BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS A

"You know coming down here to watch you sweat is not the high point of my day." (Pilot)

• 1. While wrapping up the series, there are quite a few iconic references to previous seasons. The Miranda Rights are read in their completion. There is running water in the gym shower and the hospital’s sprinkler. There is shared food, coffee and a Danish to stuffed veal and antipasto. Hutch wears his two-leather jacket. Starsky and Hutch visit a porno theater with Huggy. And in both ends, a bullet-ridden Torino appears in the police garage. Name some other symbolic nods. And what, besides the Starsky Sweater, is missing? (Pilot, Sweet Revenge, Targets 3)

• 2. Johnny Bagley’s Ernie and Hutch’s Starsky are both shot and left to burn to death in a building. Compare and contrast these two characters and their circumstances. (Trap)

• 3. If Starsky hadn’t seen Gillian at the Venus, how long, would it have taken Starsky, and or Hutch, to suspect that Gillian wasn’t on the up and up regarding her profession? Who would have figured it out first? (Gillian)

• 4. Elaborate on the parallels between Billy Joe/Henderson and Starsky/Hutch, two sets of characters in a car with one man a driving fiend and the other begging to stop. (Partners)

• 5. Would Hutch, without a Starsky in his life, really be the arrogant ass, as seen when Hutch fakes amnesia? Take the premise one step further explore, through an “It’s a Wonderful Life” lens how Starsky and Hutch’s lives would be without each other in it. (Partners)

• 6. Starsky and Hutch refer to White’s henchman, Foote, as “Curly” four times. Hutch is perhaps the whitest/blondest male character in the series. Compare and contrast Starsky and Hutch with White and Curly. Extra points for incorporating the action of small hairs on the back of the neck used when lying. (Losing Streak)

• 7. Hutch refers to he and Starsky as “Lazarus” when uniform asks him. Perhaps Hutch felt they both returned to life with this knowledge? (Psychic)

• 8. Corsican Brothers were conjoined, then separated twin brothers, who felt each other’s thoughts. Discuss Colby’s possible jealously regarding to how he views Starsky and Hutch, two men joined at the hip. (Deadly Imposter)

• 9. Sugar Plum is on stage, nattering away. Just as Sugar says she has, “no drinking problem at all,” John spills his drink. Jack Ives displays his “drinking problem” spilling champagne on himself out of glasses and spilling wine on himself while drinking straight out of the bottle. Pick three characters in Bay City and describe how real drinking problems have affected their lives. Extra credit for mentioning drinks involving a fancy glass and a little umbrella. (Death in a Different Place, Groupie)

• 10. Harry has sex once every nine months with a woman and then kills her. Harry appears to have issues with his father, which is one reason he doesn’t like the name Harry. A normal human pregnancy lasts nine months, not unlike the gestational time Harry spends in the boiler room/womb. Perhaps Harry is practicing a sort of self-annihilation when he murders women after having sexual relations with them, unconsciously eradicating his possibility of repeating the cycle of what he remembers of fatherhood? (Deckwatch)

• 11. Discuss the boiler room as Hell. (Deckwatch)

• 12. When Jerry hits Kathi, one sees a picture of a shark on the wall behind her. The shark is same color as Jerry’s shirt. Describe the possible symbolism. (Death Notice)

• 13. “Degenerates…sickos…bums,” Fifth Avenue calls Solenko and his bunch. “They give an honest thief like me a bad name.” Compare Fifth Avenue’s credo to Starsky and Hutch’s reasoning for the Angel to give them information on the two hypes that killed Emma Lou. Starsky and Hutch explain to Angel Huey Chaco and John Brown Harris “give heroin addicts a bad name.” Then observe the way Starsky and Hutch treat Cheryl Waite, self-admitted drug runner and possible prostitute, with a lobster lunch, an offer to stay at Hutch’s place and help packing for a trip. Where is the gray line drawn in Fifth Avenue, Angel and Starsky and Hutch’s heads as they make the distinction between an honorable bad person and one that is not? (Lady Blue, Bait, Texas Longhorn)

• 14. As Starsky is bleeding to death on the couch, Hutch asks him, “What time you got?” Without medical attention, frankly not much time at all. Does Hutch understand the double meaning of his question? Does Starsky? (Shootout)

• 15. Ellie Cole and Belle Kates have the same color hair. Compare and contrast these two characters. (Hostages)

• 16. Jesse quotes St. Matthew, “Beware of false prophets that come to you in sheep’s clothing and inwardly are ravenous wolves.” She is saying this about Starsky and Hutch and plainclothes fuzz, but her instincts are way off in regards to Kim and “Father.” Then again, she has been convicted of armed robbery, which perhaps puts her good judgment in question. Discussion question: Is Jessie as savvy as she appears to be? (Silence)

• 17. Both Starsky and Hutch have a wooden wheel with six spokes: Hutch’s is in his car. Starsky has one on his apartment wall. Imagine a conversation or reason they each have this visual in their possession. (Jojo, Running)

• 18. Both Starsky and Hutch get their gun arms tangled in the theater curtains at the Nuart as they enter the auditorium. When are some other times Starsky and Hutch physically act like both sides of the same coin in the same situation? (Silence)

• 19. Is Starsky’s consumption of some of the popcorn before he throws it at “Father Ignatius” as a sort of anti-communion? (Silence)

• 20. When “Father Jonas” clutches Molly / Pete and shakes her, there is the distinct sound of what sounds like a rattlesnake. Make three points comparing Father Jonas to a viper. Extra points for reference to Eve. (Little Girl Lost)

• 21. Starsky says to Hutch regarding Duke’s apparel advice, “Everyone is entitled to a mistake.” Hutch makes a little sneer, “Yeah, right...” Later Hutch, after being scolded by Cameron says, “We made a mistake, it won’t happen again.” These comments foreshadow Starsky’s “mistake” when he doesn’t trust Hutch about Jack and comments on “his stinking loyalty.” (Las Vegas Strangler)

• 22. Joey steals a watch. Starsky and Hutch take this seriously but her mom doesn’t. Molly / Pete steals food. Starsky and Hutch don’t take this seriously but Mike does. Compare and contrast these two scenarios. Extra points for intertwining the fact that both girls are played by the same actress. (Little Girl Lost)

• 23. Discuss the innuendos displayed regarding Venus Massage---Mrs. Grossman offers “hard candy” to Starsky and Hutch. Joy offers a massage to Starsky to “take that stiffness right out.” Mrs. Grossman disingenuously says her business deals only in whistles and tricks. She gives Starsky the “wolf whistle.” (Gillian)

• 24. Starsky goes to hospital and misses his pants. Hutch goes to hospital and misses his jacket. Is this a kind of medical strip poker? (A Coffin for Starsky, Vendetta)

• 25. Diana and Abby each invite Hutch to dinner, put a gift on his plate and wait for a late Hutch. Both relationships end badly. What are the differences and similarities between these two women? (Fatal Charm, Vendetta)

• 26. Tommy attacks Eckworth with a baseball bat. If he had to pick weapons to “match” three of his other victims in a symbolic way, what would he pick for the laundry worker, the pimp and Abby? (Vendetta)

• 27. Who is uglier, Leo Moon or Vic Humphries. Why? Extra credit for not mentioning Moon’s moobs. (Captain Dobey, You’re Dead, Survival)

• 28. Mac Senior sits on the fire truck after his son’s murder. The truck is a Mack truck. When Mac Senior tells Hutch that he told Mac Junior his job as a policeman would make him come to a bad end, could he have possibly seen it in this detail? Or is that a job for Joe Collandra? (Specialist, Psychic)

• 29. Starsky complains that his food is “too greasy.” Take this as the first clue that he is feeling contrary and run with it. (Psychic)

• 30. Marianne Tustin says regarding her brother’s affair with Marsha, “Ted’s one failing. He loved his wife, adored his kids, but he loved to play.” The very next thing she says is, “My brother always had a very bad temper, I mean a really bad temper.” Does Marianne not consider this a failing? Or having grown up with him, doesn’t take his temper seriously? Do you think his wife and children feel the same? (Tap Dancing)

• 31. Hutch says, regarding blood in bathroom, “If it’s Starsky’s blood it won’t matter.” This is the same man that told Dobey he didn’t care if he had two minutes, he wasn’t giving up? (Bloodbath, A Coffin for Starsky)

• 32. Hutch speculates the singing goldfish grew up and their voices changed. Starsky tells Lisa Peter Pan is always ten years old, and Starsky hadn’t seen Peter Pan for a long time. Mitzi comments the puppy will be all grown up in six months, but Lisa never will grow up, which Mitzi likes as she loves being a mommy. Hutch comments the bratty kid at the toy store will grow up and Lisa will stay sweet. Hutch says, “Kids grow up…the world marches on.” What do all these things mean for the three characters Lisa, Mitzi and Starsky? (Nightmare, Crying Child)

• 33. How much of Mitzi’s statement that she loves being a mommy and is glad Lisa will never grow up a real feeling or a rationalization for circumstances that can’t be altered? (Nightmare)

• 34. Al and Olga Grossman mention “this” has happened to Gillian before. “This” is apparently Gillian falling in love with a really special guy and wanting to get out of the prostitution business. Does knowing Hutch isn’t the first man Gillian has fallen for make her a more or a less sympathetic character? (Gillian)

• 35. Sonny sings “Glory Hymn of the Republic” while he tramps about in the canyon. The piano tuner at Huggy’s plays bits of it as he tunes the piano. Speculate on the possible significance in having the same tune in both places? (Survival)

• 36. The radio announcer talks about listening. Sonny complains that no one ever listens to each other anymore when cops ignore him. Bobby and his mother don’t communicate well. Hutch doesn’t communicate with Starsky when he goes to meet Lou. And due to his war injuries, Sonny’s ability to listen is reduced. Discuss the theme of communication in this episode. (Survival)

• 37. Hutch, trapped under his car, curses “All America on wheels, what a joke.” This is the Ford Motor Company that “put America on wheels,” and Henry Ford used this slogan. How does this tie in with Hutch’s desperate outburst? (Survival)

• 38. Burke and Corman say, “If we wanted to snuff him (Crandell), we could have wasted him resisting arrest.” Man, that’s cold. These guys have been on the street too long. Explore these cops in relation to Hutch’s comment about Mike Ferguson having been out so long he couldn’t differentiate the forest from the trees. What’s the difference between these three cops and Captain Dobey, who’s been out 27 years, longer than any of them? (Iron Mike, Snowstorm)

• 39. Forest asks Monk, “Why is it you are always wrong?” Is this true? (Fix)

• 40. Is the episode “Huggy Bear and the Turkey” a distinct fan non-favorite because of the lack of Starsky and Hutch? Because until the end, Starsky and Hutch act disinterested in solving a crime? Is it because it is boring? Because Turquet as a character comes out of nowhere? Or other reasons? (Huggy Bear and the Turkey)

• 41. Extrapolate on the possible multiple meanings, verb and noun, behind the title “The Fix.” (Fix)

• 42. Both Hutch and Slater have a bandage on their left pinky finger. Hutch cut his when he was making dinner for a date. Did Ray cut it when he was making dinner for Carla? Create a scenario that ties this small detail to something that happened in the episode. (Survival)

• 43. Aside from not ignoring calls and flirting with Chris less, Starsky and Hutch don’t behave that much differently after her scathing article than before. (Heroes)

• 44. When Starsky tells Hutch to “play the bad guy for a change,” is it because he feels he ends up playing the bad cop more than Hutch? Provide three examples that support your argument. (Snowstorm)

• 45. Amboy’s henchman says the “weekend take” is $141,000. This amount of money turns into $140,000 at Dobey’s. Did Starsky and Hutch siphon off $1000? They “take” money for Vicky’s daughter so you know they are capable of a little under-the-radar filching under what they would consider a good reason. If they did take $1000 off the top, what would they use it for that would be justifiable in their minds in the episode with Amboy? (Bust Amboy, Las Vegas Strangler)

• 46. Did Iron Mike recognize Starsky and Hutch from Harry’s restaurant or not? What are some clues he did? What are some clues he didn’t? And how would this play out in his request to work with them? (Iron Mike)

• 47. Is Artie sleeping with Tommy? Is he sleeping with the other boys? What are the clues that he is? That he isn’t? (Vendetta)

• 48. Belinda tells Hutch he wouldn’t know how she felt to be so desperate as to sell Vic Rankin. What is going through Starsky and Hutch’s minds as they remember Hutch’s experience with heroin? (Losing Streak, Fix)

• 49. Wally Stone says he “took the rap” for Steve. Does this mean it was Steve who pushed Jane Elexy out the window? Steve is clearly going to say something else to Starsky and Hutch as they go out the door, but changes his mind. Is there anything else to support the theory Wally did time for one or more of a member of the Wolf Pack’s crime? (Murder on Stage 17)

• 50. Starsky gives Hutch “woman advice,” and tells him not to worry about Diana. Starsky tells Hutch to “count on me,” which turns out to be a bad decision. Is this Starsky’s only instance of poor female advice? (Fatal Charm)