LETHAL WEAPON: PILOT {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The first in this action/comedy-drama series about two troubled, mismatched L.A.P.D. detectives, based on the popular 1987 film of the same name and its subsequent sequels. In this episode, in Texas, Detective Martin Riggs is thrilled to learn – during a high-speed chase – that his wife Miranda has gone into labor with their first child. However, a truck then strikes her car, and at the hospital Riggs is devastated to learn that she and the baby have died. Six months later, in L.A., Detective Roger Murtaugh prepares to return to work after his recent fiftieth birthday and open-heart surgery, and he arrives at the precinct to find that his former partner, Brooks Avery, is now his captain. Murtaugh is then called to the scene of a bank robbery/hostage situation, and he is stunned to learn that the reckless "civilian" strolling into the bank with pizzas is in fact his new partner, Riggs. Riggs casually tells the robbers that they will receive their demands if they kill a hostage – or a cop, such as himself – but then quickly disarms them and frees the hostages moments before the bank explodes. Back at work, Riggs dodges Dr. Maureen Cahill's questions about Miranda as Murtaugh complains to Avery about having to work with the irresponsible transfer, and when they are called to the scene of one Ramon Alvarez's apparent suicide, Riggs immediately guesses that there is more to the story.
Alvarez's wife states that he was recovering from his past suicidal ideations and was planning to move the family to Arizona, and when Murtaugh questions why lefty Alvarez was shot in the right temple, Riggs reveals that he has given much consideration to his own suicide. They visit Alvarez's place of employment, a security company, but Riggs spots an employee with a gang tattoo and instinctively pursues him, which somehow leads to a high-speed car chase in the middle of the Grand Prix. The suspect is then hit by a bus, and Avery is outraged at the extensive trouble caused by Riggs' mere hunch and reassigns them both. Riggs accuses Murtaugh of cowardice, though Murtaugh counters that fearfulness is better than Riggs' dangerous death wish. Later, Riggs arrives at Murtaugh's home to apologize, and Murtaugh's wife Trish invites her husband's new partner in for dinner. During the meal, Roger Jr. and Riana are amused by Riggs' blunt comments, but Trish then asks about his family and Riggs sadly explains about his wife's death. Murtaugh introduces Riggs to their surprise third baby, admitting that he had a heart attack right in the delivery room, and they decide to solve the Alvarez case on their own.
Forensic tech "Scorsese" reveals some autopsy details that conflict with a suicide ruling, but when Riggs attempts to re-question the widow, he learns that her son Oscar was kidnapped and ransomed for a quantity of heroin that Alvarez apparently stole. Murtaugh arrives at Riggs' shoddy trailer home and reveals that Daryl Hennicky, one of his fellow security guards, opted not to mention that he was also Alvarez's commanding officer in the military, and they guess that Hennicky killed him in order to cover up his involvement with the drug trade. Riggs decides to confront the kidnappers alone and even handcuffs Murtaugh to his trailer to prevent his coming along, though Murtaugh arrives at the scene just in time to rescue Riggs and Oscar. Hennicky arrives and shoots Riggs from an unseen vantage point, and Riggs offers to give himself up as bait, seemingly ready to die and reunite with Miranda. Murtaugh shoots him in the foot, however, causing Hennicky to fire harmlessly, and Riggs quickly kills the criminal. Later, Riggs meets with his former father-in-law, a city attorney who "smoothed everything out" as a show of gratitude for his bringing Miranda home to L.A. to rest. Riggs then visits Murtaugh again and thanks him for saving his life, admitting that he genuinely wishes to die but feels that he would dishonor Miranda if he took his own life. Murtaugh is then annoyed when Trish again invites him in, further delaying his belated "birthday present." Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: FOX
- DATE: November 30, 1999 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:46:06
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 127242
- GENRE: Drama, police/detective
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/detective; Drama, action/adventure; Comedy
- SERIES RUN: FOX - TV series, 2016-2019
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jennifer Gwartz … Executive Producer
- Dan Lin … Executive Producer
- McG … Executive Producer, Director
- Matt Miller … Executive Producer, Developed by, Writer
- Kelly Van Horn … Producer
- Joshua Levey … Co-Producer
- Shane Black … Writer, Based on the screenplay by
- Ben Decter … Music by
- Josh Kramon … Music by
- Damon Wayans … Cast, Roger Murtaugh
- Clayne Crawford … Cast, Martin Riggs
- Jordana Brewster … Cast, Dr. Maureen Cahill
- Keesha Sharp … Cast, Trish Murtaugh
- Kevin Rahm … Cast, Captain Brooks Avery
- Johnathan Fernandez … Cast, Scorsese
- Chandler Kinney … Cast, Riana Murtaugh
- Dante Brown … Cast, Roger Murtaugh Jr.
- Floriana Lima … Cast, Miranda Riggs
- Tony Plana … Cast, Ronnie Delgado
- Veronica Diaz … Cast, Mrs. Alvarez
- Rudolf Martin … Cast, Levon Tibibian
- Gino Anthony Pesi … Cast, Daryl Hennicky
- Charles Baker … Cast, Bank Robber
- Sprague Grayden … Cast, Genie Babcock
- Toni Trucks … Cast, Maria Torez
- Peter Cortes … Cast, Oscar Alvarez
- Colin Patrick Lynch … Cast, Partner
- Carl Tart … Cast, Station Officer
- Adrian Bustamante … Cast, Uni
- Dutch Johnson … Cast, SWAT Leader
- Jeff Houkal … Cast, Parking Security Guard
- Amy Sutherland … Cast, Maternity Nurse
- Britt Sanborn … Cast, OR Nurse