Starsky et Hutch Gillian (1975–1979) Online

This is one of those episodes that clearly state the genius of this show: the friendship and the emotions of Starsky & Hutch. It is probably the most emotional episode. I enjoy it a lot even though it is not my favorite one.

But, one of my favorite scenes is in this episode, when Hutch freezes in a shootout.

Though I have to say, that the most emotional part here is presented by Starsky. His scene with Gillian is more emotional than all the scenes between Hutch and Gillian, which are not many. Even though Hutch is the one involved with Gillian, his emotions don't hold a candle to Starsky's performance, including the shootout scene, the scene where Starsky finds out and the one where he confronts Gillian. Starsky is brilliant in this episode.

There is one mistake though. Gillian gives back the keys to her apartment to Mrs Grossman and then returns to her apartment to pack her bags. How did she get in? Why didn't she pack before?

Even though it has a few flaws, this is a great episode and one of my favorites. PMG is especially good in his one-on-one scenes with Gillian and Hutch. With Gillian, he is properly torn between staying out of the situation and needing to protect his friend. His facial expressions and delivery during his confrontation with Gillian convey that he does not want to be there but knows he has to do something. The pivotal scene between Starsky and Hutch, where Hutch finds his girlfriend dead and Starsky explains why, is just about perfect. David Soul hits all the right roller-coaster emotions of grief, confusion, anger and remorse. Hitting Starsky was a brilliant idea to get all of that going at once. PMG's response lines were perfectly expressed. These guys were so good. The final confrontation and shootout in the theater was the right ending.

My only issues are with the beginning and not really getting the Hutch/Gillian relationship solidly established. This, I guess, is mostly just the lack of time to get everything into a one hour show. Unlike series TV now, where the personal relationships grow and follow through from episode to episode, Starsky and Hutch episodes were pretty much stand- alone. So Hutch had to fall head-over-heels for someone we had never seen and who Starsky had never even met. So much so that he's distracted in the first shootout and can't function. If we had had more info on why and how Hutch had gotten so smitten, (how they met, what he thought he knew about her compared to the truth, etc.) those scenes might have rung more true. Also, we have very little information on Gillian and why and how she can be so controlled to be kept as a prostitute, or why she has to be killed because she wants out. Too little backstory to help us understand why things are happening. It might have helped if Gillian explained to Starsky why she is trapped in this situation when he confronts her, but unfortunately, that doesn't happen.

Otherwise, a really good story with great scenes, no distracting stuntman doubles who don't look anything like our main characters, and even an end tag that fits into the story, makes sense and is cute, if silly. Love it.

OK, this episode is way, way over the top. I like Starsky and Hutch, I bought the DVDs, but the writer of this episode pulled everything out of his cupboards and drawers and stuffed it into this episode. There's really too much going on, too many "shocking" revelations that just make you groan. Even the climatic scene is fulled with lurid absurdity that makes you shake your head.

There was a good episode here. But only if the writer would have pulled back and used a little subtlety. This episode is about as subtle as a baseball bat to your head. If you like absurd, over the top cop episodes, this should do the trick for you. If not, there are much better episodes of S&H to watch.