T V | House of Stapleton

1. Rites of Spring, Part 1

First Aired October 14, 1981

Officers Mike Perez and Joe Coffey both have their first major roles in this episode; both were to be regulars for the next four years. There is a major clash between their respective partners (Cooper and Bates). Goldblume, reflecting on his son's illness and his clashes with narcotics colleagues, decides to resign, but Furillo persuades him to reflect further. Esterhaus is back with Grace, and his marriage to Cindy is cancelled. LaRue has an increasing problem with alcohol dependency, which leads to a near disaster for Belker, under cover, when he requests backup from LaRue. Weeks (Charles Hallahan), a racist narcotics officer, shoots a black suspect (legitimately) in the final scene.

2. Rites of Spring, Part 2

First Aired October 14, 1981

Officers Mike Perez and Joe Coffey both have their first major roles in this episode; both were to be regulars for the next four years. There is a major clash between their respective partners (Cooper and Bates). Goldblume, reflecting on his son's illness and his clashes with narcotics colleagues, decides to resign, but Furillo persuades him to reflect further. Esterhaus is back with Grace, and his marriage to Cindy is cancelled. LaRue has an increasing problem with alcohol dependency, which leads to a near disaster for Belker, under cover, when he requests backup from LaRue. Weeks (Charles Hallahan), a racist narcotics officer, shoots a black suspect (legitimately) in the final scene. While everyone pursues Weeks, he finds an unlikely ally in Washington, who believes his story. LaRue's drinking problem intensifies, and Furillo puts him on notice. Fay is mugged in the street.

3. Jungle Madness, Part 1

First Aired October 21, 1981

Everyone is still out to get Weeks, and even Furillo begins to question him; only Washington defends him. Davenport still wants to keep her relationship with Furillo secret. Esterhaus has a birthday, but doesn't like his belly dancing surprise gift, which interrupts roll call. LaRue's drinking nearly kills him and Washington, and Furillo gives him an ultimatum.

4. Jungle Madness, Part 2

First Aired October 21, 1981

Everyone is still out to get Weeks, and even Furillo begins to question him; only Washington defends him. Davenport still wants to keep her relationship with Furillo secret. Esterhaus has a birthday, but doesn't like his belly dancing surprise gift, which interrupts roll call. LaRue's drinking nearly kills him and Washington, and Furillo gives him an ultimatum. At the eleventh hour Washington finds the evidence to save Weeks, proving him innocent. Chief Daniels, who had already written off Weeks, is greatly displeased, and tempers flare between him and Captain Furillo. LaRue reaches rock bottom and finally walks into his first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous - only to find Furillo also in attendance (a theme that was to recur strongly throughout all seven seasons). Coffey is shot during a vehicle stop. In the original version (now hard to obtain) he dies instantly. In the remade version (now broadcast as the repeat, and also the version available on video release) he is gravely injured, but recovers to return to the second season.

5. Hearts and Minds

First Aired October 28, 1981

In the opening sequence, Davenport is nearly shot when an arrested perp breaks free, grabs a gun and opens fire inside the precinct. Coffey is on his tenth day back at work after the shooting. A missing seven-year-old boy has a huge team searching throughout the episode, including Bates, Coffey, Renko, Hill, and Perez, but it is Goldblume who finally locates the child. A thieving orangutan and its owner are arrested. Esterhaus is worn out by Grace Gardner and trying to distance himself from her, without success. Detective Ben Lambert (Charles Guardino) is accused of sexual assault during an arrest. Furillo celebrates his 40th birthday, and both Fay and Davenport ask to spend the night with him. He chooses Davenport (who, unusually, addresses Furillo as "Pizza Man" twice in this episode), but having demanded more in their relationship, he ends the episode alone.

6. Blood Money

First Aired November 04, 1981

The orangutan is still in the station, and Belker leads a successful raid to recover stolen military weaponry, in an otherwise relationship-dominated episode. Goldblume (who is married), undercover as a cab driver, meets a new lady friend; Furillo and Davenport meet socially at an art exhibition, with other partners; Esterhaus formally breaks up with Grace; Hunter asks Grace on a date, and ends up heading towards the desired night of passion; Goldblume throws caution to the wind, and ends the episode back with his new friend in her apartment.

7. The Last White Man on East Ferry Avenue

First Aired November 11, 1981

The eponymous hero of the episode is a widower defending his property from immigrant neighbors who have already killed his dog; unfortunately, carried away, he produces a shotgun and kills a teenage boy, leading to a siege, ended by Goldblume's brave intervention. In the other main storyline, Detective Brooks is murdered by the Black Arrow, leading to the arrest of Jesse John Hudson, their leader, posing as a respectable politician. Goldblume's affair is discovered by his wife, who throws him out and ends their marriage. Hunter is forced to admit failure in his proposed night of passion with Grace Gardner, due to what Furillo calls "an equipment failure". Esterhaus spends the night with Margaret, his estranged wife "just sleeping".

8. The Second Oldest Profession

First Aired November 18, 1981

The title comes from "Operation Jezebel", uniformed officers and EAT rounding up prostitutes on the Hill, during which Bates makes a terrible mistake in judgment due to compassion. Hudson arrives at court to face Furillo but is assassinated by his former lawyer, still bearing the scars of the beating he gave her. Macallister comes out as gay to Esterhaus and makes a pass at him, ruining Esterhaus' first lunch break outside the station since he came to the Precinct "three years ago." Esterhaus and Gardner, Furillo and Davenport, and the two Goldblumes all get back together.

9. Fruits of the Poisonous Tree

First Aired December 02, 1981

The spirit of Monday Night Football is everywhere, even in the courthouse. When LaRue and Washington arrest Maxwell Jenkins (Essex Smith), a suspected serial mugger preying on elderly people, a cat and mouse game begins between police and Joyce Davenport, resulting in Jenkins being released due to a legal concept known as "Fruit of the poisonous tree". Grace briefly thinks she is pregnant, much to the delight of Esterhaus - and his dismay when it proves untrue. Bates shoots and kills a 14-year-old boy who had first fired on her and is himself the murderer of a ten-year-old girl, leading many officers to reflective contemplation.

10. Cranky Streets

First Aired December 09, 1981

Officers Gerry Nash and Estella Sanchez, transferring from other precincts, are assigned to Hill and Renko for local training. Hill and Nash formerly served together at Jefferson Heights Precinct, and Nash starts well, rescuing two people from a burning car. Later at a violent incident, Nash uses excessive force and seriously wounds a suspect, for which Hill later covers, also persuading Renko, Bates, and Coffey to do likewise. Coffey encounters childhood friends, while patrolling his old neighborhood, and arrests one of them. A strike looms as the City Council fails to meet police pay and conditions demands.

11. Chipped Beef

First Aired December 16, 1981

William Teacher, a friendly and helpful black father and husband, saves Renko from a serious assault and Washington and LaRue from a mob - yet is arrested due to an outstanding warrant, five years old, from a different state. The officers are indignant and demand his release - something Furillo initially refuses, but finally arranges. In the initial scene with Teacher (15 minutes into the episode) Hill uses an early example (1981 broadcast date) of the techno-intransigent catchphrase "Computer says no". Furillo talks to the officers covering for Nash and persuades them to change their statements and tell the truth; this leads Nash to resign. Belker has an undercover encounter with the new phenomenon of ATM cash machines - and catches the culprits involved. On the personal front Washington and his girlfriend Jill (Lynn Whitfield) have a hiccup and a reconciliation. Fay's new fianc? collapses and dies at a public lunch, in front of Furillo and Hunter. She is comforted by Davenport - their first formal meeting.

12. The World According to Freedom

First Aired January 06, 1982

An unidentified street gang tortures and murders several innocent people in an extended robbery and Furillo responds angrily against all the gangs. Belker's gas station undercover operation is ruined by the well-intentioned "Captain Freedom", who fancies himself as a superhero and dresses in a red lycra suit, green shorts and elbow pads with a red leather cap and goggles. The downstairs holding cells are refurbished, and at once a prisoner tries to hang himself in them.

13. Pestolozzi's Revenge

First Aired January 13, 1982

Chief Daniels is concerned about corruption in the South Ferry Precinct and asks Furillo to set up a fake saloon there; Furillo is dismayed that when he appears before the politically motivated corruption commission, plans (and the details of his private conversation with Daniels) appear to be known. As just part of a very bad day, Renko crashes two patrol cars and has to confess to having his police revolver stolen while he was engaged in illegal gambling. Coffey is discovered to have had sex with a married woman while standing up Bates - she is unforgiving. "Captain Freedom" continues his anti-crime campaign.

14. The Spy Who Came in From Delgado

First Aired January 20, 1982

Corruption-spotting is still the central feature of Department life as the Sullivan Commission continues. A filing clerk transferred from Division seems friendly but inefficient, leading Calletano to uncover her as a detective sent by Daniels to spy on the Precinct. She is sent away, but has already discovered the truth of Officer Arthur Delgado, who suffered burnout after nineteen and one-half exemplary years on the force but has been kept on the books as a "paper soldier" by Furillo to get 20 years service credit for his pension. "Captain Freedom" continues shadowing Belker to "help and protect" him.

15. Freedom's Last Stand

First Aired January 27, 1982

Goldblume goes undercover to solve a purse snatching and gets badly beaten, yet successfully apprehends the purse snatcher. Furillo testifies again before the Sullivan Commission and offers his resignation to Chief Daniels, who has clearly set him up. Daniels refuses the resignation and agrees to restore Delgado to 30 years service for pension purposes. Still successfully entrapping corrupt officers in South Ferry, the fake saloon is raided by armed robbers - but in the ensuing shoot-out, "Captain Freedom" is fatally wounded and dies in Belker's arms. After 30 hours of successful gambling, Bates loses out in the final game of the Tenth Annual Inter-Precinct Poker tournament. In 2009, TV Guide ranked this episode number 57 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes.

16. Of Mouse and Man

First Aired February 10, 1982

The title comes from Belker's pet mouse Micky, who is accidentally killed by Coffey during the episode. Public Defender Pam Gilliam is murdered (much to the distress of Davenport), but following a joint sweep of the Royal Blood gang by EAT and uniforms, the murder weapon is recovered by Hunter, Schmeltzer, and Ballantine. In his absence, Hill is elected Vice President of the Black Officers' Coalition (BOC) (proposed by Lieutenant Cleveland), leading to a strained relationship with Renko. Goldblume pursues a complaint against a vicious and uncaring landlord in a decaying apartment block. Jonathan Frakes appears as a drug dealer.

17. Zen and the Art of Law Enforcement

First Aired February 17, 1982

The Gilliam murder suspects are released on a legal technicality. LaRue drinks and almost ruins a major drugs bust. Goldblume loses his patience with the corrupt landlord and for the first time uses force to make his point. Renko has a temporary partner (just transferred from Washington Heights Precinct) who lets him down badly, while Hill is busy with BOC work. Esterhaus discovers more about Grace's prolific sex life.

18. The Young, the Beautiful and the Degraded

First Aired February 24, 1982

Gilliam's murderer is finally caught - but only after he has been released and killed his own accomplice for alleged disloyalty. Furillo sends LaRue to work in the motor pool and warns that he intends to recommend dismissal. Hill resigns as Vice President of the BOC.

19. Some Like it Hot-Wired

First Aired March 17, 1982

A successful bust of car thieves gives the episode its title. In the opening scenes, Furillo receives retirement threats from three of his senior staff: Sergeant Esterhaus (whose car has been stolen overnight), Sergeant Goldblume (who has missed out on promotion, apparently because a black promotion candidate was needed), and Lieutenant Calletano (whose pay deductions have left him with a monthly income of just nine dollars). Sergeant Chesley receives his promotion to Lieutenant, precipitating Goldblume's depression. Goldblume compensates by going out on an undercover operation where he is shot, the bullet just missing his heart. Davenport narrowly avoids contempt of court when she suddenly refuses to defend her client - a reaction to the Gilliam murder. Renko visits his father in hospital and learns that Renko Sr. is riddled with cancer, and has a short time to live.

20. Personal Foul

First Aired March 24, 1982

Belker and Washington are undercover at an adult movie theater. A redundant housing authority cop takes his partner and child hostage. Goldblume returns to work and announces his divorce. The precinct plays basketball against a mixed team of gang members. A final second victory is denied when someone in the crowd shoots the ball (with a gun).

21. The Shooter

First Aired May 05, 1982

Halloran and Tubbs are shot (the former fatally) with a weapon which had been in police custody. Officer Wallins (Ben Slack) of the Property Department admits to selling the piece to his brother-in-law, thus beginning a mammoth process of tracing the weapon. LaRue, who becomes involved in the case via the motor pool, proves a key to the trace. Belker's drivers license renewal includes an unexpected high-speed chase after a robbery suspect during his road test. John Renko (Officer Renko's father) returns to hospital after his spine collapses and prepares to die. Hill Street hosts a weapons convention, at which Hunter urges the chief officer of the EAT (Commander Remmington) to increase his weapons budget - Furillo is indignant at the suggestion.

22. Invasion of the Third World Body Snatchers

First Aired May 12, 1982

John Renko dies, but the van containing his body is stolen from outside the funeral home. Later, the abandoned corpse is discovered by Bates, Coffey, and Belker dumped among a group of winos. After a serious talk between Furillo and Washington, LaRue is reinstated as a detective. Commander Lakeland continues to pester Bates, who has called off their relationship after discovering that Lakeland is married. Furillo and Davenport finally depart on holiday after Joyce successfully clears a man falsely accused of rape. Henry Goldblume and Fay Furillo run into each other unexpectedly at a singles bar.