"THE GREAT ESCAPE" Old and New, Comedy and Violence October 5, 1996

by
Gordon Hom

This is a NASH BRIDGES episode shot last season because of the following discontinuities:

• SIU (Special Investigations Unit) police headquarters is located in the old Rotunda set. In the premiere, headquarters is moved into a barge parked on the Hyde St. Pier.

• Though "The Great Escape" features the new graphics oriented open, the old credits of last season are featured with Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's (who plays Lt. A.J. Shimamura, Nash's boss) name in the open, and Serena Scott Thomas' (who plays Kelly, Nash second ex-wife) name in the open. Kelly doesn't even make an appearance in this episode, but her name is included anyway (probably because of contractual requirements). Tagawa and Thomas' credits were dropped in the premiere open. (This holds hope that these characters might be in the new episodes, but don't hold your breath.)

This unseen episode shot last season features topical Bad Guys such as the militia groups which came to the forefront of the news after the Oklahoma bombing. Some of these extreme militia groups have a tendency towards white supremacy ideals. NASH BRIDGES' take on militia groups as generic Bad Guys is the odd comedic mix of Luscious Mancriff, a African-American with a gun-dealing mother. Luscious' mother is presented almost tough in cheek - when the gun deal with the militia group goes sour, Mrs. Mancriff pulls out a Street Sweeper shotgun and blasts away. Old ladies using heavy weaponry is not new - anybody remember the James Bond movie GOLDFINGER? There's an old lady with a machine gun who blasts away at Bond. NASH BRIDGES parody of machismo and stereotypes falls easily into this type of humor because Nash himself is like James Bond - a killer with females, a male fantasy superhero with the cool car.

The other bits of wild comedy include the visit to the home of wacky housewife selling "America 100" cleaning fluid. Sophia Kidwell asks Nash and Joe to wipe their shoes on the doormat, which they both oblige. The look Don Johnson flashes to Cheech is priceless as Sophia goes into her singing routine. The interrogation of Tracy Arnot, "The Mad Butcher of North Beach" with fine cuisine is just another of the over-the-top scenes in an overall barely believable NASH BRIDGES. Though the wild humor keeps things light, a lot of bodies are piled up in this episode. The body count and shootings are another of the NASH BRIDGES odd mixture of comedy and violence, all smoothed over by the Don Johnson charisma.

For more, see synopsis for Episode 11

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