As previously mentioned, this is a surprisingly gritty, dark and violent pilot for what would become one of the most popular TV shows of the '70s. While the series itself eventually evolved into (or degenerated into, depending on your point of view) a somewhat corny buddy-buddy show, you sure couldn't tell by this pilot. A couple is shot down on the streets of L.A. in a seemingly random killing, but the two detectives investigating the shooting discover that the couple was murdered by mistake--the actual targets were the detectives themselves. The pair then have to use all their wiles, skills and contacts in the city's seedy criminal underground to find out who is trying to kill them, and why. Soul and Glaser work extremely well together and play off each other as though they'd been doing it all their lives, the supporting cast is first-rate, the writing is sharp and clever, and it's very tightly directed by Barry Shear. It has exciting car chases, taut action scenes, some welcome humor, and the great chemistry between Soul and Glazer. A worthy effort from producer Aaron Spelling.
14 Reviews
And we're off!!
monomerd22 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I'm not sure I ever saw the Starsky and Hutch pilot when it premiered in 1975, but I was a huge fan of the show in 1976 and 1977; my diary is filled with references to my favorite episodes. So, I tried to watch the pilot with fresh eyes and to be conscious of what would grab your attention in 1975, before you knew these characters at all.
First, the banter between Starksy and Hutch keeps things moving and keeps them connected as the story moves along. I think they were channeling M*A*S*H a bit here, as it's the only show I can remember that does something similar with dialog. It's a serious job and trouble is always around the corner, but they can counter some that with a bit of humor and irony that only they are in on.
Next, we have a team, partner cops. Most cop shows at the time were single player - Columbo. Kojak. Rockford, even Gunsmoke. The Starsky and Hutch pilot establishes them right away as a team, patrolling that beat together for at least three years. They don't always play by the rules, but they get the job done, even if it is a crazy, thankless job. And the only way they know how to do the job is together, depending on each other for everything, because no one else is a completely trusted commodity.
You watch them puzzle out the situation; Hutch figures out "who", Starsky figures out "why". In the climatic scene, they run the stairs to catch the bad guys, separately but together, Starsky inside, Hutch outside, and in constant communication because when they work together, no one can beat them. And you, as a viewer, are (almost) included in their safe little circle of two. It's them (and you) against the world, and I think we've got this.
The pilot has held up quite well after forty years. Except for the pay phones, walkie-talkies and clothes, it still looks real and goes together great. It's my goal to review every episode. I was pretty obsessed with the show as a love-sick teen, but now I can appreciate the subtleties, the really fine acting and the quality of the dialog. Onward and forward.
First, the banter between Starksy and Hutch keeps things moving and keeps them connected as the story moves along. I think they were channeling M*A*S*H a bit here, as it's the only show I can remember that does something similar with dialog. It's a serious job and trouble is always around the corner, but they can counter some that with a bit of humor and irony that only they are in on.
Next, we have a team, partner cops. Most cop shows at the time were single player - Columbo. Kojak. Rockford, even Gunsmoke. The Starsky and Hutch pilot establishes them right away as a team, patrolling that beat together for at least three years. They don't always play by the rules, but they get the job done, even if it is a crazy, thankless job. And the only way they know how to do the job is together, depending on each other for everything, because no one else is a completely trusted commodity.
You watch them puzzle out the situation; Hutch figures out "who", Starsky figures out "why". In the climatic scene, they run the stairs to catch the bad guys, separately but together, Starsky inside, Hutch outside, and in constant communication because when they work together, no one can beat them. And you, as a viewer, are (almost) included in their safe little circle of two. It's them (and you) against the world, and I think we've got this.
The pilot has held up quite well after forty years. Except for the pay phones, walkie-talkies and clothes, it still looks real and goes together great. It's my goal to review every episode. I was pretty obsessed with the show as a love-sick teen, but now I can appreciate the subtleties, the really fine acting and the quality of the dialog. Onward and forward.
The Best S&H of Them All
eti5528 December 2012
Warning: Spoilers
If only the subsequent episodes had been as good as the pilot. OK, the first season showed promise, but after that the series degenerated into a parody of itself. But the pilot for Starsky and Hutch was, at its time, the grittiest cop show that had been on TV (the pilot premiered as one of those ABC made-for-TV "Movies of the Week" during the 70s). This Starsky and Hutch is dark and violent, but not without a sense of humor. The dialog is above average, the story is actually pretty good, and Soul and Glaser both do a fine job as two tough plainclothes cops of the "cowboy" type that some big city departments have (as opposed to the standard suit-and-tie detectives). They're also believable as friends, and it's that chemistry that kept the show going even after the writers had long since run out of ideas. This pilot took it's cues from uber-violent 70s cop movies like Dirty Harry. To give you an idea, in the opening sequence you witness two hit men blow away two kids in a car..at point blank range. Even though it was the days before showing gore and blood splattering on TV was commonplace, that scene is disturbing. As things turn out, it looks like Starsky and Hutch were the actual targets. The two wade through the seedy streets (and the various shady characters and street stoolies) of the unnamed Southern California metropolis where they work, looking for answers as to who is trying to kill them and why.
It's full of excitement and male bonding.
Hippiesetter9911 May 2005
This isn't any 70's cop show. It really shows how two very macho men can become the best of friends. Both Starsky and Hutch have the looks and the attitude to bring the "bad guys down". They display a great comfort in what they do. Starsky seems to be the innocent one, he's always out to have fun while doing his job. Glaser does a great job with the part. Hutch on the other hand usually is making sure Starsky is OK. Soul also does a wonderful job with the character of Hutch. There are some great episodes when you can really feel how much they care for one another and they would do anything for the other one. Both really show there emotion when they feel their pal is in trouble. The "Starsky Mobile" which is an awesome car to use in the show adds more excitement(with the burn-outs).
I'm making this comment as a 16 yr old girl who loves the 70's and appreciates a great friendship.
I'm making this comment as a 16 yr old girl who loves the 70's and appreciates a great friendship.
The pilot to the greatest buddy show ever on television!
hutchnstarsk12 July 2003
Although, the pilot isn't quite what the show would evolve into, once it was a series, it does demonstrate the remarkable chemistry between the two stars, David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser, which is probably the most memorable legacy about the show itself. The two portrayed an incredible friendship on-screen, shared a unique friendship off-screen, one that remains to this day. The pilot shows the two young police officers, working together, trusting in only each other...the beginning of a portrayal of friendship that has yet to be matched or surpass onscreen.
Cool, an all-time favourite
JGARY76318 July 2004
I was a teenager when "Starsky and Hutch" first came on TV. It made a great impression on me at the time and remains one of my all-time favourite shows. Having recently revisited the series with its release on DVD, I can see it has dated a little but is still very watchable... and they say you should never go back for fear of disappointment. In my opinion, it is the closest thing to "Dirty Harry" that US TV had at the time; and probably since. Soul and Glazer still rock and Dave and Ken are still cool, while Starsky's Red Torino remains the dream car for the forty-something teenager. Hutch's frequently overlooked motor was a tan-coloured 1973 Ford Galaxie 500 4-door sedan, if anyone was wondering. Thought not!
Enjoyable but the fact it was made a series based on this surprises me a bit...
planktonrules23 February 2017
Before I talk about this pilot movie for "Starsky and Hutch", I have an important confession....I have never seen the ensuing TV series. Yep, I was certainly old enough to watch it...just never did. However, my curiosity was piqued because this movie was an installment of "The ABC Movie of the Week"...and I've watched several dozen of these movies recently on YouTube. However, this pilot was not on YouTube (probably for copyright reasons), so I saw it on the first disc for the TV series...and it's available through Netflix.
The show begins with two tough assassins killing a young couple making out in a cool looking red and white Ford Torino. Why is the car important? It's the spitting image of Starsky's car and the cops immediately wonder if the murderers were actually trying to kill Starsky (Paul Michael Glaser) and Hutch (David Soul). Through the course of most of the film, the two detectives look for their would- be murderer...until they realize that the killings and motivations weren't exactly what they first thought.
This is a reasonably good cop film made for television...but never once did it scream out "This is so good it MUST become a TV series"! In the case of "The Six Million Dollar Man", the pilot movies clearly DID and were very unique and compelling. This film, on the other hand was good...but not great. Worth seeing but nothing particularly memorable.
By the way, when the two assassins are in their hotel room, I did enjoy seeing one of them (Richard Lynch) reading "The Age of Voltaire"...a very large and cerebral sort of book. This guy was no dummy and proves just how far in life you can go if you exercise your mind. Sadly, in a scene soon after this, you see the guy shoot at Hutch and the nearby car explodes...which was pretty stupid (and next to impossible).
The show begins with two tough assassins killing a young couple making out in a cool looking red and white Ford Torino. Why is the car important? It's the spitting image of Starsky's car and the cops immediately wonder if the murderers were actually trying to kill Starsky (Paul Michael Glaser) and Hutch (David Soul). Through the course of most of the film, the two detectives look for their would- be murderer...until they realize that the killings and motivations weren't exactly what they first thought.
This is a reasonably good cop film made for television...but never once did it scream out "This is so good it MUST become a TV series"! In the case of "The Six Million Dollar Man", the pilot movies clearly DID and were very unique and compelling. This film, on the other hand was good...but not great. Worth seeing but nothing particularly memorable.
By the way, when the two assassins are in their hotel room, I did enjoy seeing one of them (Richard Lynch) reading "The Age of Voltaire"...a very large and cerebral sort of book. This guy was no dummy and proves just how far in life you can go if you exercise your mind. Sadly, in a scene soon after this, you see the guy shoot at Hutch and the nearby car explodes...which was pretty stupid (and next to impossible).
good whodunnit
torino11 May 1999
this is the pilot for the t.v series Starsky and Hutch. it has a great story as the detectives search for the two hit men hired to kill them. best line in movie has Starsky asking Hutch "who are we suposed to trust?" Hutch replies "me and thee".these two guys really care about each other,which is what made the following series so great.
Pilot
Prismark105 April 2019
Viewing this again, I was reminded that I did watch this as a kid. I always recalled that another actor once played Captain Dobey.
The pilot has a gritty tone. It starts off violently as a young couple in a red and white Ford Torino are gunned down by two wise cracking assassins.
Starsky has a similar car, the cops think that Starsky and Hutch should had been the intended targets.
The duo do not rest in their laurels and look for the people who wants to kill them. However it was a rather elementary mistake to make by not figuring that it was not Starsky and Hutch in that car.
The follow up series was a little ahead of its time. It lacked the cheesiness of other cop shows of that era. It almost had the shadow of the Vietnam war and Watergate hanging over it. A sign that this was a changing America, more gritty and seedy but also progressive.
In the pilot Starsky and Hutch go to a porn movie house to have a rendezvous with Huggy Bear. Their boss is black.
David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser have great chemistry. There is some intense running about in this episode, Starsky going up and down those flights of stairs and Hutch landing on the top of the car.
The pilot has a gritty tone. It starts off violently as a young couple in a red and white Ford Torino are gunned down by two wise cracking assassins.
Starsky has a similar car, the cops think that Starsky and Hutch should had been the intended targets.
The duo do not rest in their laurels and look for the people who wants to kill them. However it was a rather elementary mistake to make by not figuring that it was not Starsky and Hutch in that car.
The follow up series was a little ahead of its time. It lacked the cheesiness of other cop shows of that era. It almost had the shadow of the Vietnam war and Watergate hanging over it. A sign that this was a changing America, more gritty and seedy but also progressive.
In the pilot Starsky and Hutch go to a porn movie house to have a rendezvous with Huggy Bear. Their boss is black.
David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser have great chemistry. There is some intense running about in this episode, Starsky going up and down those flights of stairs and Hutch landing on the top of the car.
Love it.
juliteien8 January 2024
I was 6 years old when this came out so of course don't remember seeing the pilot. Pretty sure I watched the show with my dad and just have vague memories of it. Had a huge crush on David Soul of course with his blue eyes, blond hair and clean cut look. Recently watched again after his sad passing and loved it. Dialogue was good, the writing was snappy, the storyline was clever and well acted and it stayed fun, interesting and the characters were likable. Love Huggy Bear. He and David were the real standouts to me. Didn't remember Paul's character owning the red car but he added good elements to the show too including some funny lines. You can tell they got along. Loved the ending. <3 Can't wait to review all of the episodes now. RIP David. You had a rough life but left two popular songs, great TV, family, friends and fans that love you. Proud he's at least partially from MN. Best Wishes on the other side.
70's & 80's are gone...Not if I can help it.
sean.littletribefilms14 December 2000
This show rocked! Fast cars, people going over bonnets, paper blown down a side street. And the clothes. 70's ruled. TV now stinks of a smelly bin that was raided by a 90's producer who just finished film school. The characters cared, the camera was observing not interrupting, and the plot was simple, but effective. David Soul, Paul M.Glazer had style, grace, and a good sense of humour. As a film producer myself, I hope I can bring some of this old school back to the modern world. Enough said.
old-school TV series still rule
roger-f21 April 1999
"Starsky and Hutch" is a very enjoyable TV series with its lovable characters and funny plots.
Two of the best cops in the city, played by Paul Michael Glaser (Det. Dave Starsky) and David Soul (Det. Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson) fight the crime and try to restore peace and quietness in the streets. Bernie Hamilton (Capt. Harold Dobey) and Antonia Fargas (Huggy) are among the other principal talents. The former plays the part of a never-happy-kind-of-guy police captain and Fargas is the cool street guy which is always willing to give good tips. Those tips eventually lead to the arrest of criminals.
"Starsky and Hutch" might seem dated and freaky nowadays, nonetheless, it stays, in my opinion, one of the greatest cop series of all time.
Two of the best cops in the city, played by Paul Michael Glaser (Det. Dave Starsky) and David Soul (Det. Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson) fight the crime and try to restore peace and quietness in the streets. Bernie Hamilton (Capt. Harold Dobey) and Antonia Fargas (Huggy) are among the other principal talents. The former plays the part of a never-happy-kind-of-guy police captain and Fargas is the cool street guy which is always willing to give good tips. Those tips eventually lead to the arrest of criminals.
"Starsky and Hutch" might seem dated and freaky nowadays, nonetheless, it stays, in my opinion, one of the greatest cop series of all time.
The original Professionals
rajiaahmad5 May 2003
This pilot for the successful TV series is a dark, gritty thriller which begins with a young couple being blown away in their car by two assassins. LA's toughest cops Dave Starsky and Ken 'Hutch' Hutchinson are called onto the scene, believing that they were the intended victims, so they roam the seedy streets, looking for answers. They then realise that there are bad guys on both sides of the law. Compared to the series, this TV movie is considerably more serious. Although Starsky has several witty lines and the chemistry between him and Hutch is apparent, people are gunned down in cold blood and the two heroes trust no one but themselves. Soul and Glaser are good and the action sequences are raw and exciting, featuring a downtown car chase, a punch-up inside a gangster's mansion and the climactic chase/gunfight. S & H are the guys who clearly paved the way for the likes of Bodie & Doyle and Crockett & Tubbs, with their humorous banter and crimefighting antics. The first 2 seasons of S & H were pretty tough and violent, until they were told to tone it down and it became more corny.
Cult TV is born!
bob the moo16 July 2002
When a car just like Starsky's is the target of a hit, the police suspect that the target was really Starsky and Hutch. The two cops decide to stay on the street and try to find out who wants them dead and why. However their informants tell them a much deeper tale.
The pilot for the original show doesn't have the cool music but it does have everything else that gave birth to the cult TV show. The plot isn't exactly going to set the world on fire but it is passable. However it does allow plenty of chance for Starsky to crack wise, Hutch to look good for the ladies, Huggy Bear to be cool and Dobey to shout and be gruff.
The action is very basic but is still fun however it's hard to ascertain how good it would be if it wasn't already a cult classic. Soul is good and was always my mum's favourite however I always preferred Glaser as the witty Starsky (and it was his car!). it's hard to imagine the world without Huggy Bear and Fargas is still making a living off that one role all these years later!
Overall it's not as good as the TV show itself but this pilot has much in common with it and is well worth a watch if only for the car, the jokes and those terrible cardigans.
The pilot for the original show doesn't have the cool music but it does have everything else that gave birth to the cult TV show. The plot isn't exactly going to set the world on fire but it is passable. However it does allow plenty of chance for Starsky to crack wise, Hutch to look good for the ladies, Huggy Bear to be cool and Dobey to shout and be gruff.
The action is very basic but is still fun however it's hard to ascertain how good it would be if it wasn't already a cult classic. Soul is good and was always my mum's favourite however I always preferred Glaser as the witty Starsky (and it was his car!). it's hard to imagine the world without Huggy Bear and Fargas is still making a living off that one role all these years later!
Overall it's not as good as the TV show itself but this pilot has much in common with it and is well worth a watch if only for the car, the jokes and those terrible cardigans.
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