HILL STREET BLUES: A CASE OF KLAPP (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, Hunter stumbles across a convenience store robbery and ends up shooting the teenage thief dead. Furillo confronts Jablonski after role call, saying that he should be in the hospital for his bypass, but Jablonski dismisses his concern and Furillo tasks Bates with observing him. Upon learning that Hunter was involved in a "problem shoot," Furillo sends Buntz to investigate the scene, and IAD Shipman soon comes for Hunter's statement. Davenport's co-worker Danny Santana reveals that he and many others were let go because of budget cuts and tells her that a public defenders' strike is imminent, while elsewhere Belker goes deep undercover to catch a crook robbing elderly pensioners of their monthly checks. Shipman questions Hunter, who steadfastly declares that he is innocent of any wrongdoing, though Goldblume discovers that the young robber's gun was non-functional and that Hunter used his personal weapon.
Buntz visits the convenience store, where the owner affirms that the boy was about to shoot Hunter, and co-worker Ramon admits that he saw the boy's accomplice. In a meeting, Santana encourages the other defenders to strike, and LaRue finds himself taken with a pretty young fence as he and Washington stake out her store. Davenport represents a young drug dealer in court and decides to make a point by following the law to the letter and slowing the process, much to Judge Wachtel's annoyance. As a result, Belker is called in from his operation to testify on the minor charge, and Renko promises to watch out for the pension thief in his absence. Furillo clashes with Briscoe over Hunter's possible guilt, and when Shipman hints that his report will indeed implicate him, Furillo urges Hunter to state that he was off-duty at the time. Wachtel accuses Davenport of obstructing justice as the case drags on, and Hunter performs a "surprise inspection" of his officers despite his dire situation. Washington and LaRue are stunned to find the fence's shop empty, realizing that they let her get away. Santana alerts Davenport to the confirmed strike and she hastily attempts to adjourn her case, but Wachtel insults her to the point where she slaps him and is arrested for battery.
Hunter finds the dead boy's brother and tries to make amends, but the young man scorns his apologies. Buntz tracks down the boy's accomplice, Smith, determined to "catch him dirty" to aid Hunter's case. At Furillo's urging, Jablonski finally announces to the precinct that he is having heart surgery, emotionally declaring that he is honored to have served with them. LaRue and Washington consider that no one will notice their mistake because of the strike, but LaRue then spots the woman at a bar and is surprised to find that she is actually Officer Tina Russo, a fellow cop. Furillo bails out Davenport, who admits that she feels conflicted about abandoning her clients, and her sense of guilt increases when she learns that an old man was killed, possibly by the check thief, and that Belker was unable to prevent it because she summoned him to court. Jablonski begs Furillo to allow him to continue working, afraid of living an empty life after his surgery, but Furillo urges him to take care of himself. At home, Hunter broods over the day's events, clearly deeply affected by the shooting. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: October 9, 1986 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:48:50
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:66778
- GENRE: Drama, police/detective
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/detective
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1981-1987
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jeffrey Lewis … Executive Producer
- David Milch … Executive Producer
- Jeff Melvoin … Co-Executive Producer
- John Litvack … Co-Executive Producer
- Penny Adams … Coordinating Producer
- Scott Brazil … Supervising Producer, Director
- Michael Vittes … Producer
- Steve Bello … Co-Producer
- James C. Hart … Associate Producer
- Michael Kozoll … Created by
- Steven Bochco … Created by
- Terry Curtis Fox … Writer
- Mike Post … Music by
- Daniel J. Travanti … Cast, Capt. Frank Furillo
- Michael Warren … Cast, Officer Bobby Hill
- Bruce Weitz … Cast, Sgt. Mick Belker
- Robert Prosky … Cast, Sgt. Stan Jablonski
- James B. Sikking … Cast, Lt. Howard Hunter
- Joe Spano … Cast, Det. Henry Goldblume
- Taurean Blacque … Cast, Det. Neal Washington
- Kiel Martin … Cast, Officer J.D. LaRue
- Betty Thomas … Cast, Sgt. Lucy Bates
- Dennis Franz … Cast, Lt. Norman Buntz
- Charles Haid … Cast, Officer Andrew Renko
- Veronica Hamel … Cast, Joyce Davenport
- Jeffrey Tambor … Cast, Judge Alan Wachtel
- Andy Romano … Cast, Warren Briscoe
- Arthur Taxier … Cast, IAD Shipman
- Reni Santoni … Cast, Danny Santana
- Megan Gallagher … Cast, Officer Tina Russo
- Ernest Harden Jr. … Cast, James Wingate
- Lawrence Tierney … Cast, Sergeant Jenkins
- Carlos Palomino … Cast, Ramon
- Nathan Davis … Cast, Aaron Levine
- Carol Gustafson … Cast, Hilda
- John Wesley … Cast, Ed Andrews
- Connie Sawyer … Cast, Tessie
- Gary Bolen … Cast, Reporter
- Erin Blunt … Cast, Accomplice
- Arnold Johnson … Cast, Wino
- Tony Montero … Cast, Night Detective
- Dean Wein … Cast, Bailiff
- Martha Hackett … Cast, Carol Greene
- John Bluto … Cast, I.A.D.
- Matt Kanen … Cast, Melvin
- Marilyn Joi … Cast, Rhonda
- Keland Love … Cast, Amos Wingate
- Mark S. Porro … Cast, A.D.A. Simmons