is not pleased by the proposed visit of the US President to Hill Street. Meanwhile his emerging relationship with Joyce Davenport is floundering. Hill and Renko (who was in a coma for two weeks) return to work. Grace Gardner arrives to redecorate, and has her eye at once on Sergeant Esterhaus. Belker solves a series of rapes and captures two rapists - but the main suspect remains at large. Two officers are jumped when they leave a building after finding no evidence of a suspected theft. | |||||||
| 3 | Politics as Usual | Michael Kozoll & Steven Bochco | Robert Butler | Thursday, January 22, 1981 | |||
| Negotiations continue with the gangs over the Presidential visit. Hill and Renko split as partners. Corrupt detective Sergeant Ralph Macafee is introduced, and LaRue is challenged by a massive bribe. When LaRue attempts to return the bribe money back to Macafee, he is immediately busted by IAD agents. Faye is also busted being at the wrong place at the wrong time, but Furillo gets her out of jail on the condition they talk about an alimony arrangement they can both live with. | |||||||
| 4 | Can World War III Be An Attitude? | Michael Kozoll & Steven Bochco | Robert Butler | Saturday, January 24, 1981 | |||
| The Presidential visit is canceled, leading to gang warfare, and a tense moment as the station house appears to be besieged. LaRue, under suspension, is investigated for corruption, and referred to the DA for prosecution. Grace Gardner begins her efforts to win over Sergeant Esterhaus. "Malibu" (a talented car thief and mechanic) is arrested by Hill and Renko, but released after mending most of the patrol cars and the station plumbing and electrics. | |||||||
| 5 | Double Jeopardy | Michael Kozoll & Steven Bochco | Robert Butler | Thursday, January 29, 1981 | |||
| Many of the male stars appear in drag in an attempt to trap the serial rapist; they're successful, but Bates is hospitalized. Sergeant Esterhaus struggles with his two women, Cindy and Grace. Sergeant Macaffee's secret is finally uncovered - he has two wives and two families. His resulting corruption is uncovered, and saves LaRue from dismissal or prosecution. | |||||||
| 6 | Film at Eleven | Anthony Yerkovich | Georg Stanford Brown | Thursday, February 5, 1981 | |||
| A film crew shadows the precinct, and takes a patrol with Hill and Renko. LaRue and Washington discover the gun used in the Hill/Renko shooting (pilot episode). Hunter appears for the first time as a Lieutenant, although he remains in the uniform of a Sergeant in the opening credits until the start of the fourth series. No direct reference is made to his promotion. Kevin "Dracula" is brought in by Belker on an assault charge, is detained in a jail cell and due to his mental instability hangs himself before the day is out. Both Joyce and Frank wonder if they did everything they could have to prevent it. | |||||||
| 7 | Choice Cut | Lee David Zlotoff | Arnold Laven | Thursday, February 12, 1981 | |||
| Hector (a 15-year-old repeat offender, for whom Furillo has a soft spot) takes hostages in an armed robbery; Furillo talks the situation to an end, preventing Hunter from deploying a massive arsenal of high-powered weaponry. Renko and Hill steal a large piece of meat, only to have it stolen from them by LaRue and Washington. The TV crew continues to cause trouble. There are questions about whether Renko has correctly identified his shooter. Men are still being kidnapped and stripped naked by three prostitutes in a black van. | |||||||
| 8 | Up in Arms | Michael Kozoll & Steven Bochco & Anthony Yerkovich | Georg Stanford Brown | Thursday, February 19, 1981 | |||
| Esterhaus goes out to meet a dangerous criminal, convicted on his evidence, now released from prison, only to find that his nemesis has taken to religion, and is seeking forgiveness from Esterhaus. Santini and Harris encounter the black van and attempt to apprehend the three prostitutes without calling for assistance; as a result, Harris is murdered. The alleged shooter of Renko and Hill is released without charge. | |||||||
| 9 | Your Kind, My Kind, Humankind | Teleplay: Michael Kozoll & Steven Bochco & Anthony Yerkovich Story: Bill Taub |
Arnold Laven | Thursday, February 26, 1981 | |||
| The TV presentation is favorable to Hill Street. The alleged shooter of Hill and Renko makes a confession, but Hill remains unconvinced, and distanced from Renko. Belker's love life suffers a setback. Following the death of Harris, Officer Santini resigns to pursue his passion for cabinet making. | |||||||
| 10 | Gatorbait | E. Jack Kaplan | Georg Stanford Brown | Thursday, March 5, 1981 | |||
| Commander Swanson has been promoted to Deputy Chief of Police. Furillo and Ed Chappell are the two Captains competing to be the new Commander. Hunter and the EAT are in the sewers on the annual alligator hunt, when LaRue and Washington play a joke on them. Fay Furillo is receiving abusive telephone calls. | |||||||
| 11 | Life, Death, Eternity | Gregory Hoblit & Lee David Zlotoff | Jack Starrett | Thursday, March 12, 1981 | |||
| Marvin (Marv) Box, the station handyman, dies aged 32, leaving no relatives, and causing much reflection by the other characters. Fay's stalker becomes bolder, entering her home. Furillo takes on a possibly corrupt City Councilman, despite the potential to damage his promotion to Commander. Esterhaus informs Furillo that in the light of his possible promotion out of the Precinct, certain other officers have requested to leave: one retirement, plus transfer requests from 17 detectives and 28 uniformed officers. Lieutenant Hunter produces a model of the PANDA (urban tank) with relish, while Furillo is upset by its proposed used in "Sniper Alley"; however, Chief Daniels has already authorized the deployment. One of the new officers in the field harasses Belker due to his Jewish heritage, resulting in a fight between the two. | |||||||
| 12 | I Never Promised You a Rose, Marvin | Anthony Yerkovich | Robert C. Thompson | Thursday, March 19, 1981 | |||
| The investigation of Councilman McAuley is successful, and he is charged; but given his influential friends, Furillo loses any chance of promotion to Commander. Esterhaus reveals (to Goldblume) that Cindy is only just 18. His other girlfriend (Grace) is considerably more mature, but he needs both. Hunter receives his PANDA (urban tank), but while lunching with a squad of EAT officers and two Japanese businessmen (from the PANDA's manufacturers) it is stolen, stripped, gutted, and dumped in the East River. Fay's telephone stalker is caught - a patient of Harvey. Transfer requests had topped 75, and everyone at the Hill is relieved that their Captain will not be promoted away from them. | |||||||
| 13 | Fecund Hand Rose | Alan Rachins | Gregory Hoblit | Thursday, March 26, 1981 | |||
| Lives are threatened as a mystery sniper takes a shot at Macafee and the officers protecting him; Goldblume, under fire for the first time, is particularly unnerved. Esterhaus is shocked when Grace bears all in the roll-call room. Later she turns up at his wedding to Cindy, prompting him to faint, and leaving the wedding postponed. | |||||||
| 14 | Rites of Spring (1) | Michael Kozoll & Steven Bochco & Anthony Yerkovich | Gregory Hoblit | Tuesday, May 19, 1981 | |||
| Officers Mike Perez and Joe Coffey both have their first major roles in this episode; both were to be regulars for the next four years. There is a major clash between their respective partners (Cooper and Bates). Goldblume, reflecting on his son's illness and his clashes with narcotics colleagues, decides to resign, but Furillo persuades him to reflect further. Esterhaus is back with Grace, and his marriage to Cindy is cancelled. LaRue has an increasing problem with alcohol dependency, which leads to a near disaster for Belker, under cover, when he requests backup from LaRue. Weeks (Charles Hallahan), a racist narcotics officer, shoots a black suspect (legitimately) in the final scene. | |||||||
| 15 | Rites of Spring (2) | Michael Kozoll & Steven Bochco & Anthony Yerkovich | Gregory Hoblit | Tuesday, May 19, 1981 | |||
| While everyone pursues Weeks, he finds an unlikely ally in Washington, who believes his story. LaRue's drinking problem intensifies, and Furillo puts him on notice. Fay is mugged in the street. | |||||||
| 16 | Jungle Madness (1) | Michael Kozoll & Steven Bochco & Anthony Yerkovich | Corey Allen | Tuesday, May 26, 1981 | |||
| Everyone is still out to get Weeks, and even Furillo begins to question him; only Washington defends him. Davenport still wants to keep her relationship with Furillo secret. Esterhaus has a birthday, but doesn't like his belly dancing surprise gift, which interrupts roll call. LaRue's drinking nearly kills him and Washington, and Furillo gives him an ultimatum. | |||||||
| 17 | Jungle Madness (2) | Michael Kozoll & Steven Bochco & Anthony Yerkovich | Corey Allen | Tuesday, May 26, 1981 | |||
| At the eleventh hour Washington finds the evidence to save Weeks, proving him innocent. Chief Daniels, who had already written off Weeks, is greatly displeased, and tempers flare between him and Captain Furillo. LaRue reaches rock bottom and finally walks into his first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous - only to find Furillo also in attendance (a theme that was to recur strongly throughout all seven seasons). Coffey is shot during a vehicle stop. In the original version (now hard to obtain) he dies instantly. In the remade version (now broadcast as the repeat, and also the version available on video release) he is gravely injured, but recovers to return to the second season. | |||||||
Read more about this topic: List Of Hill Street Blues Episodes
Famous quotes containing the word season:
“At this season I seldom had a visitor. When the snow lay deepest no wanderer ventured near my house for a week or fortnight at a time, but there I lived as snug as a meadow mouse.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)