SPENSER FOR HIRE: NO ROOM AT THE INN (TV)
Summary
One in this drama mystery series based on the novels by Robert B. Parker about Boston private eyes Spenser and Hawk. In this episode, Spenser's apartment building catches fire and he helps usher the tenants – and one trapped fireman – to safety. The next morning, Belson finds him attempting to sleep in his office and takes him to see Quirk, who explains that federal prosecutor Meghan Farrell is working on an organized-crime case and requires a bodyguard to watch over one of her witnesses for twenty-four hours. Quirk explains that Shanley suggested Spenser for the job, though Spenser says that he will need backup and calls Hawk, who has recently come into possession of a flashy new car. Shanley introduces Spenser to Farrell, who agrees to pay him $5,000 to watch over the witness, a mobster's wife, for a day, hinting that she will reward him further when she wins the case and ascends in the government ranks.
Spenser and Hawk head for a hotel near Massachusetts General Hospital, where they meet the somewhat flaky Angela Zemeckis. Hawk takes the first shift as Spenser heads back to his office for a nap, though he is distracted by a visit from Susan and is then summoned to the firehouse by the captain, who offers to let him live there as a show of gratitude for saving their man. At the hotel, Angela flirts with Hawk, who is surprised to hear that she is not married. The front desk calls and states that Shanley and Farrell are there to visit, but Hawk is immediately suspicious and guns down two would-be killers as they break into the room. Spenser arrives at the crime scene and encounters Quirk, who explains that the men were hired assassins and that Hawk and Angela are both gone, though Spenser is confident that Hawk has taken her to safety. Wondering who else knew that they were there, Spenser questions the desk clerk and then the cabbie who brought Angela to the hotel, and learns that she stopped at the Ritz on the way there. Eddie the doorman reveals that "Mrs. Simmons" stayed for three days and only just left for the airport to go to San Francisco, and Spenser guesses that there were two women, the real Angela and the fake one, who is still with Hawk.
Susan gives Spenser a message from Hawk, and Spenser quickly catches two suspicious men who have been tailing him, though Hawk's precious car is booted in all the confusion. He finds Hawk with the fake Angela at another hotel, and she admits that Angela hired her as a double to protect herself during the court case, adding that her name is really Shirley. Spenser then confronts Shanley and Farrell, accusing them of hiring the killers to get rid of him and Angela and manipulating the evidence to further their own career agendas by winning the case. He offers to turn over the real Angela in exchange for significant remuneration, but when they head out to an empty dock to make the exchange, Quirk emerges from the truck instead of Angela. He shoots Shanley in self-defense and Farrell attempts to escape, and Spenser ends up killing her when she tries to run him over. Later, he pays an irritated Hawk and admits that he is deeply troubled over killing a woman, though Hawk advises him about the nature of the job and states that there is "no room at the inn for feelings." Spenser returns "home" to the firehouse, relieved to be joined by Susan. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:44
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:05930
- GENRE: Drama, police/private detective
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/private detective; Drama, action/adventure
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1985-1988
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - AT&T telephone services
- TV - Commercials - Anacin 3 painkillers
- TV - Commercials - Black & Decker appliances
- TV - Commercials - Burger King restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Extra-Strength Tylenol painkillers
- TV - Commercials - Kal Kan cat food
- TV - Commercials - L'Oréal Performing Preference hair color
- TV - Commercials - La Choy Chinese food
- TV - Commercials - Oldsmobile automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Snickers candies
- TV - Commercials - Snuggle fabric softener
- TV - Commercials - Wendy's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Zenith VCRs
- TV - Promos - "Hardcastle & McCormick"
- TV - Promos - "Hollywood Beat"
- TV - Promos - "Lime Street"
- TV - Promos - "MacGyver"
- TV - Promos - "Moonlighting"
- TV - Promos - "Spenser: For Hire" upcoming episode
- TV - Promos - "Tootsie"
- TV - Promos - CFA College Football
CREDITS
- John Wilder … Executive Producer, Director, Developed by, Writer
- William Robert Yates … Supervising Producer
- Robert Hamilton … Producer
- Dick Gallegy … Producer
- John Elizalde … Associate Producer
- Robert B. Parker … Based on characters created by
- Steve Dorff … Music by
- Larry Herbstritt … Music by
- Robert Urich … Cast, Spenser
- Avery Brooks … Cast, Hawk
- Barbara Stock … Cast, Susan Silverman
- Ron McLarty … Cast, Sgt. Frank Belson
- Richard Jaeckel … Cast, Lt. Martin Quirk
- Deborah Rush … Cast, Angela Zemeckis / Shirley
- Lisa Banes … Cast, Meghan Farrell
- Stephen Keep … Cast, Tom Shanley
- Anthony Heald … Cast, Desk Clerk
- John Capodice … Cast, Joe the Cabbie
- Ronn Carroll … Cast, Eddie the Doorman
- Michael Currie … Cast, Chief Joe Flynn
- Victor Argo … Cast, Officer Johnny Callahan
- Jacques Sandulescu … Cast, Thug #1
- Joseph Pilato … Cast, Thug #2