Moonshine

DVD, Starsky & Hutch S4 (Moonshine)

Of the episodes so far in Season Four, this one is the most fun and exciting. It has an amusing tone even though there are some harsh moments, such as the two hillbilly moonshiners dying after a chase with the Tomato, or the news that the friendly agent who popped into Dobey's office to give them a heads up, had been killed by the crazy guy. Actually there are a lot of crazy guys in this, and that's what makes the series stand apart from run-of-the-mill cop TV. This time we get all the hick stereotypes with the big man that becomes friendly at the bar - incidentally I feel sure both he and the barman had played roles in previous episodes - and the moonshiners themselves.

At the bar I was sure I could hear music sung by that Country singer from last season! The twanging banjo tunes and twanging dialogue all add up to a twang of a good time. One of the best scenes is when Hutch poses as 'CW' a country music star and gets caught up in a talent contest, giving David Soul a chance to do some performing as he was always good at. The self-deluded, but dangerous pair of brothers contrast with the 'good' honest moonshine liquor makers, who don't resort to strong-arm tactics and think it's a crime to turn good drink into poison by mixing it with wood alcohol.

I suspect this episode was one of the inspirations for the 'Starsky & Hutch' film of the mid-2000's, with their fake accents and costume, riding bikes and getting up country people's noses! There's something quite funny about that little bike buzzing through the empty countryside, even though the actual plot is desperate as Hutch tries to find Starsky. Everything comes together to make an episode with enough excitement, laughs (another good end scene), and general good-humoured jollity that makes it a fine one to watch.

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