Hill Street Blues (TV Series) Ba-Bing, Ba-Bing (1983) User Reviews

On the money episode

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 15 January 2016]

Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti, superb as usual) gets all the gang leaders together to keep order during a mayoral campaign. Hill (a fine Michael J. Warren) wins $100,000 in a lottery. Coffey (likable Ed Marinaro) and Bates (solid Betty Thomas) interrupt a fight between several guys and two lady mud wrestlers. Belker (Bruce Weitz in fine snarly form) works undercover at a fish market.

Belker's assignment serves as a prime source of gut-busting humor -- his altercation with a fussy lady over chickens is a hoot! -- while the fraught situation with the gangs provides plenty of tension, with Goldblume (an excellent Joe Spano) in particular having some strong scenes with Furillo in which he clashes with the captain on the right way to maintain peace. In a nice touch of irony, Hill's good fortune proves to be anything but that. This episode further benefits from sturdy guest turns by Trinidad Silva as the swaggering Martinez, George Coe as stubborn councilman Fisk, Panchito Gomez as the volatile Hector, and Jon Cyphers as the ever-slimy Chief Daniels.

Something fishy going down.

[Hey_Sweden · 8/10 · 27 December 2023]

There has been an upturn in gang violence since the incarceration of Jesus Martinez. As a result, Henry tries to see about getting a more agreeable character, Hector (Panchito Gomez, "Borderline") to fill the void. Bobby wins $100,000 in the lottery, whereupon every freeloader in the vicinity determines to get a piece of that pie. And Mick gets into big trouble when Assistant Chief Mahoney (Ron Parady, "The Naked Face") interferes while Mick is tussling with a perp. Adding comedy relief is a story thread about a commotion in a mud wrestling ring.

It was easy to sympathize with Henry when some deft maneuvering on Franks' part ends up making Henry look like a fool. This creates some tension between them that lasts right to the end of the episode. It's also easy to feel bad for Mick since Mahoney wasn't wearing his identification and therefore Mick assumed he was just some average Joe, interfering. Lastly, it was all too believable that the greedy types popped out of the woodwork after Bobby's great fortune. On a lighter note, Joe *does* finagle a date with those ultra-sexy mud wrestlers (twins Dian & Denise Gallup, "Spaceballs").

This is another typically arresting (so to speak) episode where all story threads generate an equal amount of enjoyment, serious and comedic alike. There is also another great lineup of guest stars: George Coe ("Kramer vs. Kramer"), Larry D. Mann ('Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'), William G. Schilling ('Head of the Class'), Juan Fernandez ("The Collector"), Alvy Moore ('Green Acres'), and Florence Halop ('Night Court'), etc. David Caruso here made his last appearance as Shamrock leader Tommy Mann. The cameo by ever-amusing Trinidad Silva as Jesus was most welcome.

Excellent entertainment for series fans overall.

Eight out of 10.

Enough Stupidity to Go Around

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 18 July 2021]

Lots of interesting stuff. To start with Bobby Hill hits a 100,000 dollar jackpot. He is soon accosted by every freeloader in existence. Belker makes a bust in a fish market. While booking the guy he turns violent. Mahoney steps in and Belker pushes him aside. He suspends Mick and threatens IAD. There is a mud wrestling case where a couple of cute twins are involved and once again Joe is into some potential trouble.