Fri, Jan 10, 1997
The city is suffering from a severe cold-snap and Chuck's apartment loses its power. He moves in with Gary for the day and takes over the entire hotel room with his pet gold fish and various possessions, frustrating Gary to no end. Out on the street, Gary keeps running into the same homeless kid begging for money and then reads that the kid is going to freeze to death. Gary finds the abandoned building where the kid is living and they both become trapped and in danger of freezing to death. Chuck sees the paper and reads that both Gary and the homeless kid freeze to death, so he rushes to the rescue but he's worse than useless.
Fri, Jan 24, 1997
Theresa LaParco is the pretty moll of a big time mob boss named Frank Pirelli. When she decides to leave him, Pirelli tries to put a "hit" on her. Gary and Chuck make contact with Theresa as she attempts to go "on the run", putting their lives in danger also. Besides having mobsters on her trail, the police are also looking for Theresa to testify against Pirelli. Gary is questioned by both the police and Pirelli repeatedly, but he truly doesn't know where Chuck and Theresa are. Complicating matters even more, Chuck has fallen in love with Theresa.
Fri, Jan 31, 1997
The discovery of an envelope hidden in a wall, left there by Lucius Snow, coincides with a visit of the U.S. President to Chicago. Gary uncovers an assassination plot is in the works, and he is at the center of it. The envelope left by Snow reveals that Snow faced a similar situation in 1963. Colleagues are not safe as part 1 of "The Wall" plays out.
Fri, Mar 7, 1997
While trying to help someone, Gary finds himself serving on a jury. The trial is a little unusual because the defendant is defending himself so the judge has the jury sequestered, which means Gary can't get access to the paper. When it does come it's taken away from him and he manages to get a glimpse of it which tells him that the man is innocent but he's not doing a good job defending himself. Eventually Gary has to turn to Chuck for help.
Fri, Oct 17, 1997
Howard Banner was once a highly respected newspaper columnist, but his best days are far behind him. In order to revive his waning career, he hires a young street waif to pretend she is dying of cancer, and calls her Jenny Sloan. After writing a series of articles about her brave fight to overcome the disease, Howard Banner once again becomes the toast of Chicago. Gary discovers the deception as he tries to persuade Jenny to help give a young boy stricken with cancer the desire and will to live.
Fri, Oct 31, 1997
Sister Mary works with inner-city youths, but begins to question her effectiveness and faith after witnessing too many young people ruin their lives through crime and violence. Gary tries to help her keep a young boy named Marcus on the straight and narrow path after his older brother Kareem is released from prison. Kareem has plans to tutor Marcus in the ways of crime, and he has no patience for Gary's interference.
Fri, Nov 21, 1997
Believing he gets no help in running "McGinty's", and feeling he is not respected, Chuck quits and leaves the bar. Gary is suffering his own emotional trauma in dealing with the newspaper, and begins to have dreams in which a psychiatrist counsels him to take Sunday's off from the paper and relax. Watching the Chicago Bears play on TV, he reads in tomorrow's news that the Bears' quarterback and toast of the town, Joe Damski, is going to suffer a serious injury. Gary and Damski's wife try to get the quarterback to retire, but he doesn't want to. Gary and Chuck impersonate the QB and kicker respectively, hitting the playing field to save the day.
Fri, Dec 19, 1997
Chuck begins dating a rabbi, and is compelled to tell the truth around her and be honest in his dealings with others. This creates a myriad of problems, forcing him to break up with her. Gary saves the life of an accident prone librarian several times in one day, and she falls head-over-heels in love with him. Unfortunately, Gary's cook at McGinty's was planning on asking the librarian out. Becoming jealous of Gary, he quits, but is hired back as Gary tries to be a matchmaker for the young lovers.