Bunt (a terrific Dennis Franz) and Rodriguez (a fine Del Zamora) are held hostage by mental patient Tommy Joe Page (a frightening portrayal by Will Nye) who has a gudge against Buntz. Belker (solid Bruce Weitz) works undercover at an animal shelter. LaRue (sturdy Kiel Martin) and Washington (smooth Taurean Blacques) arrest baseball player Tony Catina (a nicely slimy turn by James Whitmore Jr.) for drunk driving; they find coke in his trunk. Furillo (the always excellent Daniel J. Travanti) gets denied mortgage insurance.
This episode derives a tremendous amount of nerve-wracking tension from Buntz being held at gunpoint by Page; it's genuinely harrowing to see Buntz engage in a fierce battle of will and wits for his life against Page as well as see Rodriguez crack under pressure and beg for this life. The whole thing culminates in an incredible moment in which Buntz sends Page flying out a window to his death that's followed by an even more powerful scene in which Goldblume (sturdy Joe Spano) catches Buntz puking his guts out in the men's bathroom. The business with baseball player Catina likewise delivers the strong dramatic goods, with Catina proving to be a total groveling sleaze who rats out his own friends to get himself out of a jam.
This episode derives a tremendous amount of nerve-wracking tension from Buntz being held at gunpoint by Page; it's genuinely harrowing to see Buntz engage in a fierce battle of will and wits for his life against Page as well as see Rodriguez crack under pressure and beg for this life. The whole thing culminates in an incredible moment in which Buntz sends Page flying out a window to his death that's followed by an even more powerful scene in which Goldblume (sturdy Joe Spano) catches Buntz puking his guts out in the men's bathroom. The business with baseball player Catina likewise delivers the strong dramatic goods, with Catina proving to be a total groveling sleaze who rats out his own friends to get himself out of a jam.
