Post by William T. Goat, Esq. on Jan 26, 2014 22:36:30 GMT -5
Season 1, Episode 5: My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Original airdate: April 29, 1981
Webster's Dictionary defines a "hero" as… nah, just kidding. But this episode does give us two perspectives on the concept of heroism. Two reviews ago, I talked a bit about impossible ideals. Today's episode tackles the subject of heroism in two parallel storylines, as Ralph and Bill face the heroes who influenced them most.
First, there's Ralph. While helping agent Bill Maxwell chase some thieves, he stops the getaway car with his bare hands. But while he's in the middle of the road, a bus full of Japanese tourists swerves to avoid him. The bus nearly goes off a cliff. Ralph saves the bus, and the passengers take lots of pictures… ah, 1980's stereotypes… but the incident gets him thinking that, well, he's not a very competent superhero, and if innocent lives are going to be endangered by his actions, maybe he should give up.
In the other storyline we meet Tracy Winslow, an LA police captain who is one of Bill's old army buddies. More than that; Tracy was Bill's superior officer in the Korean war, and his "hero" and role model. The two of them get together to play pool and celebrate Bill (and Ralph's) latest victory, but Winslow isn't impressed. He thinks the criminal charges won't stick; and more to the point, he thinks "the system stinks." Criminals get let go on technicalities; cops get in trouble for using excessive force. It's clear from Bill's reaction that this cynicism is new for Winslow. Then Winslow drops a bombshell: he and a few other cops in his department are planning to bust a diamond smuggling ring, keep the wealth for themselves, and retire to South America.
He's telling Bill this because he could use some help, and because they're such close friends. But when it's clear that Bill isn't biting, they both laugh it off as a joke. Or at least, they pretend to. Later in the episode, a late night phone call to Bill from Tracy, trying to confirm that he didn't really mean what he said, has the opposite effect, and both characters know that they're about to be on opposite sides of the law.
While Bill is losing faith in his hero, Ralph is meeting his: actor John Hart, who played the Lone Ranger in the 1950's. The actor is making appearances at the local mall, and Ralph and Pam take Kevin to meet him, but it's more an excuse for Ralph to meet him. As Ralph keeps explaining, "I grew up on this guy!"
A first attempt to stop Winslow's plan goes badly, in part because of Ralph's reluctance to put on the suit again, and another innocent bystander is nearly killed. That night, an angry visit from Winslow, once again denying that he's gone bad, shakes up Bill enough that he wants to stop pursuing the case. Ralph returns to the mall the next morning, receiving an inspiring pep talk from John Hart.
Ralph: "If anybody in a mask tried dealing out justice today, they'd probably lock him up."
John: "Maybe, but I don't think that would stop the Lone Ranger, do you?"
Which makes me think: Ralph's always embarrassed about being seen in the suit. Why doesn't he wear a mask? It certainly would have been a good idea two episodes ago, when he faced agent Carlisle while breaking into the FBI building.
Anyway, John Hart's pep talk inspires Ralph to give Bill a pep talk, and they're back on the case.
Winslow and his men show up at the house where the diamonds are being sold, and we see how un-heroic he has become: he's planning to kill the smugglers in cold blood. Ralph gets there in time to tie up everyone except Winslow, whom Bill ends up confronting one-on-one.
Bill: "Why did you do this to me?"
Winslow: "I didn't do it to you, Billy. You did it to yourself. You made me something I never was. I'm just Tracy Winslow. I'm just flesh and blood."
…So, what's the lesson here? Ralph and Bill both believed in heroes. Bill's hero let him down, but Ralph's didn't. Is it because Ralph's hero is a fictional character? We ask too much when we expect real people to be heroes? John Hart said, "In the cold light, justice and morality always look corny, and you can't wave the flag and look cool. But like it or not, our society needs its heroes." In the real world, doing the right thing doesn't always get the same results as it does on old TV shows. But that doesn't mean it's not worth doing, or that it's not needed.
Original airdate: April 29, 1981
Webster's Dictionary defines a "hero" as… nah, just kidding. But this episode does give us two perspectives on the concept of heroism. Two reviews ago, I talked a bit about impossible ideals. Today's episode tackles the subject of heroism in two parallel storylines, as Ralph and Bill face the heroes who influenced them most.
First, there's Ralph. While helping agent Bill Maxwell chase some thieves, he stops the getaway car with his bare hands. But while he's in the middle of the road, a bus full of Japanese tourists swerves to avoid him. The bus nearly goes off a cliff. Ralph saves the bus, and the passengers take lots of pictures… ah, 1980's stereotypes… but the incident gets him thinking that, well, he's not a very competent superhero, and if innocent lives are going to be endangered by his actions, maybe he should give up.
In the other storyline we meet Tracy Winslow, an LA police captain who is one of Bill's old army buddies. More than that; Tracy was Bill's superior officer in the Korean war, and his "hero" and role model. The two of them get together to play pool and celebrate Bill (and Ralph's) latest victory, but Winslow isn't impressed. He thinks the criminal charges won't stick; and more to the point, he thinks "the system stinks." Criminals get let go on technicalities; cops get in trouble for using excessive force. It's clear from Bill's reaction that this cynicism is new for Winslow. Then Winslow drops a bombshell: he and a few other cops in his department are planning to bust a diamond smuggling ring, keep the wealth for themselves, and retire to South America.
He's telling Bill this because he could use some help, and because they're such close friends. But when it's clear that Bill isn't biting, they both laugh it off as a joke. Or at least, they pretend to. Later in the episode, a late night phone call to Bill from Tracy, trying to confirm that he didn't really mean what he said, has the opposite effect, and both characters know that they're about to be on opposite sides of the law.
While Bill is losing faith in his hero, Ralph is meeting his: actor John Hart, who played the Lone Ranger in the 1950's. The actor is making appearances at the local mall, and Ralph and Pam take Kevin to meet him, but it's more an excuse for Ralph to meet him. As Ralph keeps explaining, "I grew up on this guy!"
A first attempt to stop Winslow's plan goes badly, in part because of Ralph's reluctance to put on the suit again, and another innocent bystander is nearly killed. That night, an angry visit from Winslow, once again denying that he's gone bad, shakes up Bill enough that he wants to stop pursuing the case. Ralph returns to the mall the next morning, receiving an inspiring pep talk from John Hart.
Ralph: "If anybody in a mask tried dealing out justice today, they'd probably lock him up."
John: "Maybe, but I don't think that would stop the Lone Ranger, do you?"
Which makes me think: Ralph's always embarrassed about being seen in the suit. Why doesn't he wear a mask? It certainly would have been a good idea two episodes ago, when he faced agent Carlisle while breaking into the FBI building.
Anyway, John Hart's pep talk inspires Ralph to give Bill a pep talk, and they're back on the case.
Winslow and his men show up at the house where the diamonds are being sold, and we see how un-heroic he has become: he's planning to kill the smugglers in cold blood. Ralph gets there in time to tie up everyone except Winslow, whom Bill ends up confronting one-on-one.
Bill: "Why did you do this to me?"
Winslow: "I didn't do it to you, Billy. You did it to yourself. You made me something I never was. I'm just Tracy Winslow. I'm just flesh and blood."
…So, what's the lesson here? Ralph and Bill both believed in heroes. Bill's hero let him down, but Ralph's didn't. Is it because Ralph's hero is a fictional character? We ask too much when we expect real people to be heroes? John Hart said, "In the cold light, justice and morality always look corny, and you can't wave the flag and look cool. But like it or not, our society needs its heroes." In the real world, doing the right thing doesn't always get the same results as it does on old TV shows. But that doesn't mean it's not worth doing, or that it's not needed.