We must be strong and brave!! I loved this show as a little kid. It fueled my interest in science as a little girl in the 80s too ❤️ it's so great seeing a show where men can be brave and strong and women are nurturing. I can't wait for my daughter to be old enough so we can watch this show together.
Yes. I was eleven when this was broadcast on an Atlanta station to my home in Shreveport. Never forgot it. The theme would every once in a while ring in my head. Culture.
When I think about everything that went into the making of this presentation, it's mind boggling. They didn't just senselessly throw it together. You get the overall feeling that they really cared about what the audience saw.
Missed opportunity for when Gideon received the news that SF succeeded... "Well done, Wildstar. Avatar, that's a victory for you as well, Captain." 💪😎✌️
So I guess the tactical doctrine of the Comet Empire when invading a target star system is draw out the enemy fleet, split their own fleet in half, and to hell with flying combat air patrols, you know, to prevent a surprise attack on crucial fleet/combat assets.😎✌️
They're flexing; The Comet Empire outnumbered humanity so bad that they can throw away all these ships and manpower and still beat Earth anyway and they know it. Not helped by the fact that this's just 3 years after the disastrous war with the Gamilon/Gamilas which saw Human pushed all the way back to Earth and their entire species was left with a fraction of the pre-war population after it. It got even worse in the remake though; aside from the usual invincible White Comet, the Comet Empire in the remake can build ships and clone soldiers so fast that they can afford to waste *a million capital ships in a single engagement* , because those losses will be replaced in full before the next battle anyway. Earth in the remake get by by automated their fleet so hard to the point that you can only find human crews on their flagships, and the rest of their capital ships and strike craft are drones controlled by said flagships!
So glad you put this up but it's from recording with subpar audio and video. I know. I have the original VHS. The company that did it didn't do the best quality recordings.
I remember Captain Avatar dying. I don't remember, being but a young lad, alot of this show. It's really good to see it again, though the entire video image is unseen.
1 space battleship only lost 2 fighter planes and still took out almost all 66 invading space craft carriers by herself without help from earth’s 3(of 5)space craft carriers the fighter and torpedo planes took out a few of the enemy carriers.
Captain Gideon is a horrible leader. He should have fallen back and let his carrier planes reload and attack the comet empire fleet. With no fighter support they could have easily destroyed most of the fleet with ease. then it would have been like 50 to 100 Wave motion guns hitting the comet and no way it holds up
Pity they didn't put this episode in the remake. Also they made the comet empire way over powered in the remake than it was in this the original. It was ridiculous.
Man, that this track "wasn't included in the remake, was a really vicious letdown! I actually come down with really bad crying fits, when I remember that I had the Yamato II soundtrack album! And I got 'seperated' from it during my move to new quarters. The music that's played at 12:12, was really one of the best tracks of the entire album! I loved that track so much, that I used it as the 'background track' whenever I watched the Battlestar Galactica's Colonial Vipers engage in combat against Cylon Raiders, and their Basestar(s)!
@@russell5078084 I'd like to see THIS version of gatlantis go up against ANY fleet in science fiction. Zentradi, imperial fleet from star wars, cylons, and even V'ger
To top off the irony that Japan was subjected to naval defeat at Midway, and the Yamato was attacked by thirteen American carriers while en route to Okinawa, and the explosion of it's powder magazines formed a mushroom cloud that could be detected from the mainland...
The cartoon is a re-invention of the second world war. . The Musashi and Yamato were the last of battleships built, due to their proven susceptibility to air attack. The "Gamilus" are AMERICAN forces. The Japanese had a series of victories in the early months of the conflict. This entire series is a "what if". They are pretending the Japanese totally kicked the AMERICAN'S butt. - Most people do not realize what they are looking at.
Well, the last time I checked Americans aren't blue. And these are space ships, not WWII era warships. The Yamato may have been an actual battleship both in reality and on the series, however, the rest of the vessels are all futuristic space ships. I also don't remember the Americans using planet bombs or having anything like the Desslok Gun. I think you need a remedial course in history. And you definitely need to brush up Star Blazers. For example, which Gamilon character is supposed to be Douglas MacArthur? And when in the series (either Season 1 or 2) does the Star Force speak any Japanese?! I also don't remember the Japanese having anything like a Wave Motion Gun in WWII and, for Pete's sake, no one even went into outer space until after WWII. This is a friendly show with an awesome plot, cool characters and space ships that kick ass. Stop trying to make it political.
"Fat Man" and "Little Boy"? One was a fission bomb, the other was an isotope fusion bomb. Do you know the difference? or were they simply "Planet Bombs" to you? Do some Americans have blue eyes? I don't know. How many Japanese have blue eyes? - Cannot really say. Did Americans have battle ships? - Gee, let me think...Hmmm, Space-Battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay, where the instrument of total and unconditional surrender is signed to Desslock, and the Imperial Gamilon forces by Derek Wildstar? - Gee, I guess you're right.....
We're not entirely sure why you keep comparing the atomic bombs America dropped on Japan with the planet bombs Gamilon bombarded Earth with on Star Blazers. One was shaped like, you know, a bomb and the other looked like a small asteroid that was perpetually on fire and sort of tumbled through space. Plus, there were, like, thousands of planet bombs and only two atomic bombs. I guess they were both bombs, but beyond that there are zero similarities. I also didn't say anything about American eye color, I asked when you last saw a blue-skinned American? Also, I don't know where you're getting this whole "the Gamilons had American space battleships". The Gamilon ships didn't looks anything at all like vintage WWII ships from any nation. You know why? Cuz its science-fiction (emphasis on fiction) so the artists conjnured up all sorts of cool futuristic ships that had technology far beyond any American technology during WWII. Besides, if the entire show were a retread of WWII, than the Gamilons would have been portrayed as 100% totally justified in bombing the horse-feathers out of Earth b/c the Star Force and Earth would have crippled Gamilon with an unjustified and sneaky sneak attack against Gamilon to start the series. If anything - and I'm not saying any of your theory is right, even its very general premise - the Star Force are the Americans and the Gamilons are the Japanese because the Japanese are the initial aggressors. Your condescension about my knowledge of fission and fusion bombs is ludicrous considering you clearly don't understand the most basic variables of WWII. This whole debate reminds me of an episode of T.J. Hooker, specifically, Season 2's "The Empty Gun". Romano and some other rookies are out on the firing range under Hooker’s strict tutelage - Hooker marches down the line and makes unnerving comments like “Trigger squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze!” as he walks behind each officer. Romano is having a great day, perfectly shooting up each target with Harry Callahan-like precision, and you’re feeling pretty good for him until he tells Hooker, “The Army taught me accuracy, but you taught me judgment.” Whoa, dude, let’s stop right there. If there’s anyone on the force carrying a sidearm that needs a remedial course in executing good judgment about when to shoot people, it’s Hooker. If I were Romano, I’d be filing Hooker’s lectures on judgement away to use as a defense the first time I faced a wrongful shooting tribunal. Something like “As per my instruction at the Academy by Sargent Hooker, I was trained to first shoot alleged perpetrators then ask questions of them, provided they survive the gunshot wounds I inflict on them” would probably come in handy for obtaining an acquittal. And what’s with the passive aggressive insult to the United States Army, Romano?! Back out on patrol, Hooker and Romano get into an argument about swap meets, their utility as a point of purchase for vinyl records and how Hooker has quite the liberal-elitist taste in jazz despite routinely displaying attitudes and philosophies more in line with Ted Nugent. Hooker almost runs over Annie the bag lady while miming a trumpet player. We later learn Annie is one of Hooker’s foremost confidential informants despite the stench. They exchange pleasantries at a rotten looking snack bar where the viewer is mystified by Hooker’s acceptance of this street scuzz roaming around what otherwise looks like a nice neighborhood. We cut to a liquor store robbery being committed by two idiot kids, Minetti and Deke (played by Chad from Police Academy (1984) - the shorter of the two guys that served as Lt. Harris’ sidekicks most famous for stumbling into the Blue Oyster and becoming repeat customers). Anyway, Hooker and Romano respond with two other cops, Sgt. Benteen and Officer Martinez. During the ensuing foot pursuit, Martinez gets blown away with his own gun at point blank range by Minetti. Romano runs the kid down and, deftly, keeps track of the number of shots fired and apprehends him after the kid tries to shoot Romano but can’t cuz he’s out of bullets. Pretty great police work from Romano, huh? Think again. The remaining, living officers, Hooker included, are absolutely furious that Romano didn’t take the opportunity to, ahem, MURDER Minetti as revenge for Martinez. Ostracized by everyone other than Capt. Sheridan, Romano has some serious soul searching scenes culminating in a totally homoerotic a heartfelt scene at the gym between Romano and Hooker involving one of them wearing next to no clothes, lots of sweat and a giant, 70lb. punching bag. Hooker claims that Romano “taught him something out there” by not shooting the punk, but the distant look in his eyes tells us that this is only a momentary lapse of reason and by next week’s episode he’ll be using hollow-point bullets in his .357. With Minetti momentarily locked up, Deke and another associate revisit the liquor store after dark, ransack it and then tell the owner, “Old Man Bernstein,” that he’s gonna be a grease spot if he testifies against their pal Minetti. The courtroom scene where they try to prosecute the kid as a cop killer, like all courtroom scenes in “T.J. Hooker,” is a laughable miscarriage of justice that exists only for the cameraman to get a couple BOSS shots of Hooker’s looks of rage as he reacts to the ineptitude of “the system.” Without Old Man Bernstein there to finger Minetti as the crook, the kid gets off using the old “I don’t know why that cop was chasing me, so I accidentally grabbed his gun and shot him in self-defense” excuse and everyone buys it. Immediately after avoiding jail by the widest of margins thanks to the fools running the liberal justice system, the two up and coming crooks decide to joy ride in a stolen car. Naturally, they drive right in front of Hooker who tears off after them, leading to an average car chase through a posh neighborhood that for some reason has a Phillips 76 service station where the yuppie dog park would normally be. The station is conveniently placed behind a stand of bushes that force the perp’s car into an airborne barrel roll after Hooker runs them off the road. The car crashes into the pumps and everything gets set ablaze but Hooker and Romano reluctantly rescue the two yutes just before the entire block is vaporized by the explosion. HEATHER LOCKLEAR chats with Romano about whether she could handle a “shoot, don’t shoot situation” and all the male viewers collectively sigh as they get momentarily distracted thinking about how they’d handle themselves in a shoot, don’t shoot situation with HEATHER LOCKLEAR. Free again, and after fencing some newly stolen goods, Minetti says “let’s go on a sleigh ride” while he holds a bunch of cash up in front of Deke’s face, no doubt confusing every viewer who’s word association with Columbia begins and ends with coffee. Hooker and Romano run into the homeless informant again and somehow she knows that the crooks are at a recording studio “where no good music is ever heard.” When Hooker and Romano raid the studio - without a warrant, as usual, thereby making any potential bust worthless in court - some guys with ripped sleeves and long hair are playing what Romano and Hooker call “punk music” but we all recognize it as “rock” muzak that has about as much in common with the Sex Pistols as a Victoria’s Secret catalogue. Shatner, ever The Ham, covers his ears to let us all know how much the Hooker character hates it. Minetti sees the fuzz and takes off for the bathroom where he successfully flushes the cocaine down the toilet before Hooker breaks through the door like the Kool Aid man. Holding Minetti up against the wall, Hooker implies he’s going to violate his rights at some near-future juncture by saying he just needs time before the kid turns up dead. Right as rain, in the very next scene everyone responds to a burglary phoned in by a sweet blonde wearing super short short-shorts. A foot chase ensues back by “the warehouses” where Hooker climbs on top of some buildings, a move that’s revealed a second later as an unnecessary plot device to showcase his skills as a firefighter when he slides down a pole to continue the pursuit. Deke is easily captured after he runs into a giant pizza oven. While Hooker is cuffing Deke, Minetti pops out from behind a hazardous waste drum ready to shoot. This time, Romano doesn’t fuck around and immediately plugs him. Unfortunately, Minetti isn’t mortally wounded and, despite having spent most of the episode railing on the impotence of the American justice system, Hooker announces Minetti having survived is actually awesome because, as of the day before, he turned 18 and can now be tried as an adult. The episode ends when the gang get together at a bar with Old Man Bernstein and Annie (who is magically all cleaned up, wearing an ornate dress and drinking); Romano’s terrible dance moves are on display - twirls, arrhythmic gyrations, etc. It might be the muzak - which sounds no different than the recording studio muzak, except now everyone likes it - cuz even HEATHER LOCKLEAR looks like a terrible dancer, and we know that’s impossible. Hooker dances with Annie while Old Man Bernstein plays his trombone and everyone in the bar is looking at them collectively thinking “Who the fuck are these people, and when the fuck are they leaving?” Not a bad episode. The writers, however, missed a zillion opportunities for good Hooker one-liners given the subject matter.
Can we just admit this episode's music was among the best in history. Just an awesome use of music to create the mood.
It is the best.
I wholeheartedly agree. I wish they could have used the rock-beat version of the theme in more places than when the EDF planes start the attack.
I always loved this music too! 🎶
The music is a show in and of itself. :)
We must be strong and brave!! I loved this show as a little kid. It fueled my interest in science as a little girl in the 80s too ❤️ it's so great seeing a show where men can be brave and strong and women are nurturing. I can't wait for my daughter to be old enough so we can watch this show together.
Even my mom, who auditioned for the role of Joan, appreciated this show.
2:50 “Sir, we haven’t seen the enemy since they passed Uranus” 😂😂😂
Welcome to Earth! 40 years later and this episode still gives me goosebumps. Timeless
We brought a gift, meet the Magma Flame Gun.
Yes. I was eleven when this was broadcast on an Atlanta station to my home in Shreveport. Never forgot it. The theme would every once in a while ring in my head. Culture.
I was shaving yesterday evening and suddenly the theme song rang in my head and I thought, "Why not?"
When I think about everything that went into the making of this presentation, it's mind boggling. They didn't just senselessly throw it together. You get the overall feeling that they really cared about what the audience saw.
When storytelling was still well-paced, and not simply a deluge of EFX. 🙄
Watching this in 2024
"Don't Worry. We're going to win". Made me want to run through a brick wall in 1979. Still does today.
Ahhhhh Midway
We Still Have More Than Enough Fire Power To Defeat The Earthlings. What A Badass Thing To Say
Man that funky 70's music! Brings my childhood memories back.
Total bad ass music.
Yes. That was culture. You don't see stuff like this now.
Well at least the english version recognized Hardy as the ragin' Cajun he was- good old 'Nawlins boy and a he great pilot lol!
迫力満点！其れから鳥肌がたつね～！
Love the sound effects and the early examples of xerography. G
General bleak "too bad' 😂
Who else still gets chills when they hear the Comet Empire's theme? It's so dark, ominous, sinister, intimidating and foreboding.
Pardon my blatant enthusiasm, but I am beyond excited to see this show again, though it's on a little screen.
Missed opportunity for when Gideon received the news that SF succeeded...
"Well done, Wildstar. Avatar, that's a victory for you as well, Captain." 💪😎✌️
So I guess the tactical doctrine of the Comet Empire when invading a target star system is draw out the enemy fleet, split their own fleet in half, and to hell with flying combat air patrols, you know, to prevent a surprise attack on crucial fleet/combat assets.😎✌️
They're flexing; The Comet Empire outnumbered humanity so bad that they can throw away all these ships and manpower and still beat Earth anyway and they know it. Not helped by the fact that this's just 3 years after the disastrous war with the Gamilon/Gamilas which saw Human pushed all the way back to Earth and their entire species was left with a fraction of the pre-war population after it.
It got even worse in the remake though; aside from the usual invincible White Comet, the Comet Empire in the remake can build ships and clone soldiers so fast that they can afford to waste *a million capital ships in a single engagement* , because those losses will be replaced in full before the next battle anyway. Earth in the remake get by by automated their fleet so hard to the point that you can only find human crews on their flagships, and the rest of their capital ships and strike craft are drones controlled by said flagships!
@@machaiping And Gatlantis would have gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for that meddling Zordar KILLING OFF HIS WHOLE DAMN RACE
lol, yeah. It is funny as it's basically the Battle of Midway but this time with the Japanese on the winning side.
So glad you put this up but it's from recording with subpar audio and video. I know. I have the original VHS. The company that did it didn't do the best quality recordings.
Episode 18 comet empire is blocked by RUclips BS
So are a lot of other episodes. I figure about half the Iscandar story is blocked, as well as a couple of the Comet Empire episodes. Too bad.
I remember Captain Avatar dying. I don't remember, being but a young lad, alot of this show. It's really good to see it again, though the entire video image is unseen.
Still love it it’s a classic
2:54 :D
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
19 is missing‼️
Comet empire carrier fleet battle is a lot like space battle of naboo from Star Wars episode 1: the phantom menace
awesomeness
At 12:14, music to attack Cylon Basestars with part #2!
うろたえるな＝don't panic
1 space battleship only lost 2 fighter planes and still took out almost all 66 invading space craft carriers by herself without help from earth’s 3(of 5)space craft carriers the fighter and torpedo planes took out a few of the enemy carriers.
My stepdad was a carpenter and never got a chance to see it. Too bad.
Captain Gideon is a horrible leader. He should have fallen back and let his carrier planes reload and attack the comet empire fleet. With no fighter support they could have easily destroyed most of the fleet with ease. then it would have been like 50 to 100 Wave motion guns hitting the comet and no way it holds up
Captain Gideon is pretty much saying "The enemy has every advantage over us": and that is their mistake.
Pity they didn't put this episode in the remake. Also they made the comet empire way over powered in the remake than it was in this the original. It was ridiculous.
Man, that this track "wasn't included in the remake, was a really vicious letdown!
I actually come down with really bad crying fits, when I remember that I had the Yamato II soundtrack album! And I got 'seperated' from it during my move to new quarters. The music that's played at 12:12, was really one of the best tracks of the entire album! I loved that track so much, that I used it as the 'background track' whenever I watched the Battlestar Galactica's Colonial Vipers engage in combat against Cylon Raiders, and their Basestar(s)!
What? It was ONLY the size of jupiter...
@magnusdiridian in the original it wasn't. But, then it didn't need to be.
@@russell5078084 I'd like to see THIS version of gatlantis go up against ANY fleet in science fiction. Zentradi, imperial fleet from star wars, cylons, and even V'ger
Fyi, this is the Battle of Midway.
I always thought Mark Venture was kinda cute. G
To top off the irony that Japan was subjected to naval defeat at Midway, and the Yamato was attacked by thirteen American carriers while en route to Okinawa, and the explosion of it's powder magazines formed a mushroom cloud that could be detected from the mainland...
We don't get your point? What does that have to do with a cartoon?
The cartoon is a re-invention of the second world war. . The Musashi and Yamato were the last of battleships built, due to their proven susceptibility to air attack. The "Gamilus" are AMERICAN forces. The Japanese had a series of victories in the early months of the conflict. This entire series is a "what if". They are pretending the Japanese totally kicked the AMERICAN'S butt. - Most people do not realize what they are looking at.
Well, the last time I checked Americans aren't blue. And these are space ships, not WWII era warships. The Yamato may have been an actual battleship both in reality and on the series, however, the rest of the vessels are all futuristic space ships. I also don't remember the Americans using planet bombs or having anything like the Desslok Gun. I think you need a remedial course in history. And you definitely need to brush up Star Blazers. For example, which Gamilon character is supposed to be Douglas MacArthur? And when in the series (either Season 1 or 2) does the Star Force speak any Japanese?! I also don't remember the Japanese having anything like a Wave Motion Gun in WWII and, for Pete's sake, no one even went into outer space until after WWII. This is a friendly show with an awesome plot, cool characters and space ships that kick ass. Stop trying to make it political.
"Fat Man" and "Little Boy"? One was a fission bomb, the other was an isotope fusion bomb. Do you know the difference? or were they simply "Planet Bombs" to you? Do some Americans have blue eyes? I don't know. How many Japanese have blue eyes? - Cannot really say. Did Americans have battle ships? - Gee, let me think...Hmmm, Space-Battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay, where the instrument of total and unconditional surrender is signed to Desslock, and the Imperial Gamilon forces by Derek Wildstar? - Gee, I guess you're right.....
We're not entirely sure why you keep comparing the atomic bombs America dropped on Japan with the planet bombs Gamilon bombarded Earth with on Star Blazers. One was shaped like, you know, a bomb and the other looked like a small asteroid that was perpetually on fire and sort of tumbled through space. Plus, there were, like, thousands of planet bombs and only two atomic bombs. I guess they were both bombs, but beyond that there are zero similarities. I also didn't say anything about American eye color, I asked when you last saw a blue-skinned American? Also, I don't know where you're getting this whole "the Gamilons had American space battleships". The Gamilon ships didn't looks anything at all like vintage WWII ships from any nation. You know why? Cuz its science-fiction (emphasis on fiction) so the artists conjnured up all sorts of cool futuristic ships that had technology far beyond any American technology during WWII. Besides, if the entire show were a retread of WWII, than the Gamilons would have been portrayed as 100% totally justified in bombing the horse-feathers out of Earth b/c the Star Force and Earth would have crippled Gamilon with an unjustified and sneaky sneak attack against Gamilon to start the series. If anything - and I'm not saying any of your theory is right, even its very general premise - the Star Force are the Americans and the Gamilons are the Japanese because the Japanese are the initial aggressors. Your condescension about my knowledge of fission and fusion bombs is ludicrous considering you clearly don't understand the most basic variables of WWII. This whole debate reminds me of an episode of T.J. Hooker, specifically, Season 2's "The Empty Gun". Romano and some other rookies are out on the firing range under Hooker’s strict tutelage - Hooker marches down the line and makes unnerving comments like “Trigger squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze!” as he walks behind each officer. Romano is having a great day, perfectly shooting up each target with Harry Callahan-like precision, and you’re feeling pretty good for him until he tells Hooker, “The Army taught me accuracy, but you taught me judgment.” Whoa, dude, let’s stop right there. If there’s anyone on the force carrying a sidearm that needs a remedial course in executing good judgment about when to shoot people, it’s Hooker. If I were Romano, I’d be filing Hooker’s lectures on judgement away to use as a defense the first time I faced a wrongful shooting tribunal. Something like “As per my instruction at the Academy by Sargent Hooker, I was trained to first shoot alleged perpetrators then ask questions of them, provided they survive the gunshot wounds I inflict on them” would probably come in handy for obtaining an acquittal. And what’s with the passive aggressive insult to the United States Army, Romano?! Back out on patrol, Hooker and Romano get into an argument about swap meets, their utility as a point of purchase for vinyl records and how Hooker has quite the liberal-elitist taste in jazz despite routinely displaying attitudes and philosophies more in line with Ted Nugent. Hooker almost runs over Annie the bag lady while miming a trumpet player. We later learn Annie is one of Hooker’s foremost confidential informants despite the stench. They exchange pleasantries at a rotten looking snack bar where the viewer is mystified by Hooker’s acceptance of this street scuzz roaming around what otherwise looks like a nice neighborhood. We cut to a liquor store robbery being committed by two idiot kids, Minetti and Deke (played by Chad from Police Academy (1984) - the shorter of the two guys that served as Lt. Harris’ sidekicks most famous for stumbling into the Blue Oyster and becoming repeat customers). Anyway, Hooker and Romano respond with two other cops, Sgt. Benteen and Officer Martinez. During the ensuing foot pursuit, Martinez gets blown away with his own gun at point blank range by Minetti. Romano runs the kid down and, deftly, keeps track of the number of shots fired and apprehends him after the kid tries to shoot Romano but can’t cuz he’s out of bullets. Pretty great police work from Romano, huh? Think again. The remaining, living officers, Hooker included, are absolutely furious that Romano didn’t take the opportunity to, ahem, MURDER Minetti as revenge for Martinez. Ostracized by everyone other than Capt. Sheridan, Romano has some serious soul searching scenes culminating in a totally homoerotic a heartfelt scene at the gym between Romano and Hooker involving one of them wearing next to no clothes, lots of sweat and a giant, 70lb. punching bag. Hooker claims that Romano “taught him something out there” by not shooting the punk, but the distant look in his eyes tells us that this is only a momentary lapse of reason and by next week’s episode he’ll be using hollow-point bullets in his .357. With Minetti momentarily locked up, Deke and another associate revisit the liquor store after dark, ransack it and then tell the owner, “Old Man Bernstein,” that he’s gonna be a grease spot if he testifies against their pal Minetti. The courtroom scene where they try to prosecute the kid as a cop killer, like all courtroom scenes in “T.J. Hooker,” is a laughable miscarriage of justice that exists only for the cameraman to get a couple BOSS shots of Hooker’s looks of rage as he reacts to the ineptitude of “the system.” Without Old Man Bernstein there to finger Minetti as the crook, the kid gets off using the old “I don’t know why that cop was chasing me, so I accidentally grabbed his gun and shot him in self-defense” excuse and everyone buys it. Immediately after avoiding jail by the widest of margins thanks to the fools running the liberal justice system, the two up and coming crooks decide to joy ride in a stolen car. Naturally, they drive right in front of Hooker who tears off after them, leading to an average car chase through a posh neighborhood that for some reason has a Phillips 76 service station where the yuppie dog park would normally be. The station is conveniently placed behind a stand of bushes that force the perp’s car into an airborne barrel roll after Hooker runs them off the road. The car crashes into the pumps and everything gets set ablaze but Hooker and Romano reluctantly rescue the two yutes just before the entire block is vaporized by the explosion. HEATHER LOCKLEAR chats with Romano about whether she could handle a “shoot, don’t shoot situation” and all the male viewers collectively sigh as they get momentarily distracted thinking about how they’d handle themselves in a shoot, don’t shoot situation with HEATHER LOCKLEAR. Free again, and after fencing some newly stolen goods, Minetti says “let’s go on a sleigh ride” while he holds a bunch of cash up in front of Deke’s face, no doubt confusing every viewer who’s word association with Columbia begins and ends with coffee. Hooker and Romano run into the homeless informant again and somehow she knows that the crooks are at a recording studio “where no good music is ever heard.” When Hooker and Romano raid the studio - without a warrant, as usual, thereby making any potential bust worthless in court - some guys with ripped sleeves and long hair are playing what Romano and Hooker call “punk music” but we all recognize it as “rock” muzak that has about as much in common with the Sex Pistols as a Victoria’s Secret catalogue. Shatner, ever The Ham, covers his ears to let us all know how much the Hooker character hates it. Minetti sees the fuzz and takes off for the bathroom where he successfully flushes the cocaine down the toilet before Hooker breaks through the door like the Kool Aid man. Holding Minetti up against the wall, Hooker implies he’s going to violate his rights at some near-future juncture by saying he just needs time before the kid turns up dead. Right as rain, in the very next scene everyone responds to a burglary phoned in by a sweet blonde wearing super short short-shorts. A foot chase ensues back by “the warehouses” where Hooker climbs on top of some buildings, a move that’s revealed a second later as an unnecessary plot device to showcase his skills as a firefighter when he slides down a pole to continue the pursuit. Deke is easily captured after he runs into a giant pizza oven. While Hooker is cuffing Deke, Minetti pops out from behind a hazardous waste drum ready to shoot. This time, Romano doesn’t fuck around and immediately plugs him. Unfortunately, Minetti isn’t mortally wounded and, despite having spent most of the episode railing on the impotence of the American justice system, Hooker announces Minetti having survived is actually awesome because, as of the day before, he turned 18 and can now be tried as an adult. The episode ends when the gang get together at a bar with Old Man Bernstein and Annie (who is magically all cleaned up, wearing an ornate dress and drinking); Romano’s terrible dance moves are on display - twirls, arrhythmic gyrations, etc. It might be the muzak - which sounds no different than the recording studio muzak, except now everyone likes it - cuz even HEATHER LOCKLEAR looks like a terrible dancer, and we know that’s impossible. Hooker dances with Annie while Old Man Bernstein plays his trombone and everyone in the bar is looking at them collectively thinking “Who the fuck are these people, and when the fuck are they leaving?” Not a bad episode. The writers, however, missed a zillion opportunities for good Hooker one-liners given the subject matter.
Also: Bewitched, all 254 episodes is available for a nominal charge on DVD. The funniest show on Earth. A great 60s technical tour de force!
Q U A L I T Y time for improvement of the human mind.
Yo what happened to episode 19 ?