VEGAS {PILOT} (TV)
Summary
The first in this dramatic series, based on a true story, about a cowboy-turned-sheriff and his tangles with mobsters and other criminals in Las Vegas, 1960. In this episode, rancher Ralph Lamb's herd is frightened and scattered by a low-flying plane, and when he storms over to the airport to complain, he gets into a fight with several men, observed by arriving Chicago mobster Vincent Savino. Elsewhere, Mayor Bennett learns from A.D.A. Katherine O'Connell that the governor's daughter, Samantha, has been murdered and found out in the desert. Upon hearing that the sheriff is mysteriously out of town, Bennett summons Ralph, who has been arrested for the airport brawl. He asks Ralph to help solve the murder, which he agrees to do in exchange for clear airspace over his ranch. Savino, in town to handle "the sheriff business," looks for an informant and seems to disapprove of his thugs' violent treatment of a man, Toby, who immediately gives up Sheriff Hennigan's whereabouts. Ralph's brother Jack, the deputy, comes along to help with the case, as does Don, their tracker, and Ralph's son Dixon, hurriedly escaping the home of his married girlfriend.
The D.A. objects to Ralph's inexpert involvement, but though Bennett tells him about Ralph's skills and the way in which he solved a series of murders during the war, he remains suspicious about his motivations. Savino keeps an eye on details in the casino as Ralph and the others talk to Samantha's mother, learning that they were estranged thanks to her runaway relationship with a ranch hand, Kale. They inspect the crime scene and find a makeshift grave as well as motorcycle tire tracks. When they question Kale, he offers a poor alibi and admits suspecting Samantha of cheating on him, and Katherine arrives to hear their progress, hinting at a past between herself and Ralph. Ralph meets Savino, who is suspicious that he is not a proper police official, though he invites him to Bennett's campaign part. Ralph also talks to Bob, Samantha's boss in the credit department of the casino, hearing that she was recently promoted to handling some of the "high-rollers." As Ralph examines the back exits of the casino, he finds a bloody footprint, but is knocked out from behind by a mysterious person. At the same time, a group of Hells Angels on motorcycles robs the casino, and Katherine points out that they make good suspects for Samantha's death.
Ralph questions one of the bikers, but then learns from Don that the evidence suggests an alibi for the group. At Bennett's party, the D.A. covertly telephones the missing sheriff and a dressed-up Katherine greets an uncomfortable Ralph, who sneaks into the credit office during Bennett's speech and looks through the files. He learns that a high-roller named Stuart Mills vanished around the time of Samantha's death, and Savino is suspicious of his snooping methods. After dealing with the Hells Angels' annoying attorney, Ralph learns that Mills was stealing from his job at a bank to cover his casino debts and that Samantha discovered the truth, but when they track the man down, he says that he had a deal with Bob and blames him for the crime. Elsewhere, the D.A. meets with Hennigan, revealing that he knows where certain bodies are hidden, and Savino arrives on the scene. Back at the casino, Ralph bursts into Savino's office demanding to arrest Bob, and guns are drawn on both sides before they learn that he is not there. They catch him attempting to escape at the airport and he is arrested, though Katherine admits that they have little hard evidence against him. She and Ralph strike a bargain with the Hells Angels and get them to reveal that they saw Bob disposing of Samantha's body in the desert. Savino plans to take care of Bob with his "guys on the inside," though considers that "the cowboy" will be a problem. Ralph finds Kale and reassures him that Samantha was not seeing someone else and offers to give him a job. Katherine then takes Ralph out to the desert again, where Hennigan's dead body has been found, and Ralph finds himself in a new job of his own. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: September 25, 2012 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:45:33
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 108283
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 2012-2013
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Arthur Sarkissian … Executive Producer
- Cathy Konrad … Executive Producer
- Nicholas Pileggi … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Greg Walker … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- James Mangold … Executive Producer, Director
- Dennis Quaid … Co-Executive Producer
- Michael Chiklis … Co-Executive Producer
- Karen Moore … Producer
- John Forrest Niss … Co-Producer
- David Carbonara … Music by
- Dennis Quaid … Cast, Ralph Lamb
- Michael Chiklis … Cast, Vincent Savino
- Carrie-Anne Moss … Cast, A.D.A. Katherine O'Connell
- Taylor Handley … Cast, Dixon Lamb
- Jason O'Mara … Cast, Jack Lamb
- James Russo … Cast, Anthony 'Red' Cervelli
- Michael Reilly Burke … Cast, Rich Reynolds
- Gil Birmingham … Cast, Don Simmons
- Michael O'Neill … Cast, Ted Bennett
- William Russ … Cast, Mert Hayes
- Sonny Marinelli … Cast, Nick Cota
- Joe Sabatino … Cast, Vic Borelli
- Sean Hennigan … Cast, Sheriff Hennigan
- Kai Lennox … Cast, Bob Perrin
- Billy Lush … Cast, Cale Green
- Richard Edison … Cast, Arthur Speziali
- James MacDonald … Cast, Don Blachford
- Matthew Page … Cast, Deputy Armstrong
- Randy Hall … Cast, Mechanic #1
- Judy Baldwin … Cast, Dorris Meade
- John Newton … Cast, William Van Dyke
- Jason Douglas … Cast, Stuart Mills
- Sunny Mabrey … Cast, Jodie Kent
- Tom Romero … Cast, Desk Clerk
- A.J. Rome … Cast, Bellman #1
- Mark Allan Stewart … Cast, Dealer #1
- Casey Messer … Cast, Office Worker
- Jon Kristian Moore … Cast, Cessna Mechanic
- Rob Tode … Cast, Bellman #2
- Max Ciano … Cast, High Roller
- John Wylie … Cast, Business Man
- Roy Lea … Cast, Dealer #2
- Kim Hawley … Cast, Maid