SPOILER. This is both a synopsis and a review, thank you.
It is the opening episode of Season 6. "Nash Bridges" was dropping in the ratings at the end of Season 5. At the beginning of Season 6, the producers have another premier season opener, can they get the ratings back up for Nash Bridges?
Major characters Caitlyn Cross and Evan Cortez are gone. The Cassidy saga needs to be revitalized, as does the situation with Joe and Inger, plus old-and-in-the-way Nick .
The writers must have been looking for a way to really juice this up... how about MIAMI VICE? That show absolutely dominated the ratings in the 80's, it is still fresh in the minds of the viewers. So let's put Nash (and Joe) in a speedboat, trying to catch a pony-tailed Colombian drug dealer. That will bring back the excitement of Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs.
When the story breaks for the opening credits, we get an exciting new theme song, and of course Caitlyn and Evan are no longer pictured.
We are back from the commercial break. Fade out from Miami Vice, we need another thrill, let's blow something up. From this point the writers will throw in a mad bomber, police corruption at the highest levels, and to top it all off... Alcatraz!
The writers need to work in Evan's replacement, Antwon Babcock, a large black guy who can get things done. They had to do something with Joe and Inger, but (as usual) their soap opera antics are largely filler... you can fast forward through their conversations and you won't miss a thing.
As the show approaches the climax, the speedboat is brought in again to evoke shades of Miami Vice. And that boat proceeds to the aforementioned Alcatraz.
Like so many movies and TV shows depicting that closed-down prison, the star of the show (in this case Nash Bridges) has no problem docking their boat, and no problem finding their way around the maze of a shuttered Federal prison. Not likely!
Now we get another tried-and-true suspense technique used in cop shows... the diffusing of a bomb. Like most TV and movie bombs, this one conveniently has a bright red digital timer counting down the seconds.
The closing scene (regarding the Bomber) introduces a new hero to the SIU. Very well done!
The writers should have ended it here, but no, they have to put in some more comedy relief nonsense regarding Joe and Inger, and a final scene with the increasingly senile Nick.
Even with a number of plot holes, and way too much soap opera (what else is new?), this is a very watchable and enjoyable episode. A great start for Season 6 of Nash Bridges!
* * * * * * * * * 6 Stars for Rock and a Hard Place * * * * * * * * *
It is the opening episode of Season 6. "Nash Bridges" was dropping in the ratings at the end of Season 5. At the beginning of Season 6, the producers have another premier season opener, can they get the ratings back up for Nash Bridges?
Major characters Caitlyn Cross and Evan Cortez are gone. The Cassidy saga needs to be revitalized, as does the situation with Joe and Inger, plus old-and-in-the-way Nick .
The writers must have been looking for a way to really juice this up... how about MIAMI VICE? That show absolutely dominated the ratings in the 80's, it is still fresh in the minds of the viewers. So let's put Nash (and Joe) in a speedboat, trying to catch a pony-tailed Colombian drug dealer. That will bring back the excitement of Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs.
When the story breaks for the opening credits, we get an exciting new theme song, and of course Caitlyn and Evan are no longer pictured.
We are back from the commercial break. Fade out from Miami Vice, we need another thrill, let's blow something up. From this point the writers will throw in a mad bomber, police corruption at the highest levels, and to top it all off... Alcatraz!
The writers need to work in Evan's replacement, Antwon Babcock, a large black guy who can get things done. They had to do something with Joe and Inger, but (as usual) their soap opera antics are largely filler... you can fast forward through their conversations and you won't miss a thing.
As the show approaches the climax, the speedboat is brought in again to evoke shades of Miami Vice. And that boat proceeds to the aforementioned Alcatraz.
Like so many movies and TV shows depicting that closed-down prison, the star of the show (in this case Nash Bridges) has no problem docking their boat, and no problem finding their way around the maze of a shuttered Federal prison. Not likely!
Now we get another tried-and-true suspense technique used in cop shows... the diffusing of a bomb. Like most TV and movie bombs, this one conveniently has a bright red digital timer counting down the seconds.
The closing scene (regarding the Bomber) introduces a new hero to the SIU. Very well done!
The writers should have ended it here, but no, they have to put in some more comedy relief nonsense regarding Joe and Inger, and a final scene with the increasingly senile Nick.
Even with a number of plot holes, and way too much soap opera (what else is new?), this is a very watchable and enjoyable episode. A great start for Season 6 of Nash Bridges!
* * * * * * * * * 6 Stars for Rock and a Hard Place * * * * * * * * *
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