SPENSER: FOR HIRE: ONE FOR MY DAUGHTER (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, Hawk and Spenser keep an eye on music video director Bo Braxton, who owes money to infamous loan shark "Doggie" Thorpe. Bo talks on the phone with his ex-wife, Callie, who employed Hawk and Spenser as a "favor," but Bo objects, saying he does not need their protection. Callie visits Rita and asks for protection for herself and her daughter Jessie, saying that Bo is too reckless to be trusted, and Rita promises to post a patrol car outside her home overnight. Bo drinks and cheerfully discusses his gambling habits with Hawk and Spenser, and they are visited by some of Thorpe's men, demanding money from Bo. Hawk and Spenser quickly get rid of the men, and Bo happily tells his wife and daughter about it, saying he is not worried about the situation, but Hawk points out that Thorpe is a "psychopath" who will now want revenge in addition to his money, which angers Callie. In the morning, Hawk drives a chatty Jessie to school, but Spenser tells Callie that Bo disappeared during his watch, and they search for him. Bo soon arrives in good spirits, saying he has a plan to make Thorpe leave him alone, and asks a doubtful Hawk and Spenser to back him up.
Left home alone, Jessie mixes herself a drink, having inherited her father's addiction. In the morning, Bo calls for Jessie, but Callie says that it is too dangerous for him to see her. When Hawk takes her to school, he immediately realizes that she is drinking and calls her out on it, but she protests that she is only imitating her father, whom she prefers to her mother. Bo visits Thorpe and blackmails him with a video of him with an underage girl, demanding $40,000. Thorpe hands the cash over without comment and Bo is thrilled, but Spenser and Hawk angrily tell him that Thorpe will now kill him and his family and take the money back. They force Bo on a plane to Atlanta, and when he tries to argue that he is a victim of racism, Hawk scolds him for his bad choices and irresponsibility. Jessie's school nurse realizes that she is drunk and Bo arrives to collect her, not having boarded the plane, and he promises to take care of her. Spenser and Callie receive a call from Hawk saying that Jessie has left school with her father, and they rush to track them down. Bo lectures Jessie about her drinking, saying that he himself has a manageable "rhythm," but soon admits that he cannot stop. At the same time, some of Thorpe's men shoot at Callie outside of her home, and Spenser fires back.
Bo takes Jessie to a farmhouse where he and Callie honeymooned to hide out, promising to take her to Disney World soon, and she questions him about his divorce from her mother. Hawk tells Callie about Jessie's drinking, and she tearfully admits that she already suspected, saying that she at first was glad to have Bo rely on her before he became "too heavy." At the farmhouse, Bo realizes that Jessie's addiction is out of control and blames himself, saying she deserves a better father. Using phone taps, Spenser and Hawk discover that Bo has called Thorpe and offered to make a deal, revealing his location at the farmhouse, and they hurry to head off the criminals as Thorpe and his men arrive heavily armed. Bo tells Jessie to hide and tries to draw them away from her, but the men grab Jessie and Thorpe orders her killed. Hawk and Spenser show up and fall into a standoff with Thorpe, and Bo sneaks up and saves Jessie as Hawk shoots Thorpe dead. In the hospital, Bo is grateful to be alive, but Hawk gives him a dressing-down and tells him to "discipline himself." Two months later, at Jessie's birthday party, it seems that he has done just that; father and daughter are both sober, and the detectives celebrate with the family. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: March 7, 1987 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:45
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:09743
- GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1985-1988
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Afta aftershave conditioner
- TV - Commercials - Benadryl allergy medication
- TV - Commercials - Burger King restaurants
- TV - Commercials - California Raisins
- TV - Commercials - Chevrolet automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Chrysler automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Contac cold medication
- TV - Commercials - Diet Coke soft drinks
- TV - Commercials - Diet Pepsi soft drinks
- TV - Commercials - Double Dutch chocolate coffees
- TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
- TV - Commercials - L'eggs pantyhose
- TV - Commercials - Listerine mouthwash
- TV - Commercials - Louis Rich turkey
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Oldsmobile automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Post Raisin Bran cereal
- TV - Commercials - Speed Stick deodorant
- TV - Commercials - The American Foundation for AIDS Research
- TV - Promos - "ABC World News Tonight"
- TV - Promos - "Bigfoot" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "Dynasty"
- TV - Promos - "Hotel"
- TV - Promos - "Moonraker" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "Spenser: For Hire" upcoming episode
- TV - Promos - "Star Trek" motion picture
- TV - Promos - ABC's College Basketball
CREDITS
- Juanita Barlett … Executive Producer
- William Robert Yates … Senior Supervising Producer
- Stephen Hattman … Supervising Producer
- Michael J. Maschio … Producer
- Mark Horowitz … Associate Producer
- John Wilder … Developed by
- Joan H. Parker … Writer
- Robert B. Parker … Writer, Based on characters created by
- Winrich Kolbe … Director
- Steve Dorff … Music by
- Larry Herbstritt … Music by
- Robert Urich … Cast, Spenser
- Avery Brooks … Cast, Hawk
- Carolyn McCormick … Cast, Rita Fiori
- Ron McLarty … Cast, Sgt. Frank Belson
- Richard Jaeckel … Cast, Lt. Martin Quirk
- Larry Riley … Cast, Bo Braxton
- Pam Potillo … Cast, Jessie Braxton
- David Strathairn … Cast, Doggie Thorpe
- Rocco Sisto … Cast, Sonny Stroud
- Margaret Avery … Cast, Callie Braxton