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Starsky & Hutch Transcripts

STARSKY & HUTCH

1x11: Lady Blue

Original Airdate: 11/12/1975

Written by: Michael Mann

Directed by: Don Weis



The Pits: Day

Hutch: What do you mean you don't have me listed as a member? (Inside Hutch is on the pay phone.) My name is Hutchinson, H-U-T...what? (Pause) Well, look fella it didn't bother you when I signed the bottom of the check. Now, all I want to do is to get my car fixed. You understand? So let's take it again from the top. My membership number is 694-272-4-A. Yes, I'll hold. I've been holding for 20 minutes, I'm getting good at it.

(Cut to outside, where the Torino pulls up in front of Hutch's steaming car. Starsky laughs and drives passes, stopping at the end of the alley and honks his horn)

(Meanwhile inside Hutch is still on the phone and Huggy is moving around in the background.)

Hutch: Sure, yeah. No, I understand. I understand completely. No, no. No bother at all. (Slams the phone down. To Huggy) What was the name of that friend of yours?

Huggy: Sneaky Pete.

Hutch: Sneaky Pete.

Huggy: What's the matter?

Hutch: (Over the top) do you think that, he can fix my car for me?

Huggy: Yeah, your car club's not coming, huh?

Hutch: How can they? Computer says I don't exist. (Leaves. Huggy puts money into the pay phone)

(Outside, Hutch walks towards the Torino)

Hutch: (To him) cancel my membership. (Looks at his car before getting into the Torino)

Starsky: (Looking at the paper) what were you doing in there?

Hutch: I just wanna get my car fixed. I've been in there on the phone for 20 minutes trying to prove to the guy I exist.

Starsky: Oh.

Hutch: Did you ever think about it Starsky?

Starsky: What?

Hutch: Here we go, another day, another dollar. "10-4. Five-six. Tac 2, Zebra Three. They're trying to make us into digits and I'm tired of it.

Starsky: Hey, hey, hey, you know it's important. I enjoy being Zebra Three. I don't think I could sleep at night if they took that away from us.

Hutch: Starsky...

Starsky: What?

Hutch: They feed us numbers all day long. They try to make us into one of them. You see, Zebra Three, 10-4, 40 buffalo and a gaggle of geese.

Starsky: And a partridge in a pear tree, it sounds like Christmas.

Hutch: That's not funny.

Starsky: I know it's not funny, but it's not the end of the world either. I mean look at it this way: They could have made us "Weimaraner Four"

Dispatch: Zebra Three

Starsky: You see, isn't that beautiful? (Picks up the phone)

Hutch: (Taking the phone) ah let me take it.

Starsky: No, I got it.

Hutch: I'll take it.

Starsky: Okay.

Hutch: (Into the phone) Hello there, fellow person. Nice human being, are you calling us?

Dispatch: Zebra Three come in, please.

Hutch: 10-4's, Forty Zebra's. What are you talking, 200 antelopes? What are we a zoo?

Dispatch: Who is this?

Hutch: This is Detectives Hutchinson and Starsky. No numbers0 today. What do you wish warm person. Please talk now.

Dispatch: There's a 187. That's a dead body in Lincoln Gardens, near the museum.

Hutch: Ten-fo...We're rolling. (Starsky starts the car.)


Lincoln Gardens: Day

(The Torino comes to a halt in front of a black and white. Hutch and Starsky get out)

Hutch: (To a uniform officer) Hey, Marty.

Marty: Fellas. (They walk up a slope to meet Marty) The, ah, corpse is over there. Those people were on a picnic and they were right next to it. They, ah, threw their blanket down, turned around and there she was.

Hutch: Did you call in the crime lab?

Marty: No, sir.

Starsky: Coroner's wagon?

Marty: Not yet.

Starsky: I'll get it. (Walks back to the car.)

Hutch: You all right?

Marty: Whoa, whoever did this was really some kind of psycho. After he killed her, he wrapped her up in antenna wire. (Hutch goes over to look at the body. He lifts up the sheet)

Starsky: (On the phone) Zebra Three, Zebra Three. (On the hill a look of recognition appears on Hutch's face) We got a confirmation on that dead body in Lincoln Gardens. You want to send a Coroner's wagon and a crime lab team?

Dispatch: Roger, Zebra Three.

Starsky: Thank you. (He heads up the hill, but Hutch stops him)

Hutch: Ah, Starsk.

Starsky: What?

Hutch: Come here. (He walks back to the car, with a puzzled Starsky.)

Starsky: What? What's the matter? (Gets concerned) Hey, you okay?

Hutch: It's Helen. Starsky, its Helen.

The Hospital: Day

(Starsky's slumped in a chair. Hutch comes over with a cup of coffee. He sits down beside Starsky. Hutch offers him the drink, but he shakes his head.)

Hutch: She's been dead for two days. She was killed in one location and dropped where we found her. Whoever did this, Starsky, was sick. She had multiple puncture wounds. She was wrapped in television antenna wire. (Pause) Oh, Starsky (Pats his hand)

Starsky: Hey. It's all right.


Dobey's office: Day

(Dobey's sat behind the desk, while Hutch brings a cup of coffee over to Starsky.)

Hutch: When Helen was first assigned, she rode with us for about a week. (Hands Starsky the cup) After that she and Starsky were pretty close for a while.

Dobey: I'm supposed to see her old lieutenant later but according to this she quit the force about three months ago. Was that before or after you two broke up?

Starsky: After by a couple of months.

Dobey: Says here she was a fine police officer until the end. Absenteeism, insubordination and drunk once. What happened to her? How'd she end up a go-go dancer in a joint like the Mellow Yellow?

Starsky: I don't know, Captain.

Hutch: Her roommate worked at the Mellow Yellow, we thought we'd check that out.

Dobey: I don't think you will.

Starsky: What do you mean?

Dobey: I'm taking you off the case.

Starsky: Look, cap...

Dobey: You look. I want that psycho nailed and put away.

Starsky: So do we.

Dobey: That's why I'm not taking any chances on you getting yourself suspended.

Starsky: Hey, I'm a cop, not a vigilante. And especially because this was Helen what'll go down will be the most professional homicide investigation ever conducted by this department. I'm going to walk that guy into a court and a judge is going to imprison him or institutionalise him for the rest of his life, so help me God. (Dobey looks at Hutch, who nods)

Dobey: Okay, but no false moves. (They leave)


Outside the Mellow Yellow: Day

(Starsky and Hutch walk up to the door, Hutch tries the handle while Starsky slams against it)

We're closed, beat it.

Hutch: (Gets out his badge.) You just reopened.

Not without a warrant. (Hutch tries to walk passed, but the guy belly pushes him away. Starsky slams the door, and then opens it. Hutch goes through and strikes the guy in the face and slams him against the closed door.)

Starsky: (Enters) used to be a doorman.

(They enter the main bar; a lady is sat at the bar. Hutch shows his badge the a lady sat at a table)

Hutch: Cindy? (The lady nods her head at the girl at the bar. Hutch goes behind the bar) Cindy? (He shows her his badge)

Cindy: I already talked to the other cops. I got nothing to say to you guys. (She stands to leave)

Starsky: (Stopping her) we think maybe you do. You were her roommate.

Cindy: So what? Loo, I already told you.

Hutch: You already talked to the other cops. We wanna hear it again.

Starsky: You see, there might be something that wouldn't mean anything to anybody else.

Cindy: You guys know Helen?

Starsky: Yeah, a long time ago.

Cindy: You're Dave, Dave Starsky, aren't you?

Starsky: She told you about me.

Cindy: She never said you were a cop. She only said that maybe once she made a mistake. (Starsky gets up)

Hutch: Cindy, we need your help. How well did you know her?

Cindy: What can I tell you? She was my best friend like a kid sister that I never had. I used to get into jams and she'd be there to bail me out. I never had anybody like that in my whole life.

Hutch: How was she feeling lately? Was she happy? Was she down? What?

Cindy: I don't know. With Helen it was hard to tell. She'd keep things to herself rather than bother other people.

Hutch: Was she seeing anybody in particular?

Cindy: She was going out with the owner here.

Starsky: What was his name?

Cindy: Ruby. Ruby Solenko

Starsky: Anybody ever bother her.

Cindy: Half the customers hassled her. The other half is just weirdoes, if you know what I mean. (Shows Starsky a photo) Helen and me. (Hutch takes the picture when Starsky turns away with a pained expression) He loved her, didn't he?

Hutch: Yeah

Cindy: Listen, anything I can do to help you get the people that did this

Hutch: You can give us a call at this number... (Writes down the number)...if you need us. Thank you.

(He heads out to the car, Starsky's already sat in the drivers seat. Hutch leans in through the window)

Hutch: You okay.

Starsky: (nods) Yeah. (Hutch gets in) The picture threw me.

Hutch: You're holding yourself responsible because the two of you busted up, huh?

Starsky: Yeah, something like that.

Hutch: Starsky, that's ridiculous. Helen wouldn't let it happen that way. I don't know how to break this to you. But you're just not the kind of man a woman's going to kill herself over. I don't care what your mother says, you're not Rudolph Valentino.

Starsky: My mother never said I was Rudolph Valtentino.

Hutch: No?

Starsky: No. Said I was more the Paul Muni type. (They both laugh a little) Okay, so we got a psycho on our hands, huh?

Hutch: Yeah.

Starsky: Okay, where do we start?

Hutch: What do you say to a trip to San Leone?

Starsky: You got it. (Starts up the car)

Hutch: You know something, Starsk. It's too bad that Polly went crackers. He was a good snitch.

Starsky: Hey, if he can point us where we wanna go, he's still a good snitch.


San Leone: Day

Polly: What can I do for you two guys, I'm busy.

Hutch: Polly, we're looking for a psycho. A man who killed a girl and then wrapped her in television antenna wire.

Polly: There are a couple of guys in here that'd fit that jacket. They're not going anyway, they can't bust out of the joint.

Hutch: No, no, on the street. Walking on the street, Polly.

Polly: On the street. Oh, yeah, Commander Jim. Yeah, he's into waveform energy. But look, he's cured. He got out a couple of months ago.

Starsky: Polly, you know is name?

Polly: Yeah, James March Wrightwood. (Shouts) Put down my calculator!

Starsky: Put down his calculator.

Hutch: Polly, you were talking about waveforms.

Polly: Yeah, video signals, radio waves, sonic booms, that kind of stuff. Well, the ether is full of magnetic energy which go into waves, communicate intelligence. Well, Colonel Jim was sensitive to these waves to the magnetic vibrations.

Starsky: Thanks Polly. What are you drawing?

Polly: I'm not drawing. I'm making dials. And when I'm finished with the dials I'm gonna tape them on the wall and we'll all get out of here. You see, you can't get out of this joint. So I'm blasting the whole building off the planet earth.

Hutch: Where are you gonna go?

Polly: Well, where else? Tanel, where I came from. (Laughs hysterically.)

A metal works place: Day

(The Torino drives up next to a man, they get out and Hutch shows a man he's badge)

Hutch: James Wrightwood

Worker: That's him on the torch over there. (They head over to the torch)

Hutch: Wanna turn it off.

Jim: Huh?

Hutch: Turn off your torch.

Jim: What can I do for you?

Hutch: You wanna put that down.

Jim: You sure. What can I do for you fellas?

Hutch: We're friends of Polly.

Jim: Oh yeah, you been looking for me, huh? Hey, Listen I wanna tell you guys, I've been taking my tranquilizers just like the doctor told me, I haven't touched any alcohol, no more magic mushrooms, no dope. I been keeping myself out of trouble.

Starsky: You ever go to bars or go-go joints?

Dispatch: Zebra three, switch to tac 2 for Captain Dobey. (Hutch takes it, Starsky notices Jim's wearing foil around his ankles)

Starsky: Hey, What have you got under your pant legs?

Jim: Aluminium foil.

Starsky: Come again?

Jim: Aluminium foil, it's my shield.

Starsky: For the acid bath?

Jim: Uh-uh, comics rays.

Hutch: Starsky. (Starsky comes over a little bewildered) Dobey just talked to Berkowitz. Helen never quit, she was undercover. Her cover was broken and that's why they think she was killed.

Dobey's Office: Day

Dobey: All right, here it is. Helen was running a dangerous cover. That explains for her go-go dancing at that Mellow Yellow. She was trying to crack a burglary ring.

Starsky: Burglary?

Dobey: Yeah, burglary. They're real sweethearts. They only deal in six figure jewel robberies. Their M.O was to ring the door bell, bust into the house and get the folks to hand over their goodies by brutalising them. One lady got her finger broke. They were trying to get her ring.

Starsky: These things have names?

Dobey: Nah, the only positive thing is that the Mellow Yellow seems to be their headquarters. Two days before she was killed, Helen spotted a tail. She feared she'd blown her cover. In the mean time her lieutenant was trying to bring her in from the cold, she wouldn't come. Well, the rest of it we all know.

Starsky: Yeah. We all know the rest. (Starsky and Hutch leave)

The Pits: Day

(Huggy serves Starsky a cup of coffee)

Huggy: Hutch, I'm with Starsk, if they had done that to my girl I think I'd take that Mellow Yellow joint apart piece by piece.

Hutch: A lot of good that's gonna do, hug.

Starsky: It may not do any good, but it'd sure make me feel a hell of a lot better.

Hutch: You know Helen worked to break that ring for two months and she was a good cop. If we go in there now they're gonna get scared.

Huggy: Or maybe you scared them away already.

Starsky: No, if they were gonna run, they wouldn't have bothered to make Helens death look like the work of a psychopath.

Hutch: Huggy, you got some salt there? I'll lay odds that they're still in there operating.

Starsky: Then we gotta do what burglary couldn't. Find them.

Huggy: Ah, these guys don't sound too cool, going straight at them. Maybe you ought to go around them by talking to some of their colleagues.

Starsky: Hey, fifth avenue

Huggy: No, he won't talk to you. He's retired.

Hutch: No, no, no, He's got a brother doesn't he? The slimy creep who gets his kicks out of peeping at women. What's his name?

Starsky: Sounds like floor or window. Wall...

Hutch: Wally.

Starsky: Wally.

Hutch: Has a nickel or dime car lot at Madison.

Starsky: Wally

Cat Lot: Day

(Hutch closes the bonnet of a car, surprising Starsky)

Starsky: Hey, these are my hands.

Wally: Hey, good morning fellas.

Starsky: Morning.

Wally: You know this car is a classic now. They just don't make them like this no more. No sirree Bob.

Starsky: No sirree Bob.

Hutch: That's real nice, beautiful, I love it.

Starsky: It's quiet dignity, but it appeals to him.

Wally: Well, Baby blue this car could be for you. You know this little beauty has reverb radio, a power antenna, it has sentinel lights, it's got automatic door locks. It's got cruise control and six-way; count them six-way power seats. (To Hutch) I'll tell you something. This car is you. I got the keys right here, what do you say we go for a little, ah, a little run? A little spin.

Hutch: I don't know.

Wally: I'll tell you one thing up front though, I'm warning you, I'm gonna sell you this here chariot. Come on, let's go. (Gives him the keys) Come on, you too. Let's go.

Starsky: (To Hutch) you're a pushover. (Wally opens the back door for Starsky) Thank you.

(Hutch gets in the drivers side and Wally gets in the passenger side.)

Wally: Ah, no problem the service department will take care of that.

Starsky: Hey, you got a relative by the name of Fifth Avenue?

Wally: Ah Fifth Avenue, ah, no never heard of him.

Starsky: Never heard of him.

Hutch: 'D' is for drive, right.

Wally: Yes sirree Bob.

Starsky: Take it, Blue eyes.

(Hutch drives the car out of the lot at high speed, driving over the sidewalk)

Wally: Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey, where are you going? Straighten up. (Hutch heads for some dustbins) No, no, no! (They crash into them and stop)

Hutch: You sure you don't know Fifth Avenue? (Wally shakes his head) That's too bad. 'R' is for reverse? (Reverses out of the bins)

Wally: The tyre! (Drives fast down the road) Honest I never heard of Fifth Avenue. (They screech down an alley.) Stop! Stop! Look out. (They crash through some boxes and barrels and stop)

Starsky: Fifth Avenue. We wanna talk to him.

Wally: I told you I... (Hutch drives back over the boxes) Hold it! Hold it! (They stop) Hold it. Hold it. All right. All right, I'll call him.

Hutch: Yes sirree Bob.

A football stadium: Day

(Starsky and Hutch wait at an empty football stadium.)

Starsky: What time you got?

Hutch: Ten O'clock. (A man enters behind them)

Fifth Avenue: Why? Because I'm a famous dude or because you like breaking up cars.

Hutch: We'll pay for the car.

Fifth Avenue: That's okay the cars taken care of. Well, I head what they did to your girl.

Starsky: Do you know who they are?

Fifth Avenue: Their names are Solenko, Ritlin and Touhy, a punk name Touhy now he's the sickie.

Hutch: Solenko owns the Mellow Yellow right?

Fifth Avenue: Yeah, that's right. (Coughs) You guys wouldn't happen to have a cigarette on you, would you? (Both shake their heads) Now, don't get the wrong idea. See the reason I'm helping you find these guys is...well, they're not thieves, they're hoodlums. A professional thief like myself he gets out he works for a living you know its hard work, takes a lot of skill. You know I never carried a piece in my whole life.

Hutch: Is that right?

Fifth Avenue: Nah, I don't have to. The guys your after you're degenerates, they're bums. Give an honest thief like me a bad name. So you want a lead.

Hutch: Yeah.

Fifth Avenue: Let me work on it. (Hands Hutch back his watch)

Starsky: Pushover.

The Mellow Yellow: Day.

(A man in a red jacket enters the bar, where Cindy is dancing on the stage with a full room watching. He orders a drink and heads out back. Cindy finishes her dance and walks off over the applause and another girl goes on. The man enters a back room with two other men inside.)

Harvey: Hello, how are you today, Mr. Solenko.

Solenko: Not bad. I got heart burn again.

(Outside Cindy goes into her dressing room.)

Solenko: Hey, Touhy, you get the wide kinda tape this time.

Touhy: Yeah

Solenko: All right. Any trouble with the people Harvey will take care of them. Now, Boyles got the flower truck set, Sam's gonna fence the ice and we go in the front door as usual. (Cindy here's them talking through the wall) There'll probably be servants which means we gotta sweep the place careful so none get left behind to set off an alarm. You got the pieces.

Touhy: Right here. And two more.

Solenko: All right. Uniforms are in the truck. And I'm not kidding take it easy on the people this time.

(In her dressing room Cindy searches for some money and leaves to phone the number Hutch gave her on a payphone in the corridor.)

Cindy: Is Detective Hutchinson there? (Listens) All right, well, it's very important that I talk to either detectives Starsky or Hutchinson. Would you ask them to call me please? My name's Cindy. No, they'll know. (She hangs up and turns into the big guy from the bar. He drags her into Solenko's room.)

Big guy: She was phoning the police.

Solenko: That's very unfortunate Cindy. Touhy, see that she can never make that same mistake again.

A hospital: Day

(Cindy lies in a bed with Hutch and Starsky beside her.)

Cindy: (Singing) I know where my head is at won't somebody find my body. I know where my head is at would somebody find my body. I know where...

Starsky: Cindy.

Cindy: ...my head is at...

Starsky: Who did it?

Cindy: ...won't somebody find my body. I know where my head is at...

Hutch: Cindy, what did you want to tell us on the telephone?

Cindy: I know where my head is at won't somebody find my body.

Starsky: How long is she gonna be like that?

Doctor: I don't know. Maybe a day, a month. She didn't get a full dose or she'd be dead.

Hutch: What'd they do to her?

Doctor: Some sort of narco-hallucinogenic highball.

Cindy: I know where my head is at, won't somebody find my body.

Starsky: Well, at least she's still alive.

Cindy: I know where...


The park: Day.

Starsky: You know I woke up in the middle of the night last night thinking about Helen. The way we used to argue. Remember the fights we used to have?

Hutch: Yeah.

Starsky: We'd make up in good ways though. Yeah, we'd take a walk in the park. Pack a picnic; sit under a tree on the grass. Watch the kids. You know we used to talk about having kids, getting married. That surprise you?

Hutch: For the Paul Muni type. No

Dispatch: Zebra Three from control. (Hutch runs over) Zebra Three from control. Zebra Three from control.

Hutch: Zebra Three, Hutchinson here.

Dispatch: Zebra three call the man named Fifth Avenue. He said it was urgent. Number is 555-

Hutch: Patch me in will ya.

Dispatch: Roger Zebra Three. (Starsky joins Hutch)

Hutch: Fifth Avenue this is Hutchinson. (Listens) You have an address? That's gold, thanks a lot.

Starsky: What?

Hutch: That's Fifth Avenue, he heard from Solenko's fence. They're gonna hit something big in the Bell Plain area tomorrow afternoon, but he doesn't have an address.

Starsky: Oh that's terrific. The question is, how do we find it?

Hutch: Insurance companies. We can have them check out the homes in the area that insure for that much jewellery, can't be that many. We can narrow it down we can stake them out.


Bell Pain Area: Day

(Starsky and Hutch are sat in the Torino the following day.)

Officer on radio: House one, all clear.

Starsky: 10-4 house one. House two this is Zebra Three over.

House Two: Zebra, this is house two, nothing yet. Over.

Starsky: House three this is Zebra Three. (Speaks in Spanish) Zebra this is house three. Nada poncho villa. Your Spanish stinks over.

Angie: Zebra this is house two.

Starsky: What've you got Angie?

Angie: A flower truck just pulled up in the driveway.

Starsky: Hold tight Angie we're on our way.

(Cut to the flower truck stopping in the drive and Solenko and his men put stockings over their heads. Holding a potted plant they get out)

Solenko: Let's go.

(They head up to the front door while the Torino parks in the driveway. The goons ring the doorbell. Starsky and Hutch hide behind the truck. Someone answers the door and screams when the goons force their way in. They lead Angie into the drawing room, but a policeman is waiting)

Policeman: Police! Freeze!

Solenko: Hold it! (Grabs Angie) We're walking.

Touhy: On man we were set up. (Starsky and Hutch wait at the door)

Solenko: We're going. She's going too. You, move. We're backing up now. (They reach the door.) Try something she's first.

Starsky: And you're a close second. (Grabs Harvey while Hutch grabs Touhy)

Hutch: Hold it. Pull that trigger you're a dead man.

Solenko: All right. (Throws Angie into Hutch and there's a little scuffle.) Hey, don't shoot! (Hutch shoots Touhy in self defence.)

Starsky: (To Solenko) it's all right! It's all right. Come on out of there. (Starsky throws Solenko to the ground and aims his shotgun at him, but gives it to a uniform policeman) Okay, you're under arrest for illegal trespass, carrying concealed weapons and half a dozen other things I can think of. (Grabs Solenko by the front) And the murder of policeman woman Helen Davidson, you got the right to remain silent...

Solenko: Helen? What are you talking about, I never touched her.

Starsky: Don't jive me. You blew her cover and had Touhy do her.

Solenko: You, you mean she was a cop. (Starsky looks at Hutch, bewildered.)


The Police Garage: Day

(Starsky and Hutch walk passed some cars and Starsky stops Hutch)
Starsky: Hey. That's Helen's car.

Hutch: Yeah, they towed it in off the streets this morning.

(Starsky slowly walks to the car and sits in the driver's seat. He turns on the radio, Hutch stands next to him)

Hutch: Come on partner. Time to let go. (Starsky gets out and they almost leave, but Hutch remembers the radio. He presses some buttons but they're all on the same channel. He turns it off)

Dobey's Office: Day

Dobey: What do you mean, you're not quite sure?

Starsky: Just that. Something's missing. It doesn't all fit.

Hutch: You didn't see the look on Ruby Solenko's face when he found out Helen was a cop.

Dobey: Well, if Solenko didn't kill her we're right back where we started. (The phone buzzes, Starsky answers it)

Starsky: Captain Dobey's office. (Listens) What? (Pause) yeah. Hold on a second, will ya, Bill. Well, it looks like Solenko's off the hook. We just got ourselves another cocktail waitress. Skimpy costumes, sequins, very dead, same M.O as Helen's, wrapped up in T.V antenna wire. Johnson's handling it.

Dobey: Maybe that's a copycat killing.

Hutch: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. (Takes the phone) Hello, Bill? Hutch. Is the victim's car still there? Listen, turn the car radio on, punch all the buttons and tell me what happens. Just do it. (Waits) All right. (Hangs up) All the buttons on the dead girl's car radio were set at 97.4. So were all the buttons on Helen's car down in the garage.

Starsky: The media didn't know or carry all that information. So it has to be the same guy, right?

Hutch: Yeah.

Starsky: Can't be Ruby Solenko. So there fore Helen's murder had nothing to do with her being an undercover. What we're looking for is a psycho killing cocktail waitress.

Hutch: Coincidently, Helen was killed; she played the part and was killed for it.

Dobey; But what does the radio station have to do with that?

Starsky: Commander Jim of the airwaves.

Hutch: The radio.

Starsky: Oh man. (They both reach for phones)

Dobey: What?

Hutch: Put out an APB on James March Wrightwood. Did two years at the San Leone Institute for the Criminally Insane with priors going back 10 years. Thanks. (Hangs up)

Starsky: Yeah, Bob, look; give me the call list for a radio station at 97.4 fm. That's right. (To Dobey) Wrightwood's that psycho we talked to. He's into radio waves.


Commander Jim's place: Night

(Not an attractive place, with antennas everywhere. Starsky and hutch have their guns out as they approach the building on the roof. Hutch hesitantly breaks the window and opens the front door for Starsky. He turns the light on, the walls and ceiling are covered in aluminium foil and there are photos dotted around)

Hutch: Commander Jim is out and about the town.

(Cut to Commander Jim sitting in his car with a stripe of aluminium foil around his head. He watches two women walk out of a strip joint.

Karen: Well see you tomorrow Annie

Annie: Hey come on up to my place for a quick drink.

Karen: Gee I wish I could but my mums watching the baby, promised I'd be home early. Okay good night.

Annie: See you tomorrow.

(Karen walks to her car, all the while searching her bag for her keys. Her friend watches Commander Jim grab her from behind)

Annie: Karen! (Commander Jim shoves the scream Karen into his car and drives off while Annie screams hysterically)


San Leone: Night

(Starsky, Hutch and another man are watching a tape of Commander Jim)

Jim: And then the microwave dishes revolve and revolve and they seek me out (On the tape Jim is sat on a bed talking to a psychiatrist) and-and turn and-and find me and then they zap me until my head is going to explode and then they still squeeze. And my eyes. My eyes bleed green. And-and that's when everything turns white hot and pink and they've got me. That's when they make me do evil things. That's when they make me take of my shields.

Where do you think these waves are coming from?

Jim: Alpha centuri.

And what do you do after?

Jim: I hate myself for the bad things I've done.

Doctor: That's all of it.

Starsky: That's nothing.

Hutch: Doctor why does he tie up his victims with television antenna wire after he kills them?

Probably to deflect these incoming waves from Alpha Centuri away from him into them.

Hutch: To take away the pain in his head?

Doctor: Yeah

Hutch: What's he gonna do now?

Doctor: Well first we have to analyse the carrier signals. See, now the 1940's music, probably nostalgia for an age of moral certainty. The trombones...

Hutch: No, no, let\s worry about significant f the music later. What we wanna know is what these waves from Alpha Centuri are telling him to do with the girl.

Doctor: Well, if I knew that...

Hutch: Well, when were your tapes made?

Doctor: Three months ago.

Hutch: (stares) Three months ago...and you let him back on the streets.

Doctor: James March Wrightwood left this institution a very healthy, sane individual. He couldn't have killed those girls.

Hutch: How can you be so sure?

Doctor: Because we gave him the Wisconsin Multifacet Index Test in which he scored 76%. 72% is sane. He is therefore free of any significant psychotic disturbance.

Starsky: Hey, hey, wait a second. Wait just one lovely moment. You let him out because he passed a test? (Leans over the desk) How did you get this job? I wouldn't let you fix a sewing machine.

Doctor: That's really rather abusive. These test scores.

Starsky: (Angry) Test scores! Man, we're talking about lives. Lives, man! Dead, mutilated girls. Their lives! His life. He's a victim too. He's got electricity and chemistry running around in his head, he's all screwed up. You talk about test scores! You let him out because he passed a test.

Doctor: We rely very heavily on data just like that. That man received psychiatric therapy, chemotherapy...

Starsky: Hogwash.

Doctor: Electroshock.

Starsky: Ah!

Hutch: Electroshock. You gave him electricity. After what he told you he thought about being zapped.

Doctor: Well...there is such a thing as a relapse.

Hutch: A relapse? He's been out of here now for what? Four weeks. That's no relapse. That's somebody who's sick. Who's never been un-sick?

Doctor: I don't think I want to go any further with this without benefit of legal representation and I should not have shown you these tapes.

Hutch: Well, I want to tell you something doctor. If I'm not mistaken, this test data that you talk about is suppose to be used as an aid by a competent professional in making his judgements. Not mechanically. Not by test scores.

Starsky: You're a robot. You oughta be busted out of here. Where do you get your waves from, huh?

Hutch: Waves.

Starsky: What?

Hutch: We know that Wrightwood gets his waves from Alpha Centuri.

Starsky: So what?

Hutch: But where is he when he gets them?

Doctor: Radio transmitter. KLOW, that's where he goes.

Starsky: Beautiful (They leave)


KLOW Radio transmitter: Day

(The radio is playing, Karen runs screaming chased by Commander Jim who has a rifle. He tackles her to the ground. Starsky sees them)

Starsky: Jim! (Jim picks up Karen and carryings over to cover, while Starsky takes cover behind a green crate. Hutch joins him) Jim! Jim! Put down your gun Jim. Jim. (Hutch crawls closer) Jim, we'll go see Polly. I had them build a whole new room for you Jim. Polly helped me, he designed it. He said you'd like it.)

(Hutch runs over to Karen, who's crying. He drags her behind the crate)

Hutch: You okay? (She nods)

Starsky: Jim. (He tucks his gun into his belt behind him) I'm coming out now. I'm unarmed. (He comes out with his hands up) Jim. Look. (Shows him his empty holster) Let me tell you about the room, Jim. It's a very special room. It's your very own place. We've lined it with lead so the waves from outer space, from Alpha Centuri can't get to you there. You'll be okay Jim. Listen, you're gonna be peaceful there. You're gonna be okay, Jim. You're gonna be calm. Jim. You'll have a smiling face. Not like now. You'll be happy. Put down the gun, Jim, please.

Jim: (Strained) Please (Fires off a shot and runs. Starsky takes cover and then follows him. He's climbing up the transmitter.)

Starsky: Jim, don't go up there.

(Hutch tucks his gun into his belt and he and Starsky follow Jim up the transmitter.)

Starsky: Jim. (They climb higher) Jim, come on down.

Jim: Get away from me. (He fires down at Starsky and misses.) I'm coming, damn it all, I'm coming. (They all climb higher and Jim climbs across the transmitter)

Starsky: Jim! Don't go out there, Jim.

Jim: Get away from me.

Starsky: Let me help you, Jim.

Jim: Please get away.

Starsky: Jim, there are other ways people can help you. (Jim drops his gun and slips,) Jim, give me your hand, come on. Come on. (Starsky stretches out his hand. Jim looses his gripe and drops to the ground. Starsky looks at Hutch, shocked)


Hutch's house: Day.

(Starsky's laying on the sofa reading the paper, while Hutch is looking out the window)

Hutch: Hey, Starsk, you see that sunset?

Starsky: Nah, that's okay.

Hutch: You really oughta take a look at it. (Heads into the kitchen)

Starsky: Why? They happen every night.

Hutch: It's beautiful. Every colour of the spectrum constantly changing. (Opens the oven) Blue and gold, and red and purple. (Takes out a dish)

Starsky: You been keeping Reader's Digest in the john again? "Ways to more colourful speech". (They both head to the table)

Hutch: No, I'm serious. It's always changing. (They sit down) It only exists for a little while and then it goes away. I guess it's like most things beautiful. It's part of their nature, like Helen. She existed and then she went away.

Starsky: Yeah. Do you ever think about taking up the violin? What are the candles for? You expecting someone.

Hutch: Yeah, that's why we're eating early.

Starsky: Oh, what time am I leaving?

Hutch: Look at this. (Takes the lid off the dish, it's meat and vegetables)

Starsky: Hey, hey, hey. Hey, that's my favourite. How'd you know?

Hutch: I called your mother up.

Starsky: You called my mother.

Hutch: Yeah, she calls it the Paul Muni special. (He pours the wine) Eat your vegetables.

End