Pirate's Key Part 1
The episode to save cash by using scenes from the unaired pilot as flashback.
Already? This is mid-way in the second season. They usually don't pull out this trick until the end of a season or after an expensive couple of episodes.
Rick and A.J. commandeer a car to catch some bad guys. The problem is it's an old enemy from Florida. Florida? Yeah, it seems A.J. and Rick used to live in the Sunshine State. The enemy, a Florida congressman, pulls strings and have Rick and A.J.'s licenses investigated. A hearing breaks out where A.J. and Rick explain why this Florida congressman and his lacky county cop are out to get them. Hmmm. A hearing with flashbacks. Shades of Star Trek.
Like that famous pair of episodes Pirate's Key is two episodes. The "present" scenes are in a meeting room -- cheap and the "flashback" scenes use scenes from the made-for-TV movie that introduced the brothers. Like Spock in Star Trek, Rick's voice has changed considerably from the film. He had one hell of a good-ol-boy Southern accent living in Florida. Considering he was born and raised in San Diego I am sure he just adopted it as cover.
Yeah. Continuity errors-R-us.
We get backstory explained with this episode. Janet and A.J. lived together on A.J.'s boat. A.J. worked for Myron, Janet's father, in the Miami offices of Peerless Detectives. Myron taught A.J. everything of course. After the fun in Florida it Janet and A.J. break up. Myron moves to San Diego and calls A.J. to join him. A.J. does. Then quits. Then he gets Rick to join him and they start a competing agency. Which explains why Myron has such a fun relationship with the boys.
Gigi loved seeing a couple of scenes in the flashbacks that are used in the opening credits. She finally had her answer why A.J. turns his head as the girl walks by. It's Janet. And the guys washing up on shore with the burning boat is when a hidden bomb explodes on board while the guys are swimming to investigate something on shore. Oddly, Rick must have known trouble was afoot when he whistled Marlowe to swim with them.
As Part 1 ends Rick and A.J. are in the midst of the mystery of Pirate's Key and in their explanation to the license board. Stay tuned to Part Two tomorrow....
Trivia for this episode:
1) Originally this was a two-hour episode now syndicated as two episodes.
2) A.J.'s car in Florida license plate number: FHP-235
3) The license hearing is in a building with a fake sign that reads:
San Diego County
Administration Building
Under it chisled in stone is the real 1936 building date: MCMXXXVI
Original air date: January 20, 1983 - Production Code: 83479
Writer: Philip DeGuere
Director: Corey Allen
Guest Stars:
Judge Elliott Morris Taylor.......Eddie Albert
Kitty Kramer............................Cassie Yates
Sheriff Earl..............................Claude Earl Jones
David Stallings........................Nicolas Coster
Charlie....................................Peter Palmer
Tommy Luna...........................Kevin Hagen
Minnow..................................Rick Lenz
Senator Gershenson.............Harry Townes
Co-Starring: (opening credits)
Rosalita..................................Edith Diaz
Dr. Percy................................William Wintersole
Fernando Valecia...................Daniel Faraldo
IRS Agent Brewster...............Eric Server
Co-Starring: (closing credits)
Hoskins.............................Matthew Tobin
Les Kramer.......................Patrick Culliton
The Woman......................Joanna Patrice
Owner..............................Alfred Dennis
Perkins..............................Robert Casper
With:
Abe Carlton......................Phil Marquis
Gus..................................Tommy Lane
Sebastian Sawyer...........Phil Philbin
Sam Manners...................Wallace Wilkinson
Cam Stacey.....................Augie Brown
Rental Clerk......................Pam Pyms
Busboy.............................Luis Manuel