Author: Jon Morse

Season Two, Episode 2 (19): “Blood Money”

story by Michael Kozoll, Steven Bochco, and Anthony Yerkovich
written by Steven Bochco and Anthony Yerkovich
directed by Gregory Hoblit
original airdate: November 5, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Roll Call must be running late; we’re only on item 9 and it’s already after 7pm. Phil has some trouble getting the kids to pay attention for said item, the latest in a string of cab robberies. Belker’s riding undercover, so there’s some foreshadowing. Phil’s interrupted again by slurping; the orangutan is sitting in roll call drinking milk with a straw. Item 10 involves a robbery at a sporting goods store which netted a couple-hundred guns and lots of ammo. Suspicion is on Jesse John Hudson. As roll call breaks up, Phil gets a note about a dead body and sends Renko and Hill, Bates and Coffey off to run crowd control. After some comedy with the uniforms, we roll credits.

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Season Two, Episode 1 (18): “Hearts and Minds”

story by Steven Bochco, Michael Kozoll, and Anthony Yerkovich
written by Steven Bochco and Anthony Yerkovich
directed by Gregory Hoblit
original airdate: October 29, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Item 14: Phil chides the troops for using precinct phones for personal business because “budget”. And during the investigation, it was discovered that someone was calling a “boutique”, wink wink, nudge nudge, as well as a bookie. Item 15 introduces Jesse John Hudson, recently released from prison. He’s a big enough deal that his mere presence is causing disturbances. Item 16 addresses a cab driver who was mugged, the sixth in the last week. Finally, there’s a 3’8″ purse snatcher on Pulaski Avenue. He’s 3’8″ because he’s an orangutan.

Perez is bringing in a couple who appear to be in the midst of a domestic quarrel. Meanwhile, Mick’s got his pickpocket buddy in tow. Ray’s got messages for Frank, Joyce is trying to get access to a client, and Coffey’s trying to get Phil to put him back on active duty. As all this is going on, the arguing between the couple intensifies until finally Luis gets so mad be breaks free of the officers holding him, dives through the booking window, gets his hands on a gun, and starts firing at his wife. Everyone manages to duck for cover, and finally four cops — including Renko and Coffey — end the incident in a hail of lead. After a few seconds of post-gunfire reaction shots, we roll credits.

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Season One, Episode 17: “Jungle Madness (Part Two)”

written by Michael Kozoll, Steven Bochco, and Anthony Yerkovich
directed by Corey Allen
original airdate: May 26, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Item 12: the weather report. It’s hot, which means it’ll be snarky out on the street. Unlucky 13 is operation DNC (Dust ‘n’ Clean), which will involve Howard’s team making a weapons sweep. 14 is Division reiterating policy on women officers being required to wear bras, and 15 is the sudden “volunteering” of several Blues (including Andy and Bobby) to work doubles in the wake of a flu outbreak. Real flu, not Blue Flu. During all this, Coffey passes a note to Bates asking her out. She sends him a “maybe”, Andy and Bobby gripe their way up the stairs, and someone has to wake up a blotto J.D. LaRue.

On the way out, Andy tries to foist off his overtime on Coffey; he’s recalcitrant, but Bates jumps on the offer, which flusters Joe to no end. LaRue gets roasted by Andy for his driving skills as he emerges from Roll Call, and then Belker lays into him — even slinging a “dogbreath” J.D.’s way — and tells him he’s got one day to produce his stewardess before the operation closes. J.D. tries to weasel, and Mick’s having none of it. And then we finally roll credits.
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Season One, Episode 16: “Jungle Madness (Part One)”

written by Michael Kozoll, Steven Bochco, and Anthony Yerkovich
directed by Corey Allen
original airdate: May 26, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Item 15. Night shift got shot at after breaking up a 3 a.m. conga line at Cutter’s Hill. Phil notes that this may be a residual effect of the shooting for which Weeks is under investigation. Item 16, calling back to last episode when Andy had Bobby sign out for him, is Phil being really angry about unauthorized signouts. His rant is interrupted by a loud banging, and a belly dancer follows a drummer into the roll call room. Happy birthday, Phil. Everyone seems to be in on it, as we see the precinct’s senior officers, including Frank, standing on the stairwell watching with amusement. Phil’s deeply embarrassed, and this eats up three minutes before we roll credits — without Phil’s trademark “Let’s be careful out there.”
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Season One, Episode 15: “Rites of Spring” (Part Two)

written by Michael Kozoll, Steven Bochco, and Anthony Yerkovich
directed by Gregory Hoblit
original airdate: May 19, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Item nine, implied; the shooting which ended part one has resulted in rioting in the East Utica vicinity. Item ten concerns Phil’s irritation at the “rather anemic” showing at the blood drive mentioned in last episode’s roll call; the sisters will be setting up in roll call for the rest of the week to make it more “convenient”. Final item: dress code compliance, which apparently means no more of Renko’s cowboy boots (among other things). As they break up, Phil holds up the train; additional units are being requested on East Utica. And it’s here where we’re informed that the current story is that a sniper shot the kid in the alley… as we roll credits.

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Season One, Episode 14: “Rites of Spring” (Part One)

written by Michael Kozoll and Steven Bochco
directed by Gregory Hoblit
original airdate: May 19, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Item 11, which we don’t discover is item 11 until item 12, is Phil telling everyone that with spring springing, crime’s going to be on the rise. 12 is an announcement about a summit between the various minority cop organizations. 13 is blood drive info, and 14 is an update on bus and subway robberies, during which a guy who looks disturbingly like Nick Offerman wanders in and hands Phil some paperwork. (It’s not him. Nick was only 11 when this episode aired.) After handing out assignments, Phil breaks roll, and we go straight to credits.

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Season One, Episode 13: “Fecund Hand Rose”

written by Alan Rachins
directed by Gregory Hoblit
original airdate: March 26, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Wow, item 15 to start? No wonder the episode starts so late. Item 15, literally, is Phil yelling at Renko to wake up. That’s how long roll call’s been going. Item 16 regards the city attorney getting mad about cops recommending specific bail bondsmen. The final item is Phil thanking everyone who attended his bachelor party the previous evening, which got completely out of hand… and his hope that everyone will attend his wedding that night. As roll call breaks up, Ray comes downstairs and announced there’s a huge gang fight in the projects in Jefferson Heights precinct, and they’ve requested assistance. The officers roll out doubletime, and we roll credits at normal speed…

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Season One, Episode 12: “I Never Promised You a Rose, Marvin”

written by Anthony Yerkovich
directed by Robert C. Thompson
original airdate: March 19, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Item nine has Phil once again lecturing about Sniper Alley (see last episode), and informing the squad that ignoring last episode’s warning led to Ludwig and Carmichael being sent packing. Another warning, natch. Item ten involves a retirement-age motorcyclist harassing Saint Teresa’s… oh, in the nude. Lastly, Phil eulogizes the departed Marv some more, complete with Marv’s urn and a poem Marv wrote before expiring. Phil announces that the urn will rest in state next to the squad room coffee machine for the rest of the day, and — I can honestly say I don’t recall whether or not it happens — but I’m sure that won’t end well. We’ll find out together! After the credits, of course.

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Season One, Episode 11: “Life, Death, Eternity”

story by Anthony Yerkovich
written by Gregory Hoblit and Lee David Zlotoff
directed by Jack Starrett
original airdate: March 12, 1981

“Previously on Hill Street Blues…”

Roll Call: Our usual in medias res involves Phil updating the shivering, huddled squad on the status of their broken heater (pausing to hand a handkerchief to a sneezing Morgan). Item 14: Phil’s angry because officers are deliberately taking their units through “Sniper Alley” in order to try and induce thrown bottles, rocks, and the like. And I mean angry, angrier than we’ve seen him so far in the series.

He’s interrupted by a 1″ drill bit very nearly penetrating the back of Lucy’s head as she leans against the wall. As Phil continues, Marv emerges and apologetically cleans drywall dust off Lucy’s shoulder. Phil concludes by confirming that Furillo is up for Divisional Commander, and it’s obvious nobody’s happy about it. As everyone leaves, Lucy exhorts Marv, who is sweating like a stuck pig, to get to a doctor. Meanwhile, Andy and Bobby are chatting with new cops, Ludwig and his partner Carmichael; after they depart, Phil tells Hill and Renko on the down-low that the other pair are on the “F-list” — this is their last chance as cops. With that, we roll credits.
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