Furillo (the always superb Daniel J. Travanti) considers leaving the station so he can run for commander. Renko (Charles Haid) and Hill (Michael Warren) investigate the murder of a 15-year-old hooker. Lt. Hunter (a gloriously loopy James B. Sikking) and his EATers squad go poking around the grimy sewers in search of alligators. Washington (Taurean Blacque) and LaRue (Kiel Martin) play a joke on Hunter by planting a big fake rubber alligator in the sewers. Director Georg Stanford Brown and writer E. Jack Kaplan ably milk plenty of gut-busting humor from the "Operation Gatorbait" premise; it's a total hoot to see Hunter and his men get bombarded by all sorts of vile glop and it's likewise positively hilarious when the gung-ho Hunter and his squad open fire on the fake alligator. Moreover, there are also amusing moments between Calletano (the highly engaging Rene Enriquez) and Esterhaus (Michael Conrad projecting his usual winning warmth and affability) in which they go back and forth on proper protocol and a nice running gag concerning an orphan cat. This episode deserves extra praise for handling the seamy subject of the prostitute's murder in a tasteful, realistic, and unsentimental manner. Veteran character actor Dolph Sweet contributes an excellent performance as Lt. Emil Schneider, the shrewd and weary detective who's in charge of the hooker murder investigation. And Barbara Bosson is in divinely shrill form as endearing raving neurotic Fay, who this time gets all bent out of shape by an obscene phone caller.
3 Reviews
Howard, Politics, and Alligators
Hitchcoc8 July 2021
Howard Hunter takes his gestapo group into the sewers looking for alligators. Washington and LaRue decide to take their tensions and impatience in a practical joke. We begin to see Frank's efforts to move up to a commander post, but quickly realizes the dirty politics involved. The focus here is a teenaged prostitute who is murdered. Fay is getting threatening phone calls and despite her perpetual anger with Frank, needs his shoulder to support her.
The lighter side of 'Hill Street Blues'.
Hey_Sweden18 September 2020
The possibility that Frank might leave Hill Street Station to run for Commander is floated in this likeable episode, which is written by E. Jack Kaplan. Hill and Renko get involved in the search for the killer of an underage prostitute. Along the way, Renko butts heads with Emil Schneider (guest star / top tough-guy character actor Dolph Sweet), a homicide detective who doesn't seem to take the case that seriously. LaRue and Washington decide to play a prank on Hunter, as he and his team are conducting their annual search for alligators in the city sewers. And Fay is having another rough time because now her home is being plagued by obscene phone calls.
As directed by Georg Stanford Brown, this is a very engaging episode with a strong sense of humour. It runs the risk of getting overly silly, but it's still impossible not to bust a gut laughing at the image of an obviously phoney gator rolling through the sewers. An endearing running gag has a cute cat constantly switching hands at the station (Henry is supposed to be trying to find it a home). The acting from this ensemble is once again right on the money, with star Daniel J. Travanti as the glue to hold it all together. In addition to Sweet, other fine guest stars include Jordan Charney, as the chief competitor for the Commander job, Dana Gladstone as the cop Marv, George Dickerson as the current Commander, Swanson, and Carl Weintraub as a dopey SPCA guy named Bromfield. Future star Tim Daly ("Diner", 'Wings') has the small role of Dann.
It's just too funny to see Belker in disguise as a rabbi. Like several others here, he takes the time to show his appreciation for Frank, and that he'd understand if Frank were to get ambitious.
'Gatorbait' ends on a sweet note as a compassionate Frank takes the time to console Fay.
Eight out of 10.
As directed by Georg Stanford Brown, this is a very engaging episode with a strong sense of humour. It runs the risk of getting overly silly, but it's still impossible not to bust a gut laughing at the image of an obviously phoney gator rolling through the sewers. An endearing running gag has a cute cat constantly switching hands at the station (Henry is supposed to be trying to find it a home). The acting from this ensemble is once again right on the money, with star Daniel J. Travanti as the glue to hold it all together. In addition to Sweet, other fine guest stars include Jordan Charney, as the chief competitor for the Commander job, Dana Gladstone as the cop Marv, George Dickerson as the current Commander, Swanson, and Carl Weintraub as a dopey SPCA guy named Bromfield. Future star Tim Daly ("Diner", 'Wings') has the small role of Dann.
It's just too funny to see Belker in disguise as a rabbi. Like several others here, he takes the time to show his appreciation for Frank, and that he'd understand if Frank were to get ambitious.
'Gatorbait' ends on a sweet note as a compassionate Frank takes the time to console Fay.
Eight out of 10.
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