HILL STREET BLUES: HILL STREET STATION {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)

Summary

The pilot of 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. Joyce Davenport, a lawyer, confronts the head of the Hill Street Station, Captain Frank Furillo, about one of her clients, who appears to have been "misplaced" due to some transfer error or possibly an escape. She is incensed at the police's "incompetence" and threatens legal action if they don't find her client. Detective J. D. LaRue takes the opportunity to hit on her, although she doesn't seem to reciprocate his feelings. A prisoner in the station attempts to escape, but Detective Mick Belker restrains him and is warned by Furillo not to repeat an incident in which he bit a suspect's nose off. Meanwhile, Officers Bobby Hill and Andy Renko are out on patrol and get into a firefight with a couple of robbers trying to hold up a liquor store. They call for backup when the assailant starts firing a shotgun at them. Sergeant Henry Goldblume attempts to get on the phone with the robbers in the liquor store, who have turned the situation into a standoff by taking hostages. He manages to get through, but they will only talk to Jesus Martinez, leader of the local "Los Diablos" gang. Goldblume sends officers to find Jesus. Meanwhile, Belker catches a purse-snatcher lurking around the crowd gathered around the liquor store. The SWAT team, led by Lieutenant Howard Hunter, is put on standby; Lieutenant Howard argues with Furillo over his use of negotiation over a quick and decisive strike. Fay Furillo, Captain Furillo's estranged wife, visits the station and yells at him about his invalid child support check and various problems she's having with their son. Furillo tries to stall her for a few minutes while he handles the hostage crisis. Outside, Fay speaks with Sergeant Phil Esterhaus, whom she learns has just separated from his wife of 23 years and is now dating a high school student. Belker brings in the purse-snatcher and starts to interrogate him, but is sidetracked by a phone call from his worrisome mother. Furillo promises Fay that he'll take care of her problems. She is dating the psychologist who is seeing their son, and Furillo is bitter about this fact. Fay maintains that their son's life improved when Furillo left. Furillo meets with Jesus and his cronies, attempting to negotiate his assistance in the liquor store situation. He asks for ordnance in exchange for his help, but Furillo manages to get him to offer more reasonable terms and they agree to a deal. However, when Jesus is put on the line with Hector, one of the robbers, his assistance proves to be without merit and the situation remains largely unchanged. LaRue calls Davenport and claims that they have her client in custody at the station. He reveals to Detective Neal Washington that this is a lie he fabricated as part of a plan to ask her out to dinner with him. Renko and Hill respond to a domestic dispute involving a mother threatening to stab her teenage daughter with a knife for sleeping with her stepfather. Hill manages to get all three parties in the same room together and gets them all to calm down. He and Renko go outside to find their police car has been stolen, sending Renko into a rage. While looking for a payphone to call the station, they stumble across a drug deal and are shot with pistols. Furillo gets to the liquor store and orders his men to stand down, still attempting to negotiate with Hector. Meanwhile, a SWAT team attempts to break in through the store's rear exit. A pair of police helicopters flying overhead gets Hector nervous and he prepares to fire his shotgun as Furillo calmly approaches him. The SWAT team infiltrates the store and Furillo does all he can to prevent Hector from being shot. Davenport arrives at the station and learns of LaRue's deception. In retaliation, she spills a cup of hot coffee onto his crotch and leaves. Hector and his accomplice are arrested and Esterhaus and Lieutenant Ray Calletano criticize Furillo for his handling of the situation. They advise that he go home to get some rest. Instead, he goes to Davenport's apartment, where the two of them begin an affair. Later, Furillo gets a call from the station informing him that they found Hill and Renko; they are in critical condition at the hospital and their prognosis is grim. Commercials deleted.

Details

• NETWORK: NBC
• DATE: January 15, 1981 10:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 0:50:00
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: B:67552
• GENRE: Drama, police/private detective
• SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/private detective
• SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1981-1987
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Michael Kozoll … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
• Steven Bochco … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
• Gregory Hoblit … Producer
• Robert Butler … Director
• Mike Post … Music by
• Daniel J. Travanti … Cast, Captain Frank Furillo
• Michael Conrad … Cast, Sgt. Phil Esterhaus
• Michael Warren … Cast, Officer Bobby Hill
• Bruce Weitz … Cast, Detective Mick Belker
• James B. Sikking … Cast, Lt. Howard Hunter
• Joe Spano … Cast, Sgt. Henry Goldblume
• Barbara Bosson … Cast, Fay Furillo
• Taurean Blacque … Cast, Detective Neal Washington
• Kiel Martin … Cast, Detective J. D. LaRue
• Rene Enriquez … Cast, Lt. Ray Calletano
• Betty Thomas … Cast, Sgt. Lucy Bates
• Charles Haid … Cast, Officer Andy Renko
• Veronica Hamel … Cast, Joyce Davenport
• Panchito Gomez … Cast, Hector Ruiz
• Trinidad Silva … Cast, Jesus Martinez
• Veronica Redd … Cast, Alena
• Eleanor McCoy … Cast, Jonette
• Vernon Washington … Cast, William
• Gerry Black … Cast, Detective
• Gary Grubbs … Cast, Earps
• Ron Godines … Cast, Contreras
• Gary Van Orman … Cast, Sneed
• Nick Savage … Cast, Pickpocket
• Jonathan Dasteel … Cast, LaMonica
• Robert Hirschfeld … Cast, Khaki Officer
• Paul Michael … Cast, Proprietor
• Heshimu Cumbuka … Cast, Pimp
• Luisa Leschin … Cast, Girl Street Kid
• Andy Arthur … Cast, Street Kid
• Don Cervantes … Cast, Street Kid
• Richard Wright … Cast, Killer Junkie
• Chris Doyle … Cast, Angel Dust Junkie