"THE TOURIST" Humma Humma All Over the 'Cuda October 31, 1998

by
Gordon Hom

Nash sends all the foreigners packing in this episode. He foils the Russian Rychek's contract on FBI agent Katz and sends Rychek away. Nash wins back wife Lisa and sends Frenchman Henri limping home. Nash also prevents the shady Armenian dealer Papazian from selling a submarine to smuggle cocaine. This is a New Age of crime, where crime is on a grander scale, committed by white collar, ethnic baddies. Their crimes are difficult to prove, so Nash must resort to bluffing and false impersonations of KGB agents. Who cares if its legal or not (it doesn't matter outside of United States jurisdiction anyways) - just send all these foreigners packing - this is American law enforcement, godammit.

Since NASH BRIDGES doesn't call upon the services of spy writer Tom Clancy (nor a Tom Clancy kind of budget), we don't get to see that Foxtrot submarine; but we do get to see the new SIU headquarters (and another look at that round sign that says "Investigative." (See NashBITS of October 3, 1998 and October 24, 1998.) It's distinctly unbuilding-like, a monstrosity constructed on a barge floating next to Pier 30 with a breath-taking view of the Bay Bridge. NASH BRIDGES is at last settling permanently into San Francisco with a new headquarters inexpensively located on a production lot. The other major set piece is Nash's apartment located on the Treasure Island lot. And do you also notice that a lot of explanatory dialog now takes place in the 'Cuda? A lot more than humma humma is going on in the 'Cuda. So there is now this triad of spectacular (and money-saving) sets - headquarters, Nash's apartment, and the 'Cuda - use them resourcefully and you've got another panoramic episode of NASH BRIDGES.

The romantic story overshadows the crime story in "The Tourist." Don Johnson is, after all, a romantic leading man and it's showcased here. The association of Lisa, the assassin, and the airport all literally collide together: Nash first collides with Lisa pursuing the assassin in the beginning, and at the end, Nash painfully parts with Lisa before seeing the assassin once again. Nash's ex-wives are deadly - remember when ex-wife No. 2 Kelly came back? (See "Patriots", episode #48). A bevy full of terrorists followed Kelly. What happens if both ex-wives show up - Nash is going to need the SIU and more to fight off the platoon of foreign assassins and terrorists these two deadly females drag into the country. And the ex-wives are always in a state of matrimonial confusion - they either think they're married to someone else and they're not (Kelly) or they think they're still married to Nash and decide not to remarry (Lisa). Poor Nash, between fighting crime and the ex-wives showing up...

For more, see synopsis for Episode 60

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