HILL STREET BLUES: OF MOUSE AND MAN (TV)
Summary
One in this series of police dramas about the personal and professional lives of the officers of Hill Street Station, a precinct located in a run-down urban area.
In this episode, Furillo is upset to learn that public defender Pam Gilliam has been murdered in a would-be mugging, and Hill is frustrated to hear that he has been nominated – in absentia – for vice-president of the Black Officers' Coalition. Outspoken law student Joe Bustamonte arrives at the precinct and reports that he and his neighbors are "hostages" of their irresponsible, law-breaking landlord. Furillo hands out assignments on the Gilliam case, reminding his officers to "keep it clean" in order to obtain usable evidence, as Hunter describes his Hannibal-inspired tactics for rounding up suspects. Davenport, crushed by Gilliam's death, seeks comfort with Furillo, and Ozzie Cleveland urges a reluctant Hill to consider the unwanted nomination, pointing out that the other black policemen clearly admire and respect him.
LaRue and Washington go undercover to bust a drug dealer, Eddie Sims, and during a stop-and-frisk, the cops find several .45s like the one used to kill Gilliam. Renko is unhappy when Hill seeks out some new lunchtime buddies, and Belker reveals to Hunter that he is training a mouse to sniff out drugs – though the tiny recruit suddenly comes to an unexpected end. Bustamonte returns to complain that an elderly neighbor has suffered a serious injury thanks to a lack of repairs in his building. Fay, a member of Women Against Discrimination, calls out Furillo for the lack of ranking black officers in his squad. Defense attorney Alan Wachtel observes the exchange with derisive amusement, and Furillo learns that Gilliam's murder weapon has been identified. The gun is traced back to Tyler Bragg, who swears ignorance of the crime; when Goldblume visits Bustamonte's rundown building, he observes a number of code violations and butts heads with the landlord, Sosa.
Belker performs a hasty "funeral" for his departed friend as Sims offers information about a huge PCP lab in exchange for a reduced sentence. Bragg, too, bargains for a lesser charge, admitting that he was present for Gilliam's murder and offers the name of the real killer, Wilbur Harmon, who is quickly arrested. Hill and Renko experience a "breakup" as Hill continues to prioritize his work with the Black Officers' Coalition. LaRue falls of the wagon as he shares a commiserating drink with the dejected Renko. At home, Davenport broods over Gilliam's death, angry that repeat criminals like Harmon are frequently released to cause further harm. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: February 11, 1982 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:49:22
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:66215
- GENRE: Drama, police/detective
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Drama; Drama, police/detective; Crime and criminals; Murder
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1981-1987
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Steven Bochco … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Gregory Hoblit … Supervising Producer
- David Anspaugh … Producer
- Anthony Yerkovich … Producer, Writer
- Scott Brazil … Associate Producer
- Thomas Carter … Director
- Michael Kozoll … Created by, Writer
- Jeffrey Lewis … Writer
- Michael Wagner … Writer
- Mike Post … Music by
- Travanti, Daniel J. (See also: Travanty, Dan) … Cast, Capt. Frank Furillo
- Michael Conrad … Cast, Sgt. Phil Esterhaus
- Michael Warren … Cast, Officer Bobby Hill
- Bruce Weitz … Cast, Det. Mick Belker
- James B. Sikking … Cast, Lt. Howard Hunter
- Joe Spano … Cast, Officer Henry Goldblume
- Barbara Bosson … Cast, Fay Furillo
- Taurean Blacque … Cast, Det. Neal Washington
- Kiel Martin … Cast, Det. Johnny "J.D." LaRue
- René Enriquez … Cast, Lt. Ray Calletano
- Betty Thomas … Cast, Officer Lucille Bates
- Ed Marinaro … Cast, Officer Joe Coffey
- Charles Haid … Cast, Officer Andy Renko
- Veronica Hamel … Cast, Joyce Davenport
- Edward James Olmos … Cast, Joe Bustamonte
- Jeffrey Tambor … Cast, Alan Wachtel
- J.A. Preston … Cast, Ozzie Cleveland
- Kene Holliday … Cast, Vernon Lee
- Al Ruscio … Cast, Sosa
- Jonathan Frakes … Cast, Eddie Sims
- Howard Witt … Cast, Schwartz
- Michael Collins … Cast, Zeiger
- Robert Hirschfeld … Cast, Leo Schnitz
- Kaaren Ragland … Cast, Pam Gilliam
- Eric Laneuville … Cast, Wilbur Harmon
- Ricco Ross … Cast, Tyler Bragg
- Gary Miller … Cast, Webster
- Marc Jordan … Cast, Wasserman
- Mickey Cherney … Cast, Green
- Dan Gilvezan … Cast, Reporter
- James Tartan … Cast, Coroner
- Jackie Millines … Cast, Gang Member
- Glenn-Michael Jones … Cast, Gang Member
- Ezekiel Moss … Cast, Gang Member