"POWER PLAY" When Men Were Men April 17, 1999

by
Gordon Hom

This episode starts off with a chase on a San Francisco hilly street that sends the 'Cuda flying through the air - that's more like it. That's more like a San Francisco-style chase ala the nostalgia of the chase in the 1968 film BULLITT which gave new meaning to reckless driving.

But other than that, this episode about an elaborate kidnapping plan to fix a hockey game - has that ever really happened in the United States? There's been incidents like this in soccer games (in which relatives of soccer player's were kidnapped for ransom, but not to fix a game). Only NASH BRIDGES gives the world of crime a little fantastic twist that puts it out of the realm of the real and into the realm of the cartoon. These are Bad Guys of the Week with big plans on exploiting American sports, similar to plot machinations of the 1991 film THE LAST BOY SCOUT. The betting action on football is well known, but hockey? Well, it's in Latvia anyways, and who knows what they bet on in Latvia.

The Caitlin character takes a major nosedive, as the series finally gets around to putting her in hooker's clothing. What could be more sexist and degrading to women? She must then fight off an ugly rape attempt in a washroom. At least Caitlin does this well, without the aid of Nash. Caitlin is a minimal character at best, and this development with her going undercover as a loose woman amidst hungry, pawing thugs is disappointing. Nash sits outside waiting, like her pimp protector. Harvey and Evan are in the surveillance van, drooling over her outfit. It's the 1970s all over again, and women are treated as such. Could a remake of CHARLIE'S ANGELS be far behind? NASH BRIDGES is retro-style and retro-male behavior - it's a yearning for a time when men were men and women were, well, pretty bouncy things. It seems to work only for Don Johnson. Other retro shows like the defunct BUDDY FARO and DELLAVENTURA didn't work for actors Dennis Farina and Danny Aiello. Farina and Aiello look like old geezers, but sexy Donny still looks youthful. As if to emphasize all this testosterone, Joe's comedic bit for this episode proves he's plenty virile by offering up two samples of semen in a day...

For more, see synopsis for Episode 74

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