Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti, sensational as usual) has mixed feelings about Jesse John Hudson (an excellent and charismatic performance by Danny Glover), a powerful ex-gang leader who's just been released from prison who claims he wants to do good for his old community. However, word on the street is that Hudson wants to reclaim his old turf. Meanwhile, various police officers search the neighborhood for a missing seven-year-old boy. This episode offers a typically nice and satisfying blend of drama and humor that was undeniably this show's key specialty. The definite comic highlights are a hilarious conversation between Esterhaus (a wonderfully warm and hearty Michael Conrad) and Hunter (the deliciously deadpan James B. Sikking) about sex and Belker (Bruce Weitz) arresting an orangutan purse snatcher (!). Moreover, this episode starts out with a startling scene with a crazed gun-brandishing guy being shot down by several cops in the station house and concludes with a strong dramatic scene between Furillo and Davenport (a fine Veronica Hamel) in which Furillo requests that they become more serious and committed about their romantic relationship. Nick Savage briefly appears once again as the ubiquitous Pickpocket and Trinidad Silva makes the most out of his limited screen time as cagey gang leader Jesus Martinez, but it's the insanely hot and sensuous Barbara Babcock who almost steals the whole program with only a single scene as the eminently desirable and sexually aggressive Grace Gardner. And this show makes a very relevant point that the system only works up to a certain point.
3 Reviews
Frank at Forty
Hitchcoc9 July 2021
A former gang leader (Danny Glover) is out of jail and ready to take over the hill. Barbara Babcock is still after Phil and he is exhausted. Frank is tired of his hit and miss relationship with the counselor. Belker apprehends an orangutan and they seem to have a lot in common. Thinks should get really interesting in the next episode.
Some memorable comic bits of business in this episode.
Hey_Sweden4 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
It's Franks' 40th birthday, and while he does get moments here and there to celebrate this milestone, things are always very busy on the Hill. In the opening minutes, a criminal in the station actually manages to get hold of a gun, and is brought down by some of the boys in blue. A seven-year-old goes missing, and resources are pooled to canvas the kids' neighbourhood. An ex-convict, Jesse John Hudson (guest star Danny Glover) seems to want to do good for his own neighbourhood, but Frank has his doubts about the guy. Officer Coffey, having survived the shooting at the end of the first season, is itching to get back to active duty.
Once again, the cast is uniformly excellent, with an especially praiseworthy turn by series star Daniel J. Travanti. Michael Conrad is wonderful as the weary Esterhaus, bemoaning (to Hunter) the fact that he's always seemed to be irresistible to women! Guest star Barbara Babcock burns up the screen as his hot-to-trot girlfriend. James B. Sikking has some fun moments as Hunter attempts to coax a suspect out of a car trunk. Bruce Weitz is priceless as ever-gruff Belker, who proves that he can apprehend just about any suspect, including an orangutan who's been snatching purses! (He has another of his funny scenes with Nick Savage as Pickpocket (who this time uses the name of Sam Sneed).) The sequence in which Goldblume gets a kid to come clean is a powerful highlight of the episode, but this is followed by an equally potent scene as Frank, fed up with the status of his relationship with Joyce, urges her to make a decision - one that she's apparently not ready to make. It throws some doubt on the future of this relationship.
The writing is typically sharp, and amusing and poignant in equal measure; series producer Gregory Hoblit was also the director here.
Familiar faces in small roles include Trinidad Silva (in his recurring role of gang leader Jesus Martinez) and Martin Ferrero as a robber.
Eight out of 10.
Once again, the cast is uniformly excellent, with an especially praiseworthy turn by series star Daniel J. Travanti. Michael Conrad is wonderful as the weary Esterhaus, bemoaning (to Hunter) the fact that he's always seemed to be irresistible to women! Guest star Barbara Babcock burns up the screen as his hot-to-trot girlfriend. James B. Sikking has some fun moments as Hunter attempts to coax a suspect out of a car trunk. Bruce Weitz is priceless as ever-gruff Belker, who proves that he can apprehend just about any suspect, including an orangutan who's been snatching purses! (He has another of his funny scenes with Nick Savage as Pickpocket (who this time uses the name of Sam Sneed).) The sequence in which Goldblume gets a kid to come clean is a powerful highlight of the episode, but this is followed by an equally potent scene as Frank, fed up with the status of his relationship with Joyce, urges her to make a decision - one that she's apparently not ready to make. It throws some doubt on the future of this relationship.
The writing is typically sharp, and amusing and poignant in equal measure; series producer Gregory Hoblit was also the director here.
Familiar faces in small roles include Trinidad Silva (in his recurring role of gang leader Jesus Martinez) and Martin Ferrero as a robber.
Eight out of 10.
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